An old glass pitcher

Just finished cleaning the kitchen after making dinner.... What did I make you ask? Well..... Baked italian chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, sliced cucumbers with ranch dressing and sweet tea...... sounds pretty good ehh????  The tea is the kicker.....

My usual tea pitcher wasn't clean so I reached up into the cabinet and found my grandma's old tea pitcher.... Memaw Ginia for anyone that is curious..... and I decided to use it tonight. The funny thing is that when I make tea in my pitcher it doesn't seem special or out of the ordinary..... but when I make it in her's it always turns out perfect.

 Maybe it's because I put some saran wrap across the top and let it steam for a while like she always did......(with my pitcher I just use the lid)...... or maybe it's because it's glass and my pitcher is just a plastic one..... or maybe, just maybe..... it's because when I make tea in that pitcher I make it with a little more love because it reminds me of her. I'm thinking it's the love. :)

Thankful......

Good Morning,

I'm up early today for some reason and I really did think that since the time change was last night that I would take advantage of that extra hour. I woke up over and over in the middle of the night and just couldn't get something off my mind....well you know me..... that means it's time for a blog!

I went on a road trip yesterday with a few friends to visit an amazing woman that we all love dearly. A few months ago this woman lost her husband in a tragic accident after 28 years of marriage. I worked with her  a few years ago and had only seen her once since I changed jobs. I didn't really know what to expect or how I would react to hearing her story and had no idea what I would even say to begin to comfort her.  We ended up spending the entire day with her and by the time the day was over we had laughed, cried, and everything in between. Although I do think that our trip was something she enjoyed and that we did lift her spirits and provided her with comfort, I honestly feel like the trip may have made more of an impact on me that it did on her.

Throughout the day we saw the little condo she and two of her six (YES SIX) children are now living in and of course there are pictures of him everywhere...... she showed us the handmade grandfather clock he carved her a few years ago for Mother's Day (apparantly he makes her something every year)...... we drove around town in his truck....... we went to see the acreage they were developing together to begin building their dream home on....... we went to the cemetary to see where he was buried...... we went to see a few of their favorite places and fun events they would often go to for date night......and by the end of the day I was so grateful to have my husband.

At each place I was reminded how lucky I am...... how thankful I should be..... how limited our time on earth really is...... how each day TRULY is a gift...... she would take a horrible, fighting, emotional, exhausting, etc day with him at any cost if it were possible and wouldn't just be grateful on the good days....... so why if I am alive and well and have a husband to cherish, why am I not just as thankful on the bad day as I am the good? My eyes were definately opened.... and I pray they stay opened......

At each place we went if there was anything to purchase she would encourage me to get something for Adam...... she would say "Make sure to pick him up something wonderful!"..... to be honest I probably wouldn't have even thought to bring him something...... but hearing her say that reminded me that she would LOVE to have the chance to surprise her husband..... to give him something.... to show her love for him.... to make him smile........

I am so thankful to have the chance to do those things........ and I'm going to do my best to not forget it.

~*FALL*~

Don't you just love this time of year?

Cool, crisp mornings that make you want to stay under the covers and hit your snooze button on the alarm a few times....
Warm, sunny afternoons with a slight breeze reminding you of your school days.....
Hearing the highschool band practice and seeing the football players out on the field preparing for the next big game.....
That first stray leaf that falls ramdomly in your yard......
Apple Cider, pumpkin anything, and big sweaters!!!!!! Isn't it exciting???

I LOVE IT!!!

Perception......

It's all about perception......

Is it the way people just "happen" to view us??
Is it the way we "allow" people to view us??
Do we take extra precaution around some and throw caution to the wind with others??

It's all about perception.....

Christian woman..... loving daughter..... supportive wife...... conservative..... responsible......

Music lover..... spontaneous....... scream at the top of her lungs football fan...... rebellious and wild.......

It's all about perception.....

Priorities..... family time.... old fashioned values.......traditonal......

Me time..... dancing...... karaoke...... rule breaking.....

It's all about perception.....

Hip- Hip-Hop- Hipocritical???

Well.... I've been debating about blogging about this for a while now because I am fully aware it may ruffle some feathers...... but I decided it needs to be done so here goes:

I'm a Christian. I'm an imperfect person that sins and I still call myself a Christian. I make bad choices sometimes. I do things that I am completely aware are not the best things to do. I am not at church every time the doors are open and I am not on your street corner or mine preaching the gospel to each and every person I can get to hear my voice.  But I'm still a Christian.

Where is all of this coming from you ask? It's from the people that make statements like "Christians are all just a bunch of hipocrits" and "Ya, they act all holy on Sunday and were drunker than a skunk on Saturday night". I have heard these types of statements for years and years now and I guess I just have a different view on it so I have it on my heart to share it.

As a Christian, one of the first things I have done is admit that I'm not perfect. I have admitted that I am a sinner and I have acknowledged that I need help with that. I am going to make mistakes each day and I will for the rest of my life. Also, I have accepted that as a part of my relationship with God that I am going to strive to live a Christian lifestyle- but that doesn't mean that if I don't that I'm a hipocrit. Instead, that does mean that I am still growing, learning and working through some things. I feel like when people put Christians on a pedestal and percieve them as people who should be perfect or not make bad choices (AS ALL HUMANS DO), then they are missing the basis of what it means to be a Christian. Christians aren't perfect--- and they know that. Christians aren't striving to be perfect (because we know we can't), instead the strive is to be more Christlike and to live the best life possible with the help of Jesus along the way.

WHEW!! I guess you can take it or leave it but I just had to put it out there....

Things on my mind today

You get what you give...... and sometimes you get a little more..... may be good and may be bad......

We are all a little crazy....whether we want to admit it or not.........

Don't cast the first stone..... unless you are ready to get some bruises.....

When life hands me a lemon...... I want to throw it back and ask for a lime......

Puppies are alot of work.... but they are worth it.........

Never Ever Ever underestimate a women with a voice and an education..........

If you let people walk on you then they will continue to walk on you.........

Walk softly and carry a big stick.............

As much as I try, I will never really be tan.............

Follow your heart or follow your mind???? Or let your mind lead your heart????? Or let your heart lead your mind?????

When I'm old I will still love to lay in the grass and feel the sunshine.........

If there were a place to go for coffee detox I should probably go........

It seems like the people that have known me since middle school will always know me the best.....

My mom used to tell me "We may not be rich in money but we sure are rich in love"...... she was so right!

Country Mouse/ City Mouse

Good Sunday Morning to you....

I realized this weekend that I have a bubble.... and it may not be a good thing.....
When I say I have a bubble I mean that I have an area of town that is my comfort zone; an area that I only venture out of if I HAVE to....

This weekend I went to a seminar near Brookside in Tulsa and I also went that evening to Utica Square for a girls night out. Wow.... talk about a culture shock. What's funny to me is that I did not grow up in a small town or even grow up with the mindset that Brookside or Utica Square were outside of my bubble. However, apparantly my bubble has shrank considerably since I moved to Coweta.

I didn't realize that I had gotten so used to this relaxed, small town feel.... so used to pickups and boots and only going to Walmart, Countrymart, Atwoods and Senior Salsa on the weekends (these are a few of the retail places in Coweta).... I didn't realize that I was so used to not caring whether or not I had makeup on and not caring whether I looked nice when I ran to the store.... I didn't realize that I am COMPLETELY out of touch with the latest fashion trends and the surprisingly fun things to do in Tulsa.... In that one afternoon/evening I discovered Genghis Grill near Cherry Street for lunch, went to PF Chang's for dinner where we sat outside on the patio, had a ton of fun exploring Pier 1 and Williams Sonoma,  and of course we had to check out GAP and the Starbucks while we were there too..... oh and we walked to each place.... it was so nice! For those of you that frequent these places regularly you may not realize how nice it is to have the option to park and walk to different places instead of having to drive a few miles to the next shop.

So now that I have realized that my bubble is so small, I guess you could say I am on a mission to expand it.... Don't get me wrong, I LOVE pickup trucks, boots, country music and pretty much everything about my current laid-back bubble.... but I don't want to be so close minded and so comfortable that I begin to feel uncomfortable or out of place if I decide to venture to Tulsa on the weekends. I was so surprised how unconfortable I felt....how out of touch and different my norms are from the people I saw. It was almost if there was a different milieu or culture......does that make sense?

Do you have a bubble? Is it a good thing? Is it something that has just developed over time? If Utica Square is your bubble then come to Coweta and let me show you mine!
I'm kind of exciting about this realization and I am excited to intentionally try new things and to find new places in Tulsa to discover or appreciate again. At one point in my life Utica Square was a place I loved... so it was pretty shocking at how out of place I felt. It was hard to believe how much I have changed in the past 5 years... and it was a great chance for me to take a look at who I have become and maybe steer my path in a different direction. Look out Tulsa.... Coweta's headed your way!!

Support System

Most of you know that I am a social worker and one of the questions I ask each of the patients I have is: Who do you consider supportive of you?

I have probably asked this question a thousand times by now, but yesterday it hit me- Who do I consider my support system? Who in my life is there to support me no matter what task I'm facing or struggle I'm going through? I also asked myself: Who considers me a part of their support system?

These questions may seem pretty easy to answer but the more I thought about it I became so overwhelmed by the amazing people in my life. If I really had to sit down and take note of each person in my life that I know would truly be there for me..... it just brings me to tears with gratitude. So if you are reading this I probably consider you one of those people and I just want to thank you....

Thank you for being there... to listen.... to give advice... to give hugs.... to give kisses.....

Thank you for your encouragement...thank you for your warm smiles....thank you for your constant encouragement and for uplifting me when I need it.....

Thank you for kind words even if I don't deserve it and thank you for not telling me I'm crazy when I'm upset or even completely wrong.... and at the same time thank you for holding me accountable.....

I also hope that I am one of the people on your list that you know would be there to back you when you need it..... to give you the support you need in your times of both joy and struggle.....

I truly am grateful for those of you in my life and I hope this comes across as heartfelt and sincere as I mean it to be..... I just love you all!! 

Kris

Stretchy Pants....It's a Conspiracy!

Anytime there is an excuse to use the word conspiracy I use it....and so does my Dad.

For example: If Academy has their hunting shirts on sale for $19.99 and the add says $19.99 but when you get there it's really only $19.99 for sizes S-XL and the 2XL is $2 more..... that is a conspiracy!

Oh, and when there is a coupon for Venus razor refills in the paper for $4 off and Walmart "conveniently" only has the 12 pack of refills on their shelf......(instead of the 4, 6, or 8 packs they usually have)......its a conspiracy!!

But, yesterday I decided that the biggest conspiracy of all is stretchy pants. For those of you who have never worn stretchy pants or pants who seem to become bigger at the end of the day, you may not understand the impact of the conspiracy. So.... Let me enlighten you---

As I was getting dressed for work yesterday I noticed that my grey slacks seemed awfully baggy....you would think that this would be a happy moment right? Under normal circumstances I would have been thrilled with the thought of obvious weight loss and at the thought of buying new pants. But NO--- I quickly realized that these are the same pants that I thought were baggy the last time I wore them. These are the same pants that made me think I was going to be able to go a size down......(here is the conspiracy).... to my dissapointment, when I went to the store to buy the same slacks a size down...the size I was already wearing fit PERFECTLY in the store!!! There was NO WAY I was going to get my hiney in a new pair of britches a size smaller. So I thought, well how can this be?? I have this exact same pair of pants at home and they are huge! So my options are to A: wear the baggy pants that make me look homely or B: buy the pants a size smaller and suck in all day until they too become looser and actually fit me. What kind of deal is this anyway??? See....I told you it was a conspiracy!! ;)

I'm not sure how conspiracy became a part of my daily vocabulary....but I love it because it makes me laugh....and I love that Dad does it too.....he is just a goofy as I am. I have a ton of other "conspiracy" examples, but I will spare them for now... I have plenty of other random words I try to slip into daily conversation too....I guess that's just part of what makes me me....or maybe it's a conspiracy too! haha

I Still Believe

I Still Believe


Vs. I
I don’t comprehend all that I have been through
And I don’t pretend to have answers for you
Yet through it all I can say
My God is faithful
Sometimes my nights seem like they’ll never end
Like a tide from an ocean that never comes in
Yet I know, the morning will come
And what has been lost shall be won

Chorus:
I still believe
In a God who restores
I believe
That He still opens doors
I believe, In a God
Who is faithful
I believe
In a God who still heals
I believe
In a God who is real
I believe, in a God
Who is faithful


Vs. II
When I prayed and I prayed and my faith seemed to wane
When I cried my last tear and felt crushed by the pain
In a sweet tender way He’s been there
He’s so faithful
When my friends have gone on and I’m still left with grief
When I’m weak and I’m shaking like an insecure leaf
He gives me strength to move on
The courage and faith to be strong

Bridge:
Although some of my prayers
Have not come to pass
And some of my hopes and my dreams
Have been dashed
I know that God has a plan
Greater than I understand

© 2010 Markollection Music


If you haven't heard this song....well you are missing out! I have had it in my head all day!! Love it!!

Worra, Worra, Worra....

I titled this blog Worra, Worra, Worra, for my mother..... I guess you could say that it is a family joke that started with my Dad. Anytime you bring up a dilemma he will shake his head, put his hand on your shoulder, and say "worra, worra, worra!" It makes me smile everytime! Mom knows my worries and suggested I blog about it- so here goes:

So....as you must have guessed... I have a dilemma. Well, maybe not a dilemma but a decision I need to make. As some of you know, I joined WW in January of 2010 and lost 50lbs last year. I thought that I would continue to stick with WW until I reached my "goal weight". However-----I have NO MOTIVATION. I love the results I see when I follow the program closely; but I just don't seem to have what it takes to do this another year. What's worse is that I teach a class once a month about motivation! I ask the patients what motivates them, what their internal/external motivators are, and what goals they have and how to ensure they have both short term and long term success. Maybe I need to be listening instead of teaching the class!

Have you committed to something for a period of time and just given up? Have you been on WW or some health program and had success?

I think what is surprising is that I stuck with it for an entire year. Most people quit after a few weeks/ months and go back to old habits- isn't this supposed to be a "lifestyle" by now??? I know that I should continue....but whatever it was that kept me going has faded away...... and to this I say: Worra, Worra, Worra!

Valentine....Valentine.....

Tomorrow we celebrate Valentine's Day....... I am definately a romantic and love everything there is about roses, sweet cards, love songs, etc......but I hope that we all celebrate our valentines every day of the year not just one. Celebrate the good times, the bad times, and all of them in between. Celebrate the ways our valentines show us love without ever saying a word......by stability, by trust, by kisses, by hugs, by sweet smiles, by flirty eyes, by just being there.........

It's funny how little girls have this image of prince charming when they are young and then how that image changes over time........it's not just a handsome prince coming to rescue us anymore..... it's a man, a real man, who is patient, kind, generous, faithful, trustworthy.....because without that there is no point in being handsome....and without those qualities how can they rescue anyone???? And who says I need to be rescued anyway???? 

Hope this isn't a downer..... just things on my mind today........Love you all.....

Love Language....

     Every Thursday night my Dad's mother (to me she is Memaw) has our immediate Broken Arrow family over for dinnner. If everyone shows up there are 8 people and each week she prepares a meal big enough for all of us. She plans her menu and diligently remembers who doesn't like onions and who doesn't like cheese and which dessert everyone enjoys the most. She sets the table, brings out the glasses for filling, keeps all of the food warm, and makes sure to have enough left over that if anyone wants to take some for lunch the next day they can. She doesn't eat until we all eat and is the first one to get up and ask if anyone needs anything from the kitchen. She greets each of us with a smile, warm hug, and a kiss. She gives you her full attention when you are telling a story and smiles like its the most interesting thing she's ever heard. Then, when the night is over she walks each of us to the door, more hugs and kisses are given, and then stands on the porch and watches us to make sure we make it to our cars/trucks. When everyone is gone she cleans off the table, washes the dishes, and puts everything away. She never gripes, never asks for help, and never gets upset if she has cooked for 8 and only 3 show up. Memaw is 80.....yes 80.......to this I say- What a woman and what a love language!  (Don't worry, if anyone shows up early of course we offer to help set the table and offer to pick up/ do dishes if we are still there- didn't want you to think we aren't grateful!)

     I have never read the books about love languages and have never watched a talk show or debate about them either, but from what I gather it is important to know two things:

• What is your love language?
• What are the love languages of those around you?

     For some showing love may be providing a meal for their family, always being there for someone with a listening ear and a big shoulder to cry on, or even writing a song for a sweetheart. We all have things we do out of love and I think being aware of those things is vital. Before I learned to cook I had no idea the amount of time, hardwork, and LOVE that gets put into the preparation for each Thursday evening..... but I always felt the LOVE when I entered her home. I can promise you without a shadow of a doubt that each person at that table knows exactly what her love language is.....and I can only hope that someday those I love will be able to say the same about mine.

Eeeekkk!! It's a M-M-M-Monday!!!

Yawn......Good....Big Yawn.......Morning.......    

     Now I realize that there are a few of you that may be morning people and there there also may be a few of you that just LOVE Mondays.....to you people I ask..... Have you lost it????? Get back in bed and hit that snooze button a few more times!!!  Just kidding, Just kidding.... I actually admire your gusto.

     I am by nature that person that hits the snooze button atleast 5 times and grumbles all the way to the kitchen to get my java java started....but I'm working on it. I am learning that most things in life that I grumble about are not really anything to grumble about at all....it's just my perception of them that makes me act the way I do. In all seriousness, if I thought I could jump up on a chair and scream and "Eeeekkk!" at Mondays (the way most women do at mice) and that someone would really handle it all for me, would I? At first glance my answer would be "HECK YES!!!"- but at a closer look....probably not:

     Right now I am reading Hebrews, but when I was reading Proverbs I became very aware of the blessings I receive each day and began thanking God outloud for the little things that I didn't always realize were blessings.... like the slow grandpa driver in front of me on my way to work that made me drive the speed limit when I was running late-- because he actually saved me from the Wagoner County Deputy that was just waiting for me to cruise by a few miles ahead......and of course for letting me remember where I put that one random black dress sock a month ago (just in case I found the other one) when I realized I only had one in my drawer and didn't take the time to do laundry the night before. So today I am trying to be thankful for Mondays.... I'm thankful that I woke up, thankful that I woke up in a warm bed with a hot shower available at my convenience....I'm thankful that I have a job to go to that recognizes the talents that I have and that is actually willing to pay me for those talents. My husband was laid off a few years ago for 6 months...let me tell ya- that first Monday morning back at work was a day of pure JOY for both of us.......you would have thought it was Christmas morning in our house!! I can't remember another Monday morning that I have loved the sound of an alarm clock more than that day. There was no grumbling to the kitchen that morning- I think I probably skipped down the hall singing. ( oh yes, I am a skipper for sure! ) So why was it so easy to be a Monday loving morning person that day?? I have to believe it was purely MY perception of the day and that my alarm clock was still the same sound, that the duties at work were like any other day, and that the walk from the bedroom to the coffee pot was still the same distance.

     So....for you Monday morning loving folks....good for you! As for the rest of us.....I'm working on it, how about you?

A Place To Pray

Good Morning, Good Sunday Morning that is....

     If you didn't already know, In January I began a different type of fast with my church. This was not your traditional fast and the pastor just basically said to pray about it and to find out what God lays on your heart to do. So...I did. During the same message the pastor talked about the life of Daniel and how Daniel had a place to pray and that he did so in that same spot several times a day despite whatever else was going on in his life. I quickly realized that I did not have a place to pray and wondered if it made a difference or not. I mean, I pray all the time and in all sorts of places- driving down the road (usually praying for me to get to work as QUICKLY and safely as possible without some crazy running into me or without a ticket); at work (usually for patience, wisdom, the ability to actually get done what is on my plate that day, and thanking him for letting me make it through it all without bawling like a little girl), and everywhere else of course (for my family, friends, etc.). So, after some consideration I decided what I should do for my fast:
     Each morning Adam gets up for work and leaves the house about 5:15am, in the past I would wake up and make him breakfast/lunch, see him off and head back to bed. Then when I decided to wake back up, I would get my coffee and breakfast and head into the computer room to check email, facebook, etc and would spend my morning "me time" in front of the computer before it was time to head out to work. When thinking about a place to pray, I quickly realized that I make time every morning for everything else in my life that I CHOOSE to do...but I never make time to really pray or read my Bible. So...the fast began....
     I decided to get up each day, make my java java(this is what I lovingly call my coffee) and breakfast and that before I could watch the news, check email/FB, or any other type of media that I would devote that time to start reading my Bible and praying. The church fast ended last week and I have no idea what anyone else chose to do, but I can tell you one thing: For me, having a place to pray DOES matter. I was sooo surprised the difference it made in my life in such a short time. It was not always easy to do because of waking up late, my own laziness, the weather, staying in a hotel for 4 days, and all sorts of random things that happened, but it was always worth it. I finally learned the impact that reading scripture can make on my prayer life.
     This is how I see it- We all have relatives that we have heard stories about, seen pictures of, maybe even met a time or two when we were little, but do we really know them??? Do we know how they lived their lives, their thoughts, their words of wisdom for future generations??? I am learning that by reading God's word I am creating a more personal relationship with him and that I am not just relying on the memories and stories that other people have told me. I grew up in church, I had coloring books of Bible stories as a child, I had family members in every direction letting me know how important it is to make God my priority..... but until this fast I didn't take the time to consistently read it for MYSELF. Think about it--- if you had the memoirs of your great grandmother wouldn't you read them? Or would you just let other people that read them tell you how wonderful they are? Up until now I was content just hearing the stories and reading bits and pieces here and there.....but I am so thankful that I took the time to read it myself and that now this is no longer something I am doing for the fast- this is now something that I do just because I love it. Surprised? Ya, me too... but it's a good surprise.

     Whew.....told you guys I think alot.....so what do you think??? Do you have a place to pray?? Do you want one?? It's ok if you don't- but mine is at my dining room table with my jammies on, my java java close by on my rooster placemat, and my crazy morning hair for only God and I to see.

Me a Blogger??? No.... Naaaa....Well??? Maybe?????

After watching a movie about a woman who blogs her way through a cookbook (no names mentioned of course), I started thinking about blogging. I have never been a person who consistenly journals or writes in a diary, but I think I could blog. I think alot....and talk alot too if I trust you with my thoughts. I have alot of ideas and random " I wonder......" moments. I hope to use this outlet for my thoughts frequently and I do hope to receive comments and feedback. If you know me and are reading this then I encourage you to comment and if you don't know me...well....let me know how you heard about this blog and still comment!

Wow....I guess this if my first one....not too shabby ehh???