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Slew

This post will be mainly a slew of random photographs from this past weekend. There are some from the screening of Mozartballs! and some from a class assignment. Even a few, just becasue. Enjoy!

Why We're Friends

This post is in honor of one of my dear friends, Katherine. I'm going to give you three GREAT reasons why we're friends.

1. When she has too much to drink, she says things like CARP! instead of CRAP! and then giggles about it the next day. :)

2. She will eat a foot long Subway sammich and THEN a double scoop ice cream cone with me IN THE SAME DAY and never once mention that she needs to work out. Nope. She says, in unison with me I might add, "It's sad how much I love food."

3. She lets me take pictures of her doing silly things. Exibit A. The following picture. Staged? Or unstaged? You tell me. :)

Where's Bloggo?

This week in boredom...

So I have checked my statcounter and came to find out that there are people frequenting my blog...from other states...states where I don't know people. This got me intrigued. So...you're mission, should you choose to accept it, is if you live in one of the following cities, leave a comment with your first name, location and ooooh...I dunno...you're favorite song.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States
Norman, Oklahoma, United States
Clayton, California, United States
Toms River, New Jersey, United States
Peoria, Illinois, United States
Plano, Texas, United States
Washington, Michigan, United States
Sylvania, Ohio, United States
Greenville, Michigan, United States
Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
Catonsville, Maryland, United States
Germantown, Maryland, United States

Tag! I'm it!

I have been tagged by the ever lovely Lil-Red, a fellow blogoholic. Stop by and tell her hello!

Seven Things To Do Before I Die:
1 - Fall in love/Hold my child- TOTALLY NOT CHEATING! That's one in the same.
2 - Sky dive
3 - Write a book
4 - Learn to play the guitar
5 - Be concidered a Professional Photographer
6 - Graduate COLLEGE!
7 - Touch a life

Seven Things I Cannot Do:
1 - Watch a Hallmark commercial without crying
2 - A cartwheel
3 - Go one day without wondering if I'm good enough
4 - Live without a pet
5 - Tolerate stupid people (AMEN Lil Red!)
6 - Financial Accounting! Blasted subject...
7 - Keep my room clean for more than a weekend.

Seven Things That Attract Me To...Blogging:
1 - To quote the Incurable Insomniac - unbridled narcissism.
2 - Venting
3 - Keeping in touch
4 - Creative outlet
5 - I'm a nerd who likes to write about my day.
6 - I get to post pretty pictures
7 - It gives me an excuse to delve into other peoples lives. :)

Seven Things I Say Most Often:
1 - "Dah!"
2 - "Fabulous."
3 - "Elo' daaawling."
4 - "Eeeeww..."
5 - "FUJI! NO!"
6 - "Good grief."
7 - "Good morning, Cat Clinic. This is Liz. How may I help you?"

Seven Books That I Love:
1 - The Giving Tree- Shel Silverstein
2 - Where the Sidewalk Ends- Shel Silverstein
3 - The Notebook- Nicholas Sparks
4 - The Five People You Meet in Heaven- Mitch Albom
5 - Chicken Soup for the Soul- Jack Canfield
6 - Harry Potter Series- JK Rowling
7 - What a Girl Wants- Kristin Billerbeck

Seven Movies That I Watch Over and Over Again:
1 - Return to Me
2 - Sweet Home Alabama
3 - Flight of the Pheonix
4 - Tears of the Sun
5 - Hitch
6 - The Wedding Date- Mostly for the soundtrack
7 - Coach Carter

Seven People I Want To Join In Too:
Caitlin
Drew
Katherine
Brandy
Matt
Edwin
Sue Ann

If you have been tagged, as always, there is no pressure. Please do not throw things if you don't want to participate.

Shay - Character Analysis

Shay was never shy as a child. She was able to make friends with just about anyone.
She had a fiery personality that was almost magnetic, drawing people to her. As a
teenager her hair color ranged from fire engine red to variant shades of purple. Four silver studs sat across the back of her neck and a vine tattoo lazily wound itself around her ankle. She majored in animal science in college and frequented the bars; not so much for the alcohol, but more for the stimulation of laughter and good conversation. Her laugh was one that could fill a room, or clear it, depending on the situation. She has always had a flare for getting the giggles at the most inopportune moments, such as funerals or prayer in a crowded church. Her voice is soft and full of charisma. Her soothing nature has helped calm many a soul. She has a knack for sarcasm and can often be found telling corny jokes. After graduation, she met and fell madly in love with Alex, a 30 something entrepreneur whose true success is in the field of waiting for the other shoe to drop. Shay matured in the years surrounding their courting. The piercings were removed and a more tame appearance was adopted. She now has short, dark chestnut hair that always flips to one side, whether she likes it too or not. Her eyes are a deep, sultry brown and sparkle when she laughs. She wears a pair of green, rectangle frames atop of her slender nose. Her face is round and slightly leathery from hours under the sun as a child and her smile is a radiant one. Smile lines can now be found at the corners of her delicately painted eyes and the edges of her upturned mouth. Shay is tall and slender but still carries with her some baby weight and stretch marks which she lovingly refers to as ‘battle scars’. Her clothing is always very put together, but she never frets about a spit-up or baby food stain. She has become known as the
resident ‘girlie-girl’ at her office because her favorite colors are pink and purple and her favorite beverage, water with lemon. Despite these characteristics, she still holds within her the spicy spirit of her youth, making her one of the most well known ‘ball busters’ at the office as well. That spirit overflows into her life as a mother. She loves her daughter so much, it almost hurts. She went through a very difficult pregnancy and is painfully aware of how close she came to never being a parent. She is an involved and dedicated mother who would willingly put anything aside for her child, but also knows how to find time for herself. Her newest hobby is photography and she has a true talent for it. This is evident in her home as there are photographs on every possible surface, both vertical and horizontal. She has always had the amazing ability to find the beauty in everyday situations and people. She still finds it hard most days to find the beauty in herself, but this is something she works on diligently. She has a deep rooted faith in God and puts Him first and foremost.

Broken Road

As I walked through her front door that morning, I was greeted by the familiar essence of eucalyptus and vanilla. Since we were kids, I could count on the smell of this house, with more devotion than almost anything life had handed me. The usually calming scents seemed to have the opposite effect on me as I saw her hunched at the dining room table. Her body was motionless, as still as one could be without disappearing into the surroundings. She sat, nursing her morning coffee. The steam rising from its depths proved that the chill in the air wasn’t a figment of my imagination. Her bagel remained untouched and the morning paper was still wound in its rubber band, lying in front of her. Her eyes were empty. Her hair rumpled and knotted. Makeup was smeared in angular lines across her face, making her appear much older than her twenty-three years. Her robe hung from her bones. I wonder if she has eaten in days. I want to reach out to her, but I fear this may be a rare moment without tears. Instead, I reach for the paper and begin to unfold it. Immediately, I realize my attempt at normalcy was the wrong move altogether for she sees the headline in my hands.

AREA MAN FALLS VICTIM TO DRUNK DRIVER

I hear the tinkling of cheap china start faintly and grow into a din that sounds as if the roof is caving in. It is her. Her hands are shaking so fiercely now; I fear the coffee cup she is holding will crash to the floor at any moment. I reach for the cup, just as she surrenders her grip. The tiny white object shatters on its perfectly matching saucer. Glass shards fly, but she does not notice. Her body has gone limp and she has slumped off her chair. I forget the cup was even there as I grab her mid fall. She collapses into my arms, her head on my shoulder, her body in a limp mass of limbs and tears. I rock her as gently as I rock a weeping child, smoothing her hair, softly whispering in her ear, “It’s going to be okay, Shay. I promise you everything is going to be okay.” I knew that she was the shattered remnants of the woman I once knew, but she was, is and always will be my best friend. I will pick up the pieces. I will fix this. I have to fix this.

Four years have passed since that November morning. It is amazing the paths that life will lead you down and changes it will throw you. I have faith that the good Lord knew exactly what he was doing when he created best friends in Shay and I. Twenty-five years have now been written in our book of friendship. The loss of her husband led her me to her side, but she knows in her heart of hearts that something as simple as a broken nail would have had me there in a heartbeat. I have been blessed to help her raise her beautiful daughter. Each night as I tuck her in, I explain why mommy cannot be there. “She’s working, baby. She wants to give the world…and she’ll do it too.” I tell her how much her daddy loved her and the smile that shone on his face like a thousand suns. I had never seen a daddy so proud. I, as her pseudo Aunt Katherine, loved her more than I ever knew a person could love a child. In her eyes, I saw her mother. If I didn’t know any better, I would think her daddy was smiling through those very same eyes. The twinkle was even his. She has her mothers smile and the dimple that resides on her left cheek. Her laugh has a genuine tinkle and rhyme that only comes from pure innocence and love.

I can only hope that this tiny blessing, who had a rocky beginning, will be able to see the strength in her mother and all that was sacrificed for her. I know that my life would be drastically different had I not made the decision to help Shay raise her daughter, but I also know that the difference, would be a mistake. I have had a glimpse into the world of motherhood. You see, I was told years ago that I would never be a mother. Today, I beg to differ. A mother is friend, a confidant, a cherished soul. A mother is a person that could never be replaced. In all of this, I feel I was the one being rescued. I was the lost soul that felt there was nowhere to go. I needed that depth that only a friendship could bring and I found it so deeply in the most inopportune moment. I found it in deep, unquenching sadness and loss. The broken road I thought I had been handed, turned out to be paved in gold. I often find myself standing alone, watching as Shay hugs her daughter. I hear them giggle and sing, play and laugh. I find great peace in knowing that I have helped this family, my family, come full circle. I have found that my life’s greatest achievement will never be a plaque on the wall, nor will it be an abbreviation after my name. My greatest achievement will be that I helped my best friend learn to live again.

~EKWisdom, OSU Creative Writing

Smell of Rain

Today started out fabulous!
I stepped outside onto the front porch this morning and was pleasantly surprised by what I found. I was greated with the warmth of a spring day and the delightful smell of rain. If you know me at all, you know that the smell of fresh precipitation is enough to change my day from melancholy to magnificent. I drove to work, listening to a CD I made for Caitlin (over a year ago!) of her happy songs. I even drove extra slow so I could finish listening to "If You Want Me To" by Jenny Owens. I got breakfast and coffee for Jacey and I, and the day began.

I was sitting at my desk at approximately 8:00 when one of our regular clients, Mr. B, came in. We chatted for a few moments about nonsense, as we usually do, and then he mentioned the weather. The pavement outside was still dark from that nights moisture and the sweet smell still hung in the air. He began to tell me a story of an email he received a while back. "You know those emails you get every now and again that you expect to be nonsense but they turn out to be moving? Well, I have one. I received an email about a young girl who was very ill and had actually died in the hospital. She was pronounced legally dead when suddenly, she came back. Years went by and one summer day she was playing in the dirt at one of her brothers baseball games. Her mom sat in the stands watching her child play ball when a storm cloud thrust its rainy smell apon them. The little girl came running to her mother and said, 'Mom! That's the smell!'" "Yes, sweetie, that's rain." "No, mom. That's the smell of Jesus." The little girl proceded to tell her mother how when she was sick and dying, Jesus held her in his arms. She laid her head on his chest and breathed him in. He smelled of rain. The story goes that the girl had always loved the smell of rain and would stop to breath it in, as if she were remembering something she remembered fondly. She as never able to explain it to her mother until that day, that it was Jesus who she was smelling each time it rained. Mr. B told me that now, he can't smell a day like today without thinking that maybe, just maybe, that is how Jesus smells. I grinned. Thanking him for sharing such a beautiful story with me. Whether this story is true or fabricated, is completely irrelevant. It's a story of faith. I believe that rain is a blessing and would only be fitting if it smelled of Him.

On another note. I suggest you all read Katie's blog and give her your two cents on Valentine's Day!! :)
Much love,
Liz

Pure

Anger. Lust. Depression.
Contempt.
How can this all come to ease?
Where do I go from here?

I ran for the door.
My passage to nothing. To everything.
I scream into the winter. I rage against the day.
I stand frozen in time. Alone, silently screaming.

I stand beneath the clouds.
Waiting for my life to change.
When will this end?
One...two...thousands of answers from Heaven.

I stand amidst the storm.
Stand still as the feelings are attacked
By pure, unrelenting answers.
They sting.
Cleanse.

I stand in awe.
Holding up my hands to the sky and absorb.
Relief. Peace. Gratitude.
Love.

For each answer hits my skin like a tiny dagger.
Hits my soul with an explosion of release.
Awaken. Awaken to the day. Welcome the light.
Here I stand. An angel, a demon.
A person.
Looking for life.


*Poem for OSU Creative Writing, Photograph for Meridian B&W Photography

Damn Skippy

Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

Very popular, one of you is not enough.

What Kind of Candy Are You?

Hibachi

What an interesting Friday this has been!
1. Found out my cousin and his wife did in fact lose their baby in November but are now pregnant again. WOW! Congrats on that!
2. I got home from class this afternoon and found out my roommates had gotten ENGAGED like 10 minutes before. ENGAGED! Awesome! Congrats Edwin and Caitlin!
3. We went to Kyoto Japanese restaurant for a Hibachi grill dinner. A friend of Edwin' was our Hibachi chef! We had a great time. Laughing. It was the best.

We got home around 10 and finished watching Mr. & Mrs. Smith. It was pretty good, I'm not gonna lie. However, I don't think I should still be awake. I am totally pushing my minimum sleep requirement status. I will pay for this tomorrow I am sure. All in all, it was a good day. I'm glad that Friday the 13th turned out so well. I am off to bed so that I can function tomorrow. At least half ass it. OH! And I have to start writing a poem for my creative writing class this weekend. ME! A poem? Oh lord. Any suggestions will be more than welcomed.

Every Morning at My House

I found this cartoon on line about a week ago and couldn't resist posting it on here. This...is every.single.solitary.morning at my house. Fuji feels the need to attack and then roll in my bath towel. Given, it's clean and not quite the situation in this cartoon, but nevertheless, THIS is my cat.
*Please note, this is AFTER his ritual of licking the condensation off the bathroom tiles. "The schnozberries taste like schnozberries..."

Stolen

The next two topics I shall blog about have been borrowed, okay, stolen from two seperate people. I'm not returning them, so I'll be honest and admit I stole them. :)

1. Caitlin Marie

Philosophy by Charles Schultz
The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read the questions straight through, and you'll get the point.
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America Pageant.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winner's for best actor andactress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do? (I DID TERRIBLE!)
The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But theapplause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
Fran Robson, Les Fonza, Mr. Burnett, Jay Barbre
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
Drew, Suzanne, Kristen
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
Kory, Mom, Matt, Edwin, Caitlin
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
Shannon, Katherine, Kristen, Misty
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Katherine, Caitlin, Kristen, Brent, Reagan, Kim, Matt, Edwin, Drew, Suzanne, Sue Ann, Misty, Jacey...I couldn't stop at five, people!!

Easier? The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's alreadytomorrow in Australia." (Charles Schultz)

2. The Incurable Insomniac
"It has come to my attention that today kicks off National De-Lurking Week. If you're a regular—or even an irregular—reader, then take a few seconds to say hi. You don't have to leave your email address or webpage, if you have one. Just a hello and a first name will do!"
Leave me comments everyone!! Celebrate National De-Lurking Week with me!!

Wanna know why I really think #2 is cool? Because for the past almost two months have been rather discouraged and perhaps a little saddened by my lack of hits on my blog. Why weren't people visiting anymore? Was I boring? NO! I realized just yesterday that I had revamped the look of the blog, deleting my STAT COUNTER! Grr. I reinstalled the coding and now have a newly instilled sense of self worth. Sad how hits and comments can brighten a persons day, eh? So make me feel good about myself peeps. COMMENT AWAY!

Today's Mood

"A decade ago
I never thought I would be,
at twenty three, on the verge of spontaneous combustion.
Woe-is-me.
But I guess that it comes
with the territory;
an ominous landscape of never ending calamity.
I need you to hear.
I need you to see
that I have had all I can take and exploding seems like a definate possibility to me.
So pardon me while I burst into flames."
-Pardon Me, Incubus

Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens...

I sat at my desk today, watching the soft drift of the first snow of 2006. I sat there, thinking of all the things that morning that had caused me to be in a grumbly mood. Mainly the fact that I was late for a staff meeting at 6:30 this morning and didn't get to finish getting ready for the day. A few moments passed, more snow fell, and I began to realize that I was focusing on all the wrong things. I apologized for my surly demeanor, fixed my hair on my lunch break, and started anew.

In my newly, "i'm okay" mood, I greeted a gentleman with a smile and a "Good morning, sir. How may I help you today?" He was a salesman. A flower salesman. A DOOR-TO-DOOR flower salesman who's sole purpose in life is to ask me, the most single person on the face of the earth if I would like to purchase flowers...for myself. I grinned, said no thank you and he exited the building, flowers in hand. You see, a real gentleman would have left at least a single flower for the said, lonely, pathetic soul at the counter, but NO. He left, with the beautiful roses with delicate water droplets and luscious greenery and soft lilac tissue paper that resembled a warm Oklahoma sunset, in hand. (However, Shannon did tell me today that I'm beautiful, which totally made my day. :) Gotta love that Shannon!)

I went about my day from there. I went to class where I learned that Financial Accounting is going to kick my ass in more ways than originally assumed. I ran home after class to transfer photos from my camera, to my computer, to a disc and then made a mad dash to Wal-Mart for 1 hour developing. Leave it to me to procrastinate. If you could procrastinate procrastinating, I'd be the one to do it first. Or last, whatever. I made it to class in record time, only to learn that we have to cram four weeks worth of classes into the next two weeks. The brilliant educational minds at Meridian apparently like to overbook their professors. In a much lighter note, I am now enrolled in the Portrait Photography course which hopefully, will be immediately followed by Wedding Photography.

Right along the topic of photography, three of my photographs are being entered into the Centennial OVMA Photography Contest at the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Associations Annual Conference in Tulsa. I haven't decided yet which photos to use, but I do know they have to be of animals. Sorry Amanda, no Nash in this one, however he did win me kudos in photography class tonight. :) I'm thinking of using one or two of these. G'nite folks.

Who ever finds God, finds Life.

I was on my way to bed when I decided to read up on some blogs. I read my roommates and can't believe I forgot to mention this! So, thank you Edwin, I am now going to copy from you! haha!

Today marks the 10th Anniversary of our church, Lifechurch.tv! For 10 years, they have been leading people to becoming 'fully devoted followers of Christ' and we are very lucky to be in that group of people. In 2005 alone, they have had a growth spurt of I believe 5000 people as well as two new locations and most importantly, 5000 people have turned their lives over to Him with the love and support of this church. Today's service was quite moving. We saw videos of the countless baptisms and I swear I got goose bumps every time. So, if you're free this Sunday or you'd like to just check it out, you are more than welcome to join us! Services are at 8:30, 10:00, 11:30 and 1:00. It's nondenominational and in a casual environment and all are welcome to attend. I have never been so excited about church! YAY! :)