Confused!!

Ok, there are so many things to play with on my computer that I just can't keep up... There is MySpace, Facebook, and this. And guess which one is lacking the attention... Plus, since I have gradeated from college and got my "BS" degree, I have not had the desire to be on the computer for any amount of time because I DON'T HAVE TOO!!!

it is such a great feeling and now I am thinking about my masters.... Why some of you might ask... well a few reasons... bragging rights in the family... first one to have a masters.... because I can is the second reason... and maybe because if I am in school, I can't get in trouble... HAHAHA.... haven't decided yet, but thinking about it...

Anyway, I will do my best to keep updating here and maybe even take some pictures to put on. Good luck Tif and family in your move to the south...

Happy Birthday to me

21 years ago I graduated from highschool on my birthday... neat huh.... so yesterday, I was done with college the second time.... got my BA..... and then today, the Washington Huskies women's softball team won the college world series....

Happy birthday to me....

Did you know, you are only as old as you act.....

WOOHOO, I'M DONE!!!!!

Since I am refusing to even find a place to attend graduation this time, I thought that I would post some pictures from my last one to make ya all feel better :) !! I am so done. I just finished my last team project and we are waiting to turn it in.... then I have one more easy thing to do and

THAT IS IT!!!!!


Can you believe that Kyrk, Sh'Nell, and Reed were ever this little... aren't we cute??

This was my crazy group from Ricks... Man did we have fun and cause a little havoc at the same time....

There is no way I can do this to Reed now... skinny little runt....

The blessed day.... Hope this makes up for having any pictures this year... :)


And this speaks for itself!!!!!!!!!


I am grateful to be finished. I am tired, I am so sick of reading stuff I have to instead of stuff that I want to... But, I have to admit, some of the stuff that I have "had" to read has been pretty interesting...

Now, I am going to take a nap... A really, really long one... Yeah right....

And then.... Tuesday is my Birthday.... WooHoo.....

10 more days

10 more days!!!!!!!!!

Just wanted to tell you all again....

and Erika... OJT-- On the Job Training..... :)

Almost Done!!

I know that I have been a little slack on here, but you will just have to give me a break.... I finally got out of the academy and I was .3 behind being top in the class. That means 1 question different. I was a little on the irritated side, cause I should have had that. But I guess being second in the class of 88 will just have to do.... :) And now I am on OJT... Sitting in a classroom again... Do you know how tired I am of sitting in a classroom?????

But on the upside, I only have a few days of school left.... I am so excited to be done. On June first, I will turn in my last assignment, and on June 2nd, that is my birthday... Just thought I would throw that out there... So, after I have taken a break from thinking, I will do my best to post on here a little more. :)

Sick and Tired

I just wanted you all to know that I have 22 days of school left..... And that means that there are 23 days until my birthday..... So how about that.... And my goal is to not be sick by the time that comes... I have been sick for way over a month and I have had just about enough of it.... and oh yeah, I graduate from the Corrections Academy on the 15th of May.... so, look at me go...

Now if the rest of my life didn't suck, I would be ok.

Busy Busy Busy and sick

Ok, I know that it has been awhile and I have no pictures... but.. just like the title said... Busy, Busy, Busy and sick... I started the Academy 3 weeks ago and I have been sick the whole time. Do you know how much I hate to be sick? It makes me tired, it makes me grumpy and I want to smack someone.... How is that???

But, the academy is 3 more weeks and school is 5 weeks and I am done with both and living like a normal person. A job, a job, and a job.... that is it... NO MORE SCHOOL... I am so excited. Just wanted you all to know....

I have not dropped off the face of the earth although I would like to sometimes.. this being sick is for the birds....

1st day with TDCJ

Ok, I am so cotton picken tired!!! Today was the first day of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Academy. I sat on my rear end for eight hours.... Now you know why I am tired.....

Anyway... I think it is going to be great. I am going to get into shape, and learn more for the next 5 and 1/2 weeks. There are 86 people in my class and my Sgt said that he has not graduated a class with all of the people that started, so we shall see if we can be the first. I don't want to be the negative one, but I am not sure that will happen.. First impression can be changed though.

Anyway....my Sgt is pretty cool. There are actually 2 of them. But, for now... class work, PT, and the last week is qualifying on 2 rifles and a pistol.... I will keep you all posted, but right now... I am going to sleep....

No Longer Jobless!!!

So, my stint of not having a job did not last long..... I have been offered a position with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as a corrections officer at the Wynne Unit in Huntsville Texas. I go into the academy on Thursday April 9th. It is 5 and 1/2 weeks of training and learning and so on.... I am excited... I have been told goods and bads of the area and the job, but everyone has their favorites and stuff..... I really wanted to go juvenile, but this is good for me too. I have an interview on tuesday with the Juvenile department here in Montgomery county, but it is only part time... I will see what they have to say and go from there...

I didn't think it would last long me being unemployeed, but i sure was liking the sleeping in part... Ok, wait.. I didn't sleep in. My house hold decided every day that since they were working, that I needed to be up too.. I don't think that is very fair, but oh well... what do I do. I tried beating them all, but there are too many of them and it wasn't a real fair fight... :)

Life is good.. Today I played 4 games of softball, spent the day in the sun and I am tired as all get out. Tomorrow I will make up for it and watch conference.... I know, kind of in the wrong order...

My body is sore.

NO JOB are you KIDDING ME

Ok, so I may not have a job, but my room mate is a slave driver!!!!! :) I have done more in the past 3 days since I got laid off than I have in a while... Here is proof... Today, I stacked wood!


I weeded the flower bed in the front yard, not done yet!!!!

Burnt leaves and stuff from the flower beds!!!!

And cleaned these two flower beds out and replanted... Ok mind you, Danni was here doing it with me, but she worked me to the bone....

And then there was the dinners.... Yes, I am learning how to cook more. I know how to cook, but when it is just you and no one else, what is the point. So, in the past few days, I have cooked. I made ribs last night and potato salad and if I do say so my darn self, they were both pretty dang good... And then Monday it was chicken noodle casserole.... and for lunches I made chicken fajita stuff to put in wraps..... and it was good too.... Danni decided that since I was home, I could do the cooking so it would be on the table when everyone got home... so nice of here... :)

So, if anyone says that I am slacking since I have been laid off..... come on and visit me.... there is a lot of yard to be cleaned and work to be done and things to learn to cook... Look at me go.. I even want to try making bread one day.... We shall see though, that is pretty domesticated!!! Not sure if I can handle that one.

I really do like not having a job for the moment... but I am really tired....

NO MORE DHL

Ok, I have no pictures for this one, but I just wanted everyone to know that I NO longer work for DHL.... I am so excited about that fact... Is that sad or what?!! I am glad to be done and am looking forward to what will come next. I have tested with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for a corrections officer and passed with flying colors.. I have an appointment on the 7th with the Montgomery county Juvenile detention center. And I have been asked to test with Harris County also... So, things are looking good....

Today was my first day home.. and I loved it.... I am kind of glad I don't have to work with this class that I am in.. It is going to take some brain power.... Shoot....

Two classes left... 63 days... That is so cool.. I am so excited to be done with school.... I will not know what to do with myself... Through these last 3 classes, I have met some people that will be life long friends... They are so cool.. We have been on the same learning team and it has been great... We laugh, cut up, teas each other, count chickens... long story... but funny.. one day.... and they are great women... It is great how I can meet people from all over going to school online....

Have a great night....

Long Time, I know!!!

Ok, so Tif reminded me that it has been a long time since I have written on here. It is amazing how life just flies by when you have so much going on and so many things on your mind. Mine is more of the second one. Too much is going through my mind at the moment and time just got away from me..... OOPS!!!

This fine picture is to let you all know that I have gotten the email from UOP about preparing for graduation.... You can all see the number beside this post.... 81 days... I am so excited. I am so ready to be done. Now, comes the job search.


They extended me for 30 days at DHL, so my last day there is the 27th of this month. It is alright. Still more of the same.. I get paid to do my homework and answer emails and play around. Not bad, except that I am bored out of my ever lovin mind. And it is not a good thing for me to be bored... Hence the too much on my mind. It is not that I am busy at work or anything. But I have been applying for just about everything justice related that I can find around here. I would love to stay here in this area, but if that doesn't work out, I am not opposed to moving.

I have officially changed my plates and my drivers license over to Texas... it only took me 13 months to get it done. I probably wouldn't have done it except that everything state related for jobs wants a Texas license.... Imagine that.... dang it. So, now, I have no idea what my driver's license number is cause it is actually a number... it is so weird.
Isn't he cute??? This is Candice's, my best friend in Washington, nephews new lab... His name is Gunner... and he is so cute, that I wanted to share him with you. Puppies are the cutest and then they grow up... My Taz, he is being banned to sleep in my room mates room, cause he minds her better than me... the little snot... I don't get any sleep when he is in my room, but he is an angel in hers... just don't understand that one... But, I am not complaining, cause she is willing to let him sleep in there....

Anyway..... that is about it... life is going... there are things that are hard and things that are easy and I have pretty much decided that my main goal in life is to be happy and the only way to do that is to make my own decisions and keep myself happy. I am the only one that can make those choices and no one else can do it, as much as I would like someone to go "poof" and everything would be the way that I want it to be.... I would love for it to all just be straightened out, but alas... I do remember that we live in the real world... So, smile I will and work my darnedest to find that solid and stable ground.

Houston

One year ago, I spent my first weekend here in Houston. I got here, oops sorry Reed, We, got here on Thursday night at midnight or so and spend the first day on Friday finding my apt, and unloading the trailer and getting rid of that annoying thing. Wow, how time has flown by and so much has happened.

My apt.. What a great place.. Ok for while it lasted. I hate apartments. I hate having people that close to me. I like the wide open spaces. So, when the opportunity arose to be room mates with Danni... Nothing else needed to be said. I love her house and the horses, which one of them I have to take to the vet in the morning. And, I love the wide open space and the quiet that it brings too..


I love being in the trees... Yes, one day I hope to have my own place and my own horses, but for now, it is all good and the price is right.


And then their was the weekend after Thanksgiving when mom, dad, and Aunt Lorene came to visit. What a riot we had.


I just can't believe it has been a year already. My how time flies. It has not been all fun, but I have had a good time here. I have learned many things and done many things. And I only have 113 days left of school.....

I am grateful to have learned the things I have and to be here in Houston. I really love it here. Besides the fact that it was in the 70's all weekend.....

What a great place to be.

Memories

These are hanging in my parents front entrance along with pictures and things from my brothers missions. I had almost forgotten about these and how cool they are. It has been a long time since I was on my mission. And one thing that I have found out recently, was a family that Nelson and I taught 16 years ago is still active and strong in the church. Makes you happy to think that you had an influence in someones life.
I am pretty sure I picked these lace pieces up at the Lace Factory in Nottingham. They are so cool.
And this one.... A dish towel basically... but they are cool... I really like the picture of me in this one.. I wish I knew where those are.. One of the elders took those of me while in England.. they turned out pretty well. ok, oops it is in the second one....

Anyway, I have a lot of time at work to just do nothing..... I don't like it, but I get paid to do nothing.... So in other words, I have a lot of time to think. Recently I have reconnected with tons of people from my mission and a ton of people from my school days. The Internet is a wonderful thing for that. I don't always like having so much time to think, but it is good to think about things that are good in the world or in my life. I have a tendency to fall onto the negative and I was talking to Kyrk today and he made some great comments. If I don't feel I am good enough, look at the situation in which I don't feel I'm good enough for and evaluate what kind of situation it is. That was a good one. I have doubts sometimes about my being good enough for things and as I put this too the test..... why wouldn't you know that I shouldn't have been there anyway!!! What a smart little brother I have..

This week is going fast.. I found out which ward I am in. They split them last week and so Sunday was the first time in the ward I am in. It is a good feeling to know where I am suppose to be. Haven't really met anyone yet, but that takes time. And when you ditch out the back as soon as the last "amen" is said, you can't meet many people that way :)....

I am really excited to be laid off from DHL.. Is that funny? I am excited to not have a job. It is so hard to want to go to work when there is nothing there for you. But as my room mate reminds me, it is a pay check. Dang her.. sometimes she is so smart.... :) I don't have long in school and I am excited for that. There are so many opportunities out there in the world for me. I just have to go and find them. Oh yeah, and I have to learn patience. I thought that I had some... forget it... I don't have very much... ok, for some stuff I have tons, but for things I want, I have absolutely none!!!!! One day....

Good night.

Mental Issues

Ok, for those of you who are already thinking that I have mental problems that are not able to be helped..... you are right.. but those are not what this is about!!!!

My mental issues today are... well first a good one.. I have 131 days left until I am done with school. And if i make it through this class that I am in... I will be so glad... It is not that it is hard, but there is no text and that is a weird thing.. I guess it is to make me learn more.

The other ones are just continued struggles.. I have to fight every day to not get discouraged and it is starting to weigh on my mind. The things I want are right there, but I can not reach them and the things that I had are right there and no matter how hard I reach for those, they are just out of my reach. And sometimes that is a good thing. I need to move forward and some days it is so hard. Today is one of those days.

I know my blog posts should be enlightening and about things that I have been doing in my life, but right now.. I am fighting and sometimes I just need to share it with my friends. :)

Struggles

Did you know, that just because you make a decision it does not mean that it will be easy. I know that the decisions that I have made are the right ones and I know that is where I want to be, but with everything else going on in my life right now, it is sometimes tough to keep a positive outlook on things. But, I have a great room mate and we are in this together.. well the worldly part of it anyway. Both of us will be out of a job soon and the one that I had lined up, the company put on a hiring freeze. So, now, we will both be looking. But, even though Danni is not a member, we have both said to the other that our lives are in the Lords hands and as long as we do our part, then everything will be ok. It is really interesting to have a room mate who thinks like you do, but has never been involved in the same church as you. We talk a lot about religion and we do have a lot in common. Whether or not she will ever follow me into the church, I do not know. I am not the one to force anything on any one. But maybe through my example..... Anyway... life is a struggle and it takes a lot of faith to not get discouraged at the things that are happening.

MY HEART IS FULL

Ok, for those of you who have known me for the past several years, SIT DOWN NOW!!! Mom, that means you. I have some things I want to say and some of you might be a little shocked.
First of all, it was only like 60 here today.. and tonight when I had to work, I wore a sweatshirt!!! Just wanted to share that with all of you. And Erika, come on down. I will make room.

Ok now.... ready.....

My life has been all kinds of crazy the past few months. I moved to Houston for two reasons. One was a job... the usual.. the second was to find out just what I wanted and who I was. Well when I first got here, I went to church for about a month. And no, I didn't tell any of you.. Ok Kyrk, I did talk to him. But then Austin moved down and I went back to what I had done for the past 12 or 13 or 14 years... I don't remember... Then for the past 8 months, I have been doing what I want like normal. I have learned a lot and I have struggled a lot. And no, I didn't tell anyone. Ok, well Kyrk.. Sorry everyone else but Kyrk and I have become so close again and I love him. He has been my rock lately and I needed that. For those of you who don't know him.. that is my brother. One of them. Anyway... during Christmas this year, I went through something that just about tore my heart out. and NO!! I am not going to share that with you. But, my Christmas and new years really kind of sucked in a way. But now that I look at it, it really didn't. What i had to go through I don't wish on anyone, but I needed to go through it. My heart is full because of what I have learned in the past 2 weeks. And more importantly, what I have learned today.

Today, I went to church. Not because anyone told me to. Not because I felt like it, I went to church because I wanted to be there. I have done a lot of soul searching and I have come to realize that I am not where I want to be. Or where I need to be. I have been inactive from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for about 14 years..... I have gone a couple of times, but not really. I have been through a lot in those 14 years... things I don't wish on anyone, and things I needed to learn. Today I went to church, it ended up being the wrong ward mind you, but I firmly believe that my Father in Heaven sent me to that ward today. The talks today were on Coming unto Christ and I do believe that everyone of those men that spoke looked right at me the whole time. I cried in the second verse of the opening song. I cried during the sacrament song. The high councilman that was present, I think he wore a hole in me, cause I know he was staring at me the whole time. I learned something today. As sacrament got over, I had decided to go home... I left the building and got about 300 yards away and turned around and went back. I asked a member of the bishopric if I could have a blessing. Now mind you, I have always believed, but more for others than for myself. Today, I believe for myself. I asked a complete stranger for a blessing. He got the missionaries to help him, and I know that blessing was from my Father in Heaven. He spoke to me through this man I don't even remember his name, and told me He loved me. You all have no idea how much I needed to hear that. And that my friends and family is why my heart is full!!!

Hello

Hey everyone.. I know "where the mailto:h!@^^ have I been.." Well, let me answer that..



Nah I decided not to... I will post here again soon. The holidays are over and it is time to start a new year. I just wanted to say hi to everyone and let you all know that I am still alive and kicking and it was 78 degrees here today...



Love ya.