Tuesday, June 18, 2013

A Life Ended too Soon According to our Earthly Standards....

I need to write about this.  I thought about posting a status on Facebook and then didn't.  I started a status on Facebook and then erased it prior to posting.  I then realized my poor, neglected blog was the perfect place.  Why?  Because this is my blog...no one reads it but me even though I put it back as public...I can write here and not feel as if I am being judged.

A week ago today a beautiful fellow coach's wife and mom ended her earthly live and battle with breast cancer as God called her home.  She left behind two beautiful daughters and a devoted husband.  She was diagnosed in October 2011 and since that time I have prayed for her healing and God's will to be done.   She and her husband made the decisions they felt best for them and she lived fully up until the moment God called her home.  Her husband is a coworker of Matt's.  He is the defensive coordinator of their high school football team.  Matt is the Varsity Running Backs coach, and has worked with him and known him since 2008.  I met him, his lovely wife, and their daughters during football season 2008.  I didn't know the depths of the devotion and support of a coach's wife at the time.  Matt and I were just dating, but I knew that I needed to support him and come to as many games as I could to see if this was something I could live with the rest of my life, if God had Matt slated to be my future husband.  I didn't see much of the DC's wife outside of football season.  They live in a different area of Houston than we do.  They have two children.  We were single, then married, and only have a dog.  However, during those football seasons I saw a dedicated wife and mother.  I saw a strong, supportive woman who would always be there for her family.  I saw a wife who knew what her husband's career meant to him and supported it with all of her being.  I saw a wife who was meant to be a coach's wife.  It is a calling, you know, to be a coach's wife.  I firmly believe that not everyone could do the job.

Last Saturday when we attended her funeral and reception, I realized that being a coach's wife doesn't have to be lonely.  She and her family were involved in their church.  She knew prior to her passing that her two daughters had accepted Christ as their Savior.  They have a Bible Study/Sunday School class that understood her, understood her devotion to her husband and his career, understood why she needed to attend every football game possible, understood her love for her children, supported her during football season when they knew her husband was hardly ever home....they understood (in their own way), they supported, they accepted her, her husband, their girls just as they were.  It was in that moment of listening to their Bible Study Teacher speak about her and memories of her that I realized I can find people outside of my family that understand and support me and Matt during football and baseball season and all other seasons of our lives.  I do not feel I have found that yet.  I thought I had...honestly thought I had.  Then something happened and to this day I have absolutely no idea what happened.  I don't know what I might have done to cause the change.  I know that relationships change and at times are only meant for a season in your life, but this was different because it was relationships at our church.  I've never written about this before and I am hesitant to even say much as I do not want to hurt anyone that may come across this blog.  I have even spoken to each person and tried to mend fences in the best way I knew how.  I apologized even when I didn't know what I was apologizing for. I just wanted a clean slate and to move forward.  However, in the end I was told that my husband and I were excluded from things because we did not attend a certain event that usually occurred every week. This event is something that my husband could not attend during football season.  During football season he works 7 days a week.  Yes 7 days a week and I am not exaggerating.  During the season the only guaranteed night I get to have dinner with my husband is the one night that he doesn't have a football game.  The only "weekend" that we get to spend with each other is the off weekend and that only means Friday night and Saturday.  He is then back at work on Sunday watching film and preparing for the next week's practices and the next opponent.  He even watches film at home on the weekends in between meetings, practices, and games.  I didn't attend because at times I was told only the guys were attending.  However, in the end how can you not include friends you've known for years in events just because they don't come to one thing each week.  Maybe it was because I missed some events to attend Matt's games?  Although, there were times where I missed a game to attend a church event.  I thought they supported us....I thought they were my best group of friends that I hadn't had in years...I thought, "this cannot be happening at my church."

After awhile, my husband and I felt God leading us to try and find another church, but that has been a hard task.  I am scared of opening myself up to people again.  I am scared of letting anyone in.  I don't expect people to fully understand what our life is like during football and baseball season, but I do except them to understand that I will always support my husband and his career.  One of the highlights of his week is seeing me sitting in the stands and then the embrace we have at the end of each game.  I know he misses those things when I am unable to attend a game.

What I learned from this wonderful woman's short life was that I am a coach's wife and the kind of wife that a coach needs.  I fully support him, the other coaches, and the kids.  I care about the kids.  I follow the kids and their lives after high school.  I root them on just like the coaches do.  ~~  She did these things too and was also a mother of two.

I hope I can do all that as well when I become a mother.  She and her family found a church that supported them as they should ~~ I know God will provide that for us as well one day.

She will never be forgotten and I will miss her this next football season.  I hope to see her girls at some of the games, if their busy pre-teen and teenage schedules allow.  I look forward to seeing their dad/her husband coach and carry on in the career his wife supported cheered on.  I know she is "among the cloud of witnesses" cheering her family on in their endeavors as they run this race of life that God has set before us.  She left me with more than she will ever know.  She left me with hope; she left me with a drive to make it the best life ever; she left me with faith that God will provide those supportive people; she reminded me to push through/stay strong/never give up; she left me with more than I can say.

....a Heavenly Life began last week; one more fulfilling, happy, pain-free, and more enjoyable than we can imagine in our earthly minds.  However, we will see her again.

Monday, April 30, 2012

Been a Really Long Time, huh?!

Well, it has been a while.  A lot has been going one.  I don't think anyone really reads this, so I'm ok with that.  This realization also means that I can be even more free with what I want to say.  I can't really be free to say things on Facebook.  It seems I can't really say what I want in real life to certain people.  So, here we are on this little 'ole blog, where I can say whatever I want because if you choose to read my blog, then you know it's mine, solely mine, and I can say whatever I want.

That being said, Matt and I have been feeling like God is bringing us to a change.  We aren't sure yet it if means leaving our church home and finding another one or if it means a change in Bible Study Class or if it means finally trying to get leadership to realize changes need to be made where we are currently.  We, unfortunately, have not been regular at all to the current Bible Study class that we attend.  We have not received a single phone call, text, email, letter, postcard, etc. saying how we are missed, asking if everything is ok, etc.  What is wrong with this picture?  Well, I have been a member of this church since the summer of 1999.  Matt has been a member since he moved down here in 2003.  We aren't one-time guests who came and never came back, but that shouldn't matter.  Each person that enters through those doors and visits a class or is a member of a class should be considered as equal as anyone else in the class.  We are even in leadership in the class, even though what we want to accomplish with our position never seems to get the go-ahead or support to get going.  You would think that as leaders in the class, we would definitely get some kind of email, phone call, text, etc. asking what all is going on.  However, we have received nothing.  I wonder how visitors feel when they attend?  We have known almost everyone in the class for years, have been to each other's weddings, have even gone on trips to amazing places at times, and have shared many meals, games, adventures together.  However, it seems that all that is in the past and doesn't matter.  I know that people come and go into your lives, but shouldn't it be about each person trying and putting forth an effort?  I have put forth such an effort for so long that I'm emotionally tired of doing it anymore.  I want to feel like I have real, honest relationships in all facets of life, but especially when it comes to the relationships I have with those I worship with every week.

So, as a result of all of this and an uneasiness we have been feeling, we are seeking God and deciding to see if He is calling us to another church in our area.  This is not easy.  I love our current pastor at our church.  I love the worship.  Most times I love our Bible Study class.  I don't love that there are really no opportunities to get involved in music unless you want to be in the big choir during 11am service.  I don't love how it seems like we don't matter to others and it doesn't matter whether we are there or not.  I don't love not feeling like myself when I walk into class.  I don't like feeling like I'm being picked apart.  I could go on and on but I won't.  So, we are searching and waiting for God to show us His plan for this area of our marriage and lives.

Moving on....we bought a House!!  Our first home to own together!!  The townhouse I had bought before Matt and I even started dating.  We are so excited as this house will be our home for years and years.  It will be where our children are brought home from the hospital.  It will be where many, many memories are made!

Matt is now a Varsity Football coach at his school!!!!  He is the running backs coach and is loving it!  He is currently pulling double duty with playoffs now starting for baseball and spring football being in it's second week.  We don't like the late nights he is having but I am so proud of him and love how he is really enjoying everything with his job right now!

We are still amongst a mass of boxes and an unorganized house!  I hope that by tomorrow I can actually start cooking for us again!  Our diet has been horrible since we backed up the kitchen and then moved!  The scale is not my friend right now.

Well, that's about all I have time for right now.  To any readers, have a wonderful and blessed day!  :)

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

What Kind of Blog

I'd love for this to be a fashion blog.  However, I don't always dress to the nines every day.  I don't always have my hair fixed that great as some days a quick ponytail or bun is in order.  I don't always have all my makeup on and the days when I do it doesn't always look that great.  I wear what I want and what I feel good in, which sometimes means an A&M sweatshirt, or A&M t-shirt, or Colts sweatshirt...you get the idea.

I'd love for this to be a photography blog showcasing all my amazing photos taken from trips, every day happenings, celebrations, and weekend adventures.  But I'm not that great of a photographer yet.

I'd love for this to be a shopping blog showcasing all these amazing finds in stores and on the world wide web.  But I don't think about documenting things when I find them.

So, what is this blog?  It's just a plain, ole, ordinary blog.  Nothing special.  Nothing fabulous.  Nothing of blog-celeb quality.  Nothing to get me a shot at recording my own single or album.  Nothing to get me a shot at being an extra on a TV show or movie.  I'd take being an extra as enough.  I mean I am 31 now!  I'm married, in a good job, and have an amazing husband working to get to that goal in his career.

So, this is just me, just us.  We are ordinary southern people who reside in a state far from where we both grew up; thankful to have family close by; and loving every minute of our adventure through married life together.  We are thankful to our heavenly father for all of the blessings he has given to us and all those to come.

Have a great Valentine's Day!  It's a day of LOVE for EVERYONE regardless of relationship status!  :)

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Marriage. Fairy tale? Actually, it's Real Life.

I'm back from London!  I got back Saturday afternoon after a very long flight.  We were delayed on the plane close to an hour from leaving due to a delay in cargo getting to our lovely airplane and then you have to wait your turn to take off.  I was in a window seat.  No one was in the middle seat.  The man in the aisle seat was a gentleman (he got my carryon down for me when we returned!).  I was able to use a bit of the middle seat to sleep.  I didn't want to take up the entire seat out of courtesy for the man on the aisle as I felt he had the right to utilize some of the seat too.  I watched 3, yes 3, movies (The Help, Larry Crowne, and Julie & Julia) on the return flight.  I also watched one new tv show, Revenge.  I thoroughly enjoyed all the moves and the tv show!  I would have watched more of Revenge but the pilot was all they had availalble.

London was wonderful!  I will do a post on it eventually.  However, right now I feel the need to talk about marriage and the idea that it will be a Fairy Tale (i.e. as is portrayed to us by Hollywood, Disney, etc.).

I married my beloved, amazing, wonderful husband, Matt, on December 19, 2010.  Our first date was September 15, 2008.  We had a period of time where we didn't date but it was a time of growth for both of us.  We were engaged on April 8, 2010.  He is everything.  He is who God designed just for me.  He is my love. He is my best friend.  He is my prince charming.  Does he match every detail I had on "The List" when I was younger?  No.  Is that ok?  ABSOLUTELY!  Why is that ok?  It is ok because in all honestly some of the things we tend to put on "the list" are not necessities.  They are wants and not needs.  I needed him to be a Christian.  I needed him to be the head of our household.  I needed him to be the man.  I needed him to love me with all that he has.  I needed him to want to be with me.  I needed him to know that I am the one God has for him.  I strongly wanted him to be a college graduate and have a career that he loves and that could support us one day.  He is a college graduate.  He does love his career. He doesn't make a lot of money and I doubt we will ever fully rely on his one income to sustain us, but I'm sure with God's help we could make it work if need be.  Did I want that to be the case?  No.  Did I want to marry someone who made more money than me and that I knew from the start would enable me to hopefully be a stay-at-home mom one day when it was the right time?  Yes.  Am I okay with that not being the case?  Yes, I am.   I won't lie and say I have don't have my moments where I am not okay with that but I am because this man that I married is perfect for me.  He is the calm to my storm.  He is the adventure to my structure.  He is more than I can put into words.  Do we have our moments?  YES!  Do we agree on everything?  NO.  Is it a fairy tale in Hollywood/Disney standards?  No.  Is it a fairy tale in God's standards?  I think so!  That makes me happy.

I remember going through our marriage counseling with the pastor who married us, Mark Poe.  I really respect him and his wife, Kristi.  They both married later in life and waited for God's timing.  That's what Matt and I did too.  Mark told us it would not be an easy road as husband and wife.  He told us that sometimes we will not like each other but we will still love each other.  He reminded us to keep God as our center as our cornerstone in the marriage.  He gave us such great advice during our meetings.  I must agree with him.  Now, Matt and I have not had any serious arguments or any times that we just can't stand each other or whatnot, but we have had discussions.  We have brought each other down back to reality.  We are working as a team and getting used to living together.  Hello, he is a boy!  Have you ever lived with a boy and shared every aspect of your living space with a boy?!  Yes, I have a brother but he had his own bathroom and his own bedroom and I was in college and working for the majority of his teenage years.  I do remember his bathroom and bedroom, though.

Anyway, I write all this to say that it can be a Fairy Tale.  The one that God wrote for you.  That doesn't mean it will be butterflies and smiles and giddiness and perfection all the time.  Marriage takes work.  Marriage takes commitment.  Marriage takes a friendship.  Marriage takes a love that grows, even if you don't see it growing.  Marriage is worth it.

While in London I heard of Kim Kardashian's filing for divorce from her husband, Kris Humphries.  I read a lot of articles.  I watched a couple of videos.  Since being home I've read more.  I did watch the 2 part wedding special.  I did watch part of the Keeping up with the Kardashian season where they were dating and then got engaged.  This entire situation saddens me.  I do not know the situation.  I do not know why she is divorcing him.  I do know that I don't believe in divorce but I do believe there are situations where it is warranted.  I don't believe, at this current juncture in time with the information that I have been given, that this is a warranted divorce.  Do I feel as if they were in it for the ratings and money?  Part of me says yes.  Part of me says no.  Part of me is indifferent.

What saddens me the most is that she has said it wasn't a fairy tale and she wanted a fairy tale.  She says she should have broken it off before the wedding but got caught up.  Honey, break it off before the wedding!   You had millions of viewers, and I'd speculate that a lot of them are younger generations.  We can all get over the over-the-top wedding that had way too too much money spent on it.  However, it is hard to see that happen and then a divorce.  Unfortunately, I feel that is the way of the world and Hollywood these days.

So, right now I'm sad because I think they should work it out as I do with all couples.  I will say I don't agree but I will say that it is her life and she must do what she feels led to do.  Some may say, well, I went through this.  I have friends who have been married and then divorced; even family members.  I can't say I agreed with their decisions but I can say that I trusted they made the right decision and we all moved on.  Many times I've found out after as is the case when we find out about Hollywood marriages and divorces.  There isn't much that can be done then.

However, I can still say that marriage is worth it.  It is worth the fight.  It is worth counseling, if that is what it takes.  It is so absolutely wonderful to know my husband is always there for me, to know we come home to each other every day; to know we have each other's backs no matter what.

So, if you are struggling...fight.  If you need counseling....find a counselor.  If you need to talk to a friend....talk.  Talk to your spouse.  Try, try, try, to make it the best marriage in the world!

I know I want to make my marriage the best in the world.  I love you, Matt!!!!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Football Season (HS) is Quickly Coming to a Close

Yes, you read the title right!  the 2011 Football Season for the Mustangs is quickly coming to a close.  They enter into their second-to-last week of games this week.  They play the best team in our district and this team is now either #6 or #7 in the entire Country, I believe.  Yes, they are an awesome team.  Yes, they are always an awesome team.  Yes, they will always be an awesome team, even in those rebuilding years that come.

Do I believe the Mustangs can be an awesome team in the future?  Yes, I do.  Do others in the community need to believe this can happen?  Yes.  Do boosters/parents need to believe this can happen?  Yes.  Do we need people to not move to another area of the district to just go play on another team?  Yes.   Will the mustangs be a better team next year?  I believe they will be.  Do I believe they will have more wins next year?  Yes, I do.

Now, is all of this up to the coaches?  No, it isn't.  It is also up to the players and parents.  Football is such a mental game.  Yes, you need to have players with talent and athleticism.  Yes, you need to have coaches that know how to coach a winning team and know how to mentor, teach, and grow young men.  Yes, you need parents who are supportive of not only their son(s) but also the fellow coaches.  Yes, yes, yes.  All are needed.  Can we have all of this next year?  Yes, I believe we can.

So, as the season starts to end I hope and pray we end on a strong note.  I, unfortunately will miss the entire last week of the season and all of the last games (sub-varsity and varsity); however, I will be thinking of the coaches and players from afar on my business trip.

The good news:  I will have my husband back so soon!  When I return from my business trip the season will be over.  We will finally have weekends again!  We will finally be able to go to church as a couple/family again!  We will finally be able to work on that never-ending to-do list again!  I am so excited for all of these things!  I wish they could go to playoffs this year and would be more than happy to give my husband back for this to happen.  However, playoffs are not in the plan for the Mustangs this year.  Hopefully, next year.

We still have the Aggie football season going!  Whoop!  We also still have the Colts season going, even though we are desperately missing Peyton.  So, keep fighting Colts!  Keep playing hard Aggies!!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

We...Finally....

...Got....A........WIN!!!!

Yes, that is right people, the Varsity Mustangs now have a W in their record this year!  I can't tell you how happy I was for this to happen.  Did they play their very best?  No.  Do they still have much work to do?  Yes.  BUT, they got a WIN!!  Lets hope this can continue for this Friday night!

In other news, we are staying busy...

I attend Outbreak, a women's bible study at our church on Monday nights.  It is led by Gari Meacham and she is fabulous and amazing and such a strong, beautiful Christian woman and speaker!  I know God is going to use her in so many different avenues.

I can't seem to get into a cooking groove!  At. All.  Seriously, and I love to cook!  It really doesn't help that my husband's schedule has been changing lately.  Also, sometimes they parents bring them food in what is called a "pasta load."  So, I don't want to cook just for me.

I'm back seeing the chiropractor and the other day my entire body was all kinds of out of whack.  He put me back into place and shouldn't be standing with a slant anymore!  Seriously, my hips were off by about 1-1.5 inches!  I go back today for another adjustment.  I don't think waiting over 3 years to go back was a good idea, but I'm thankful that things aren't worse!  I love medicine that helps your body without having to take any pills that contain synthetics and other stuff that is bad for you!

I love Whole Foods!  We need a Whole Foods in Katy.

I wish we had a Trader Joe's and in Katy!

Freebirds is coming to Katy!!  So. Excited!!!!  Yes!  It's deliciousness I tell ya!

I'm traveling to London for work, for a week, very soon!  I hope I get to sightsee some!  I better get my camera card cleared and ready!  Maybe an extra one too.  I need to go shopping as I have to dress quite dressy for the meetings while there...no not formal, but I mean business professional.  Plus, I need a new travel/work bag and nows the time to get that.  Plus, I need...yeah things I've been putting off so that this trip will be more enjoyable!  Shopping time!!

Thankfully the hotel has free wi-fi so I can Skype with my hubby while gone!  Ahh!  Yay!!  Wait, the time difference will be the pain and the fact that he will still be in football season.  Oh well.  Yep, I'd bring him along if it weren't football season.

Did I mention that I'm going to London, soon!?!  Nope, not excited.  Ha!  One of my top places in Europe to go see.  Paris is #1, but that will be another trip.

My dear, sweet, close friend Kristin had her second baby, Cate!

That's about it for now, friends!  I must run...


Monday, September 26, 2011

Our Weekend Recap

FRIDAY ~ after getting my haircut and highlights melded in with my hair for a more fall/winter look (love it as it looks so natural, literally not far off at all from my natural color!!), I ran...I mean drove to the bank to deposit some funds for work, then grabbed some grub for an early dinner/supper, then arrived at home, then ate, then changed into my game clothes, then relaxed a bit, then left for what I thought was going to be a 45 minute drive to the game, but thankfully wasn't since I had to stop at 2 gas stations to finally get gas at the 2nd one....I arrived at the football field for Strake Jesuit.  They are in our athletic district.  It was supposed to be a game we were to win; however, after half time, it was decided that it was not our night to finally add a W to our record.  We started off the season of district play with a loss; a loss, I'm pretty sure no one thought we would get, but nonetheless, we did.  So, I saw my hubby for a minute after the game, drove home, waited for him to get back to the school and be given the a-ok to leave, picked him up, got him some after-the-game food (he deserved it and was hungry!), came home and relaxed with my husband, the coach, whom I am so so proud of!

SATURDAY ~ the alarm went off way too early for Matt to go to work.  Yes, he had to work...remember when I said he works 7 days a week during football season?  Well, that was no exaggeration, at.all.  So, no, I did not get out of bed but I woke up and made sure my handsome husband got off to work.  I went back to sleep and slept late, but felt like not sleeping late since I had gone to bed really late, hadn't slept well, and woke up when the hubby's alarm went off.  Watched a little tv, did some stuff around the house, got read for the day, then made my 1st (yes my 1st) trip to the grocery store.  See, we were to attend a bible study event that night and every couple was required to bring a dessert.  Well, the last thing I wanted was leftover dessert in our house.  We are trying to be healthy, get in tip-top shape, and I kinda have a thing called, a sweet tooth!  Hubby does too, to an extent.  So, I couldn't just pick something up and take as-is.  I decided on some home-made chocolate chip cookies with a surprise in them...hence the name later on "Surprise Cookies."  No, I couldn't just purchase the pre-made dough.  That stuff is good and I've eaten many a times, but I prefer to bake something where I know everything that is put into my lovely goodies (this goes along with my being healthy thing).  So, I went home and hubby had beat me there because he got to leave work a few minutes before he thought he would.  This meant he was home a little before 2:00...meaning he worked roughly a 6-hour day.  Yay!  So, since I was cranky because our house had no water to drink (the other reason I made a trip to the grocery store) and I hadn't eaten yet, he took me or rather us to get a late lunch.  Love him!  Yum, it was delish, I must say!  Then back home we went.  I then started baking and realized my sugar smelled weird.  So, a 2nd trip to the grocery store was made.  This did not make me happy but was a great excuse to by the natural, more healthy sugar I wanted to buy earlier but couldn't justify.  The One I decided to try  was great!  Now, there is another one or two I will try in the future.  Then I got a $2 off coupon, seriously?! That made me happy about getting it but not the 2nd trip.  I was also missing out on the Aggie game, which was amazing the first half.  So, I get back home start doing everything and realize I had no baking soda!  Since when did I not have this stuff?!  So, the 3rd trip to the grocery store happened, and this time I definitely was not happy!  However, I got it and went back home.  All this time, my lovely hubby has been sound asleep on the couch!  Yes, poor thing was exhausted and had no clue the game was still going on that he had started watching and had no clue I had returned from my 2nd trip to the store much less I had left and come back from a 3rd trip.  So, the cookies ended up turning out Delish!  The surprise...a miniature reese cup!  :)

We finished watching the depressing end to the A&M game (3 years in a row where we should have won!).  We got ready and left for Dinner Draw.  Our bible study class from church, Three's A Crowd (we are a 20's-30's nearly or newly married class with no kids, hence the name!), all met at one of the couple's houses and drew where we were going to go eat.  3 couples were at each restaurant.  So fun!  Then we all reconvened at the designated  house for dessert.  All in all it was a great evening spent with friends!

SUNDAY ~ Slept in a little.  I went to church and Matt went to work (remember the working 7 days a week, thing?  Yep).  Came home; ate leftovers; did stuff around the house; took my usual and absolutely lovely and apparently much needed Sunday afternoon nap; started laundry; folded laundry; watched some One Tree Hill on the Soap channel; cleaned some dishes; started straightening up for our fabulous cleaning lady that is to come on Tuesday; and waited for my handsome husband to come home.  He was home by 7:15!  We ordered pizza...delish; had homemade blizzards; finished Criminal Minds Season 6; went to bed!  yes, we are now ready for the current season which I have already started to DVR!

All-in-all, we had a great but busy weekend.  Not everything happened that we wanted to happen but it could have been much worse.

Hope you have a great week!