Closing a Chapter

“What wings are to a bird, and sails to a ship, so is prayer to the soul.”   ~Corrie ten Boom

Last Friday afternoon, my trusty mover, Ronnie, and I loaded all of my possessions into a 16' Budget truck and headed north.  It marked the closing of one chapter of my life and the beginning of another.

As I reflected (one has plenty of time to do that on a 9.5 hour drive....) on the chapter that was College Station, I came to several conclusions in addition to my list of things I will miss, which I previously posted here.

During my contemplation, I realized that I should determine a theme for each chapter in my life.  (If it was good enough for Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love, why not me?)  And as I thought back on the last year and a half, it was fairly clear to me that the College Station chapter must be dubbed the chapter of answered prayers.

When I moved south, I had been on two dates with The Boy from Texas.  I was left with a long distance relationship and lots of worries and unanswered questions.  Slowly but surely--in His timing--each worry was relieved, each question was answered.  I spent hours upon hours wondering, plotting, planning, and praying about what the future would hold.  I had amazingly wonderful friends who prayed with me.  I have no doubt there was intercession from the saints whom I begged for intercession. 

There are chapters where prayers are not answered in the way that we want.  The miracle doesn't come, the situation does not change, the plan does not work.  And as hard as those times are, I do believe God ultimately uses them for His glory.  But sometimes, just sometimes, His glory is shown by answering our pleas in the exact way we prayed for.  I tend to forget that can happen, and I'm so thankful for the reminder.

The College Station chapter was, for me, one of answered prayers. 

It was fitting then, I think, to see this in the front yard the day I drove away. 

I planted this rosebush last spring.  And then I got busy and did nothing to care for it.  And then it died.  I mean, it was still green, but there hadn't been any hint of a bloom, much less a rose for 6 months. 

But on Friday morning, I awoke to a single red rose.  Immediately, I remembered praying to St. Therese, who promised to spend her time in Heaven doing good on earth and showering the world with roses.  (She's quite popular with my sweet friend Super Mom as well.....read this.) 

A beautiful red rose, a beautiful answered prayer, a perfect ending to this chapter.

One Year Ago

“The only thing standing between you and your goal is the bullshit story you keep telling yourself as to why you can't achieve it.” ~Jordan Belfort

One year ago today, I started my new job.  At the time, I told people I may have found my dream job.  Indeed, 365 days later, I think that I have.  Don't tell my employer this, but I might do this job even if they didn't pay me. 

During the last year I have been able to travel all over Texas.  I've talked with hundreds of ranchers, partaken in a lot of barbeque brisket, given over 50 presentations, seen lots of cows, eaten rice salad for the first time, spent a fortune on plane tickets, bought a new house, hopefully provided some useful information, planted a few flowers, learned more than I could have ever imagined, created an ag law blog that has over 400 subscribers and gets over 4400 hits a month (click here if you've not seen it!) and made some great friends along the way.

 

 

It was quite a leap for me to take this job.  I quit a great job, gave up the chance for some dollar signs to come my way, moved 9 hours from home, signed up to live in the hottest most humid place on earth (maybe not true but it feels like it!), and ended up with a boyfriend 9 hours away.  And I would make the same decision again!

So if you have a chance to chase a dream....do it.  Go.  Give it a whirl.  And hopefully a year later, you'll be able to look back and smile at the fact you were brave enough to leap.

What Might Have Been

"I try not to think about what might have been, 'cause that was then, and we have taken different roads..."  ~Little Texas

This was pre-blog time, which means that everyone on the internet didn't know my business, but back in the good ol' days, I got accepted to law school at the University of Notre Dame.  An Irish fan from the time I was a little kid (I was probably the only 6 year old in New Mexico to have a ND pennant hanging on my bedroom wall), I couldn't have been more excited.  But then the other shoe kinda dropped when I found out that Notre Dame would be the only school that I applied to that wasn't going to offer me a scholarship.  At all.  Zero.  Zilch.  Nada.  None.  And so after putting the pencil to the paper a little bit, I realized that my dream of attending Our Lady's University was not in the cards for me.  (I also turned down UNM and had all my plans in place to attend William and Mary before waking up one morning and deciding that wasn't happening anymore....but that's another blog for another day.)

Last weekend while I was in South Bend to watch Notre Dame take on Michigan State, I got a quick tour of the law school from one of Mr. FFA's friends.  Y'all.  It was amazing.  Beautiful.  Breathtaking.  The huge library.  The study areas overlooking the quads or the football stadium.  The tiny chapel where Mass is said once a week.

Notre Dame Law School Library

I left the law school and couldn't help but wonder what my life would look like had I gone there.  What might have been? 

But the truth is, I don't regret the decision that I made.  Because had I gone to Notre Dame, some great things would never have happened.  I never would have introduced College Roomie to McCain and gotten to talk all about it in a Maid of Honor speech at their wedding.  I would have probably missed working with some absolutely great people at my first job.  I would have missed out on making the great friendships that I did while I was at UNM, including people like Brett-Brett and Top Gun and and Law School Partner and a whole list more.  I wouldn't have been in Albuquerque to visit First Valentine for what turned out to be the last time or to witness the birth of my precious Goddaughter (as traumatic as that experience was).  I wouldn't have been at a football game in Oklahoma to meet The Boy from Texas.  I might not have known the true value of my law degree.

Had I gone to Notre Dame, my life would have been different.  I would have met different people and had different experiences and probably would be doing a different job in a different place.  Would it have been better?  Who knows.

What I do know is that it's hard to regret the "might have been" when the real life is so darn good.

Believing 1+1 Can Equal 5

"When God blesses, I cannot complain that the details are not as I would have planned."  ~Katy at Whatever is Lovely

Things are fixin to get deep, kids. 

I absolutely love the above quote about taking and appreciating God's blessings when He gives them, and not complaining about the details.  I've been having to remind myself of this lately.  I got an amazing job opportunity, but it's a long way from home in a town where I know hardly anyone, and where the humidity is like 157% all the darn time.  I meet The Boy from Texas, and then immediately move 8.5 hours away for said job and only get to see him twice a month.  I buy a great house, but now have to learn to deal with things like oven fires and toilet floods and little ants in the cabinet and mowing the lawn.

While I appreciate the blessings (and I really, really do), I whine and worry and complain about the details.  And I know that is ridiculous.  But they're not ideal, those darn details.  Along these lines, I can't tell you how many times I've made the statement related to The Boy from Texas that I just don't see how "the math" can work out for us.  Meaning that I do not understand logistically how us dating while living on opposite ends of the second largest state in America and both having jobs we really like can work.

The other morning I was out on a run with one of the girls who works in my department (can I mention that a 3.5 mile run at 5:30 in the morning should not leave you feeling like you just did hot yoga....HOW is it this hot all the time???) and I told her my math conundrum.  She said that during a Bible Study she did last year, she read something about that very issue.

She said that we expect 1+1=2.  We understand how that works.  We are not thankful for surprised or anything when that is the result, because that's just math.  We don't need to have any faith or help from God to get that answer. 

But God can make  1+1=5.  And in that situation, when things work that never should, when amazing things happen that we couldn't imagine, we realize that it's God at work.  We are forced to have faith that somehow, despite what we know from the calculator, the answer can be 5. 

And what's more, God uses these situations for good.  They strengthen our faith.  They draw us closer to Him.  They teach us patience (which has to be my least favorite subject ever next to calculus!).  So instead of complaining and trying to figure all of this out on a calculator and beating my head against the wall, I'm trying to sit back, enjoy the blessings, and see what God can do with the math.  Because maybe the answer is 5 even though I don't understand it right now.  Maybe my job is not to understand, my job is just to believe.



via Pinterest

But I do think am going to have to figure out how to get rid of these little ants in the cabinet on my own....

House Tour!

"Don’t worry about being worried. You’re heading out on an adventure and you can always change your mind along the way and try something else." ~Tracy Kidder

Okay, I know you guys have been patiently (some of you not so patiently!) waiting for a tour of my new casa.  Well, today is the day!!  I am absolutely in love with my house.  In love.  I've had a lot of fun making it my own.

It all started with a little painting, for which I called in reinforcements.  Aunt Evil Kineval, College Roomie and The Bride are the most amazing people in the whole world.  They traveled clear to Texas and spent three days helping me paint, pick out a new bed, and generally get settled in.  They.  Are.  Amazing.  Thanks, girls, for having my back.  And a roller!

Me and Aunt Evil Kineval at work

Painting break at Buffalo Wild Wings...

I only got one before and after shot.  The Grady blue guest room HAD TO GO.  Mr. Franklin raised me well! :)  I ended up doing grey with a turquoise accent wall. Thank you Pinterest for that idea!  (Linking up with Saw It, Pinned It, Did It.)

Before / After

Then it was time to get the furniture moved in and get all the decorating done.  I finished that up last weekend and I have to say that I am quite pleased with my interior decorator skills.  Without further adieu, let's kick off the tour.

Please keep your feet and hands inside
the tram at all times....

In order that I do not end up with a stalker who wants to chop me into little pieces, I'm not taking a photo of the outside front of my house.  But suffice it to say that it's super cute.

This is the entryway.  I decorated with an old end table that belonged to my Aunt Jean that my mom refinished that holds a picture of my family.  I also hung two photo frames, all of which hold pictures of me and my friends at various football games.

From the entryway, you walk into the living room.  Here she is!

The piano belonged to my Gran and it was the one I learned to play on.  We spent hours sitting at that old piano, so it's fun to have it in my house.  I decorated with this canvas I love that has sheet music to the Louis Armstrong song Wonderful World behind the lettering spelling out "And I think to myself what a wonderful world."  I also have a couple of little pianos that I had bought for Gran over the years, and a photo of here that I love that are sitting on top of the piano now.

The cow painting is something I picked up while out and about shopping in Stillwater with SoulMate Friend and her sister.  I love, love, love it.  I think it goes perfectly.  They had two more smaller paintings of cows by the same artist and I keep kicking myself for not buying those too!

On to the mantle, which holds some of my favorite décor, including the painting of me, my and my brother moving cows, a cute sign College Roomie got me that says "You can take the girl out of the farm but you can't take the farm out of the girl," some showing/FFA pictures, and the piece from the covered wagon that my great grandparents drove to New Mexico.

Behind the couch you will see these amazingly adorable pillows that College Roomie got me for a housewarming gift.  They have all of the places where I have lived marked by a star.  They are just perfect!

I also have a couple of end tables with various pictures, books, candles, etc.  Oh, including these four little books I found that give you advice circa 1904.  I bought "Wedding Don'ts" "Advice for Husbands" "Advice for Wives" and "Advice for Mothers."  Hilarious.

Okay, so from the living room, you walk through the arches into the kitchen. 

Which is decked out in John Deere motif.

I also made this super cute sign that hangs above my pantry based on a quote from Meg's blog.

Connected to the kitchen is the dining area/office.  I went with an OSU theme, which includes the gallery wall you have seen before.  I also hung up all of my running photos and bibs along with making a cute shadow box of ticket stubs I saved from fun events.

If you go out the door off of the kitchen, you are in the backyard---my favorite part of the house.  I have a huge patio that I've decorated with furniture and a grill.

Plus, the back yard is huge and green and full of plants that I swear pop up new every day.  It's so fun!

 Okay, so back inside and off of the living room we have two bedrooms.  I have one set up as the guest room/banner wall/travel souvenir collection/book shelves.  There's a lot in there, BUT it has a comfy bed and I welcome house guests!

The second room is going to belong to my roommate that will be moving in at the end of the month.  She wanted to paint it, and I love the color she chose and how it turned out!

Back to the living room to the other side, we have a little hallway leading to the laundry room.  Here, I put my bookshelf that holds pictures of the people I love who now live in Heaven, and some other keepsakes and books. 

From there, we head into my bedroom.  This was one of the rooms we painted, and I got new bedding, and I have to say, it worked out quite well! Eventually I want to replace the lampshades, but baby steps on this house decorating thing.

I love all the little decorations I have up all over the room.

I made this little project from the Kip Moore song I love called Hey Pretty Girl, where he says, "Hey pretty girl, let's build some dreams, a house on a piece of land...."  So I found a poster of a country road and painted the words over it.  For all of like 7 bucks, I have decoration for above the bed.

I also have a little reading nook in the corner, which I enjoy sitting in and relaxing.

Then we have the master bath, which we painted this awesome shade of green.  Love it!

And, finally, last but not least, my closet.  I am also in love with this!  When I begged The Boy from Texas to help me hang these shelves, he was totally perplexed why I would decorate inside a closet.  Um....I go in there every day and it makes me happy.  He gave in, and this is what I ended up with.

I love the shelves and photos--my Goddaughter's baptism, the Mud Run with the family, BFF's wedding, me and Little Brother, and a photo that says "She packed up her potential and all that she learned, put on some cute shoes, and set out to change a few things."  Love that.  In the corner we have my Gran's turquoise chair that was always in her bedroom and has since always been in mine. (Thank you to Pink Lou Lou for the closet decorating inspiration I needed!)

So there you have it.  Home sweet home.  And mi casa es su casa, I love visitors!!  Come visit any time!  (I mean, call first....)

A New Chapter

“Bottom line is, even if you see 'em coming, you're not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. So what are we, helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are gonna come. You can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are.” ~ Joss Whedon

Today begins a new chapter in my life.  My two months of gallivanting around the world have come to an end.  Instead of my tennis shoes, backpack and a camera, today I will be putting on a pencil skirt, heels and a briefcase and starting my new position as an Ag Law Extension Specialist at Texas A&M.

A new chapter marked by a new city, in which I know three people.  And two of them are moving at the end of the summer.  A new chapter marked by a new job, which is like nothing I've ever done before.  A new chapter, marked by missing my friends and family that are 8 (or more) hours away.  As new beginnings usually are, this one is scary and intimidating, but I am confident that I am in the place where I am meant to be right now, and I am excited to see where this chapter leads.  Here goes nothin'!

via Pinterest

Playing a Little Catch Up

“Life is about moving, it’s about change. And when things stop doing that they’re dead.”  ~Twyla Tharp

My life has been a total and complete whirlwind over the last couple of weeks.  I've been updating  you via my daily photographs, but I wanted to share some of the awesome things that have been going on in more detail!

A Surprise Party



College Roomie got me.  She got me good.  She threw me my first ever real surprise party.  (She threw me one or two more in college, but she always let me in on the secret and I just acted surprised.  We were cool like that.)  But this time she and McCain picked me up to go to dinner at Casa de Benevidez, this Mexican food place in town that College Roomie raves about.  No, seriously, she's even blogged about their sopapilla burger.  Anyway, we walk in and I see one of my friends from law school and her husband.  I think to myself, "Wow, what a coincidence."  Then I glance around and see someone who looks like my friend Miss Texico.  I looked back and realized it was Miss Texico and Pharmer Girl.  At this point, being the genius I am, I still don't get it, and say, "This is amazing, I know everyone here!"  And then it snapped.  College Roomie had gathered up 15 of my friends for a surprise going away party.  It was perfect!  (You can read her recap of the events here.)

The Cowboy Rides Away Tour

George Strait.  Final concert tour.  Cousin Whitney, Aunt Evil Kineval, Aunt Delta Dawn, and three of their best friends.  Honestly, words don't do this event justice.  We seriously had the best time.  George was amazing, as you would expect.  He played for over two hours and still left out a ton of his great songs.  College Roomie figured out that if he played just all of his number ones (mind you, that is just the #1s and would leave out songs like Amarillo By Morning) he would have had to play for like 36 hours or something insane!  Listening to the 1.5 hours that he did play (which included lots of his old hits, was the perfect way to spend a Saturday!)

Me and the aunts.

The whole group.

Me and Cousin Whitney waiting for the action to begin.

This lucky $#&@& has the best job in America...she gets to stand behind
George every single night and listen to him sing.

George and Martina singing "Jackson"

Where the Cowboy Rides Away.

A Bridal Brunch

College Roomie is seriously one of the classiest people I know.  She's a total Audrey Hepburn.  So when she had a bridal brunch, I knew that it would be amazing.  And it was.  My favorite part was when her Aunt Jewel was explaining to one of the groom's friends how the family tree worked.  When she got to me, she said, "That's Tiffany.  She's, well, she's just my niece."  (Mind you, we're not blood related, but I love the fact that I've been adopted into the fold!)

The hostess saw me poking at this and came over
to tell me that they were real and I could eat them.  Oops!

Donut kabobs!

Conception Quiche....the single girls stayed away from these!

Me and Aunt Jewel

College Roomie and the mamas.

The Bridesmaids (minus one who lives in Phoenix)

Can't wait for the wedding day!

Road Trip!!

One of the things that I have been most excited about my move was the fact that College Roomie offered to road trip with me to Texas when I went down for the first time.  I was seriously beyond excited about this event!  We used to road trip back and forth to OSU all the time, so we totally got to re-visit those memories.  We stopped in Amarillo for lunch with Sister Lisa (College Roomie's little sis) and The Boy from Texas.  And then we continued on for another 8.5 hours in the car where we ate ice cream, analyzed life, discussed every relationship that you can imagine, listened to old school cds (yes, that's right, cds, not iPods), and generally had a blast.  There is nothing like 13 hours in a car with your best friend!  The road trip ended when we arrived in Texas and I got to see my new house!

  

Show Lamb Sale

Next up was my family's annual show lamb sale.  You've read about those sales before here and here.  This year was our best sale yet.  Even with all of the work and stress and dirt, I have to say that these are usually three of my favorite days of the year.  Getting to visit with old friends and look at lambs.....you really can't beat it!