Ready to Run

"My body could stand the crutches but my mind couldn't stand the sideline." ~Michael Jordan

I've been in sort of an exercise rut lately. You know there are some times when you go to the gym or running outside and you just feel it? You can't wait to go, even while you are there isn't too bad, and afterwards you feel like you could probably run a marathon or leap a building? Yea.....those times have been nowhere in sight.

Instead, getting to the gym or going for a run has been a drag. I've only been going a couple of times a week, and while I'm there, I am bored. When I get home, I'm tired. I think they call this a slump.

The exception to my rut has been kickboxing. So, last Thursday I headed to our TurboKick Christmas class (which means we wore glowsticks and got cookies afterward....woo hoo!!)

Then about halfway through class, it happened. I went to do a "sumo burpie" (you go from standing and jump down into a plank position) and something in my lower back popped and I felt instant pain. I've never had back problems before, but it's not fun. It's hard to sleep and hard to sit at work and hard to walk up stairs.

Anyway, due to this ouchie, I had to take the weekend off from working out at all. And now that I can't.....guess what? ALL I want to do is go for a run. Or lift some weights. Or hit the elliptical machine. Seriously---I was craving exercise all day. Where had THAT been the last month??

Apparently all I needed to break out of my slump was to understand what it's like not to be able to exercise. It's a good reminder......I take things like the ability to hit up the gym for granted. I blogged before about being more grateful for having this ability. Maybe I didn't take it seriously enough. Lesson learned. I'm ready to run!

Family Farm Friday #38: Fly Over States

"Down where I born it was heaven on earth..." ~Luke Bryan, "We Rode in Trucks"

Notre Dame Friend recently texted me about a great new Jason Aldean song. She knew it would be perfect for Family Farm Friday. She was right!

Here a few of my favorite verses.

A couple guys in first class on a flight
From new York to Los Angeles,
Kinda making small talk killing time,
Flirting with the flight attendants,
30, 000 feet above, could be Oklahoma,
Just a bunch of square cornfields and wheat farms,
Man it all looks the same,
Miles and miles of back roads and highways,
Connecting little towns with unknown names,
Who'd want to live down there in the middle of nowhere,

They've never drove through Indiana,
Met the men who plowed that earth,
Planted that seed, busted his ass for you and me,
Or caught a harvest moon in Kansas,
They'd understand why god made those fly over states,

On the plains of Oklahoma
Where the windshield sunset in your eyes
Like a watercolor painted sky
Where like a water color painted sky

You'd think heavens doors have opened
You'll understand why god made
Those fly over states
Take a ride across the badlands
Feel that freedom on your face
Breathe in all that open space
Meet a girl from Amarillo
You'll understand why god made
Why you'd want to plant your stakes
In those fly over states

Those of us who live in the flyover states---who live on land made up of squares of wheat fields and who have spent our share of time on thos back roads, and who have seen those sunsets know that the people on the planes flying over are missing out! I'm glad to have been born and raised in a fly over state! (And yes, the picture is of my childhood---from the air.)

You can check out the whole song here:

Throwback Thursday #42: Christmas Memories

"Something about an old-fashioned Christmas is hard to forget." ~ Hugh Downs

I've blogged before (here....and here......and here) about my Gran. She was hands down one of my favorite people in the whole world. She lived right next door, so my brother and I were lucky to have been raised by great parents and the best grandma ever. She's come up a couple of times on facebook in the last week (which is ironic because I don't think he ever even used a computer) and I decided I should write a blog about her.

Gran had lots of traditions---MASH every afternoon at 4:00, popcorn for dinner every Sunday evening, always watching Andy Rooney and listening to Paul Harvey, taking a walk every morning, wearing either her Big Tex beanie or her summer straw hat---I could go on and on. But in the spirit of the holiday season, I have been thinking about her Christmas traditions.
Every year, our neighborhood exchanges gifts. Usually they are something homeade to eat (hello Aunt Jean's cheesecake!) Gran would always bake loaves of bread and wrap them up in paper. Then she would go to her holly bush in the yard and cut a sprig of holly to tie on each package.

She also really loved candy. Every year she made Tiger Butter and chocolate covered peanuts. I've taken it upon myself to carry on this tradition (probably less about the tradition and more because I love Tiger Butter to be honest). And she would hoard those boxes of chocolate covered cherries she got for Christmas all throughout the year. They are not super tasty when they are fresh, so you can imagine them in July.

Gran, my brother and I always set up her Nativity set. She had a large wooden barn and several Nativity figures---animals, wise men, shepherds, Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus. Anyway, every year she would drag the barn out of the well house and we would set it up together. And, because we were ranchers, we would go to the barn and get some real straw for the figures to sit on. And finally my favorite part of Christmas with Gran was her opening presents. You know there are some people who no matter what you get them, they aren't super excited and say things like, "Ohhhhh, thaaaanks." Yea, Gran wasn't like that. She was the kind of person who even if you wrapped up some pinceone with paper glued to it, she would get super excited and say, "Hey Hey!" and act like you bought her a tennis bracelet from Tiffany's. I haven't found anyone else who is as much fun to give a present to.

I still miss my grandma every day, but I am so glad to have these kinds of memories with her. You notice none of these memories involve expensive gifts or fancy things; they involve our family spending time together.
Remember this when you're with your family this Christmas.....you never know when you're making memories worth more than any present wrapped up under the tree.

Unanswered Prayers

"Faith isn't faith until it's all you're holding onto." ~ P.B.S. Pinchback


Garth Brooks has an old song called "Unanswered Prayers" where he tells a story of seeing his high school girlfriend years later and being thankful that God didn't give him what he thought he wanted when he was 18, because what God eventually did give him was so much better.
I certainly agree with Garth Brooks that there are times to thank God for unanswered prayers. Goodness knows if I had gotten everything that I thougnt I wanted at sometime in my life, I'd be a miserable disaster----wrong schools, wrong jobs, wrong boys, probably wrong friends----I'm glad that there are times that God says no to my prayers.

But there are sometimes where being thankful for Him not answering prayers just doesn't seem to work. When you pray and pray for a cure or a miracle, but someone you love still dies. When my friend repeatedly prays to be blessed with a child of her own, yet the pregnancy test is never positive. In instances like these, I don't think that we are expected to be grateful for our unanswered prayers.


I think that in these circumstances, faith comes into play. Even when we don't understand what God is doing, we can trust Him. Even though we are not thankful for the situation that we are in, we can believe that He is in control. Maybe in these situations, we are not expected to be thankful for the unanswered request, but we are just expected to have faith and hope and to keep on praying.

Most Eligible Bachelors

"I've seen enough to know I know what I like, it's the hard-workin', head turnin' rugged type..." ~Reba, I Want a Cowboy

Well, as I patiently wait for Mr. Right to make his appearance and sweep me off my feet, I couldn't help but notice that MSN posted a slideshow last week of the most eligible bachelors in the world. Well, I would hate to miss out on meeting Mr. Right by not reviewing this list.....so, a few thoughts for you.

First, if I had a magic wand and could make any of thse guys appear at my door, my top two choices would be......drumroll please.......

George Clooney.

Now, I realize that this does nothing to dispel my friend McCain's idea that I have a thing for older men. Which I really don't. But, let's just say if George Clooney showed up at my door, I'd let his old man self in without a second thought. I don't know what it is about him....maybe his eyes. Or maybe that he played Dr. Ross, who was just enough of a bad boy to be really interesting on ER. Whatever it is, he's on the list!

Chris Pine.

(Photo courtesy Contact Music)

Not going to lie, never heard of him prior to reading this list. And two things drew me in. First is the eyes. Is that not the prettiest color of blue you've ever seen? Second, he looks big and athletic. Which is very important for me to consider in a future husband so that I can live out my dream of being a mom to a college football player.

And I'll give first runner up to Curtis Stone.

He's cute, has an accent and can cook. I need a guy with all three of those qualities in my life.

Second, I have to admit that none of these boys get a 10 from me. (Not that they care and since I'll never meet them, that statement will never bite me in the you know what later.)

Here's my problem.....these boys probably spend more time on their hair than I do. Their hands are probably softer than mine, their skin exfoliated weekly and they no doubt spend time in a spa. This is all fine......but not up my alley.

I'm looking for a guy who likes to get his hands dirty and ride a horse and hang out at a stock show. A guy who likes cattle and sheep and wants to spend the afternoon analyzing which bull semen to order. A boy that knows how to melt my heart with an ag college-type compliment. Someone who wears boots and looks good in a hat and can talk farming and diesel engines with my Dad.

So.....if anyone comes across a list of guys like that (or even better...happens to know one in person) let's send him my way. He could be Mr. Right you know! And you might even get credit on the billboard that I've mentioned before....

November Updates

"If you cannot be a poet, be the poem." ~David Carradine

Sorry this is a little late---I've had a lot of blogs popping into my head lately! But, better late than never, right??

Notre Dame Video!
You might remember from my blog about game day at Notre Dame my telling you about hearing the trumpets playing the fight song under the Golden Dome. Well, lucky for everyone, ND Friend caught this on her trusty iPhone camera! It's worth a listen....trust me! It'll make you want to go out and hit someone on a football field!




What I'm Reading...The High Tech Version.
I have blogged once or twice before about what I am currently reading. Well, a couple weeks ago The Bride introduced me to a whole new high-tech version of this! Meet Good Reads.

Not only does this let you check out what other people think of books before you read them, it also lets you keep a list of the books that you have read. And you can see what your friends are reading! I signed up last weekend (here is a link to my list) and have been uploading books ever since! If any of you create (or already have) your own site, let me know so I can link up with you!

Adding to the Herd.
I frequently talk on here about how I hate to shop. There is an exception.....I do love buying livestock! You'll probably remember me buying my cow and heifer this past spring, and my buying 8 ewes over the summer. A couple weeks ago, I added another ewe lamb to my herd.

People at the office deemed her "cute." Not sure that's what I was going for, but I guess it's not a bad thing either!

Quote of the Month.

We all know that it came from the Blonde Oklahoma Girl. I might as well call this segment "The Blonde Oklahoma Girl Quote of the Month."
Anyway, when we were talking about me going to visit Notre Dame, BOkG said that she loved Notre Dame when she was a kid too and that she even had a Notre Dame starter jacket. I asked if it was because of the football program and Rudy. Oh no.....it was for two reasons. One because a boy she liked in elementary school liked Notre Dame, and two becasue Regis Philbin liked Notre Dame. (Opposites must attract because she's one of my best friends ever and we're clearly nothing alike!) Anyway, as I got off the plane in Chicago, BOkG texted and said that she hoped I would meet Regis at the game. I said I'd keep an eye out. Then she responded with the quote of the month.

"Now, he's very little in real life. So if you see a little person, that might be him!"

Sadly I did not see Regis (nor did I see any little people).....but I did enjoy the quote of the month!

Family Farm Friday #37: You Know How Things Work

"What flatterers say, try to make true." ~German Proverb

Last week, I got a call from someone who was seeking an attorney to help with some estate issues involving her family ranch. I explained that my firm does not do transactional work like estates, but assured her that I would help find someone who did this kind of work.
Then, the woman explained to me why she called me, instead of other attorneys who she knows.

"I thought of you, not because you're the only lawyer I know, but because I've heard your FFA speeches. You know how things work."

I have to tell you, I could not have been more flattered. Growing up in an ag community, I understand what she means, because there are a lot of people in the world who really don't know how things work as far as agriculture goes. I'm not insulting them, but I'm saying that it's a way of life that other people don't understand.

I'm proud to have grown up on a farm and ranch and to be seen as someone who knows how things work. I love the fact that I can sit in my office and talk about commercial loan agreements and million dollar class actions, and the next minute be having a conversation about breeding cows or lambing out ewes. I am different that a lot of other lawyers because of this background. But I tell you what, it was my agriculture experiences that made me the person who I am today and I wouldn't trade them for anything.
So, as far as compliments go, being told that I know how things work is one of the best I've received in a long time!

Throwback Thursday #41: 4 Simple Words

“I've yet to be on a campus where most women weren't worrying about some aspect of combining marriage, children, and a career. I've yet to find one where many men were worrying about the same thing.” ~Gloria Steinem

Today we are throwing all the way back to last week when my own actions shocked me.

Here's how it went down.

Recently, a boy (yes, I know that males my age are technically called "men" but I prefer the term "boy" so that's what we'll go with) asked me what I did for a living. Now, in case you don't know, I'm a lawyer and I have been for over a year. Here's a graduation picture to prove it.
My response to this question should have been 4 simple words. "I am a lawyer." But that's not what I said. Instead, I responded with, "I work at a law firm."

It was not something intentional or something that I thought about, but I sure as heck said it. And after I did, I was really mad at myself. I don't work at a law firm...I'm a lawyer. So why did I say that?

Do I feel like I should not really be a lawyer? Am I some closet back-woods "women should be in the kitchen" believer and I don't even know? I don't think so, but heck if I know why I did it. I think that somewhere I apparently worry that a boy will not like the fact that I'm a lawyer.

I think maybe I'm crazy. But apparently I'm not alone. I was talking to another attorney who is extremely successful, very well respected, and even has her name in her firm's title. She told me that she almost always says that she "works at a law firm" when people ask her what she does for a living. She doesn't know why she does it either.

I think this signifies some sort of problem. I don't know what the fix for it is. But what I do know is that if a boy is going to care about the fact that I'm a lawyer, I don't want to talk to him anyway. So I might as well get it out there in the open. So from now on, I'll answer the question with my 4 simple words.

Oh, and to conclude the story: The fact that I said this didn't matter. Dude busted me on the follow up question....are you a lawyer? Sneaky.

Dropping a Love Bomb

"We can do no great things, only small things with great love." ~Mother Teresa

I recently came across an amazing website called Let's Drop a Love Bomb. The whole idea is that people who follow their blog get notices of other bloggers who are having a hard time. Deaths, illnesses, lost jobs, break ups, etc. When something like this happens, everyone on Love Bomb goes to the person's blog and leaves them an encouraging comment. Last week's recipient got over 250 comments on her blog on one day from all around the world.

I think that if the world was more like this--if we looked for people who were hurting and did simple gestures to help them--it would be a better place. Just being there for someone, or saying a prayer for them when they are down, or doing something kind for no reason can make a difference. If everyone did these things every day, we could change the world.

When one of my friends passed away while he was still in high school, his mom said something that I have never forgotten. She said that she could feel the people praying for her. Ever since, I have tried my hardest to say a prayer for anyone I know or hear about going through a hard time. I hope that people can feel this, and it brings them some measure of comfort and peace.

Will a blog comment mend a broken heart? No. But will knowing that people care about you and are praying for you during a difficult situation bring some sort of peace? Hopefully. Check out the Love Bomb website. And look for the opportunity to drop one on people in your own life. Let's change the world.

The Epidemic

"I was more afraid of missing out on God's best for my life than of being alone." ~Trish Ryan, A Maze of Grace

College Roomie started it all when she got an email from one of her friends in China. College Roomie had previously written the friend a letter filling her in on what was going on with her life. Mind you, College Roomie owns a house, has a great job, just got back from Vegas and has a great best friend (aka ME!).

In reply to College Roomie's letter, the friend said, “Happy to know that everything is good to you, but what I care about more is when will you get married?”

Ugh. THAT question. It's an epidemic. And apparently, it is worldwide!

For the life of me, I don't understand it. Why is that the ONE question that it's socially acceptable to ask someone about every time you see them? It would not be okay to ask someone, "So do you have a college degree yet?" or "So did you finally get off your lazy hiney and get a job?" or "So when are you going to lose the 20 pounds you need to lose" when you were not sure of the answer. But it's totally fine to quiz away about someone's relationship status?

And, even a bigger question is why do people measure the quality of a person's life based on their marital status? Don't get me wrong here....I want to get married. Like a lot. BUT.....just because I am not married yet does not mean that my life is sad or that I am miserable. In fact, quite the opposite is true.

I'm happy and independent and free to do and go and talk to whomever I want. I can spend a whole Saturday in my pajamas watching college football or I can jump on a plane to Notre Dame or Stillwater or San Francisco without checking with anyone else, or I can eat Wheat Thins for dinner. And if for some reason I never get married, my life will still be great. (Although I will probably have to learn to cook because a girl can only live in Wheat Thins for so long).

My point is this. While I'm waiting for Mr. Right to come out of the forrest he's lost in (if you see him, please give him a map to my house), I'm still living a really great life. And it's full of a wonderful cast who loves me and supports me and makes me a better person. Am I married? No. Am I happy? You better believe it.

Oh, and when Mr. Right does arrive, you won't need to ask.....I'll probably make t-shirts for everyone and rent a billboard. Designed by this guy. He's clever.