Joseph's Lullaby

"Mankind is a great, an immense family. This is proved by what we feel in our hearts at Christmas." ~Pope John XXIII

Well because I have the day off, we are going to forget Throwback Thursday and have a Christmas blog instead.

I have discovered an awesome Christmas song and figured I would share with all of you. ND Friend recommended that I buy the Mercy Me Christmas cd while I was decorating my tree. Because she has good taste in music (this prior blog can be exhibit A), I followed her advice and went right on over to iTunes and bought it.

One of the songs, Joseph's Lullaby, is absolutely amazing. So many Christmas carols we have heard 100 times, so the words seem automatic. And there are a lot of songs written from Mary's perspective. But this one describes how Joseph may have felt that night in the stable. I thought this song was perfect as we prepare our hearts for Christmas.

Joseph's Lullaby

Go to sleep my Son
This manger for your bed
You have a long road before You
Rest Your little head

Can You feel the weight of Your glory?
Do You understand the price?
Does the Father guard Your heart for now
So You can sleep tonight?

Go to sleep my Son
Go and chase Your dreams
This world can wait for one more moment
Go and sleep in peace

I believe the glory of Heaven
Is lying in my arms tonight
Lord, I ask that He for just this moment
Simply be my child

Go to sleep my Son
Baby, close Your eyes
Soon enough You'll save the day
But for now, dear Child of mine
Oh my Jesus, Sleep tight

You can watch the a video and hear the song below:

A Me Weekend

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want." ~Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes

So while I was sidelined this weekend, I decided I needed some "me" time. I realize that some of you probably don't understand this and are thinking, "she's single and has no kids and no roomate.....her LIFE is me time!" But most nights when I get in from work, I have a whole list of things that I need to do before I can go to bed. That's not "me" time.....it's not relaxing (and makes me feel like I need to hire a life clerk).

So, I did run a few errands and finish up my Christmas shopping, but other than that, I spent a lot of time here:

Watching movies on this:

And enjoying the sight of this:

And eating a lot of these:

And wearing these:

The movie marathon included Couple's Retreat (which made me want to hop a plane to Bora Bora right now, and made me realize that I am in love with Vince Vaughn), New Girl in Town (which annoyed me because it portrays small town people as being all backwoodsy and strange, but I did realize that I am in love with Harry Connick, Jr.) and Love Actually (which is a great Christmas movie and I enjoy the fact that not all of the couples end up happy and together--that's real life, people!)

So, basically I vegged out and realized that I am in love with some man in just about every movie I watch. Productive weekend? I'd say so!

Because I'm a Planner

"Our marriage has always been a 50-50 proposition - with the possible exception of closet space." ~Gene Perret

College Roomie called me one night over the weekend. 2 1/2 hours later, our conversation ended when one (or both) of us fell asleep. Mind you, we talk by phone, text or email I would say at least 5 times a day. I think this is how you know someone is your best friend.

Anyway.....to the point of the blog. One of our conversations was about finances and marriage. (Ironic since neither of us is expecting a ring anytime soon....but we're planners, you know!) So we discussed the the complicated, un-fun stuff.....pre-nups, buying houses, etc. Then she brought up an issue I had never even thought of before. Joint v. separate checking accounts.

Turns out College Roomie is in favor of having separate accounts (with a joint as well). I have to be honest--I had never heard of this before and I was amazed! I had a million questions on how that works. College Roomie was amazed at the fact I was not a separate account person. Her theory was that people who get married when they are a little older and who are very independent are into separate accounts. I blew that theory for her.

I knew that there were two people I needed to talk to about this. One is my marriage advisor, The Bride. She and The Groom seem to have everything figured out, so I knew she would have info on this subject. Turns out, they have a joint and separate accounts. The separate accounts are sort of like an allowance---she spends hers on shoes and girls nights, he spends his on golf and video games. I had no idea.

The second person is Cousin Kevin. I almost hate to admit this for fear I'll never hear the end of it, but just about every issue that comes up in my life is taken to Cousin Kevin. That guy is smart, and I feel like we're on the same wavelength about things. Anyway, he was also in favor of separate accounts. Which is ironic because he also said that pre-nups "feel wrong" and that it seems like marriage should be "all in." (I guess "all in" doesn't mean joint checking).

Anyway, because marriage is clearly not anywhere in the immediate future (thanks to getting NO suggestions from any of you after the Most Elligible Bachelor blog), I don't suppose this is an issue that I need to resolve right away. But maybe it's like the farmer who puts the rain gauge out in the middle of a drought believin the rain will come. Perhaps this issue is my rain gauge for Mr. Right. Or perhaps not. But I would love to hear your thoughts and have your input! I am a planner you know!

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!