Letters to Mr. Right: Letter #6

"Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale." ~Author Unknown

Dear Mr. Right,

Just so you know, I'm not expecting some unrealistic, tv romance.

For example, I don't expect it to be like 8 Seconds where Kelly and Lane ride the horse together. I can ride my own horse, thank you. And I don't expect for you to have to save the damsel in distress like on the Wedding Planner. I can walk in heels without tripping on the street, thank you. Oh, and I'm not going to meet you online like on You've Got Mail. I don't believe in that, thank you. (My plea about Kyle the Medic notwithstanding...) And I won't make you leave your job coaching football at the best program in Texas to move back east with me (sorry, Tami Taylor, but I'm still upset over that one). I get the importance of football, thank you.

But if you could do a few little things for me, that would be great. Like give me your jacket when I get cold. And put your arm on the small of my back when we walk into a room. Know that my favorite flowers are tulips, and not roses. And treat my girl friends well--especially if any of them are still single by the time you show up. Bring me ice cream if I've had a bad day. Practice up on your shoulder massages. Wear square toed boots. Don't try to convince me that I'll like fish if I just try it. And ask me to dance any time you can.

I think if you manage to pull those things off, it'll be better than any Hollywood produced romance anyway, thank you.

Waiting for that day,

Me

WILW #11

"Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." ~Lao Tzu

It's been a LONG time since I've linked up with Miss Jamie for WILW...so here we go!

I'm loving.....

Uno...The Blonde Oklahoma Girl got a great new blog design. I mean seriously, her blog looks excellent. Go check it out....just click here! And follow her. Because she's awesome.

Dos....Last week was All Soul's Day, a day of rememberance for those who have passed away. I absolutely love this clip from Father Barron (ND Friend's boss!) explaining why we pray for the dead. I love his explaination and the hope and belief that we can maintain our relationship and connection with those who have passed away. (Apparently I'm on a prayer kick this week...did you catch yesterday's post about praying and football?)

Tres....This chick below. Replace "World Series" with "BCS Bowl" and it could be me. And if my Cowboys keep on winning, that might literally be me come January! You know, except for the whole boy telling me he'll give me an engagement ring. Whatev. Fingers crossed and GO POKES!

Quatro...Terri Clark's new song called "The One." Favorite lines: "Just because I won't settle don't mean I won't settle down." and "If I can't feel the music when somebody holds me, how am I supposed to dance?"

Cinco....Our awesome Halloween costumes. Check it:

Get it? Rock, Paper, Scissors! And because the Blonde Oklahoma Girl was involved, they were covered in glitter. Love it!

Sies....Kevin Durant. I loved watching him play college basketball (even though he was slamming it home over my Cowboys!) at Texas and he now plays for the OKC Thunder in the NBA. In case you don't listen to sports radio, there's a lock out going on right now, so KD doesn't have a job and he is bored. He tweeted asking if anyone was playing flag football. Well an OSU student answered and the next thing you know, KD showed up to play in Stillwater. On the same fields where the Animal House Boys used to pay and College Roomie and I cheered them on. Click here to see the video of KD's game. Apparently my love for star athletes is a theme this week...remember yesterday's post?

Siete....This story. When Lindsay Vann was visiting his high school, a sophmore boy went up to her at lunch and asked her to homecoming. No biggie. Just an Olympic gold medalist and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. And she said yes. Good lesson.....ask the dream girl to the dance. She might say yes.

Ocho....this guy. You want to talk about motivation----I feel like running a marathon myself after watching that video! We have the power to take steps, even small ones at first, to make ourselves happy. First steps can turn into finishing an Ironman. I love that!

Praying and Football

"You may as soon find a living man that does not breath, as a living Christian that does not pray." ~Matthew Henry

Today I want to talk about two things that might not seem so related...praying and football.

First off, I'd like to start out with a great article about the "Prayer Ring" that happens before an OSU football game. The players take it upon themselves to form a circle, and to pray before every game. To thank God for the day, and the opportunity to play, and to ask for protection from injury. It's not mandatory. Coach Gundy thought only a few players took part. Turns out, the entire team gets in that circle every week and bows their heads. As if I needed another reason to be proud to wear orange? (Photo courtesy of OrangePower.com)

And second, let's talk about Tim Tebow, the former Florida Gator's quarterback and the current QB of the Denver Broncos. He is very religious, openly so, and consequently he takes a lot of heat for his faith. Most recently, after leading his team to a crazy amazing comeback, a photo was taken of Tebow bent down on one knee praying while the rest of his teammates were jumping around and celebrating. (Photo courtesy of Huffington Post)

Someone decided to coin the phrase "Tebowing" and people have started taking photographs of themselves mimicking Tim Tebow in prayer in random places...like walking across the street or in a busy restaurant or whatever.

While most people have just chuckled or decided to take a picture of their own,this whole craze made me think about myself. If I were on that field, after a huge comeback, who would I be? Am I Tim Tebow, or his teammates?

If I'm completely honest, I would be one of the teammates celebrating. Probably screaming like a crazy person and jumping on someone else's back. But you know what? I wish I was the person that Tim Tebow is. I wish that my first thought when something amazing happened in my life was to drop to my knees and thank God for it. Because that should be the first thing I do. Whether or not I literally drop to my knees or just silently say a prayer where I am, gratefulness towards Him should be my first reaction. I didn't really ever think about this until I saw the "Tebowing" picture.

I know that some people have taken this "Tebowing" thing as a way to mock Christians and prayer and God. And some people use it to mock Tim Tebow. But you know, for me, it sort of opened my eyes. It made me look at my own actions and my own thoughts, and realize that I could do better. That I want to do better. And it's made me decide that when something good happens, I'm going to make a conscious effort to first stop, pray, and be thankful. And then to start screaming like a wild person and jumping on someone's back.

You hear a lot of talk about negatives about star athletes. Drugs, partying, 72-day marriages. I wish you heard more talk about the good. About the prayer rings and the eye-opening lessons that kneeling in an end zone can provide. God uses us in ways we can never imagine. And for that, I am thankful.

Meet the Cast Monday #37: The Animal House Boys (Part 1)

So in college, I had this group of the most fun guy friends in the world. I call them the Animal House boys. Have y'all seen that old movie "Animal House" before? If not, go find it. Right now. You'll thank me.

Anyway, my boys were the group that everyone knew. They were popular and fun and smart and cute and awesome.

And how they let me into the circle is still beyond me. They were (and still are) far too cool for a nerd like me. But they did, and I'm forever grateful because my most fun college memories involved them. Because there are so many of them, today you're going to meet 2 of the 5. I'll introduce the other three next week.

Meet The Animal House Boys!

Let's start out with my dear friend who I refer to as Mr. Animal House Boy.

This guy is one of the funniest people you'll ever meet. And he comes up with hilarious stuff out of nowhere--you have to be on your toes. You read previously about his amazing wedding to his beautiful wife. He's just one of the greatest guys you'll ever meet and he totally made college more fun for me!

What is your favorite college memory? The house party at Animal House was pretty awesome where Joel Ambrose played with his band in the living room. {No lie, these house parties were epic. Think like 300 people jammed into a house where a stage had been set up in the living room for live music. Did the cops show up? Yes. And once we all directed traffic to get all of the cars parked in the yard and not on the street, they went on their happy way. I love Stillwater!}

What is your favorite memory involving me? Several...Any time at the Penny. {You guys have heard lots about the Penny here and there on my blog.} Any time you had to pick NM Animal House Boy and I up from the Penny. And then the debriefing the next day at class about what actually happened the night before. {I was totally the mom...if I was not out with them at the bar, they knew they just had to call and I'd show up in my pjs to drive them home at any hour of the night. I was paid back with big hugs and being repeatedly told how much they loved me on the drive home!}

And not a favorite but memorable was when we were studying for our commodities class and you were trying real hard to tutor me, and I finally got frustrated and decided to drop the class and go to the bar. Ironically enough the next day after the test he curved the class and I would have been fine if I listened to you. {Before he went to the bar, he made dinner for the other 5 of us who stayed there studying. I still refer to that casserole as Mr. Animal House Boy's Mama's Casserole.}

Tell us one thing that you did to throw the best college house parties. The best ones weren't planned. Usually started with some of us sitting around drinking beer and just gathered people. However one of the best was when none of us were home and people just started showing up. Andy and I got home at 10:00 p.m. And there was already a truck with a keg parked in the driveway and about 2 dozen people. {Does this make anyone else miss college? This sort of thing hasn't happened to me since!}

Best advice you were ever given? That's a tough one. Seems like most of the time I thought the advice or profound it was really simple. For examples go with your gut or first instincts are typically right. Warren Buffett says no thumb sucking, (no procrastination) easier said than done but I try to live by that. By saying all this I may have thought of it. Take care of the big things and the small stuff will take care of itself.

Give us a piece of relationship advice. Go with your gut and don't settle because the relationship is comfortable. {Amen!}

What is one (or more) item(s)on your bucket list? To go to the Calgary Stampede with my dad. See the Grand Canyon. Take my wife to Australia. Win the Hereford Pen show or Horned Hereford bull show at Denver.

Second up, we have Pig Farmer.

He lives in Texas with his amazing wife and their new baby daughter. He continues pain in my rear even 5 years after we all lived happily together in Stillwater and responded with "I don't remember" to every question. But I have to admit, I still love him. You can't help it. Here are a few Pig Farmer stories.

1. He's Texas through at through. Probably a month after meeting him we went over to the boys' house and he said, "Everyone sit down. We're going to talk about how great Texas is." I laughed. He did not. He was dead serious. And so we did.

2. He's a huge Gary Allan fan. Once, after too much beer, he told everyone at a party that sometimes he pretends to be Gary Allan Driving down the road. I thought he meant by singing his songs. He clarified.....he does interviews with himself and pretends to answer like GA. Seriously.

3. One night when the boys lived in Donkey Farm (the pre-cursor to Animal House), NM Animal House Boy and Pig Farmer made us dinner. Afterwards, College Roomie and I said we'd do the dishes. We get started and ask Pig Farmer where the soap is. He says, "Eh don't worry you don't need soap. You can just use really hot water." Um.....no.

4. Once we were talking about parties back home. Pig Farmer says, "Yea, I miss those days. Everyone just hanging out and the priest tapping the keg." I have no idea. It's been a running joke with College Roomie and me ever sense that conversation.

Stay tuned next week for The Governor, Trailerpark Bryan, and NM Animal House Boy.

Photos of the Week: Week 44

Well this week I'm approriately continuing my tribute to my alma mater, Oklahoma State University. After a nailbiter of a game on Saturday night, my Pokes moved to 9-0 and are now ranked NUMBER 2 in the nation! I could not be more excited and proud to be a Cowboy! Let's get to the pictures, shall we? As always, I love your comments!

Theme: Favorite October Photo (Quotography)

I snapped this picture of Library Lawn at the OSU campus during Homecoming Walkaround last weekend. The library is a frequently photographed part of campus, and during Homecoming week, the lights are turned orange (along with everything else in town!). I love the quote that I chose to go with it, and it's exactly how I feel! Check out the other shots at My Perspective.

Theme: Dandelion (Project 64)

You guys have already seen this shot used for an "autumn" theme, but I thought the leaf colors here were the perfect shade for dandelion. Brightly colored leaves are one of my favorite things about the fall. See the other entries at Project 64.

Show Off Your Shot

I snapped this picture at the game and I love it. You've got the sea of orange supporting our team in the background, the empty field with the OSU emblem shining bright, and on the sidelines is a photo of a team that could be....knock on wood....a contender for the National Championship. This is fall in Stillwater at its finest. See the other entries at "And Then She Snapped!"

Theme: Orange Goul

I didn't even know what this stupid theme meant. So, instead of orange goul, I went with "orange goal." I like it better anyway, don't you? I'll have more about the homecoming game and the game day festivities next week....so stay tuned! Oh, and if you happened to miss the love life drama that occurred last week and you want to catch up, click here. And then click here. Never a dull moment!

BREAKING NEWS!!

"...You think you're on your way, and it's just a dead end road at the end of the day..." ~Gary Allan

If you have not read my first post of the day about the Missing Person Alert....click here now. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

The missing person has been found! By who you ask? My lovely friend Blonde Oklahoma Girl with her detective-like skills. Within two hours of the report being posted. (PS--good reminder that people can find out a lot about you on the internet, so be careful!)

Here's what we know:

1. He lives in Stillwater. (the happiest place on earth!)

2. He's a medic with the Stillwater Fire Department. (love it!)

3. He owns a racehorse farm with his family. (LOVE it!)

4. He flies helicopters. (How awesome is that?)

5. He has pictures of himself on the field with the players. (Really??)

6. He has a degree from OSU. (Amen!)

WHERE has this boy been my whole life??

Apparently dating some other girl. That's right....he's in a relationship. Sigh. Back to the drawing board.

Homecoming 2011 (Part 2): Missing Person Alert

"I do not believe in a fate that will fall on us no matter what we do. I do believe in a fate that will fall on us if we do nothing." ~Ronald Reagan, Inaugural Address, 1981

You read Part 1 of the homecoming recap last week. Welcome to Part 2.

So I'm going to have a whole blog about Game Day in Stillwater next week, but I wanted to limit this to one little part of game day today. The Walk. And a missing person. Intrigued?

"The Walk" is a little parade where the band, cheerleaders, Pistol Pete and the football team walks down the street from the hotel inside our Student Union to the stadium. The streets were lined with orange-clad fans waiting to get a glimpse of the Cowboys. I had never been to The Walk, so I was really excited. (To see a video of the Bedlam Walk last year, click here.)

Right before the team started walking our way, this random guy comes up and stands next to us. He saw me snapping photos and says, "Get your camera ready. I promise you that Weeden (our quarterback) and Blackmon (our star receiver) will stop here." I looked at him sort of skeptical apparently because he said, "No, really, I know them. I am tailgaiting with Weeden's wife and I'm a medic for the team." Turns out, his name is Kyle the Medic.

Now, I'm pretty guillible so I try to watch myself, but if this dude was serious, I was going to be ready. Turns out, he was. First up, Josh Cooper comes over and shakes his hand. Pretty soon, he says, "Here comes Brandon." And then it happened. Brandon Weeden stopped to chat with Kyle the Medic. And I touched his arm. No lie. The same arm that throws all of our touchdown passes.

Then came Justin Blackmon who hugged Kyle the Medic and said, "I love you man!"

Sidenote---I was all excited thinking I got a picture of Gundy. Turns out, this joker on the left here wasn't him. Fail!

Now, back to our missing person report. Here's what we know. His name is Kyle the Medic. He's a medic for the football team. And he was not wearing a wedding ring. AND....I made him take a picture with me and told him he'd be on my blog, so we have a photo!

In my totally unbiased opinion, I think we're really cute together (unless he has a wife, in which case I retract the previous sentence).

And now...here's where you come in. Have you seen this person? Do you know someone who might? Or know someone who might know someone who might?

He was last seen going back to a tailgate (apparently with Brandon Weeden's wife) wearing a black OSU shirt. Is he single? Interested in a blonde OSU-alum lawyer?

If his "Get your camera ready" thing was a pick up line, it worked, but he forgot to follow up and get my number or name or email.

Come on friends....my love life is in your hands. Do you know Kyle the Medic??

Letters to Mr. Right: Letter #5

"The years teach much which the days never knew." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dear Mr. Right,

I'm not getting any younger here. In fact, I became a year older on Tuesday. But I think you'll be okay with that. Because there were a lot of things I did not know when I was younger.

I didn't know how to navigate public transportation in a big city. I had no idea how to keep track of my tax information in Quicken. I had never even dreamed that I would be able to run a half marathon. I made fun of people who had facebook. I did not realize that there is a big world out there that I really want to see. My rule used to be that unless someone was bleeding, I better not get a text message because it would cost me 15 cents. I only wore sports bras. Like seriously...with everything. And I didn't know yet that your heart and the way you treat people would be the most important thing about you to me.

So I'd like to think I'm getting better with age. But still hurry, because let's be honest. At some point, I'm going to hit a peak and start going the other direction.

Waiting for that day,

Me

Homecoming 2011 (Part 1): Walkaround

"Oklahoma State...a southerner's dream and a northerner's wish; the pride of Oklahoma; the ultimate college experience; Pistol Pete; The Possee; and a place that can get in your blood and stay forever..." ~OSU T-shirt

Well last Thursday after work I made a trek to Oklahoma for Homecoming at OSU. I've just got too much to say to put this all into one post...so we'll have a little mini-series. Today, we'll cover Day 1 of the Homecoming festivities.

In case y'all didn't know this, OSU has the biggest (and best) homecoming celebration. And this girl does her best to partake every year! Here are a few shots from homecomings past....

So Friday started out with Loud Oklahoma Girl and I hitting the gym with her personal trainer. I felt pretty good during the session, but I'm here to tell you, three days later my arms still feel like they might fall off! And after our workout and a little fixing up, we were off to the happiest place on earth....Stillwater, Oklahoma! In the car, the Blonde Oklahoma Girl decided that my hair needed some volume, so we had a little "poofing" session right there driving down the road. Love it.

Every single time I drive into Stillwater, my heart just automatically gets happier. I just can't get over what a great college experience I had there. I hope that all of you have a place that you feel this way about!

And when we arrived, we headed for the main attraction of the night: Walkaround. This is where all of the students, alums and community--I'm talking 80,000 people here y'all!-- go out and literally walk around the campus and sorority houses to check out the "house decs" which are basically these huge walls of pictures made out of chicken wire and tissue paper. Actually making the house decs is called pomping. Here is a great video about it featuring President Hargis and his wife Ann. Andh ere's a close up photo for ya.Every year I wonder how they will top the house decs from the year before, and they always do. This year's Homecoming theme was "Where Your Story Began." LOVE it! Favorite theme ever. Even bought a shirt becuase I loved it so much.

Anyway, back to Walkaround, here are some of my favorite shots.

I absolutely loved the references to The Ten, ten years later. We will never forget.

And after Walkaround, the girls and I headed for our old stomping grounds....my favorite bar in the world, The Copper Penny. Some things have changed (couches where the pool table used to be...it's not a freaking nursing home, it's a bar!), but some things stayed the same (cow manure on the floor and cattle photos on the wall). We enjoyed a little limee action, chatting with old friends, and watching Game 7 of the World Series.

And then, it happened. We did not shut the bar down. I know, I know....it's a disappointment. We made it until 11:30 (two of the three of us were ready to bail at about 9:45) and then decided that we were too old to keep going. We left it to the college kids. They seemed to have it under control. I guess this turning 28 thing caught up to me!

Stay tuned over the next few days for a recap of tailgating, the game, and a missing person report.

Me at 28

"The man who views the world at fifty the same as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life." ~Muhammad Ali

Today, as I celebrate the 3rd anniversary of my 25th birthday (it just sounds better, doesn't it?), I've decided to reflect on me at 28. (Note: Stole this idea, and one of the quotes below, from Miss Meg.)

So who am I at 28?

Someone who is serious and driven, but has learned to let go and forget about what other people think.

I'm someone who has learned that even though other people contribute to my happiness, in the end--it's really up to me.

Someone who has recently started to feel more comfortable in her own skin.

A girl who has realized that even though she might be happy wearing a suit and fancy shoes in the big city, her heart will always belong to a small town.

The quotes that sum up my life right now?

"Sometimes I can hear my bones straining under the weight of all the lives i'm not living." ~ Jonathan Safran Foer

"Keep praying, but be thankful that God's answers are better than your prayers."

I'm a traveler who has been to 19 states and 5 countries, but knows that there is so much more left to see....and that seeing it will change who I am.

A person who has run a half-marathon....after almost failing PE my senior year for absolutely refusing to run track.

Someone who is slowly realizing that I may have outgrown my college days (gasp!).....I still say that I would go back in a heartbeat, but I wonder, now, if I actually mean it anymore.

A girl who still can't manage to get her sweet tooth under control for more than a week. Unless it's Lent, in which case I can last 40 days.

Current favorite songs: My Texas by Josh Abbott and Pat Green; Fast Cars, Slow Kisses by Aaron Watson; Good Luck and True Love by Reckless Kelly.

Someone who continues to realize on pretty much a daily basis that it's hard work becoming the person who you are meant to be, but in the end.....it's going to be so worth it.