A Southern Belle Speaks & Lessons Learned

A Few Words About The Tornado Yesterday

2011-04-28T21:15:00.001-07:00

In the wake of all of the disaster that hit our great state yesterday , I am reminded of how blessed we truly are. While my friend Diana , her husband Tommy and 3 boys have lost everything , their lives were spared. For this I am truly thankful. My other Birmingham relatives were untouched. There was a life lost. A brother of Papaw Johnson's friend, O'Dell.

Earlier I received an e mail from my cousin/sister , Ashley in Birmingham. She is my heart , the one that I call Sunshine. She simply gave me an account of what the area was like around her home , that was spared and completely passed right over by this horrendous tornado. I am thankful for the blessing of their lives. I want to share with you what she typed to me. It is truly amazing. Heart wrenching and unsettling but is a testament to how quickly life can change.

From: Ashley Cross - Regions Bank/Birmingham , AL

Yes, it hit right were mine and Dickie's first house was. 10 mins from

where I live know. I do not know if it is still there. They said is took

out alot of homes over there. We were picking up dabreu from our yard that

had came over from Tuscaloosa. They said the tornado could carry it as far

at 100 miles. We had roofing, prescriptions from '69' and '74'. Stickers

from the Hobby Lobby store in Tuscaloosa and sheetrock with wallpaper on it

from someone's home all in the front yard. We also had prices of wood from

either trees or someone's home that we had to pick up. It was so odd, it

was all falling out of the sky like rain. Never have seen it before and

hope to never see it again. Thank goodness we did not get any storms at

all. Can you believe that? However, we were in the basement for storms

that morning that had already came through and about took out Warrior.

Dickie's parents live there and had alot of damage. The tornado I sent a

pic of from Cullman was large but small in comparison to the one that

ripped through here. They also got it on camera. The same tornado ripped

through Ga. It never lifted and destroyed Dickie's Aunt and Uncle's home

and killed the neighbor next door to them.

So many were lost. So many have lost everything but have their lives. We need to continue

to pray for these people. We need to do anything and everything that we can to help them.

It is truly amazing what a simple piece of paper blown from 100 miles away can do to one's

frame of mind. Count our blessings and praise our Lord for his hand that has been held over

us for our protection. Life can change in the blink of an eye...Let's all love one another.

Merry Christmas ! What a Year!

2010-12-24T12:51:00.000-08:00

As I sit down to type this blog before heading over to my Mom's for The Danzey Christmas , I realized that I have not typed since right before I had surgery. Things have really changed over the last 3 months. Changes that have been nothing but wonderful and positive.

This year , the holidays have been awesome. Blake has really managed to get into the spirit of Christmas and what it's all about. Shelby loves to play right along with her brother and loves making it special for him. Steve and I just watch and marvel at how much both Shelby and Blake have grown and how fast they have grown. Do not worry , this is not going to be one of those Christmas greeting letters that do nothing but brag about the kids and the fact that they are better than anyone elses and have cured cancer , just to name a few things. My Aunt Claudia and I have already enjoyed reading one of those and have found so many comical entries that it is truly sad that one thinks that their child is that fabulous. That's ok. My kids are just good kids and for that , I am proud.

This blog is about how thankful I am for my friends and family. This year , I have continued a wonderful relationship with my friends and family ,while also making new friends and regaining old friends in the process. IT has been such a reward and such a joy. Some of these friends and family are right here in town while others are all over the US. Facebook has been such an awesome tool for all of us.

This time of year , we need to take the time , slow down and be as close to our family and friends as possible. One never knows what the next year may hold. While we all pray for a good New Year , we must hold all of those dear to us close to our hearts. Those that I have lost this year will always be in my heart , forever.

To my family and friends , thank you for loving me and for the person that I am. Thank you for making my life the joyful life that it has become. I love all of you and hope that we are together for many years to come.

Merry Christmas to all!

Kim

WOW! Gastric Bypass and Realizations of What is Truly Important

2010-09-22T22:15:00.000-07:00

The past few days have been such a whirlwind. Actually , the past 7 months have. At first , I thought that the months prior to gastric bypass would never pass ,but they did. They have flown by and thrown me into this wonderful new journey that has already been filled with wonderful realizations and a new outlook on a lot of things.

As I sat down to type my blog tonight , I put on one of my favorite artists at this time , Chantal Kreviazuk. Her tunes just calm me and put a smile on my face. I was already in a happy and laid back mood but I picked her because one can never ingest too much happiness , right?

First of all , I want to thank my family and friends that constantly kept up with me throughout this process and made it a point to support me , cheer me on and check on me throughout my hospital stay. You all are the ones that have pretty much been there since day one and for those of you that joined late in the journey , you were steadfast from that time until now. I love you all for this. You have no idea what it means to me and what a difference you all have made in my life. I could never express it or repay you all for what you have done for me in my life.

That being said , there is one thing on my mind that I have been pondering lately and this particular subject is not one that has simply, "appeared", on the scene , so to speak. It is that nasty word in the Facebook world referred to as , "culling". I despise it , just ask my dear friend Stephanie. She is the queen of culling and does it without guilt or worry. I think that she should give a class or support group , if you will , for those of us that simply have an issue with the process.

I have been on Facebook for a couple of years now and have an unsightly amount of friends. Some of them I almost have no idea who they are. Some of them are friends because they are Shelby's friends. I have my precious friends and relatives that I cherish and love. Then there are the , "friends", that have been in my life for many years , people from Shelby's elementary school , some relatives and such. These people are people that I would have thought would have enjoyed reading Shelby's accomplishments over the years and would have supported me in my endeavors. NOT! I have noticed that not only have they kept silent but they still remain in my sanctum , only to ,"brag", about their own children as if they are above everyone elses child. I feel almost as though they remain because they want me to read about their ,"virtuous", and "holier than thou", children. Yet , they also want to be a part of my friends sanctum in order to quietly observe and be nosey as to what it going on in my life.

Interestingly enough , I have become friends on Facebook with people that are new in my life and I have asked myself , "where were you before?" What a difference these few people have made and the support that they have given me through my surgery have been overwhelming. It goes to show that when you least expect it , someone special falls into your life and what a blessing and a gift SHE is. This leads me to the fact that with people in my life that are positive and supportive , there is no need for the negative and those , "friends", that are only there to be nosey.

I love my family. I love my dear friends. You all know who you are. I love my IC. It is amazing how they have my back when some of us are in all parts of the country. Because of this love and with the support of my dear friend Stephanie , I am going to try my best to cull the negativity from my Facebook friends list and have a list of love and support.

Life is full of surprises and the past 7 months have been full of them. Blessings. I cannot wait to see where we go from here and I am so happy to know that I have my , "true" , friends and family along for the ride. For the rest of you , farewell and sorry, but my page is going to be private. Only those that deserve me are allowed. I will give you all a few days to check out this little blog and after I cull , you will know the end results!

Life is good , let's keep it that way by keeping the negative out.
Love and Happiness , K

Emotional Rollercoaster

2010-09-07T21:45:00.000-07:00

Day 2 has been a success. It was a much easier day than the first. I feel a lot better. I didn't have a sugar drop until tonight. It wasn't as bad or as fast as the first one that I had. I think that my body is slowly adjusting to this new way of living.

Today has been one big emotional roller coaster. It actually started off great. I woke up feeling better than the day before and I also had an unplanned meeting with the LTC and Janice. It was so great seeing him today. The surprise on Janice's face when she saw us was awesome. It just put a smile on my face.

Right after my short visit with the LTC and Janice , I received the call that I knew would come soon. Papy Ben had passed away. My Dad's best friend and the second best thing to my own Dad. What a great man. I loved him dearly. I almost went to pieces when I heard that the last thing he said while he and Nana Karen were pulling up at the hospital this morning was that he was wondering how I was doing on my 2nd day of my liquid diet. It means so much to me to know that I was on his mind.

I will close for now because I am really tired after today. Tomorrow will be a better day and I am really excited that it is day 3!

The picture above is of Papy Ben and my Dad.

Bernhardt E Neumann Jr 31 Oct 1929 - 7 Sept 2010 RIP Papy Ben. I love and miss you.

Goodnight to all,

Day One - A Success!

2010-09-06T19:35:00.000-07:00

I have almost come to the end of Day One of my full liquid pre-op diet. I must say that I am quite surprised by my will power. I never knew that I could be that strong.

When I woke up this morning , I immediately grabbed one of those awesome Atkins Shakes. They are really good.

As the day progressed , I did well up until the afternoon. I found myself very agitated and almost had a bad sugar drop. After experiencing all of this , I keep telling myself that this is only temporary and that this is not some kind of fad diet that I am trying out , only to be unsuccessful. I kept remembering that this is for my surgery and once the 10 days are up , I will be on my way to surgery. I cannot remember if I covered this but the reasoning behind this liquid diet makes perfect sense. The liquid diet causes the liver to shrink and go flat. This makes it much easier for the doctor to maneuver around it during bypass. This little fact also makes me see light at the end of the tunnel.

I had a bout with agitation earlier but that has subsided. I must admit that it was very ugly. LOL. Thanks to my sweet husband and his calming ways , I was able to snap out of it. I am so blessed to have him by my side during this venture.

I have been completely overwhelmed by the support on my Facebook page. So many people have offered their support and help. I am so blessed by this. When I read the posts on my FB page , it brings a smile to my face and helps me get through this so much easier. Thank you so very much to all of my friends and family on FB.

I feel that I am rambling. I guess it is one of the effects of my not being able to gorge on food. Maybe tomorrow nights blog will be much more interesting. Until then , thank you all.

On to day TWO!!!
K

My New Journey

2010-09-05T20:26:00.000-07:00

Some of you are aware that I am about to have a wonderful little procedure called Gastric Bypass. This is something that I have thought about and have been working on for a long time. I kept my little secret private because I wanted to make sure that I would make it through the 6 month preparation period and get approved by Blue Cross to even have the surgery. It looks like all of my hard work has paid off. I will have my surgery on September 16th. I am so excited.

I have fought with a weight problem most of my life. I have went up and down in weight and every time I would loose the weight , once I started eating again , my weight only came back and most of the time doubled.

I am not a vain person and would not be having this surgery if my life did not depend on it. I have 2 beautiful children that I want to see graduate from high school and college and hopefully get married one day. I do not want to miss out on anything. I also want to be able to grow old and enjoy a long life with my precious husband. The fact that I am on blood pressure medicine and reflux medicine , along with my weight and family heredity , I am a perfect candidate for the surgery. Can you say , "Walking Time Bomb"? While it will be nice to get back into my nice clothes and out of the fat girl clothes is great but my main reason is for my health. I am convinced that I would never see 50 years old in the shape that I am in right now.

I have the support of my family and so many dear friends have stepped up to the plate and are ready to hand over their support and help. For all of these people , I am thankful. This kind of surgery cannot be done without support from others. I have my wonderful husband walking right through this journey by my side. He has supported me since the day that I announced my decision to him.

I have decided that I will blog or attempt to blog everyday. Those of you who are interested can read and keep up with my progress. I believe that blogging about this exciting turning point in my life will also help me get through the most difficult times , such as this 10 day liquid diet that has to be so perfectly followed.

I am not nervous one bit about the surgery. My stress has been planning who will be where during surgery and my recovery in the hospital and who will be with my children. If I can get that all in the bag , I will feel much better. I am also a little stressed over this liquid diet because I want to drink nothing that I am not supposed to. I want to make sure that every liquid that goes into my body is on the list! I am so happy that I have a dear friend and a sister in law that can help me along through this 10 day deal and keep an eye on what I am supposed to be drinking.

I am so thankful for my family and friends. I am so thankful for the fact that I have a wonderful surgeon that I completely trust. I also thankful that I am being given this opportunity to become well , healthy and feel better.

I will close for now but will blog again tomorrow evening and let everyone know how day one progresses. Be aware that my next blog may be filled with aggression...LOL

Taking the next big step in my life,

K

Those Pesty Little Christmas Letters (Novels)

2009-12-15T21:23:00.000-08:00

It has been entirely too long since my last post. I must get the wheels turning and get my blog on more often. I think that I will make my New Years resolution to blog more often and share all of the wonderful knowledge that I have accumulated over time.

My cousin sent me a Christmas card from Seattle , Washington. The card was so beautiful and tucked inside was a picture of her son and one of those great little letters that one feels like burning upon opening the card.

The beginning of her Christmas letter went something like this:
Hello again. Another year has passed and you are once again receiving a plethora of Christmas cards and letters wishing you a Merry Christmas and telling you all about their full lives. We , of course , know that you want to know all about little Susie piloting the space shuttle on her seventh birthday and how Tommy cured cancer for his 4th grade science project.

I found this hilarious because never does a year pass that we do not receive one of these letters that is so full of pretentious BS. The BS flows so freely that by the time we are done , you either laugh because this person has managed to make a complete idiot out of themselves with this brag fest or you have to tear the letter up into tiny pieces to get the anger out of your system.

I ask myself , why? Why do these people insist upon this brag fest? If anyone ever comes up with an answer to this , please send it my way.

I feel that it is unnecessary to prepare this lengthy letter of , "My kid is better than your kid in every way", when one has all year to post little tidbits , here and there on Facebook , to brag on their child in a way that does not teach their children that their you know what doesn't stink.
Hey , my child uses the can just like yours does and without pooping 24 carat gold.

I am as proud of my children as the next parent and I do post the exciting things going on in the lives of my children but when posting this info , I try my best to post it in a manner that does not make those around me feel inferior. With this being done throughout the year , I am able to leave the brag fest alone and post how much my friends and family mean to me.

This past year has been one of great blessings. It has been a year of successes but not without trying times. We all have them but we get through them with our family and friends. That being said , it is my family and friends that I am so thankful for because they were there for our family as Steve lost both parents in a matter of months. These are the things that I am proud of and want to share in my holiday memo.

I want to tell my family and friends that I love them and look forward to making time to spend with each and everyone that is near and dear to my heart.

I want to thank the soldiers who are fighting for our freedom as I type this message. They are risking their lives through this holiday season while we are at home in front of our beautiful Christmas trees and lights.

I am thankful for my husband and my children. I am proud of them in every way and love them all so very much.

My friends , this is what a Christmas greeting card should be. Who you are thankful for and not who did what and how great they did it. Leave the BS behind because no one wants to hear that pretentious garbage. Although it makes for good entertainment whenever we have friends over , it really is ridiculous.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and always remember that LIFE IS GOOD!

The Very Least That We Can Do

2009-08-29T16:27:00.000-07:00

I am sitting down to type this blog today with a very heavy heart and frustration towards this country that we live in. What was once the land of opportunity ,has become a land of financial distress and a land that lacks in respect for those who protect our country.

My Father proudly served The United States Army for over 40 years. During those years , he was given the opportunity to not only serve his country ,but the opportunity to educate himself and prepare himself for a comfortable life throughout both his Military and Civilian careers.

My Father began serving in 1952. He worked hard and after a short stint in combat , he decided that the medical field was for him. Not only did he become a medic in the Army ,but the Army sent him to Nursing School on what is called the G I Bill. What an opportunity. As a matter of fact , back in those days , people not only joined the Army to protect their country but to get an education when it would have never been possible any other way.

My Father moved up the ranks with the Army , went to Anesthesia School and topped off his Army career as a Colonel. These things would not have been possible had it not been for the US Army and my Father served proudly. Never have I seen a man with a tear in his eye over our National Anthem until my Father and because of that , I have the same emotional ties.

My frustration comes today from an article that I read in the Mobile Register this morning. There is a special young man , Marine Corps Lance Corporal Robin Hernandez. He has served 3 tours in Iraq over 4 years. What an outstanding soldier. When I see a soldier such as Lance Cpl. Hernandez , I am proud to be part of this country.

Lance Cpl. Hernandez decided to further his education by enrolling at Faulkner State Community College on the G I Bill. He began his classes , only to find out a little later that he needed to pay his tuition in full. The government had been slow in processing reimbursement to the college.

I am simply appalled at this. First of all , I am not surprised by the lack of punctuality of this country paying the college the tuition. Look at the financial mess we are in. Will it ever get any better? I honestly do not know.

One thing that I do know is that even if this country never paid a dime to Faulkner State Community College , the least they could do is give this proud soldier an education , free of charge.

We are talking about a man who has put his life on the line over and over again for our country. This man left his home , his family and his country , to do what was needed. He knew when he signed up for the military that his job consisted of fighting for this country that we live in. In turn , this country promised benefits. One of those benefits being education.

If this country falls down on giving our soldiers what they deserve for fighting for and protecting our country ,then it is our job to take care of them. Shame on you , Faulkner State Community College. The thought should have never crossed your mind about sending this soldier a bill for his tuition. No wonder so many of today's youth turn their backs on serving this country.

We as a country should do everything we can to show our soldiers the respect and appreciation that they deserve. The job that they do for us , that is THE VERY LEAST THAT WE CAN DO.

Every Neighborhood Has One

2009-08-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

I find myself at a point of indecisiveness. There are two very important subjects that I have been painfully dealing with and both of them are just as important as the other. Therefore , I have decided that each will be covered with the same blog ability and words of wisdom that I am more than happy to donate to all of those interested.

I have decided that this blog will discuss trashy neighbors. Yes , I know , every neighborhood has a few ,but I cannot understand for the life of me as to why these people do not live in a broken down trailer park as opposed to living in my neighborhood , trashing it up by not keeping their yard up to the standards that the rest of us proudly keep our own.

I live in a nice and fairly new neighborhood. All of us tend to attempt to keep our yards decently groomed. Some more than others but you must understand that not everyone is a ,"Picasso of The Yard". Those of us who do not have this talent do keep our yards neat and acceptable to those around us.

As I am sure that you all know , there is always one who seems to think that they are above the rules and covenants of the neighborhood. This bunch lives about five or six houses down from me. I knew not even a month after I moved in here that they would be the neighborhood thugs. They are prime examples of why certain people do not belong in a nice neighborhood no matter how much money they may make a year. Some people just belong in a trailer park.

These people are evidently self employed in the concrete business. It was very easy to figure this out when not only did I see the name of their business , "Jeffery's Asphalt", plastered all over the back of their high priced vehicle that once again proves that you can put trash in a nice vehicle , no matter how much money they make but they also proceeded to pave an extra driveway up the side of their house and almost all of their backyard. This was done in order to park their machinery and a travel trailer for when they go out of town to work. For a while , I actually thought that they were housing what looked like a few illegals back there that may work for them. I can't totally prove that but it is a huge possibility.

When these people leave , they do absolutely nothing but pack up , hook up and head on out. They leave everything the way it was and do not show back up for months. They end up with all kinds of disconnect notices on their front door but worse than anything , they let their grass grow what looks like to be sometimes over five feet tall. This really ticks me off. Their yard is nothing more than a reptilian breeding ground and a vision of why trash belongs in one of those run down trailer parks that you see on the outskirts of town.

When these people do decide to return home , their work vehicles , machinery , etc are parked all up and down the side of the street. This causes the rest of us to nearly get hit head on trying to pass down one lane. These people also run the neighborhood on their four wheelers doing acrobatics and God knows what else.

I guess the point of my story is that there is always one that ruins the neighborhood for the rest of us and this problem could simply be solved by a background check and references from the neighborhood in which the lived before. Like a credit check!

Let's keep it classy people. Let's keep the trash out. This is a neighborhood where the majority of us are proud to be living here amongst one another but not amongst common trash that simply do not know how to live outside of their low social status. Stay on your own level of the social totem pole. Do not climb up to ours and ruin it for the rest of us.

The Past 13 Years Of My Life

2009-05-23T22:18:00.000-07:00

This weekend has been a weekend of celebrating the upcoming birthday of my precious and beautiful daughter , Shelby. She will be 13 on the 30th and will be with her Daddy on that day.

As I look back at the past 13 years of my life , there have been a lot of things that went on that I would love to erase , if possible. One thing that happened and is a constant reminder to me of just how wonderful like can be , was the birth of Shelby. She has shown me that even after making several mistakes and what I would consider , bad decisions, she is the one thing that I did right.

Shelby has brought so much joy into my life. She has been a daughter that I can be nothing but proud of. Her beauty , her talent , her heart that goes out to everyone and the Christian heart that she has had since the 4th grade.

Shelby amazes me as to how sometimes , she can be wise beyond her years. She amazes me with her dance. A God given talent that flows constantly through her veins. She also amazes me at how God lives in her heart. When Shelby dances , you can truly see all of these wonderful gifts about her. Sometimes it simply takes my breath away.

I am proud of Shelby in so many ways. I am proud of her choice of friends. When Shelby could easily get in with the wrong crowd in a school as big as the one that she attends , she has picked girls just like her. Girls with honesty and love in their hearts.

I love to watch Shelby with her baby brother. It is so funny to look back and remember while I was pregnant with Blake , how so many people told me that Shelby would be jealous of him after being an only child for so long. I couldn't imagine her being jealous like that. Shelby has never had a jealous bone in her body. As a matter of fact , I have seen Shelby actually be walked on and taken advantage of because of not having that kind of hatred in her heart. Shelby's love of her brother Blake goes beyond anything I have ever seen. The love between them is beautiful and brings me to tears when I think about it.

I have no idea what Shelby will do when she grows up but one thing that I know, it will make me proud.

Watching my daughter grow into the wonderful young girl that she has become has been an honor. It is an honor to be her Mother and I thank God everyday for the gift that he gave me almost 13 years ago. That gift has always been there for me. That gift loves me unconditionally. That gift is like none other I have ever received.

My life has become more than I ever could have imagined and I owe so much of that to Shelby.
Shelby, the past 13 years have been wonderful , beautiful and beyond my imagination and I cannot wait to see what the next 13 bring!

Thank you for being my daughter. Thank you for loving me and for loving Steve , Blake and everyone else in our family and friends , like you do. Everyone that knows you can count that as a blessing.

I am so proud to have you as my daughter! I love you with all of my heart!

Obnoxious Cell Phone Users

2009-05-12T06:22:00.000-07:00

Recently on Facebook , I listed my Top 5 Pet Peeves. I love those Top 5 deals on Facebook. You can really learn a lot about your friends. They can be so entertaining.

One of my Top 5 listed were those who speak loudly on their cell phone in public , especially a restaurant. This has been one of my Pet Peeves for years. There is always one who thinks that he is so important that he must blast his conversation while I am trying to enjoy a peaceful meal. This person believes that he is so important that the rest of the world actually cares what he has to say.

This same person also finds it necessary to have his cell phone on ready so that he can start talking loudly on it immediately after our plane has landed and in the process of taxiing into the gate. This is a problem because according to my fave , Delta Airlines ,this can interfere with the plane's navigational system , possibly causing a collision on the runway. Now , if this happens while I am on the plane with this idiot , there is going to be quite a situation at hand.

These obnoxious people are usually those who crave attention and are trying to be something that they are not. They want those around to believe that they are corporately important and indispensable when they are simply 6:50 an hour wagers.

Let's be honest people. Everyone has a cell phone these days. Some people have even disconnected their home phones because of cell phones being so much more convenient and cheaper to operate. I have a cell phone , my husband has a cell phone and even my 12 year old daughter has one. Cell phones are a way of life.

No one is impressed by the fact that you are so stinking loud that you drown out the jet engine of a Boeing 767. What we care about is peace. Peace in the restaurant where we enjoy our meals and peace on the airplane as we come to the end of a beautiful flight and not have to worry about colliding with that other plane that is about to take off.

No one wants to know where you are going next , what you have to do tomorrow or anything else that you may have to discuss on your almighty Blackberry.

It's all about peace. That's all the world needs is just a little peace.

What My Anniversary Means To Me.....

2009-05-04T21:02:00.000-07:00

OK....Some of you are going to call this a mush fest (Lynn) but I am going to share my thoughts on my upcoming Anniversary on Wednesday 5/6. Why? You may ask. One reason is that this is the first time in my life that I can honestly say that I am celebrating a marriage that is solid , true and full of love and happiness.

My Anniversary means that the man that I married 3 years ago is not only the love of my life but he is my very best friend. Our love and friendship have grown more and more with each passing day.

It took a long time to get to the place where I am today. I had to go down roads of distrust and disappointment in order to get to my place of happiness. These roads are not regretted. Please understand that had I not been down those roads , I would not have learned what a real husband is capable of. A real husband that loves and respects his wife. A real husband that is capable of complete honesty.

I ran into Steve years back in a store. I knew then that there was something about him. Something different. Although I had known him since high school ,there was something about him that just kept me wondering. I ran into him again at a hospital that I was working in back in 2003. Once again , something kept me wondering. After seeing each other at a mutual friends house back in 2005 , we started going out as friends and quickly started dating. I knew and he knew that there was something special there. All of this lead to where we are now. Happily married.

We have joked around about the fact that we should have just started dating in high school. I wouldn't change a thing. It was worth every tear that I cried and every heartache that I felt.
Steve was my reward. The one true love that was there all along. Right in front of me!

I am celebrating the fact that we were meant for each other. I am celebrating the fact that I am thankful for the difficult road that lead me to Steve. I am celebrating a love like I never imagined possible. I am celebrating my best friend. The one who is there for me.

With Steve , what you see is what you get. I am so thankful for that. I love him for who he is. I love him for loving me. He is not only the most wonderful husband ,but a wonderful father to our son and no one could ask for a better stepfather for my daughter.

The day that Steve walked back into my life , my life began to be complete and now , complete is exactly what my life has become.

Thank you sweetie and Happy Anniversary!!!! I love you!

Great Seafood , Pretensious Mothers and Back Stabbing Kids!

2009-05-02T14:27:00.000-07:00

Interesting topic combination , don't ya think? The reason behind it is ,I did promise a critique on my recent visit to Banana Docks and as usual , something needs to be addressed as to how some people are so pretentious that it is nauseating.

Steve and I went to Banana Docks last weekend for his birthday. It was so nice. We were there with the usual afternoon Senior crowd getting ripped back like sheet metal and just listening to them carry on was entertainment in itself.

While there , we had the most wonderful fried dill pickles imaginable. Here lately , when I have had them at other restaurants , they are too greasy and or too salty. These were perfect. They also brought out their slaw along with the dill pickles. I usually turn my nose up at slaw unless it is from the old Cock of The Walk. This slaw was totally different. Hardly any mayonnaise , if any and it had just enough vinegar without making you choke to death at the dinner table.

My sister in law Mary Lynn , who is also a connoisseur of fine foods , sent me a coupon via e mail for buy one Seafood Platter at regular price and get the other platter for half price. What a deal! The platter had fried flounder , which was to die for because most seafood platters have not so great fried fish on them. It also had fried shrimp , crab claws and oysters. Not to mention the hush puppies and wonderful creole green beans. Everything was perfect. Nothing was over battered and the size of the shrimp , crab claws and oysters was awesome.

I recommend Banana Docks to everyone! It may be a little hole in the wall on Hillcrest Road but it is better than any other seafood restaurants around here or on the water!

Pretension.....I have been thinking about this word a lot lately. Especially now that I have an almost 13 year old daughter. I want her to learn to be true to herself. I want her to be her own person and never feel that she has to lie or put on a fakeness to get somewhere in life or to have friends. 13 can be difficult. I can remember when I was 13 and changed schools. It was difficult. Deciding which crowd to run with and at the same time trying to be popular and liked by my peers. Pre-teens and teens can be cruel at this age and we have witnessed it on more than one occasion at Shelby's school that she attended from K4 - 6th grade.

Since moving Shelby to Faith Academy , we have learned that there are many different groups in a school this big. This gives her the opportunity to start making choices. Good choices and bad. Shelby being the Christian girl that she is , has made wonderful choices in her friends this year. I have noticed that they are true , honest and never pretend to be something they are not and never do they turn their back on each other. We dealt with this at Shelby's other school. We learned that while Shelby was struggling for some grades , some of her so called friends were cheating , making straight A's and being placed on the honor roll. Yes , these were Bible toting little Christians who their parents seem to think that the sun and moon rises in them.

In addition to cheating , we also found out that once they have used the child up for whatever talent , be it sports , cheer leading or whatever , they simply cast them aside by using lies and hearsay from other students without getting to the truth. My precious Shelby has even heard rumor as recent as this year from a fellow student at Faith Academy that is on a swim team with an ex friend of hers from her old school that was untrue. Amazing.

What has blown my mind is how these parents constantly put their children up on a pedestal as if they do no wrong. I love my Shelby and I think that she is talented , beautiful , etc but there is a line to be drawn when there is simply too much. To brag on one's child is great but let's be truthful. Let's be real. Putting that child up on a pedestal where he or she sounds as though they are sitting on a throne next to God right now is a little much. Especially when that child has cheated and treated others as if they were beneath them. One day , you will get yours. That child is going to blow your mind while the rest of us sit back and watch. No child is perfect.

I am so thankful that my Shelby is the Christian girl that she is. I am thankful that she has seen what true friends are. As much as it hurt for her to go through some of the things that she did at her last school , it was worth it to learn that just because someone claims to be a Christian , doesn't mean that they are. You choose your friends carefully. When you are talking with someone and they divert their attention from you whenever someone else walks up and they start talking to them as if no one is there , they are not a true friend.

Shelby will celebrate her upcoming 13th Birthday with her new friends that she has made over this past year at Faith Academy. They will celebrate the precious friend that Shelby is to them. The love that they have for her and the genuine friendships that they have all cultivated and continue to grow together! True friends. Friends that will stand up for her no matter what.