Winter in TEXAS!

It's true, it snowed in Texas and hit a new record of 12.5' in my area. I couldn't believe it. It was awesome. It did remind me of Utah and I missed it less in the two days it snowed. Now that it is gone, I am a little sad. I posted a few pictures but I am sure you know what snow looks like.



This is what I woke up to and had to be at work in 10 min. I didn't make it in time.



This was in the drive thru at Jack-n-Box. It was a slow day for everyone apparently.



This is my favorite picture. It was so pretty and peaceful.

Update

I have been meaning to write to give an update on what is going on with me. I just seem to find something to do and don't quite make it.

I have been doing good here in Texas, especially while the weather has been cold. It reminds me of living in Utah. I love it!

I have this friend I call D. She isn't a member of the LDS faith and I have been friends with her more than 9 years. Since moving back home to Texas, when I go out with church members, I always ask her if she would like to come. She, of course, always say yes. Yay! She told me that she would rather hang out with me then with any of her friends because I don't do anything to be ashamed of. I of course always invite her to a church sponsored dance or dinner. It's always fun wherever we go. I have been going to the Older Singles Activities and I enjoy them! go figure. I have met some really nice people and a few that I know from the past. It is fun to hang out with people my own age. There is usually a dance at the beginning of the month for the Single Adult members of the church and I really do enjoy them. you can say, I act like a fool but it's me!

Christmas was fun. I spent it with a long time friend and his family. It was fun watching his kids open up their presents. Most of them were LEGOS and they went wild! It was fun.

New Years Eve could have been better. I mean I did spend it with the Single Adults but everyone had something in common with most people, being divorced. I felt like an outsider. IT was something I don't want to experience ever again. It really sucked! There was a black tie optional party on New Years Day and that too sucked to a point. The one person I wanted to see was there - Rhia!! I was glad to somewhat catch up with her. I haven't seen her in 9 years and it was good to remember things we used to do back in the day of high school! There was someone else I wanted to see but of course he must have left before me and D made it. (I got lost and had to call my older brother for directions. He helped me to a point and then I had to stop at a gas station and was given really good directions).

My job is one of the best that I have had. I really do enjoy it. There is a guy that I work with that today is his last day and I really am going to miss him. I thought about getting him a card and dropping it off for him. I, of course, am off and won't be working with him anymore. I do hope that his family gets better and he will be back soon. I do understand why he is moving back home. We both are in the same situation. I moved back because my dad was sick and he is moving back to Fargo, NC because his grandpa and mother (I believe) are really sick. I do hope and pray that his family will be better soon. I truly will miss John. There really isn't anyone like him in the world, that I am aware of.

I miss all my Logan friends and hope and pray all is well.

I do need to be heading to bed now that it 4:30 in the morning. It's a good thing that I am off today!

11-16-09 Update on me

Lots of things have happened since I made the move to Texas two months ago. I have found a wonderful job and I truly enjoy most of the people I work with. There are a couple of people who just rub me the wrong way but if you know me, I just smile and nod. I work for a good company and I believe care for their employees.

I found a YSA ward here and a week before my birthday (November 9) was told I was too old to be in the ward and I had to start going to the family ward. I don't feel welcomed in the family ward here and I miss the family ward I was in back in Logan. I really miss the people and how loving they are to everyone. I have never felt the lovingness of the family ward even growing up. As soon as I could, I went to the YSA ward. So back to being kicked out of the YSA ward I was in my bishops office and he was telling me that the stake has the permission to create an Older Singles Ward but the Stake President doesn't want the hassle of creating a ward. Why? Why would he tell me that?!

As I was talking to my friend, Walle, he reminded me why I am a member of the church and why I go to church. Even with him giving me encouragement, I have questioned my membership. Sometimes I feel I need to go to church because I have to. There are some days where I just don't want to go. There was on Sunday where I was scheduled to work and my mom asked me if I was going to church with her before I had to go in. I told her no and she got upset. Why? I have lived without family for the last 8 years! I can choose to not go to church if I want. I know what I need to do but the questions is do I want to?

So besides church and work, I am still lacking in the friend department. I have met a few people here but don't hang out with them. I hang out with a few people I knew before moving to Utah. It's sad actually, you would think I would be living it up with friends - you know the good life. Please don't get me wrong, I love my friends that do spend time with me but I would like to mix it up a bit every now and then.

Because of the lack of friends I have been on the FACEBOOK a lot more. I am always on, I guess you would say I am a little addicted. I have found lots more people I have been thinking about them, wondering what happened to them. It's nice to see how they are doing after all these years.

Besides my addictions to FACEBOOK, I have been watching movies a lot! We get the movie channels, what can I say?! A few of the movies I have seen are: Bridal Wars; Yes, Man; Slumdog Millionaire; Jumper; Cellular; Juno; Role Models; 10,000 BC; Changling; The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2; Vertical Limit; and Saving Silverman. I love movies and since I sit at home most Friday and Saturday nights, I enjoy them!

Sitting here just thinking what else to write and two things come to mind. 1. How much I miss Logan and all the friends I have there. I really miss them a lot. I get teary eyed thinking about them and wishing I was there. 2. How most of my family forgot about my birthday. I had to remind my little sister. It is a little sad. I remember everyone's birthday and the older I get, the less people remember. It actually sucks.

The more I sit here the more I want to write. Apparently, I have a lot more to say, but right now, my bed is calling my name. Goodnight

I am so blessed

Cool River is the culmination of countless hours of pondering the question "what does the guest really want?"

The restaurant was to be called Cool River. The ambiance would be warm yet elegant. It would have a residential feel. It would offer a fine restaurant with steak and seafood with a southwestern twist along with an elegant and elaborate bar with hand crafted billiard tables behind walls of glass. The restaurant and bar would be separated by an extraordinary cigar room adorned with stuffed leather and elegant appointments. A perfect transitional buffer blending the space. It would feature a sound system second to none.

The space would be organized to maximize energy and satisfaction. In short, it would cater to all senses; taste, feel, sight, sound, and smell.

Cool River's success and uniqueness has been quite exhilarating and challenging. It has exceeded all expectations.


I went here on a Friday night for a friends 31st birthday celebration. It was fun for awhile and I only stayed so long because I was talking with my friends mom and sisters. I haven't seen them since High School back in the days. It has been almost 15 years. I have always kept in contact with her but haven't seen her. It was good times to reconnect.

I am so blessed because I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I don't have anything against anyone who drinks or smokes, but last night while on the dance floor, these drunk guys came onto me and my friends. They kept touching me! It scared me and yes I did scream. I did tell them that I have a bubble and please do not disturb it. All but one understood and that was the one that I was worried about.

Watching my friend, her mom and her two sisters drink whatever was bought for them, downing them, I was glad that I could leave the place not drunk and able to drive home. I have my standards but it is a little sad to see what I did with my friends. Am I going to stop being their friends, No! That is not who I am. They know my standards and who I am. I remember a time where I was in high school and was invited to a sleep over for my friends birthday and they put on a rated R movie. At that time, I didn't want to ruin her party because I didn't watch rated R movies, so I got up and went into the kitchen. Her mom came in and asked me what was wrong and I told them my church and my standards and they were ok with that. To my surprised, they changed the movie to something I could watch.

The night did end great. My sister Sharon, her husband and youngest drove from Atlanta. At first I thought they just wanted to see me but that just wasn't the case. Her best friend is getting married in Trinidad and her wedding shower is actually today.

Wow

So my dad is out of the hospital and that is ALWAYS good news.. I also have a job!! That is wonderful news. I work part time at Bed Bath & Beyond and actually love my job. I have had many retail jobs but I believe in BBB. They train you in everything and you have to be certified! That's the key. They certify you in all areas after a test to make sure you do know what you are trained to do. It is a better way to know that you really know what you are doing.

There is a family that I really love here in Texas that I have known for years. I love this picture of her son Forrest. His photo shoot of Jesus is a WOW in my book.. I can't stop looking at it and you will see why.

Sunday, September 27, 2009 8:21pm

Today was a good day, even though church started way later than I want to go to church. I attend the Colleyville 2nd Ward in Colleyville Texas and I know a few people without even trying. There are a few people that know my younger siblings from the Denton YSA ward. There is one person I know from when I was attending high school. She is one amazing sister! And then there is my SUMO (Harvey). There really isn’t anyone like him in the world. I am entertained by the things people say about him and can’t believe what I am hearing. I heard he was shy and was anti-social. Harvey!! Are we talking about the same guy?

Today was fast and testimony Sunday because the General Conference is this weekend. I am actually looking forward to that! But after church, there was this Break the Fast at Bishop Vanderpool’s place in Colleyville. There were tons of people, some I already had met from Institute and Family Home Evening but the others well, how do I word this, they seemed like they didn’t want to get to know you because you were new. That is the vibe I got when I walked in the room but then you get the ones who are trying to change their way of thinking like that and want to become more social.

For example, there is this one guy, Daniel. He is a super really nice kid even though he did graduate from BYU. We will let that slide for now. We (me and him) were talking about things school, jobs, etc. etc. When we both decided to leave, he walked me to my car, he was saying if he had his way people would come to him if he wanted to know someone. He was telling me that he is this shy guy and he normally doesn’t go up to people and start up a conversation. He said that it would be nice to be generally happy all the time, like me. Thank you was my reply. I would hope that I am generally happy when meeting new people.

Sunday in my new ward is going to be good, I hope.

September 27, 2009 at 1:20am

I just want to start off by saying how much I miss my friends in Logan and John in Salt Lake. I miss hanging out with and having fun with the greatest "family" I had in Utah. I miss the late nights at Tummi Yummi's and the cool people who work there. I will definitely miss the winters; those were my favorite moments the 8 years I lived there. Wintertime with flip flops! I miss the 16 year old high schoolers I worked with in Hyrum and all of the smart remarks. I think I miss the Jewish jokes the most though. (I am a quarter Jewish and they did tell them in humor and not to be offensive).

The last couple of days have been awkward. I am not sure how to explain that but I haven't been sleeping well and with the last couple of events that I have seen or have heard about isn't really helping the situation.

If you don't know. I moved back to Texas to be closer to family. With my dad being sick and in the hospital a few times, I did want to move closer to him, you know just in case something went wrong. It is a 13 hour drive than a what 3-4 day drive to Georgia.

I have been in Texas officially for two full weeks and I have somewhat enjoyed myself, the fact that I run into people I knew before my adventures in Logan Utah and those who know my family. But on Friday night, I wish I didn't see what I had seen. The phrase me and my sister came up with (over the phone) was 'I see dead people'.. I really did, I was driving to go pick up a friend (she lives about 25 min away from me) to go to the movies. On the road I take to get to her home is blocked by cops and fire truck and whatever else was there. The detour route was through a strip mall parking lot and I was going slowly so I didn't hit anyone going to the bar. I looked to the left (where the scence was) and saw a person lying in the road. I didn't know at that time that they were dead! I make my way to where my friend lives and she doesn't feel like going since she just got in an agurement with her mom. Not a big deal, I was going to go by myself. I decided on the way to the theater that I didn't want to be alone when I came out of the movie that I just went to Blockbuster and rented some movies and went home. The same route going home was the road I took to get to my friends. The side of the road was still full of cops and emergency vehicles but there was a white sheet over the body I had seen an hour earlier. I got really nauseous and couldn't wait to get home. I saw the SUV that must have hit this person; the cops were looking at it like they do in the show C.S.I. This road is a major road without being a highway with a speed limit of 45-55 depending on what area you are in. I assume that this person was crossing this road (not at the cross walk) and the person in the vehicle didn't see him in time to slow down and just hit him. I really had a hard time going to bed that night. I finally fell asleep somewhere around 4:30am.

Today when I woke up, thanks to a friend in Utah, I have been thinking about a friend of mine whose dad passed away about a month and a half ago. When I talked to him just after the fall semester started, I told him how sorry I was to hear about his dad. He was cool about it. I was thinking about emailing him and asking him how he can be calm and be ok with it. It reminded me of another person I know that just lost his wife this last summer from cancer. He too was calm and ok with it. But I really want to know how they feel deep inside. This was my thought today (Saturday) until I received a phone call from my mom saying that my dad was in the hospital. He was admitted when he kept on running a fever in the 104s and his legs are swollen and infected. I think it is because of his diabetes and he hasn't really been taking care of himself the best that he could.

When talking to my sister today we were talking about diabetes and I had read that you could lose your limbs from it. She had told me that you could and if that were to happen with dad that he would be more depressed than he already is. I think that my dad needs to see a doctor for his depression, if he hasn't already, and get the help that he needs. That brings up the next thing that is somewhat bothering me.

My friend told me today when she had called to see how I was doing, told me why didn't want to go to the movies with me on Friday night. She had said that she had got in an arguement with her mom about her hanging out with me. Then she told me that she has been thinking about suicide a lot and how she tells her mom how she wished she could die. Even if she was joking, that isn't something you would joke about. She told me that she had told her mom that something is wrong and she needs to see someone to talk to. I really hope her mom is listening to her, I think she needs help.

I am still wide awake with a headache starting to form. It is almost 2am here in Texas and I can't stop thinking about everything that has been happening this weekend. I really do hope that going to church and talking to people will help me through these issues.