Dry it up

I'll never forget the first time (I was in high school) when my dad told me to stop crying. "Dry it up," where his exact words. I did something wrong. I knew it was wrong and apparently there was no need for tears. Only improvement and apologies. So that I did. Without tears.

Daddy's girl. But dad is a football coach surrounded by women. We knew how to wrap ourselves around his finger. He too, knew us well. He loves mom, as he should. Jaime is his heart. He and Les have a unique relationship. He and I...well I am the baby that is much different from her sisters. Personality, that is.

What makes you become tough? More than likely it will be an occurance in your life. Some are born tough, while others never experience the word. When you do something wrong, how do you react? When wrong is done to you, how do you react? Reacts (actions), as 'they' say, speak louder than words. Very true. I respond well to affirmation. Both words and actions. However, words seem to be fake at times. Actions show.

How do you bounce back from a broken marriage? The death of a dog? Fighting off a disease? A bad relationship? A terrible situation at work? Mean people?

Life is hard. Surround yourself with useful people. There is nothing worse than having someone in your life that makes you feel bad, unworthy, unloved or not special. Get rid of them. Easier said than done. I know. But maybe neccessary? It is okay to have tough skin every once in awhile. You'll find that you can get cut but it heals with time. You ask about scars? Yes, they will be there. I like to call scars 'personality'. Cry when you need. It's okay too. We all handle things differently. That is the beauty of life.


Build people up. Make the ones in your life feel special. Don't hurt the ones you love and care about. The older I get, the more I realize how precious the people that invest in my life truly are. I've had to dry it up lately. Things haven't turned out the way I would have liked. People have let me down. And other situations. So I smile. And keep on going.

A little update. My parents house in Hattiesburg sold yesterday. They are so releaved. I am thrilled that my house will go back to normal! I am not being rude, just honest. My house is lonely without Tucker. He was such a great blessing and I miss him very much. If anyone wants me to have their dog, I'd love that!

Goodbye

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful moms out there. Proverbs 31:10-31 sums up a woman and what God created her to be. Strong. Special. Safe. Sharp. Spiritual. These verses will encourage every woman to be more. I'm thankful for my mother. She, bless her heart, put up with 3 girls. Thanks for being who you are mom. We appreciate you.

Things never happen like you think they will. Life is crazy. Life is ride. The unexpected happens. That is life. One day, life sucks. Another, life is a joy.

Yesterday, around 1:45pm, Tucker passed away. I wrote yesterday about a typical Tucker day. He was fine. At the drop of a hat, he was very sick. I have cried my eyes out. You that know me know how much he meant to me. It is wild to think about how much an animal can mean to you. He meant the world to me. He knew things, only he and I knew. He was special.

Tucker is greatly missed by many people. Friends came over to hug my neck. Phone calls. Emails. Text. They all came in. Thank you. I am greatly blessed to have wonderful godly individuals in my life. Tears will always be a part of life. Life goes on.

Sweet Tuck had the best eyes, most loving spirit and a very curious mind. I will always remember the laughs we had and memories we shared. He was a big boy. I loved his marble eyes. I loved his nosey nose. He was the best dog. Never dull. Always exciting. I know he is better off now. But he is still missed very much.

I've never been big on goodbyes. I actually hate them. I am not one to ponder on being sad. It is depressing. Saying goodbye to my Sweet Love was tough. At the time, I was given the strength. I reminded him of my love. And how things are better now. The house is quiet. A bit lonely. Time. It will get better. Much love to my amazing family and friends that care for me. I love you all very much.

This picture of Tuck was taken a week ago. We were out on the back porch. He loved his yard.

The nice guy.

I love the nice guy. I try to be the nice guy(gal).

My Saturday morning started early. 7am. My Aunt Angie spent the night with me last night. We had dinner and a great time together. She and I had our coffee and morning discussions about different things. Family. Life. Things to pray for. Etc. She left at 8am.

It is now 9:30. You would think in one hour and 30 minutes, things would be calm and okay. Not the case. The events I am about to tell you are why I love life. And love my life. Life is a wild ride. I'm just happy to have a seat.

I start cutting the yard when she leaves. I started with the front yard, in fear that the rain would start if I did the back yard first. People see the front. Make it look nice. I get it cut. I'm happy. I start on the side. Mower dies. It will not mow. Problem. I call my dad. He says pour the gas out and put new gas in it. I did. Nothing.

I can not mow. I look around the red machine. It seems complicated. I burn my hand. Not bad. The conclusion: I can not cut my grass today. That is okay. I have plenty of other things to do. I pick weeds. This is NO fun. I take the garbage out.

As the trash guys pull up, I go to the back yard to get a chair that broke. I open the gate. Guess who saw the open door. Tucker. This part is crazy but true. 3 garbage dudes stop what they are doing and chase him. The neighbor across the street (old man) runs after Tucker too. 3 kids chase him, along with me. 4 minutes later, we get him. The men go back to their truck and do their job. I spend 3 minutes saying I'm sorry. I spend 2 minutes thanking the neighborhood. The next 5 minutes are spent yelling at Tucker.

So there are good people out there. The people that help you chase your dog. The people that offer their mower. The nice guys.

May we all be nice guys or gals. It is important and it means so much in the long run.
May we all find enough happiness to be sweet.

Wild times at my house. I expect nothing less. Maybe I should go back to my ways...when I had a yard man. Yard stuff was easier! Have a safe and enjoyable weekend.

Master Lock

I loose my keys. This happens every so often. I usually find them. For some reason, these keys hold many earthly treasures that I own, yet I still loose my keys. Unbelievable. I've changed the locks on doors, due to loosing them. I've also had the same set of keys for years. Keys open and lock doors. We also have 'keys' in our lives.

Life. Everyone has a different story. What does your story say about you? My story is crazy but beautiful. Looking back, I see the growth in my life during 'tough' times. I also see the growth during 'amazing' times.

I love people. I love hearing your story. Your adventures. They all amaze me. Sometimes, sitting back and listening can be a great thing. Being open-minded is key.

Doors close. Door open. Jobs. Relationships. Pets. Family. Friends. Housing. They are all subject to change. We've all been there. A time when we think we can't move. We can't go on. Something happened. A change. Then, there comes a silver lining. The sunny part appears. You can jump and run. Maybe you just changed the lock on the door. Beautiful.

Life isn't fair. I learn this everyday. We just have to work with what we have and find the blessings in the storms. We've all had a relationship that ended. We were crushed. Look back. Did you push through it? Obviously so. Things can and will get better. It may not be today. It may not be in 1 month. But it will. Faith.

We must all strive to be and do better. My God is so good. He brings great people in my life to help me do these things. Enjoy the moment. They may be there for a few weeks, years or forever. Love them. Appreciate them. Help them to do good too. They may have your key for the time being. Share. Master Lock makes big locks with a small key. Give God that lock. Follow Him. He'll put that key in the right hands.

So, I've been sick for 4 days. No, I am not better. Not fun. Thankfully, I do not believe it is the swine flu. What a crazy thing. I'm sure you all heard the funny swine flu joke. I laughed! Tucker and I are doing good. Come visit. Enjoy your life! Smile!