Chronicles of Senior Year---one month down!

School started one month ago today! I can't believe it has already been a month.

In JUST ONE MONTH--
We have had the football Jamboree, and 3 season games.
(we are up 2-1, by the way!)

All of those have included a breakfast that morning.
One pep rally.

We have been to an Honors College banquet for the University of Alabama!!

He received his admission letter to the University of Alabama.

He received his first scholarship offer (praise the Lord!)

We have ordered his "traditional" invitations, all of his Senior Class of 2013 garb :)

We have submitted one scholarship application.

and what else?


And meanwhile, Chap has started running Cross Country. He has had two meets and another coming up this weekend.

He's had a few basketball practices in the the mix.

And he was the famous Emmit, the Panther at the first season Home Game!

All in all, we have had quite a busy 30 days, and wow! Time does zoom!

Please. Please. Let us stop...long enough to enjoy it!

I wrote love on my arm....

The sad truth is, as a sixth grader, suicide hurt me.

The thought that my Papa didn't feel like I loved him enough...to stick around. It hurt me so deep.

As an adult, I know is wasn't *me* that he was running from, and I know it wasn't *me* that didn't love him enough. But, somehow, it still makes me think, that maybe he just needed a little more love.

Or he just needed a reminder, that whatever it was, that was hurting him so deep in his heart, he could get through it. And in a day or so, he would be glad he didn't give up.

But, sadly. He did give up.

He lost his will to fight.

He let go.

And, he ended his own life. And today, that still hurts my heart.

I wish he could've met my kids. I wish they could've loved him.

I wish they could've sat on his porch,in that lawn chair, and enjoyed that big back yard with him.

I wish they could've held his hand like I did.

I wish they could've seen his endless stash of Izod clothes and socks.

Oh the izod socks.

So many things that suicide took away from us all.

So, today. I write love on my arms.

And I am posting it here, and twitter, and facebook.

And I hope that if someone that I love sees this, it will BURN this image into their heart, so that when you think you want to give up. You won't do it.

 

 

Haters are a part of the process....

It seems that lately, I am in an effort to refocus myself, and the relationships that surround me, and that I find myself engulfed in, and those that I find myself in a state of constant people-pleasing, and always-on....

and we all know how much I love my girl, Oprah.

Well, I am also very fond of TD Jakes. What a wise, wise man, with such a knack for speaking the truth, with a go-ahead fashion.

"Haters are a part of the process", he says. And I so very much love the part about finding your relationships in a non-public forum.

The world doesn't understand me. The world doesn't "get" me, and truth be known, the world doesn't care.

Just those few that I hold near and dear.
And I guess with age, and with life experiences, those have even lessened.

So, catch this segment, from Oprah's life class. I am mostly blogging it, so that I can refer back to it, on days when I need it.

Exclusive Webisode: Bishop T.D. Jakes on People-Pleasing

During the commercial break, Oprah talks about why many women struggle with what she calls the disease to please. Find out how Bishop T.D. Jakes advises you move forward and live with those who may try to hold you back.

Passing the torch...

 I could almost get teary-eyed looking at this photo.

This was taken at Graduation, 2012.

Graduation when the sweet Brady was graduating, and my dear friend, and fellow Panther Mom, Wendy, would be sending her sweet guy off on a new adventure.

What a great, fine young man she has in Brady, and in his big brother, Brett.

Throughout the past several years, I have looked to Wendy for advice. For words of wisdom. For sweet encouragement, or just for a little bit of glitter, as she too knows what it is like to live in a house of 3 guys, lots of stinky clothes, girlfriends taking away their time, many many trips to the grocery store to restock, but lots of hugs and snuggles too.

I can't even count the times that I have listened to every piece of advice she has to offer, listened so intently, because I knew she had already traveled the path I was wrangling my way through at the time.

I have cried many tears to her, and she has been so gut-straight honest.

And so, it brings me to this.

These Panther earrings.

She brought them to me at graduation, the official night that Mason becomes a Senior, and she "passed the torch" to me.

Oh, my goodness. Even now, it just put a lump in my belly!

The pressure!

She passed these to me, as I still have several years to go in the Panther Stands.

Oh, sweet Wendy. I treasure them so, and I thank you for loving me as much as you have in these past years. I can only hope that my two sweet guys turn out half as wonderful as yours.
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So, I knew that I had to wear them to the games, so I added the Panther to my necklace!

And I am so very much in love with it! I can't wait to sport it at every game!