Need Help

So as I have mentioned a few times...My very best friend in the entire world is pregnant and is due in less than 3 weeks. We've had her baby shower and she was definetely showered with gifts and love...but I have a question for the mommies out there....

What is one thing that one of your friends did, gave you etc that truly helped right after the birth of your child? I am clueless in this department but I want to be helpful in any way possible.


Thanks in advance!

Texas Longhorns

Kelly is having a "show us your life" - Alma Maters - edition and I wanted to join in!

I went to The University of Texas- Austin. I loved it. I loved every second of it. When I was growing up, I visited Austin with my family and I fell in love. I love the Hill Country, I love that Austin has live music every where and I loved my time in Austin.

 I was in a sorority and I met some of my very best friends there.

This was taken at our 80th year on campus at UT. It was a great celebration!

These are my 2 very best friends - K and V.

K still lives in Austin and V and I party it up in H-town!

While I don't have any college pictures to show...I can show you a few pictures of the fabulous people I met while in College.

Girls get together in Dallas!

 My Friend KM with one of her sons!

My friend S. Love her, and I miss her - too bad she lives far far away.

All of those girls I met at UT. Too bad I don't have more pictures on hand as I am missing quite a few people! While at UT - we went to frat parties, had girls nights, watch movies together, went out to eat, and truly had a WONDERFUL time...but we also did this...

 TUBING down the river....love it.



As an alum - I have met lots of people and reconnected with other people. I love our Alum events, I love watching the football games, basketball games #1 at the moment and everything else.

Lastly..I met the love of my life there. While I wasn't smitten when we first met, I am so glad we became friends and are who we are today.  

Memorial Mass.

Yesterday we held mass for my Uncle. It was very hard, but also healing.

Father said something yesterday at Mass that has stuck with me and really helped.

He said "the sadness we feel, the grief, isn't because we are not happy, we are happy that he is going home to be with the Father, the sadness comes from the separation we feel for no longer having him near us."

This has really helped.

How does someone say Goodbye.

My Uncle passed away on Saturday morning. It was unexpected and heartbreaking to be honest. He has 3 sons - ages 15, 19 and 27. How does one say goodbye to someone they love. I struggle with this. Everyone has ups and downs in life - and I struggle with the feelings of knowing he is in a better place- a happier place.

He taught me a lot of things in life and I just don't truly believe he is gone. As B told me, you won't really feel him being gone until there is something that you need and you say "I'll call my uncle, he'd know". I know he is right about that. We are having a memorial service here in Texas and then this summer, as is tradition in my family, we will all go to Florida and have family time where we laugh and cry and enjoy each other's company and then go to Disney World and be kids again. I love this tradition.

Things I learned from my Uncle -

An Appreciation of music - he bought me my first CD player, Ipod and my first CDs. My mother didn't approve of them, she didn't like that her younger brother bought her daughter a CD that had a few curse words in them, or that I had music blaring from my room.

All cars can be fixed. I don't know how to fix them, but he did. He truly appreciated the beauty in all cars.

To not make life altering mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes but he always told me, to follow what he was saying and not what he did in life because he made some life altering mistakes and he loved me too much for me to follow that route.

He taught me that everyone deserves second chances. People make mistakes, screw up and are truly sorry- just because you make a mistake doesn't mean your heart wasn't in the right place.

Mostly though, I learned that I love my family more than I have words for. I ache more than I thought I would. I am numb at the moment, but that numb feeling is overwhelming. I feel like I am trying to be strong, hold it together and I just know I will break at any given moment. I had no idea how much I truly loved my uncle and I wonder if he knew. I know that he knows now, which is comforting. I just feel so sad.

Valentine's Day

Flower's from B. I'm so blessed.

Randoms

Tidbits on my mind:

I'm walking like an old person today because my quads are killing me. I have to use arm strength to get out of my office chair. I am so happy I have an office so people don't look at me funny!

My credit card number was stolen. Yes this sucks- no they didn't get any goods. I couldn't use it yesterday due to it being declined. So I called the company and they asked me if I tried to purchase $8,500 at Tiffany's online. I said no, but what were they trying to buy. I was curious- the lady on the phone wasn't amused and said my card was cancelled, to shred it and another will be sent to me. I just wanted to know what the thief wanted!!!

I made spaghetti squash- 2 times in a week. I really like it - but apparently one can get sick from eating too much squash. My tummy was not happy the 4th day I had it. Variety is key.

It's the weekend...Valentine's day is on Monday. We are going to Brunch on Sunday because Brunch is my favorite meal of the week.

Top 2 Tuesday - Lessons from blogging

It is Top 2 Tuesday again...

Top 2 Things You've Learned About Blogging

1. At first I wrote straight from the heart about me and my life. This blog was for me. Then I saw people were following and I didn't want to offend so I stopped doing that. Then I realized - this is my blog, my life and I get to choose its content. I like it that way. I would never intentionally offend someone, but this is a record I keep for me that I love to share with others.

2. Blog friends can become IRL friends. It's true!

Bad blogger

With the "winter storm" that blew through Htown and being crazy busy at work and in my personal life - the blog get set aside....

This weekend B, the Roxy dog and I went to the bark park, the farmers market, out on a wonderful date day that turned into a date night.

It was cold this weekend...
so cold in fact that Roxy burrowed herself under the blankets in her crate and didn't want to get out.