Oklahoma! Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain....

It was a bit windy. A little cooler then I expected, but actually a very pretty state. I want to write all about my trip and have pictures, but I designated Janna the official picture taker. So once Scott decides to teach her how to load all the pictures on the computer then I will show you how much fun I had.

Birthdays

As we know after we graduate, and the older we get it is not as easy to remind the whole world that it is your Birthday. In school is was easy because you could bring in a bunch of cupcakes and prance around wearing a "Birthday Girl" sash and by the end of the day everyone at that school knew whose day it was. But after graduation my world got a whole lot bigger and contrary to what some of you believe it is NOT okay to walk around work and walmart and wherever else you go that day with a sparkly crown and announce the beloved day to everyone. So there are some years that are disappointing and lonely because aside from the early morning phone calls from my parents, siblings, and nieces and nephews its just like any other day. So being a single girl who lives by herself I was very much surprised the other day when I received my first birthday card in the mail. I was intrigued to see who would be sending me this and as I opened the card it read. "Happy Birthday! We appreciate your business. Come in to New Balance and receive a free pair of athletic socks." At that moment I had a realization that would change my life forever. Signing up for those business registration things are totally worth it! Who knew my first birthday card of the year would be from New Balance? And I got free athletic socks to boot! Shortly after that I received an e-mail from Maurices wishing me a happy day as well. So the moral of the story is that Birthdays are never going to be what they once were when I was five, but that doesn't mean that everyone in the world has to know ,or that it has to be a whole day event to be special. The small things are just as important. As far as I am concerned cake and chocolate have zero calories on your Birthday. And as long as that never changes I will be a happy girl.

Boy oh Boy

You know there are a lot of things I have learned from dating. In fact its funny because sometimes I feel like I am dating the concept of dating. Did that make any sense? Alright just roll with it for a minute...
I am constantly breaking up and then getting back with DATING. I say how much I hate it and I am tired of it and then the next day I want to do it again. I mean dating in itself is like a bad relationship... no wonder I am confused! ( I really think I had an epiphany there) So although I have had some bad experiences with dating there is a lot I have also learned from each and every guy I have gone out with. I hesitate to put up names because heaven knows who reads this. So we will use nicknames instead. I was young the first time I fell in love. Which makes me question at times if it was really love, and although I think there is a lot more to love then I what I have experienced. I am okay with saying that I was in love as good as I could have been at that age. And just like every first love it had to end. And I remember feeling sadness and hurt in a way I had never felt before. But I grew up after that. And I look back years later and I see my life and I see his life and I am soo happy that he broke my heart. He taught me that I deserve better, and I learned how strong I was thanks to him. The next boy taught me who I did not want to be. I was in a very low point of my life and was very numb to feelings and reason.(That one was short) After that I met the 2nd love of my life. Whoever said love doesn't hurt has never been in a long distance relationship. I learned from him how much I am capable of loving no matter what. Through thick and thin I can hold on pretty tight. I also learned that I want someone who can show me that they love me back. I perform my best when I am praised and I just know that it is very important to have someone that shows appreciation back. I need someone that wants to be a team but still knows the importance of being who you are. Then there came lots of little lesson all at once. The next boy taught me how I should be held. Trivial as it sounds I remember just sitting there in his arms thinking, okay this is what it is supposed to feel like. He taught me that I don't have to settle for anything less what I deserve. Which brings us to today. I do not want to be someone that gets pickier with age but just reflecting on these things makes me understand why we need to date and also makes me very grateful that my culture does not participate in arranged marriages. Although I am getting to an age when my parents think it is necessary to intervene and "arrange" some dates. ha ha They even talked about double dating with me! Now there's a sight!