I am lame... sorry

My blogs have been lacking.

Not sure what my deal is. My digital camera is broken, so that hinders my blogging ability. Still trying to talk the husband into letting me get a new one (he doesn't understand my photo fetish!) :)

Really nothing new here folks. Northern Indiana is starting to warm up and I love it!!!! Been to the pool to layout a few times and still working on getting my winter coat off. I love spring and summer up here, the winters I am bitchy and just wanna move back to Kansas. But the summers, I love love love up here. Warm, but not too hot. Lakes GALORE and the St. Joe River right here in our backyard. Kinda nice. All I need is a boat and I will be super happy :)

Jared has been work, work, working like crazy. 7 days a week, 12 hour days. Poor guy. His hip is giving him more trouble, so we fear another surgery (possibly a hip replacement) is coming soon. They hoped to put it off a while, but I think he needs it now. He is in so much pain. I have been working with him a little on weekends to help out. It sucks, but it is money so I guess I will just have to deal with it for now. :)

So, that's about it folks. I really hope my next blog is more exciting :)

May 26 is a great day!

31 years ago today, my parents were married in Edmond, OK in a simple ceremony at the courthouse.

Their marriage is just as strong today as it was back then and they didn't need to spend their life savings to make it a wonderful wedding.

I look up to them for this. They did not always have it easy during the late 70s, early 80s when the economy was starting to plummet. I will always remember my mom telling me stories about the hardships they faced in Okmulgee, OK while my dad was in college.... eating bologna for weeks because it was all they could afford, car problems and having no money to do fun things. This hardship, in my opinion, is what cemented their marriage and made them who they are today. The never had a lot growing up, they endured the tough times together and taught my sister and I that you have to work for what you want... nothing comes easy.

I have such fond memories of my parents growing up. We had a lot of great times and I hope someday to provide the same memories for my children.

Thanks Mom and Dad and Happy Anniversary!!! I love you

May 26 is also a fabulous day because it is my best pal Jeremy's birthday and my girl Melanie's birthday! Happy birthday you two! Miss and love both of you very much!

So ready for this 3 day weekend

and I have plans.... YAY!

This will be my second Memorial Day to spend in South Bend and I am happy to say I have friends to spend it with this year. Friday (tomorrow) I get off work about 1 p.m. and I plan to (weather permitting) get some sun in sitting by the pool. Later I am meeting up with my friend Michelle for dinner and drinks and maybe even some dancing :)

Saturday I hope to relax most of the day (maybe more pool time) and then hit a BBQ at our friend Janet and Tim's house. Then I will boot scoot on over to the Elks Lodge to meet Sharon and Susan for some much needed karaoke! YAY!

Sunday and Monday I really don't have any plans as of right now. I know I will need to do things around the house and prepare for a jewelry show, but I hope to relax a little as well. I need to get over and see my girl Stacey and her little Genevieve in their new house too, so that will be on my list. :)

Needless to say, I am excited. When I first moved here I never imagined I would have enough friends to have a full weekend of fun. But look, here it is! I wish Jared could join me, but it is his busy time of year so he will be working, UGH!

Here's to a great Memorial Day weekend everyone!

I think this describes how I feel today

This is aMERican Idol!

Who did America choose to go home this week? Who will the top 2 be? Here is who I think (and hope) will be the top 2.

I don't care what anyone says about his guyliner or the fact that he is gay. The man can sing, and that is all that matters. ROCK ON ADAM!

Tagged by my gal Rocksee!

I figured since she tagged me, I better do my part :) So glad you are on Blogger now Rox; I've missed you.

Here are the rules, copied from her blog!
The Premio MEME Blog Award Rules:
1. list 7 personality traits about yourself.
2. tag/award 7 blogs that deserve such fine recognition for the personalities that they share with the blogging world.

1. I cannot wait to be a mom!

2. I am a constant worrier

Our beautiful little home in Kansas that has been for sale for a year and 3 months is a constant worry for me.

3. I am emotional. Sometimes, over emotional

4. Music and singing relaxes me and makes me happy

5. I miss and love my friends and family back home.

6. I love to be out and about, busy, and traveling

7. I love to blog and keep up with my pals online. (I stole this one from you Rox) :)

Alright... all you gals are tagged. :)

Tara at Our Princess in Pigtails

Sherry at Pitt-Stop

Marla at Whiskey Easy Wonderings

Misty at Burke Family Ties

Sarah at The Denny Daily

Julie at Smith Family Journals

Kyndra at Sophie and Aiden

The grips of addiction

it effects everyone

I saw it coming a month ago when a co-worker of mine, a recovering drug and alcohol abuser, started acting differently. He missed a few big events; started calling in sick more often. He had been in recovery for 4 1/2 years and, for all I could tell, was doing tremendously well. He was motivated to be successful, dedicated to his girlfriend and his little girl, and was, and still is, just a nice guy. I didn't know much about his recovery. He didn't talk about it too much. But, I did know.

He missed work again today and we soon found out that he had relapsed and had been on about a 5 day cocaine binge. I am saddened for him because I know how long and how much effort he put into his recovery and how all it takes is one time to change all that. Please pray for him and his recovery; it will be a long road.

EVERYONE deserves a chance to succeed, have a career, have a family and be happy and 4 1/2 years is a long time to be in recovery. He is smart and he is driven, two things you need to succeed in a career, so that is why he was hired. Plus, we work in drug and alcohol prevention and, in fact, one of our grants focuses on relapse prevention for those addicts re-entering society from jail or prison. So, this is a perfect project for someone like him who has first-hand experience with the struggles and grips of addiction. In fact, we have other men in recovery who were assisting him in developing this program because of their time sober, commitment to recovery, and first hand experience.

As much as I have sat in conferences, learning about addiction, I still don't get it. What caused him to relapse? Will he make it back on the wagon? It is absolutely impossible to draw a box and put all the characteristics of an "addict" in there. An addict is anyone and could so very easily be one of us! Addiction is not prejudice. Addiction is a disease and it must be treated in that way.

When someone relapses, or just for that matter uses drugs, people are so quick to say things like: Well, why can't THEY just stop? Why are they throwing THEIR lives away? The thing is, it is not about THEM, it is about the disease. We can't be mad at the person; we need to be mad at the addiction. The addiction causes them to miss work, to do irresponsible things, to steal, and to even kill. It is the devil's work and in this war, he is winning unfortunately. It drives me crazy when people are so quick to judge an addict, or recovering addict. The substance changes them, changes their brain chemistry and causes them to need more and more of the drug to feel "normal" again. I won't get into all the causes, effects and brain chemistry of addiction, that could take forever. But, I think you get the point.

We have more people addicted to mood altering substances in this world than I can even fathom. All of us are addicted to something.... caffeine, food, biting our fingernails, etc. Yet, there is not enough help and not enough compassion and understanding for those addicted to illegal substances and alcohol to get the help they need. Hell, insurance doesn't even pay for it, which really hacks me off! And, I don't care what anybody says, 90 days in treatment is rarely enough time for an addict to gain the skills to go back out into an intoxicated and high world and be a sober person. It just isn't.

Jared and I struggled with his own alcohol abuse (binge drinking) several years ago, so I have felt the pain, I have been so angry I wanted to hit him and I have blamed him. But, we made it through with help, support and understanding. Sometimes, it is still a battle, but we keep on pushing through.

So, I am sorry to get on my soap box, but I don't talk about work things like this very much (for good reason because I have very strong views about addiction and drugs). But, I just wanted to send out a prayer request for him and share my views on this horrible epidemic that, unfortunately, has affected so many people. I bet all of us can think of one person we know personally who is, or was, addicted to alcohol or drugs.