October 6, 2008 last day to register to vote in Texas

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Written on 9:00 PM by gracefully discovering:

Just a friendly reminder that if you have not registered to vote...you have 7 days to do so in order to have your voice heard on November 4, 2008. If you need some assistance, just let me know and I will gladly help you register. If you need a stamp...I will provide that for you as well!
Please remind all of your family and friends to go ahead and register to vote before it is too late for them to vote for their candidate. Now, if they are voting for McCain...don't remind them! Just kidding- we all need to vote, regardless of who your candidate is!
Hearing Uncle Aaron (billye's uncle) talk about still having his dad's poll tax...was so moving for me. There was a time when we couldn't vote and then there was a time where we had to pay to rock the vote! I'm glad change has come...and I'm looking forward to more change once Barack Obama becomes (my) THE President of the United States of this America!
I'm so excited...and so proud to be alive during this time. What a wonderful year!

comfort food....

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Written on 7:58 PM by gracefully discovering:

Tonight I made veggie lasagna....I figured we needed something to make us feel better after the devastating lost last night. It was pretty good....and I'm full....and I feel a bit better. It's amazing what good food can do for the body! Too bad we didn't have any dessert...so I had to settle for the Lorna Doone cookies we had in the pantry from Hurricane Ike.
I was a little nervous because we didn't have any eggs to put in the Ricotta cheese...and I was too lazy to go to the store and get some...so I just made it without it...and I couldn't even taste a difference....we sure know how to improvise around these parts!
I made a lot..so I'm gonna take some to work...Leigh Anne, you shouldn't have ever said you liked my lasagna....because you are getting a special package in the morning!
Anyway- I'm about to get ready for my Sunday dose of Army Wives....adios chicos!

Yes....we got molly wopped by Alabama

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Written on 5:56 PM by gracefully discovering:


Anyone who knows me...and knows me well...knows that my husband and I are DIE HARD UGA football fans. We watch every game...talk trash to anyone that wants to hear it...and will pay top dollars for tickets to the UGA/LSU game on 10.25 if anyone is selling them!
But last night was a HUGE disappointment for us....we never would have imagined that we would get killed by Alabama. Yes Alabama is ranked 8th, Yes they have a BEAST on their defensive line that we just couldn't stop....they call him Mt. Cody. Yes, they are good. I can't take that away from them...but come on'...we are talking about Georgia football here. We started off the season ranked #1....then moved to #3 only by winning every game and we have some great players that didn't even really get a chance to shine last night...bc we couldn't run the ball:
Knowshon Moreno who is being considered for the Heisman...a more than AWESOME running back, Matt Stafford our quarterback will probably be the #1 QB drafted in the NFL this year...if he decided to go, AJ Green, this freshman who is balling out of control...and that's just to name a few....but even they couldn't do much to help us win. In the first half we were losing 31-0. 31-0... and ended up losing 41-30.....UGA football?.....that just doesn't happen.
What in the hell happened to my team last night??? That was not UGA playing....they had to be imposters wearing the blackout jerseys...getting tore up by Alabama. We had so many penalties it was ridiculous...we beat ourselves up. We could have won that game...but we played terrible and they played one helluva football game.
My husband said that no team in the SEC will go undefeated this year. So we took our lost...took it early and I guess 11-1 ain't that bad. Last year we lost a couple games and still won the Sugar Bowl. This year we lost one..and hopefully it will be the last one...and we will win the BCS National Championship...yes I'm confident...and I dare you to say something about it!!!
This was a week of upsets...USC lost ( I was actually happy about that...which might have jinxed us a bit), Florida lost...and we lost. But the difference is that we lost to a Top 10 ranked team...and they lost to teams who weren't even ranked. So I'll take it..and I'll wear my UGA shirt and hat with pride....and take all trash talkers with a grain of salt.
GO DAWGS!

anyone else disappointed??

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Written on 7:59 AM by gracefully discovering:

Yesterday im posted up in front of my TV...ready for 2 hours...well 88 minutes of non-stop exciting, enticing, entertaining TV.....however, I didn't get that. I have been a Grey's Anatomy fan for the last 2 seasons ( I started watching during season 3..and of course I caught up on season 1 & 2 thanks to some good friends who had the DVD set...thanks Shr'i and LeighAnne) but last night made me a little mad.
I mean, who was this dude...that just magically appeared and started working in the hospital...and how in the hell did Christina magically slip and fall and get stabbed with a freaking icecyle...are the writer's still on strike??? Was I punked last night...and the real season premiere is coming on next week? And why in the hell are they skipping a week...and not showing a new episode for 2 weeks?
Maybe I got my hopes up too high....people have said to me before, don't expect to much and you'll be happy with what you get. But that's BS....I do expect a lot from Grey's Anatomy bc they have always given such great entertainment.
However, the night did end well when Oregon State (an unranked team who was 1-2) BEAT USC an overrated #1 team! My did end well indeed!
I guess I just have to get ready for the return of my other favorite TV show The Game which premieres October 3. I think they may be setting this show up for failure by moving it to Friday night. But thank goodness for DVR!

TONIGHT: the return of one of my favorite shows!

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Written on 8:02 AM by gracefully discovering:

I am so super excited that Grey's Anatomy is returning tonight for 2 hours! I have been long awaiting this day and will ignore every phone call, email, etc for the entire two hours. So if you are trying to contact me- please do it before 8 or after 10!
I saw a preview the other day- and it looks like Mr. McDreamy may have a baby's mama...and it ain't Meredith! I wonder how this is going to affect their relationship. I was really excited at the end of last season when she finally realized what she needed to overcome in order to be in a healthy relationship...bc that thing was far from healthy! I was rooting for her to keep her man! But what will this do to them...I guess I will know sooner or later.

I really want Miranda to get her marriage back in order. She has let her career ruin her home life...and that is never good! Scooter (lol...I just can't seem to detach him from that character...even on Prison Break!) seems like a good guy....and she messed it up. I could tell that she really didn't intend to do it- but she took him for granted...thinking he wouldn't leave....even when the fool sent George in there to tell her that he wanted a divorce if she didn't come! Yes, that is a reality for women/men who focus so much on their careers...but let's see some positive come from this. Send the message that you can still be a successful career person and have a good family/home life. None of them really do...and it sucks! But i'm pulling for good healthy relationships in Season 5.
Let's do it gang!
Can't wait until 8pm.









undocumented families need help too

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Written on 3:50 PM by gracefully discovering:


Hurricane Ike destroyed the property of many folks in The Houston/Galveston area. About 1/3 of the city STILL does not have power 12 days after the storm...and some people do not have running water. Many of the POD locations have closed and FEMA is not as helpful as some would imagined they would be...even after having 3 years to get it together from Hurricane Katrina.
But my issue today is that there isn't any agency (to my knowledge) that is offering assistance to undocumented families. Now i'm not talking about a bag of ice and water....but more pressing things like financial assistance for their lost or damaged property or shelter/hotel vouchers, etc. I work at a school that has a Hispanic population of about 98%...and we have a few families that are undocumented. I have been wrecking my brain and using my very best social work skills to search high and low for some assistance for our kiddos....and it's not the kids that are undocumented...it's their parents. My heart really goes out to these families who cannot apply for FEMA and get the resources that they are offering. Many people have their own opinions about what should and shouldn't be allowed or "given" to undocumented people. But in a time of crisis...when people are in need and their children are going without, that really shouldn't matter.
I hope that by the end of the week, my hope is restored and I will find an agency that will supply financial assistance to these families who have lost so much due to this natural disaster. Many of them are hourly workers, and if places have been closed for 12 days because of no electricity or due to damage...then they haven't been able to work. And unless they are balling or are great savers....then that missed worked time is going to hurt them...Hell, it would hurt me if I were an hourly worker!
I'm kinda frustrated today because we have several families that need help...and it's kinda my job to help them get those resources...and i'm not having a whole lot of luck.
But my School Director GET'S IT! Tomorrow, I am going to Sam's club to buy food for our families that are running low and hopefully add a smidget of joy to their lives.
I am really happy that we didn't have as many kiddos affected my this storm as I had imagined. Monday night I could hardly sleep thinking about the issues that I would face when the kids came back Tuesday. But God is good, as I always say! Our students are back at school and ready to learn IN SPITE OF!
I really do love my job...even when the job feels impossible! Just gotta keep on keeping on..like my grandma Mrs. Minnie (rest her soul) used to say!

I was cool with Ike until now.....

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Written on 6:00 PM by gracefully discovering:

So you know, I wasn't all that mad at Ike because he didn't tear my house up and having the power off wasn't all that bad for me....but Ike has gone too damn far.

Because of him.....I can't go see The Color Purple tomorrow...that I had been waiting on for months. We purchased very good seats and I already had my outfit planned out and I got my hair done today. But because of Ike....who caused power to go out all over the city...and many people and places still do not have power...and because of it- we have a curfew in Houston...and because of the CURFEW we can't see the show because it would let us out too late....and NO THEY ARE NOT ADDING MORE SHOWS....AND YES ALL OF THE TICKETS TO THE OTHER SHOWS ARE SOLD OUT.

My feelings are hurt and I'm pissed off at Ike.

how cute is this....

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Written on 12:55 AM by gracefully discovering:

This is by far the cutest picture that I have ever taken. I am in love....
so I tried to get one as cute as theirs..but it didn't quite work out for me..so sad..maybe one day!



I just think this picture is cute...so what if you don't!

and for some reason I couldn't rotate these...so cock your head to the side...so you can get a good look!

there are good people in the world

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Written on 12:28 AM by gracefully discovering:

Just wanted to share a blessing with you all that was given to me and my boo tonight. We went to Fridays for dinner which is about the only food place opened over here....since we only had snacks and can goods to eat. Anyway we sit down and across from us is this lady and her two kids...and the kids seemed to be having fun with their mom..which was kinda weird because the girl was a teenager!!
Anyway- we order our food and it comes out looking and smelling burnt...so we send it back and it comes back the same exact way. You know how you fry chicken in dirty grease...and it gets too dark and doesn't look good....yeah so that's how my fried shrimp and his chicken strips came out. But the manager told us that's how they are supposed to look...well you could have fooled me because this picture that made me want these fattening fried shrimp were golden brown not doo doo brown.
Anyway- I order something else...something more healthy....grilled salmon, broccoli and rice. So back to the lady...she gets up after they finished their food and did a few old school dance moves at the table...she tells us that she is taking care of our bill because she noticed that we were having such a hard time..and wanted to make that part easy for us. After we told her several times, that she really didn't have to do that...she said "That's what we do...when we belong to the King" Nick made a good point...that she taught her kids a life lesson in that moment. God is good as I say all of the time and He truly shines through others. We didn't know this lady from Adam and we probably won't see her again...but she really was a blessing to us tonight. She made me want to be a better person and do things for people more often. Which makes me think about a kind act my hubby did the other day. When we were driving to our house for the first time after the storm to see what damages were done..there was this homeless guy standing at the light asking for money. We didn't have cash and Nick always wants to give $- but not me bc I have been played a few times..but I will give food. Anyway- it's raining hard...and he gives the guy the umbrella so he won't get wet outside in the rain...he then looks at me and says..we'll get you another one. I guess he read my mind...like "ummmm it's raining and my hair is gonna get wet!!!"
Anyway- let's all do something nice and unexpected for someone this week. It really makes people feel good when we do selfless things and not look for anything in return!

an eventful few weeks

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Written on 9:35 PM by gracefully discovering:

Boy have I had an eventful past couple of weeks...thus the reasoning for my absence here in the blogosphere! My apologies to the folks who stop by for regular updates...I will definitely try not to EVER go this long again without at least saying "hey guys, I'm alive."

Anyway, where do I begin...I guess I will start with the most recent string of events.

HURRICANE IKE: I'm sure many of you have been watching nonstop coverage on our boy "Ol Ike"...and I'm sure many of you know how messed up he left so many people in Houston, Galveston and cities in between.
Well here is my personal story with Ol Ike. Before Thursday (9/11) I really didn't think that much about Ike. I heard he was coming...my father in-law told me that we needed to buy tickets and come home to avoid the raft of Ike, people kept asking me if we were going to evacuate...but still there wasn't any sense of urgency for me or my husband. But I get to work Thursday (my first day back after the accident...which I'll get to later) and I'm excited to be back...even though I'm still hurting a bit...and we have this all school morning meeting...which rarely happens...and our school Director says that we are having a half day and leaving at 1:30 so that our students and staff can properly prepare for Hurricane Ike. So now I'm thinking, damn this must be serious...bc we don't really do the whole get of school for nothing thing. So anyway, I go back to my office- see a few kids that had been looking for me all week and then I get a text from my husband asking me to get needed supplies for the storm. Now anyone who knows my husband knows that he doesn't make a big deal out of anything...and he had already said that we weren't leaving bc this wasn't really gonna be anything just like the last one. (we had decided we weren't ever leaving again..especially by car...because the last time we evacuated for Hurricane Rita..it took us about 30 hours to get to Ft. Worth which is about a 3 hour ride..and nothing happened to the city..but heavy rain fall.) Anyway- so I go to the HEB grocery store and get some food, flashlights, water, etc...but they were out of ice and bread. So i go to about 3 more stores and they too were out of bread and ice...and here is when I knew I should be worrying...I pull up to the Wal-mart about 3:30pm and THEY WERE BOARDED UP AND THE WORKER TOLD ME THEY WERE CLOSED. Now in all of my life...I have never seen a closed Wal-mart! So I called my husband and said...are you sure we shouldn't leave...I mean, even the Wal-mart is boarded up. By this time they had already announced a mandatory evacuation for Pearland.

So we decided that we weren't gonna leave the city- but we would go to a friends house that was more inland and more north than where we lived. But we had to find a friend that wouldn't mind us bringing our baby Ryan. So we went to JB's and crashed there for a few days.
So Ike comes in the middle of the night Friday and it was like nothing I had ever experienced before in my life. Talk about being scared. The wind was blowing harder than I ever could have imagined...and for a very long time. I thought it wouldn't stop...I went to sleep and woke up hours later and HE was still at it.

But let me tell you how I beat the hell out of myself. So in the midst of Ike, I'm trying to stay awake...but I end up nodding off at some point. As I'm "resting my eyes"(like my grandaddy used to say) I hear a loud boom...and I jump up and scratch the crap out of the right side of my face. I normally sleep with my head on my arm or hand..and I guess i jumped up too quickly and my nail caught my face. Well the power was out so I couldn't really see...and Nick and JB were taping down a window that Ike had blown through...
so I make my way to the bathroom to wet a napkin to put on my face bc at this point it's burning...and I feel the blood! I then go to where they are and Nick said..what happened to your face..did Ryan scratch you? (BTW- Ryan cried through the whole storm...I should slap Ike for making my baby that scared). Yes, that's how bad it was. And of course my husband being Mr. funnyman himself.. says " Babe, you the only woman I know who can whip her own ass!"

So the damage that Ike did to our city was...well minimal compared to our friends in Galveston. We had a lot of trees down, messed up roofs, tons of power lines down and millions without power. But God is really good and we only suffered damage to our fence and went without power for about 4 days. (which is why i'm just now writing this). So we are definitely blessed beyond measure. But look at some of the damage in our neighborhood
While were out of power mi esposa and I had some really great times. We made the best of the situation....and truly enjoyed each others company!

We played lots of games of Uno and created several other games to keep each other entertained...like "name that dvd" or "guess the Spanish word" or 20 questions, etc. Well you get the point. Times like this will really really let you know how much you like a person. Some people would go crazy if they had nothing to do but talk and play games with their spouse for 4 days...but WE LOVED IT! No TV, internet, phone or work to disturb us. I really do love my husband..he is my best friend and I had so much fun with him during the storm!

Moving on to the next little crazy event in my life....Saturday 9/6 we were driving to a basketball tournament that Nick was gonna play in with our church and bammmm...these 3 guys in a STOLEN Expedition hit us on the rear left side, spun us around...hit us again and then we hit a pole! Yep, you read it right...we got hit twice and then hit a pole. AND ONCE AGAIN I TELL YOU THAT GOD IS SOOOOOO GOOD! We walked out of the car with no broken bones, fractures or cuts. Just some neck and back pain. Well get this....the guys that hit us...jumped out of the SUV and ran on foot. mmmhmmm they sure did. We didn't actually see them...but this lady came up to the car asking if we were okay...so Nick asked her if she was okay thinking she was the one that hit us...and she said "Oh I wasn't in the accident, the guys just ran off". So at this point I am freaking out...my whole body goes numb and tingly and im hyperventilating (for the 1st time in my life actually). So I hear like 4 -5 different voices...but if you paid me $1million to tell you what they looked like..I couldn't. Not once, did I look up...my head was buried into Nicks chest crying my heart out...until the ambulance came and taped me down to the gurney and took me to the hospital. I was so scared...but the EMT told me that because I was hyperventilating I was causing my body to be numb and tingly...and I wasn't in fact paralyzed (even though I was standing when I thought I could be lol). I'm telling you...this whole scene was something out of a movie..people from the community coming out to witness to the police, some older black lady telling me to just hold on to my faith in God, and some man from the neighborhood who chased down the guys who hit us...but didn't catch them.
Anyway- Nick rides with me in the ambulance bc he lied and said he wasn't feeling any pain..so that he could be with me...bc I was clearly freaking out! Turns out..he did have some pain..and his neck is still hurting. Anyway, the Dr. took some X-rays and I was fine...he just gave some drugs and told me rest and go back to work in a few days. Here are some photos from the hospital..we had to do something while we waited hours for them to come back and see me.

So I promise that these pictures were taken several hours after the accident...after I calmed down and the numb and tingly feelings went away. Sarita took a picture when I was still in shock and crying mode...and she hasn't emailed it to me yet...and she probably won't because she doesn't have a good track record of handing over the goods...pictures I mean. We had to make the best of the situation. I do have good friends. Thanks Rita for being there with us..and taking us home....and missing your hubby play in the tournament! I love ya girl.