Special Gift from Granny 12.21.2009

My grandmother sent me an email and told me that she had put a package in the mail to me and when it arrive, I could open it (yahoo!). It arrived today and in it was a beautiful apron along with this note from Granny:

"Brooke,

I know you remember the e-mail on aprons and you haring your memories of aprons. After that I decided I wanted to find you an apron from the past. After looking for a while, I found this one that was made by Nana years ago. I know she used it before it came to me. I remember using it on a number of Christmas days.

It looks used and has some stains, but I wanted you to have it, maybe not to use, but you could hang it in your kitchen for Christmas. Think of the stains as turkey gravy stains, from those many Christmas Dinners our family has shared.

I hope you have a w0nderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

With much love and memories, Granny, Christmas 2009"

My Mom

My Mom and I at our house in Cottondale, May 1995

My Mom 12.17.2009

Today would have been my Mom's 60th Birthday. Sad as it is that she is not here with us, it's more sad that she's not here for me to give her hell about being 60. People with parents still alive, PLEASE, give them a hard time!! ;)

Okay, in all seriousness, tonight will be the seventh year that Chad, Carson and I have gone to 7-11 for Slurpees to remember her. She loved slurpees and as her cancer treatments progressed and became harder, they were something that she could always enjoy. Chad and I always like to guess what flavor she would get if she were with us.

I've always maintained that just because she has passed away, I will not pretend that she is or was perfect, as people tend to do once someone passes away, though she was pretty close, in my opinion. It still makes me mad that she broke a part of my stove while cooking a dinner I begged her not to cook, after I had Carson. She and I got in a fight nearly every time we went to University Mall because she couldn't stand the way I dressed and couldn't understand why I didn't like the things she liked. However, as time goes on, I do find myself thinking of her in a different way; not perfect, just with more understanding. I think this would have happened whether or not she had passed away or not. Simply a part of me growing up and seeing things through an adult's eyes.

Some things about my mom, in no particular order:

1. Her real name is Vivian. All of you who knew Beth Rowland, guess what. She's Vivian Elizabeth.

2. She was an amazing cook, which is probably why I have to spend much time at the gym now.

3. She loved being a wife and mother.

4. When I was first married, she would call me and say she was going to the grocery store and did I want to come along? Then, she'd buy everything in my cart. It was awesome.

5. She was supportive of me, even when I joined a weird religion and got married in a building that she couldn't come into.

6. Her son-in-law loves her.

7. She sang beautifully.

8. She loved Christmas and was a huge gift giver!

9. She enjoyed teaching school and was an awesome teacher, but she LOVED working at the travel agency after she retired from teaching.

Alabama Crimson Tide SEC Champions

After Alabama beat Florida for the SEC Championship on December 5, this is what my office looked like when I came in on Monday the 7th! Nobody ha owned up to it yet, but I know it was one of our surgeons, Dr. David Garry.

I am Thankful 11/3/2009

Today, I am thankful for my commute. My commute is 2 miles each way. I also go early in the morning and come home early in the afternoon, so any type of traffic that could be encountered in a 2 mile stretch is not encountered by me!

When we bought our home in 2006, it was pretty much the only house available in our price range that we would consider moving into. It just so happened that it was *very* close to my work - bonus!

Although I "enjoyed" my commute from Payson, for the time spent talking with Carson each morning and afternoon, and the many, many books on CD we listened to together, I am thankful that at this point in my life, I don't even have time to listen to two songs before I am parking at work and heading off for another day in my cubicle!

10/21/2009 Low Gear Sport?

You would think running is a sport for which you don't really need much gear. Put on a pair of shorts, a sports bra (or two), a shirt, socks and shoes and GO, right? Well, now that I am running more often and longer, it's a whole different game. So, here's a run down of all I take with me:My trusty pepper spray! Thanks to Chad and Carson for picking this up for me at Gunnies!

The pedometer. We (Crystal and I) trust in the pedometer to accurately tell us how far (or how short) we have run!

Little flashlight...gives good light and isn't too heavy to carry.

My newest gadget! An ergonomic bottle that is easy to carry because you slip it on your hand. My Dad got this for me and I am looking forward to trying it out on my long run this Saturday!

So, there you have it! Sometimes I feel like I need to pull a little trailer behind me for all the crap I take with me, but I need it ALL!