What a 36 hours!

Our friends the Anderson's from Lexington!

We LOVED the sea lions!

ALCATRAZ!!!

Me and Dad on Pier 39 in front of Alcatraz!

Holy cow! In the past thirty-six hours I have found out that I am going to be undergoing major surgery and changing someones life as a result, gotten to give that news (which was one of the best moments of my life), left for a 28 hour trip to Manila, missed my plane by three minutes, stayed without any luggage in a hotel in Atlanta, had a huge breakfast, flew to San Francisco, had a MARVELOUS little mini (8 hours to be exact) vacation, and am now getting ready to fly out to Taipei, Taiwan! That's the condensed version. Let me start back in Montgomery on MONDAY...

So, Louise wrote about me finding out about being a match and telling Janet. After that I was in a RUSH! I hadn't finished packing, hadn't showered, and still had cleaning to do before my flight left at 5:20! I got the call at about 8:30, packed until 10 (when Janet got to work), then went to tell Janet. I got back home about 12:30, which left me 2 1/2 hours to finish packing, clean my house, and clean myself! After a major rush, I got finished just in time to see Louise and Leigh pull up to the house to take me to the airport.

We got to the Montgomery airport and checked my bags in and then Louise and Leigh sat there with me for 30-45 minutes and then I went on through security back into the passenger only area. As soon as I got back there, I found out the plane was delayed. Then it was delayed again. Finally (about an hour and a half late), we got off the ground (that included a 45 minute sit on the runway). When I got to Atlanta, I had come in at the gate that was THE ABSOLUTE FURTHEST from the gate I was scheduled to leave from. Of course. So, then I trekked all the way across the airport by myself to the gate I was supposed to meet Dad and Chris at. When I finally got there I got a call from Dad saying they STILL hadn't left Chattanooga and that we were going to miss our flight to San Francisco and for me to come to the gate where they would be arriving. Anybody want to guess where that gate was? No kidding, just four gates away from where I had arrived, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AIRPORT! So, on I went.

Finally, one minute after we were supposed to take off to San Francisco, they arrived. They ran out and asked if they could call them and tell them to hold the plane and we would run down to that gate. They said no and Daddy bargained with Delta for the next two hours before FINALLY, at about 11p.m. EST we headed over to The Crowne Plaza (courtesy of Delta Airlines). Daddy and Chris went to the food to order and bring it up to the rooms to eat. They ordered me some cheese sticks but I went on up to the room. I never saw the cheese sticks. I didn't see Daddy again that night. I was so exhausted and that bed was SO COMFORTABLE, that I just fell into the bed.

TUESDAY morning (about 6 1/2 hours after I layed down) we got up and had an awesome breakfast with Chris downstairs then went back to the Atlanta airport. Guess what? Plane DELAYED. About an hour later than our original time we boarded the plane ONLY to find out once we got on that we were going to have to sit on the runway for an hour and a half. And, of course, I was in the middle of three seats. Just lovely. After THE LONGEST 4 1/2 hour flight ever, we arrived in San Francisco!

As soon as we got there we went ahead and took a taxi down to Fisherman's Wharf. This was the best option since we all were loaded down with luggage. We found a place on the pier, looking off at Alcatraz to eat clam chowder in a sour dough bread bowl, which is MY FAVORITE!!! SO GOOD! Then we walked around and did a little sight seeing, a little shopping, a took a few pictures. It was down on the pier that I found this LOVELY little fudge shop and did a little shopping there! Whoo! After that we decided we were going to take a trolley and then the subway back to the airport. It was on the trolley that we met the nicest couple! Carol and Richard Anderson from Lexington, KY. Dad was wearing his name tag that said Trenton church of Christ and they started talking to us because they are members of the church of Christ in Lexington! Big shout out to them because I AM NOT SURE we would have made it back without about another $50 taxi ride! They were so nice and when Daddy and I go up to Lexington for a ballgame, we will definitely be calling them!

NOW, as I write this (about 11:45p.m. CST and 9:45p.m. PST on Tuesday night) we are waiting on our flight to leave. It will leave at 1:45a.m. PST and it is a 12 hour flight to Taipei. We SHOULD only be there for about two hours and then FINALLY on our way to Manila! We should arrive in Manila about two hours later, 9:35a.m. Filipino time on Thursday (which will be 8:45p.m. CST Wednesday)! From there it is a five hour van ride and, FINALLY, we should be there! I covet your prayers for these remaining travels! Hopefully, the next time you hear from me I will be typing from Dagupan, Philippines!!

Prayer Requests

This is Louise writing for Laurie. She is leaving today for the Philippines with our Dad and grandparents. Please keep them in your prayers! They all fly out today and return on June 7th and 8th.

In other news and more prayer requests.........LAURIE IS A MATCH FOR JANET!!!!!! Janet needs a new kidney and Laurie has been going through the testing process and she found out today that she's a match!!! This is how she told Janet she is a match.....

Janet got to work today at 10. She had dialysis this morning and got to work at 10. Laurie came in a little after 10 and handed me (Louise) some stuff and then took some flowers to Janet. Janet asked why she was getting flowers and Laurie said, "That's what you do....you get flowers for people that are going in the hospital. I'm a match!"

We were all so excited and Janet was shocked! She could barely breathe!!! I told her she better not pass out! :) She didn't know what to say! We told her she didn't have to say anything!

Then Janet called Chuck and Rachel and they were both so excited! I don't know that either of them had words either!

Here's Laurie and Janet...soon to be blood relatives!!! :)

And here's Janet's flowers.

So anyways, God has HUGE things happening!!!! You never know when you are going to be able to help someone or when God is going to work in your life!!! Please keep Laurie, Dad, Nana, Papa and Janet and her family all in your prayers!!!

Tales From the Single Side...

...things I wish I had known fifteen years ago about dating.

So, I read this article titled 'Things I wish I'd Known About Dating When I was 21' and it inspired THIS blog :^)

The following are things that I wish I knew or TRULY UNDERSTOOD back then:

1. Talk is SO VERY CHEAP! Even when masked by what may be real emotions, it is just TOO easy and cheap! Don't believe ANYTHING someone SAYS, make them PROVE IT with ACTON'S! In fact, date a mute ;^)

2. Pay less attention to the "feeling" they give you and more attention to how often they make you laugh.

3. PLEASE LET GO OF YOUR ATTRACTION TO COCKY GUYS!

4. Try, try again SHOULD NOT apply to a dating relationship! If it didn't work the second time IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO WORK the 15th time! Just sayin...

5. It really shouldn't be that hard. Marriage is hard, the first six months of your relationship should be bliss!

6. LISTEN to your family and friends! They aren't blinded by "love", they see only reality. YOU NEED a little reality.

7. You CAN'T go slow enough. Physically, emotionally, in any way TAKE YOUR TIME! The slower THE BETTER!

8. If you're not sure if the guy you like likes you, KEEP IT MOVING! Let him come back when he's sure or move on to someone who IS DEFINITELY SURE they like you!

9. Guys love to talk about marriage. Until you have a ring on your finger, DON'T talk back about it. In fact, play deaf!

10. It is ok to be picky. Just because there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with him, but you just don't feel "it", that is ok. On the other end of the spectrum, DON'T put up with a bunch of garbage because you don't want to be "too picky".


The most important thing that I would tell, would be to truly keep your priorities. Instead of going for those "look at what a great Christian I am" guys, look for the ones that show a true Christian spirit. I'd probably tell to RELAX too!

For those that misunderstood...

...my last blog, let me clarify some things.

1. IF MY BLOG IS ABOUT YOU, I WILL NAME YOU. I am not so petty that if I wanted to talk about someone I would NOT talk ABOUT them WITHOUT NAMING THEM ON MY BLOG. Thank you all who responded SO VERY MUCH for thinking that I am actually that petty.

2. I am very, very sorry to disappoint you all who thought that I had a perfect life and never was upset and had only 100% happiness in my life. I know, it's very shocking and I, too, and disappointed by that fact. However, I accepted the fact that my life wasn't perfect when I was about 3 1/2. Find some joy though in the fact that I am one of the happiest people I know! OF COURSE I have moments where I wish I had a boyfriend, or times when I wish I was married, or even times when I think I would love to have a kid! I ALSO wish I already had my Master's, had a fabulous job, an awesome closet with an unbelievable wardrobe in it, that are in my dream house with a beautiful, sparkling pool out back, all within walking distance of all of my family!! Truth be told, I wish for the latter A LOT more than I have the moments of loneliness! Some of you may not understand, having completely perfect lives and not wishing for anything better. However, IT'S NOT THAT BAD! In fact, a lot of you have wonderful lives and I don't want you to take offense to this, but I DO NOT want to trade lives with any of you! Maybe Kelly Ripa, but not you ;^)

3. I am going to use my aunt as an example for this point, because I know she won't mind. My Aunt has a gorgeous house in a perfect little neighborhood, an awesome car, a loving Christian husband, lives near her parents and sister, gets regular mani/pedi's, has a housekeeper, and only works part time (for her husband!), she keeps QVC in business, has the most unbelievable pool in her backyard, and her daughter is THE prettiest little thing and is always the best dressed kid in the room! Would you believe that she sometimes calls me and complains to ME (who works TWO jobs AND goes to school FULL TIME and definitely lives paycheck to paycheck) about being busy and tired and stressed out! You know what I do? I listen and I EMPATHIZE. The definition of empathize? The action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner. What that means is, I HAVE NO IDEA what it is like to live her life. With all the other great things she has, she also has the responsibility of taking care of a special needs child everyday. I have no idea what that is like. SO, I empathize. Please, feel free to correct me if I am wrong but, none of you reading this are single and can't remember the last second date you went on, can't even remember the last time you had as much as a CRUSH on anyone. None of you also, have NO IDEA what house, what city, or what state you will live in, in a year. Of course, none of you have no idea where you will be working, if you will still be in school, or even where you will be attending church services at this time next year. ALL OF THOSE THINGS. I qualify for all of those things. And as much as love all of you who were concerned enough and loved me enough to offer your criticism over my last very honest, very brave blog and got upset over it, I hope THIS blog has cleared up some things for you. If not, how about you don't read my blog and we go on loving each other and you just don't know some things and we are all happier that way.

As sarcastic and harsh as this may have sounded, I PROMISE it's not. I KNOW AND APPRECIATE how loved and blessed I am!!! But, I do believe that it needed to be said without my emotions and without my lack of speaking abilities getting in the way. Thanks for hanging on this long and I promise my next blog will be more upbeat :^)

(Tales From the Single Side) The Worst Part...

You know, there are a lot of things I love about being single. I'm not kidding, I think about them all the time. I love having my own time, not having to share my bed, deciding what to with my own money without having to consult with anyone else, I love not having kids nagging me and throwing up on me all the time, I really could go on and on. That's not the point though. The point of this blog, is what I don't think about very often and that is the worst part of being single. The worst part is not having anybody there. I don't mean that to make you feel sorry for me or tell me how many people I have there for me. You shouldn't feel sorry for me because I, honestly, prefer my life to 99.9% of other people's that I know much about. And, of course, I know how blessed I am with the friends and family that I have. The truth is though that I don't have "a person". I have sisters who have significant others, parents who have each other, and the best friends and aunts and grandparents who all have significant others. It was different when Leigh and Lisa were single too. They were my "people", you know the person you immediately think of when something bad happens, something good happens, or if you have a question about something. It's a two way street, someone who is married or in a relationship can't be a single persons "person", everybody only gets one "person" The thing is, is that I don't have many really exciting or disappointing times right now and I rarely question things. I think this is hitting hard because I don't know ANYTHING about my immediate future right now and it is driving me CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!! My EVERY WAKING MOMENT is being filled with thoughts about what am I going to do??? What am I going to do about my job? Where am I going to live?? WHAT do I want to do?? And ON and ON!!! So....blog world, you became my "person" for me to unload a little today. Thanks! :)

(Tales From the Single Side) I love....

Faulkner football
football time in Tennessee!!!
baby clothes
motorcycle riding
March madness
Braves games
mani/pedis
massages!
blasting the radio with the windows down and sunroof back!
heated leather seats!
eating at the Cheesecake factory
well, eating period
live music
going to the Sheakspere festival
Thanksgiving and Christmas
having a tan
traveling

To answer the question that I field AT LEAST once a day, I will get married when I find someone that I love more than these things!

Mother's Day

Funny "Single Side" story first...

I told all the mothers I came in contact with this morning at church servcice. FOUR people told me, "Thanks. I wish I could say the same to you!" I kid you not! The first one I thought was kind of weird but FOUR different people, REALLY? Geez! People really think that they can say anything to single people. It was humorous the first time, the fourth time I was looking around to see if someone was punking me, trying to get my reaction!

I wish I didn't have one billion things to do today and could have gone to Chattanooga to see mom or at least had the time to write a super good blog about her but, I do. I didn't want to let the day pass without telling you all how blessed I am. I love that lady more than life itself and try not to let a day go by to thank God for letting her still be here with us! Mom, I love you and appreciate you everyday but just wanted to share it with the world today!

These are a few of my favorite things...