picture of the day!

I stole this picture from Michelle's blog from when they went to the zoo. (In case you missed it, that's Louise and a STORK! Come on, HOW GREAT is that?????)

One of those days...

...ever had one? You know, where every slow drive gets in front of you and you seriously consider the literal cost of just ramming their car with yours? Or where you just want to comment on every single person's status that reads (something like) "I just love my wonderful life, my wonderful kids, my wonderful husband...even my poop is wonderful, everything is just perfect!!!", and say, "Really? No one's buying it and you sound like you are just trying to convince yourself and it really annoys the rest of us to have to read your stupid status everyday." OR (along the same lines) want to just delete those who's statuses make you want to slit your wrist everyday or think that they are thinking about it everyday! Or you try to catch up on your tivo a little and the stupidity of The Bachelor (which is OBVIOUSLY NOT new to this episode) makes you want to throw your shoe at the TV? OK, maybe you haven't exactly but you know! So, in honor of this and because I am having a major pity party for myself today, I am going to list some of the things I am perturbed about and counter it with things I am happy about. For my own mental health. Read on if you'd like but PLEASE save your "it could be worse" comments. I OBVIOUSLY know this.

1. I hate this city. I was going to list all of the things I hate about it but it is much easier to just list the things I love and DON'T hate about it. I love Faulkner, University CoC, the fact that three of my cousins live close, and that I get to see my sisters everyday!

2. I hate this weather. There is NOTHING I like about cold weather. It makes my hair bad, skin bad, makes my shoulder and knee hurt almost constantly, I STAY cold, and I stay in layers so I feel free to eat all I want and gain weight. Plus, this year God decided, evidently, to REALLY mess with all the "global warming" people out there and has added in snow, which is a 911 dispatchers NIGHTMARE!

3. We are in a book club with the church and are currently reading Francine River's Redeeming Love and I have always heard how wonderful it is and I think it's awful! I mean, I get the story and all but real life is horrible, WHY would I want to spend my very precious free time reading about more horrible? Maybe it's because I see the crappy side of the world a lot more than most people because of work but I want to read happy stories where people fall in love, endure through hard time and come out better people, and that END HAPPY!

4. The Bachelor. I know, I have total control over recording and watching this stupid show but it always brings me back in like the proverbial "bad wreck on the side of the road" I just CAN'T believe that there are women who are SO INCREDIBLY STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Actually, I guess the thing that really bothers me, is that I DO BELIEVE IT and it irritates me SO MUCH!!!!! Stupid, stupid, stupid! I WOULD LOVE to be a contestant on this show and him try to pull some of this stuff over on me OR have FIVE MINUTES with these girls to talk some sense in to them!!!!

5. I know I have harped on this too much and I do believe that God has a plan for keeping me here even over my persistent prayers other wise but, I HATE MY JOB!!!!!! I distinctly remember saying that I loved my job (LONG ago!) but, for the life of me, I CANNOT remember WHY I would have said such a thing!!!! I hate the STUPID callers (which IS 90% of them) about their STUPID (NOT 911 WORTHY) problems (that they usually have brought on themselves!) I despise some of my bosses, I think the entire place is run like crap and that Braden (who is one month old) could make better decisions and run the place better! I hate the uniforms and I feel like hate isn't a strong enough word for how I feel about working night shift. I hate how it makes me feel, hate how it makes me look, and I HATE missing out on SO much! I even HATE the uniforms!!!!

OK, now things I am happy about:

1. I AM GOING TO BE AN AUNT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOTHING BAD can compare to the happiness THIS brings me!!!!!!!

2. I am SO grateful to have A job with good insurance and able to pay all of my bills every single month!

3. I got to go to my first ever Lady Vols game at Thompson-Boling arena in Knoxville!!!! It was definitely something that was on my "bucket list" and it was SO FUN!!!! I have yet to visit Knoxville when I wouldn't describe it as one of the best times of my life!

4. I love my Faulkner football family! I love the coaches, players, and Ashley! They ALWAYS make me feel better, no matter how crummy my night was! And, they can always be counted on to MAKE ME LAUGH!

5. I love that I was raised to have a real relationship with God! I ALWAYS feel like He is REALLY with me, I often find myself talking to Him like He is sitting beside me! Because of this, I know that of all the crummy feelings and bad days I have and will have in the future, the one thing I don't ever have to contend with is loneliness. I am SO grateful for this!


Hope you all are having a better day than I am and, don't worry, I am going to bed soon and will wake up in a better mood!

Tales from the single side....Part 2

I think I am going to title this second installment, "Things NOT to Say to Single People (that have actually been said to me!!!!)



1. "You need to move to where all the good, single, Christian men are!" (Is there a range somewhere that I can sit up in a tree stand of sorts and shoot them down as they run by????? And if there is, would I want to pick up my entire life to up and move there just to do that????)


2. (A conversation someone was having with me and my sister) Leigh: "I love him! He is only 31, I don't think that is too old for me." Person X: "You have to wonder about someone though that is 30 and not married. I mean, what is wrong with them that they aren't married already if they are that wonderful?" Me: "Really??"


3. "How is it that someone like you are still single?"

4. And along the same lines, "WHY are you STILL single?"

5. (talking about a guy that I have made the point that I am not interested in) "Can you really afford to be that picky anymore?"

6. (at my little sister's wedding) "You better hurry up or both of your younger sisters will be married and you won't be. You don't want that do you?" (dead serious)

7. "Isn't it time to start compromising?"

8. "You do like boys, don't you?"

9. "Maybe you should think more about the way you dress and do something with your hair and make-up. That would help."

10. And my personal favorite: "Isn't your biological clock starting to tick pretty loudly? You know women have a lot of problems getting pregnant after thirty."


Do you really need any commentary from me on this?

The Start of Another Generation!!!

So....I know most of you know the news already but, that's not stopping me from blogging about it!

Mom and Dad came in on Sunday afternoon. I had worked all night Saturday night, came home, took a shower and got ready for church service, went to morning service, and then got lunch with Louise (while Dirt went hunting). After lunch Louise went with me to a 31 party. If any of you haven't been to one (***shameless plug***you should! www.mythirtyone.com/laurie31 :^) we always start the party by doing a "Celebrate, Encourage, and Reward" introduction game. During this game, everyone introduces themselves, and then they say something from their life that they are celebrating, then they say something encouraging to the hostess, and then I reward them with something. Well, I always go first and then I go to whichever sister is there helping me. Obviously, this time it was Louise. She said that the thing in her life that she was celebrating was me getting in A in Statistics (which, believe me, IS worth celebrating!).

Mom and Dad got in town during the party and my Dad dropped my Mom off at the party. We all left straight from there and met Dad, Dirt, Leigh, and Nathan at pm church service. Mom and Dad were down to celebrate Louise's birthday (which was 1/15) so we all went to Jason's Deli from supper with some friends and then went back to Louise's house. After our friends left Louise's, I announced that I was leaving to go home (if you are keeping up here, I have now been up over 24 hours straight). Louise stood up and told me to wait that she wanted to show us all the latest project she had been working on and went to the back.

She came back in and gave me, Leigh, and Mom& Dad all cards. No one thought this out of the ordinary because Louise is always making cards. Cards for family, cards for friends, cards for the sick, cards for prisoners, etc. You can look at the cards above. They were super cute and she came up with them all by herself! I read the card out loud and look up and started asking who these were for and Mom and Leigh jumped up screaming. Then it hit me. Life had just changed for all of us. Kind of a huge moment! I am so super excited, Leigh is so super excited, Louise and Dirt are obviously excited, but my Mom and Dad can't hardly contain themselves! If you aren't their facebook friend, you are REALLY missing out! :)

One day, if the baby ever decides to read this, the rest of the post is from him/her.

Dear My First Niece or Nephew,

I wish that I was eloquent enough with words to put into words how I am feeling right now. The news of your impending birth has been the happiest thing that has happened to this family in a very long time. That is really saying a lot because, as you probably know by now, really happy things happen in this family all the time! Here are a few things to help you navigate your way through this family, that maybe you haven't figured out just yet.

First, we'll start with your Aunt Leigh Leigh. Leigh Leigh is probably your best bet to being "the cool kid", especially if you turn out to be a girl. She is going to be the one who tells you all about the best make up and hair products and the best clothes to wear. This advise will probably differ from your mom's and I, and will probably make your dad cringe (because, inevitably, will be the most expensive make up, hair products, and clothes!), but it will probably be most in line with whatever the fashion guru's of the day are saying. You will always be able to go to her and tell her anything without fear of any judgement. However, take my advise, this is the family member you do not want to cross. Boy or girl, she will chew you up and spit you out. She will love you through it all but, you do not want to learn this for yourself! You will be just like the rest of us and always be glad to have her and will find out that her light shines brightest when you need her.

Next, your Grandma (I know that's not what you are calling her but as of this date, she hasn't picked out her name yet!). Wow. Pretty special lady, huh? Have you ever met someone with a better heart than her? My guess is that she has probably driven you crazy once or twice already but that you also have already learned that she is your biggest fan! Funny thing, she was ALWAYS mine, your Mom's, and Aunt Leigh's biggest fan! There is definitely no way that you could have scored a better Grandma. I know this without ever seeing her in Grandma form because I know for a fact that we couldn't have scored a better Mom. What a lucky kid to get a bake cookies whenever you come to visit, drive hours to cheer on your every game, send presents for every good grade, best hug giver kind of Grandma! Don't ever take this lady for granted, you have no idea how close you came to never knowing her.

I think your Grandpa (the name thing goes here too!) is close to my favorite person ever. I believe that he has been a blessing to SO many over the years and we all have known how great he is with kids. There is no doubt in my mind that he is one of your favorite people ever too. No kid has ever NOT loved him! His biggest fault is that he is always stretched too thin. He tries to give everything to everybody and I have a hunch that, once you get here, he may get a little more focused. He has the special ability to make everybody feel like they are the most important person. The cool thing for you, is that you really will be. Also, if you are a boy (or a girl who loves sports!) he will be your golden ticket! He has played and coached almost every sport and will love nothing more than teaching you! I am sure he is already dreaming about it and planning it!

That brings us to your dad. Your dad has become such an important part of this family that it is hard for me to remember a time before him. I am so glad my sister got a Godly, Christian husband and I am so glad that you got such a Godly, Christian dad. Boy or girl, I can't wait to see the first camos he buys you! The great thing about having him as a dad is that you get so much knowledge about so much! He studies the Bible and will all be there to answer any questions and discuss that will you. He knows so much about guns, hunting, fishing, etc! He and your other Grandpa will definitely be the experts to turn to for those things! Not a lot of experience on this side of the family! He also is SO smart! I know you will always have someone to help you through school because he has helped me so much! There is no doubt in my mind that he will be such a great dad because he has been such a great husband to your mom, such a great brother to us, and such a great son to your other grandparents! They are such great people and did such a good job with him, that he definitely learned well!

I think that leaves us with your mom. You really, really hit the Mom lottery with yours. There has never been a kid that has met your mom that didn't love her. For that matter, I don't think there has ever been ANYONE that has met your mom that didn't love her. We have always picked on her, calling her "the perfect sister" but the truth is she is about as close as they come. Your mom has the biggest heart of anyone I know and does more good than anyone else I know. Even though she is my little sister, I have always looked up to her. I know she is my sister and I love her more than life itself so that takes a little away from this admission, but I honestly think I would believe it even if we weren't related. I don't think that if you could choose from all the women that have ever lived or will ever live who would be your Mom that you could do any better. She is the most Godly woman I have ever known and I pray that you realize what a blessing she is. My mom (your Grandma) was the best, most Godly mom ever and I took her for granted and then almost lost her. If you learn anything from me, I hope that it is not just about Tennessee athletics, family history, or sarcasm, I hope that it is NOT to make the same mistake I did. Don't ever take your mom for granted. I know she is all you have ever known, but she really is the best.

In closing, know that we, along with your great grandparents, great aunts and uncles, and cousins all already love you and have been praying for you since before we knew anything about you. I am sure that by now we are great friends and I think you hung the moon but, I know from experience, there is something great about knowing that people, not only will always be there for you no matter what, but have loved you and have been praying for you since before you were even born! Knowing what you are made of, I know you are the greatest kid ever and even though I haven't met you yet, and in fact only found out about you earlier this week, thanks for coming in and making the greatest family ever even better. I definitely love you kid!

Tales from the Single Side...Part 1

I am going to start a "series" on here called 'Tales from the Single Side'. I know that 99% of you that read these things aren't single and a lot haven't been for a while. And most of you never were single past 25. Things happen to people single over the age of 25, especially those that are members of the church of Christ and these things are just too outrageous/hilarious/ridiculous/irritating not to share.



First in this series is a "how to." Actually, It's a combination "How To/How NOT TO!"



HOT TO and HOW NOT TO set a single person up.



1. Just because YOU like a guy and YOU like a girl, IS NOT enough reason to think that THEY might like each other. Please think about what they like and makes them happy and not just why YOU like them and that they make YOU happy.


2. Just thinking that 2 people would make you and your husband's perfect "couple friends" DOES NOT make them a perfect match for each other!!



3. You know both people that you are trying to set up. Do they have things in common? And not just some stuff, most important stuff. Example: Most important like their faith, slightly less important: the things that mean the most important to them and how they spend most of their time: family, friends, extra curricular activities.

4. NEVER, EVER try to set someone up without their knowledge or tell them JUST AS ya'll are walking in to meet the person. I know, you WOULD think it would be common sense.

5. (this is going to be shocking for some of you, so be prepared) YOU ARE NOT "REALLY GOOD" AT SETTING PEOPLE UP!! You DON'T "have a gift", nor do you "have a really good track record" Sorry to be so blunt but, you aren't and one successful couple does not a "track record" make.


Personally I am flattered anytime someone wants to set me up with someone they love. It's amazing to think that you think enough of me to be willing to set me up with your brother, grandson, son, nephew, great-nephew, cousin, friend, friend of a second cousin twice removed, the guy that is your family mechanic, or the guy you met while waiting for the mechanic, ect. I know that my flattery sometimes comes off as irritation, but the truth is, I AM flattered. I just ask that you, PLEASE, give it just a little more thought next time. I ask this for all single people everywhere.

Here are some examples of people that others have thought were "perfect" for me that, indeed, were not:

(All names are withheld to protect the very, very guilty)

One lady, who bragged about her "track record" recently tried to set me up with a very nice man. A very nice man who is only five years older than I, but appears to be about fifteen. His interests are children (he is a teacher at an elementary school), music (music teacher), and he recently won a grant from the state to make puppets. He does this for fun. VERY nice man. Just to remind you all, I love "my children" but have very little patience for all the other ones in the world. I was fully prepared to give up my dream job because it required some teaching. The extent of my music interest goes about as far as the concerts I give in my car. Puppets freak me out and I love sports.

Another recent set up attempt was by my Grandma (whom I love but cannot accept that I am so very happy single). Her reasoning was that she knows he is a very strong Christian from her congregation and thought him very nice looking and he loves Tennessee football too (she was on the right path, but.....), unfortunately, he is, um, older. Like past child having years.

Some others were a crazy, REALLY wanted to get married NOW guy with a cat. Then there was the recent widower with two children. And let's not forget the Florida Gators fan. So many stories, so little time.

I do hope this post has been informative for you all. Please feel free to comment with any questions and look for the next installment of 'Tales From the Single Side': Things NOT to say to single people!

:) :) :) :) :)

Breaking back in with a great story!

I've been gone from the blogging world way too long to try to update what all has happened so I am starting from today. And, the story I am about to tell you something that has recently happened to me that has changed mine and many others lives, I pray it might have the same impact on yours.

Background: About ten years ago, I went to Mom and Dad's house for the weekend, in Lineville, where they had just moved and Dad had just started preaching full time. This congregation is small (about 75 members at the time) and Dad did the bulletin by himself on this OLD rinky dink copy machine with articles he had written and little poems, says, stories, ect. in it. Well, there was an anonymous poem in the bulletin on this particular Sunday that REALLY moved me. I cut it out and put it in my Bible. Well, a year or so later, I was writing a sympathy card. Those of you who know me well know that I AM NOT a wordsmith AT ALL. I ALWAYS manage to say the wrong thing and ESPECIALLY when I am uncomfortable (and who isn't when talking to someone who has recently lost a loved one). So, I thought of this poem I had that (and still read quite often) and thought about how it made me feel and I just made a copy and stuck it in the card. WOW! The response I received! She wrote me a letter back telling me how much it had meant to her. I had stumbled on to something here! So, I made a bunch of copies and started sending it with every sympathy card I sent out.

Fast forward about 7 years: Now, I am working at Montgomery 911 and this lady that I work with, her mother died suddenly. So, I gave her a card and put the poem in there. She came to me, days later, and told me that the poem meant SO much to her. She read it at the funeral, made copies and gave it to her family, and said she was having to read it everyday along wither her Bible, just to get through. Well, a few weeks later, her sister died suddenly and within a month of that, her aunt died. After she came back from her Aunt's funeral, she came to me and said that she had read it at all three funerals and had passed out over 1,000 copies and just wanted to reiterate how much it had meant to her and her family.

About 3 weeks ago: Obviously, being in the line of work we are, we are part of true tragedies almost daily. However, we are taught (to survive) we have to leave the situation when we hang up the phone. As cold as it sounds, this is the only way to do this line of work very long. If you get invested in every emotional call, you couldn't last a year. The best thing (I have found) that I can do for a caller is get them the help that they need as quickly and as professionally as I can. Then I always say a prayer for them and the people responding to each call. Then I HAVE to forget it and move on to do the same for the next caller. It is hard to do at first but, it does get easier. That's not to say, however, that some aren't easier to forget than others. Children calls are ALWAYS hard and hard to forget. Well about three weeks ago, we had a 13 year old from one of the private schools here in town, and a pretty prominent, well to do family here in town, hang himself. I can't tell you how glad I am that I didn't take the call from his mother that morning (she found him after my shift got off). Well, he used to have ties to Faulkner through our athletic trainers (he used to be their boss) and Ashley, our football trainer and a family friend of theirs, came in one morning and told me that she just had to tell me about something that had happened at their congregation the night before.

Here is (paraphrased) what she told me: Cole Ellis's (the little boy who committed suicide) mom and dad had come to speak and give their "testimony". His mom told her account of something that had taken place at the viewing. She said that a lady had come up and was hugging her and she figured she was a friend of Mike's (her husband) because she had never seen her before. She pulled back and said, "You don't know me, but I am the 911 operator who took your call." She then told her a little about some of the tragedies that had happened in her own life, and then handed her something. She said, "This is something a co-worker gave me during my difficult times and it was the only thing that truly helped. I read it every day for over a year and still look at it regularly. It helped me so much and I think it will help you too. Don't read it now, wait until you have a quiet moment alone and then read it." She said that later she did have some alone time and pulled it out to read it. Ashley then began to tell me what she could remember of the poem and I couldn't believe it! It was the poem I had given Liz years ago! It just happened that Liz was the one who took the call and went to the viewing and gave her the poem! Then, it had moved Ashley (and evidently most everyone who was there that night) so much that she couldn't wait to share it with me! Talk about going full circle!

Last Wednesday: Well, of course, I have LOVED this story and have shared it many times! Well, I was in a meeting with a supplier (for Faulkner football merchandise) and I started to tell her the story. Well, she started crying (happens a lot though when I tell the story) and she informed me, that the Ellis's were their families best friends and Cole and her son had been best friends! She said (and I will never forget), "Laurie, that poem changed their lives." WOW!

OK, now rewind to the Sunday after Thanksgiving: A friend of mine that was in my Delta pledge class in 1998 and her husband and 2 year old daughter were traveling home from the Montgomery area back to their home (in between Athens and Atlanta). They were near LaGrange when some one, driving WAY TOO FAST, ran up behind them, hit them, and smashed them into the vehicle in front of them. Brian (her husband) was knocked unconscious, Kristy was also but also had a punctured lung, broken clavicle, a broken shoulder, and 4 broken vertebrae, Helen (their daughter) was killed on impact. Brian, who became conscious at the scene, was rushed to the hospital in LaGrange while Kristy, still unconscious, was airlifted to Atlanta Medical Center. Iwill blog more about this later, but I wanted you to know why I was writing another sympathy card.

This past Friday: I was trying to find the impossible words to say to my friend who was laying, paralyzed, in a icu unit and had just found out that her only baby, who was to turn 3 on the 23rd of this month, had died. I was sitting in Louise's office and she was helping me come up with what to write. There was one of Faulkner's dorm mother's also sitting in there and she said, I know the perfect thing you should put in there! Me and Louise looked at each other and Louise said, "We know exactly what you are going to say!" (she is a member at the same congregation Ashley is) She later told us she thought "No she doesn't!" And, of course, we did! She told us that she had been so moved by it that she had tried to find it on the Internet and had found out that it was on the memorial stone at the Oklahoma City bombing site! So, now I have sent it on to Brian and Kristy and I can only pray that it brings them just a little comfort to their unimaginable pain.

I really, really wanted to share this with you all because we most all have experienced the loss of a loved on and it is very easy to recall the terrible pain that inflicts.

Before you ask, I pasted it below :)


I said, "God, I hurt." And God said, "I know."

I said, "God, I'm so depressed." And God said, "That's why I gave you sunshine."
I said, "God, life is so hard." And God said, "That's why I gave you loved ones."

I said, "God my loved one died." And God said, "So did mine."
I said, "God, it's such a loss." And God said, "I saw mine nailed to a cross."

I said, "God, your Son still lives." And God said, "So does your loved one."

I said, "God, it still hurts." And God said, "I know."

(on the original copy I had Psalm 121 is quoted right beneath it.)

I Remember...

...I hope you do too.

I will always remember getting ready in my Faulkner apartment for my 8:00 a.m. (CST) Anatomy and Physiology class and watching Headline News while I was getting ready. Robin Meade broke in with a breaking news alert and showed the pictures of the first building that had just been hit. I thought, momentarily, how sad. The pilot probably had a heart attack or something and then said a prayer for all the people affected. I then went on to class.

When I walked out of that class a kid, Jack, ran up to us and said, "The whole world is under attack." We asked him what happened and he started to tell about the planes hitting the WTC. I stopped him and belittled him a little for being so melodramatic (he was a theatre major) and told him that I saw it this morning before I went to class and no one thought we were under attack.

He then took us into the Nest, where there was a tv (and a crowd gathered watching it) and we saw for ourselves. I quickly went back to my apartment where I met up with my roommates, Lisa and Kelly, and we watched the footage. I just remember thinking that I needed to talk to my family, for some weird reason, to make sure they were all ok. They were all in the south, far away from NYC, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania, but, somehow, it didn't matter. Daddy called just about then and I cried for the first time.

(This isn't really a "blog" nor was it intended to have emotion attached, I just wanted it to forever be saved what my account was from that horrible day.)

God bless America.