Easter Eve!

Happy Saturday, friends and family!  I just booked the Colorado flights for Mom and I for my graduation - get excited!  I know this isn't the best Spring weather for Easter weekend, but I'm loving the sound of the rain as I sit here blogging in my PJ shorts and hoodie.  If I'm choosing 3 emotions on the emotion wheel for today, I feel grateful, relaxed, and hopeful... very Easter appropriate. =)

I also feel reflective.  Today is the 30-year anniversary of the OKC bombing, something I remember vividly from my 5th grade year.  Mom took me to lunch that day and told me about it, then Miss White made the announcement to our class before school ended.  And a week or two after that, I wrote a poem that became a bigger deal than I'd anticipated.  Watching all of that on the news was jarring, and it had a big impact on my 12-year-old self to know that Mom's former office was right across the street from the Murrah Building.  The race next weekend will be the 25th "Run to Remember," and along the course, they have posters with individual photos honoring each of the 168 people who were killed that day...

The term Silent Saturday is not nearly as familiar to me as Good Friday or Easter Sunday, but I LOVED the message here...

My deep thoughts for today were about how Good Friday speaks a message of deep love, Silent Saturday calls for strong faith, and Easter Sunday speaks vibrant hope! (1 Cor. 13:13)

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Okay, so Marilyn (our court reporter friend pictured bottom left) got us a table for the soft-launch opening of the 7th Neighborhood JAM location (which is in Moore)!  Apparently, her daughter's husband came up with the idea for it, and it's been a great success in OKC and in Tulsa, so that's awesome!  It was good to catch up with her a bit - she's retiring in December and looking forward to becoming a grandma soon!  Our server talked us into a cinnamon roll appetizer (yum - he didn't have to work too hard on that) and my French toast was awesome, and all our food was free since it was a practice run for them, so that's always a delight!

Last night, I joined the Wilsons and Weatherfords for dinner (Bill and Melissa picked up Rib Crib for us) and a musical at the PAC... Chet and Tate are on the mend after a rough week of sickness.  Melissa thought I was mildly crazy for coming on a potentially stormy night, but I so love hanging out with their fam, and the long drives are never a deterrent to me!

This = Parker in her fun colorful shoes (she came to greet me with the best excited scream when she realized I was there!), Bill and Tate playing on the mini-air hockey table (so cute!), a fun Easter wreath, and a random pre-dinner candid I snapped when my heart was full thinking how very fortunate I am to be friends with them! lol

The Myers had to cancel last minute, so I got to join Chet and Karli for a third time on their PAC season tickets... fun!!  The play was fun and very well done, and it was lovely chatting with the Wilsons and Paul and Stephanie!

In the end, 90% of my drive back home was dry and smooth... there was heavy rain for about 15 minutes when I reached the Kickapoo Turnpike, followed by a bout of feeling dangerously tired when the rain calmed down and I was 15-20 minutes from home around 1am.  (That really doesn't happen often for me, but it was intense, and I'm thankful for God's protection!)

Friendly Reminder:

Not sure how this hadn't occurred to me until today, but I'm going for the diamond boots as my graduation footwear... YAY - yes, please!  (I'll likely be wearing black slacks instead of a dress.) Between the diamond boots and my crystalled-out cap, I'm not sure CCU will believe I'm "respecting the solemnity of the occasion," but I'm excited, and all of that feels right for me!  Pics on the right = my living room chair-side table with some happy yellow roses I grabbed today, then the strawberries and dip I made for tomorrow!

Spring/Easter pics are always the cutest!  Yay Shoemakers and Moss fam! =)

And speaking of Easter, I attended the CHA Easter program Thursday night...

Mini Miss K looking lovely in her new dress!

She was accidentally twinning with her art teacher's daughter, but I love that she embraced the fun of that and asked for a pic with her!  On the right is Jaceman with his friends TJ and Jace!

The 5th grade girls!

Pics with J&K!

The 6th grade boys!  (This one was J's final elementary school program!!)

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Ending with a couple memes, just for fun! =)

How cute is this dog!?  And the writing is super accurate and made me laugh!

Okay, the rain is still going strong... I'm grateful to be in my cozy house, off to watch Ted Lasso and do a short bike ride now, then eat my delish cinnamon roll leftovers, because balance! lol  

Reminder:  God is working behind the scenes - He is with you and for you - and His words are more reliable than our feelings.  Thanks for stopping by, and Happy Easter tomorrow!!

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Thankful Thursday #225

"You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous, and this [generosity, administered] through us is producing thanksgiving to God [from those who benefit]."  ~2 Corinthians 9:11

Today, I am thankful for...

1.  Ridiculous reels and fun memes that lighten the mood and make me laugh!

2.  Fam dinners and the Miss K bringing diamond art for us to work on together. =)

3.  Sarah tagging me in this happy post - Leslie is back as Aaron Burr on Broadway, and the tickets are flyyying!

4.  Rest, ice, and elevation... I'm over it, but I think it's helping a bit.  I've done a couple bike rides and a lot of visualizing myself pushing through to the finish... praying for the strength and healing needed to do that!

5.  Carter Lee, my rodeo champion nephew who turns 17 tomorrow!  #HBD

6.  Abby, who I need to set up a lunch or dinner with soon!

7.  Having Good Friday off tomorrow, and having extra time this week to slow down and consider my options and pray for wisdom and clarity and peace - so many big decisions looming, and I really need God's guidance in this season!  *Also grateful for Levi Lusko, whose wise words have been an encouragement this week!

Two Thursdays in a row - I'm on a roll!
Happy Easter weekend ahead!

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LCM Life List!

Hello and Happy Wednesday, friends!  Our Jury Trial for today is going, but they did not need a record for voir dire - praise the Lord! lol  So I'm finishing up this list I started yesterday, inspired by the Netflix movie and by reading a couple other blogs on this topic...

As I'm writing this on 4-16-2025, my "Life List" includes 62 new items and 38 that I've already completed - (to give me a sense of momentum and accomplishment, all things that would have genuinely been included)!!

In random order...

1.  Eat delicious pizza and pasta in Italy!

2.  Celebrate a milestone birthday with Mon Ami Gabi brunch in Vegas

3.  A fun professional photoshoot with close friends!

4.  See the Grand Canyon; Visit Muir Woods in California

5.  Own the world’s cutest Pom puppies (#bestgirlfranz)

6.  Help my niece and nephews with resumes, college visits, and college applications; Watch them graduate high school

7.  Zipline over Niagara Falls; See those waterfalls up close

8.  Complete my dissertation; Earn my PhD!

9.  Start my own podcast (or co-host it with a friend)

10.  Be present for the actual birth of my niece

11.  Walk/Run a Half-Marathon (x5)

12.  Walk the stage at CCU Graduation for my Master's (5-9-25)

13.  Finish a Full Marathon (Lord willing, 10 days from now!!)

14.  Try out a few and choose my favorite bakery in France =)

15.  Earn my RPR (225 wpm) and my OK and TX CSR

16.  Ride in a fancy limo (JSB, Kristin's bday)

17.  Accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior! ❤

18.  Ride in a helicopter (Niagara Falls, Canada)

19.  Start a Friday Night Dinner group to practice hosting skills and initiating deeper conversations with friends

20.  Lead/facilitate grief counseling groups

21.  Mentor/tutor a younger woman

22.  Learn to play Clair de Lune on the piano; re-learn Amazing Grace

23.  CHA Homecoming; Graduate Valedictorian (2002)

24.  See the Hollywood sign and shop Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills

25.  Lose 100 pounds (consecutively - one pound away as of this morning!)

26.  Professional headshots to celebrate college graduation

27.  See Celine Dion in concert!

28.  Eat pineapple and attend a luau in Hawaii

29.  Vacation in Hawaii as an adult!

30.  See Hamilton on Broadway! (preferably later this year with Leslie Odom, Jr.)

31.  Officially/legally adopt embryos through Nightlight

32.  Lord willing, become pregnant via embryo transfer

33.  One way or another, become a Mom!! ❤

34.  Tour the Hearst Castle

35.  Visit/tour the 9/11 Memorial Museum

36.  Walk the stage for my doctoral diploma

37.  Visit all four Disney World parks in one day!

38.  See the view from the top of the Eiffel Tower

39.  Visit the National Cathedral in Washington D.C.; be there for Cherry Blossom Festival season

40.  Speak/lead a session at an AACC conference

41.  Lead a Bible study group

42.  Author a Bible study for women; speak at a Christian women's conference

43.  Share my testimony and major life lessons with a group

44.  Share the gospel and lead someone to Christ

45.  Become an LPC-Candidate

46.  Become a Licensed Professional Counselor in Oklahoma

47.  Get licensed to practice virtually with Texas and Colorado clients

48.  Become an LPC-Supervisor

49.  Open a private counseling/coaching practice; Try walk-and-talk therapy

50.  Take a short course in cake decorating, photography/photo editing, self-defense, sign language, flower arranging, oil painting

51.  Train/learn to perform assessments (ADHD, autism, bipolar, etc.)

52.  Complete EMDR and EFT therapy trainings

53.  Record my own audiobook =)

54.  Be a guest on a podcast I love

55.  Teach courses at Colorado Christian University!

56.  Counsel and create a safety plan with a suicidal client

57.  Be brave/assertive/tactful, but reach out directly to any man I'm genuinely drawn to and excited about in real life or online dating - (ongoing goal, but so far, I have a 100% success rate here, maybe minus the tactful part in my early adulthood. lol) *success in being assertive and honest when I feel something deeply, not in my feelings ever being reciprocated - in case that wasn’t totally obvious 

58.  Recover from something I thought might kill me

59.  Write the obituaries for Grandad and Babah; Give the eulogy and prayer at Babah's funeral service

60.  Visit Yellowstone National Park

61.  See Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran in concert!

62.  Pray with people I love on hospital days (ongoing)

63.  Find a church home I love and get involved - accomplished in the past, but definitely a current and future goal

64.  Mentor/disciple someone wrestling with faith questions

65.  Take Triston, Jace, and Kyndal for individual trips with me (one down, two to go)

66.  Build a new construction home that I love

67.  Confess hidden sin/repent and keep a clear conscience before God (ongoing clear conscience goal)

68.  Visit Elafonisi Beach in Greece

69.  Buy school supplies, pack awesome school lunches with handwritten notes, and go on school field trips with my child

70.  Write and publish a memoir book I'm proud of

71.  See the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in Alaska

72.  Ride the London Eye/ Millennium Wheel

73.  See Wicked and Lion King on Broadway

74.  Ride the High Roller in Vegas

75.  Decorate a fantastic nursery room (for my own child)

76.  Instruct/lead a meditative/therapeutic guided yoga class

77.  Find true love (mutual yes to the 4 questions) & get married! ❤

78.  Attend a Texas A&M football game at Kyle Field

79.  Train for and run a sub-30 5k; Do a Color Run 5k for fun pics!

80.  Give someone a $1000 tip

81.  Attend the Olympics (summer or winter)

82.  Take a live Peloton class with one of my favorite instructors

83.  Take an Alaska cruise; Take a European cruise

84.  Visit Goose Hill and have a real conversation with Donald Miller

85.  Go for a writing-retreat weekend with a good friend

86.  Attend a Captivating Retreat with John and Stasi Eldredge in Colorado

87.  Pay off my home and any $$ owed to CCU in my 40s; live debt free from 50 forward

88.  Get in the best shape of my life in my 40s

89.  Host a dinner for friends and/or family at least once a month through my 50s and 60s

90.  Go on a fun Disney cruise with my kids and/or families with kids I love

91.  See OneRepublic, Garth Brooks, Maroon 5, Elton John, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, and Backstreet Boys in concert

92.  Lead 77 people to Christ - going with a big number there, as it's genuinely the thing that matters more than anything else on this list, and I need to be far more proactive about it!! ❤

93.  Live in a neighborhood with a great walking trail around a pond/lake

94.  Maintain a healthy weight of 177 or below from age 45 and beyond (the plan is continued healthy weight loss progress and a possible pregnancy between now and then)

95.  Train and complete 7 pull-ups, for the childhood me who struggled with the flexed-arm hang =)

96.  Be a commencement speaker at a graduation ceremony

97.  Tour Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) in England

98.  Take ballroom dance lessons with a man I love (ongoing, as I'd love to do this again with my future husband)

99.  Visit the Hills of Aberfeldy in Scotland

100.  Go to Heaven and start a brand new "Life List" after death! ❤

P.S.  Some of these are long-term, well-established goals.  Others are super random and may change as life moves forward.  I keep thinking of more things already, and I like that this will keep me in a goal-oriented, growth mindset!  I really may write a Heaven List eventually, as I have loads of ideas about things I'd like to see and do and people I'll wanna get to know when I arrive there! =)  Outside of #92 and #77, whatever remains incomplete here can likely be completed in Heaven, so that's a lovely and freeing thought!

P.P.S.  About #77, the four simple questions Alex's mom suggested to help her determine whether she's "found true love" from The Life List movie are:

• Is he kind?
• Can I tell him everything in my heart?
• Does he help me become the best version of myself?
• Can I picture him as the father of my children?

Love that!  Obviously, must love Jesus would also be in there for me.  So if or when there's a good and Godly single man who meets the above list AND he believes me to be kindhearted, present and deeply trustworthy, inspiring/supportive of the best version of himself, and great mom material, then it is all systems go!! lol  ...And if those things never quite align here for me, I will continue to live a full and happy single life, confident that God will be a trusted Father for my kids and will help me become the best version of myself! ❤

Marathon Monday #18 (+ Memes)

Hello, and happy Marathon Monday!

This is my friend, Kristen, with her parents.  She had her final chemotherapy treatment at MD Anderson last week - praising God for the progress she has made, and praying for her continued health journey!! ❤

On this "holy week" leading up to Easter, that is sooo worth celebrating!  I also wanted to start this post off by reminding myself of truth and of the major themes in life - that our God is at work bringing life and hope and healing - that His power and goodness are what sustain us, and He is with us and for us, working all things together for our good and His glory! ❤

Okay.  Less than two weeks to go till race day...

And all is not exactly well.  My game plan was to conquer 20 miles on Sunday... look at me all fresh and ready to go the distance.  That plan was thwarted by a random (and hopefully minor) injury to the top of my left foot. 

The pain started Saturday on our way back to the car at the outlet mall...

Walking by some lovely, well-placed outdoor couches and chairs...
Me:  There's no rush - we can sit down here for a minute if you need to. 
Mom:  Oh, I'm okay.
Me:  Yeah... welllll, I need to sit down! lol

I wore some cute Sketchers sandals I hadn't worn in a while... they fit me well last year, but I had to hold my foot in just a slightly strange way to keep them on right this year.  Anyway, the top of my left foot was suddenly in pain Saturday night... and I said out loud, "The last thing I need is a foot injury right now!"  

After a mini-break, our car wasn't far, then I drove home and changed into flip flops and figured all was well.  Sunday afternoon, I did my dynamic warm-ups and got everything prepared (body glide, sunscreen, energy chews, fresh shoes/socks, etc.) to do my final long training run at Central Park Sunday afternoon.  And 5.5 miles into it, that same foot pain started up.  I slowed down a bit, changed my socks and shoes, and tried to mentally push through it.  "Pain does not exist in this dojo.  Fear does not exist in this dojo." lol  

Shocking, I know, but that delightful mantra didn't solve anything. lol  I made it two more miles at the slowest. jogging. pace. ever with two more sitting breaks thrown in, and by then it was off-and-on shooting pains from the top of my foot through my left shin, and I knew finishing was out of the question... so I hobbled back to my car and called it quits for the day.  (Not sure how to describe it - to wiggle my toes or flex or point my left foot is painful, and there's intermittent pain on the top center of my left foot with regular walking.  LAME.)  I called Chettles and Mom feeling very frustrated, concerned, sad, and irritated... it helped to breathe and talk through that a bit.  On almost any other day, I would feel pretty proud of 7.5 miles, but I really wanted to finish 20 one more time, and more than that, I want to be strong enough to finish the Full in 13 days (without causing myself any lasting damage).

Anyway, I came home and took some Advil, hobble-walked the big trash can down to the curb, blogged for a bit, then took it suuuper easy, elevating/massaging and icing/heating my foot while watching Brittany Runs a Marathon (something I thought of during those last 2 miles at The Station, an inspiring movie where the lead character gets injured fairly last minute after a long span of intense training, then ends up having to do a different race than the original one she had signed up for).  Cried my way through the ending of that again - it's so well done!  I'm sincerely hoping the injury and postponing things is not my story here, but I need to be extra careful over the next two weeks.  I will say the movie was a reminder to me that I am determined to complete a marathon no matter what - I'd highly prefer two weeks from now to November!  Please join me in praying that this is a very short-lived injury and that all will be well by race day so I can finish strong and healthy - that is still the goal and plan!!  Obviously, time will tell (and either way, God will be good and kind, and I will be proud of the effort I've put into all this).  Resting easy for now, and I may try a shorter walk on Wednesday or Thursday.

Okay - thanks for listening and for praying with/for me.
To lighten the mood a bit, here are some Monday Memes - enjoy! =)

Women's magazines and/or my own brain...

Hope you have a fantastic Easter week ahead, friends and fam, and that God continues to bring new life and hope and healing wherever we (individually and collectively) need it!!

❤ ❤ ❤

Best Brothers Ever, Part 2

Friday was the JSB pics, followed by The King of Kings (animated movie) at Warren Theater.  Saturday was a Tulsa trip for Kyndal's volleyball tournament at the Titan Sports Complex, where Jeffrey Edward and Ellie Faye came to watch her 2:30 game!!

This = Kyndal and Rylen, a kind friend who is her current bestie on this team! =)

It was good to catch up with JEM, and I'm so grateful for him and Ellie taking the time to come support Kyndal!

Pic with Mamaw and a team huddle!

Mom's a big fan of Jeffrey Edward, and it always makes me happy when my friends and family get to hang out!

Kyndal had a few great serving streaks, and their team went undefeated all day Saturday!  Rach captured these fun team pictures while they were hanging out upstairs between games. =)

Rach and I snacked and chatted in her car for a bit during the longer break, and we pondered the ironic mismatch of this person's bumper stickers. lol

Kyndal Faith with Ellie Faye and Parker Elizabeth - love them all! =)

Chet and Tate were planning to come for the afternoon game, but Parker heard that and vetoed it, telling them, "Kyndal is MY friend." lol  So the whole Wilson fam joined us for the last game after Parker's ballet pics! =)

That final game started 45 minutes ahead of schedule, which was kinda frustrating!  But still awesome for the Wilsons to be there for the celebratory final set and get some pics with the fam!!

Charge 11's team pic after winning all 3 games that day... Mom and I came home and did not return for the Sunday games, but they won gold in this entire tournament, so HOORAY - go Charge!!

A final pic with the Jaceman, who was hard to track down (outside playing football with his stepbrother, Aden, and their friend, Isaiah).

After learning there was an hour wait for the Riverwalk Los Cabos, we decided on the Little Kitchen at the outlet mall!  Very different menu, but still good and fun, and a better atmosphere for hearing each other in conversation. lol

Mom grabbed a random guy walking by to take our group photo here, and surprise to no one, it turned out Chettles knew him! lol

We stopped by Claire's for the Mini Miss K to get her ear pierced... (just the one - she had them done recently, but one earring came out overnight and the hole closed up).

Parker Elizabeth's first time in Claire's with her adorable ballet bun, unicorn scrunchie/bracelet, and beautiful hair crown! #feelincute  I just love her almost-4-year-old self!!

JEM and Kelly went to the Ben Rector concert that night, and he texted this pic of them running into Laura Allison - fun!  

*Post title is a throwback to this post last year, when Chet and Jeff came to cheer for Kyndal's 2024 team.  I'm mildly upset about a potential injury today - more on that tomorrow - but I feel rich in relational love and support, which helps tremendously for anyone facing any stressful situation.  I am especially grateful for the long-term friendships of the Wilsons and Moss families - having healthy male friendships means a great deal to me, and having kind and trustworthy people who have been around for a while and seen me at my lowest, yet they continue to believe in the most beautiful/healed version of me and to cheer me on as I work to move toward that is a gift I don't take lightly (and hope to reciprocate well).  Anyway, I sincerely believe I have the best friends around, and my heart is full of gratitude for them tonight!! ❤

Happy Sunday, and congrats again to Kyndal Faith and her team!

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