Christmas Eve Eve Recap

Our 2025 Christmas Eve Eve was fun!

This is our group pic after an early lunch at Ted's in MWC. ❤

Table pics of both sides!  Asher and Karsten were at the head of the table. =)

JoBug, Mom, and Jaceman!  It makes me happy that JoBug's grandma name is "Sassy." lol

A few random pics at Ted's

I very specifically remember feeling sad when I saw this pic of me on Christmas Eve 2023 with Asher Kenneth, and feeling joy when I saw the pic on the right yesterday with Karsten Blaire!

I'm thankful for cute babies, and very thankful for health and confidence progress!!

2023 and 2025 family pics - happy and grateful that I feel okay with being up front now!

Asher and Dasher! ;-)

Part of my gift for Judge Brockman (along with an OU hoodie).  He said this quote in every Wellness Court plea I took a record on, talking with the participants about the importance of getting back up and learning from past mistakes, so I made this using Canva and ordered the wood panel at Walgreens. =)

Dinner last night was Paul's Place steakhouse in Shawnee (right next to OBU, as it turned out).  A bit of a drive and lacking in great ambiance, but it was really good food, so we'll probably be back!

K-Faith challenging Rach to a straw duel whilst we were mid-conversation. lol  She's a funny one!

Jill and I in our almost-matching Christmas attire! =)

More AI photo fun during dinner. lol

After dinner, I stayed up till 1:30 to bake and ice a chocolate layer cake, and I was excited to get to try out my new stand mixer! =)

And that brings us to Christmas Eve!!  ❤

Thus far, I slept in, wrote cards for the niece and nephews, watched The Santa Clause and two episodes of T-Swift's docuseries, and exchanged gifts with the Whitakers (and Frankie checked out my car brakes which have been a little squeaky and shaky lately).  I'm headed to Mom and Dad's in a few minutes for a Christmas Eve pizza dinner and fun family game night  and gifts + a Christmas lights tour of Gaillardia and Nichols Hills (noteworthy fancy neighborhoods in the OKC area).

Sadly, I failed to get a pic with the whole Whitaker fam earlier... Doorbell cam for the win! LOL

That's all for now.  Happy Christmas, everyone!!

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Eleven Pipers Piping

1.  The fam at Jace's first 7th grade basketball game!

2.  Friend group pic at the Wilsons' Gender Reveal Party!

3.  Lunch with Ashley at La Baguette!

4.  OSU game with the Wilsons!

5.  The Finish Line stretch for Chet's 2nd Marathon!

6.  My redecorated room and new Peloton bike!

7.  OSU game with the Whitakers!

8.  Whataburger pic - Chet's Marathon Relay Team (minus Evan)!

9.  Post-decorating pic at Chet's KW Office!

Merry Christmas Eve, friends and family!!  This = month 11 in my 12 Days of Recaps with a few blog quotes and my top nine photos from each month of 2025!

NOVEMBER:

"Rach jokingly called me Harry Potter at one point, and I corrected that to Hermione (pronounced "her-my-knee").  Then Rach said, "Seriously, that's how you say it??  I always thought it was her-mee-own."  Like, get all the way out.  So yeah, she and her children clearly haven't even seen the movies and have zero business visiting the magic that is Harry Potter World! lol #muggles"
~Gaillardia Girls Night, 11-1-25

"The wonderful Wilson family will soon be a party of five, plus one in Heaven!  ...I'm realizing even as I write this that the above sentence now holds true for three of my favorite families on earth, which makes me feel even more grateful for the ironclad reality of Heaven... my heart feels every bit of this more this year, but there is so much joy to be found in life, and I would sincerely rather my emotions be heightened than numb."

~Gender Reveal!, 11-1-25

"A mentally healthy person does not avoid or trivialize their own pain; they acknowledge it, name it, and work through it... sometimes with the help of medication and/or a trusted friend, family member, or counselor! The only way out is through.  Keep going."
~Reality at All Costs, 11-2-25

"It was oddly validating and helpful to hear him say the counseling profession as it stands today is gradually collapsing - (a sad reality, but at least I feel less overwhelmed and alone in it).  He said it will take "phoenix leadership" to rise up and rebuild it...  He said he loves this profession for what it can be, not for what it has currently become.  And he gave me some solid advice on how to move forward if becoming a CCU professor is my goal!!"

~Island Items & Phoenix Leadership, 11-4-25

"I think one of the big things court reporting has taught me is to be more "shrewd."  Not cynical or fear-based or always assuming the worst, but less naive and gullible... being a sharper judge of character, and being more prepared and alert to real evil and danger."

~Courtroom Lessons, 11-6-25

"When my nervous system overreacts, it's liberating to breathe and remind myself, "[David], nobody cares."  Life is messy, and most people are too busy thinking about their current needs or their own awkward moments to stop and scrutinize mine."
~Discomfort Zone, 11-11-25

"It can be interesting to think about the various branches where life might have gone in another direction... there are literally thousands of them in all of our lives, for better or worse.  But remember to frame it with some realism and gratitude.  Adele is right - "Sometimes the road less traveled is the road best left behind."  Truly, through all the twists and turns, God is protective and caring.  He directs and redirects our steps, and we can trust Him to work in all things (tragedy and trauma included) for our good and for His glory!!  ❤"

~Alternate Universe, 11-14-25

"Within a 48-hour period, I received the two best job offers of my life last week!  And yesterday, I gladly accepted a court reporter position with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission! ❤"

~The Path of Peace, 11-18-25

"Today was really fun for me from start to finish!!  Chet so appreciated the relay team support, and I think all of us really enjoyed being a part of it.  I was thrilled to have the final leg with more photos and less running.  But seriously, round of applause for Chettles, who showed remarkable grit in finishing the marathon after being sick all week... then hosting everyone (27 people this year) for dinner a few hours later!"

~"Chet Pack" Relay Team!, 11-23-25

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Ten Lords A-Leaping

1.  Wednesday walk with Kristin at Central Park/The Station!

2.  Fan club for Jace's last home football game!

3.  Parker holding the baby as they provided respite foster care!

4.  Mom and Jaceman after his last 7th grade football game!

5.  11am OSU game fun with Dad and Rach!

6.  RIP Diane Keaton!

7.  My T-Swift inspired pic before seeing her album-launch movie on October 3rd!

8.  Heal Out Loud LifeGroup ladies (Good Boundaries & Goodbyes)!

9.  Gaillardia Halloween girls night with Rach, Kyndal, and Haydenn!

Merry Christmas-Eve Eve!!  Today will be my final day at the Cleveland County Courthouse - I'm excited about the job transition, and I am sincerely very grateful for my time there!  This = 12 Days of Recaps with a few blog quotes and my top nine photos from each month of 2025!

OCTOBER:

"Enough of this tortured poet nonsense.
Welcome back, vibrant and happy T-Swift! lol
Your long-time fans had missed you!!"

~Dancing Through the Lightning Strikes, 10-6-25

"[Emily] carefully asked whether it might be possible that my nervous system has become so accustomed to me being in a state of indecision and limbo that self-doubt feels like the most familiar path - (something I naturally default back into without much conscious awareness).  Umm, wow, yes!!"

~Breaking the Cycle, 10-8-25

"For years, I talked and wrote about becoming a single mom until it became hard to admit that I might want something different now.  In addition to all the roadblocks I encountered, my desire itself had begun to shift.  It’s not that I don’t ever want kids or don't believe I would be a good mom, but the “doing it alone” part began to feel more daunting and isolating than empowering and connecting."
~Safety Nets and Wet Paint, 10-11-25

"The Cowboys lost, but I can't express how little that mattered to me.  They fired Coach Gundy mid-season and their first and second string quarterbacks have been injured.  So it's a rough, slightly embarrassing, rebuilding kind of season for them, and on the metaphorical level, I totally relate to that and wish them all the best!"

~Football is Life, 10-12-25

"Either way, I know I am not alone in this frustrated perspective, but you cannot know how deeply flawed it all is until you're at the epicenter where you've invested so much time, money, and energy into this career that it becomes difficult to change course (the sunk cost fallacy)."
~Reality vs. Expectation, 10-18-25

"Having zero experience to speak from, I'm still firmly convinced I would be an excellent supportive wife, so I may venture back into the dating world eventually, and I will absolutely continue to work on my health goals, but in the meantime, I am truly grateful that, as an admittedly overweight and long-term single woman, I mostly feel cute and loved!"

~Everything Else, 10-18-25

"Embracing my own agency and power to choose and take action is literally the overarching theme of the last several years of my life... Emily and I also talked about how when you put others on a pedestal, it makes you smaller.  Then we talked about the litany of mixed messages I have received over the past four decades about the value of being small versus the value of being strong."

~Pedestals and Power, 10-23-25

"Me:  We've been talking about [dissertation topics], like, what do we want to be known for?
Dr. R:  Nooooo.  No, that's too much pressure!  You want to be known as "Doctor."  You can figure the rest of it out later."
~Photo Friday, 10-31-25

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Surprise Last Day!

Last night was Dad's staff Christmas party at Red Rock by Lake Hefner (love that location).  I sat between Kristin and Triston, and I chatted with them and Mom and Georgia, Alan, and Charlene!

I enjoyed the skillet cornbread, the salad (and my first time trying goat cheese), the potatoes and carrots, and the dessert!  And hopefully Kristin and/or Frankie enjoyed my chicken and ribs. lol  Mom and Triston loved their steaks, and everyone seemed happy with the food from what I could tell!

Asher Kenneth is a big fan of Santa Claus... not so much for Miss Karsten Blair!  Looking forward to seeing them tomorrow for an early lunch at Ted's!!

Doris got this cake for me this morning for what turned out to be my last day at the Cleveland County Courthouse!  (Judge told me around 4:15 that he was taking tomorrow off, so I gave them their gifts and packed the rest of my stuff to do the same - huzzah!!)

A lovely final afternoon walk around Main Street in Norman - surprisingly nice weather lately for December, so I took advantage of that!

The meme on the left made me laugh, in spite of me participating in that trend.

I tried a new prompt, and it randomly changed my eye color.  So now I know what I'd look like with blue eyes - turns out God knew what he was doing giving me brown. lol  I would adore that hair, though!!

For any Swifties out there, or really anyone at all, if you ask Siri to "Play Opalite by Taylor Swift," please let me know what happens??  Nearly every time I ask (which is fairly often, as it turns out), it plays her Elizabeth Taylor song instead -- those titles sound absolutely nothing alike, and it's become both comical and infuriating. lol  What on earth!?

The last of my things as I left work around 5:15 today!  Yay for Mom's rolling cart, and yay for her helping me get most of my things last weekend!!

I'm super grateful that Judge decided to take tomorrow off completely (he was originally just taking the afternoon off).  This will make all of our Christmas Eve Eve family plans feel stress-free for me, and it allowed this last workday to be all I wanted it to be.  I printed and filed my last transcript, backed everything up on SD cards, took a final walk around Norman, said my goodbyes to Judge and Doris (and Melissa and Leslie when they came down for cake), and grabbed dinner from Victoria's Pasta Shop and gelato from Apple Tree Chocolate one last time on my way home!!

My adorable friend, Hogie, at the Christmas Chute on this day last year!!  Gah, Corgi puppies are the very cutest!

Hilarious pic from a fun game night at Nancy's on this day in 2018!

Mel Robbins had David Kessler on her podcast this week, and they had a great conversation about grief HERE.  I'm on the very short list of people who feel drawn to that topic and always want to learn more.  One of my favorite things he says is: "Grief must be witnessed, not fixed."

The idea that it "must be witnessed" resonates for me, reminiscent of the Shall We Dance quote I've mentioned before:  "We need a witness to our lives...  In a marriage, you're promising to care about everything.  The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things... You're saying, 'Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it.  Your life will not go unwitnessed because I will be your witness.'"

So once again, thanks to my blog readers for being "witnesses" to the ups and downs of my life!  This year has been intense - some big and loud accomplishments and some quietly painful losses.  When grief feels sharp for me, writing helps to soften it, and knowing my words will be read by even one person who cares about me helps me feel less alone in hard seasons.

That's all I've got for today.

Happy surprise last day of work to me!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas ahead!!

❤ ❤ ❤

Nine Ladies Dancing

1.  McAlister's lunch and catching up with Laura and Tiffany!

2.  Sunset walk at Central Park/The Station in Moore!

3.  Zoom meeting with Dr. Burkhart about his favorite books!

4.  After Jace Michael's first football game this season!

5.  Watching Jace's game with Mom and Rachael!

6.  Seeing Beth Moore live in Tulsa with Kantrell and Amber!

7.  Box seats for Leslie Odom Jr. in Hamilton in NYC!!

8.  Mission BBQ after the final Downton Abbey movie!

9.  Olive Garden with the fam!

This = 12 Days of Recaps with a few blog quotes and my top nine photos from each month of 2025!  Side note: What a strange and lyrically absurd song The 12 Days of Christmas is!

SEPTEMBER:

"Krystal had me lead our supervision group this week to practice Written Exposure Therapy, which I'm excited to try with clients moving forward!"
~Thankful Thursday #230, 9-4-25

"My other new purchases = the HamilTEN hoodie (obvi), a cute Texas t-shirt from the DFW airport, and my NYC M&M pajama pants!!  Some fun items to commemorate this solo adventure to Dallas and NYC!"

~Ready to Face Whatever's Awaiting Me in NYC, 9-15-25

"Lately, I haven’t felt quite okay or like myself.  I am overextended, overwhelmed, resisting depression, and numbing with food.  I had a moment of clarity while watching Gladys walk down the aisle, silently hoping someone would stop her and feeling trapped by the momentum of her own decisions."

~The Path of Life, 9-20-25

"My recent sonogram suggests that another surgery would be needed if I pursue pregnancy and embryo adoption.  This pattern of high vulnerability, high expense, and deferred hope has left me feeling numb... letting go of the motherhood dream would create a real void in my sense of purpose... I would need God's help to face that ambiguous grief, reframe my identity, and embrace His best for me -- whatever that looks like moving forward.
~The Path of Life, 9-20-25

"I really wanted a very clear "Let go" or "Hold on" theme, and instead I got the vague, "There is a time to keep and a time to cast away" passage, along with several peppy reminders from the teacher in Ecclesiastes that much of what happens under the sun is meaningless, senseless, futile, vain, absurd, and out of our control.  Beth said this book gives us "a soulmate in our anguished doubt." 

~Living Proof, 9-29-25

"After LOTS of prayer and back-and-forth inner wrestling and hard conversations and personal journaling and seeking clarity, I have decided to close the chapter on the embryo adoption journey.  I'm not closing my heart to motherhood, but not putting myself through any more physical, mental, and emotional hurdles on this particular route.  I am tired of life feeling "on pause," so finally making a decision and being able to move forward accordingly is a relief at this point, but there is grief that comes with it too."

~Living Proof, 9-29-25

"[On The Wedding People] - The main character is Phoebe, a detail-oriented, intelligent, and quietly depressed single woman in her early 40s who decides life isn't really worth living anymore after years of painful fertility struggles and bad relationship endings and slowly realizing her dream of motherhood will probably never happen and that all the hard work and time she put into her doctorate was barely interesting to her anymore and she is mostly unfulfilled by her work as a college literature professor.  Nope, not kidding... it's well written and relatable with a good redemptive arc in the end.  The emphasis is on our ability to change our minds and shift our course to create a vastly different life that makes us happier and more energized, which feels encouraging to me even now!"

~Brilliant Books, 9-30-25

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Feliz Navidad!

Couldn't decide on a post title, so I went with Chet Lee's favorite song. lol ;-)

This group pic from yesterday's party makes me happy!  Left to right, it's Dad, Melissa, Karli, Tate, Chet, Parker, Jace, Kyndal, Rachael, Ellie, Jeffrey, me, Mom, and Triston! 

Parker didn't take long to cozy up to Kyndal and Rach! =)

The brunch party menu included Gourmet Donuts (my fav donut shop in Norman), Candace's Cookie Creations (a CHA mom who has a side bakery business), pigs in a blanket, and CFA chicken minis and fruit! =) There was also H-Tea-O + apple cider, chocolate milk, and orange juice available!

Closer pic of the cute cookies. ❤

Parrishes by the tree (T came late and left early, so he wasn't a part of this pic, but something tells me he's okay with that)!

Rach was kind enough to take this group pic of our table! ❤

T-man and I - he's been busy applying to 20 colleges, and I'm proud of his hard work there!  (He's been accepted to OSU, OU, and a few schools in Colorado, and he is working on scholarship applications now).

Our attempt to get a fun outdoor pic (under the carport) by the nutcrackers Rach painted for Mom... you can only see one eye and the hat of each of them, which is hilarious to me!  As is the angle of this pic (from a phone camera with a timer resting precariously on Dad's car door handle). lol

Better pic of one of the aforementioned Nutcrackers...

Pistols firing!  Tate and Chettles took Dad's golf cart for a spin around the neighborhood!

"Mockey and the Boys!"

Thankful for the way these two have shown up for me over the past 15+ years... their Godly wisdom, genuine support, and all the laughter they bring into my life has gotten me through some rough seasons and shaped who I am today!

Parker and Ellie had fun hanging out with Dad!

We were first in line for the group pic, so Rach snapped this picture of us... just Chet, JEM, Ellie, me, Vivian, and Michaela! ;-)

The Jaceman did a brave-and-entertaining early Polar Bear plunge jump into the very cold pool, a preview of Chet's New Year's day party! lol

Mother/daughter pic by the Christmas banner!  (Kudos to Jen Hatmaker's "Black Friday deals" Amazon list for this red blazer jacket - a random pop-up on FB since I don't even follow her at this point, but I'm a fan of this cuteness!!)

A Mockey Little Christmas #8 (hosted by Mom) was a success!  I'm grateful my friends traveled from Tulsa to join our fam in OKC for this party for the 4th year in a row, and I'm grateful Tman and J&K were all able to come, and I'm happy that we had no drama or visits from the police this year!! lol

Mom came over last night and we worked on my home office a bit, working on closet shelves + cleaning and hanging my Oklahoma CSR, Texas CSR, RPR license, SNU diploma, and Chi Sigma Iota certificate... and most importantly, the red mirror that started in Mom's CR office in Lawton in 1977 and has been with me in Grady County, Creek County, and Cleveland County! ❤  Most people would wait and post a big reveal at the end, but I feel compelled to give little progress updates all along the way. lol 

Anywho, happy Christmas week, everyone!!  This glam-raccoon pic by the parks department made me laugh this week... and moments later, I asked ChatGPT to change my dress and headband to magenta-pink sequins. lol

Yes, please. lol  Ridiculous but fun!

❤ ❤ ❤

Eight Maids-A-Milking

1.  Parrish kids with Rach on the first day of school!
2.  Integrated Therapy Solutions' FB ad for me!
3.  Me and the Mini Miss K on her 12th Birthday (spaghetti fam dinner)!
4.  Dad's 72nd Birthday dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse!
5.  Andy's Custard with the fam after Dad's bday dinner!
6.  Meeting Ashley Campbell in person for the first time!
7.  Taylor and Travis getting engaged on 8-26-25!
8.  Shopping fun with Chet and the kids (the day I learned Karli was pregnant)!
9.  Book signing with the entire Campbell family in Broken Arrow!

This = 12 Days of Recaps with a few blog quotes and my top nine photos from each month of 2025!

AUGUST:

"I feel an increasing disenchantment with the counseling career path, and I'm uncertain about the next right step forward.  So pray with me for direction - for the strength to press forward or the courage to change course - whatever is most needed here!"
~The Next Right Step, 8-3-25

"She had a book signing event at Book and Bloom in Broken Arrow... an adorable bookstore & flower shop that she said reminded her of You've Got Mail.  For real, Main Street in Broken Arrow is the best, and they chose the perfect location for this event!  Oooh, and I stopped by the Laurannae Bakery Ashley had recommended afterward and had the very best cupcake ever, but let's not get sidetracked... The Campbell family is such a light in the world, and I'm happy this book will carry that light a little further!!"

~I've Never Been Here Before, 8-10-25

"I'm grateful that all of these pics hold equal weight for me in this moment; I no longer feel pain, longing, or loss when I see photos with Malori.  Thanks to the '7 years and 12 days' revelation from God, the soul tie that was gripping for me is finally gone.  The difference I am talking about is internal and intangible, but I am deeply aware of it - the power this once had over me is gone, and that's not a small thing."

~Carousel of Progress, 8-11-25

"A lot of other areas of my life feel suspended in limbo while I'm waiting to know something definitive (a clear yes or no on the pregnancy hopes), and that has been more challenging than I expected...  A repeated and loud thought when it comes to big life decisions lately has been, "You're on your own here."  The fruit of it has been a. lot. of extra pressure and stress/exhaustion."

~In Limbo (But Not Alone), 8-19-25

"A repeated theme in this documentary was that overweight people felt invisible and saw weight loss as the best path to being seen and valued.  So they were willing to make enormous sacrifices and sometimes compromises to get there.  Check, that resonates."

~Seen and Valued, 8-21-25

"I am signed up to co-author a chapter of a textbook written by CCU and Liberty University professors, so yay for adding that to the resume!"

~Prepared for Magic, 8-24-25

"I cannot bank my hopes on any specific answered prayer.  And I cannot be petty and frustrated with God when life doesn't pan out according to my dreams or my timeline.  (Easier to write than live out - it's been messy lately, but I want to honor God as I move forward.)"

~Diving Deeper, 8-25-25

"I've wanted more of an ongoing mentor-style relationship there, and today, [Dr. Burkhart] sent me a reusable calendar link to set up future meetings whenever he has available time.  I promised not to overuse it, and he responded saying, "I truly enjoy investing in the people I see great potential in." which totally made my day, even before hearing T-Swift's big news!! =)"

~NEW NEWS, 8-26-25

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