Life Lately...

Okay, lighter post this time! =)

Kristin and the boys joined me for lunch at McAlister's on Thursday!! ❤

Frankie and Diesel were at their Cross Timbers church camp, so it was just her and Wesson and Nash!

They were surprised and happy to see me, so that was fun!!  Nash's missing-teeth smile and joking with his mom to stay out of trouble makes me happy! lol

We ran into Christina Maynes, formerly Tina Barlow, the star volleyball player for the 2000 CHA team! =) She was always kind to me, and it was good to see her!  She played on a scholarship for four years at OU and is now the head VB coach for CCS.  Mom and Rach were ready to switch schools when I told them that. lol

Then Jaceman and I went to see Karate Kid: Legends that night.  We were both equally thrilled with this last-minute cameo! lol  "Miyagi-Dough:  Slice first, slice hard, no anchovies!"

I had a hair appointment on Saturday, after Chipotle lunch with the wonderful Wilson fam!  (Tate and Parker were out back playing when I took this pic, but they ran out to hug me as I was in the process of driving off! lol)

So many cute bunnies in and around their yard... they're apparently eating the lovely flowers Chettles planted, so I don't approve of that, but still love seeing them! lol 

Thanks to my counseling homework project, I signed up for info on Thursday and ended up trying out a new Moore Lifegroup this morning...... imagine my surprise when the leader texted me her address a few houses down ON MY STREET! lol  God is funny sometimes!!  There were only three of us there for this first meeting, but we had a really good talk, and I'm excited about finally knowing one of my neighbors!  We're meeting every other Saturday, starting with the Captivating study then moving on to Lysa TerKeurst, so yay for all of that!  And yay for the pink backsplash and green cabinets in her Taber home! =)

It was Katie's very first time leading/hosting and Devon's first time attending any group.  I've done both more times than I can count, but it's been a while, and it was really nice to connect with them today!

So thankful it's not all up to me - God is guiding my steps and showing me which path to take. 

Adore them - so happy to have them back on a monthly basis now!

New rosy check vase with pink flowers and polka dot bow from Mom - love it! ❤

Happy last day of May, friends and fam!!  Reassessing wellness goals post-Marathon, and my June/July goals are to open a physical Bible and read one chapter a day + include a serving of veggies every day (spinach blended into a protein shake totally counts) + reach 175 by July 31st + complete a 5k (3.1 miles) every day of June and July (can be walking or running, all at once or in 2-3 segments).  

Let's make it a great summer ahead!!

❤ ❤ ❤

Framily Fun!

Happy Sunday, friends and family!!

Look at us, up bright and early to support the Mini Miss K in her summer volleyball league!  It was a 9:00am game at a gym that was 45 minutes away yesterday, and Mom and I agreed we would not set an alarm but would come if we happened to wake up on time... so we were both fairly surprised to see each other there.  Stupid Walmart grocery text at 7am. lol

We had fun cheering for her new team (they won the first game and lost the second, but both went into a 3rd set).  One of the dads behind us commented to his friend, "So this girl's our ace, huh!?" while Kyndal was serving. =)

*Also, this story is from a past tournament, but it made me laugh.  During the serving warm-ups, a volleyball was coming in hard right at me, but a little 6- or 7-year-old girl ran by and hit it back to the court just in time... then Sailor's dad sitting behind me sang in his best Mariah impression: "And then a hero comes along..." and I laughed about that for a stupidly long time. lol  What a great song I'd mostly forgotten about!

Okay, so after the morning games, Mom and Dad and I had a delicious Cheesecake Factory brunch!  We sat outside, and it was pretty nice weather.  Mom and I split the Belgian waffle with strawberries and pecans and whipped cream (obvi), and Dad had pancakes, and we all had a good talk! ❤

So much cuteness... Miss Hope Renee in her cap and gown - I so wish CHA did this!

Speaking of graduates, Laura's niece, Hannah, is graduating from Baylor this week - yay!  Sic 'em, Bears! lol  Anything with Baylor will always make me think of Jeffery.  Also, I applaud Baylor for creating this perfect photo spot... well done!! ❤

Katherine Claire with her parents during their mini-trip to OKC!

Ellie Faye with her parents on her last day of dance class!

Jace Michael with Rach, trying on his suit and tie for graduation!

An awesome gift and card from Bill and Jill! ❤

One year ago today.  A life-changing dinner convo with ripple effects that are still continuing!

Eleven years ago today - LifeChurch Tulsa with Tiffany and Kyle!

Followed by cheering for Karli and Baylee in the Full Moon 5k, followed by dessert at Yolotti! lol

I sooo applaud whoever thought of this.  I've never once eaten a whole loaf of bread before it expires, so I'm a big fan of this smaller & cheaper option!

"I am not alone because the Father is with me...
But take heart, because I have overcome the world."  ~Jesus

 The month of May is very full!!
Praying you find peace in Jesus today!

❤ ❤ ❤

Phoning It In #26

I had Princess Diaries on for delightful background noise while writing the Patterns vs. Possibilities blog, then when I finally came in the living room to sit down, Mia had just gotten the birthday note from her secret-prince-Dad.  He was reading: "From now on, you'll be traveling the road between who you think you are and who you can be.  The key is to allow yourself to make the journey."  It went pretty perfectly with what I'd just written, and the cheesiness of the whole moment made me laugh! lol

P.S. I've seen the movie a hundred times so it shouldn't surprise me, but how young do Anne Hathaway and Mandy Moore look in that picture!?

I got caught up on transcripts and thank-you cards at work yesterday, and I'm grateful for a little downtime this afternoon!  There's one other thing I'd like to clarify/reframe from the previous post.  If God never opens the door for me to become a mom and/or a wife, by no means do I believe that would mean I failed in living out my calling.  My focus needs to be daily faithfulness to God, living in peace, keeping a pure heart and clean conscience and loving others well -- whether married or single.  When I walk with integrity and pray over the things I can't control, God will guard me and keep me from shame and regret - whether married or single.  I'm confident about that, and I'm more and more confident that God will lead me in the path of life He has already planned and marked out for me!

A great pic of Kristin and her youngest three boys! ❤

Sam n Ella's party celebrating Chet Lee's graduation 15 years ago this week!!  I'm beyond grateful for the continuing friendships with Chettles and Jeffrey Edward and their wonderful families!  (Also, I'd love some Sam n' Ella's pizza - it's been a very long time!)

Miss Kyndal Faith at Creation Nation last week (top row) and at Gathering Place during her last club 11s volleyball tournament (bottom row).

The "Screamer Swing" at Creation Nation - she loved it!

And horseback riding... fun!  (Rach made a day trip of it and took all these pics whilst Mom and I were in Colorado).

Meanwhile, Jaceman finally got to FaceTime with Paul Cuffaro, his YouTube hero and fish-loving role model. lol  He sent Mom and I a few photos and a video of their call. =)

In a very random shift, here's Melanie and Caroline at her graduation from Texas A&M last week!  Love them...  I'm determined to see a game at Kyle Field purely because of that podcast!

Chet Lee has been *very busy* with landscaping projects and gardening and flower planting lately... for their neighborhood, their own home, and this KW Red Day project!  Now on to hosting the neighborhood garage sale then the Summer Block Party for all his clients. lol  He's the best!!

Meme that feels accurate for me...

New Marathon frame from Mom - love it!!

I also redid a few of my frames at home! ❤

Miss Holly Marie looking ever so cute and summery in her pink gingham that matches the fantastic roses -- (JEM has also been busy with gardening projects, and their backyard roses look awesome)!

Shea texted these pics after I'd already written my post, so here they are now! =)

Gif from a LivePhoto Mom took while we were walking in.  Sparkly cap for the win - I was not hard to find! lol

I sooo sincerely appreciate Holly buying our dinner at Cherry Creek Grill, and I'm certain most people would've loved this part of it... they were kind enough to split the French Dip sandwich into thirds for us, but I didn't realize that prime rib basically meant raw steak.  I told Chettles that eating red steak registers the very same way in my mind as eating pink chicken.  He looked very concerned and said, "Never eat pink chicken!!" To which I responded just as seriously, "Never eat red steak!" lol  (I get that I'm in the minority there, but it would make me gag and throw up for sure.)  I ate a tiny bit of the bread but couldn't bring myself to have even one bite of the meat.  But I'm sure Holly and/or Jack enjoyed it later, so good enough!  One of many times the fancier version does *not* register as better in my book... Velveeta shells n' cheese trumps most fancy restaurant mac n' cheeses, and I'll stick with Arby's and McAlister's when I want a French dip sandwich, thank you! lol

It's been an absurd back-and-forth cycle with lots of needless waiting, but Rach finally got the official news from Tinker that she qualifies for their deferred resignation program (full pay and benefits through September 30th), and tomorrow will be her final day working at TAFB!!  The end of an era, you might say. ;-)  Yay for celebrating that at family dinner tonight - hopefully it won't involve an unexpected ER trip this time!! lol  Aww, memories.  (Last blood pic, I promise!)

Mmkay, that's all the randomness I have for you today.
I love you and believe in you, and Jesus does too!!

❤ ❤ ❤

Cinco de Mayo!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

Kyndal Faith had her final volleyball tournament with her Charge South 11s team this weekend... they were running a full hour ahead of schedule, so Mom and I made the drive to Tulsa to watch one game, but still worth it to support the Mini Miss K!

Amber (one of the team mom's) had these shirts made with close-up pics of the girls faces. lol. Rach was standing behind a little girl at first - I heard Kyndal say, "You can't even see my face, bro!" so I told Rach to move to the left a little, then she did the sorority squat and had her hands together and Kyndal's face was kinda blocked and scrunched again. lolol

This = Kyndal being annoyed with her right after that! lol

Team pic - Tulsa Regionals tournament!  (This = the one JEM and Chet came to on this exact day last year!)

Aunt Lindsey and Mamaw getting a pic with the volleyball star!

Cheese on a stick... nom nom for us, David!  They had one concession stand that had this, corndogs, chicken on a stick, and funnel cakes -- and they were raking it in with their 4-item menu!!

Two selfies in a row, but whatever - Dad was kind enough to wash my car as we were gone, and Mom was kind enough to order this happy pink sticker for it, so this is me celebrating that!! ❤  In far more annoying news, the next-level-stress + sunscreen-free-sun + humid-salty-sweat combo of the marathon caused a cortisol hormone surge, peeling dry skin, and the worst breakout I've faced since my teen years... all perfectly timed for my graduation later this week.  Sadness.  I've been trying to be extra-zen and meditative to re-regulate my shaken nervous system and calm the breakout, but I don't think it's gonna work in a time crunch, sooo yay, concealer!

Tried out the Moore LC campus for the first time on Sunday.  Craig is doing a sermon series on marriage, but I appreciated the emphasis on how unity is built through a common mission and a common enemy... obviously true for the entire body of Christ, as well!

Thissss applies in a couple places for me, and it's making me think... also, the comma is not needed. lol

I got a post-race hot stone massage at Mokara Spa in the Omni Hotel downtown... highly recommend - the spa atmosphere and amenities there are fantastic!  I hadn't been since approximately a year ago when I had a pre-surgery massage... I was pleased that the robes fit better this time. lol

Crazy rain and flooding in Moore lately... this was Portland and Bryant both being shut down when I was gonna go home for lunch on Monday. lol #changeofplans

But in happy news, the flooding did finally inspire them to replace my disgusting ceiling tiles, and it brought me so much joy to put my office back together after that!

Kudos to Chettles and Mark Anthony, who are training for the Tulsa Tough this summer.  They did 40 miles on their bikes this Saturday!  Pics = Chet walking the bike to his car after getting a flat tire in their previous long ride, Chet sending me a hilarious pic after Mark fell trying to hop the curb, and a FaceTime screenshot while I was on my trip to Tulsa on Saturday. lol

Okay, this post is full of randomness, but I'll feel caught up afterwards, so bear with me.  The Atkinson ladies are currently on a trip to Paris, and I'm loving all the photos and stories!!  Beth bought her first Chanel purse at the original Chanel store there, they had amazing desserts at the fabulous Carette bakery, which is now on my list for my future Paris trip!  Tori bought art supplies and explored Monet's actual gardens and water lily ponds, and they're all living it up and hitting the fun tourist spots!  The pic of Lauren baptizing her daughter was definitely local, not in Paris, but I was collecting these to add to my Board of Empowerment, so yay!!  It makes me happy to see each of them living with joy and passion and using their gifts to make a difference! ❤

Speaking of joy, how freaking adorable is Parker Elizabeth!?

We met the Wilsons and Melissa for a late lunch at Slim Chickens after the volleyball match this weekend... I was so happy to see Chet driving the red truck that once belonged to his Uncle Richard!  And carting tons flowers for their neighborhood planting party this weekend! =)

Jace Michael in his fish-shirt signed by Paul Cuffaro (not sure I'm spelling that right?)

I made a cake with Karli's cookies n' cream icing to bring for our fam dinner tomorrow... I also was kind enough to taste test it first! lol  Yum!

Ran into someone named Kevin Franklin, so I had to text Rach this gif from Houseguest, circa 1995! =)

I could add a few things in each column, but it's a pretty solid list!

Sent this one to Rach! lol

She took J&K to Okana last Tuesday, and they had a lot of fun!

Annie hanging out on the beach with a friend!  It's funny how much I feel like we are real-life friends!

That's all I've got for you today - yay for being caught up at work, and now caught up on my photo documenting!  Hope your week is off to a lovely start!!

❤❤❤