Christmas Remix

Happy Wednesday, fram!  (My final Wednesday at the Cleveland County Courthouse, no less.)  Judge Brockman treated Doris and I to lunch today - a Christmas farewell lunch for me, as he put it!  We had a good talk, and I got a picture with them on our walk back! ❤

They made me choose, so I went with Neighborhood Jam - no regrets! lol  This = gingerbread with caramel and cranberry topping, lemon poppyseed blueberry, and chocolate chip pancakes - all good, and the leftovers will be good later too! =)

Mom and I came here and carted home most of my stuff from the courthouse on Sunday... it feels strange being in my office with it this bare!  

But my home office space is shaping up nicely and feeling very cute and cozy!  This remix has made my whole house feel freshly alive and vibrant to me, and I'm feeling really good about the new job starting after Christmas!  ❤

I'm never likely to turn down a remote job, but I want to be very clear that I've loved my time in Cleveland County and been treated very well here!  Judge Brockman has given me his own gated parking space, worked with my school schedule, supported my adoption and counseling goals, and been great about taking care of the record (slowing fast attorneys down, having people spell their names, etc.)

I appreciate him and genuinely like all the judges in this county!  This is their 2025 Christmas party pic... left to right, it's Special Judge Scott F. Brockman (my current judge, in his "Walking in a Winter Thunder-land" sweater), District Judge Michael Tupper (a fellow runner with so many medals from various races, so we've talked about that a lot), District Judge Thad Balkman (only covered for him a couple times), Special Judge Nathaniel Hales (don't love the setup of his basement courtroom, but he's always kind), Special Judge Kim Conyers (the juvenile judge at the Couch Center - love her), Special Judge Bridget Childers (family law), Associate District Judge Bethany Stanley (love covering her adoption docket), District Judge Lynne McGuire (treats all the court reporters really well), Special Judge Cory Ortega (also does prelims), McClain County Special Judge Lori Puckett (used to be Cleveland County, so I've covered for her in both places), McClain County District Judge Leah Edwards (who I worked with when she was an ADA in Grady County back in 2005/2006), and District Judge Jeff Virgin (who approved Marla and I's busy internship schedules in 2023) - YAY, District 21 Judges!!

Last night was Evergreen Academy's Christmas program... I'm excited to attend some of those in the future... here's Tate Haywood, Parker Elizabeth, Hope Renee, and Miles Matthew all dressed up! ❤

Best. ❤

Fun fact:  Today marks my golden friendiversary with Chettles and Sarah Elizabeth! (17 years on 12-17)

I can't tell you how much this new ad calling the Great World Race "The Global 777 Challenge" makes me wanna do it! lol  So epic.

The original Muecke fam, 20 years apart (Christmas 2005 and 12-15-2025 at Jace's basketball game).

I'm so happy to be on a school break, and I've been very productive with finalizing everything at work lately.  I am 1/6th of the way done with the PhD program... yay!? lol  But after next semester, I'll be over 1/4th, and those final semesters of working on my own to write my dissertation actually sound infinitely better to me than more group projects!

I got an email today from Blossom with my official "Before photo" that Lori took the morning of my surgery.  They are closing that clinic soon, so they're sending a final email to all their patients, and this is the first time I've seen this particular photo.  (Something helpful to remember whilst every attorney in town is dropping off fudge, chocolate boxes, bundtinis, toffee, etc. for us for Christmas. lol)  I am grateful to be down 70 pounds from where I was in the before pic (taken at the end of my very effective pre-op diet), and I hope and plan to be down 100 by the two-year surgery anniversary next June! ❤

I was trying not to interrupt the 12 Days of Christmas posts so the titles would be together on the sidebar, but I really cannot be expected to avoid blogging for 12 whole days. lol

Excited for walking and dinner with Kristin Michelle tonight - it feels like it's been ages since we've gotten to talk!  That's all for now... more recaps tomorrow! =)

❤ ❤ ❤

Time Travel

Day 8:  If you could visit any moment in history—or your own past—for one day, when and where would you go?

Any moment in history? 

I would join the crowd listening to Jesus give the Sermon on the Mount.  There's not really another historical event that could top hearing and seeing Him live here + paying attention to how the crowd reacted to it all.

Any moment in my own life? 

Coming from curiosity, I would love to observe and/or relive my own life on 12-27-1990, 7-23-1996, 9-12-2001, 6-12-2005, 9-28-2007, 12-17-2008, 7-3-2010, 2-17-2017, and 11-14-2024. =) 

For the record, that's the day Mom led me to Christ, the day the "magnificent seven" won Team USA gold at the Atlanta Olympics after an injured Kerri Strug landed the final vault, the day after 9-11 (it would be super interesting to me to re-experience the questions, emotions, and nationwide unity we saw at that point), the day I met JMM at 9121 and knew pretty quickly I wanted to marry him, the day I met Malori, the Christmas party where I met Chettles and Sarah, the VCGO trip on our One Republic beach concert day, my entire 33rd birthday, and my 4-park Disney day!  I'd genuinely love to revisit any or all of those and pay attention to so many little details I likely missed the first time around but would see more clearly now. =)

But since time travel is not a thing (at least until we get to Heaven), I'll continue to write about my favorite memories so I can mentally relive them here... and I'll let this post remind me to be more present and attentive, not leaning on my own wisdom but praying for God to open the right doors and close the wrong ones, and living each day to the fullest right now!!

❤ ❤ ❤

Home Sweet Home

Today marks three years since I moved into the "Taberhood," so happy home anniversary to me!!

For anyone who cares, working with Taber Homes was a fantastic experience from start to finish!  I love their design process (choosing from a few select options and upgrades - it was the perfect mix of making it my own without being responsible for designing every aspect of it), and they were very communicative and quick to work with us and fix a few minor things that went wrong.  This = our final walk-through a couple days before I moved in. =)

They also did several little things to make moving day feel even more special, and I very much appreciated that!  A care package with several random things you need during a move, welcome mat, red bow on the door, house keys, and champagne to celebrate (still unopened in my fridge, but it's the thought that counts). lol

Closing pic with Jordan (my realtor's son, who is also a realtor) + random moving day pics! The one broken dish was the only thing that went wrong, and it hasn't been missed. =)

The wonderful Wilson fam surprised me that weekend... look at baby Parker Elizabeth!  That helps mark the time for me. ❤

I got the pink moving truck... so fun!

Such a great house - love my kitchen!

And my living room!

And bedroom. =)

And navy mud bench!

Lunch at Slim Chickens (photo by Mom, who was also there). =)

Whitaker fam + me accidentally wearing the same shirt whilst decorating early a year later.

Hosting the fam Christmas Eve 2024!

Pic with the moose!

And hosting a Mockey Little Christmas Party in Moore, 2023 and 2024!

My only Taber complaint is that they don't yet exist in Tulsa.  I would absolutely go with them again if they did!  Anyway, that's all for today.  I love you and believe in you, and I hope you have a fantastic week ahead!!

❤ ❤ ❤

Septembers I Remember

As a past-oriented Ennegram 9 (something interesting I learned about in Suzanne's book this month), I like to look for patterns.  

In spite of my genuine love for football season, Fair food, and Fall fun with friends and family, September has historically been a bit of a sad month for me...

2001 – My Senior year at CHA, crystalized memories of watching the national news in Mrs. Young’s office on September 11th

2002 – Trying to find my footing as a new college student at OBU; unsure of my major and not loving the bug-filled dorm room; very much missing my family and CHA friends

2010 – Frustrated with single life and shifting relationships; wrote my first blog post contemplating single motherhood (15th)

2012 – Struggling through a difficult Statistics class at SNU-Tulsa

2013 – Got my printed SNU diploma the same day Malori confirmed our friendship was over (9-6); Lots of grief over that ending + lots of time with newborn Kyndal Faith

2014 – Came off of the antidepressant medication; Walked out of a crazy “prayer ministry” cult (9-19)

2015 – Received a maddening rejection email from SNU’s master’s degree program (reason still unknown) on the day of Sarah’s monkey bread fiasco (9-25)

2016 – Gradually reconnected with a newly-married friend after not speaking for seven months

2019 – Handwriting thank-you notes with Mom after Grandad’s funeral

2020 – Malori announced her family was moving back to OKC, which ironically meant increasing tension and disconnection in our friendship

2021 – Car wreck in Ruby Claire just before my first home study with Shay at 522; (also finished my first adoption profile book)

2022 – Touring my nearly-complete new construction Taber home; lab work and IUI appointments at OU Reproductive; processing some negative pregnancy tests on my own

2023 – Adjusting to the busier schedule with my internship at Restore; Babah’s rapid decline, hospice, death, and memorial service

(The FB memory that got me thinking about this pattern today.  I so love these pics of the Wilson fam!)

2024 – A jarring, friendship-altering conversation on the 3rd; my video interview for a CCU professor job (never heard back); the death of Maggie Smith

2025 – More vulnerable and emotionally-painful Dallas IVF appointments; feeling overwhelmed and under-motivated in multiple areas of life; paused my candidacy hours; briefly researched surrogacy; finally closed the embryo adoption chapter

Even in my current state of mild exhaustion, I feel deeply aware that God's grace has been consistent in every melancholy element and painful season of my life, and I'm grateful He has blessed me with dependable friends and family!

I'm also very grateful that we get to start fresh with a new month tomorrow!!

❤ ❤ ❤

The Next Right Step

Hey, friends!  I'm praying for wisdom and clarity... Craig's sermon today was a good reminder that seeking God's heart leads us closer to understanding His will.  I'm on a good track there overall, but it's been a hard week, and 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!

Mom and I just had a good, long talk about all of the above, so I feel less inclined to write a crazy-long post and more inclined to rest and finish my dessert from Andy's. =)  

Here's a happy summer pic with Parker Elizabeth just so this post will have a photo! ❤

And a couple memes I've saved lately, because why not!?

Life rarely goes according to our original plan, 

but I'm confident God has good things in store!

❤ ❤ ❤

An Adventure of Endless Adjustments

Happy Sunday, friends and family!  Here's me, Katie, Ashley, and Jennifer - my women's lifegroup!  We met for 3 hours and had an impromptu group therapy session of sorts on Saturday - I'm grateful for each of them and happy to have these new connections here!! ❤

Nurse Kristie (our CHA friend who helped care for Mom a couple years back) celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary last week! =)

And Sarah Elizabeth celebrated her 37th Birthday yesterday!

Love this - "an adventure of endless adjustments" feels perfectly phrased. lol. God knows the details, so we don't have to!

Judge Brockman and Judge Tupper (at a Cleveland County lunch event I didn't know about, but probably would've skipped). lol

The Miss K made us a Google Slideshow of her Birthday Wishlist!

She is all about her birthday this year, and I'm here for it! lol

Seeing this the day they added it made me happy!

Why I'm always likely to have a blog or journal...

Ashley Campbell opening the box of her first published book + Ruth celebrating her 70th birthday in Scotland! ❤

Jennifer brought these InnerActive therapy cards - we each chose 3 to represent a part of our story, then shared those stories with the group - which led to super interesting and deep conversations! ❤

You are capable.  You are worth it.  You are still in the game.

Keep going!! ❤

Today started with At the Movies at MWC Life.Church followed by Pelican's lunch (a classic throwback), then my first supervision session with April, then tonight was a fun movie night seeing Superman with Rach, Jaceman, and Kyndal Faith!  The 4D motion was intense - we needed seatbelts! lol

Yes, there's chocolate in my teeth, but still a cute pic! lol

Clearly, I save a lot of Jeff Moore's posts - the encouragement to keep going and press through hard things is needed in this season!

God has full power to speak things into existence, and His plan prevails - praying for deeper faith and peace as I lean into what that means for my own life!!

That's all for today.  Thanks for being here, and goodnight!  I love you and believe in you, and I hope you've had a great weekend!!

❤ ❤ ❤