I'm tired of looking at my old post so here is a new one.

Things have been crazy busy around here since the new year started. Wedding preparations are kicking into high gear. You can get details on Penny's blog. She finally picked a bridesmaid dress in January with a little help from me and some convincing of Chris on the colors. It is really cute and I'll try to post a pic in the near future. We got most of the small things decided and taken care of a couple of weeks ago.

Every weekend in February I have been out of town and I'm looking forward to a weekend at home soon. But, that won't happen till mid-March! This past weekend I was in WC for a wedding shower thrown by the ladies at church for Penny. It was a lot of fun! The big surprise gift was ..... a fire pit. The hostesses bought it for Penny and Chris. This coming weekend I'll be going to Conroe (again) to help with Penny's bridal portraits. I'm really looking forward to it. I always get excited about photography even when I'm not the photographer.

Other than trying to be a good maid of honor and big sis, I've been busy with work. The invoices just keep coming. :) My cats are being as cute and ornery as ever. I'll try to post some pics when I get the chance.

Sorry it has been so long since I posted. I managed to unleash a bunch of viruses on my computer back in December. My dad got all that cleaned up for me by Xmas and things were going fine until the end of January. Somehow a bunch of spyware got on my computer and when I cleaned it up, my computer spassed out and wouldn't properly load my desktop. But the computer whisperer, my dad, fixed it for me and I got it back this weekend. Yay! My dad had to reset the computer all the way back to it's original configuration, which basically made it like brand new and removed all files and programs that had been put on it since my dad got this computer years back. So, now I get to have fun reloading things on the computer. Luckily, I had all my pictures and music backed up on my external hard drive so I didn't loose any of that. Thanks Shawn and Jen for the great Xmas present (they got me the hard drive).

Well, that is what's been going on in my neck of the woods. Thanks to everyone for their words of comfort after my grandmother passed away last October. I really appreciate it. I hope all of you are doing well and send me a message when you get a chance.

Till next time ...

Well, I and the rest of my family (parents, siblings, nieces) are heading to Oklahoma on Friday to see my grandparents. I wish I could say this is a fun family visit, but it is bittersweet.

As I posted earlier this year, my grandma was diagnosed with lung cancer and has been going through treatement for the past few months. The treatements were working and the tumors were shrinking until my grandma started having a hard time with the side effects of the radiation and chemo. She got to where she couldn't eat solid foods too well and started getting really weak. So, the doctors stopped her treatements till she could build up some more strength. Unfortunately, a couple weeks ago my grandma had to be put in the hospital due to digestive problems, dehydration, etc.

She is still in the hospital, but she's not improving too much. Since she isn't eating much during the day, she is getting dehydrated and being kept on IV fluids. Also, she has had some heart issues and just isn't getting any stronger. The doctors have stopped all cancer treatement, and the tumors have grown back. Basically, the doctors told my aunt this week that my grandma doesn't have much time left. She's too weak to go through any cancer treatement and the doctors can't operate. She probably wouldn't survive any surgeries. According to the doctors, my grandma has a few days at minimum and up to 2 months before she dies.

Therefore, my family is heading up this weekend to see my grandma before things get even worse. Please, keep my dad and aunt in your prayers along with my grandparents. They are going to have to make some tough decisions this coming week. Either my grandma will be put in a nursing home or she will go into hospice care. My grandpa is just not in any shape to take care of her at home. At this time my grandma doesn't know her prognosis. The doctors, my dad and my aunt don't want to tell her till we get up there. They're scared that she might just give up the fight if they tell her now.

This is going to be a tough weekend, and I hope none of you have to go through it. Please, keep my family in you thoughts and prayers as we travel to Oklahoma and deal with the emotions that go along with knowing you are going to loose someone you love. It will be good to see my grandparents and family, but it is sad to know that in the near future we'll be saying goodbye to my grandma. Thanks for all the prayers so far and take care!


Till next time ...

Well, last week was American Idol auditions in Arlington. Although I didn't make it past the first round, I enjoyed myself and got to spend some quality time with my Mom and sister out of town. Plus, I ended up getting a broken foot out of everything.

So, here's the story. Mom and I got in line for registration Wednesday morning, June 24, at 4:30 a.m. Yes, 4:30 a.m. We met some nice people in line; a girl and her fiance from Tyler, TX, and a brother and sister from Wharton, TX. We spent the morning chatting with them and getting the inside scoop on how auditions are run from the girl from Tyler (she auditioned 2 years ago for Season 7 and didn't make it past the first round). Since we were all getting along so well, we decided to stick together as the line moved up so that we could all sit together in the stadium on audition day.

Around 7 a.m. the line starts moving as they start letting people into Cowboy Stadium to register and get their wristbands and seat tickets. The production staff would let so many people into the stadium and then stop the line in order to keep things orderly. So, as we get to the front of the line, the staff stops letting people through right when Mom, me and the friends I'd made got to the very front. Mom and I had bought cheap hats from the dollar store before leaving for Arlington (Mom's was a cowboy hat, mine was just a generic hat), and Mom decided to put her hat on at that moment. One of the guys filming saw Mom put on her cowboy hat and told Mom and me to move to the center of the group right up front. He was practically pushing us to the middle. Then his assistant told the crowd to say "Hey, y'all. Welcome back to Texas" at the count of three. The guy filming told me and mom to start waving our hats in the air as we said it. We do our take, and the filmer points the camera on me and mom first before panning to the rest of the crowd. So, we may make it on the show if they decide to use that clip. Keep an eye out!

Well, after that excitement, we were allowed to go in and register. Mom and I get registered by 8 a.m. and then head back out to the parking lot to go back to the motel for some much needed sleep. As we get to the entrance of the parking lot, my left foot decides to slip off my 2-inch wedge shoe. The shoe turns one way and my foot turns the other, and the next thing I know I hear a pop and fall to the ground. I call out for my Mom and she helps me get up. FYI, no one else stopped to help! There were other people around us and the fire department reps even drove by, and no one asked if we needed help. I guess it's a good thing I have a high pain threshhold. Mom and I make it back to the car and motel, eat breakfast, and then go back to the room. At that time, my foot had started getting really sore and started to swell, and I had a big scratch on my right knee.

As the day progressed, my foot got worse. It started bruising and got extremely swollen. By the time we left for worship services, I couldn't put pressure on my foot without being in extreme pain. We still went to services at Northwest church of Christ in Arlington. They were having a singing night, which was extremely uplifting. Penny made it to the building around 8 p.m. to join in the American Idol experience. It turns out that Penny knew one of the members. She went to FC with him and his wife; Evan who married Jenny Camp. Unfortunately, Jenny was out of town so we didn't get to see her, but we did get to chat with Evan and catch up. After leaving, we went to Braum's for dinner and dessert. Then it was back to the motel to relax. Mom and Penny decided that if my foot wasn't better by the morning, they were going to take me to an urgent care center to get it looked at.

So, enter Thursday, our day off. My foot wasn't better. :( So, we go eat lunch at Panera Bread (yum!) and then head to an urgent care center to figure out what was going on with my foot. The doctor looked at my foot, had x-rays taken and then gave me the news ... I had broken a bone in my foot! To be exact, I broke the metacarpsul bone under my pinky toe right where it meets up with my ankle. It was a clean break, but I had to get a splint for my foot and then go buy crutches. Let me tell you, and anyone who has used crutches can back me up, crutches are more of a pain to use than having a broken foot! The doctor also told me to see an orthopedist once I got back home.

Breaking my foot put a small kink in my American Idol plan. We had to go back up to the stadium on Thursday to see what the procedure was for a person on crutches. They took our seat tickets and gave us special stickers that allowed us to not have to wait in line on Friday and be able to go with the rest of the handicapped down in the elevator and be seated on the floor of the stadium. While this was kind of cool, I hated not being able to sit with the friends I'd made on registration day and enjoy the audition process as a normal person. I guess that's what I get for wearing cute, wedge sandals.

On Friday, mom and I show up at 7 a.m., get to go straight into the stadium, and eventually get taken down in the elevator and seated on the floor of the stadium. The crowd song was "My Life would Suck without You" by Kelly Clarkson, which everyone practiced and sang a few times for the cameras. They brought out the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders to film a few clips, and had the crowd do the token, "I'm the next American Idol. No, I'm the next American Idol" for the cameras. Since I was on the floor of the stadium, I didn't get on camera because they were only filming the crowd in the stands. Then they started the auditions with the VIP's (people who'd won contests to audition), and then they started letting the people in the stands come down and start auditioning. Those of us in the handicapped section were told we could start getting in line whenever we wanted.

By 9 a.m. I got in line and was sent in a row of 4 to table 9. At each table (12 tables curtained off in all) there were 2 producers. Each row of four would move up till it was their row's turn. Once it was their turn, each person would step forward closer to the producers, sing their bit of song, and then step back into the row. Each person would repeat this process till all 4 people in the row had sung. Once all 4 sung, the producers would chat for a few seconds, then call the row closer to them, and annouce their decisions. They would either say no and have your wristband cut and have you escorted out of the stadium, say yes, you're on to the next round and give you a golden ticket, or would give you another shot to sing for the head producer who'd decide your fate.

I sang for 2 female producers who were very nice, but gave me and the other 3 in my row a "no." Their exact words were "Thanks for coming to audition, but it,s a no." And, thus ended my American Idol experience. I hobbled on my crutches back to my mom and we were escorted back to the elevator and then out of the stadium. By 9:30 a.m., I was done and headed back to the motel. Mom, Penny and I spent the rest of the day celebrating Penny's 25th birthday at a mall in Arlington.

Although I didn't make it past round 1, I'm proud of myself for trying even with a broken foot. I belted out the chorus of my song for the producers, and I know I did my best. I just wasn't what they were looking for, and that's okay. If a career in music is in my future, it will happen how God chooses it to. And, if it's not in my future, then I can always sing for my own enjoyment and to praise God. All in all, I enjoyed the American Idol experience and am glad I took part in it.

In other news, when we got back to Conroe on Saturday, we found out that Chris, Penny's boyfriend, was proposing to Penny that night! Apparently, my dad, brother, and sister-in-law already knew, and Chris and they decided it was best to keep it from Mom and me until we were no longer around Penny. That was probably a good idea, because if we had known, we would have been crying and acting weird. Penny would have known something was up. Plus, I can't lie to my sister and would have let something slip. So, my dad had mom and me follow him to the restaurant where all the family would be waiting to surprise Penny after Chris proposed. If you want to know details of the proposal, go read Penny's blog. Chris did good and really showed his romantic side.

So, it was a very busy past week full of ups and downs, but topped with my sister getting engaged. And, today I got a cast put on my foot for the next 6 to 8 weeks! It is light blue and like having a rock attached to my leg. But, if my foot heals successfully, it will be worth it. If you need a good chuckle during your day, just think of me with a light blue cast up to me knee hobbling around on crutches trying to work and do routine tasks. Oh, and having to shower with a trash bag duct taped around my cast. Oh, the fun.

I'll post some pics from the trip when I get the chance. Hope y'all are having a great week. And, be careful when you tell someone to "break a leg" because they might actually break one. :)

Till next time ...

So, anyone that knows me knows that I love music. I especially enjoy singing, and have been singing since I was little. I was in all the school choirs, sang every year in the camp talent show, and love singing with everyone in church.

My former roomies can attest to the fact that I am always singing along to the radio or walking around the our living space singing a song. Now my cats get to listen to me burst into song when the mood strikes.

Now my singing has always gotten interesting reactions. No one has ever told me that I can't sing, but they do like to tell me to "keep it down" and "we want to hear the actual singers." You know who you are! :) I guess they just like some peace and quiet now and then.

My family is pretty musical too. My brother did the whole choir thing and was even in the Singing Cadets at Texas A&M while he was in college. We never convinced my sis to join choir, but she has a great voice too. My Tennesse cousins all sing and can play various instruments.

One of my favorite musical family memories is when the Buchanans and the Duggins were at our grandparents house on vacation. My grandma prepared a anniversary surprise for my and my cousin's parents. They had a nice homecooked meal, and then a performance by me and my cousin Matt. Within a few hours, Matt learned to play "To Make you Feel my Love" on the guitar and I sang. Needless to say, our parents loved it and my grandma cried. Good times!

I promise I have a point to all this music talk. Basically, it has always been a dream of mine to be a singer/songwriter. I've never seriously pursued it before, but when I was young I always wanted to go to Julliard and someday perform on Broadway. Well, those dreams haven't come true ... yet.

So, there's this little competition that some of you may have heard of. It is kind of popular and has produced a good number of successful musicians. Oh, it's also a tv show.

I'm talking about American Idol, of course!

Well, for season 9 they are having auditions in Dallas, TX. And, I'm going to audition!

Some of you won't be surprised, some of you will. But, this is the last year I'll be able to audition based on my age (once you hit 29 you're ineligible). The auditions are June 24-26 at the Cowboy Stadium. I can't wait to join the masses to see who will get a ticket to Hollywood.

Anyways, I hope that my mom will be able to come with me for support. But, if any of y'all in the Dallas area feel like having the American Idol experience, I'd love to have extra support or fellow auditioners.

Again, singing has always been a dream of mine, and I'm hoping that auditioning for American Idol will either help fulfill that dream or at least keep me from wondering "what if" the rest of my life. I don't want to have any regrets in this area of my life, and, if nothing else, it will definitely be a fun experience.

So, all of you American Idol fans give me your thoughts, advice, and any song suggestions you might have. Non-fans are more than welcome to offer the same. I hope I can count on your support, and I'll keep you posted on how I do at the auditions in Dallas.

American Idol here I come!

Till next time ...

Well, Tuesday (April 7) marked my 28th birthday. And, AM I feeling my age. I don't know if it is all just in my head, but I feel old and my body feels like it's slowing down.

All last week and this, I've just been really tired and running on fumes. Again, this could just be due to my over analytical personality that has spent the past week and a half thinking back over the past 28 years and what I've have and haven't accomplished. Thinking can really drain your energy. :) Overall, I've had a really great life with some bumps along the way. But, we've all had some of those.

I'm really grateful for the life God's blessed me with, and think I'll be trying even harder not to take things for granted in the future. It's really easy to get caught up in the everyday routine that the day passes by, we wonder where all the time went, and we end up forgetting to count our blessings and thank Him who makes it all possible. I know I need to work on not letting myself get so focused on making it through another day at work that I don't stop and appreciate that we were given another day to live. I encourage everyone to take a few minutes each day to enjoy it and give thanks for it.

Sorry for the deep philisophical post. Like I said, getting older really makes you think and reflect on life. Not that I'm the wisest person or anything, but with age does come experience and, hopefully, you end up gaining some wisdom along the way.

Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes! I celebrated it over the weekend with my parents, Penny and Chris (Penny's guy). We had fun chatting, watching movies and eating good food. Basically, a very relaxed weekend with great company.

On the aunt front, my nieces are less than a month from turning 1! May 5th will mark their first birthday and the time has gone by so fast. It seems like yesterday we were at the hospital waiting for them to enter the world. I'll try to post some pics soon.

They are both walkiing like pros and talking some according to my mom. They can say Hi; I've actually heard them! They love Cheerios and crackers (my mom has some cute pics of them with cracker faces). And, they are running their Nonna (my mom) ragged. But, she loves every minute of it. I hope to see them in the next couple weeks and can't wait.

An update on my grandma, she has finished her first half of her chemotherapy. She goes in for another x-ray/MRI to check the status of her lung cancer on April 24. She believes that the cancer is gone, but we'll see what the test shows. I really hope and am trying to stay positive that the chemo is working and shrinking the cancer. I talked to her on my birthday and she sounds good. She appreciates all the prayers on her behalf. It means a lot to her. So, please continue to keep her and the rest of my family in your prayers.

Well, enough serious stuff. Hope everyone is doing well. Leave me a message and let me know what y'all are up to.

Till next time ...