Dear Patti

Dear Patti,

Our time together is coming to an end. You've been a good car, Patti, no doubt about that! I must reminisce about our experiences together.

You were my new car for my new job. My first real job, the start of my career! Over 7 years later, I'm lucky to still have that great job! Really lucky, in fact.

We've carried the dogs to the dog park and the vet's office umpteen times. I'm sure you love how Buddy and Belle jump all around in your back seat. You know they love riding in you!

You carried my wedding gown to the church just last year, and you carried Jodi's wedding gown to the same church 5 years earlier!

Remember the time I had to take a breathalyzer after driving you from Loco's one evening? Thankfully, I was, in fact, sober as a judge. But scared! And I think you were, too!

I did abuse you a little bit, but never on purpose. I am sorry for the time I backed you into Jennifer's Xterra in our driveway. And I'm sorry for backing you into that girl's truck at the tanning bed. . .

You've driven the family to the beach, the lake, Atlanta, and inbetween. We've packed you so full of luggage, people, dogs, and Ikea buys that we all thought you might pop! Then expected you to get us home safely through torrential downpouring rain! And you did. That's also the day Tim and I became "the gayest couple ever" (a blog for another day)!

Hmm. I better stop telling those stories. Tim's going to be rethinking this new car purchase!!! So long, Patti. You've been a good car. All 115,000 miles I put on you, you were good to me.

Patti, meet Addie, your replacement. She's young, full of spunk (V6 engines will do that, you know?), and she's ready for a good life with the Slocum family. We love you, Patti.

Your faithful drivers,

B & Tim

Healthy Plants and Not-So-Healthy Plants

Someone, please help me understand. . . .

How can these be so pretty and healthy?

and this be so pitiful?

When they're 5 feet away from each other?

How’d I get so Lucky?

I’m the wife of:
A handyman
The workout encourager
My best friend
My number one fan
My prayer partner
A thinker
One heck of a painter
A grilling machine
Belle’s favorite human
My running partner
A focused, determined business man
An Eagle Scout
A planner
God’s best for me


I’m the daughter of
A man who died too soon, too young, too abruptly, and without goodbye
A teacher who’s taught many-a-kids their multiplication tables
The queen of teaching the proper use of may and can. “I don’t know, can you?”
Lovie
A jokester
A banker
Two Christian people who loved each other beyond measure
A 3rd grade teacher
A woman who’s walked a tough road with dignity and grace
The best roast ‘n potatoes maker in the world

I’m the sister of
A brown eyed girl who once had chocolate on her chin
A petite little spit fire
An X-ray tech
An amazing new mother
The most loyal woman around
A beautiful girl inside and out
The mother of an incredibly beautiful little girl who's brightened up our family beyond description

I’m the friend of:
A super-mom who I admire so much
Godly women who inspire me, teach me, and encourage me
Attorneys
Stay-at-home mothers
Amazing fighters
Funny people
Exercise junkies
Fellow shoppers
Chatty Cathys
Women who battle their weight along with me
Artists
Recovering addicts who amaze me every day!
Bankers
Caring, considerate people

I realized this on the way to work this morning. It does take all kinds to make the world go round. How blessed I am to be a part of so many lives. God's been so good to me, and I'm so thankful to Him! And to you for being who you are in my life!

Out with the Old? Not this chickie. . . .

Nope, I’m bringing old school back, yo!

Okay, not so much. . . . still, I do feel like I’ve been reminded of older things I’ve not enjoyed lately and am now enjoying.

· I’m wearing my blue cashmere sweater that I think I might’ve inherited from my mom a couple of years ago. . . . totally forgot I had it until this morning! Yay for little surprises like this in my closet!

· I discovered about 15 CDs in my office desk that I thought I’d already put into a case this morning. I’m currently listening to a little Caedman’s Call and Shane & Shane while blogging, err. . . working.

· I also found a CD Ally made for a me a couple of years ago. It has a great sermon by Tim Keller on pride, and some special bonus music at the end! Couldn’t have been more timely. . . . God’s cool like that! I’m getting prideful, and He directs me to this CD. . . I’ll listen to it again after lunch. Promise.

· Cowboy Cookies have been eaten by many who know me this weekend, too! I remember my Gma baking these many a times while growing up. They’re still good, but not as good as hers always were. . . it’s that way with any of Gma’s recipes, though.

· I had a good bike workout this morning at the gym. It’s been a minute since I’ve biked since I thought I was training for another half. Since deciding I’m way not ready for another half marathon right now, I can do other cardio exercises! Today, the bike. Tomorrow, swimming!

What things have you forgotten about only to rediscover lately and enjoy “new” again?

Snickers Surprise Cookies

I ran into Mom today while shopping in our neighborhood Kroger. I was picking up items for my cookies; Mom was doing much-needed grocery shopping, it appeared. She asked me why I had oats in my cart, and I proudly exclaimed I was making Gma's Cowboy Cookies for tomorrow's baby shower. And then, I showed her my other cookie recipe: Snickers Surprise Cookies! Here's what went down from there:

Mom: You're going to make a recipe you've never made before for a shower?

Me: Yes?

Mom: Ugh. . . that makes me nervous! I would never do such a thing!

Me: Doesn't make me nervous. Tim will be taste-testing, I'm sure!

Mom: Makes me nervous. . . guess you're not me.

Well, I guess not. Although, I readily admit I am A LOT like you, mom!

Here is a picture of the finished product

Better yet, the taste tester, Tim, gives me two thumbs up!

Random Thoughts on a Thursday

It’s been a busy week at work. . . . after spending two days compiling a list of forms for our loan platform, I realized at 4 yesterday afternoon, that I was not nearly as close to finished as I thought. After letting out a very exasperated “ughhhhhhhh”, my office neighbors were in here asking what was wrong. . . . low and behold, those computer nerds were able to generate my list in, oh, 3 minutes. Yeah, two days of work down the drain for me. . . but I now have my list!!!

Ellie Grace slept through the night last night, her mommy reports!

We’re celebrating Christmas tonight with the Kozee’s, and I’m so excited! Mark’s coming home for the weekend, so that’s why we’ve waited to celebrate Christmas! I haven’t seen Mark in almost 14 months, so I can’t wait to see the older little brother I never had!

There are men replacing the HVAC unit in our building today, and it smells like a musty ole burned out metal box in our breakroom, which is right beside my office. Lucky me! and it’s kinda cloudy and the air is nasty. Ah the joys of working in an old building. . . .

I have two and a half weeks until my second half marathon!?!?! And it looks like I’ll be running this one solo. Tim’s super duper stressed with work right now, and Brian decided after our run Sunday that long runs aren’t for him. I’m really looking forward to the challenge of running the race solo and knowing that my family will be there to cheer me on!

I don’t wash my hair every day, because it’s sooooooo dry as it is. Yesterday, I washed it and wore it curly, which typically means I’d wear it curly again today and wash it tomorrow. I wanted to wear it straight today, so I tried to straighten out dried curls. It didn’t quite work so well. . . . I feel like I have lumpy-straight hair today.

Randomness, I know! Happy Thursday!!

Ten Things. . . .

Yay! I’ve finally been tagged!!! Ally tagged me, and I am suppose to share ten things about myself that are "pretty interesting" and then tag seven bloggers to share their ten things.

Sadly, I am not sure I have seven bloggers who read my blog, so if you get tagged and you’re not a blogger, well, then, post it on your facebook or something!!!

1. I am a closet competitive person. I say I’m in the closet b/c I don’t like to admit how competitive I am because I think that might mean I lose some of the edge I might already have. I’m competitive with everything! If you know me at all, you know I’m not athletic, but for instance, if I’m running on a treadmill at the gym, and the person beside me is running faster than me, I tend to get all bent out of shape, angry, and decide I hate running and I’m fat and can’t do it. But, let someone jump on the treadmill beside me who’s slower than I am, and I am off to the races! I’m bound to have a great run, full of energy and pep!

2. If I wasn’t a banker, I honestly think I’d be a mortician. Okay, a funeral director sounds better, but it’s all the same really. Strange, I know. When my daddy died, the funeral home was so good to us and the guys really made an impact on me. It would be such an honor to be used by God to help those at their deepest time of need.

3. Speaking of my career, I’m kind of over being a banker. Tim, if you’re reading this, do not – I repeat, do not – flip out! I’m just saying I think it’s kind of mundane to help someone with financing and their money when I could be working in a greater ministry, like with Sav a Life or something that’s more likely to make an impact on someone’s life and on someone’s eternity.

4. I never had a Grandma or Granny or Grandpa growing up. I had grandparents, but I never called them that. My Mom’s parents were Gma and Gpa. My Dad’s parents were Memommie and Pepoppie. I remember being about 3 and running home from my neighbor’s house crying because I didn’t have a Granny like he did! My Memommie was much too hip to be happy with a name like Grandma, but she obliged while I tried it out. I think that last two hours. . . . and I quickly realized I was just fine with a Memommie and Pepoppie, Gma and Gpa. I wouldn’t trade them for the world. Not then and not now!

5. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that God created me to be a wife and a mother. Being a wife has been so fulfilling, and I look forward to being a mother to my husband’s children with much anticipation and excitement!

6. No, that is not my way of telling the blogosphere I’m pregnant. I’m not preggers!

7. I used to pride myself on being a girl who knew football. I mean knew it. not just, “oh, those are my dawgs in their silver britches” but the kind of girl who on more than one occasion lost her voice during a football game from screaming and hollering at the boys, because I was certain my coaching was being heard and obeyed! But now, I’m not so sure. I still don’t understand plays well and certainly can’t tell you what I think might happen next based on how the line looks.

8. Like Ally, I struggle with abstaining from sweets. I love them! And, also like Ally, I have little to no self control with them. Thank Heavens my hubby is health-conscious, too, so we rarely have anything sweet in the house.

9. Which leads me to my argument that after our 9 mile run yesterday, some extreme moose tracks would’ve been perfectly legit for dinner. Hubby nixed that one. Which I’m thankful for!

10. I’ve never been skiing out west. I’ve really only skied twice in my life. The first time, I was in high school and went to Boone with my friend, Jennifer. We didn’t think we needed school, so we just went straight for the slopes, but I pretty much slid on my bottom the entire way down b/c I was clueless! I peed my pants more that trip than I ever imagined possible from laughing so much! Most recently, 4 or 5 years ago, Jodi, Brad and I went to Ashley’s in NC and went with her youth group to West Virginia. We had the forethought to attend ski school; only, Jodi dropped out. So Brad and I spent the night skiing. Or, he spent the night skiing, waiting for B, skiing, waiting for B. Because I would get to going too fast for my liking and just plop down on my big bottom and slide to a stop. Scardy Cat I am.

Hey, that’s the 11th thing. A Bonus! I’m a big ole’ Scardy Cat!

And with that fun, I’ll tag Jennifer, Jodi, Melissa, and Ashley in the blogosphere. Mom, Jennifer McMen, and Karen, you’ve been tagged in the world of Facebook! C’mon, y’all, play along!!!