Tuesday, July 22

Hello World!

Here I am! I know it has been over a month (well over a month) since I last posted. I honestly have thought about it a couple of times and then that window of opportunity passed me by and it was like "Dang! I meant to blog today!" Finally, I have found some time to write. Actually I have really missed this little creative outlet. This past month or so has been so busy. I am settled into my house and I am loving every minute of it. There are still some things that I want to get done inside and out but like my Grandma told me "Rome wasn't built in a day." My neighborhood is awesome and I have some really wonderful neighbors. At night it is so quiet out there and the breeze is amazing. It almost feels like the coast! I have become the adopted mother to a 5 year old, 90lb black lab that is just one big baby! He is a great dog. He is very well trained and is so loving. When I am home he hardly leaves my side. If I am sitting on the couch he is laying on the floor right in front of me. The minute I move he gets up and follows me into whatever room I am going to. I call him my shadow. He is a great companion and I am really enjoying having him. I am still looking for a puppy of my own. In the beginning I wanted a small dog but after having Dixon I have decided that I want a chocolate lab! Call me crazy if you want to but I have learned from having Dixon around how loving labs are. Of course I want mine to be a girl puppy and I think I have decided on naming her Reese. Not Reese as in Reese's peanut butter cups but Reese as in Reese Witherspoon. A friend of mine is going to work with her and train her. She will eventually go duck hunting. Can you believe it? Little city girl here is going to get a chocolate lab and let her go HUNTING??? I have had some really great adventures since moving to this side of town. It is like a whole new world over here. Where I grew up people drive sedans, BMW's, Lexus, Caddilac's. Out here it is a sea of trucks! I am talking big trucks like F250 diesel trucks and chevy's that have been jacked up to Jesus with mud tires and duck head stickers on the back window. I wouldn't say it is necessarily a culture shock. It is different but it's a whole lot of fun! I am a full fledge CAROLINA COUNTRY GIRL!!!!

Also in this past month I have had the honor of becoming an honorary Aunt! My dear friend and co-worker gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on June 16th. Kaitlyn Nicole made her debut into the world with the most beautiful head of red hair and weighed 7lbs 2 ozs. I go see her about once or twice a week. With Nicki being out on maternity leave it has made the work day so long. For the past 6 weeks I have worked 9 hours day not getting a lunch break. By the time I get home I am exhausted. I am so sick of looking at these brick walls and all these brick samples. I think I have even dreamed about brick a couple of times. It will all be over next week when she returns. Please keep her in your prayers. I know it is going to be a tough transition back to work for her especially have to leave that precious little girl. She at least has comfort in knowing that Grandma will be caring for her little one!

Well folks I think that about catches you all up on the things in my life. If you are wondering about the other issue that I have been dealing with for the past year, let's just say that everyday it gets better. Right now is the time for me to be doing and worrying about what makes me happy. The smiling face is back and I focus on the everything that is good!

Wednesday, July 2

The Greatest Man I Ever Knew

"I am in the only man in your life that will never let you down." Those are words that my sisters and I have had heard since we were little girls. That's how Daddy reminded us constantly that there was no love like the love of a Father for his daughters. We were his precious pearls. His princesses, his baby girls. For me, there has never been any doubt of how much my Daddy loves me.

I remember when I was little and how much he used to travel. I didn't understand it at the time. Now that I am grown and look back on it I know that he was making large sacrafices to provide for his family. I am the youngest of my siblings and came along late in my parents life. You could say that I was some what of a "surprise." Daddy and I used to have what he called "Best Buddy Day." Those were days that he would take me all by myself and do something special with me. Sometimes he would take me to work with him. I remember thinking how special I was when we would ride to the post office together. I cherrished our one on one time together. There was nothing in the world like walking hand in hand with my Daddy.

As I got older I progressed in to a rebelious teenager. I didn't go off the deep end into drugs or anything but boy was I a sassy mouth. A very opinonated teenager who was definitely going to do things my way whether you liked it or not (not much has changed really..ha). We had some shouting matches. I couldn't understand my Dad and why I wasn't allowed to do things that I wanted to do. Again, looking it back on it now I can see that it was nothing but his love for me and how he was trying to protect me as best he could. He watched my heart break many times and each time he would take me in his arms and whisper in my hear "Munch, I am the only man in your life that will never let you down" and suddenly everything felt better. It was Daddy's love that calmed my fears. I look at my life now and the woman that I have become and I see just how much of an impact my Dad has had on my life. It's really insane how much I am just like him. I catch myself somedays and think "Wow! I sounded just like Daddy!" It makes me smile.

There is a special bond between a father and a daughter. As daughters we go through our life most of us searching for a man that in many ways mimics our fathers. We want that same unconditional love and protection and to have that cherrished feeling that comes from the heart of a man in our mate. For me those are some pretty big shoes to fill for whomever my mate may be. My Dad is the greatest man that I have ever known. He has gone above and beyond to provide for us, to spend time with us, and to show us his love beyond measure. He has not only loved his children but has been an astounding husband. There is never a doubt how much my Dad is in love with my Mom. You know from the moment you meet them that he would rope the moon for her. He cherrishes her. There is nothing like her to him any where else in the world. They are a shinning example of what love and marriage is suppose to be like. You can't help but love them both so much!

My Dad has taught me so much about life through his own life and the example that he set for me. Being grown and completely out of the house now has given me time to reflect on different relationships and lately my relationship with my Dad has been heavy on my mind. Though there were times when it was not perfect, I always knew just how much he loved me, cared about me, and wanted nothing but the best for me. I am so thankful for everything he has done for me through out my life and can never even begin to repay him not even with my words. To me, he is man of his word, a man of honor, a man of wisdom, and certainly a man full of humor but most importantly he is my Dad. He will always be the only man in my life that will never let me down and I will forever be his Munchkin!

Daddy, I love you to pluto and back times infinity!!