Monday, August 28, 2006

FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BOOMER SOONER!

TEXAS SUCKS!

I'll show you mine, you show me yours

This little blogging world is quite a phenomenon. I must say, I have met so many people through the blog. I've learned so much about people through the blog. I know a lot about people I've never even met! I added a few new blogs to my links today (finally remembered how to do it). Warning: I don't know everyone that's on there. Ok, So there's two people I don't actually know, but one of them goes to my church so they must be nice, right?! Some people I know of, have chatted with, but don't know very well. But, these are all blogs I enjoy and for the most part know people on them!

I will also warn you that I read many more blogs than just those listed (I know, seems like a colossal waste of time but refer to my post about MySpace....it's part of my job HA!). However, I won't list all of them because I don't want to offend someone who thinks "I don't even know this person and they have me linked". But, who knows....if you're reading mine I'm probably reading yours and you may end up in my links at some point! Especially if you happen to mention to me you read my blog, or post in the comments section--then I know it's ok to link you!

Love the blogging thing....seriously!
-------------------------------------------------------------------

By the way, My friend Sara has started a new business and I thought you all might like to see it. Check it out online at http://www.photocardcafe.com/. If you want, put a link to this website on your blog if you have one. It would really help her out!

Very cool stuff, Sara! I know where I'm getting my Christmas cards this year!

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Watch those school zones

Make sure and watch out for those school zones....and I mean watch out. Just try going 3 miles over the speedlimit and watch how fast the cops pull you over and slap a $200 ticket on you.

That's right, don't even attempt 28 miles an hour.

Trust us....we know.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Random Thoughts

I have recently discovered MySpace. I mean, I've known about it for a while....but I discovered it just recently. The first day I really logged on, registered myself, and began searching for people I knew....I wasted 3 and a half hours. That is insane. I didn't even know it...it got dark outside while I surfed.

My thought....who needs a high school reunion when you have MySpace? Everyone from high school is on there!

And I will say...my boss told us to get a MySpace. Yes, we had a whole conference call about it (it is the new era of advertising after all), and he challenged us all to get a MySpace and invite him as a friend....so, when the owner of the company tells you to do something you do it, right?! ;)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday. I told her that my joints have been very stiff and achy lately, more than usual. John thinks it's because I wear flip flops. But tennis shoes aren't comfy either because they make my feet swell. So what did the doctor tell me?

To get Crocs. I hate Crocs. I think they are so ugly.

So I bought a pair of brown ones tonight. I guess any excuse for shoe shopping is a good excuse, right?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are only 11 days until kick-off at Owen Field. Hurrah!!!!!! On Soonersports.com you can find the promotional game videos from the last four years. Nothing gets you more pumped than watching those.

I think we're going to do great this year. Just when people begin to doubt is when we perform our best. Paul Thompson is leading a great team and I have a lot of faith in him. Boomer Sooner, Baby!

And seriously, it doesn't matter what "title" Texas is "defending". They still suck and they will suck even more this year without their star sissyboy Vince Young. I hate Texas....I love football. That's all I have to say about that.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have not been to the gym in over a month. Why? Because my iPod doesn't work. I'm going on 6 weeks now without a functioning iPod and I think it might kill me. My work computer malfunctioned, apparently, and made my iPod erase all of my songs. And now, I can't even get them back because I don't have admin privileges on that computer to download new iTunes software. So, I have to wait until we get a new computer at home.

I mean, I can't work out without good music!

So, I guess my workout will have to wait until John tells me we can afford a new computer. That's right, people, my health and physical fitness will just have to wait. Sigh....not sure how much longer I can wait. Hint, hint Honey!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Those are my random thoughts for the day. Like I said, 11 days until kickoff. Only 10 days until we go on vacation!

Monday, August 21, 2006

The Weekend



I'll try not to talk too much more about Max. I'm sure you all are ready for fun Jessica to come back and talk about her boring life!

This weekend was so very hard. I still have no doubt that I made the right decision, but the right decision is not always the easy decision. And it doesn't erase the emptiness and the guilt and the sadness you feel. I can't help it....it's one of those things that only time and God can make better. I've had several good cries this weekend, and it's helped relieve some of that emotion.

John's been wonderful--canceling golf and other plans to make sure he's home with me. One thing is that I'm not comfortable being home by myself yet...it just makes my mind go crazy with sadness and I keep hearing things and thinking it's Max. So, John's been wonderful about staying with me, letting me cry, letting me say silly things just to get them out....even though he doesn't understand all my feelings, he's been very supportive.

My friends and family have been wonderful, too. My mom and sister have both spent time with me and offered more words of encouragement and comfort than anyone could imagine. I have several friends who dropped everything this weekend to have "cheer-up" get togethers with me and made sure I stayed busy rather than crying at home (thanks Liz, Brooke, Melissa), several friends that called and e-mailed (thanks Laura, Audrey, and Ann). My mother-in-law Nina has said some wonderful things and made me feel much better. It's all been so great to have everyone do that--especially over "just a cat" (although we all know it's always more than just a cat).

I miss Max so much....but it will get better. John keeps telling me with time the sadness and the thoughts over what happened at the vet will be gone and I will only remember happy things. I hope so. Max taught me a lot, and I think he knows he was loved. That's not a bad life, right? I did my best to give him the best....not a bad way to go. Plenty of food, warm blankets, hugs and kisses, lots of love, and someone to miss you when you're gone. We should all be so lucky.

Here's to Max...

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Some of Max's favorite things...


















A few of Max's favorite things to do....sleep in John's chair. Sleep in dark places like underneath tables. Stare out the front door at all the life going on outside. And lay on the arm of the couch, shedding everywhere! He also loves sleeping in his kitty bed, eating, and sleeping right next to me at night. He really likes to sleep....a boy after my own heart!

It's these little things I will miss most. I've enjoyed this week, just watching him and petting him and noticing those little things he does each day that make him the cat he is. It's been a good week with him and I'm so glad I've had it.

Please keep us in your thoughts tomorrow...

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Max

Well, I've had a pretty rough day today. There have been several events recently that have led me to make a very difficult decision--probably the hardest I've had to make in a very long time.

I am a cat person. An animal lover in general, but a true fondness for cats. Almost 5 years ago I had a fish that died, so I headed to Petsmart to get a new one. While there, I spotted "Zeus", a giant orange cat that looked exactly like the cat I'd had for the first 16 years of my life. And something in me melted. Without even thinking about it, I adopted Zeus and brought him home. What a surprise to my rommate, Laura, who was on a cruise in the Virgin Islands. She came home and there was this giant long-haired cat. I was so taken by this cat I didn't even ask her thoughts on it....and she's allergic to cats!

So here I am with this fluffy kitty I renamed Max. And I tried, and I tried, and I tried to make him the lap cat I'd hoped he'd be. I made excuse after excuse for his anti-social tendencies. And he warmed up to me, he really did....but he never warmed up to anyone else.

I have stuck with Max for almost five years now. And I don't want to go into a lot of details (you all probably know how he is). But I made the final decision today that there is nothing more that I can do to make his life happy and easy. He is in a consistent state of fear and anxiety. Something very bad must have happened to him when he was small, because he is scared (truly terrified) of the human touch. And it's not getting better or easier with age--he's getting worse.

On Friday John and I will take Max to the vet to end his suffering. I am convinced that he is sick. Maybe not physically sick or suffering from a painful disease, but he is mentally sick and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. In other situations, the humane thing would be to put him to sleep and I think that's the humane thing for mental suffering as well.

We spoke with the vet at length today, and there was no hesitation that this was the right decision. Some people have even told me I am brave for making this decision. At some point, you have to let go and realize what's best for everyone. I feel so very guilty for wanting to give up the fight. But my guilt is no reason to prolong Max's suffering.

So I will do my best to treasure the moments I have with him this week. No one has ever had moments with Max like I have....I'm the only one who has ever woken up at 3 in the morning with a 20-pound purring furball on my head or my chest! But those are the times I love him the most and I consider him a blessing. I really do love him.

Please keep me in your thoughts this week as we prepare our family to be a little smaller. It may sound cheesy, but in our house animals are part of the family and we love them terribly. Letting one go is no easy task.

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Introducing Big Red Sports and Imports Employee of the Month, Rhett Bomar

Don't you just love pre-season football? The excitement of new recruits arriving on campus, the buzz at conference media days, the early trash talk that begins among friends, the starting quarterbacks getting kicked off the team...

Geez....what a few days it's been in Soonerland. Rhett Bomar, I have maintained for a long time, is a freaking idiot and I'm glad he's gone. I'm not all that worried about it....seriously if we were headed for a National Championship I don't think Bomar was the one leading us there. Better now with a few WEEKS to prepare than in the middle of the season, right?

Boomer Sooner!

We're headed to Missouri this weekend for my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary. Wow--60 years! That's amazing, especially if you know my grandpa! My grandma is quite a woman.

It's been a pretty slow week on the homefront. I have stayed home most evenings and tried to finish my book club book. It was my choice this time, and I couldn't put it down. So I finished it last night, thus having more time to blog now that I'm done! The book is "Keeping Faith" by Jodi Piccoult if you need a good read. Not mind-blowing, just entertaining.

Will update when we get back!