Just for you, Granny!

I really don't have much to say today. I had to post though so I could put this picture on here just for Chelsea's Granny. See, Chelsea gets her love of food from her mom and her Granny and fair food....oooohhhh soooo good!! We had to make sure and eat a footlong corndog and get a picture just to rub it in. We love you Granny and really, we do wish you, Grandad, and Mark were here!

Tomorrow, funnel cake and Chance's favorite...lemonade!! We might even have to have an ear of roasted corn in honor of Grandad!! That's also one of my favorites!! Chelsea doesn't show until Thursday so we have plenty of time to fit all the favs in!

We are also going to see Darius Rucker in concert (something we've never done while here, attend the rodeo and concert). Chelsea is really excited. She really likes Darius Rucker so tomorrow should be a really good day for her. She just stared and stared at the tickets. She has a friend that she says is goin' to be soooo jealous. (He knows she has tickets!)

Trip is not the same without you either, Chance!

Later, Lisa

San Antonio--Here we come!

Today is a good day! Before it's all over with it will be a long day but still a good one. We (Chels, CC, and I) leave to go to San Antonio for the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo!! It will take us about 8 1/2 hours to get there since we are hauling the pigs, and that's where the long part of the day comes in. I am an awful co-pilot! I get in a car and Bam! Mr. Sandman hits me and I just can't keep my eyes open. Of course, this irritates CC and the fight is on!! I have tried everything but...Now mind you, when it's late and dark and I'm worried about CC fallin' to sleep, then I am wide-awake but otherwise, I have to fight myself the whole way.

Chance was in for the weekend and we are packing and gettin' stuff ready to go and he looks so sad! He has school this week as we all do, but he just can't miss. College is so much different from high school and he really needs to be in class. I have to admit, him not gettin' to go saddens me too! We have done this stock show for 9 years and have had soooo much fun. It definitely won't be the same but I know he would want us to have a good time even though he isn't getting to come along.

We will go to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo during Spring Break and he can come then. I think he is planning on bringing his roommate and another guy with him. Neither of them have ever been, you know big city "black" boys who have never even seen a live pig!!! LOL! Not really but Chance says they really have no clue. They don't understand the work that goes into taking care of a livestock project through 4-H or FFA. I am so thankful that both of my children have been able to have the experience.

Back to San Antonio, we will arrive late and get with Novak who will take the trailer and get in line for move-in. This means he will sleep in the pick-up, thank you Novak, and move the truck as the line moves. About 5 a.m. or so, he will probably call us and tell us we need to come out and get ready to unload. After we wait our turn to unload, we will put our pigs in the assigned pens, probably feed them a little and water, and then stand around and wait until we can get to a scale to check weight. The pigs have to weigh a certain weight and then they will be put into weight classes accordingly. This can be very tricky because you turn in your own weight and then right before the kids show, the pig is weighed to make sure you fit into the weight class you said you did. They are only given a pound or so and if your wrong, the kid may not get to show at all and their pig will go straight to the truck. All of their work for nothing!!

We will spend many hours on the fairgrounds and eat lots of food that's bad for us but tastes sooo good, like roasted corn, blooming onions, and foot-long corn dogs. I can almost taste them now!! You're jealous aren't you! Chelsea and I will visit many vendors and probably spend way too much money but we will have sooo much fun!! I just keep telling myself she only has 4 more years to do this so enjoy it!! Money isn't everything, that's for sure. Convincing her dad of that takes a little but...I can handle him or at least she can!! Ha!

I will try and post while we are gone. No promises though, we might just be having too much fun!!

Later, Lisa

Memories of Josh

I have been wanting to blog about Josh since his accident but couldn't find the words. Now, I still am not sure what I will say or how I will say them.

I think everyone in this town has been affected by the tragic loss of Josh Ackerman. You have gone to school with him, taught him, worked with him or been touched in one way or another by this remarkable young man. Josh had this little quirky way about the way he smiled at you, the way he made you feel. He was always polite and so very smart.

I remember him sitting in the jr. high auditorium during CAT time and saying, "Awww, come on Mrs. Campbell, can't I just chew my gum for a minute more."

I remember watching him play football for the Bobcats and thinking how very talented he was.

His challenging questions in class not only improved his education but improved all of ours. There were many times when he'd state something and after class, I'd go to the internet to see if he was right and of course, he was.

He graduated with the class of 2008, my son's graduating class. Anyone who knows the kids in this group, knows how very close they all were. Having to mourn the loss of someone you sat in class with just months ago is not something that these young adults ever expected they would have to do. They each have their own memories of Josh and I know he has forever touched their lives.

For the moms of "2008", I think I am being so very truthful by saying how very heavy our hearts are for his family. We tend to get so wrapped up in the daily hustle and bustle of things that we forget how very short life can truly be. I am so guilty of forgetting how precious my children are. I want to just put my arms around them and never let go.

Josh's family made a very unselfish decision to donate his organs to save others. I know Josh would have wanted this. His giving and kind spirit will live on and I believe that this is the greatest tribute to Josh that his loved ones could have ever made!

I think his family will be amazed at the number of lives that Josh has impacted in the short time he lived. I expect large numbers at his funeral to pay their respect and to honor his memory. He was truly an amazing person and I know that I am a better person for having known him!

Things I would do differently!

The older I get, the more I catch myself saying, "Man, if I could go back and do that again, I'd...."
or to my children I often say, "If I was your age again, I'd..." so I thought I'd post about some of those things.

HERE'S 20 THINGS

I'D....

1. Have gotten my college degree when I was young and had no responsibilities (kids).



2. Thank my parents on a daily basis for being such great role models.



3. Given my teachers less grief over assignments.



4. Enjoy being "me" more.



5. Play more and work less.



6. Dance every time I was asked.



7. Sit and hold my babies more.



8. Soak in a tub until I had wrinkles (the ones you get from sitting in water too long, not the old age ones!) ;)



9. Tell my friends and family how different my life would be without them.



10. Kiss my husband more!



11. Not take for granted even the little things i.e. smells, sights, laughter.



12. Smile more and cry less.



13. Not care what other people think! (trying to teach that to teenagers is hard!)



14. Have more friends than enemies.



15. Be more appreciative of the sacrifices others have made for me.



16. Thank C.C. more for being my husband and always the provider.



17. Tell my children how proud I am of them and how much I love them.



18. Take more vacations.



19. Give 110 % always



20. Make fewer lists and be more spontaneous.

The picture of the cute kid on top of this post is what my kids tend to do when I start my, "I'd...." speeches! LOL!

Many things in my head today!

There are many things going around in my head today. Many things I am thinking about so this post will be here one minute and somewhere way over there the next but oh, well!

1st: Let me start by saying Chelsea has her last freshman home basketball game today. Kinda makes me sad. Her freshman year is just zooming by and after Chance, I swore I would slow down and enjoy her years more than I did his. Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of my time chasin' him but I wanted to enjoy this time around even more! Does that make any sense? Anyway, I am very proud of the way Chelsea has uped (is that really a word, you know dictionary-wise?)her play this year. I only wish she wouldn't wait until the end of the game to turn it on and steal those basketballs!! The freshman girls have all uped their games and FINALLY know how good it actually feels to win a game or two or...five. Hopefully tonight the win column will increase by another one. Good Luck, girls!

Chance hasn't been home for two weekends in a row!! UGH! I hate it! I don't know how the mom's out there do it when they go a month or more at a time without seeing their college age kiddo. Of course, when he's home I don't see much of him either but there's just something about knowing he's here that completes me. I find myself often sadden with the thought of him being away, even if it is only Vernon.

Another thought: This is the one that jumps from way over there to way over here! But it's something I need to say so here goes...

Life throws so many curves when you are least expecting them and when that fastball comes up and hits you in the face, it makes me wonder... have I said and told everyone who's important to me how much they mean to me? I haven't told many of you how happy I am to be walking down this path they call life with you; how blessed I am. To my family and friends, you mean the world to me. C.C., Chance and Chelsea-the three of you will forever have my heart. I have had no other job(yes, sometimes it is work but the pay far exceeds what I put into it ) than that of wife and Mom and I wouldn't have it any other way! I am so very proud of you and what you have become! Mom and Dad, I couldn't have pick any better parents or grandparents for my kids than you two. Your unselfishness amazes me! I couldn't have learned better from anyone else. Mark, life would not have ever been the same without you or your prospectives. I often sit back and wonder why God picked me to get to spend my life with someone as special as you are. Your simple views on life have made me step back and realize that things aren't near as complicated unless I make them that way! Your love and support is unconditional! To my friends, whom I choose not to name for fear of leaving someone out, your continual love and support of me and mine is remarkable. You are always there to listen to me, comfort me, cry with me, or cheer me on. It seems you sometimes know even before I do what exactly I need. To the other "mom" friends who have been on the KID journey with me, man, it's been a blast! I have formed friendships with some of you that I know will last a lifetime. Great memories and fun times we will always share, and to my co-worker friends, the daily routines would have done me in long ago if it wasn't for all of you!

That's all for now! Told you I'd be here, there, and everywhere with this today! Later, Lisa

Stock show time again!

Well, it's finally here again...Stock show time!! This is always an exciting time for my family although this year it is somewhat sad too. You see, Chelsea is the only one showing and it feels really weird. Chance showed pigs from the time he was in the 4th grade. This is our first year that he is not having to get his own pigs ready. He is, however, being the great big brother that he should be, and helping Chels get 4 out of the 5 of her pigs ready. One of her pigs came up lame this week so she won't be showing him at county.

There is a lot of hard work that goes into preparing to show animals at a stock show. We start this adventure by purchasing pigs beginning the end of August (this of course came second this year because C.C. had to rebuild pens due to the tornado we had in June that wiped out everything he had done in the past). I must say our pigs are definitely livin' high on the hog... that's funny!...compared to the pigs we have had in the past! He did a great job and they look soooo good (even included a covered storage shed).

After buying pigs, you have to feed them twice a day, sometimes water down the pens because of all the dust, exercise them, give vaccines, monitor their weigh, etc, etc... Then once you get them to a show, you have to wash them and give them a haircut!! Most people can't believe that we actually bathe and shave our pigs but believe everyone that shows does!! Show prep is really hard sometimes if you have a pig who doesn't want to cooperate. They jump out of pens and over things, often running over anyone or anything in their way!! There's nothing like trying to avoid a wild pig. You often end up riding them like a bull. This is definitely a funny site unless you are the one playing cowgirl or boy!

So.. if you are looking for something to do this weekend. No sleeping late. Show starts at 8. Come join the fun!!! These kids and their parents do truly work really hard. Later, L

Christmas at our place!

Christmas at our place has been one wild ride this year. Dad had total knee replacement surgery on the 10th of December on his "other" knee, the one left bad after his knee surgery in June to replace the left one. I am amazed at how well he has done with both replacements. He doesn't think it is healing fast enough but those of you who know dad know that nothing gets done fast enough for him!! :) He is so thankful for everything I do for them: if it's helping get him hooked up to his knee machine, running mom to the store or just popping in to snack! LOL! Yes, grown 40 year olds still go home to eat!!! Dad is such a solid rock in my often whacky, on the go (constantly) world. He is so loving and there is never a day go by that he doesn't tell me how much he loves me. No matter how often I fail in everyday life, he always treats me like a million bucks! I am more thankful for him than I could ever tell him. He is a wonderful dad, a super granddad, a great husband and probably one of the best friends I will ever have in my lifetime!
Speaking of great guys in my life, Chance is home after completing his first semester at Vernon College and is looking forward to returning after the break. He did pretty well with his grades considering it is his first semester away from home and school has never come easy for him. I am very proud of him! He made several new friends but is a little bummed about the fact that a couple of them are transferring and won't be there in the Spring.
I have to say that I have enjoyed seeing his smiling face on a daily basis again! I thought I was ready for him to go out and explore the "real world" but in all honesty I have had a really hard time with his being gone! I am amazed at how unimportant his mom has become since he has been out on his own per say. I thought I would always be his #1 or at least share that with his Granny but somewhere along the way, I think I have fallen down the list! He doesn't understand, as I am sure I didn't at his age, the importance of a relationship with his mom for mom's sake. My mom, Granny, says I am only payin' for my raisin' and that the day will come, as it did for her and I, that he will realize the sacrifices a mom does for her children but until then I guess I will just have to take a "chill pill" and wait!
Anthony, one of Chance's friends who attends Tech but played basketball with Chance here in Childress, has been at Mom and Dad's since break began. We think of him as one of our own and it has been really nice having him home for the holidays. His brother, Dontae has also spent a great deal of time at the house and I know he is enjoying getting to spend time with Ant. Anthony tends to keep Chance well-grounded and I am very thankful for that. He is very appreciative and we have all enjoyed the holiday season with him around.
We had a full house last night for packages. I got a couple of good pictures. I will try and get Chels to help me add them to this post. The noise of all of us together filled the house and my heart. It was so wonderful for me to have everyone there. Granny stresses about all of the extras and works harder than she should to get things just right but I know she enjoys it as much as the rest of us do.
I haven't mentioned much about Chelsea but once again, let me tell you, I couldn't have done this Christmas season without her and all of her help. Dad's surgery threw Mom and I both in a tizzy but Chels came through with flying colors. She decorated, wrapped presents, cooked, baked, came up with some great gift ideas, and worked very hard to make this Christmas special. She is part of a youth group at church and they hold various fundraisers throughout the year. Well, they have an account for each student that they deposit a portion of each fundraiser that they help with in and Chelsea had enough in her account to purchase an Olan Mills packet, which was a church fundraiser, and to have her picture made for Christmas presents. Granny cried!!! The pictures are beautiful and the thought behind them was even more beautiful. She is a great daughter and very, very thoughtful. What a blessing she is!
Wow, this post has taken up way too much space. Posts are suppose to be short and to the point right? Well, maybe if I become more regular with them they will be. Merry Christmas to you all!! Later, Lisa