A week of ups and downs...

Hello friends!

It has been one of those weeks filled with both ups and downs. Monday morning started out and I had the feeling like the day could be long and difficult. My intuition was right. Monday morning Jace called me and told me he was at the Honda dealership and would be purchasing not only new rear brakes but also calibers (whatever those are--apparently they are important and much needed). Dealing with car issues is never fun or cheap. He had to ask multiple friends for rides to and from home, school, and the dealership. You never know how much you depend on your car until you go without one. I am so thankful he has great friends to help him because I couldn't help him being 10 hours away. The car is now repaired but his pockets are much thinner!

In addition to his car issues on Monday, the stress of Moot Court hit with intense force. I have refrained from blogging about Moot Court because it makes my blood boil. Jace is preparing for a Moot Court competition that will take place this weekend. This competition has been a two fold process in my eyes. Jace and his partner had to write a brief (around 35 pages) and then they will argue their position and also go off-brief (the opposite side of their position) at the competition. Their competition is in Cincinnati and I can't wait. I can't wait to have this month long process over with and for Jace to regain his life. Moot Court is truly a dog-eat-dog culture. To prepare for the competition, there have been countless practices with local attorneys and judges. It has been hard for Jace to make practices due to work and there hasn't been much understanding from the powers that be on Moot Court. Of course on Monday, there was an intense practice.

By the time Monday ended, all I wanted to do was hug Jace. Rough days are hard but just a little bit harder when you have to do it apart.

Now time for the ups!

Today, I finished up the final touches on my Master's creative project (similar to a thesis). I received the final edits from my wonderful friend and editor, Karin, put page numbers on the table of contents, and made copies of my presentation and appendix for my defense. I feel ready to defend and am ready to see MS behind my name. Praise God for getting me through this project and the wonderful committee that have guided me through this journey.

I wanted to show my appreciation to my editor because she makes my pages so much better and polishes things up so nicely. I bought a gift card for her and her boyfriend to Malone's and it was a gift that I was so excited to give. I couldn't wait to give it to her and had the opportunity to give it to her today. She was excited for a date night on me to Malone's and that made me excited. Nothing is better than giving a gift you know someone will love and I got to experience that today. After seeing her this morning, I had a smile on my face and a little pep in my step.

Hopefully, there will be no more downs for this week and the week will end on a good note. Jace will finish the week out in Cincinnati and I pray things go well for him. As for me, big plans--Lauren's bachelorette party. It will be the first time in a long time that us girls get together and I have a few sweet surprises planned for the soon-to-be Mrs. Hinton!

I hope your week has gone well and that you have a pleasant Thursday and Friday.

Something...MORE

TGIF!!! It's Friday and I have been looking forward to today and this weekend for quite some time. This week was long especially with the in-service trainings in Lexington and Princeton. Planning the trainings took months and there were lots of details to work out and coordinate. Now that the trainings are over, I am happy to announce that the winning 11 piggy banks are returned, 1000 workbooks and 200 binders have been distributed, and the caterers have been paid. Needless to say, I have been looking forward to a nice quiet day in my office. That day was yesterday and I knocked out the to-do list out. Usually my Fridays are quiet as well but this afternoon I had a conference to go to. I have never been to the Kentucky Association of Family and Consumer Sciences conference before and didn't know anyone who was attending. This conference is geared mainly to FCS teachers and to Extension agents. I will be honest with you, I wasn't as open minded as I should have been about this conference mainly because I hadn't been before. By the end of the conference, I was so moved and couldn't help but share my experience with you.

After our lunch, there were two presentations. The first presentation was about "Beading to Beat Autism". I was so close to tears by the end becuase it was a true testimony of faith, the power of community, and the compassion of a sister. A mother and daughter discussed their family's experience with their son/brother who is autistic. Evan was diagnosed with Autism at 18 months old and his parents worked tirelessly to find someway to help their child. They found a small clinic in Florida that gave some type of amino acid to children with autism and found that the children responded to the amino acid. The trip to Florida was taxing on the family and the sister, Michala, wanted to help in some way. Michala gave all she had at the time, $7.35, to fund research for Autism. She then began making beaded bracelets and selling them and giving the funds raised to Autism research. Within six months she raised over $300,000!!! The bracelets have been successful and Michala has set her sights on funding a research and treatment center for children and adults with Autism. The proposed plan is for the center to be in Louisville, where her and her family reside now. The price tag for the center is $300 million! Despite, the hefty price tag she and her family have faith, hope, and a relentless passion for this cause. At the end of the presentation, I was inspired by a 15 year old girl's passion for helping her brother and the thousands of other people who are affected by Autism. (1 out of 94 children are Autistic). Michala has created her own foundation, The Michala Riggle Beat Autism Foundation inc. It is a 501 c3 non-profit foundation and is dedicated to promoting awareness, determining causation, treating and eradicating the dreadful disorder of autism. If you would like to learn more about this great cause, donate, or purchase an awesome bracelet please visit: http://www.beadingtobeatautism.org/.

The second presentation was about the Center for Courageous Kids. I have heard of this center but didn't know anything about it. The Center for Courageous Kids, also known as CCK, is a world class medical camp located in Scottsville, KY, serving children and families from across the country who are living with a variety of medical challenges. Families can come for FREE and have FUN. It is a place where kids don't feel different; instead the children feel normal because they are with other children who have a similar condition as they have. Their motto is "we prescribe fun:" and the medical staff and camp staff pride themselves on it. The speaker cried during the presentation when she told how much she has been moved and impacted since coming to the center. If you would like to learn more about this awesome resource here in Kentucky, want to volunteer, or know someone who could benefit from this experience, please visit: http://www.thecenterforcourageouskids.org/.

After these two presentations, I was holding back the tears. I was so moved by the passion the two presenters had for their jobs, the impact they are making, and the lives they are touching. There is no doubt in my mind that God works with these people and these people are blessed beyond measure to do what they do. Leaving the conference, I thought of a quote I have at my desk and here on my blog which says, "Dear God, Help me to become something...MORE. I'm pretty sure that when you created me, I was meant for greater things". I have prayed this before and I think God was speaking to me today. Today, He showed me these forms of ministry and the opportunities that are out there that I just don't know about. I was moved. I am intrigued. I want to do something MORE. I want to stretch myself and do things that push me a little. It is in these moments God reveals Himself and you grow personally and spiritually.

In the adventure that Jace and I will soon embark on, I hope to discover more of these organizations, pray about it, and then work for one. I hope you will visit these websites and do whatever inspires you. I pray that we all do something...MORE.

My kids...

I have 2 children. They have four legs. My dog and cat mean the world to me and they truly are members of our family. Abby, also known as pup, and Big Momma bring a smile to my face no matter my mood. They know when I am upset or have had a bad day and bring a comfort that others can't. I miss them terribly since they are at my Mayfield home so whenever I can see them, it is a treat.

Pup, Jace, and I. Spring 2012

The other weekend, I went home and noticed that pup was limping pretty bad. I had never seen her do this before and immediately Mom and I were in the dog aisle at Wal-Mart. 1 bottle of adult dog joint medicine and $15 later, I thought we had found the cure. Of course after I gave her two tablets, I wanted her to be instantly cured and back to chasing squirrels and tennis balls. Our neighbor, Rocky, had noticed that pup was limping and checked her paw just in case something was in there. Nothing. Rocky suggested that Mom change pup's dog food. Mom purchased the food Rocky suggested and within two weeks Abby was acting like her ol' self. I am so thankful that she is back chasing squirrels, doing her rounds around the neighborhood, leaving toys and balls in the yard, and having that twinkle in her eye again. However, through this experience it has made me question what exactly is in her food. Makes you question what we put in our bodies as well.

As for the Big Momma, also known as the B-I-G or simply, the Big. She runs and rules our house. Pup is deathly afraid of her and tries to avoid her at all costs. Big comes into the house before pup and pup never stands up to the Big. She is getting older but still has some kitten in her every now and then. In her old age, she has realized that Ross and I aren't home all the time but when we do come home, she loves on us and we love on her. However, I do believe she is partial to Ross but then again pup is partial to me.

The Big

I will always have animals. Poor Jace will probably have to pull me away from the animal shelter because I will want to save all of them. I love animals so much that instead of giving out wedding favors, we are making a charitable contribution to a local animal shelter as our wedding gift to our guests.

They may be just a dog and cat to some but they are family to me! I hope you know the love an animal can give-it is like none other!

"I looked better yesterday"

Thursday. Almost the end of the week. First "real" day of the NCAA tournament. The Cats play and begin the journey to our #8 National Championship. This was the perfect combination to dress a little relaxed at work today. I chose khaki pants, a UK shirt, and the classic Sperry's. Was it a cute outfit-No but I was supporting the Cats and that was all that mattered. When I put this outfit together this morning I didn't think I was going anywhere but work. Well, I ended up running to the mall today with my supervisor on our lunch hour. It was going to be a quick trip at the mall-in and out and no more than an hour. I knew I wasn't going to see anyone because almost all of UK students are gone on Spring Break and the rest of Kentucky is in Louisville to watch Murray and UK play today.

Wouldn't you know it--I ran into someone I knew. Not just someone I see everyday but someone from high school. You know that feeling of when see someone and want to say, "I looked better yesterday". That was the feeling I had when I saw her. On top of it, I hadn't seen this girl in years! Mortified I looked down after we chit chatted and noticed my shoe was almost untied and the back of my shirt was untucked. Wonderful. I am not going to lie--I ran to Dillard's and sat in the shoe section for most of the hour trying not to see anyone else I would know.

At the end of the day, I can only laugh at my outfit. What really matters is that the Cats are beating the WKU Hilltoppers right now and the brow is bowing down. #BBN

Southern Love

I may be from Kentucky but my heart skips a beat for Mississippi. When Jace got accepted into Mississippi College School of Law I was afraid he would be the one who would fall in love and not want to return to Kentucky. Turns out, it is me who fell in love. The first time I visited Jace I knew I was in trouble. I can't get enough of the azaleas, Spanish moss, brown roads, and warm weather.

It is always a treat to visit Jace and last week was no different. I left bright and early on Wednesday and was happy to get around the storms that were hitting Lexington. I didn't have much time to make my connection flight but we loaded on time. Everything was running smoothly until the pilot received word that things in Charlotte were busy and we sat on the tarmac for 20-30 minutes. When we finally landed in Charlotte I knew I had to run. Have you ever watched the movie Home Alone? You know the scene when the family oversleeps and then run through the airport--that is what I did. I made it with 5 minutes to spare and wanted to hug the man at the ticket gate.

A few of my favorite things about Jackson is the warm weather, the smell of pine trees, the Spanish moss hanging from the trees. Maybe the best thing is seeing Jace's smiling face at the security gate when I arrive! Last week flew by and I walked away with a huge smile on my face. Here a just a few highlights of my trip.

On Friday, I met the attorney Jace works for and the rest of the staff. It was so nice to finally see the place where Jace goes every day and meet the people he works with. The attorney was down to Earth and his wife was the same way. I am impressed with the firm and am appreciative that Jace has this opportunity to experience what he wants to do. I am so proud of Jace and it is a blessing to watch him accomplish his dreams. Law school is hard and the demands are constant, but he thrives in tax law. It is his passion and he genuinely loves what he does. I left excited about our future and excited for Jace. We don't know what the future holds and some days I worry about the what ifs but on Friday I felt excited and happy.

Saturday was the big day: Barrister's Ball aka Law School Prom. We started our day off at our favorite bakery and it was delicious as usual. That afternoon I had a hair appointment and it was something. I told the hair dresser that I would like if my hair could go up but because I have short hair understood if he couldn't. He asked if I wanted straight hair or curls. I told him that I didn't care and trusted him. Maybe I shouldn't have placed so much trust in his hands. At the end of the appointment, I looked like Shirley Temple ! He managed to get most of the curls up into some do (with a billion bobby pins) and when he was finished, I looked at Jace and his eyes were big but not in a good way. I got in the car and realized I had prom hair and it was just not what I wanted. We got home and within 10 minutes the hair was down.

With dirty and curly hair, Jace and I went to Brent's Drugs. Brent's Drugs is the drugstore featured in the movie, The Help. We sat at the counter and I had french fries and a birthday cake milkshake. Our dinner reservations weren't until 8:30 that night and we had a late afternoon lunch. After waddling back home, we had a some down time and then got ready for dinner and the ball. I was ready and was right on time but it was Jace Stamper that I was having to push out of the door. I got Jace a pocket square for Valentine's Day and I never thought we were going to get that fixed. It turned out looking great in the end we made it to the restaurant just a little after 8:30.

At the restaurant, I met three of Jace's fellow classmates and their wives. I was a little nervous at first because I had never met them before. Within 5 minutes, we were all laughing! I can't tell you how nice it was to meet law school wives. I don't know who needed the night out more: the students or the wives. Us girls complained about how much our boys hate con law, the frustrations we have with moot court, the numerous Polos our boys have, and the feeling of not knowing where we will land. The conversation was constant and there were usually more than one conversation going with us girls. By the end of dinner I felt like I had known these girls my whole life simply because we experience the same emotions and feelings associated with law school.   

The girls

Our attorneys

At 10:30 we made our way to the Ball and the theme was Mardi Gras. If you know Jace Stamper, you know that he is a suit and tie, firm handshake, and always professional. However, there is another side of Jace Stamper that very few see. Give Jace Stamper a dance floor and that boy has moves like Jagger. He keeps me laughing and we had the best time together. 

Dancing the night away...

The night flew by and at the end of the night I walked away with one of the best dancers, a new set of friends who truly understand law school, and am already looking forward to next year's ball. 



Barrister's Ball 2012



Needless to say, it was a great trip to MS. I love spending time with Jace and being in his presence. I am thankful for meeting new people, seeing where Jace works, and being in the south. I am in love with a boy and in love with Mississippi!





Home is where the Heart is...

This past weekend, I traveled home. I hadn't been home since Christmas and it was so nice to go back to good ol' Mayfield. There are certain things that I absolutely love about being at home:

-My Bed!
-My pup and Big Momma
-The "strip" in Mayfield (a 5 minute commute from one end of town to the other is so nice!)
-Running into people you know while doing your errands
-My momma's sweet tea

On Friday I had to run errands and Mom and I got it all done in about 2 hours. After living in Lexington for 7 years, it is a luxury to get everywhere you need to go in that amount of time. One place we went to was the new Amish stores in Sedelia and Hickory. I think I have told everyone about these stores. Not only were they super clean, have a large selection of food products, but their furniture is like art. If money was no object, I would have bought a ton of stuff. Instead of buying furniture, Mom and I settled on homemade cinnamon rolls and a loaf of bread. I never tasted the bread because I was always eating the cinnamon rolls. They were to die for and well worth $6.

A couple of years ago, Mom, Jace, and I started having dinner together during Lent at the local Catholic church. We support St. Joseph's Catholic church and always look forward to their fish dinner. The money goes for a good cause and when else does Jace Stamper get to go out with 2 women on a Friday night? Me, Mom, and our dear family friend, Doris, ate there Friday night. Not only was the fish delicious but the strawberry cake was good too (major sweet tooth problem). We chit-chatted for 2 hours and had a great time. It is events like the fish fry at St. Joe's that make me thankful for growing up in a small town. I will be back in two weeks and this time Jace is coming with me and Mom. Can't wait!

Saturday was gorgeous outside and you would not have thought it was February. That night, Mom and I went out with Karen and Sara Falder. They are practically family and it was so good to catch up with them and have a mother-daughter dinner together. We ate at Max's in Paducah and while eating, I looked over and saw my freshman roommate, Rachel Holshouser. That girl has style and should be in fashion. Always good to see Ray and I only hope I didn't embarrass her after I yelled her name across the restaurant!

The weekend absolutely flew by. It was wonderful to spend uninterrupted time with Mom and to be at home. I don't know if I will ever live in Graves Co. again, but it will always be home and have a special place in my heart.

After a busy weekend, I am leaving bright and early in the morning and flying to see Jace. Mississippi stories to come...

Busy Bee

March is almost here and I can't believe February is almost over. Things have been busy but in a good way.

February means birthdays and Valentine's Day. Jace turned 27 and I turned 25. I joke with Jace that he is getting old since he is quickly approaching 30! I will forever do this to him since he is 2 years older than me. When my birthday rolled around I realized that I am in the prime of my life and these next few years will be a blast. I can't wait for what is to come because there are big changes coming down the pike (an engagement, Master's graduation, Jace's graduation, a wedding to plan, the BAR exam, a move, etc.)

Since Jace and I are apart, Valentine's Day isn't too big of a day for us. We send each other cards and promise to celebrate the next time we see one another. For me, it is not about what Jace does for me but what I do for others. Ross and I sent Mom flowers to her office and I anxiously waited for her call to tell me about the arrangment. It brightens her day and in turn brightens mine. As for my other Valentine, the Teak, I picked out a card and bought her a medium size box of chocolates. I was excited about giving them to her and she liked it. However, she went above and beyond and even brought a tear to my eye! I came home from work and found a homemade card and chocolate pie. I truly have the best grandmother! By the way, the two of us put a major dent in that pie!

Maybe this month has flown by because work has picked up. We are preparing for two in-service trainings with 100 Extension agents attending. Having 100 agents enroll for a training rarely occurs and we are thankful for the support. However, that means there are binders to assemble, agendas to create, caterers to call, and the list goes on. I always love being with the agents and appreciate the support they have shown toward MITT.

In additon to the trainings, I have been planning two big events: Lauren's bachelorette party and our summer vacation. After countless Facebook messages between the bride and bridesmaids, we have set a date to celebrate Lauren's engagement! We are eating at Malone's and getting a hot stone massage! I can't wait to catch up with dear friends, eat, laugh, and relax. I also contacted the condo owner for Jace and my summer vacation. I am pleased with our condo choice and look forward to experiencing Seaside, Fl. Any beach sounds good right now!

Throughout all of this, I have been inching closer to completing my Master's. I have been emailing back and forth with my chair about setting a defense date. The Power Point has been created and the final two chapters need to be sent to the editor. I can't believe it is finally time to defend. I am hoping for an early April defense!

If these events weren't big enough, I am flying down to see Jace in 7 DAYS!!!! I can't tell you how excited I am to see him and be back in Mississippi. I fell in love with Mississippi the first time I visited and consider it my vacation spot. It comfortable and so Southern--I can't get enough of it. I may complain about the demands of law school some days but one thing I will never complain about is Barrister's Ball (Law School Prom). It is an excuse to dress up and dance the night away to old rap songs. Jace's dance moves are simply hilarious and he keeps me in stitches on the dance floor.

I feel like I have been a busy bee and the calendar keeps filling up. This can only mean one thing: I am blessed to go to work each day, visit with friends, spend time with family, and enjoy this life of mine. I hope you feel the same way about your life--busy is not always a bad thing!