Rood dood dood dood doooo, Big Tuna!

If any one get's the quote above, you ROCK!!!

Well I haven't written in a very long time. I've been very very busy. Wow, May 8th was the last time I wrote! Well let's see, the major thing is that I was in a wedding last Saturday. For anybody who has been in a wedding who is a girl, you know that it can be stressful and a lot of work. I think I'm still recovering! However, the whole experience has taught me what to do and what not to do when I get married. Anybody who knows me will know that I will have a list for everyone involved and the list might be laminated. I'm just saying... :D The one thing I wanted to comment on specifically was about women in general. There were two occasions where I received a manicure and pedicure for the big event. I love getting pampered just because I rarely do it. I'm not a huge talker but I can carry on a conversation, but what I really love to do is listen. I loved listening to the women around me talking and gossiping together. Yes, gossiping... We all do it (yes guys do it too, you can't deny it!!!) but girls are professionals at it. However, when I was listening to the women around me I felt a sense of comraderee even though I didn't know them. It was nice, I felt a part of something and I felt like this was part of what being a girl was all about. Not gossiping, mind you, but talking and sharing experiences. The way men and women communicate with each other is totally different and it's hard to learn sometimes. I will admit that I don't understand sometimes why girls are the way we are and why guys are the way they are. God had something in mind, I'm sure. I guess, if I think about it, so we can say... "what are they thinking?" ...and for the guys... "I will never understand women!!" Maybe we aren't meant to!!???!!!

On being maid of honor for your friend...OMG! It's a lot of work! I was totally drained Saturday evening!!! and took a very long nap on Sunday. I have never run around so much BUT I must say I was glad to do it because it was beautiful and wonderful and exciting to see two people in love commit their lives to one another for the rest of their lives.

Chris & Angie...aawwww!

Also, I loved getting my hair done. That was really nice and actually very relaxing. HOWEVER!!! I had someone do my makeup and that was fine and I think I looked ok, but I usually don't wear a lot of makeup. Mascara and lipstick. Well it was the whole works on this gal and I literally didn't recognize myself. I will say this. I had a lot of compliments on my appearance and I felt beautiful because of it.

Jess & Angie

Random thought: Guys with rings on their fingers are sexy... I don't what it is but there ya go... A young Jerry Lewis with that ring on his finger....yummy!

Also, just because I've been surrounded by people getting married, an observation is that guys don't seem to participate in the wedding planning (but I know one who is very much a part of it) and that's fine but remember guys, it's your day too, but you can't complain about it if you don't get involved!! Anyway, Lewis asked me why the wedding is such a big deal to us (girls) so I thought about it.

• We get to be a princess for a day
• We get to declare our love for our prince publically
  
• We like dressing up
• We like to party
• We love details
• We get presents
• From an unconscious and sociological standpoint, we can prove (or disprove) how, we as future wives, are organized and detailed and how we can pull off something as important as a wedding.
• Yeah, we know the ceremony lasts 20-30 minutes...who cares?
• I'm sure there are other unconscious reasons we like it but because they are unconscious, I can't think of them right now.

So that's the wedding week/end.

Work related. WE ARE FINALLY MOVING STUFF!!! We have been waiting patiently and yesterday was the first day we got actually move collection items from one building to the other. It was emotionally magnificent. We've got a lot more to do but we are excited about it because, as collections people, we get to organize stuff. We are professionals at it and we love to organize!
I'm tired and my feet hurt but it feels good. I've been productive!!!

On another note...I also pulled a klutz moment this morning. It rained last night and this morning I slipped and fell straight down on my knees. Wow, that really smarted!!! In return I received a very nice knot on my right knew, which looked like a very large abnormal grape. It's better and the swelling has gone down a bit.

OH!!!! I can't believe I forgot to tell you this!!! I received my test scores from the last two OSAT tests I took in April. I PASSED!!!! I found out Friday and was soooooo happy. I can't tell you how happy I was. I seriously thought I was going to fail the US History/OK History/Government/Economics test. It turned out that I scored highest on the government part...ugh! Not my favorite subject, however, while I was studying everything, it was like studying something new and really really interesting. I've always have had a passion for history but you know, when you are a kid, who cares!!! Now that I've "lived" a little, history is much more interesting... ANYWAY!! I just have one more test and I can get my teaching license in OK. I've applied for several positions...and will be applying for several more. Pray that I will get the right one!!!

Ok that's it for now...my fingers are tired!! One more picture of Angie & Chris at the reception!

Hiiiiii YAH!!!

War

Preface: My writing may be random...just my thoughts as the come to me.

"War. What is it good for, absolutely nothing...good god ya'll."

Well, anyone who knows history should know that war is inevitable. War is bad and war is good. Your life would be different if there was no war. Think about it. A lot of our technology has been derived from war because someone is thinking of new ways to kill people. I'm serious!

My brothers are in the Army Reserves. Drew has been to Iraq and back. Patrick was called up to go last Wednesday and he leaves for training this Thursday. I went home this past weekend for a visit because we don't know if we will get to see him before he actually goes over. It was a good visit. We did normal brother/sister stuff that Pat and Jessica do. Bond over movies and books and music. Goofy pictures are on the way.

When Drew left for Iraq I was depressed and had nightmares. I got to go to his farewell ceremony and that was pretty awful but I was very proud too. I'm very proud of Patrick too. They both signed up for the army, and even though it's been a hugely crappy deal, they are doing their jobs.

I respect anyone who has gone to war or has served in the military. Men have a mental capacity that I can't comprehend. I can't really speak for all women and their mental capacity but I can speak for myself in this respect. I don't know that I would be able to be in the military and fight for my life or for another's. My hope would be yes, I would do this for another. My mental capacity includes a lot of emotional drama with some logic and reason in there somewhere like salt and pepper...just for flavor.

What it boils down to is this. My concern is above all else my brother's safety. But I am concerned for his mental/emotional health. I will never know what all Drew has gone through but I know some of it and it is hard. I think he has become a better man because of it. At first I didn't want Pat to have to suffer what Drew has suffered but then I realized that everyone must go through some type of pain and suffering; some just go through more than others. This is what shapes us. If we never suffered, think of what life would be like. Purposeless, shallow and boring. We would never know what joy is. When it comes to suffering there are two options: give up or work through it. My prayer is that John Patrick Harris will work through whatever he faces in the year to come, learn from it and become a better man (or little brother, whichever the case may be).

Didn't say it would be easy...it never will be.

Pat is in the 603rd Military Police Unit.

That's all the time I have for now.

John Pat and Drew

Danger - if you meet it promptly and without flinching - you will reduce the danger by half. Never run away from anything. Never!
Winston Churchill