a Birthday Junk

Over the years I have received some very interesting birthday gifts.

I have been given a wheel barrel, bags of cement mix, yard tools, power tools; you get the picture. While they weren't really meant as gifts each one was purchased around the time of my birthday as a necessity. We have an ongoing joke about these "gifts".

This year is the first time I can honestly say I was given a junk by Kimberly and Mark.

The story is Kimberly was looking for a sailboat for me to add to the house decor. She found a Chinese sailboat with a metal sail. She told me she knew it had a name but both of us were at a loss as to the actual name.

Later in the day Craig remembered it was a Chinese Junk.

Now have a Junk on the mantle and it's perfect!

Another Texas Tech Graduate

I am proud to announce Joshua Craig is an offical alumni of Texas Tech University.

Commencement started at 9 a.m. Saturday May 9, 2009

Josh's best friend Kellen Smith came for the ceremony. Also Josh's Grandma Light, sister Kimberly and brother-in-law Mark were there to share the day.

Craig and his mom, Josh's Gramma Carol.

If you look closely you can see Josh on the jumbo screen about to receive his diploma.

First official photo of the graduate along with Kimberly (guns up) and Kellen.

Our 3 Texas Tech graduates. Kimberly and Mark graduated in May 2006. Wreck 'm Tech.

Josh's dreaded photo op with the parents. (Craig tried to find a curb to stand on since Josh has outgrown him and I am in 3 inch heels.)

Finally the last photo of the day. As you can tell Josh is tired of smiling for the camera. (I actually have a good one of him smiling but thought this one captured his "spirit".)

After commencement, we had a celebration lunch at Abuelo's Mexican Cantina.

Josh's Aunt and Uncle, Steve and Ronna and 2 cousins, Myles and Lauren also joined us for lunch but I forgot my camera in the car so there are no pics to share... plus I's pretty sure Josh would have thrown his plate at me if I had tried to take more photos.

Pool is...OPEN

Purple Stride '09

Last weekend Craig and I traveled to Austin to participate in the annual Purple Stride 5K run/walk. All proceeds goes to Pancreatic Cancer research.

Kimberly suggested the family walk in honor of her Grandpa and my Dad, Don Light, who passed away from Pancreatic cancer February 2008.

Kimberly and Mark's friend Stephanie Foust joined us for the "fun".

The weather was overcast and a little raining but nothing too bad.

Kimberly, Mark and Joshua all ran and sweet Stephanie decided to hang back and entertain Craig and me.

Anyone interested in helping to find a cure can donated at http://www.pancan.org/. .

Award?

Thank you to Kimberly for bestowing this honor on me.

I am to post 7 things that no one knows about me and then nominate 5 fellow bloggers to do the same.

I have been "sitting" on this for a week now because I am having a hard time coming up with 7 things. I am pretty much an open book and have few mysteries.

1. When I was a freshman in high school I had Bells Palsy which left the left side of my face paralized for 6 months. My eye wouldn't blink, I drooled when I drank from a glass and I couldn't say words with p's or b's in them.

2. When I was 6 years old a Merry-go-round fell from it's center brace onto my foot. I remember having no pain until my foot was x-rayed and then it seemed to hurt very bad. I was scared of x-ray machines for years because I thought that is what made my foot hurt. Of course, I was acused of faking the pain to get attention so I learned to not admit to pain. I have to say I'm pretty good at not telling when something is hurt.

3. I had a pet raccoon when I was in junior high. His name was Ricky. He was so tiny when I got him he had to be bottle fed and eat babyfood. His favorite babyfood was bananas. When he was 2 1/2 years old and had gotten too big, he went to live in Amarillo's Storyland Zoo.

4. I have little tolerance for habitually late people. If your going to be late...call; we all have cell phones so there is no excuse for leaving someone hanging. My thought is that habitually late people think their time is more valuable than mine. All I ask is be curtious...call.

5. I wish I could throw out 90% of the clothes in my closet and start over.

6. Contrary to popular belief, I like days I don't have to talk.

7. I'm copying Kimberly on this; I wish I could speak Spanish. I know very few words and I think I could get my point across but I can't understand the answers. My ears hear too slow.

I pass this award on to Donna, Gay, Erin, Katie B. and Julia. Good Luck!

Who's your Marley?

Although I have a love for all the dogs we have had over the years I would have to say our family "Marley" is Raider. Raider is a black Lab mix we adopted from the Amarillo pound.

Raider was an answer to prayers. You see at 5 years old Joshua was bit in the face by our then pet; a Lhaso Apso mix by the name of Raschel (Raschel was destroyed to say the least; Kimberly wanted to shoot him with the BB gun when it happened). Josh had to have his lower lip stitched back together and the corner of his mouth pieced together. After such an event Josh was terrified of dogs. I thought he would never want another dog.

During the summer before Josh's 5th grade year he asked could he get a dog. Needless to say Josh, Kimberly and I immediately drove to the pound to pick out a dog for Josh; surprise Craig. Josh found Raider or should I say Raider found Josh.

They were inseparable.

During Raiders first 2 years he ate more fence pickets than you can count, blankets from his doghouse, garden hoses, a baby raccoon, squirrels, the ear off Josh's pet rabbit (RIP) and anything else lying around.

He was a pillow for Josh while Josh played Playstation and a bed warmer on cold winter nights.

Joshua is Raiders boy. Raider likes all people but you can see a difference in the way he "looks" at Joshua.

Raider "attended" Texas Tech with Josh and made a lot of new friends.

Raider is getting old; he is in his 14th year. His eyesight is no good and his hearing is even worse but he is a happy dog.

I challenge you to share your story of the family "Marley".

Will it NEVER END!?!?!

The wind that is.

I thought it was my imagination but I swear this has been the windiest spring in the 7 years we have lived in Houston. I have heard the same comment from many people that have lived in Houston all their lives.

What's the deal?

I should be used to the wind since I was born and raised in the Texas Panhandle where the wind always blows and a breeze is a 20 mph wind.

Yesterday we had 30 to 40 mph winds with gusts to 60 mph and the local weathermen call them Tropical Storm force winds. In the Panhandle it would be called "a windy day".

I keep reminding myself "This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it".

Honestly I found it very hard to rejoice when the dog houses kept blowing over, our patio chairs blew off the patio and the grill cover looked like a hot air balloon ready to take off.

Grrr, the forcast is more wind into next week.

Oh goody!