The biggest blessing of all. :)

GoodNESS it has been forever since I’ve posted anything at all to this blog! Quite frankly, I’ve been way too busy and while I’ve had lots going on for quite some time, I just haven’t really had anything that I really wanted to babble on about in my blog....BUT things change don’t they? :)

I am excited to the moon and back and yes, I think fully entitled to take a moment to blab our blessing from  above - Cameron and I are going to be parents for the first time! :) We aren’t rushing into picking out names, painting any nursery walls, worrying about lamaze classes, buying strollers, baby furniture or any of that just yet. We have months ahead of us for those things. For now, we are just enjoying this very tiny (4 oz to be exact as of our ultrasound today!) miracle that God has placed in our lives. 

God never ceases to completely amaze me at His timing - how perfect it is. Life happens and develops just as He plans for it to, and I am just tickled pink at the road He has put Cameron and I on together. 

Can’t wait to meet our little Cowboy (or Cowgirl - we are seriously considering not finding out the sex...yeah right, let’s see how long I can stick with that decision...ha!) in early October! It’s amazing how quickly our baby has changed from a little round blob to an actual baby over the last 8 weeks or so since our first ultrasound. Our ultrasound pic from today absolutely took my breath away - to see our little one moving around and waving his/her hands around, and well actually looking like a baby - head, fingers, toes, tummy and everything...well, it’s nothing short of a miracle. 

In Him,

Brooke Lindsey

The town that built me

When I'm asked where I'm from I usually just say Tulsa, Oklahoma. But the truth is, I'm actually from Orlando too. No...not Florida - Orlando, Oklahoma to be exact....where?? See! That is why it is just easier to say Tulsa...about 98% of people I meet have never even heard of Orlando and if you google it, you'll see why. It is extremely small - as in less than 500 people small. I moved there with my mom after my parents separated when I was 12. Despite the fact that my parents were separating and of course I was heartbroken over that - I was also super excited to be moving to "the farm" as I called it. Orlando would be a brand new start for me, an adventure and I couldn't wait! Well, fast forward about 6 years to high school graduation. As excited as I was to move to the farm years before, I was even more excited to be moving away from Orlando! I was 18 so of course I had everything figured out...or so I thought. I had it all planned out - I would go to college,  graduate, get a good job, maybe get married, have kids...you know the drill...but most importantly, I would not live in Orlando - I was moving away and that was what I was most excited about.

At that time, I certainly did not appreciate the community I spent the most formative of my adolescent years in - in fact, I think I resented it. Hind sight is always 20/20 though right? Now that I've had a few years to begin the process of growing up (please note - I did not say I am done growing up - I figure anyone reading this who actually knows me would call b.s. on that comment so just wanted to clarify), I realize that this community that I was so ready to get away from actually had a huge part of shaping who I am today. I am aware of the "Orlando in me", so to speak, on a daily basis. I am still torn on the nature vs. nurture argument - but, I do tend to lean towards the nurture side. I think we become who we are more so from our environment - our family, friends, the communities we live in...

I'm all about reflection, reminiscing, communicating what I am thankful for and what I love and appreciate, etc... so today I thought I'd make a list of some of my favorite memories as well as what I love and appreciate about my tiny hometown of Orlando, Oklahoma. These are the building blocks of me.

• M-O FFA and my high school ag teacher, Mr. Brent Casey
• Lady Panther athletics - Coach K!! Our very loyal fans who came to every game even though, let's face it...we sucked. Now don't get mad and yell at me for saying this Kayla!
• I love that our teachers were not only educators, but were (and most still are) actually friends with our families
• we had to drive 20 minutes to go to Sonic...and we made this drive nearly every single day after school
• Carl's Quick Stop - we miss you Carl. I think this was my first actual job other than babysitting. 
• sneaking out my window in 7th grade to meet boys and getting caught by Uncle Wayne in less than 5 minutes
• "Drive your tractor to school" day for National FFA Week...and yes, we did actually drive tractors to school
• stock shows - waking up early & washing our calves in the freezing cold - it builds character right?
• bus rides to softball games & singing Dixie Chicks with my team as loud as we could. I clearly remember how great Crystal is at harmonizing - she can sing the high and the low parts perfectly!
• also related to softball game bus rides (and this is an inside joke) - DO THE DEW! Anyone else remember that besides me? I know Jennifer Wimsey will. :)
• driving dirt roads for hours and never caring how much gas we were wasting...but whatever you do - don't waste the beer!
• spotlighting deer AKA making out on dirt roads
• after prom party and bonfire Senior year...Aunt Carla stole all my date's beer out of his ice chest & replaced it with DR PEPPER!!! We got the beer back at the after party, but she really got us good!
• detention in the back of Mr. Pfeiffer's old science building - I spent a lot of time there for, what else, talking too much!
• home made breakfasts at school courtesy of Evelyn Schwandt - I still crave those cinnamon rolls and Kolotchy's or whatever those things were called, on a regular basis, however Evelyn is my favorite part of this memory
• coffee shop talk - anything you do your grandpa was going to find out about the next morning at the coffee shop. I actually appreciate this now believe it or not.
• I love that 4 generations of my family & most of my friends' families all attended the same school
• I love that nearly all of our grandparents have all been married for over 50 years...and most of them were married in the same church
• everyone knows everyone - mostly I appreciate this part of Orlando because this is not the case in any other place I've lived in
• when my mom made Carra a homemade German chocolate cake for her birthday...and left the potholders between the layers when she iced it!!!! I think we nearly peed our pants laughing after we discovered the potholders inside the cake!
• it still makes me smile that every family at our church has their own row that they have sat in for years - I also love children's church - Jovonna is the best children's church teacher ever!
• I love that my entire family has said the same dinner time prayer for years and that this same prayer will likely be passed down to future generations of our family
• I like that I graduated with less than 20 people and we all pretty much know what everyone else is doing these days, or at least where everyone else is...thanks facebook! ;)
• I so appreciate the weekly Sunday after-church lunches at Grandma's - I especially love that our menu consisted of pretty much the same thing every week - taboli, baked beans, mashed potatoes, sauerkraut and weenies, macaroni and cheese, homemade lemon meringue pie...these are all pretty much my favorite foods to this day.
• I love that, in some way or another, a lot of people in Orlando are related, even if only by marriage...this however, does make dating people from your school rather complicated...
• I love that Kayla's mom always had the BEST cereal ever! And she let me eat as much of it as I wanted!
• I love that my mom tried her hardest to teach me how to cook, but all I wanted to do was watch tv and read gossip magazines...as a result, my mother gets lots of emergency cooking phone calls
• I love that my grandma RARELY would use pre-made pie crusts. I also fondly remember how much time and effort she puts into her homemade pie crusts...and how often she made me redo mine cause my crimps weren't pretty enough :)
• staying up all night in Grandma & Papa's backyard to catch the armadillo tearing up her flower beds...and then watching the boys kill the poor little guy with a baseball bat
• Kayla & Cory surfing on top of my Jeep while driving through Orlando - ahhh! this scares me that we thought this was a good idea!

Okay...I'm stopping there because I could go on and on and I'm probably the only one who cares about these things anyways. Thank you Orlando, and thank you to my wonderful family and friends, for keeping me grounded & for all the lessons you've taught me & memories you've given me over the years. I am blessed & I wouldn't change a thing even if I could.

In Him,

Brooklyn

the whirlwind of 2010 (ok well the last couple months of it at least...)

Since my last post, so very much has happened and changed in my world. 

I went on my first "just the girls" vacation (NOLA!) with my best friend Kayla - we hadn't ever gone anywhere just the two of us. We had such a blast.

Kayla & Joey & their son William moved back to Tulsa. I was ecstatic to have them home at last!

I then got a wonderful and exciting job offer...but of course, it wasn't in Tulsa...so Kayla & I will just have to wait until some point in the future to be able to live in the same city. Geez the timing on their move and my job offer was just perfect huh? :)

After a few weeks of serious deliberation and prayer, I decided to take the new job and resigned from my job in Tulsa. I took a month and took an impromptu trip to Mexico, came home, packed up my entire house and moved to Fort Worth, TX.

Mom, Grandma & Papa helped me get moved in, unpacked & organized - this is our routine when I move and that has been a LOT in the past ten years. 

I absolutely love my new job and the company that I work for - God has blessed me beyond belief. I know I am where He wants me to be, both personally and professionally. 

New city, new job, new friends - change can be scary, but I am enjoying the challenge.

My family has been extremely supportive of my move. I think they are just thankful I didn't move back to California - a 3.5 hour drive is slightly less excruciating than a 21 hour drive.

I had a severe allergic reaction and ended up in the ER. It was at this point that I too was thankful for the 3.5 hour drive - Mom and Dad both came to my rescue.

The following week, while I was home for Thanksgiving, my stepdad's mother had a severe stroke on Thanksgiving Day. Patricia Ann Miller passed away just a few days later. 

That same week my Papa had a heart attack. Papa is home now and recovering. I am so very thankful I was able to hug him and tell him I love him this weekend when I was home. 

Life is so short and is such a blessing. As I reflect on the events of the last year, I am a little shocked at everything my family has dealt with healthwise - my stepdad's heart attack, my Grandma's two strokes, my uncle's heart attack scare, my cousins Bailey and Jace spent some time in the hospital this year, Pat's passing and now my Papa's heart attack... 

Life never slows down it seems, never stays steady and predictable for too long, but rather continues to throw you curve balls every now and again (for some a lot more often than others)...just to make sure you're paying attention, just to remind you to appreciate each and every moment because it could always be your last.
Despite all the things that have happened this year, I have so much to be thankful for. I have a roof over my head, more true friends than I can count on one hand, a career that challenges me and that I actually enjoy, and a family that I love, respect, admire and appreciate more than words can say.
It's funny, I have a birthday coming up in about a week and then of course Christmas is just behind that...everyone keeps asking me what I want or need for my birthday and/or Christmas. I honestly do not need anyTHING - sure I want some things, but I have everything and everyone I need. Quite different from my birthday/Christmas gift lists when I was younger. Oh my, could this possibly mean that I am growing up? ;)


God is love,
Brooklyn

Where in the world is Carmen San Diego?

At the beginning of 2009 I decided that I was going to travel as much as possible that year...that plan changed when I closed on my house. With new homeowner expenses popping up everyday, that plan was put on hold for awhile. That change of plans didn't bother me in the least because I just loved being home every weekend and enjoying my new home. I suppose you could say I was nesting.

Well, my friends and family will tell you that has not at all been the case in 2010. I haven't even really been in my "nest" much at all this year. What a whirlwind of wonderful new friends I have made and fun travels I have had this year! Where have I been? This is a very brief overview of my year thus far.

Denver

Norman, OK for the OU Spring Red/White game....only because I love Rachel so much even though she is a Sooner :)

Denver again, to surprise my "twin" Sarah for her birthday

Stillwater, OK for Calf Fry - soo felt like I was back in college this weekend

Las Vegas for Memorial Day weekend

New Braunfels, TX to float the Guadalupe River and visit my favorite town in Texas - Gruene!

San Diego, CA...why did I ever leave there? Such a great trip & wonderful to be back out there seeing old friends!

New Orleans, LA - NOLA has replaced Vegas as my favorite US city. Hands down.

Kansas City, MO - one word. BBQ!!!

Fort Worth, TX - where the East ends and the ass-kickin' begins! Had to break in my new boots in the Fort Worth Stockyards of course... 

This upcoming weekend is my first at home in a very long time and...I.AM.EXCITED!!!!! My fun travels will begin again the following weekend, but for this one weekend I get to be home and be lazy. :)

In Him,
Brooklyn

It takes a long time to grow an old friend

During a brief conversation with my best friend today, one of us brought up that we had been best friends for over 16 years now!!! That number of years just seemed...well, too high. No way have we been friends for almost 2 decades! My reaction was something like, "Seriously? That can't be right...do the math real quick...we met when we were 12 and we are now...oh crap, I guess it really has been that long."

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly time flies by. It also never ceases to amaze me how our friendship becomes more and more precious to me with each passing year. God has blessed me with a beautiful friend, inside and out, who loves me just as I am, unconditionally. We are both pretty much complete opposites - always have been, always will be I am sure. Our lives have been no different - opposite, but you know what they say - opposites attract right? Let me briefly illustrate...

She is shy. I rarely shut up.

She had a steady boyfriend when we were kids. I was always boy crazy.

I went to college and got a business degree. She became a massage therapist.

I moved to California. She moved to Midland, Texas (I know, I win this one right?) 

She got married! Wait, I did too...

She had a baby. I have two labrador retrievers...is that kind of the same?  

She had her first year anniversary...I ummm well, I ended up happily uncommitted.  

She loves the Young and the Restless soap opera - gag. I can't stand soaps.

She hates tomatoes, I eat them like apples... 

You get the picture.

We now live only a little over an hour apart - which although it is far far closer than 10 hours (thank God she came back from Midland! ehh!) - it is still difficult to coordinate our busy schedules to spend time together. But when we do get together, we are like two old hens, I swear...we have so much fun and so many laughs remembering all the trouble we have been in together...and I have the pictures to prove it! But it also makes us smile to recall some of our most memorable "disagreements"...one really big, nasty one in particular, which in a fairly direct way, led her right to the man God made for her to share her life with.

My train of thought that led me to write this blog today essentially boils down to this - God always gives us what we need, when we need it, in His time, not ours. The people, places and events of our lives are part of a much bigger story that He wrote for us long before you and I took our first breaths. I believe this more and more everyday. My life has been living proof of this. I am a lucky girl and am thankful everyday that God wrote such wonderful friends and loved ones like Kayla, in my story.

Garth never did a video for this song, so this is a dorky youtube video I found...but I have loved this song for years and it is fitting. I just wish the youtube video wasn't pink...geez...could it be any cornier? :)