Laughter is Good for the Soul

This is an update of my earlier post.  More to laugh at because the most wasted of days is one without laughter!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NbJQw9qmm0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcqOgnQyXp4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeFI9aPZvKI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzNhaLUT520 and in response: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMtZfW2z9dw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ezfk7s1NyY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOYMU15bjlA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uuk-h2ZYNJU&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odhUPMYXpX4&feature=relmfu
OMG I LOVE them! More Sophia Grace and Rosie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJB-Wx7l8A0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skHsvM1NCyc&ob=av3e

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5jw3T3Jy70

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCF3ywukQYA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEqwKNNQBwc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysqh1uzqGrc


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMNry4PE93Y
and his friend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ngccj6Rt4tc

http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/super-bowl-thank-you-notes-2312/1383299/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UakG94tANc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UakG94tANc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_Z0uckoOR0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAFQIciWsF4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2BgjH_CtIA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI0AfYMkXcw&feature=fvst

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTs5eKZ0i1E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx1XIm6q4r4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg

The Mega Millions

I read a news article this weekend that said you are "20,000 times more likely to die in a car crash than hit the lucky numbers." If those are the odds, i think my family probably has pretty decent odds due to the obvious lack of a brother in my life.

With the Mega Millions so high this past weekend, I thought about what i would do if I won. I Unfortunately didn't get the chance to stop and buy a ticket as I'm a slave to my job. But I thought about what I'd do with the money if I won it. Who knows? Maybe one day in the future I will win the mega millions.

First, I'd handle taxes and I'd tithe. My faith is important to me and I try to tithe but it's not something I've been good at. With that much money, there's no way I would be able to say I needed it for something else.

Next, I'd handle all of my family's loans; I myself have loans out on my teeth, on my car, and on my education. Not to mention the money I owe my parents for helping me survive college. I'd also make it a point to pay mom's way through her Master's degree. She's given everything to me so there's no way I would walk away from the one thing she wants! I'd pay for every "A" or "B" Teri got in her classes, too. She's been lacking motivation and therefore not every class has gotten the attention it deserves. I'd also buy a (used) car for her to drive. She is a better driver than anyone else I know (how on earth did we end up with both ends of the spectrum? Dad/Bry crash very 6 months or so, Teri is the world's safest driver.).

I'd help my uncle finish his house. He has put so much time and effort and trust into me. I wouldn't be where I am today without him! If I can repay the favor, I will. I intend to do this anyway, even if I don't ever win a huge sum of money.

I’d donate in $20,000 increments to: DZ Zeta Psi, SFA Campus Rec’s scholarship fund, UNH Campus Rec, Charity Water, Driving Jacks, Moka's Dog Rescue, the Make a Wish Foundation, the Allen Eagle Escadrille, and the NIRSA foundation. Each of these organizations has touched my heart in some way or another and I can't think of a better way to spend my money than helping others. I already give back as often as I can, but to be able to make a HUGE difference would be cool! (May I give graciously of what is mine! - DZ Creed)

I would participate in the Breast Cancer 3 day (and invite a few folks to do it with me). I's pay triple the amount expected of fundraisers for everyone on my team, simply because I could.

I would take my family on the vacation of a lifetime: All 7 continents! (My dream vacation would be to Antarctica, if I can't reach all 7 continents). But I wouldn't go crazy. We'd bargain shop for hotels/tickets/meals/etc.

I would attend the TED Conference (and take Mom with! She'd appreciate it every bit as much as I would).

I think it’s also important to be politically active. I would donate a couple million towards getting rid of the deficit. I know that’s nowhere near enough, but every step counts. And potentially I would donate money to a Super PAC if I believed strongly in a candidate.

I would purchase lifetime memberships with SFA Alumni Association, UNH Alumni Association, and NIRSA. 3 communities filled with wonderful people that I care about. What better way to spend some money than that?

And whatever is left from there would go into savings/investments. I would like to have a beautiful wedding one day, I would like to retire one day, I would like to send my children to school one day, I would like my parents to be able to retire comfortably.

And I would still work. Working with students brings happiness to my life!

Not All Who Wander Are Lost

Places I want to travel at some point in my life:

-Greece
-Germany (including some of the concentration camps)
-France (Eiffel Tower & the Louvre)
-London
-Antarctica
-Ireland
-Scotland
-Canada
-New Zealand
-Harry Potter World at Universal Studios Florida
-Australia (Opera House and Bondi Beach)
-Back to DC to do all the stuff I missed
-San Diego and LA and San Fransisco
-St. Louis
-Chicago
-Seattle

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” St. Augustine

Dear Bryan

Dear Bryan,

There's some things I think you should know; some things I've been wanting to tell you.

We're doing all right. We miss you something terrible, but we're living again. We've continued some of your traditions. I bought Teri Grey's Anatomy and sent it from Lucy and Bandit for her Birthday. The dogs still give Christmas presents and we still hang your stocking.

I tried to make Mom and Dad and Teri watch Inception. I know you would have absolutely loved it and tried to get us all to watch it. I understand your frustration with us- Haha!

I have a dog! You would think she's adorable. Her name is Ellie and she likes to cuddle. And now that I'm a dog owner, I understood why you let Lucy chase after Blake all those years. Ellie chases shadow because she wants to play but Shadow is terrified of her. Part of me wishes Shadow would just man up and tell her to leave him alone. Lucy and I are the best of friends now. I know she and I didn't get along when you were alive but I don't know what I would do without her now!

Dad's adjusted to having 3 dogs in the house. In fact, he let Teri adopt a BIG dog. But the little ones were terrified of him so he had to go back. I think once I'm a little bit more financially capable, I'd like to star fostering Boston Terriers. That will be my way of carrying you on.

I wrote an awesome thesis and graduated on time. You would have gotten a copy if you had still been alive. It's dedicated partially to you, partially to Mom and Dad and Toons. I still can't believe I have my Master's Degree but I know you'd brag about it for me. And so I'm proud of that.

I'm bummed that you never got to visit New Hampshire. We would have had a BLAST! I have very few regrets in my life but I regret that I never got to show you around Boston/NH and I regret that are last conversation was about you missing the trip. We were both so bummed. Most days I can be at peace with it bc I know the fact that we were bummed proves that we were looking forward to seeing each other.

I got a tattoo for you. Mom and Dad weren't too happy, but they weren't too upset either. HA! I finally got away with something that you didn't get away with! And now I'm addicted. Scott and Amanda and Rachel took me. They've done a great job filling in as your voice. It's not the same as having you around but they mean a lot to us so we stay involved. You'd like their new house. It would be a blast to party there!

Your God Son is growing up so nicely. He's such a cute little kid! And Cori had a son. He's a ton of fun too. I get to be Aunt Katie to him and that means so much to me. Remember when we were saying that we felt behind schedule bc all our friends were getting engaged and married? Teri has informed me just how far behind I am -haha! She was sure I needed to be engaged by the end of college. Oops! Now the plan is that I have to have a kid before Lucy dies so Dad has someone to focus on.

Its weird that you will probably never meet the man I choose to marry. I mean I could marry someone you knew before you died but it doesn't seem likely right now. Remember when you tried to set Josh up with another girl? I won't ever forget it. And each guy I date, I wonder what you would think of him. If he doesn't meet what I think your standards would be, he doesn't last.

I live in Missouri now. I work at the University of Missouri. It would have been fun to take you to the 100th HC game. I think that's something you would have had fun with.

Teri has decided on a double major finally. She's making progress. And Mom is almost ready to Graduate. She's decided to go back and get her Master's Degree in counseling. Your death had effects that we didn't even expect. Leigh and Sean and I are closer now. Not as close as you three used to be, but closer than we were before. Kaylyn will get her DL next week and all I can think about is that picture you took of her when she was just a toddler.

I visit QT as often as I can. The folks in the DFW area really stepped in and took care of us when you died. They paid for a lot of the costs associated with your death and we were so grateful! Now Mom and I go a few extra blocks to stop at a QT if we need gas. And I'm addicted to their un-sweet Tea and Hot Dogs. That reminds me of the time you filled my stocking on Christmas Morning with stuff from the gas station HAHA!

I miss you. Give Blake a hug for me and find JoAnn up there too. Love you!

-kt

Children

One day, I intend to have a big old family. Lately, through much discussion with my family and with friends who have children of there own I have started thinking about things I want to do with my future kids. Some of these things, my parents did with Bry and Teri and I, others are ideas I have found.

Every year for Christmas, each child will get an ornament and a book. Reading is important and if you want your children to read you have to instill reading as a habit in them. As for the ornaments, then when they finally move out, they have a collection of ornaments to put on their first Christmas tree.

Homework should be done as soon as you get home from school, not right before bed. Then you have the rest of the afternoon/evening to play (or read!).

Culture exposure once a month. I don't care what kind of culture, just something: trips to art museums, trying ethnic food, going to a concert of some sort.

My kids will have a pet. It does teach responsibility and it allows you to be comfortable with animals. My dad did not grow up with cats and dogs and was very uncomfortable around them for the longest time. He still gets nervous around big dogs.

I want to read out loud to the kids at least one night a week before bed. Mom did this with us as often as she could and I always loved it. It was calming. Also, I read a lot of great classics that I never had to read for school.
My children will read the following regaurdless of whether it's required or not for school): To Kill a Mockingbird, The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, A Wrinkle In Time, Great Expectations, The Iliad and The Odyssey, Johnny Tremain, A Midsummer Night's Dream,Charlotte's Web, and whatever else I choose!

Volunteering. This is something I wish I do more currently. Its a work in progress. But I believe in giving back to the community.

I believe in demonstrating the importance of voting. When I go to vote, I will take my children with me, even if that means pulling them from school for a few hours.

I also believe in Mom dates. My mother and I make it a point to spend some time just the two of us whenever I'm home. Its nice to have the time together even if all we do is run errands for an hour.

I intend to teach my kids to play chess. Maybe once a month family game nights?

Once they are teenagers, they will be allowed one glass of wine or one beer at holiday celebrations. My parents did this with us and I think it gave me and Teri a healthy attitude towards alcohol. I wish Bry had learned this, too!

My parents never made us say "Yes, Ma'am" and "No, Sir" but it's a habit I picked up from living in the south and it's one I like. I will teach my children to treat people with this little bit of respect. Its definitely not a New England thing... people get so shocked (and yet pleased) when you speak like that around them.

I will teach my kids how to bake and cook a little.

They will not get their Drivers License until they can check the fluids in a car, add more if needed, jump a car, and change a tire. This has served me well and I'm glad my parents taught me. One year, I was the only girl in the sorority house who knew how to use jumper cables.

I know life with kids is messy and uncoordinated and you have to go with the flow, so some of these things might not happen. But they are goals to work towards- things I intend to at least try to do with my kids.

Let It B

About 3 months after I turned 18, Bryan and I decided we wanted to get tattoos together. We were not planning on getting matching tattoos, just getting tattoos together. I think it seemed less scary if we got them together. Maybe Mom and Dad's anger would be halved or shared? Whatever it was, we wanted to get tattoos together.

We never seemed capable of making it happen though. I would be in town and Bry wouldn't have the money. Or we'd both have the money but not the time to devote to it. We just never made it happen. Then, when we were in Austin the summer before he died, we had the time and money and we tried. And they told us they wouldn't do it because we had been drinking. At that point, I honestly don't think either of us was drunk, but we didn't get tattoos.

And then Bry died. Maybe it's silly: I don't have many regrets in life, but I regret that we never made it happen before Bryan died.

A month into my grief, I knew I wanted to get a tattoo for Bryan. A memorial. I realized that one of the reasons I never had the time and money at the right time was that I didn't have anything I wanted as a tattoo that was worth spending that much on. Bryan was worth spending the time and money on though.

I actually tried to go to a tattoo parlor in NH before I flew home for Christmas that year but it was no longer there. Then, less than an hour after I landed, B's best friend called me and said the group was going to get Bryan tattoos and they wanted to invite me. I'm incredibly grateful they wanted to do this, too! For one, it made it easier on me to go with other people. And then it also showed me how much they loved B, too. Nothing will ever mean as much to me as it does to know about all the people who loved B so much.

And so, I went in with ideas and this is what I ended up with:




No, I did not forget the "e."

That always seems to be the question people ask me if they don't like tattoos. If they like tattoos, they're smart enough to know the lack of "e" was planned and ask what my tattoo means. Sometimes I explain in depth and others I just say it is for someone named "B."

I originally went in wanting a star with the letter B. B for Bry, a star because the only 2 things that helped calm me were the waves and the stars. Its amazing how small and insignificant you realize you are when looking at the stars or the waves. I don't mean that in a bad way either. I mean that God is so mighty and powerful. And that put a little perspective on my grief. Knowing that God was in control and had a plan helped in some small way. So since getting a tattoo of waves sounded silly, I wanted a star.

And then, from discussion with B's best friends, I realized my tattoo wasn't complete that way. Bryan introduced me to 90% of my taste in music. I probably would have discovered some of it through other people later on in life, but Bryan was the first person to make me listen to the Beatles. And country music (8 hour drive to the beach with Kenny Chesney's greatest hits on repeat!). And a little 80s band that half the people our age don't know. I can add Simon & Garfunkle to that list, too. And then there's the song about peaches (I'm smiling just thinking about this one. SO ridiculous!).

"Let it Be" seemed to fit so well with his attitude towards life. He made the best with what came his way, rarely stayed mad, and loved to laugh. So what if it's not perfect? There's something good we can find in the situation.

Now, let it B is a reminder to me; a reminder to be more like Bry, to stop stressing over the small stuff and enjoy life more, to laugh more and forgive people quickly.

As always, ripBPTily!

Crafting for Cousins

When I was little, my mother made these cute little gloves for my sister and me. We LOVED them. They were fancy and made us feel like a million bucks. I decided to make a few pairs to send to some little cousins of mine. I think they will get a kick out of them.

They are incredibly easy to make. You will need:

-Gloves for little hands
-Stuffing of some sort (I used plastic grocery bags)
-Fabric Paint (Glittery is even better)
-Rhinestone/Jewels



Steps:

1. Stuff the fingers of each glove.
2. Paint nails on the fingertips.
3. Paint a ring band on the ring finger and immediately place a gem on top.




EASY! :)