Random Act of Sensless Kindness...

Many of you have known me for quite sometime, so many of you know that I'm a Criminal Justice Major and currentlyl a Criminology Master Student. I got to class three times a week to hear about criminals, crimes, theories, juvenile delinquents, media and their affect on crime, etc. But it doesn't take me being a criminal justice student to really know how the world is today. How violent our world has become, how selfish, greedy, disrepectful. It becomes so easy to take a nasty and negative attitude with the criminals and think that our world does not have one simple good soul left in it. And I think I might have that attitude a lil too often... It is so hard to see the good when everywhere you turn seems bad. For example, my cousin, I happened to notice his status just the other day...someone has felt the need to take his XBOX 360...now I know this isn't really something he needs to survive...but it was a gift given to him, and now someone else feels the need to have it for whatever reason. My heart breaks for him, I know its not a necessity to his life but it was his. Another example, I had borrowed a bike from a friend, kept it on my patio the whole time I had it, the day she called me to come get it, it was there, we arranged a pick up time and she shows up, only to find the bike is GONE...Really!? Why!? It's just so saddening and frustrating when that stuff happens that it does eventually make it difficult to look at the good in the world....Which brings me to today's blog title....

I know I'm not the best at picking great music, but back in the day there was a country group called South Sixty Five, I know I wasn't their only fan because I did go to a concert of theirs and I was not the only person at the concert...so ya... anyways, as corney as they may have been and as corney as their songs may have been, there was always one song of theirs I LOVED to listen to... Yep you guessed it, it was titled, A Random Act of Senseless Kindness...I'm gonna post the lyrics...and then finish my story for why I was inspired to write this blog today...

I picked up the morning paper
The headlines were no surprise
A random act of senseless violence
Was committed again last night
It seems the whole world has gone crazy
And something needs to be done
So starting today, I'm gonna find a way
I'm gonna repay someone

With a random act of senseless kindness
Unexpected hand to help remind us
A little bit of love is the cure for hate
It's easy to give up but it's never too late
A single step in the right direction
Person to person making a connection
We can change the world that's become so violent
With a random act of senseless kindness

How I long to live the simple life
When neighbors were still friends
And the sidewalks leading downtown
Were safe to walk back then
The classrooms and the school yards
Were havens for our kids
Well, it's a long way back but we can get on track
Today's a good day to begin

With a random act of senseless kindness
Unexpected hand to help remind us
A little bit of love is the cure for hate
It's easy to give up but it's never too late
A single step in the right direction
Person to person making a connection
We can change the world that's become so violent
With a random act of senseless kindness

With a random act of senseless kindness
Unexpected hand to help remind us
A little bit of love is the cure for hate
It's easy to give up but it's never too late
A single step in the right direction
Person to person making a connection
We can change the world that's become so violent
With a random act of senseless kindness
A randon act of senseless kindness

Also as you all know I can bable on for hours but here is the most IMPORTANT part of my blog today. I get up this morning, late as usual but in no hurry to get ready. :) Finally when I'm ready to head to work, I decide I'm gonna go get some coffee at QT. I simply take my wallet in forgetting I spent all my cash last night, and forgetting I didn't put my debit card back in it. I get my coffee and go up to the register to pay. 1.20 something is my total, open the wallet, no cash, and not enough change to scrounge up to pay, so I go for my debit card, not there either, now I'm getting all paniced because I still don't remember what I've done with all my cash or my debit card. So I decide to be that lady, I pull out the checkbook. The clerk acts all grumpy because I'm gonna write a check for a dollar something, but at this point its take the check or take the coffee back. :) ...So I start to write the check, and then this guy comes over and says excuse me to the clerk, I automatically assume he's trying to rush me and the clerk so he can just get out of there like he's in a big hurry or something. But when I actually pay attention to what he's saying, I hear something completely unbelieveable! He was telling the clerk to add his drink to my total and they he'd just pay for both of them. I now am completely embarrassed for taking the negative attitude, and start thanking him.

The coffee was a dollar, and I reacted almost as though this guy had just won the lottery and offered me half. All I'm trying to say is that this guy was simply doing a random act of senseless kindness and it completely brightened my day. The world has become so selfish and greedy that you would think stuff like that doesn't happen anymore. But it does, maybe in very small quantities but it does. And that simply brightens my day...

4 more months....

Thus begins the start of the LAST four months of the grad school voyage! AMEN! I am so pumped that I will not have to think of homework ever again...or maybe at least not until I decide to go all smarty pants and get my PhD....but we will see.

I am now back to m-th mornings at the mortgage company, m-th afternoons at the GRA office at school and then m, w, th evenings in class! JOY JOY JOY! :) I am so ready to be RID of school! I know some of you think I won't like the real world...but guess what I already do the real world and school at the same time! So ya! :)

As far as classes go I have 9 hours again. Less of a reading load and teachers I like...I think...I don't really know one of them but he was a great help when I was planning on coming here so I think he should be fine!

The GRA office...assignment one given to me today. Pretty much I get to look at the last 5 years of job postings in some chronicle something for CRCJ jobs so that two of my professors can update an article done a few years back....I'M SO EXCITED! Sitting in the library 5 hours a day 4 days a week at the ads....FUN! :) I guess I can't complain too much, the job is paying for my school :) kinda....

And the mortgage company, I love it still...great money friendly faces...just some of the friendly faces have gotten a lil less friendly lately :) But all is well in the work world for me there. I get a lil frustrated at times but I'm working on my patience!

Oh and among all of this other work I still have to pick my committee, start my final paper, research for my final paper, finish my final paper, apply for graduation, help out with APS and graduate...This four months is gonna be AMAZING....and extremely challenging!

If you are struggling for something to pray for ever this semester...pray for my sanity and patience :) Thanks to all! Love yall! :)
-ACD

Words from the heart...

Well I'm obviously slacking a lil in this whole blog thing...and it's not that I haven't had time for blogs it is just that I haven't exactly been sure how to put everything I want to say. At then end of each year I usually list a few important things from each month in my journal just to look back and the year and remember the year. Sometimes they are things that can make me laugh for hours, sometimes they are things that can make me cry for hours, and sometimes they are just little things I like to remember. I have not yet made this list but I can for sure at least recall a few things that really stick out about this past year...

I had my first trip to the Rangers ballpark (along with many games to follow); I had my first trip to Six Flags over Texas :) (with another to follow, they were amazing and I was very spoiled by the fact there was no one there both times!); My niece and nephew count grew, with adding two of the most beautiful baby boys Case Truitt, and Zachary Treyvis; I made the wonderful never boring (jk) drive to and from Kansas 3 times over the summer, once to see Case, once to see Gillian and attend a wedding and once to do a reading for a wedding; My brother and sister count was also added to with Zach and Amanda's wedding in August, this one I got to fly for which in turn caused me to miss Baby Trey's birth; I got to go home for Homecoming and see my bricks and the girls; I also got to go home for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year!; I got to move into a way better apartment with an awesome roommate; My mommy came to visit again and we went to the women of faith conference; I learned more about myself in this past year than I ever thought I could learn in a lifetime; and last but certainly not least, I have been blessed with the MOST AMAZING, WONDERFUL, UNSELFISH, HONEST, TRUSTWORTHY, LOVEABLE, CARING, ADORABLE, AWESOME, PERFECT, LOVING, UNDERSTANDING, (well I could go on forever but I'll save yall the time for now) guy I could have possibly ever asked for, Joshua Aaron Nix.

I have never been as happy as I am with him in my life. He so kindly helps me to be a better person. He so kindly helps me to see where I've done wrong and so kindly helps me to make it right. He is the perfect compliment to my crazy, out of control, over emotional nature. When I sit and watch him play his guitar and listen to him sing, I am simply at peace. A peace that I never thought I would feel. A peace that I have prayed for so long. And I sit and just think of how thankful I am...Thankful for the craziness and bad that happened in the past, so that I can see the beauty of now...So I can be thankful of the times I spend with Josh. So I can appreciate that God was trying to teach me patience and understanding so that I could be prepared for what he was about to bless me with. And I am truly thankful that despite my anger and confusion and questions, God still sent me the angel he had been making for me this whole time. God still stuck true to his plan, despite my sometimes nastiness...

Right now I have run out of time to actually finish but I will write more later...Simply all I really needed and wanted this blog to say, was how thankful, happy and excited I am for what is to come in my life! :)

All I want is you this Christmas...

First of all my apologies to those who reguarly read my blog but haven't had anything to read for a while, just hold on...this will be a LONG one! :)

AND here we go...

Starting with my blog title...I have had the N Sync Chritmas CD FOREVER, recently though, I've lost it, this is my first Christmas without it and its been kinda sad...I LOVE it, it has been and will always be my favorite Christmas album...I don't know how many of you have ever actually listened to it (ha) but I loved it. It had some traditional songs on it but mostly they were songs about lost love or being in love on Christmas...and I think that might be the reason I loved it so much. I haven't had a "love" on Christmas in six years and even then it was more childhood love than true love. But I always loved the CD because it gave me hope that some day I would SURELY be in love on Christmas.It made me think of how special that Christmas would be when it finally came around. And just now sitting here thinking, I am sure I have come to figure out why I can't find my N Sync CD or maybe even why I haven't put too much effort into looking for it this year...I finally have THAT LOVE on Christmas that they were singing about...and I was hoping for and dreaming of, and I can tell yall right now it is so SPECIAL, more special than I ever dreamed about! I have decided I didn't need the CD this year because I no longer need to dream about the love and how special it will be...I'm living it, and this Christmas is the most special Christmas I've ever had! The best song to suit me this Christmas from that CD is this:
All I Want is You This Christmas. Yall should look up the lyrics...I would put them in this blog but 1 it would make it SO much longer, 2 it wont let me copy and paste them and 3 i'm too lazy to actually type them all out! :)

Moving on....SO much has happened since my last blog! School FINALLY ended for the semester and I got 2 B's and an A... :( not really what I was hoping for or feel I deserved but I guess there isn't much to do about that now! Josh took me to Austin for my first visit ever and it was fun. There was a little bit of uneasiness about a situation but we made it through and it was a good time! He recorded some songs while we were down there and I got to meet up with an old high school friend! Now I've been working all day every day trying to make a lil extra money for the holidays (which didn't really work out the way I had planned because a bike I had borrowed from someone got stolen so I feel the need to pay her something for it). I have also been trying to get holiday shopping done and it reminds me so much why I HATE holiday shopping! :) ha.

I am totally looking forward to the next two weeks. I will work until Wednesday at noon possibly then it will be off to Mansfield for Josh's first service with his rents, little brother and my ROOMIE! As soon as that gets out it's hit the yellow brick road time! I will be on my way BACK to Kansas AGAIN! :) I prolly won't get home until LATE Christmas Eve. When I get home it will be family Christmas stuff the WHOLE time. Then BE EXCITED because I surely am JOSH IS COMING TO KANSAS! :) It is time to meet the fam! :) I am SO pumped for this! Any other guy I would be nervous to take home to my family but not this one...I'm so ready! It's long past due!!!!! After our Kansas outtings we will be headed back to Texas but not just the 7 hour drive back to Texas, a NINE HOUR drive ALL the way down to Centerville to Josh's rents for a night then to HOUSTON to see Sister Jessica and Brother Jacob and their spouses and kids of course!\

I am so ready for the whole holiday stuff to happen and for our travels! :) I will be doing my best to keep yall updated even though for most of the trip I won't have internet! :) Gotta love middle of NOWHERE Kansas! Love yall and hope yall are doing well! :)

Until the story continues....

Ps...This is AUSTIN!

I am about to be completely overwhelmed by all of the road trips my most amazing boyfriend and I are about to take! And not just the road trips but all of our plans! :) yay!

This weekend we have a thrift off party and maybe dinner with a family from church. Next weeked is my first trip EVER to Austin! We are gonna go hang out with some friends and just have a good time! Then Kyle's baptism! Yay Kyle! Then for me it will be off to Kansas for Christmas, soon to be followed by the bf who might even get to play sunday morning at my church! Then after a couple days in Kansas it's off to HOUSTON! I'm so excited I can't wait! We will prolly stop in Centerville on the way down so that will be fun too! We are planning on a few days in Houston for new years and then sadly enough it will be back to our boring school, work and homework life back in Arlington :(

Prolly one of the most pointless blogs ever but I'm just so excited about all of our plans! :)

So much to be Thankful for!

So it has been a while since I last wrote! I've had a lot going on and its been quite the challenge to keep up with my blog! Sorry! Although I'm pretty sure I only have one or maybe even two religious blog readers!

Anywho since the last blog, my bruise has healed, I had a birthday and LOVED it, had a birthday outting in Fort Worth and loved it as well (thanks to those who actually came!), I spent a whole day with my new sister :), I wrote a horrible paper for class, I went home for Thanksgiving and spoiled my babies!, I have avoided homework and finals, and I have made my second trip to Centerville...all of the above...AMAZING!

Today has still consisted of avoiding my final, it is due by 6pm and I haven't done anything on it! There are only four questions but each question requires a 4-6 page typed and double spaced response ;). I will get to it eventually!

Basically just wanted to make sure whoever reads this had something to actually read today!

Oh and ps, most amazing boyfriend ever = Joshua Aaron Nix, many reasons for this title but most of all the main reason is because he loves me despite my flaws and attitude :) I know each and every day that I will never have to doubt his love for me...its the most amazing feeling ever!

Okay that is pretty much all for the day! Oh one more thing since I know you read this....HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABE! you are OLD :) ha

Broken Windows, Weddings, Golf Carts, Trees, Little Brothers and Bruises!

Wow! I really thought I would end up writing more last but I guess that didn't happen. Last week was prolly the first time I've actually REALLY earned my check from Silver Oak! :) They put me to work but it was nothing but FUN! Other than being absolutely crazy busy at Silver Oak I was working some crazy hours in my office at school as well! I'm not gonna lie, I actually cut out on some of those hours this week but yah its pretty much whatever!

Nothing too exciting really happened until Thursday. After work I went home and cleaned up a little before Josh and I headed to the wedding rehearsal! After that it was dinner at the Flying Saucer in downtown Fort Worth, this is where the real excitement began! (side note: when walking into rehearsal Johnny one of Josh's friends comes up to me and he says "We've never really met but I'm Johnny, it's good to finally meet you since Josh talks about you ALL the time" Made my heart melt :)) Anywho so at the dinner there was some beer and cheese pairing going on as well as beer and cheesecake! It was pretty much awesome! After everyone pretty much filtered out of the rehearsal dinner, we moved on to a different bar downtown. Had a lot of fun there as well! Side note 2: Josh's friend David text him, and all it says is, "she's a keeper" heart melted again) Not too long into the night Josh and I decide we should prolly head home considering I had to work in the morning!

So Friday morning was a lil rough but was still okay. Worked til 3 and then decided to tan before heading home to get ready for the wedding, little do I know that my "just gonna run and tan real quick" idea is going to turn into, spend thirty mins at the tanning salon! :) Anyways I finally get out of there and then I get ready and we head to the wedding. We get there and Jamie and I decide to run and get something to eat quickly, which also turns into a forever long journey! We stop at this Whataburger on Lancaster and let me just tell you, I prolly will never visit the whole street of Lancaster again! Especially not in a 200 dollar dress, right Jam?! So we eventually make it back to the wedding and do the whole wedding thing. It was a very beautiful and well put together wedding! :) SO CUTE! Then it was reception time, and considering I was only hours from meeting Big Bob and had partied a lil too hard Thursday night, I stayed pretty under control Friday night! After all the wedding festivities Josh and I got in the car and headed out on our mini getaway to the lovely Abiding Place.

About 15 min into the drive Jason calls, I had Jamie's keys in my purse, PERFECT!:) I'm re re! So we head back give them the keys and then its back on the road AGAIN for our mini vaca. After the long drive which I slept most of, we were finally at Josh's parents house. All half a sleep and confused, I walk up the stairs to the front porch and Big Bob introduces himself and gives me a big hug...how sweet! I got to stay in the love room and it has the MOST amazing bed ever! So needless to say I slept really well and kinda late into Saturday morning!

We had the most amazing lil brunch! Josh made us all omelets the way we wanted and then Teresa had made Apple Cinnamon pancakes as well! YUMMY! Jordan Josh and I then went outside to throw the football around a little, which was absolutely tons of fun. But not really the highlight of the whole trip! After throwing the ball around a lil Josh decides he's gonna take me on a lil spin in the gas powered golf cart...We take our lil trip and get back to the house. Josh decides we are gonna go out again and I decide I'm gonna invite Jordan to go with us so he doesn't have to just chill with Big Bob and Teresa since I'm sure he gets enough of that all the time :) Anyways we are out and about and are having a great time just being dorks. We head back to the house and Josh tells Jordan to just let us off and we will go in, but Jordan decides I need to see the back of the property. So off we go flying into the woods behind the house. Jordan's being the cute lil brother and making sure branches are smacking Josh and I in the face occasionally, we are finally on this lil straight away but the golf cart is no longer going straight, Josh and I were sure Jordan was trying to pull one of his lil letting the branch hit us things when suddenly we find ourselves on our sides IN some trees! Josh is holding us up with one arm and Jordan is pretty much wedged between the trees and the golf cart, I am wedged between the trees and Josh, Josh on the other hand is wedged between me (plenty of padding) and the golf cart seat (still plenty of padding). After a lil bit of sibling yelling, we were all out of the golf cart, both feet on the ground for all of us, standing there starin at the golf cart...LAUGHING hysterically. Now this would have been a great photo op but we were so caught up in checking injuries and wondering what Big Bob was gonna think that we completely spaced the photo op...

So we head back to the house on foot, really not that far of a walk, but Jordan and I were kinda in pain so it seemed a lil farther than it prolly should have. Jordan has like 6 cuts that are bleeding pretty good, and a bruise on his inner thigh, I have a bruise beginning on my upper left thigh, inner right calf, upper and lower shin and cuts that are bleeding, Josh, has a measly lil scratch on his wrist...and we laugh the whole way home...Jordan at one points says, "You know it actually might have been my fault, I was going a lil fast" :) Jordan's fault or not we blamed it on the broken steering column and that is the story we gave Teresa and Big Bob (who was more concerned about the sound on his HD channels).

Josh and I ended up getting the thing all the way back home by actually moving the wheels with our hands and feet and Big Bob was pretty impressed. Finally it was shower and relax time! When I got out of the most amazing shower ever, Jessica and the kids were there! They were pretty shy to me at first but eventually Gwen warmed up but I'm not so sure Gray is hooked yet! We all went to a steak house and had a wonderful meal and a great time! Sadly enough the time came that we all had to head our separate ways :(

All in all it was for sure one of the most amazing weekends I've ever had in my whole entire life. I would love to go to the Abiding Place and simply stay forever! Teresa and Bob are amazing people and parents. Jessica is a really cool sister and has awesome kids. And Jordan, took that boy a lil warming up to me as well but after he almost took my life I think we found our connection ;) He apologized so much for just a lil blood...I mean come on my own brothers have done worse than that too me and I don't believe I've ever heard a thank you from them! Any who, extremely long post...so I should just end it and go! Hope yall enjoy reading about my near death experience :)