By the way...

I am back on the workout train this week...today was my 3rd day in a row of working out. Only one word can explain how it is going "OUCH!" It can only get better....

Memorialized forever...

I am going backwards in my blogging this week, but since I haven't blogged in I don't know how long, I think it will be okay. This just couldn't go without recognition...

Usually I dread Mondays, not so much because of work but because usually all of my good intentions of cleaning house, doing laundry, grocery shopping and getting organized for the week to come were pushed aside after recieving a phone call from a friend with a more inviting offer. "It will still be there when I get back" I say to myself. And so it is and I am left starting the week out with a messy house, overflowing laudry baskets, an empty fridge and a disorganized mess sprawled out all over my bedroom.

This Monday was no different, except when I arrived at work, I was greeted by the other half of my brain, aka my sister from another, aka Sue Sue. I noted that there was a bit of a Cheshire Cat grin on her face but just assumed that she had some great story to tell me from her weekend adventures and didn't question it. However, when she asked me to sit down I got a bit worried, knowing that there couldn't be a "15" I flood of concern went through me, but she assured me nothing bad was about to happen. She turned to her computer and opened this up.......



Without warning the flood gates open and the tears flowed....My 4 legged princess memorialized forever in watercolor. What an awesome gift that I will forever cherish...just like her friendship. I am truly a blessed women. Love you Sue-Sue.

The Next Book is about to begin....

Seems like only yesterday I was laying in a hospital bed praying to God not to let me die as I just knew there was no possible way something called "natural child birth" could hurt this much. I was going to die, I knew it, but, I didn't, and this beautiful baby girl was born and my life was never the same again..I would never be the same again. Trust me this was a good thing. This tiny little miracle, I know you was sent straight from heaven to give me a much needed reality check... Everything happens for a reason and this angel that had been handed to me set my life back on track and gave me the strength and drive to do anything. Nothing could stop me for she deserved the best in life and I was going to make sure she had it. And so the Book of life as Tiffany the mother began...

Somewhere around Chapter 5 Brandi started kindgarten...no biggy, she going to school, what's the big deal, I could handle it. Hopefully she didn't see me peaking in the windows of the classroom with my box of Kleenex crying my eyes out. My angel baby was growing up...

The years went by in leaps and bounds and the pages turned faster and faster...the next thing I knew I had a teenager...not just any teenager...a teenage "mini me", head strong, determined free spirit, with a mind of her own that no one I mean no one could tell what to do. She knew it all. About that time my angel baby transformed into something I had seen in the Exorcist. I was pretty sure one of us was not going to make it through these years and the odds were definitely stacked against me. But, like many before me and many to come I survived these rough teenage years and out of the fires grew this beautiful young woman.

Chapter 17 was coming to an end and the next thing I knew she was graduating high school. How could this be happening? Yes, again, just like in kindergarten, (and many times in between I may add) I cried. My baby was not growing up, she had grown up and was now an adult, by legal standards at least, I have my own opinion on that.

On to the next Chapter she went....Cosmetology school.

That brings us to present time...today she told me she is graduating on September 13th and on September 29th she is taking her state board and soon after that and when I say soon I mean weeks, she is moving San Diego to start her own book, The Life of Brandi Howe.

One book ends and another begins....and...once again...I am crying.....I love you my angel baby. Thank you for all you have done for me, I hope I have given you the tools you will need to survive this crazy world we live in. Most importantly, I hope you will look back on your life with a smile and warm heart knowing how loved you are and how proud I am of you.

Spread your wings and fly.....

How can you argue...

My brother just shared with me a conversation he recently had with my 10 year old nephew that I thought I would share. Seems Blake (my nephew) is a bit of a slob, leaves stuff laying around everywhere, wears a good majority of his food, doesn't take care of his stuff, the regular 10 year old boy stuff. Anyhow, my bro was explaining to him how he needs to change his ways if he ever wanted to have a releationship with someone. No one wants to live with a pig. Without hesitation Blake spouts out "Even pigs mate".....where do you go from there?