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Monday, November 28, 2011

They Need to Make a Movie

Normally I would post about all of the Thanksgiving celebrations from this week and how much we traveled and what not. But, I am sure you can imagine how the 1st 2-part thanksgiving celebration went for us. It was a good time and a great opportunity to see family and a lot of people that we hadn’t seen since the wedding. Although, it kind of reminded me of that movie "Four Christmases".


But a more important theme is weighing on my heart and developed as I was reading The Oklahoman newspaper trying to take up some time on the way home. Tears fell from my face from two separate stories and usually that kind of stuff doesn’t get to me.

Unless you’re living in a hole somewhere (and how are you getting internet access?? You must not have AT&T) then you’re probably aware that OSU is having an exceptional season this year. Best season of all time. I’m even emotionally involved and have participated in more “football talk” this season than I have cumulatively my entire life. I want them to go all the way, real bad. Partly because I’m selfish and want to go to New Orleans. Partly because my father-in-law has been a very dedicated fan for 50+ years and he deserves to see it. Partly for my husband who has been to all but 3 OSU home games since birth (literally!). I want to see the joy on his face if we get the opportunity to go to the national championship. That will make my heart really happy. But mostly, I want it for our school. If you’re reading this and didn’t go to OSU, you just can’t truly understand the family that OSU is. People may feel the same way about their school, but I honestly doubt it.

Everyone knows what happened last week to our Women’s basketball coaches (and 2 very dedicated alumni). I never knew coach Budke and Serna. What I do know is that I have shed many tears over the situation. My heart is broken not only for their families, but for the extreme loss to the OSU family. And it’s not just because they were major “names” at OSU. A couple of years ago a boy had been missing from the OSU campus and I remember praying for him for several days for his return. Just an average student, but I was concerned about him.

In addition, I read in the paper today a story that Matt already knew about. Coach Spencer, an assistant coach to the football team, lost his wife the night of the OSU/Tulsa football game back in September. I read the story and just cried. The next week, at the game against A&M, coach Spencer and his two boys were there. The players now wear a sticker on their helmets that says “AS”, for Angela Spencer.

I’m so proud of our school. It’s great that their having such a great football season. If we go to the national championship, they need to make a movie about this year. It’s unbelievable the ups and downs we have experienced in a single season. At the very least, someone should write a book about it. I would buy it.

However, football isn’t even a fraction of the reason why I decided to go to OSU, and has little to do with how proud I am to be a graduate. It’s kind of funny, because shortly after I moved into Stout Hall my first semester at OSU, I had to ask someone if it was common for students to buy football tickets. I had no idea. My first college football game was in Boone Pickens Stadium. There I learned to wave the wheat, sing the Alma Mater, and figured out what on earth a first down was. Those are all great things, but the fact that I’ll shed tears for the loss of someone, just because their part of the OSU family, means something to me. It’s not something you can create, imitate, or feel unless you’ve experienced it firsthand. Thank you to Oklahoma State for giving me to opportunity for an excellent education, life changing experiences, and leading me to meet my husband. I’ll forever be grateful and will always bleed orange.

Go Pokes.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

6 Month-a-versary

Sometimes someone will say something to you, and it's not even a big deal, but it sticks with you forever. One thing that Matt said to me when we first started dating was that we weren't going to celebrate "month-a-versaries". And we didn't. He put his foot down. Good for him. Well, now that we're married, I just can't help but reflect on the last 6 months. I can't believe time has flown by so fast. 



May 21st, 2011

Honeymoon in St. Lucia



4th of July at my parent's house

Cody & Jordan's wedding.



First OSU Football Game!

Pistol's First Birthday! Oct-21st



 Now we're in Duncan, preparing for our first Thanksgiving as a married couple. We're having lunch in Duncan, and then making the 3.5 hour haul to to I-town for dinner with my parents. Split holidays!?! What's kind of funny to me is that chances are if you're reading this, you're bored at your family function.

The past six months have been incredible. Being married is a little different than I thought, but mostly for the best (I'm going to make a post about the wierd things about being married soon). Recently I heard someone say that the 1st year of marriage is the hardest. Based on my experience thus far, if that's true, I made the best decision imaginable.




Sunday, November 6, 2011

Meh... Thanksgiving

You would think since I seem to keep talking about Thanksgiving that it's my favorite holiday. While I have all due respect for the holiday, I'm not crazy about it. Family, good food, warm memories. They're all great. I'm even starting to like Turkey more as I'm getting older. But, what I really love is... Christmas. My mom was a little too rational in the Christmas department when Joe and I got older for my liking. I must have had some crazy insane Christmas as a child because ever since then, I've been trying to get every Christmas to live up to it. So my mom usually waits until after Thanksgiving to decorate for Christmas, and that's usually after I've bugged her about it and a week or so before Christmas we finally put up the same tree we've had.... my entire life. It's now like the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. My family started with some pretty  humble beginnings so you can only imagine what our tree looks like two and a half decades later.

Well, I had an epiphany. I got married. I have my own home! I can decorate when ever I want! So despite that it's 75 degrees out today, I decided to completely bypass Thanksgiving and move straight on to Christmas. On November 3rd, my wonderful husband got down the tree from the attic and we are now walking in a very warm winter wonder land.

First, your husband has to get the tree out of the attic, and through his resourcefullness dust it off with the air compressor.


Then you decorate! Look at our skinny little tree. I love it =)
I also love that there's no theme at all. Some people have absolutely beautiful trees. Ours isn't fancy, but it's personal and I love that. Ornaments that mean something. That's Christmas!


Then we finished off the evening with a glass of wine and even built a fire in the chimney. It smelled wonderful! November 3rd has been one of my favorite evenings since we've been married. I love our tree too. I think Matt's mom gave it to us. I hope that we have it for another 25 years and we have to add garland and ridiculous amounts of ornaments to make it look "full." While the purpose of Christmas is the celebration of our Savior, I still love that what comes with it are feelings of warmth and kindness and family. So I can start a little early if I want =).

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

What About Thanksgiving?!?!

Okay folks. I have made a decision. I am going to lose weight in November. Lauren came to visit the other day and she read something to me that for some reason I can't get out of my head. It said (something along the lines of) in changing your body, it takes 4 weeks for you to notice, 8 weeks for your friends to notice, and 12 weeks for the world to notice. Well I'm going to start with 4 weeks (really all that matters is that I notice, my friends love me for who I am, and I'm not sure who out there in the "world" I care to impress). I'm going to just see what I can do in 4 weeks. Today is the first day and I actually started yesterday and I wont get to weigh myself until Thursday morning (which I'll use as my baseline).

I'm not trying to make any drastic changes, I just want to feel at Shanna's optimal best, whatever that may be. I'm feeling a little frumpy and lazy lately and it's so so easy to lean on the too busy excuse. Also, it would be really easy to lean on the upcoming holiday excuse. Well, I always have something to celebrate. What a blessing! But I can't keep putting off my health. I'm too young to not be feeling great all the time.

Am I starting with a plan? Nope. I don't want to do any type of fad diet. I just want to depend on a healthy lifestyle. I may try to have a goal to eat x amount of fruits and veggies every day. I would really like to see myself work out at least 3X/week. But, will I have a slice of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving? Well DUH! But I'm going to have to plan accordingly.

So I, Shanna, pledge to lose weight (but more importantly, just feel better. More energetic and toned) as of November 30th. Even if it's just 1 pound. I'm gonna do it. I'll let ya know how it's going and what adjustments I have made.

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