Relationships

Yesterday was my grandparents (my mom's parents) Alice and "Big Ern's" 64th wedding Anniversary. Wow, that is amazing. They are wonderful people who have shown me that relationships do work. They met in high school and were friends, but I think Grandaddy had other ideas. My grandmother, Mamere, however had a list before she would marry anyone. One, He must be a Christian. Two, he must be a Baptist, and Three, he must make at least $200 a month to support her. However, soon as she saw Ernie in his military uniform and wings it was all over. My Grandaddy was a pilot in WWII. Before he shipped off to Europe they were married on June 3, 1944 in Tucson, Arizona. They have been through plenty together. They have three children including my mom and five grandchildren and one great grandchild. They really inspire me. I can only hope Brandon and I will have that kind of sustaining and loving relationship. Here are some pics from our dinner last night at Rockfish where we celebrated the happy occasion.Another relationship that has grown is my brother Jonathan and his "finance" Brittany's. That's what he calls her instead of his fiancé. They have been together since high school and are now engaged. They got engaged April 19th in Santa Fe, NM. They are truly a great couple and I'm proud to welcome Brittany into our family. I have a sister now which is really great since I have had to put up with my one little brother my whole life. They are planning a January 3, 2009 wedding in Austin, TX and I'm a bridesmaid which is exciting. I know it will be a beautiful wedding. It's funny how life is. On the one hand my parents marriage of 33 years has now ended at the same time Jonathan and Brittany's is just beginning. But so is life. Where there is sadness there is happiness. I'm happy for them and wish them the best as they begin this new chapter in their lives.

A Trip to Grandma's House

This past weekend Brandon and I went to Oklahoma to visit his 89 year old Grandma. She is one of the most genuine, amazing, beautiful person I have ever known. I have been privileged to know her. Irene Walker is her name and she is proud of it. She is the widow of the late Tella Walker who is Brandon's beloved Grandpa who unfortunately I never had the chance to meet. However, Grandma keeps his memory alive and every time we come for a visit I feel like I know him more and more. Grandma is the funniest and the most talkative woman ever. She says the cutest things and doesn't even realize it. She's getting around pretty well considering she is 89. We took her to breakfast Saturday morning and then to a couple of antique and gift malls after that. I really love her and cherish the times we spend with her. One of the most attractive qualities of Brandon is the way he treats his grandma. He loves her with all his heart and it's a beautiful relationship that he has with her.
Last Thanksgiving we went to Oklahoma to visit her and while I was there I borrowed some things from her house to paint a still life painting for Brandon's Christmas present in tribute to her and the love she has for her daughter, Brandon's mom, who pasted away. I never had the chance to meet Gayla either, but her memory is very much alive in Grandma's house. Needless to say I had his whole family crying the night we showed off the painting. It was a great moment in my life and I was proud I was able to capture something like that in paint. The woman in the photo is Brandon's mom when she was a young girl and the objects represent things she loved. Here is the still life I set up. I wish I had a pic of the actual painting though.
On a much lighter note, Brandon and I also got to go to the Oklahoma City Zoo. It was a lot of fun, but very hot and I was so tired from walking when we got home that I passed out and took a long nap. Here are some photos from our fun day...

How Conference Boston 2008

So I thought I would start my sharing some things about my trip this past weekend to Boston. I belong to this really geeky wonderful and highly over stimulated club called "Graphic Designers." This past weekend I joined many club members at the Mecca for visual communicators called The How Conference. It was pretty much amazing. I loved every second of it. I came back with a better appreciation myself and a better understanding of where I should go from here. My career lately has been very up and down and I feel like being in Boston really refreshed me professionally and promoted me an my co-worker Susie (aka "sassy pants") to really step up our game. I got a lot of free stuff including 7 free t-shirts, enjoyed fresh seafood and wine, made new acquaintances in my field from all over the country and world, and got an overview of one of the best cities in the US. Overall it was one of the best experiences of my life and I can't wait for next year. How Conference Austin 2009 Baby, here we come!!!!

So Here I am World!!!

I have arrived, so to speak, on this wonderful crazy phenom we call blogging. I thought if everyone and their dog were now doing this so should I, even though my life might not seem so relevant as other bloggers. However, I'm ready to start this journey online and throw myself out there for all to read and I hope someone cares.