A New Path

I can hardly believe this is my last semester at Auburn University.  It has been such a wonderful experience to surround myself with such inspirational professors and fellow students.  The College of Business has an outstanding program and feel that I have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge.  It has been a dream in the making and definitely an accomplishment.

So what am I going to do after graduation?  Well, I’ve pondered on that very question.  A few months back I posted some pictures of my crochet projects that I wanted to share with everyone.  I decided in December to try to start selling my crochet and had no idea that I would get the type of response that I did!  It has been totally unbelievable!  Keeping the balance between family life, school life and crochet life has been tricky, but I have to say, I am having a fantastic time.

Although I have crocheted for over 30 years, most of the time I made something from another person’s pattern or some crochet book I bought at the local craft store.  I never really tried to make my own creations until recently.  I started out by selling hats and scarves mainly but then one night a relative asked me if I would make her some boot cuffs.  I had no idea was a boot cuff even looked like. I searched a few places like Ravelry and google images to get a visual so I could understand what she was talking about, but I didn’t get started that night.

All night I kept thinking about those cuffs and had a certain stitch in my mind that I thought would be perfect.  The next morning I got up and started creating my very own pattern and came out with something that actually worked!  My relative loved them and it has opened the flood gates.  A local salon and boutique placed an order and I can’t recall how many I have made for people, but I have certainly been blessed!

The orders aren’t the only thing that has opened up like a flood gate though.  I can’t stop creating!  I have ignited a part of my brain that must have always been there but just dormant.  Can anyone relate to what I am saying?  It has amazed me how the creativity is overflowing.  I’m not one of those people who sit down and write everything out and make graphs or even draw pictures out.  I sit down with the yarn and just see where I end up.  It’s amazing!  I made this belt and matching purse yesterday.

 

I don’t know the direction that I’m going  or where this new adventure will take me, but I am definitely loving the ride and will pursue it with a passion!

Kathy

Five Friday Night Fast and Fun Facts!

Fact Number 1:  I have 5 more class days and I will be finished with this 5 week semester which normally is a 16 week semester that’s been crammed into 5 weeks.

Fact Number 2:  The next 5 week semester will begin the following Monday!…….Pray for me because I’ll be taking business analytics which is a fancy name for statistics.  (Did I mention I STINK at math?  I still cross out ten to make it a nine and carry my whatever.

Fact Number 3:  I have crocheted 6 hats this week!

Fact Number 4:  Tomorrow I’ll wake up early and get my house neat and clean and head towards the lake to ride in the boat all day long with my good-looking husband.  We’ll be soaking up the wonderful sunshine that God beam’s out of our big blue sky here in Alabama.

Fact Number 5:  If you’re reading this that means you are my blogging friend, so I’d like to say a big ole’ southern hey!  I’m glad you came to see me!  Stop in and hang out a while.  Leave me a comment telling me how great you are and what’s the best thing about you.  I’d love to hear it and share your fact with all my other friends.

~Kathy

 

Photo Credit:  Google Images

Passing on the Humbling Inspirational Blogger Award!

I have been award the :

I am very honored to accept this award from My Life Uncut….Almost.  Anne Sikes has many inspirational post herself and are a joy to read!  Check it out to be continually inspired.

Here are the requirements for this award, if you choose to participate:

1. Display the award logo somewhere on the blog.

2. Link back to the blog of the person who nominated you.

3. State seven things about yourself.

4. Nominate 15 other bloggers for the award and provide links to their blogs.

5. Notify those bloggers that they have been nominated and of the award’s requirements.

7 things about me:

1.  I have been crocheting since I was 12 years old.  A teacher in the 7th grade taught me how and I have loved it ever since.  Now I’m actually old enough to be crocheting in public without the weird stares.

2.  I found the absolute love of my life almost 3 years now and finally know what true love feels like!  A blessing sent straight tome from God.  (If you’ve read any of my blogs then it may not be too much of a surprise but it’s just too good not to share!)

3.  I work for a non-profit Christian ministry where I teach abstinence and healthy relationships to young people.  (Boy was this a surprise to me when God called me to do this!  He uses those who think they are the most unqualified doesn’t He?)

4.  Lay’s plain potato chips are my absolute weakness!  I can’t even buy any to have in the house or I would eat the whole darn bag!

5.  I am such a girly girl and have to make sure that my hair and make up are to perfection before I walk out the house.  Many a times my husband sits patiently quoting the song, “Waiting on a Woman” by Brad Paisley.

6.  I will be graduating from Auburn University in the spring of 2013 which is a life long dream coming true because people had actually told me I wasn’t smart enough to go to college.  (Ha! Ha! on them right?)

7. I think music is the end all be all!  Any type of music and I listen to it all.  Music touches my heart and soul like nothing else and is hard to describe how it soothes me in my crazy moments of life.  You know which ones I’m talking about.  You have them too!

 

Now I am supposed to select other blogs that I feel are inspiring so here it goes:

1.  My first choice is Even A Girl Like Me  I have found all of Joy’s posts truly inspiring and could only hope to have a friend as good as her one day.  She truly is a good friend to Elliot and has a good spirit.

2.  Another good read is Courage To Adventure Coaching.   Sue has encouraging words for everyone and does a fabulous job of working with cancer patients.

3. Covered in Pink is a great blog about a young woman discovering herself and what God has called her to do!  She has great courage and inspirational reads.

4. Karen has beautiful pictures on her blog!  Go check them out at 365 + ks ballou

5. Mom Meets Blog is truly a great blog to read.  Many funny stories about real life.

6.  This is the last one I’m going to post tonight and probably one of my favorite blogs to read.  Lucky Leo’s stories have a free spirit that most women want but never have the courage to go for.  Mary Ann has an edgy feel and you can live vicariously through her blog!

 

I know I’m supposed to name 15 and maybe I will announce the rest at a later date, but for now this is what I’ve got!  I thank Anne very much for the nomination and feel honored that she chose me.  I pray everyone gets everything they’ve ever wanted in life but remember it may take lots of hard work.  Persevere!  God will bless you!

 

Kathy

 

These Shoes Saved the Day!

Whew…..another semester down and 3 more to go!

I thought I would share a funny story about what I did yesterday now that I have time to breathe after such a brutal week of 2 major projects, 2 tests, and 2 essays.

So yesterday morning I had an 8am final that I knew was going to be pretty tough and I had studied the night before as much as my brain would allow. I get up on time and get ready for school and although I usually eat breakfast, this week has been stressful and I haven’t been hungry.  My poor husband had fixed me pancakes and I tried but nope….couldn’t do it.  Thanks goodness he loves me anyway. 🙂

Emory walks me to the truck and I’m headed to take the final.  Keep in mind that I live 35 minutes from campus.  I left at 7:10am and get half way to school when I look down at my feet.  Guess what?  I have NO shoes on!  What in the world am I going to do?  It’s too late to turn around because I’d never get there on time!  Who does this?  Who forgets to put their shoes on?  My husband, I’ve got to call my husband!  Where’s the phone!  I can’t find my cell phone!  Oh wait…it’s in my lap.  Okay, Okay….I can do this!  I’ll get him to bring the shoes!  Yea that’s it!  By this time I look at the clock it’s 7:30.  Since he is a State Trooper and was working do you think this calls for blue lights?  Yes, of course it does!  (In my dreams because that would be breaking the law!)

There’s no way even if I do get him on the phone there would be time for him to bring me shoes.  Did I happen to mention that I live in the COUNTRY and the only thing I would pass is a CVS pharmacy?  I’m still calling him because at this point I’m needing some moral support right?  As we are talking this out, I look over and what do I see?  Could it be?  Yes!  Yes!  There’s a pair of heels in the floor board!  Shouts of thank you go out to the Lord!  Once again He planned for my careless brain!  As I said my goodbye to hubby, I could still hear him laughing at me.

I thought I would share some reactions from the people who love me.

• My sister tells me, “Well you are from the country.”  My response was, “What would I have done had I not had those heels, gone barefoot?”  (Don’t put it past me and my jeans were long enough, maybe no one would notice much).

• My sister-in-law said, “That’s worse than wearing two different color shoes to work.” I told her “Thanks you’ve made me feel SOOOO much better.”

• My friend Christina says, “That’s worse than a naked dream come true but a REAL woman has a pair of heels handy.” I said to Christina, ” I am a REAL woman but really a woman who takes her shoes off in the car and doesn’t clean it out.”

It takes me a good 10-15 minutes after parking to get to the classroom because we (students) have to park in the back 40 of the campus!  I strut my stuff walking to that classroom.  There’s just something about slipping on a pair of heels that your personality changes (at least for me) and after this fiasco of a morning, I needed to feel in charge!  I got a few stares but who cares?  At least I was looking good, which is more than I can say about many of the college girls I see (but that’s another post).

I took my test and pranced out the door in my Ferragamo shoes!   

Living this life of freedom allows me to tell these silly stories where in the past I would’ve never even dared to tell.  I’m glad that I’ve come to a place where I can finally laugh at myself.  It sure makes it more fun!

The Game of Tag Question

I haven’t played tag since I was a kid so I’m guessing this is a grown up version of tag.  It’s been a few days since Bird @ Everyone Has a Story asked me to play so here it goes…….

Photo Credit:  Microsoft Office

Tag – you’re it!’ – The rules:

You must post these rules.

 Answer the question the “tagger” listed for you in their post,

1. And create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
2. Choose 11 people to tag and link to them in the post.
3. Let each blogger know that you have tagged them.

Bird’s question for me was,  “If you could change just one thing about the American public school system, what would it be?”

I’ve only been in the schools talking about abstinence for the past year, so “intellectually”, I don’t know enough of the politics within the school system to really give an educated answer.  Having said that, I’ve decided to answer the question showing my readers some of the questions I get asked by students during a small group meeting outside the school environment.

If I am able to speak to a group of teenagers more than once then before ending my first session with them, I tell them they can have a blank index card to write a question they want me to answer on my next visit.  It’s no surprise that several hands go in the air to receive a card but only after promising anonymity.

Once I am home, I take the cards out and begin reading each one carefully.  Some make me laugh but most of them bring tears to my eyes knowing these precious children need something to believe in.  After many prayers, lots of research and conversations with a minister/colleague of mine at Women’s Hope Medical Clinic, I put together some information for these hurting children.  So here are only a FEW of the questions…..

1. Can you help me make goals and plans for my life?
2. How can I get over being raped?
3. How can I make my dreams come true living in foster care?
4. How and when do I tell a boy I don’t want to have sex?
5. My parents can’t afford college.  How can I go if I can’t pay for it?
6. I heard it was safer to have sex in the water.  Is that true?

There are so many other questions I could list and I just might do that in another blog (thanks for the idea Bird!).  So, what should we be teaching in the school systems?  I don’t know if I have the right answer but what I do know is that a huge problem exists and I only reach a small percentage of these children.  Should the schools be teaching the answer to these questions?  Yes to some of them, but maybe parents should teach their children the answers to ALL of them.  Can’t parents answers all the above questions?  We (parents) say we don’t want the school teaching our children about certain issues, yet there’s a reason why I get asked these questions.

To get back to the game, here are the following fellow bloggers and I would love to hear from.

1. LuckyLeo – At what point in your life did you know you were known as “edgy” and what does that look like?
2. Coach Sue – How many clients do you usually have at one time?
3. Laura Dickey – Other than writing, where is another avenue your creative energy flows?
4. Sherry – What is the toughest question to answer by a client at Women’s Hope Medical Clinic?
5. ks ballou – What’s the farthest you have traveled to take one of your posted pictures?
6. Even a Girl Like Me – What steps have you taken to improve on the “people pleasing” issue?  (I have the same problem)
7. MomMeetsBlog – How’s those tweezers been treating you lately?

Please excuse me from the other 4.  For now 7 will just have to do.  I had a great time answering my question and hope you will too!

Kathy

The Day I Wore The Hat And Carried The Broom

As I walk by the tables in the corridors of the college, students drop their heads probably silently saying, “Please don’t stop, please don’t stop.”  Walking from building to building many students are handing out information about their organization or cause. They see me coming and quickly turn the other way or just act like I don’t exist as I pass by.  Do I have wart on my nose and a big black hat while carrying a broom?

No, but I might as well.  I probably remind them of their mother and they just don’t know how to approach me.  Well a person can only let this happen so long before you just have to do something about it right?  Plus, I need a little excitement in my life from time to time and that day seemed as good as any.

I entered the College of Business and a young woman and man dressed in business suits stood at the door.  It wasn’t unusual to see the suits but it did seem odd they were by the door just standing.  Anyway, I passed them without a single word and almost turned the corner when I heard her say, “Here is some information on “Jane” (not her real name) and we would like for you to vote for her in the upcoming student elections.”  I stopped dead in my tracks. Should I say something or do I just keep walking?  Nope, I’m saying something.

I’ve been dismissed by these young ones for over a year now and that’s long enough.  I’m a student too!  Can’t they see that? I turned around and asked, “Do I not look like a student?”  Let me say here neither one of them really didn’t know what to say or even how to handle this awkward situation I just created.  The girl looks at the guy and then back at me and replies, “No.”  Picture me now with my authoritative “momma” voice telling her, “Well I am!”  “Can’t you see this bright pink book bag on my back?”  By this time I know she’s thinking that I’m completely nuts and probably unstable.  She then does the only thing she knows to do and asks me if I want the pamphlet.  I told her, “Not now.”  “Your gonna miss my vote” and turned and walked away (smiling of course).

If I have to carry around the hat and broom, I might as well use it.