Headed to Phoenix

Well, Tim and I are off to the races in Phoenix (Phoenix International Raceway - PIR)!!!!!!

I am so excited for another long weekend with my Bestest Friend. We have both looked so forward to this weekend and know we will have a blast. We are going with some friends (our company doctor and his girlfriend) so that will be fun. The place we are staying at has a spa so I'm thinking while Tim and Rick are working for a few hours tomorrow Tanya and I are going to have to have massages and have a little pampering done!!!!

The PIR Spring race is a night race so Saturday night we'll be screaming for Junior to win. He usually runs quite well at Phoenix. As a matter of fact, the first PIR race we went to Junior did win!!! I was a happy woman!
So, hope you all enjoy your weekend! You won't hear from me until next week - I assure you I will be enjoying mine!!!!

Go Junior!!!!!!!

Back in Time....

Yesterday was a day I'll treasure forever. I got to go back in time and enjoy Stephanie at 8 years old and Shannon at 18 months again. Sunday when I picked Matt up, Mike gave me a cassette tape that he had found in cleaning. He said it was Stephanie when she was younger singing.

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Yesterday when I got in the car to take Matt to sitters for school we decided to put it in and listen to it. It was absolutely precious and I laughed and cried all the way to work (1 hour drive).

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You see, Stephanie Lynn Bankard (now Vandagriff) was born an entertainer. She was singing and performing for Mike and I from the time she could stand. She would make the hearth of the fireplace her stage and constantly performed. She even put on plays with the neighborhood kids at Christmas and Easter giving us parents the pictures of the Nativity and how everyone would have felt at the death of Christ. Performer. Director. Cheerleader. That was Steph wrapped up!!!

This tape started off with her, obviously teaching school, having her students do the pledge. I'm talking ...."ok, class, let's stand for the pledge. Hand over your heart and face the flag..." She did leave half the pledge out but how precious. She went on the give the students birthdays for the day and directed her class to keep their eyes on the teacher and follow her direction. Next she goes in to telling her class to be ILAC (with such enthusiasm in her voice) and went on to explain, "I AM LOVABLE AND CAPABLE!" She obviously was also born the cheerleader that she later became and excelled at.

Anyway, for an hour I listened to my precious 23 year old become 8 again and listened to her sing her heart out (bless her heart - she knew the words but God just didn't think Steph needed the beautiful voice), teach her students to be ILAC, fuss at her baby sister, Shan, and play with her childhood friends (one particular she is still extremely close to...Miss Ashley Meyer). It was an hour I'll treasure for years.

I called her during the day and shared some of it with her and she couldn't wait for me to get home so she could come over and listen to it. I thought about it all day.....that child was precious. She was so talented and gifted. I listened to the tape again all the way home and it was only a few minutes after I arrived that she and my little man, JD were over. We set up an old stereo in the kitchen (one that still had a cassette player) and we all listened to Stephanie entertain us. I then loved watching her face as she went back in time. It was another moment that was precious.
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We had such a blast and all laughed. Steph felt bad at how much she fussed at Shan because today, those two have the most precious sister relationship. I only have two brothers so it has been such a joy for me to watch two sisters relate. They have been there for each other through many tough times and I know they treasure each other more than I realize. Praise God!
One last note. Even today, my precious Stephanie is still quite the entertainer. She is so full of life and loves to laugh. She is so much fun to hang with and I still treasure all the entertainment!!!!!!!!!!
Stephanie Lynn Vandagriff, thank you for being such a gift in my life. I love you with all my heart!!!!!!!

AND EVERYONE ELSE REMEMBER - ILAC - I AM LOVABLE AND CAPABLE!!!!!!!

The Day of My Birth

Well, today I turn 44 years old. On one hand I'm thinking to myself that I am getting old. On the other, I feel young, I am in love with my Soul Mate, and I pray God gives me 44 more years!!!

This is what he gave me for my birthday. We both are Irish and love things that reflect our Irish heritage. We have even both dreamed of visiting Ireland someday, hopefully soon. This bracelet speaks of us better than anything. It is what we call each other all the time. The Gaelic language - Mo Anam Cara - meaning My Soul Mate. Of course I bawled when I opened it. Tim has given me incredible pieces of jewelry since we have been together....my beautiful engagement ring which he picked out himself and of course that wedding band that bonds us for life!!!!!! First Christmas we were together he gave me a beautiful diamond heart necklace which he said was him giving me his heart. Next Christmas the Past, Present and Future Diamond Necklace. He even had me open three seperate boxes first which he wrote some incredible words describing our past. Our present. Our future. I loved them both so much that I combined the two penants on to one necklace which I never take off. He has given me incredible pieces of turquoise which I love. Now this...a beautiful bracelet that says My Soul Mate. Thank You Baby. You are TOO good to me! I love you!!!!!

My cup indeed runneth over and over!

ONE SPLIT SECOND............

I'm sitting at our South Florida office right now waiting for Tim to come pick me up. I have been working here today training a couple of the girls here to do travel. They are going to take over all the South Florida travel and it will be done out of this office. It will be such a load off me as travel has become a MONSTER!

I was thinking about yesterday and all that happened before I got to get on an airplane to head this way to see my Man! First of all, I never shared that we had this trip planned for a while. We knew I had to get here for a full day of training and Tim is here basically every other week right now so we knew after Rodeo and all that was going on it would be perfect to give us a long weekend away. What I never shared is that something came up Tim had to go to Ohio on Thursday night and would return to Miami very late Friday night. Needless to say we were both quite upset at the fact that not seeing each other since Monday mid-day we would have to waiting until close to midnight on Friday. AGAIN, I understand and respect Tim's job and knew it was out of our control that he would have to attend a meeting in Ohio on Friday. SO, as I woke up yesterday I was about the head to Florida to work and still wouldn't see Tim until late Friday night. I was on my way to work when somebody, obviously in a major hurry, ran a red light going about 55 mph. and hit me in Tim's truck. Without going into all the details of the wreck let me just say this guy was in such a hurry that he didn't think he needed to stop and see if I was ok but instead just took off. Thank goodness for the witness right next to me who chased the man down and made him stop. I'm ok. Sore, rattled but fine. Tim's truck will definitely need some repair! But, all this to say it scared the daylights out of me and I've relived the accident a thousand times in my mind.

It's made me do a lot of thinking about what can happen in a split second. It could have been so much worse in just a split second. If I had been in my car, it could have really been bad. I am so grateful that the Lord was watching over me!!! I have so much to live for. I have the most wonderful husband in the world and want God to give us so many years together on this earth. I have 5 incredible kids (6 counting my wonderful son-in-law), JD, my grandson and another grandchild on the way. All this to say, it was one of those things that just smack you in the face, and remind you how precious life is. It truly is a gift as is all my family and I'm grateful the Lord protected me from could have been so much worse.

Oh and I forgot to mention that something came up in Miami that kept Tim there for a meeting on Friday plus he wanted to see with his own eyes that I was OK. SO, he picked me up from the airport last night and boy was it good to see his handsome face!!!

How Time Flies!

Yes, we are all still alive and well. Let me rephrase that..........we are still alive! I'm truly sorry that I have not had a new post in a month. Can I just say that I can't believe how fast this last month has flown by? I am screaming right now, "Either someone needs to slow this ride down or let me off!!!!!!!!!!" Well, I guess the way our calendar looks over the next couple of months, I better buckle my seat belt tighter and hang on!!!

Tim and I are members of the Coral Club for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (for those who don't live here - it's HUGE. LASTS FOR THREE WEEKS) and Tim works for the East Club Committee B Team so every third night we are at the Rodeo for sure. On top of other nights to see performers we like and want to see. So, for the last three weeks we've done RODEO non-stop. It's a lot of fun but when it's over - you're glad.

Staying in the western theme....................Now, we are full swing (I say that because we've been working on it for the last couple of months on top of everything else) in to our annual Cook-off that we do here in Houston with other construction contractors/subcontractors. I am chairing the committee this year for our team so I'm swamped trying to finalize everything. It is going to be so cool this year. The last two years we've been involved has been a Mardi Gras theme. FUN, to say the least. Actually two years ago we won for best hospitality. Here is a picture of my wonderful Tim and I in our jester costumes and a few others.

This year, we are changing themes and will be doing an old west saloon. It is all coming together really nice and I think we will have a chance at winning again. Tim will be cooking some of his "famous" ribs along with chicken and brisket. We also have someone cooking up around 600 pounds of crawfish. Oh, I can't wait!!!!! All of us on the committe are going all out in costume to make it more authentic. I have my Miss Kitty costume ready and we have a marshall ready!!! If you're in town next weekend (March 30 and 31) let me know and we'd love to have you join us. Saturday is fun for the kids with lots of activities!

FORTUNATELY, Tim and I will get a very much needed break this weekend when we get to spend it ALONE in Miami. He is there this week for work (and yes, I miss him terribly right this moment) and I'll fly down Thursday to spend Friday at the South Florida office doing some training but then Friday night, Saturday and Sunday, we will get to be together with no agenda and no one to entertain or take care of except for each other. We both need it very much!!! Life has been crazy! It's been a while since we really had just time for US!!!