30 Day Challenge - Day 17

A Picture of Something that has had a Huge Impact on Your Life

The challenge said that this was something that had a huge impact "recently", but I didn't want to follow that instruction....

No, I am not quite the Aggie football fanatic that the Queen is, however, I did graduate from Texas A&M and Aggie football had a big impact on that aspect of my life.

When I was a Senior in Highschool, I applied to Texas A&M and The University of Texas at Austin. Having not actually grown up in Texas and not having any long-seated love (or knowledge) of either schools, I didn't really know where I wanted to go. By the fall of my Senior year, I had already been accepted at both schools. Across the board everything was pretty much the same. I had housing both places. Since they were both state schools the cost was about the same (although to be completely honest, I couldn't tell you if that was a fact as I'm sure that is something my parents were looking at more so than me). In general, the two options were interchangeable.

That Thanksgiving, 1985, as I'm walking through the living room my dad said something to the effect "Honey, both your schools are playing." I replied "Whover wins, that's where I'm going..."

Guess who won....

So, yeah, I'd say that A&M football had a pretty big impact on my life. It helped make one of the biggest decisions of my life. Admittedly, I sometimes wonder how different my life would have been if the Longhorns had a better team that year.... but, you know.... I look much better in Maroon than I do in Burnt Orange.

30 Day Challenge - Day 16

Picture That Can Always Make You Smile.

I have a great love for nature and sunrises and sunsets always make me smile. In fact, when I see a really beautiful sunrise or sunset I will clap and cheer on Mother Nature.

Today is my birthday and this picture makes me smile because I'm so very excited about my cake!!

This is a picture of me and my Dad when we took a family trip to Florida one Christmas and one day we went out to the beach. I've given so much representation to my mom and sister and others in this series, but I want everybody to know how important my dad is to me. There are so many things that I see in myself I have learned from my Dad.

30 Day Challenge - Day 15

A Picture of Someone You Could Never Imagine Your Life Without.

I know I have been giving lots and lots of shout outs to my family, but they are SOOO very important to me and it wasn't until I started going through this challenge that I realized the impact they were on my life.

I decided that my mom is one of the many people that I can't imagine my life without. I wanted to include all the other men, women, and children that I've acknowledged throughout my blog, but then it becomes a repeat of every other post.

As I was debating who I should acknowledge in this post, I went to my mom's site and she had a picture there that is the EXACT same picture that I used in my post (actually two of her pictures) and I realized how much she and I think alike. Both of my parents have had a big impact on who I am today. But I have a really close relationship with my mom. Don't get me wrong she drives me absolutely bonkers sometimes, but who doesn't.... Mom has the advantage of watching me and learning my moods over many, many years and she knows when to back off and give me ABBA time.

Not only does Mom KNOW me, but she has also taught me so much. She has taught me an incredible appreciation for art and literature. She has given me the support to become the strong, independent woman that I am. She taught me the joys of laughing until I cry and crying until I laugh. She has taught me to respect myself, my fellow humans, and Mother Earth. I've watched her since I was a little girl standup for those in need. She has always been an amazing role model in her word and actions.

To put it mildly, I love her!!

30 Day Challenge - Day 14

Picture that Makes You Laugh

A Young Kathleen wearing my old Texas A&M sweatshirt.... Oh, if she would only realize her destiny and go there!!

I LOVE this picture of me and my grandpa. There is no telling what we are laughing at, but that man had a great laugh and even though he was rough and gruff with us grandkids, I know there was so much love there!!

My Dad used to be able to do headstands in the middle of the floor and I always thought that was like magic!! (By the way, the socks that he is wearing in this picture with his pants tucked in are wool socks he had when stationed in Alaska in the Air Force. At some point when I was in college, I some how got my hands on them and I wore those socks into nothing. When I finally threw them away the heels and toes were completely gone.)

This is my mom, sister, and me one Halloween....Do you see a theme of just how wack-a-do my mom is?!? But, come on, how could this picture NOT make you laugh?!?