Happy Birthday, Mommy

This is my beautiful mother...

And yesterday, May 16th, was my mom's special day.  The day that she doesn't have to do any laundry, clean any dishes, cook any meals, or go to work... well 4 out of 5 isnt bad.  My family did their best to spoil her yesterday.  After singing to her in the wee morning hours over the phone (in my lovely voice, mind you), Dylan and I met her for lunch.  Last night, Steven and I made dinner while we all showered her with perfumes, lotions, musical cards, and love.  I hope you had a marvelous day yesterday.  You are the best mommy anyone could ask for.  And thank you for still being there for me even though I am married and don't live with you anymore.  Happy Birthday!

The Great Flood of 2011

What a catastophic event that is happening to the states that neighbor the Mississippi River.  Thanks to the abundant snow storms and great rain falls of late 2010 through April of 2011, the River is officially stopped up.  And not only that, it is so extremely full of water, that all of the rivers that empty into the Mississippi are overflowing.  I have never seen anything like this.  If I am not mistaken, last year the river flooded, but not to this degree.  This is apparently the worst flood since 1927, and probably (and hopefully) the only thing like this in our lifetime.  I have been watching Sam Champion and Al Roker's broadcasts from the southern states, and I think that even they are overwhelmed.  What devestation.  The major cities are what everyone is talking about: Memphis, Vicksburg, and New Orleans of course because it is like a cereal bowl.  But what about the unheard of cities.  What about the towns in the Delta, all of the crops that have already been ruined, all of the people that have been manatorily evacuated.  And then animals... oh my goodness how many have died or are trapped on a grassy mound.  It is absolutely devastating.  My mom sent me these pictures of Tunica, MS today in an email.  I am absolutely in shock, and I am told that the worst of this hasn't even reached central Mississippi.  This is definitely something to put in the history books.  Just like the tornado in Tuscalousa two weeks ago. 

I am definitely in prayer for all of those who have lost their homes, belongings, and crops.  And, in a silly way, I am hoping and praying that those poor animals find their way to dry land.  God has a plan.  Stay Strong, Pray Hard, and God Bless.

Passionate

While at bible study last night, a friend of mine started some discussions with a few questions.  What about your husband best complements you?  And what attracted you to him?

There was a lot of thought put into the first because Steven and I are a lot alike.  There is hardly any "opposites attract" when it comes to us.  When he is hot tempered, I am cool tempered, and visa versa; but we both get hot tempered at times.  When he is venting, I am listening, and visa versa, but we both listen really well.  I guess there are cute little characteristics of his that complement me -- things like he likes smooshy french fries, and I like the crunchy ones.  We are both a little bit controling in our own little way.  I don't think "laid back" is in our vocabulary.   So we complement each other not only by having the same characteristics and personality traits, but also by knowing when to show certain traits.  Interesting.

And what attracted me to Steven?  I think a lot of people who know us very well know this answer.  His passion for the things he loves.  There are many people in this world that find lots of little things to "like".  Not my husband.  He has a few BIG things that he LOVES and that he is passionate to share with others.  One of the biggest is his passion for the Lord. 

His passion for Music:

His passion for the University of Southern Mississippi:

And his passion for family:

Steven caught my eye marching with a snare drum... little did I know there was so much more.  I could write all day about each of these "passions", but it would end up being a novel... not a blog post.  Those were my answers to the questions last night.  I married an amazing man.  Ephesians 5:25  Stay Strong, Pray Hard, and God Bless!

UPS: I Want My Desk

Maybe it is just me, but I really am having a difficult time understanding why on EARTH it is so complicated to get a package with a desk inside from one point in this country to another.  I just can't fathom, EVEN with all of the recent bad weather, that it goin take 5 weeks to get this to me.  I really think, even with my lack of power-tool skills, that I could have made 50 of these things in the amount of time it has taking for me to receive one via the United Parcel Service.

The week before my anniversary, I ordered a simple desk and chair set from Amazon.com and got it for a very reasonable amount.  I chose to do the free 6-8 day shipping and expected it to arrive at my door around the 13th of April.  Unfortunately, the shipment was delayed immediately after I received my email stating that it had been shipped.  And on the 15th of April, I was informed that my desk was further delayed because of the extreme weather that hit Clinton and central MS.  And of course, it was delayed even more when the tornadoes went through Tuscalousa and Birmingham.  However, the final email said that the package would be at my door on May 3rd.  So, on May 3rd, I come home expecting either a package or a slip taped to my door stating that UPS had been there.  But, you guessed it, no package... and NO sticky slip.  So I checked the tracking on my desk.  UPS had even updated my tracking information to state that they had been at my apartment, no one was home, and that they would return at a later date.  Okay.. well just a few more days shouldn't hurt, right?

The next day, I checked tracking again.  "The package should be delivered May 4th by the end of the day".  I got home and no package.  Checked again the next day... "The package should be delivered May 5th by the end of the day".  Once again... No package or sticky note.  For those who know me... by this point my patience had been pushed BEYOND its normal limit.  So I decided that I would call UPS.  After being on the phone with a machine for 30 minutes requesting to speak with something with a pulse, I finally got in touch with a UPS representative.  After my story was told in a very firm manner, I was transfered to a different department.  of course.  Then I met "Tina".  Tina sounded like she absolutely LOVED her job... NOT.  My blood was boiling by the time I got to her and one little mistake that she made was going to sent me over the top.  I felt like my dad talking to ATT every time he has gotten a new computer and had to set up his email.  I wanted to throw something.  And dear Tina decided to tell me that my UPS package had been lost.  Well, okay, then find it!  And then Tina crossed the line with an apathetic response that went something like "Well, I'm sorry we lost it".  I dont CARE if you are sorry! I want my DESK! And I hung up. 

After calming down I attempted to search Amazon.com to find a customer service number that I could call.  I searched for about 15 minutes.  No number... not even an email.  So I had desperate dearch for whatever patience and grace I had left IN MY BODY and call UPS back.  I spoke to someone much more understanding and much more worthy of a good working job in the United States who directed me to a website that would lead me to a phone number where I could reach a representative at Amazon.  I thanked her and called Kevin G.

Kevin was also very nice (which was good because at any minute I was going to explode).  He told me that an investigation would have to take place regarding my desk, and that I was going to have to wait another 48 hours for the results.  An investgation to see in my lost parcel was in fact lost.  Duh.  So yesterday, I received an email that stated that I would receive A BRAND NEW desk and chair set.  It had been confirmed that UPS lost it and Amazon was shipping me a BRAND NEW ONE.  Brand new my foot.

I received a knock on the door at around 11:00 this morning. YES! My desk is here.  A tall, African American lady stood in front of me in a FedEx uniform but no package.  After Sully finished harrassing the poor lady, she took me down to her truck and told me to examine the 60lb box before she drug it upstairs.  Thank goodness for her.  Some one had OBVIOUSLY taken a sledge hammer to all sides of this box with my poor little desk inside... and an elephant CLEARLY sat on it.  She told me that she would refuse to sign for it and it would get sent back.  So guess what I got to do when I got to work.  I got to call Amazon again.  I spoke with Stefanie who was extremely apologetic and rigged the system so that I could get a 2nd re-send on my order.  Bless them... I think they are sick of me.  After all of this... My Corner desk and chair set should be here tomorrow.  Hopefully NOT DAMAGED.  I guess I will update later on the status of my poor desk.  Stay Strong, Pray Hard, & God Bless.

Therapy

It has been a wild ride for the newest Rosses in the last 365 days.  After getting married, getting rejected from GA Tech, Steven touring with the Troopers, getting accepted to GA Tech, changing life plans from O&p to PT, taking extra classes, finding a good job, becoming a band director at MC, getting a dog, applying to MORE grad programs, waiting... waiting... and waiting... being accepted to UMC, and celebrating our one year anniversary, one would think that we would be exhausted... but we arent.  We have both found our calling in life: Music for Steven and Physical Therapy for me.

This is my first "blog" since the xanga days...  And back in 2004 & 2005, I used xanga primarily to catch up on the gossip, find stuff to gossip about, or start drama.  Looking back, it wasnt a very good idea.  Never burn bridges... that would be my lesson I learned through highschool.  I am starting this for multiple reasons:

1. Steven is leaving me in 21 days... gotta jot some of the things that are happening down...
2. A lot of things have happened recently, and I would like to remember a lot of them.
3. My mom gave me a journal when I moved into my dorm room at my freshman year at State that had a record of all of the memorable things that had happened to me since the day I was conceived.  Anything from things happening to me, my family, the country or the world was remembered in that rather large book (which she should get published).  I hope to remember at least half of the amount that she did. 

So this is my first post.  I think I am going to like this a lot better that Twitter...  I can write more and I don't have to check on it everyday.  Hopefuly my husband won't make fun of me as much for a blog as he did for my Twitter account.  Stay Strong, Pray Hard, and God Bless.