If Tomorrow Never Come

 I grew up in a town o 500 people ( It might even have gown too 600 by now) in Southwest Missouri. Everyone knew everyone else and it was a close community. When death come upon our little town, there was always support. I also grew up in the 80's and 90's where such things as mass shooting where not common and it wasn't until Columbine that I even heard of such things.

Oh how thing have change. Back then I felt safe. First it was schools, but I still felt safe. Then it was shopping malls, I still felt safe as in my mind nothing like that would ever happen in Springfield. Then it was movie theaters, I started being scared of going to the movies as that was my place to escape reality. It was a place to completely lose yourself  and some horrible monster was stealing that security. But after awhile I became more and more at ease and was just more aware. I would make sure I knew where the exits were and had a plan in my mind if something happened.

But then yesterday happened! Terror had invaded my new home, where again I had felt safe. I woke up to news of the nightclub shooting and I was scared. Not for myself but because I didn't know where all my friends where. For the first time I started frantically clicking through my friends list checking to make sure that everyone was ok. That those that I know and share different aspects of my life would be safe and sound. Thankfully everyone was ok, physically atleast, and I would have another day to tell them how much they mean to me.

But there are friends and family of 49 other people that will not have that opportunity. They won't get to hug their friend or family member again, tell them how much they love them, share memories. There are 49 people who will not see another sunrise or sunset. They will not celebrate another birthday or holiday.  This to  me is the most heartbreak.  How many of them had the opportunity to tell their loved ones they loved them and was in a hurry and didn't. How many of them maybe didn't answer a phone call from a parent or friend because they were having a good time and thought they would just call them back later and are now lost opportunities to have said I love you 

So please, make sure that everyday you tell those that you love, that you love them. If your parents or friend calls, take the time to talk to them because right this moment is a blessing and tomorrow is never promised.

Welcome HOME!

I fell in love with Florida when I was able to travel to Disney with the band in 1997. I had never experienced anything like it. The palm trees, theme parks, characters and so much more. I was able to go back my Senior year in high school for a choral competition and it was just as amazing. BUT at the time I was on so much of a different path. I enjoyed Disney but it wasn't until later that I fell in love with Disney.

Fast Forward to 2008, I had worked at AAA Carolina the year before and had went to Florida for a carnival ship tour group! It was amazing and so much fun. I met 2 amazing people that I still have contact with. In May of 2008,  Me and my two friends were getting ready to go on our first Disney cruise when the day before I was to leave, I got a call from Disney HR about wanting to do a phone interview for a position at their call center. WHAT? I was over the moon to think about me working for Disney! I flew to Orlando and the next day at an amazing phone interview that later turned into an in- person and a job offer. What I learnt from Disney was that it isn't as perfect as I thought. I lost part of the magic knowing so much and seeing the behind the scenes workings.

Fast forward again to 2012. I got a job at the Sea World call center! It was wonderful and I met one of my best friends my first day of training! June of this year my parents and grandpa moved to Florida with me!! At this point I imagined that I would be in Florida forever! I had the majority of the people that mean the most to me in this world in my favorite place. My grandpa had some health problems and the days I had imagined of us at the parks where soon filled with intensive care units, tube feedings, physical therapy and doctors that wouldn't do anything because of my grandpa's age. In late 2013, we moved to North Caroline to be close to one of the best geriatric hospitals in the nation. And in 2014 moved back to Missouri

Fast Forward again to 2016. February 2nd 2016 my grandfather passed from this world :( I was left with a huge void but suddenly so many options. My first though was I wanted to move back to Florida. I miss always having activities and something always to do! Theme parks, beaches, natures and so much more were always just minuets away! But that isn't all. I have so many amazing memories in Florida. I remember moving in with my roommate ( I have now lived with her 3 times) the first time. I remember the first time I went to gulf side beaches and how different they are from the Atlantic side. I remember the first time I walked into a Disney Park as an employee and the same for Sea World and the first time I worked for Universal. But most of all I remember the people. I remember Twilight marathons, being goofy at the parks, the goals that my papa had, the first time my papa met Mickey Mouse. So that is why Florida is my HOME. It is where my heart hold so many amazing memories, laughter, tears and so much more!

Life isn't always fair.

 Isn't if funny how life works. You go through your day to day not expecting anything much to change. You get out of bed, shower and dressed for the activities of your day, you have breakfast, maybe get the kids and spouse up and ready for school and work, go to work, so on and so on. But what happens when something disrupts your life? When your little world is shaken so much that you don't know if you are ever going to be the same again. This seems to be happening a lot to me lately.

In December 2015, the lord decided to take my uncle Dan to his heavenly home. It was a sudden thing even though he had cancer everyone was so optimistic that he was going to be fine but God decided he needed him more. It is hard to loose someone that meant so much and now looking back I really wish that I would have told him more what he really meant to me. He was such an amazing man, funny and studdorn. He didn't take anything off of anyone but he was also loving, could talk to anyone and was just an all around amazing man.

Then on February 2nd, 2016, the lord decided that he needed to take my grandpa. The man that all other men in my life have to stand up to. He was there when they brought me home from the hospital, he was at almost every birthday, gave me the best advise about life, marriage and the world in general. My grandma use to laugh when I was little and talking about my prince charming that I was going to find someday, she always said when I was about 3 I would ask my papa if he was really my prince charming and not my Mammie's. I use to imagine my grandpa giving me away someday at my wedding even when he was older and unable to walk, I knew that he would be there. And now he isn't.

Today they came and picked up his hospital bed, O2 tank and other medical   Well physically anyways, he will always be with me. He will be with me when I pack up my things in a couple of weeks and move to Florida. He will be with me when I see a beautiful sunset or sunrise. He will be with when I finally do find prince charming and finally say I do. He will be with me when I have by own babies and watch them grow, graduate high school, collage and get married  and even have their own babies. He will be with me now just as he was when he was still alive.

But as I mentioned, life is funny, out of the blue a few weeks ago, when my papa was still here, I decided to apply for Universal Studios Orlando. I had worked here before and applied here every so often but never really heard back. This time was different. I got a phone interview the day after I applied and HR kept me updated on doing a phone interview and such. I was torn on what I would have wanted to do as I had just left a stable full time position to come home and help care for papa, but I had applied so many times and really wanted to take the job. I didn't know why all this happened until February 2nd.  Then it all fell more into place. I came home from the funeral to find a voice mail from HR about setting up a time the next day for a phone interview. Had an amazing interview and was told right then and there that I was hired.  On top of all that, training doesn't start until March 7th! I have time to pack and say goodbye as this is going to by my last move ( I hope) .

So life if funny. Sometimes you fall and are heartbroken and the next the questions that you didn't know are answered and the path that you were wondering about is right in front of you. So remember when life gets you down that you might have a bad time now but it might take one day or blessing from God to turn everything around.

My "The Voice" audition experience and adventure

At the beginning of the year, I made a list of things I wanted to do this year to make me happy, do new things, ECT. One of those things was to audition for the Voice or America's Got Talent. After looking at my options, both were having their audition in my "area" on the same weekend. January 23rd in Kansas City for America's Got Talent and January 23rd and 24th in Memphis for The Voice. I decided to go with the Voice as it seemed like a better fit for me and I've been told by friends that I should audition. I was excited and nervous but I signed up online and then the waiting game began.

Finally it was January 23rd it was time for my mom and I to head off to Memphis!

 Saw some crazy and beautiful things along the way

 Finally made it to Memphis and our first stop was this bad boy. I didn't realize how close the convention center was to the pyramid!

 Beautiful full moon!

 One thing that was hard to find but really helped me with getting prepared for the auditions was what really happened at these auditions. There is a number of auditions before you get to what you see on TV and this is the first step. This is were 95% or more of people hear NO. But for those auditioning for the first time it was scary not know what was going to happen and some thought that they were going to be singing for the judges.

So my day started at 3am as my call time was 7am. We stayed in West Memphis that was only about 10min from the Cooks Convention Center.

My Mom and I headed to the Convention Center about 5:30am and drove around to see where we were suppose to be. There was maybe 20 people already in line. We didn't know where the best place to stop for her to let me out, as unless you are under 18, you can not have anyone with you, somehow we got mixed around and ended up back on I-40 and went back over the bridge to west Memphis and came back. In that 15 mins, the line had doubled! So I jumped out and it was FREEZING!  I did meet some wonderful people!

Around 6:00am they let us into the building. We had to show our ID and forms and stand around for another 15 to 20 mins before they moved us across the building to another holding area. This time they got us into rows of 4 to fit more people into each area. A little after 7am, the security started to check ID's and paper work again before you get your bag check and get swiped with the medal detector wand. 

 Again, you get in another line to give your paper work to the producers and get one of these bad boys! After that you are taken into a large room with rows and rows of chairs. By this time it was around 7:30 to 7:45 and we were advised that it would be closer to 9am before they would start taking us row by row to the audition rooms! This was the fun part! It is never a dull moment when you are in a room with a bunch of really good singers! People would just stand up and start singing and then everyone would start singing along! There were so many amazing and talented people!

Around 9am a producer came and started getting us row by row. There were a number of rooms that had 10 to 13 chairs to the side of the door. One of the lower producers gathered up your paperwork and just a few moments later we were told to gather everything and made a line in front of the door. Inside the room were 10 chairs ( 5 on either side of the green tape where you stood to sing)There were a few chairs in the back for parents that came with those under 18. The producer welcomed you and advised to walk to the green tape, announce the song that you are going to sing and start singing. I was 6th singer and I was so scared. I sang Unchained Melody and hit the high not perfectly, but you could tell by my voice that I was nervous.  The producer was very nice and said that I should audition again next season and that there was a lot of potential!

 I was very disappointed but I had such an amazing time that I didn't let it get me down. I haven't really performed in who knows how long, not even karaoke so I was excited that I ever did as well as I did! I am going to get a voice teacher and work on my voice and range so I will kick some major butt next time. I am also going to send in a video submission in the hope that I might get heard that way!!

Afterwards, we headed to the visitors center so I could change from my dress to my travel clothes. A trip to Memphis isn't complete without seeing Elvis!

 And a customary photo infront of the big Memphis egg!

 We left Memphis and headed back to Missouri. We found a few  fun things along the way!

 We stopped at Mammoth Springs! I haven't been there forever and it was just as beautiful as I remembered!

 Home Sweet Home!

So all in all I had an amazing trip and experience. I learnt so much and I am already excited to try again. Even thinking about getting everything together and do a video submission!!!

I hope that everyone enjoyed coming along with me on my adventure! One thing on my 2016 list down and many MANY more to do! Stay tuned for my next one! 

2016 - A year like no other

Every year, most of us make New Year resolutions.  But how many of us really succeed at them? Do we really try or are they just little goals because we feel like we have to have something to accomplish during the year?

For 2016, I made two resolutions... To make the most of my year and to be happy. This isn't as easy as one would think at 35 years old. You fall into a pattern of the everyday life. You get up, go to work, come home and repeat for 5 days. Your days off are filled with cleaning and having to make sure that things are ready to go for the next 5 days that you are going to be heading off to work. And sometimes no matter how much you love and enjoy your job, doing the same thing get tiresome!

Soooo. Here are the things that hope to accomplish this year to help me with my resolutions

2016 Goals

1.       Finish 2015 scrapbook

2.       Clean and organize garage

3.       Join 2 online dating sites

4.       Face 2 fears

5.       Clean out house – closets, cabinets ,ECT

6.       Go walking at nature center once a week

7.       Got to the gym twice a week

8.       Do something special for myself once a month

9.       Do all 4 Wilton Cake decorating Classes

10.   Do a family fun night once a month

11.   Write a travel blog every month for a year

12.   Start writing short stories

13.   Join a church of community choir

14.   Start going back to church

15.   Volunteer somewhere once a month

16.   Have special days/ nights out with Daddy 

17.   Take a crafting class for something new

18.   Go to a baseball game with papa

19.   Learn to play a new musical instrument

20.   Learn to speak fluent Italian

21.   Take fun summer class at OTC

22.   Join a book club

23.   Visit 5 towns in Missouri I have never visited

24.   Try something new every month

25.   Start booking more travel

26.   Do something fun with friends once a month

27.   Rent a boat and have a lake day with parents

28.   Donate a full Thanksgiving dinner to a needy family

29.   Drive around the state taking photos of the fall leaves

30.   Take Christmas gifts to nursing home

31.   Take Christmas gifts to hospital for Children on Christmas

32.   Adopt a family for Christmas

33.   Go to Crystal Bridges Museum

34.   Take mommy to Lola’s

35.   Visit friends in NC

36.   Audition for the Voice or America’s Got Talent

 

I know that this is a lot, but there is a reason that all of these things are on here. it might be to nurture a relationship, learn to love myself more, let go of the everyday and most of all make memories not only for me but with the ones that I love the most.

 

So this year instead of making a goal to do just one thing, think outside of the box at all the opportunities.

 

Until next time!

 

Hi there again

It has been awhile since I have written on my blog. So I thought I would start again as there are alot of fun and exciting things happening. I have moved from FL to NC and now back to my home state of Missouri. I didn't like this at first and fought with everything that is in my to get out of here and back to the sunshine state. BUT God had other plans. Even after a interview with Disney for a spot at the reservation center in Tampa, I didn't get anything. But I applied for a job at Big Cedar in Branson and out of the blue they called me. So now I am a happy new employee in reservations! I am excited about getting a car, my own place and being independent again! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE living with my family. I have been truly blessed with being able to meet my cousins little ones and get closer to my family, but I like being me. I enjoy being in charge of things and figuring out my own path. I enjoy meeting new people and making new friends. And I can see myself being at this job a long time! I can see building a life in Branson. Finding a husband and having kids. I am ready to settle down but I will never just settle. I know that I have been truly blessed and I feel that this is the path I have always meant to be on!

Growing up really is hard to do

Growing up your goal is the be an adult. You want to learn to drive, date, graduate and go out into the world hoping that you know exactly what to do. Everyone thinks that this is an easy road….. it isn’t. You have so many dreams that you may or may not fulfill. You might get caught up in drinking and drugs and your life spirals out of control before you can get a grasp on reality and life. You may end up with a baby that you love but might not be ready for or go into a marriage thinking that he or she is the one, only to find out that the only thing they are good at is cheating on you. Life is a hard place. But most people are going to go out, fight their way through, fall flat on their butts a good dozen times, settle down, maybe even finding the love of their life and having a couple of beautiful children. Sometimes life is hard but it is all a building block for that moment when you realize that have truly grown up.  It is that moment when you realize that you are content with life. You have a plan for the future and know what YOU want out of life. It can happen at any time. It might be after you hit rock bottom, after your college graduation, the day of wedding or just sitting in your living room one day. Growing up is never easy but in the end the peace of knowing life is good and no matter what, you have what you need to make it through anything thrown your way