social media rocks

Today is wet and rainy but the weather can't dampen how wonderful this day has been. 

In high school I was very active in an organization called FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America). I loved it, all my friends were involved, we got to do fun activities and our advisor-she was just the best. Every Spring we would have our big State Leadership Conference in Omaha. We would go and take tests, give presentations and speeches, and socialize. It was the highlight of the year. Imagine hundreds of kids, running around the Holiday Inn for 3.5 days. How we all made it out alive I'll never know.

This is a girl named Amber, she was in my class and ran for a State officer- and won. Our school had 3 consecutive years of state officers. We really liked FBLA! 

My friend Doug was also a State officer, and we always used to make fun of this clapping motion-he said he "had" to do it that way. Apparently they were taught to do that in order to signal to the hundreds of kids in the audience to clap. Obviously this is the most "business professional" way to clap.

SLC was full of hair spray, #2 pencils, order in chinese, close toed shoes and ribbons on your name tags. The more ribbons-the higher your "social status." It was also apparently filled with bad lighting and low resolution photography.

If you would care to notice Kellie and I are wearing the same outfit as the above picture. However the young lady on the far left is not-Frankie used SLC as an opportunity for many costume changes.

There are so many more funny memories and wonderful photos that are floating around out there, I couldn't post them all!

One year Doug and I did a presentation. Doug and I have known each other forever and our chemistry while presenting was untouchable. We worked hard and with the guide of our advisor we made it to nationals. That moment is still so special to me. 

Well today is the day that the conference begins and so some of us past FBLA-ers thought it would be really nice to let our wonderful past advisor know how awesome we thought, and still think she is. She's had a rough past few months. Rougher than we can ever comprehend. 

We are all young adults all across this state and others, going to college, working, doing our own things. But with all the interconnectedness that is our high school years we all remember and still care about the young lady that helped us all along, even if we are just now really taking notice. Mrs. Clark looked out for us, she invested in us, she respected us, she liked us, and she had fun with us. 

And what an awesome medium we have to take a break from doing our own things to reminisce together. You know, sometimes I really curse social media-but today social media rocks. 

We don't really get to see each other very often, but today I feel like we have just had a get together. And it's times like this where I am certain that I grew up and went to high school with some of the best people on this planet. 

Blessings! 

Around the Corner

So we have 3 days of March left. That means April is basically here and that means May is just around the corner, and THAT means graduation is basically happening now.

Mom was getting some pictures together to send to the school for the graduation video. Yes our school is small so they make a video. Every year it's a tear jerker.

But anyway we were looking at them and man, was Aaron a cutie. We are just so confused on what happened between then and now. KIDDING. (kinda)

Not only is this graduating class the one that my little brother is in but, it's the last class that I went to high school with. It's moments like this that make you really see how quickly the passage of time occurs. I've heard many people say that certain classes go through high school quickly, and others seem to be in it longer. My class was one that seemed to take longer and I think that's because everyone just loved us. My brothers class seemed to fly right through...no comment on what that means.

To sum up the information I have presented and ramblings posted: Things are about to get crazy. It's almost time for graduation cake and mints, and I'm still in denial, but it's ok, I kinda like it here.

Blessings!

mum's the word monday

Blessings!

Out on the Porch Swing

As you all know this is Lucy. 

I totally adored Lucy when she was a puppy. Then she went through what I like to call "Adolescents." She was hyper and she didn't listen-ever.

But we started making a point to spend as much time as possible with her, and she grew out of her teenage years, thank goodness. Now I love going to get her to keep my company when I'm home.  

Today we went on a run and then we sat on the porch swing for a while. Lucy loves the porch swing. The only way Lucy could be any closer to you while swinging was if she was actually on your lap. I was petting her and she turned and looked at me and then she did something so intentional, she laid her head right in my chest and snuggled up to my neck. It was like a "Golly I love you Jessi." kind of gesture. It reminded me of something a child would do. It was so sweet. 

So you know what? 

I think I am back to adoring Lucy. 

Blessings!  

mum's the word...tuesday

Blessings! 

Tar Paper.

Sometimes I wish I had a tape recorder for my Grandparents conversations.

The year: 1952 or 51...can't remember for sure.
My grandpa got a new job it paid $180 a month it included their rent.

Grandma: "That house? It was a chicken coop with tar paper on it."


Grandpa: "Oh it was alright. We got along fine."


Grandma: "It had no screens on the windows. There was no flooring except the linoleum in the kitchen that was wore clear through to the black. I could only do the washing when he was home (Grandpa) because the power would go out in the middle of it."


Grandpa: "You were happy weren't you?"


Grandma: "Well yeah...You had to go outside to get water."


Grandpa: "Well you were raised that way, just like I was." 


Grandma: "Yes, I was but I was ready for something different."


Grandpa: "I was different."


Blessings!

Where the "E" Came From

There is no "Mum's the Word Monday" today. Sorry to disappoint but today is my Grandma Smith's Birthday and well, I figured that I should maybe take a minute to do a little post about her. She's quite a lady. She has a knack for writing and poetry and recently she has shared with me something she has written about her and my Grandpa's life. It's titled " Where Dad and I Start." I'm working my way through reading it and it is really interesting. I love reading and learning about my family, it's always been fascinating and important to me, I always want to know more about where and whom I come from. I share my middle name with my Grandma Smith and I'm so thankful I do. I really do love it. So in honor of her birthday I have decided to share a little passage of what she has written, I'm certain she won't mind.

"My first realization of home was our little sod house located on my Grandpa Huffmans' homestead ground, about 3 1/2 miles North West of Gates NE. It was about a mile and a half south of my Grandparents house. We accessed our home by following a two track sandy trail that followed the Middle Loup river, that meanders across Custer County. By today's standards we lived in poverty, but only the poverty of having no money. Our lives were enriched with other things that money could not buy."


I could just keep typing and typing. Isn't she a wonderful writer? Having these writings and being able to read them is such a blessing. We had a nice supper and she made an absolutely wonderful chocolate cake- because that's what my Grandma does.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Blessings!