Homecoming 2009

I never thought I would see the day that Brittaney O'Pry would want to even think about being on the Homecoming Court.. but this year proved to be different. It all started out back in August, Britt came home and was like "I think I may have been nominated to be on the homecoming court", me being her Mother was very excited, but Britt being the tomboy she is didnt seem impressed. I asked when would she know and she said that the student body would vote once they got all the nominations in. The next day or two passed with no news, finally she came home and seemed to be excited.. she said that she made the court!! I again was excited since this ment that her peers thought enough of her to vote her on the court to represent them during homecoming, to me this was a big deal.. The next few weeks was busy, expensive, and wonderful all at one time...lol Britt is lucky enough to have a Aunt that takes beautiful pictures, everyone keeps telling her that Photography is her calling, so the picture taking was covered. (I wanted to make sure Britt had memories to last fovever of her special day. )
Then we had to have her measurements for her dress, that was easy enough.. Elegant Expressions took care of that and ordered her dress.. (might I say she was beautiful in it..) Then we had to line up the Hair do's, again thanks to Britts family connections Valarie (Salon 301, Hill Street in Griffin Ga) that was easy to accomplish. Then we get the surprise that for the homecoming parade she had to have another dress to wear and a convertable to ride in.. On the phone I go again.. We called several people since I saw no sense in buying another dress when she only needed it for 30 minutes in a parade and then to wear to the Homecoming Dinner at GTO's Event Center, but again I wanted it to be nice and would if we couldnt find one. After a couple of phone calls it was looking bad.. finally I thought about Britts friend Delaney, she wore a beautiful seafoam green formal dress to the Military Ball last year and her and Britt are about the same size, sure enough she still had it and was more than happy to let Britt borrow it. It was a little big but with a few alterations from Granny it was perfect. Finally Parade day came, Thursday September 24. The day started off with Britt going to school for half a day and me to work, then after that it was crazy.. I picked Britt up from school and we went to Valarie's... Ashley meet us there to take pictures, Once ready, we headed over to a little park area to take some pictures before the parade.

We then meet with the rest of the group at Food Depot to get the cars ready, Javen took care of the parade signs, and thanks to Ms. Kathy we had the car. (we was beginning to wonder if it was going to be ready in time, but finally at 2:15 parade day, we got the ok and all was good). We decorated the car and waited for Javen to show up with the signs... He was late but finally made it.. I worked my way down to meet with my mom and Sister in Law Julie to wait on the parade to start and Ms. Kathy took the kids to the line up at Home Depot.. we waited patiently to see the parade start, finally about 4:00 we heard Griffin High Band of Gold get started up, we have an awesome band by the way... then we watched as the ROTC and the chearleaders went by, then they had the Senior Homecoming Court, then the Juniors, and finally what we had been waiting for.. the Sophmores... There she was... waiving and smiling... my beautiful baby... I cried by the way...

After the parade, we went home to freshen up (it was 85+ degrees outside) then we was off to the Event Center for the Homecoming Dinner, we got to meet alot of the other court members, and took alot of pictures of her fellow classmates. Javen & Britt, Jay & Alex, and Dalton & Allison. We had a good dinner and laughed alot, they were given there homecoming T-Shirts, a little gift bag of goodies, and a frame with a picture of the logo on there tshirts. Finally the day was over....

Friday September 25, Homecoming Day... Same as the day before, I headed to work, Britt headed to school... the morning was busy for her... she had the Pep Ralley and then Heather (her Step Mom) picked her up from school and she had to go to the doctors office with her older brother Brian, then Heather brought her home.. we lounged out and rested for alittle while.. then about 3:00 it started raining.. I was horrified.. it rained HARD.. we left anyway about 3:45 to get her hair done all over again...

The rain started easing up, and before long the sun was back out... I was releaved... once ready we headed down to take some pictures.. of course right... (thanks again Ashley...)

Then we had to all meet up at Taylor Street Middle School to line up and take pictures with the photographer.. which by the way was almost 45 minutes late.. and didnt bring the back drops promised. While we waited we was able to get a couple of photos of our own...

<~Britt & Kory

Britt & Her Granny ~>

Then the adults headed over to the field, while the groups got organized and took there pictures with the photographer... Britt had three rows of bleachers taken up... not only did you she have my family, thanks again to my Mama & Daddy, Nanny, Uncle Charles, Aunt Nora Lynn, JuJu & Kyle, Jared & Jessica of course Raileigh, Chris & Courtney, Zach, and of course Brandon for coming.. but she had Stephen & his family as well, Heather, Hunter, & Austin plus Grand parents Sharon & Terry, Aunt Ashely & Uncle Lyde. I must say she is a very loved child...

The game started, Griffin High ~vs~ Forest Park.. @ 7:00, Griffin dominated the field the 1st half, finally into the 2nd Quarter the homecoming court arrived at the field, they had there own little section cornered off and they sat patiently waiting on Half ~Time.

Of course Hunter took advantage of this situation.. he was able to get his "Sissys" attention long enough to grab a couple of pictures with her.. and a Kiss!!! **muah **
Then it was time.. they brought out the band and the flag girls.. they they started presenting the homecoming court... Then what we had all been waiting for... Brittaney O'Pry was presented to the fans and her peers by Javen Jester...

Then they anounced the Queen, King, Prince & Princess... I disagree with this part.. I think they should pick one from each class, of course the King & Queen should be the Seniors, but the Juniors, Sophmores & Freshmans paid just as much for that night and should be honored as well, but this is just my opinion. lol

I am very proud of Brittaney for her hard work and dedication. She reminds me everyday why I get up in the mornings. She is always beautiful, even with her holey jeans and tshirt, but she was exceptionally beautiful tonight, she just glowed. Griffin went on to win 54 to 0!! (Did Forest Park even show up??) What a way to end the night!!

wow Its been awhile...

Have alot going on in my life right now...

Just the highlights:
Britt Made Homecoming Court this year!! Yea Britt
Britt also made YearBook Staff!!

Those are the most two important things.. the other stuff well I will just post this poem..

By living each day to its absolute fullest

you not only sleep better at night

but you are one step closer to your dreams!
Take chances.

Tell the truth.

Date someone totally wrong for you.

Fall in love.

Get to know someone random.
Be random.

Say I love you.
Sing out loud.
Laugh at a stupid jokes.

Cry.

Apologize.

Tell someone how much they mean to you.

Let someone know what they're missing by not being with you.

Laugh till your stomach hurts.

Live life like there is no tomorrow...

for tomorrow is not promised..

Tomorrow is a mystery

Yesterday is now History

Today is all you have!!

Be cautious with love,but don’t take to long,

it could slip past you.

Take chances, sometimes you might be surprised of the outcome.

Don’t be afraid of what is right in front of you,

There is a reason things in your past

didn’t make it to your future..

The reason why we have some of the heartache

and troubles we have suffered through is so

that when You have something special

you can appreciate it and treasure it!!

.

.

.

I guess this about sums things up... I have alot more I could and probably should blog about.. but right now just isnt the time to vent.. till then.. good bye..

Why Do we Hold On?? When to Walk Away!!

Why do we hold on???
O.K...Here is my two cents about this!!

Why do women who give there all hold on too long?
Is it lack of self respect, self confidence????
Do they think they will never find anyone else?
Do they have an overwhelming desire to punish themselves??
Is it a desire to "fix " things?
Is it because the familiar feels safer than the unknown?

Well on more than one occasion I have held on long after I should have let go... I guess I just had to keep going back to look at it and make sure it was good and dead before I could walk away.
I don't think it is always a lack of self respect, God knows I have plenty of that!

Nope, no lack of self confidence here either anyone who knows me would say no to that!!

I don't think that I will NEVER find someone, I meet new people every day.

Familiarity... maybe, I think we all are more comfortable with what we know!

As for an overwhelming desire to punish themselves, well.. if that is the case then you need to see someone sweetie because my blog just isn't going to be enough for you!

A desire to fix things, well.. I admit to this one myself but I don't think that is the reason all hold on.

I think the reasons differ for each person and can vary from relationship to relationship.

All I can say is that we need to evaluate each relationship and try and take from it what we can. Look at it long and hard and try to find out why you stayed and what it took for you to leave ( if you did) if you didn't what did it take for you to let go.

As I evaluated my relationships I found some common traits but I also found different ones, the biggest thing in common was my level of devotion to that person, in each relationship where I had let down all walls and allowed myself to fall in love, I held on too long, once I make the commitment I have a really hard time walking away.

I think this is likely the case for most women. We can't fix people, they have to fix themselves. You can hold their hand and be supportive of them while they go through changes( if they let you) but we can't fix them.

We can't make someone love you that doesn't. Let go because the time you are spending trying to convince Mr. Wrong to love you is time you could have been spending with Mr. Right! ( or at least looking for him) Sometimes the search for him can be fun...

Guard your heart, I'm not saying never be trusting but, make sure the person you give your heart to is worth it and is willing to give you his in return. You can't hand your heart over to him and expect him to hold both yours and his! He will get tired of holding both!

Don't settle! Make sure the person you are opening up to is able to meet your needs, make sure you can meet his. Relationships where only one set of needs are being met WILL fail. It is when needs aren't being met that people look outside in different places to get those needs met. It doesn't make it right but unfortunately it is true. Make sure you a both the same caliber... meaning, you are both loving, compassionate, giving...etc..

Why do men go for the women who treat them like shit? I DON'T KNOW BUT THESE ARE THE SAME MEN WHO WHEN THEY FIND A WOMAN WHO TREATS THEM WELL, TREATS HER LIKE SHIT , SO HE DESERVES IT!

There it is my two cents on that!

Hope it helps, I know it just helped me!

Today is Brittaneys Birthday!!

Wow... so today is my babys birthday, she turns "15".. Can you say, I feel old now... It started off to a good morning, she and I got ready and met her daddy and heder (as britt calls her), Brian and Hunter for breakfast at Louises.

She then left to have a Daddy Date Day... They have lots planned, 1st on the agenda was taking her learners license test, he wanted to be the one to take her so off they went... I sent the documnets needed (or so I thought...lol), the birth certificate, social security card, her attendance record from school... oooppss but the birth certificate wasn't an original so off they went to the Health Department... then back to take her test!! WOO HOO SHE PASSED!!! Only missed 3 questions in all.. thats pretty good considering we all know she didnt study one bit... She gets that from me...lol

Stephen giving Britt a pep talk

Britts "I GOT THIS" look!!

Not sure who was prouder

She is now legal to drive...

OMG stay off the road...

I AM SO PROUD OF HER!!

Then they are off to do some driving around to giver her some practice. Stephen says she did pretty good.. only almost took out a mailbox (she gets that from me...lol) and she rides the white line a little but that she was doing real good... and by the end of the day she was driving like she was a pro..

Later that day they all decided to take a mini vacation and head to the beach, originally it was Savannah but later ended up being Panama City Beach. They left late evening Thursday and came back Sunday. She had a blast... She called and texted me all weekend, I guess she knew that I was having a hard time with her being gone but was really happy she was getting to spend time with her dad and brothers...

Stephen enjoying time with his kids

Is this not the sweetest picture ever!!

Britt enjoying her Jet Ski

Britts Future Car...

Stupid Jelly Fish that stung my baby!!

Brian being the funny man like always!!

I am very proud of Stephen... he has stepped up and made this one of the best birthdays for Britt.. It made her day to be able to start it off with most of the people that she loves the most... and then spend the whole weekend just hanging out and having fun...

Brittaney & Blake

Well my little girl is growing up and she is getting her first real taste of love... She and Blake started back dating eachother again back in March, then he went away to Fort Gordon to a military school so that he could finish school early and get a start on a better life for himself and as he puts it Brittaney... Once finished with school in September and he turns 18, he will be inlisted in the National Guards and will begin his boot camp training... until then he gets to come home on the holidays, and mothers day was no exception... the only bad part about this.. is the days when he has to leave again... Britt is always broken hearted and misses him so much... the good thing is that she doesnt have to wait as long this time to get to see him again since he will be home again in 9 days for Memorial Day Holidays... Keep your head up babygirl (or as Blake calls her Sweetie Pie) he will be back in 9 days... and will be home for a week...

Life, The Ups & Downs and All its Changes... (just my thoughts of it anyways)

A time comes in your life when you finally get it...when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out
--ENOUGH! --
Enough fighting and crying and struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, you shudder once or twice; you blink back your tears and begin to realize it's time to look at the world with new eyes. This is your awakening. You realize it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change...or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that in the real world there aren't always fairy tale endings. (Or beginnings for that matter) And that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you...and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance. You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are, and that's OK. They are entitled to their own opinions. And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself...and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born in self-approval. You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected. You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it's not always about you. So, you learn to stand on your own and take care of yourself. And in the process, a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance. You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties...and in the process a sense of peace and contentment are born of forgiveness. You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche. And you begin to sift through all the junk you have been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, how much you should weigh, what you wear, and what you should do for a living, who you should marry, the importance of having and raising children, and what you owe your parents, family and friends. You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you discard what you don't need. In the process you learn to go with your instincts. You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life. You learn that you don't know everything, it's not your job to save the world and that you cannot teach a pig to sing...You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO! And know when enough is enough! You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry. Then you learn about love; How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away. You learn to look at relationships as they really are not as you would have them to be. You stop trying to control people, situations and Outcomes. AND YOU LEARN THAT ALONE DOES NOT MEAN LONELY.You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside; smoothing things over and ignoring your needs...You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK! And that it is your right to need things and to ask for things that you need...and that sometimes it is necessary to make demands. You come to the realization that YOU DESERVE TO BE TREATED WITH LOVE, KINDNESS, SENSITIVITY, AND RESPECT AND YOU WON'T SETTLE FOR LESS! And you learn that your body is really your temple. And you begin to treat it with respect. You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest and eat right. And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels the soul. So you take more time to laugh and play. You learn that for the most part, you get in life what you believe you deserve...and that much of life truly is a self fulfilling prophecy. You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different from working toward making it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance.You also learn that no one can do it all alone...and that it's OK to risk asking for help. You learn the only thing you must truly fear is the greatest robber baron of all: FEAR itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears, because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms!And you learn to fight for your life and not squander it living under a cloud of impending doom. You learn life is not always fair. You don't always get what you think you deserve, and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people. On these occasions you learn not to personalize things. You learn that GOD isn't punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It's just life happening. You learn to deal with evil in its most primal state--the ego-. You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you. You learn to admit when you are wrong, and to build bridges instead of walls. You learn the importance of saying "I'm sorry."You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower. Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than your heart's desire.And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind. And you walk slowly through a rain storm. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting and to stay open to every wonderful possibility. Finally, with courage in your heart, and GOD by your side you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best you can. And keep the faith and hope alive for love to enter your heart..

A little about US...

Well this is my first blog, so where do I start..My life is going good right now.. I have an awsome family and great friends.

A little about my life: My baby girl Brittaney... Where do I even start.. She is my world. Without her I dont exist. She is 14 going on 21, she is beautiful and smart and yea sometimes she is crabby and hateful as crap..but I wouldnt have her any other way, she is a product of her raising. She always is doing something funny or crazy. She has alot of friends that hang out at our house most of the time on the weekends.. and to be honest I wouldnt have it any other way. I have grown to care about alot of the kids as if they were my own. Brittaney plays Soccer for Griffin High School and is a A / B Honor Roll student and has been for the past 4 years. Thank you Britt for always being there for me.. I love you with all my heart.

As for my family...lol Yes we are disfunctional and sometimes alittle strange but what family isnt?

Lets start at the head of the family:

My Nanny: This lady is the backbone of the family. She is the most amazing lady I know. She has a heart of gold and a smile that is amazing. My Nanny is beautiful, funny, sarcastic, loving, everything you could ask for in a grandmother.. that is my her. She has always been there for me when I needed her, even when I thought I didnt need her. She is what holds this family together.. She is always playing peace maker and trying to keep everybody happy. I couldnt and dont even want to imagine my life without her in it. I know one day she will not be with us but until then.. I treasure every minute I get with her. She is wise beyond her years and has had a amazing / hard / fun life. I love to hear her tell about some of experiences in life. I love you Nanny..

My Parents: My mom and Dad are the best.. yes sometimes they get on my ever loving nerves, but what parents dont. They have always been there for me and I guess they always will be if possible. My daddy has been sick and down to almost nothing and he has always provided for us. He has done without so many times that I cant even begin to count to make sure we were taken care of. He is the strongest man I know. No matter what I will always be a daddies girl. My mom, lol man where do I start?? My rock, my hero, my best friend?? no none of that even comes close to what this lady means to me.. we fight and argue and dont speak for days at a time, but when its all said and done.. we know we can always call on eachother to be there. Mom and Dad I love you..

I have several aunts and uncles that I love dearly, we arent as close as we once was because we have all grown up and moved away and have kids or grand kids of our own. But they are still just as important to me...

Uncles:
Jerry Chambers - married to Tammy Chambers, three kids, Kathy, Ricky, & Elizabeth. I dont get to see them as much as I would like but I love them dearly.. My Uncle Jerry use to always be there with me.. Until he got married.. I understand and Im not upset about it.. I am glad that he has someone to share his life with and great kids. I guess that is just part of growing up??
Charles Chambers - married to Nora Lynn Chambers, three kids, Dandy, Jessica, & Jared. I dont get to see them as often as I would like either, but again they have kids of there own and live so far away. I get to see Dandy more than the others since he lives here by me with his two kids, Austin and Blake. They are the cutest two little boys in the world. I love my boys.

Aunts:
Brenda Smith - living in Las Vegas with son Trenity, and has another son named Micheal
Debra Bearden - married to TJ Bearden, two kids, Tab and Jordan..

Well that is about it for me.. Like I said I have an amazing family... disfunctional to say the least.. but they are my bunch of nuts and I love them.