Birthday, Red Sox and Thoughts

This weekend, three of my best guy-friends are celebrating birthdays -- Drew and Chris on Saturday and Kyle on Sunday, except Kyle celebrates his birthday for like a month. It's like Mardi Gras, or as he likes to call it, Kyle Gras. Tonight, we are celebrating the 28th annual Kyle Gras Extraveganza. So he says.

Anyway, I just wanted to send out a bloggerifc Happy Birthday to three of my favorite people. I'm going to be post the same horrible pictures I did last year in hopes that it spurs us on to get some new updated ones sometime soon. I'll also add a few of my favorite things about each of them.

We'll, start with Chris, since alphabetically he's first. Sweet Chris, or Christopher, or Christopherson is really one of my most favorite people. He often keeps me entertained during work hours with funny emails, often plotting how we will move to Hawaii and start our own business. Doing what, we have no clue. One reason that he's probably one of my most favorite people is because he loves Big Brother just as much as I do. He applied to be on the latest one and got rejected. I'm sure that's why this season wasn't as interesting. Also he's made several trips to Birmingham from Montgomery just to hang out with me. Happy Birthday Chris! I'm jealous you get to be in Starkville this weekend but there's a plate of chocolate chip cookies in my kitchen screaming your name!

Now, on to Drew, or Drewballa as I often like to refer to him. I really think that Drew and I were probably supposed to be, in another life, brother and sister. Drew was my bestest friend in high school and continues to be one of the greatest guys I will ever have the pleasure of knowing. We are so much alike it's scary sometimes but I can always count on Drew for an encouraging word or the plain truth about a situtation anytime. We've helped each other through some pretty tough times and I'm so grateful to God for a few like him. His family is a blessing as well, his mom like a second mom to me and his younger sister like younger sister to me. Happy Birthday Drew! I miss you!

And last, but certainly not least, sweet Kyle. I don't think that anyone has ever been so successful at making me laugh more than Kyle has. God really has blessed me with such a great friend. Kyle called me the other night as I was driving home from Chattanooga and I really think we talked for half of the trip. Our friendship is great because we are in the same business and can relate stories to one another. However, I think my most favorite thing about Kyle is that he would do just about anything for his friends. And he has a lot of friends. So Kyle, Happy 28th Annual Kyle Gras! I'm sure it will be a blast!

Now onto another one of my favorite topics. The Red Sox. Tonight is the first game of the ALCS. The Red Sox are vying to repeat. I'm hoping it is successful. They will be playing a very good and very determined Tampa Rays team and I'm a little nervous. I saw these two teams play each other when I was in Tampa in July (Thanks for the free tickets Mandi! Check out this post for details.). Tampa beat the Sox. 3-1. Boo.

So here is the breakdown. The first two series in Tampa, the Rays swept. The first two series in Boston, the Red Sox swept. The next series in Boston, the Red Sox only won one game. Same thing with the last series in Tampa. So the Rays lead the Sox in 2008, 10-8. The series starts in Tampa. If it goes by home field advantage, Boston has it all the way. Two games in Tampa, three in Boston, two back in Tampa, if necessary. The Red Sox are pitching Dice-K tonight. That's a pretty good start. I hope.

I have to say, I'd love for my Red Sox to win. But if my some crazy happenstance, it does not happen, I'll be happy for the Rays. And I have a little cowbell ready to clang against whoever, they may face in the World Series, IF, and only IF, they get past the Sox first. I'm a sucker for the underdog. In this case, that would be the Rays.

And lastly, my thoughts turn to more serious things. The economy. The president interrupted regularly scheduled programming this morning to say the same things that have been being said for the past few weeks. People are freaking out, mostly in NYC, about all this economy stuff and the stock market plummetting and what not. Me? I don't really worry about it. Why? Well, because 1) I really have no clue (Ignorance is bliss, right?) and 2) I know who controls it all.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

I don't worry about what the economy does or how much money I have in the bank and what's going on Wall Street because God says:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 6:19-20

I'm not counting on my worldy wealth and worth to get me through the day. What gets me through the day is knowing that I serve a God who gave up all of his glory to come to Earth and take on human flesh and go through everything I will ever go through and be despised by his own people, died a cruel death after taking on all the sin of the world, past, present and future and then defeated the grave by rising on the third day. What gets me through the day is the constant love, grace and mercy that I feel and see acted out every day by my God. What gets me through the day is knowing that I'm not here for me. I'm here for Him to use me to impact others and no money, fancy car or diamond ring can ever top being an instrument for God to use.

God holds this whole world in his hand. You know the song. I'm sure you're singing it right now. The point is that if I have put every ounce of my faith in him, I have nothing to worry about. Life or death means nothing because my eternity is secured in him. He controls what really happens in the world, and like I'm trusting this chair that I'm sitting in to hold me up off the ground, I'm trusting God, in his infinite widsom, to hold me up in this world. I'm don't lean on my own understanding. I lean on a solid rock called Jesus Christ.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

My life for the past week (Disclaimer: Long post, mostly pictures)

I got back Sunday night from a week in Florida. It was a much awaited and much deserved break and wasn't quite long enough but it was definitely refreshing. I left a week ago Sunday to go to the CoSIDA Conference in Tampa. It was a fun four days of seeing people I haven't seen in a long time, meeting new people, learning and getting to hear Dick Vitale and Billy Packer speak. Those two people may not be the usual "girl's dream speakers" but it very cool to see the lighter side to two guys who have made and extraordinary career out of doing something they absolutely love.

(view from my room in Tampa)

The highlight of my trip was getting to go to the Rays game and see the Red Sox play. I had the greatest seats thanks to Mandi, even though the outcome was not the greatest. Here are a few pics:

(Manny Ramirez batting.)

(Mandi and me at the game.)

(Me and Mandi with the Cowbell Kid. He's kind of like the Rays version of the Candy Man.)

I flew back into Birmingham on Wednesday, unpacked my bag, unpacked boxes in my new room in my new house, and then repacked my bag to get ready to go to the beach on Thursday. So I woke up on Thursday and headed out by 9:45 Thursday morning after a quick stop by Krispy Kreme for breakfast. Then I made my way onto I-65 and I was headed south to Ft. Walton. About five hours later, I arrived, only to find out that my parents and my sister and bro-in-law, with baby William in tow, had only just made it to Mobile, which meant two and a half hours for Katie to find something to do. I made my way to the Books-A-Million at Destin Commons to see if I could get internet to get some work done. The family finally got there and the fun began.

We had lots of fun, laying on the beach, swimming in the pool and shopping, as well as entertaining Sir William. He loves the beach, which is fantastic, because if you're going be in this family, you better love the beach and everything that comes with it. He wanted to eat the sand and he absolutely loved the pool. He's a natural swimmer. I hated to have to leave on Sunday while the rest of the family stayed at the beach until Wednesday.

I've created a slideshow of the precious babe in all his summer sun glory. Enjoy!

Create a Free Slideshow

Birthdays, Baseball and Big Thanks

First I want to wish a Happy Birthday to three of my best guy friends in the world.

Happy Birthday Kyle! His birthday was Friday and is lovingly called "Kyle Gras." Kyle is obsessed with everything New Orleans and insist on having king cake for his birthday cake every year. I can always count on Kyle for a free trip to the Cheesecake Factory when he's in town and he's really the only person in the world that understands my complaints about work. Oh, and he loves the Bears and Mississippi State and hates Ole Miss and Alabama as much as I do.

This a very old school pic of me and my oldest best guy friend Drew. It's from when we were the leads in Bye Bye Birdie in high school. Drew is the best friend a girl could ask for. Such a gentleman and he took me to prom my junior year after I reluctantly dumped the jerk I was dating. He's way sensitive and he understands girls a whole lot more than any other guy I know...even though he doesn't think he does. We've been through a whole lot together. Some major ups and downs and inbetweens. We are pretty much so alike that we could be twins. And we've made a deal that we will marry at 35 if we aren't already by then. Drew's birthday was Thursday and I really miss celebrating with him. His birthday always fell on Mississippi State's Homecoming for some reason so we always had a blast celebrating with my four other guy friends that he lived with.

And last but certainly not least...



Sweet Chris! His birthday was also Thursday. He doesn't look very excited in this pick but that's probably because it's probably the last game of an eight game day at the SEC Basketball Tournament. We've experienced just about every SEC event together and suffered through grad school together...although he's still suffering. We also worked together in ITS or The Center for Teaching and Learning (as it is now known) at MSU as GAs. He's one of the sweetest guys I know and he loves Mississippi State sports just about as much as I do.

Yay for birthdays!

Next I just want to say Go Red Sox! And yay for sweet Jonathan Papelbon. As I type, I'm watching Paps, try to close out game two of the ALCS for the Red Sox. I have to say, I loved the Sox way before they called Paps up but my love grew even stronger when they did. I would love to see my BoSox get to the World Series again, so Let's Go Sox!

And lastly, I just got home from viewing the movie "The Kingdom." You know, the one with Jennifer Garner and Jamie Foxx about the FBI agents that go into Saudi Arabia to take down a gang of terrorists. All I have to say is "wow". I went with my roommate Kelly who works with injured soldiers all the time at her workplace, Lakeshore Foundation. She's heard story after story from many soldiers and said that it was a great depiction of the things that they say. I would have to agree. It really was a great representation of what our soldiers go through and it makes you want to hug and thank every soldier you come in contact with. So I just want to say a big "thank you" to every soldier out there that has fought for our country, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also in the Gulf War, Vietnam and all other wars. I also want to thank their families. That couldn't be an easy thing to do to see your loved ones going off to risk their life for yours. It takes an amazing person to do that and God bless each and every one.