Monday, May 28, 2012

Memorial Day Weekend Bliss

Happy Memorial Day to my wonderfully supportive blog familia! And a BIG thank you to ALL of our service men and women who fight, and sometimes give their life, for our freedom that we have today.

Just think if we didn't gave freedom of speech. We wouldn't be able to create blogs and reach out to one another on a daily basis offering advice, offering a kind word or leaving a little "pick me up"comment from time to time.

We have SO much to be thankful for, and that's a trait on myself that I constantly try to improve. I tend to worry about anything and everything. I've always been that way, since I was a little girl.

I'm going to get a bit personal here, but I feel it's necessary to get my point across. I lost my father when I was 11 to drug abuse and alcoholism. It broke my two older brothers and I's spirits to the core. It also threw my mom into the toughest job ON THE EARTH: Being a single parent to three broken children.

Because of my badass mother, we somehow made it! We're all a little screwed up still, but we came out of a horrible experience stronger and more aware about how hard life can get.

In my grief, I developed OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). I was scared to death that if I didn't touch a door handle over and over, in a certain way, that my mom would die in a car crash. It was scary as hell. I lived in a constant state of fear.

I eventually grew out of the disorder around the time I turned 15. But thru that experience, I was forever changed.

I'm more aware of my disorder, more aware of my anxiety and worrying. It's something that I'll always battle, but because I understand it, I know when I need to LET GO AND LET GOD.

I still struggle sometimes, but it's so liberating when I'm able to focus on all of the blessings around me! I don't know if I would be able to realize how much I am blessed had I not been thru a terrible loss like losing your father.

So on this memorial day, keep all of those people who have lost someone they love so dearly and say a little prayer for them...and take the time today and everyday to love on those special people who bring you SO MUCH joy!

In closing...here's some fun pics from J and I's weekend with his parents down in Rose Hill, Kansas (suburb on Wichita).

If you follow me on Instagram, you're getting double whammies with some of these. If you DON'T follow me on Instagram...what's wrong with you? Check me out: @annexenos.









J's man bags



Birthday present time!



MY NEW PATIO TABLE!!



Coolest Zoo ever!!!



Apparently I love giraffes.









No zoom used, ya 'all. We were THAT close!






Feeding the rhino!



Evening out in Oldtown...don't you just love brick streets!






Really?





And DON'T FORGET TO LINK UP TOMORROW FOR THE BACHELORETTE DISH!!!
TheBacheloretteDish


Hopefully tonight's episode isn't a snooze fest!

2 comments :

THECAROLINACOUNTRYGIRL said...

Looks like you had a fun weekend! Love your new patio table!

kjpugs said...

Seriously... my love slash obsession with giraffes has now made me INSANELY JEALOUS. Why can I not have a pet giraffe? Or be within a mile of this place!?