Unsent Letters Part #5 - The Conclusion... Finally :)

I wanted to get this done tonight so that I could start a new topic tomorrow.  So much is going on with my book right now and progress being had and I'm stuck in the middle of this long whiney letter.  Here we go!


Love isn't criticizing, it's non-judgmental and patient and understanding that maybe you don't know what it is exactly they are going through.  But you try and you take a deep interest in each others lives.  You help when needed.  Never pushing but guiding.  Love is an action, not a feeling.  You can love whomever you want.  I forgot too, but I still tried, I still wanted it for both of us.  That's all anybody ever wants... to be loved.

That's all I ever wanted from you.

The End!


This whole letter cracks me up.  There were a lot of really scary and dramatic events I went through with Marsh.  I guess we all feel like we're in our own personal soap opera every once in a while.  Of course, I haven't even revealed the most dramatic events I went through with Marsh.  I'm embarrassed to say that I spent a lot of time curled up in a ball, crying in a corner, behind a locked door.... Usually with him banging on the door to let him in.  

Interesting Blog for Writers

http://networkedblogs.com/blog/mikes_writing_workshop_newsletter/?ahash=4b070ae4075a36f76d303a0ae542a4da

Unsent Letters Part #4

A friend is a person who wants to be there no matter what.  Good, bad, and ugly.  They listen, hold, sympathize.  They try to cheer you up, they know all your deepest darkest secrets, but love you all the same.  Nothing could keep a real friend away, cause they know they can depend on you for the exact same in return.  You never gave me your friendship.  I couldn't come to you for advice, I couldn't cry on your shoulder, I couldn't expect you to always be there.  Why?  You never let me in.  I was lower to you than a friend.  I was someone who should've been treated as more than a friend.  But, everyone else came before I did.

(have you ever read something you had written and wanted to add "blah blah blah yadda yadda yadda" after it?  so much whiney drama in this letter, I have to laugh at myself even though I know the sort of pain I was feeling at the time was very real.  I'm absolutely happy that I've been able to let all of that go and can look back in amusement and poke a little fun at myself)


I just wanted someone there telling me it'd be over soon and everything was going to be all right.  Just like when I told you I was pregnant.  All I wanted was you to tell me that we'd figure things out.  Then we'd sit down and discuss our way through it.  But, you kicked me when my whole world was tumbling down.  All you cared about was making sure YOU were covered and YOU weren't going to be stuck with any of the responsibility.  What kind of a man does that?

(that was often a feeling I'd had through the pregnancy.  that the situation was so much easier for the sperm donor because he didn't have to spend 10 months with a child growing inside, with that inevitable bond forming, struggling to not get attached to a helpless human being who was made up of half my DNA.  I'm sure some men could come really close to imagining just what it's like to help create life inside our bodies, but will they ever quite get it?  i seriously doubt it.)


to be continued....

Unsent Letters Part #3

I'm writing the next section of this extremely long letter tonight because I have early morning practice :)  


"So this is the old Bekah telling you "Shame on you".  I am the most capable person you know.  If I want to do something, I Will!  And there is no one on this earth that can tell me I can't.

I have wonderful dreams and in a way I should thank you.  I've always wanted to write a book, but never quite had the right topic.  But, I can have it all.  When I get into one place I can start my own studio with the money I've made BY MYSELF.  (apparently he also challenged my ability to take care of myself as well.  I will give him this... Until I got pregnant I wasn't a shining example of how a person should take care of themselves.  I didn't care.) I've discovered that I don't have to limit myself to one profession.  I can be as many things as I want.

So!  You can shove your accusations that I can't take care of a child down your throat.  You and your family are the most selfish people I have ever met.  (now this isn't true, to a point, obviously I'm extremely venting here and most likely this section of the letter is the reason I never sent it)  It's never about anyone else, but you.  You hate your job, you hate your mom, you hate your dog, you hate computers, you hate snow, you hate sugar, you hate Disneyland (this should of been the fact that made me run.  you single girls out there, it's never a good sign when a man hates the happiest place on earth) Nothing positive, all negative.  Nothing real, all fake.

You want to be friends?  I was the only person in your realm that you wouldn't do anything for.  If someone needed help with their car, needed someone to listen to them, needed a babysitter, needed you to work in the yard, give advice to, or needed a hug... You'd do it.  But, not me.  You only wanted the good, not the bad.  Well that's not what a friend is.

to be continued....  what's your definition of a friend?  

Unsent Letters Part #2

"...You're putting a price on our child's head.  Who is to say how much one life is worth?  How much do you think your life is worth?

(I think this next part is a little cheesy)  Well you keep complaining that the old Bekah had left and you wanted her back.  Well living in this house (my older sister's house in Utah) again has reminded me a lot of who I used to be.  I am an aunt who is very well loved.  I am fun to be around and can always distract a crying child.  I have very strong Maternal Instincts.  Taking care of kids is very easy and natural.  It'd have to be for someone to be the best aunt in the world!  (told you it was cheesy)


My 2nd dream in life was to become a mother.  I haven't made up my mind, and I'm still going to go to a counselor to help make this decision (the decision between adoption or raising the child on my own).  But if I do decide to keep this child, I know I'll be an excellent mother.  I already know I'm good at it.  It'll just be easier with my own.  I'll be such a great mother, that's why my nieces and nephews have always wanted me to not have kids.  They thought that my kid would get all the fun.


So whatever person you thought I'd be.  This is one thing I know I can do.  I've been trained since I was eleven when Quoda was born.  Any mother will tell you that it's harder to have patience, love, and understanding with kids that aren't your own.  That's a gift I've always had.  Anyone who knows me can verify that....  Listening is key."


I believe this letter was written before I decided how to proceed with the pregnancy and just after the sperm donor told me that I wasn't qualified to take care of a child.  I believe he challenged my abilities to be a good mother and it obviously caused me to have a great reaction to his words.  Most likely, like some of the more horrible things he had ever said to me, it was all just to get some sort of reaction out of me or to manipulate or control me into doing something he wanted.  At this point he wanted to make sure he wasn't going to be held responsible for the life of the child I was carrying.  I sure know how to pick em huh?


to be continued.....

Unsent Letters Part #1

Growing up I used journals and notebooks to vent into.  The journals were for me and the notebooks I would write letters to people, more times than not, I would never send those letters.  Two days ago I was going through my notebooks and I found several letters addressed to Marsh (sperm donor) and they were all surrounding the adoption.  

Sperm Donor - I know this may seem harsh or mean or even gross to call him, but during my pregnancy I saw two counselors.  One counselor was to help me through the adoption and anything having to do with it specifically and the other was for everything.  My regular counselor, Dru, said that calling Marsh, sperm donor, was a good way for me to keep him in his role and to not let myself romanticize his place in the adoption.  She was and is right.  Marsh wasn't supportive at all and at first I did have a lot of hope that he would swoop in, and against his nature, want me and my child and want to be a family.  Anyway, I still like to call him the sperm donor because it keeps him at a distance for me.

So!  Since I found several letters and pages pertaining to Marsh, I thought I would make it into a series....  I will sometimes make comments in reaction to what I have written, my comments will be made in red.

Unsent Letter Part #1

"I have started this letter over and over in my head and even though you'll never feel it, it will probably take countless efforts into finishing it.  I can be harsh or calm, but either way each point will come across to my liking.  In other words, this is intended to be my farewell piece.  I am a woman and therefore I need closure.  (I love that)

My family keeps asking me "Aren't you Angry?"  The answer is "Yes!"  No matter what happened before and what's happened since, in the exact moment that I told you I was pregnant you broke your promise to not abandon me.  You can rant and rave that you didn't, but in truth you had abandoned me long before the pregnancy.  But!  The pregnancy is the only thing that matters.  Nothing else matters.  Instead of sitting down and talking and figuring out what we were going to do AS A COUPLE! TOGETHER! You had fled for the emergency door.  You told me your opinion and then bullied and manipulated me while trying to convince me that your opinion was the only opinion to have.  You didn't want me to think for myself, you just didn't want to have to be a man and take responsibility for your actions....."

to be continued....

Follow Up... I Want Your Opinion!!!

Thank You for your comments and the emails I also received.  It's hard to put yourself out there and share your opinion, never knowing who you are going to offend or what sort of reaction you'll receive.  Most of the response I received from my simple wandering were emails from people who wished to voice their opinions but didn't wish to be publicized.  I'm spoiled I get to read everything!  I love it!  Thank you for writing and thank you to those who publicly commented as well!


The majority of the response that I received were okay with celebrity adoption but also emphasized that the child should have a mom and a dad.  I'm not judging I am just relaying information :)  


My personal opinion on celebrity adoption, I'm okay with it as long as it is entered into with the right intentions.  I'd be a hypocrite if I tried to pretend to be comfortable with single women who adopt, the #1 reason I gave up my child is because I deeply believe that children are entitled to be born within the bonds of matrimony.  That doesn't just mean a man and woman decide to adopt together, that means a man and woman who are married decide to adopt and for noble reasons.  I could provide everything but a father/husband.  


I understand on levels the point that couples like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are making by trying not to emphasize marriage, but I think they're trying to make the wrong point.  Facts are, children feel more secure and have less stress in their lives when their parents are married.  It's harder for one parent to leave when they're married, although, that is quickly becoming easier (but that is a different subject for a different time).  


Another point that was brought up in some of the comments I received were about money.  Whether it's a single person or a couple adopting a child, money somehow has become a factor.  Some people think that the more money you have means that makes you more qualified to raise a child.  I completely disagree.  The Beatles had it right when they said "Money Can't Buy Me Love".  If I thought that my own personal qualifications to be a good mother and my own ability to love and care for a child were relevant then I would still have Frog Mann with me today and I would of deprived his parents of growing their family.  That was the first thing I had to determine when making my choice on how to proceed.  I had to take my own needs and wants out of the equation.  The decision wasn't about me, it was about Frog Mann.


Now, a lot of people may not be aware that Jamie Lee Curtis and her husband have adopted two children.  There are a lot of rumors about why they chose to adopt, but what it comes down to is that Jamie Lee Curtis and her husband tried to have children and just were unable.  She and her husband didn't splash the adoption across the tabloids or reveal their children's pictures on the covers of magazines.  They instead protected their children's identities.  I love that!  


If I could pick one responsibility to put above the rest for adults when it comes to kids, I would pick PROTECTION.  If every adult decided to protect all kids, then there would be a lot less pain in this world, so many more children wouldn't be robbed of their childhood, and those children would grow up into happier adults.  


My next post is going to be a part of a letter I found that I had written to Marsh (sperm donor).....  Keep those comments coming and thank you for engaging my curiosity!

I want your opinion!!!

What is your opinion about Celebrities who Adopt?  


Comment below or you can email me at mann.rebekah@gmail.com 


I'm not looking for a right or wrong answer or for people to agree with me...  I'll post my opinion tomorrow...  Have Fun!

Questions From A Reader

I've been fortunate enough to have a strong following of my facebook page and blog, some of the emails and comments I've received I've featured and some of the more personal comments or questions I've received I've kept for myself.  Perks of being the author :)


I'm sorry I didn't write for Saturday, after my 4 hour dance practice with my girls I went to my nieces basketball game, then she and I hit the town!  We ate horribly, had a lot of girl talk and watched Gnomeo and Juliet, btw, I totally recommend seeing it in the theater while you still can!  By the time I got home I was exhausted!!  Horrible excuse I know...


So!  I received two questions from a reader, they asked "When did you start writing your book?"  and "Why did it take you so long?"  


Both very good questions and thank you for your interest!


I started writing my book while I was still pregnant back in 2007.  I've always been a writer, as in, I write everything down, I've written in a lot of journals, and it's always been a great coping mechanism for me when times were tough.  A healthy coping mechanism I would find out.  When I started my book I was so angry with myself that it was mostly just me venting venting venting....  


No one likes a complainer.


Eventually it would turn into my story of how I got myself in that situation (not married, pregnant, abandoned, and feeling alone) and now it's turned into something that is so much more than I ever thought it would be.  Sure there are themes that are not fun to talk about but my life has always felt much like a comedy and I've incorporated a lot of my humor and the humor of my family in the book.  It's fun for me to go back and read my original notes and then witness the transformation it took.  Why it took so long to transform, well that's gonna be hard for me to explain.


Grief was and is a huge part of my journey.  Every time I would start working on my book it would always take me to a pretty dark place.  If I let myself, I can still find that harsh pain I experienced with the adoption.  I can only live in that place in short spurts, who would want to live in that place for longer than they have to?  We've all had experiences in our lives that change us forever.  The experience seeps into every aspect of our lives and sometimes can become overwhelming.  I find that when I work on my book and focus on it solely, I also talk about it a lot.  I find so many ways to connect it to my everyday life that eventually it drives me nuts.  Not literally but I do get annoyed with myself.  One secret to life is balance, and this time around I found mine.  I finally found a way to complete my work, not let it consume me, and become happier.  That's a pretty big achievement for me.  I guess you'll have to read my book to see just how I got there.  


Keep writing, I love the comments and emails I have received. 


Remember...  There is always hope.

Vampire Bites (ovarian cancer survivor): Vampire Bites

This is a blog that my friend Marquel just started...  I wish her all the luck in the world!

Vampire Bites (ovarian cancer survivor): Vampire Bites: "I suppose an explanation for my title would be a good start. I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 28, just one month shy of my 29th birt..."

Gifts for the Birthmother!

Sorry it took me all day to get to this, between choreographing and running errands for my dancers and going through revisions my editor has laid out for me... I've been busy!  Here is an excerpt from my book and also an unknown fact unless you're a birthmother yourself!

Gifts for the Birthmother!

They don’t tell you this when you’re getting into the whole process, but when you meet a potential couple, they are told to bring a gift of items that are supposed to represent a little bit about their family and who they are. It was nice and unexpected and I’m a little ashamed; I felt guilty accepting both gifts and only being able to pick one couple. That’s not the only time either. For me, after choosing the couple, they were so caring and thankful that they sent flowers. They also brought another bouquet in the hospital with a gorgeous picture of Mary and baby Jesus; they also sent a Christmas gift and a framed picture. I always tease that by the time I get my own place, they will have decorated it for me. (Living with Marsh was like living in his favorite sports team’s gift shop!) I appreciated it very much. Logically, I believe that adoptive couples are very grateful and it must be so hard to think of how to express that thankfulness. The agency also gave a huge basket full of gifts; actually, this basket was made by a group of adopted mothers who wanted to do something for more birthmothers than the ones they adopted from. They even included their local church and other women who also wanted to be involved with making the baskets for birthmothers. In it were all sorts of things! Lots of things to pamper myself with, brushes, soaps, bath salts, books, music, a journal, a blanket, hair ties, etc, and of course CHOCOLATE! It was really neat and inspirational. Thank you, Ladies!

Happy Wednesday!

Workin' on my book today!  Happy Wednesday!

Little Rock, Arkansas May 16th, 2009

After Texas, along with my new boots, I headed to Little Rock, Arkansas for a Kenny Chesney Concert!  Front row seats, killer opening acts by Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert and of course getting to stare at Kenny Chesney for a couple hours was awesome! It also gave me the chance to wear my new boots and experience my first country concert in the heart of Arkansas.  Where better?


Before the concert!  In my country girl get-up!

Little Rock's Capital Building at night!

Kenny Chesney :)

To get to Arkansas I went through Louisiana and found out that Dairy Queen is not the same in every state.  Yuck!  


I'm not a big country music fan, I tolerate but I totally fell in love with Lady Antebellum during their pre-opening act before the concert and immediately went and bought their cd at the concert!  I heart them!  Check em out!  


Next is the wayward way I went to get to Memphis!  Also my favorite experience!

Dallas Texas May 2009

May 13th - May 16th I was in Dallas, TX visiting another gal-pal, Vanessa.  Our first night there we went and met with her boyfriend Dan and another friend to go and see "Star Trek" on an IMAX.  I was thrilled!  Love that movie!

The next couple of days we would do various things, like going to Fort Worth, Texas on the train!  I bought some awesome cowgirl boots!  We had some wonderful Tex Mex, went to the Dallas Aquarium, and also went and saw a Drag Show!  I think everyone should go and experience a drag show at least once in their life!  It was a hoot!!

Here's Vanessa!  Sorry men she's taken!

Pictures of two of the drag queens!

Picture of Vanessa and her boytoy Dan at the drag show!  The host had them come up on the stage because they're straight and were being lovey-dovey in the audience.  We were sitting from and center!  The host made fun of their heterosexual relationship.

MY BOOTS!!!

Me driving into Dallas from San Antonio!

I had so much fun with Vanessa running around Dallas like kids in a candy store!  I hope to get back to Texas soon!  I should drive, it only costs 100 bucks in gas :)  Pretty darn cheap from Washington State!

Next is Arkansas!!!  My first opportunity to wear my new boots!

Mann Alive!

It's 3 a.m. and I am sad to report that a certain conversation I had yesterday is causing me to lose sleep.


I really hate it when people try to talk about you when they don't really know you... ya dig?  For example, telling someone they have trust issues when their only example is that you don't trust the entire world with access and information about your biological child.  I'm sorry world, but what fit parent trusts you with their baby?  


In order to help create buzz and the building of a platform for my soon-to-be-published book "The Mann I've Become" I created a separate facebook page that has a direct link to a community page for my book and this blog.  Why?  Because I have pictures and information about my biological child on my personal facebook page that I don't want just anyone to have access to.  It's not my problem some people are too naive to understand the biological need to protect children.  Sure I gave my child up for adoption and he may not be in my direct care, but that doesn't mean I don't have the responsibility to still protect him as much as I can.  Just because I gave him up for adoption doesn't mean that that need to protect him was severed when I placed him with his family.  What would you do?  


I don't really care if anyone attacks me personally but any mention of Frog Mann in any negative terms is a "no fly zone!"  


I've recently started dating again and after I gently told the last guy I went on a date with that I didn't see anything happening between us, he proceeded to tell me off.  He told me I am damaged and I have trust issues because of my silliness surrounding my need to protect Frog Mann's identity.  I'm sorry he doesn't understand what it's like to have that instinct to protect your own but just because you don't understand something, doesn't make it wrong!  He obviously doesn't know me at all and especially has no idea what I've been through in the past 7 years.  Not saying he should feel sorry for me or that anyone should feel sorry for me, but if you're going to judge someone for their actions, shouldn't you know why they do things a certain way?  Can you really understand a person's actions without first understanding what experiences they've had in life that factors into those actions?  Can men even begin to comprehend what type of bond forms from carrying a child for 9 months?  


Anyway, I shouldn't of let it get to me but it did.  Frog Mann will forever be a part of me, in some ways he will be the piece of me that is missing.  Even though I've never second guessed myself in the choice I made, doesn't mean it hurt any less or that it makes the grieving process any easier.  


My advice to any future men who want to date me...  Get to know me, ask questions about the things you don't understand, be open and honest, and try to understand that even though Frog Mann may not of ever of been "mine" that doesn't mean I don't still feel responsible in protecting him.  Understand that it is in Frog Mann's best interests that I keep his anonymity intact, not mine.  Understand that you will never convince me otherwise and if you have anything negative to say about Frog Mann directly or indirectly, I won't tolerate it at all!  Children are off limits!  Going there is a great way to anger me and also hurt me.  


What's a Mann to do?

New Aunt Traditions

Several years ago I started the tradition of making fleece blankets for my nieces and nephews for Christmas.  In our family we rotate the siblings and their families each Christmas so we only have to buy gifts for one family each year instead of 4 siblings, 3 spouses, and 14 grandkids each year.  


Making tied fleece blankets is pretty common and I wanted to come up with something that would take my blankets to the next level.  I wanted it to be cool and unique!  I had an epiphany!  What would it look like to quilt two pieces of fleece together?!  Was it even possible?  Would the thread also show up in the design if I used a different color other than the fabric color?  


So I searched online for a lady that had fair prices and would work with me in my experiment!  To test things out I sent her 4 mini blanket pieces of two pieces of fabric for one "blanket".  I picked out 4 different designs from her website, picked out variations of thread colors and had her do 4 different finishings for the trim of each blanket.


Here is what she returned to me!

A squiggly lined design, it has lime green thread but as we found out, the thread isn't thick enough to show up as well as the design.

This is a starburst design and the edging she sewed all around the edge of the blanket leaving an inch and then cut the edges to have a similar finishing to a normal fleece tied blanket

This one is pretty cool and we used blue thread.  

This was one of my favorite designs, I love dragonflies!   

I now use these pieces for seat covers in my car :)  I had to get some sort of return on my money!  So!  The conclusion we came to was that it didn't matter how busy the design was it was all going to come out in the fabric really well!


So the tradition is that I'll make blankets for all of the nieces or nephews I have for that Christmas and one niece or nephew will get a special quilted blanket!  Here are three of the blankets I've had made so far!

First was Bug's blanket, it was made with that squiggly lined pattern.  Since she was the first blanket, it was also the blanket that I learned from.  The only thing that bugged both of us was that it ended up being a lot shorter than I had anticipated.  Usually six feet of fabric is more than enough but after the sewing and trimming it was a lot shorter.  But, I'm making it up to her for her birthday this year...  It's being made as we speak :)

The second blanket I had made was for my niece, Sissy.  I used the dragonfly pattern on hers and it came out beautifully!

The third one I had made was for my nephew, Nenner.  His was also the first boy quilted blanket I had made and I totally would of stolen it from him if he didn't like what I had made for him!  The Geckos pattern turned out so awesome!

Traditions are so much fun!  I've also had a blanket made for myself but I am currently lending it to my grandmother who is fighting breast cancer.  She lives in California and I wanted to send her some love!  Blankets are the best!

Book Update!

My last draft is finally at my editors!  My book is being edited by the lovely and talented Anne M. Younger who is an author/editor based in Florida.  She has a private editing business called "I Write Anything" and I've been lucky to have her!


I'm sure you all can imagine that editing is crucial in the literary publishing world but do you know how hard it is to find a good editor?  Having a good relationship with your editor is just as important as finding the right person to marry.  The more invested your editor is in your work and the more passionate they are about what you're writing, the better the outcome!  Trying to work with an editor that doesn't agree with anything you're writing and doesn't really care about the quality of their editing job can be nauseating!  So many authors have numerous stories of editor nightmares!  I've been very fortunate this time around!


My page on facebook for this book is actually starting to explode!  Keep sending emails and comments!  I love them!

Made it home safe!

The only problem we ran into, my mother and I, was snow going through the Summit and on top of Cabbage Hill.  Once we got off the mountain things warmed up and it was smooth sailing the rest of the drive home.  For those of you that have no idea what I am talking about, between Washington and Utah (if you're going through Boise, ID) there are three passes you go through.  The mountains those passes are in are called The Blues.  I'd tell you all the names of the passes but I don't know them.  The first main hill is called Cabbage Hill (when you're traveling southeast), it winds you up and into the Mountains.  The Summit is the first break between passes but is notorious for getting the most snow.  There is a lot of steep hills, even more truckers, and it gets a little scary when the truckers have to chain up.  The last time I went through those passes during winter was when I had a kidney stone and I actually spewed on the side of the road about 5 times.  Ever spewed in the snow before?  I found it rather entertaining, after we stopped in Ontario, Oregon at the ER.  :)  


Great Times!


Hope your day goes well!

On the road again!

I'm in the car and making our way out of Utah as I write!

I would have to say that the trip was a success! I had a lot of fun watching the state drill team competition, I was impressed with the military dances I saw from all levels but was not impressed with any of the dance routines or even the kick routines.. Sorry!

No drama, no mess, no fuss!

Going to church yesterday to my sisters ward was where I had trouble keeping my emotions from going wonky on me. I went through the adoption in Utah and while I was pregnant my sisters ward was mine and the acceptance and love I received from her ward had touched me dearly! Going back after all this time was fun for me cause I'm not big or pregnant anymore :) but, of course to top off the already overwhelming emotions from all of the kind memories of her ward, our lesson in relief society had to be about families and The Proclamation to the World, where I actually had found my answer of how I should handle my pregnancy back in 2007...

If you'd like to know more you can email me or please write comments on here or on my facebook page for my book... It's called "The Mann I've Become"

I'm going to stop writing before I start crying :)

Sorry for any errors in spelling or grammar.. Writing from my phone :)

Last Day In Utah

Quick update!  I've managed to make it two whole days without going nuts or running into anyone I don't want to see!  Since my sister lives relatively far from the heart of happy valley and it is sunday, I think today will be a very relaxing day.  It's my mom's bday and I promised I wouldn't disclose with just how young she is, we'll go to church and I'll be able to enjoy my last day here with my sister's family!


Last night after my nieces competition was over, we went to see "True Grit" and it was okay.  I heard it was suppose to be really good but I wasn't as impressed as I thought I was going to be. Still good though!  Then we went and ate at a private restaurant called "Communal" and it was delicious!  Located in Provo, their menu changes every week, their dishes are served family style and the food was fantastic!  


My mother and I will be heading back to Washington tomorrow!  


Have a great rest of the weekend!

2nd day of Utah state drill team competition! No run-ins with Marsh or his family and going out with my best friend tonight! Woohoo!

At the Utah state drill competition!! Two days of dance! What could be better?!!

Made it to my sister's!! Two days of dance! I'm pumped!

Boise, Idaho eatin some grub!!

Too Anxious

Hey Everyone!


I have so much to do and too many nerves to try and write something clever...


This time tomorrow I'll be well on my way to Utah!  

San Antonio! 2009

Recap - So up till now I've visited or driven through Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and just touched down in Texas via Roswell, New Mexico!

San Antonio, Texas!


On May 10th, 2009 I made my way to one of my girlfriends in San Antonio, Texas!  I stayed with her and her small family from May 10-13th...  

Kelsey and Me

With her family we visited the Alamo and the famous San Antonio Riverwalk!

Did you know that San Antonio has it's own Space Needle?  It was built shortly after the famous space needle in Seattle, Washington..  Of course, it is also a few feet taller but definitely not as famous!

Kelsey took me to one of her favorite Texas BBQ places!

And we also did some shopping where I discovered my favorite brand of jeans True Religion!

We also spent one of the days at the San Antonio Zoo!  

I took this next picture because it amused me!  Everything really is bigger in Texas!

I'd like to meet the person that fits into those boots!  


After a fun visit with Kelsey and her family it was then off to Dallas!


to be continued...