Daddy

Today is Father's Day, and I am feeling so grateful for mine.

Pops 

He is the man who taught me:

It's good to have wants.

To never make mom mad.

How to fish, mow & shoot a gun. 

Lights.. they don't turn off themselves.

OU football.

How to eat ribs.

To always put my Heavenly Father first in life, with family close behind. 

Money doesn't grow on trees.

How to throw and catch a softball.

To put others before myself.

That I can always be better.

...the list could go on.

He's always believed in me and supported me in every way as I follow my dreams. He treats my mother with love and respect and is a true example of how a husband should be to his wife. He is the best father to his 5 children and never lets a day go by without letting us know that he loves us.
Oh, how I love him.

 I hope and pray that one day... I will marry a man just like my daddy.

Friends

In the past couple years I've learned a lot about friends.

Some friends are only there during the good times. 

Some friends only talk to you when they need something.

With a few friends, every conversation revolves around them and their either amazing or awful life (depending on the day and their mood). 

Some friends consider your house their own, and call your parents 'Mom' and 'Pops' just like you do. 

Friends who call when they need someone to just listen to them. 

Friends who are always good for a laugh, and you could spend weeks together without getting annoyed with them. 

Friends you can always pick up right where you left off, even when you're miles apart

Friends you can always count on.
Friends who tell you what you need to hear... not what you want to hear.

Friends you can trust.

With most of the above, I'm talking about girls. There are very few guys I can think of where I was just legitimately good friends with, but when it comes to really close "guy friends"... 99.9% of the time either you like them, or he likes you. Don't deny my statistic. (It's almost a proven fact by now.) 

Just.. sit back.. and think about it for a second.

I know you're thinking: "Well I'm friends with so and so.. we talk all the time and we don't like each other!" Doubtful.. very, very doubtful. 

Watch this video... it's pretty funny. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_lh5fR4DMA

Anyways... moral of my blog post... I've lost a few friends this past year, and it's sad but at the same time... The only people you need in your life, are the one's who make an effort to be there. I am so grateful for my real friends. The one's who have always been there for me, and always will be. My roommates and friends up at BYU, and my friends here in Oklahoma that have stuck with me, even though I'm 1500 miles away from them 8 months of the year. 

I love you all! 

... I mean y'all. :) 

OKC Thunder

As many of you know... I'm kiiiind of a big Thunder fan.

Since the Seattle Sonics moved to Oklahoma 3 seasons ago, my family has had season tickets Their first season they were 3-27. I'm not going to lie to you and say that I was crazy in love with them at that point, but I was still a fan and went to as many games as I could. After they received a new coach and started to turn that season around, I realized how much I really was falling in love with this team. The next season we continued to progress leading up to last seasons Western Conference Finals appearance. And now.... the Thunder are the 2012 Western Conference Champions and are headed to the NBA Finals.

Can you believe it?! 

This is the team I've met at the airport multiple times around 12-2am. I read their team blog by Royce Young every day like it's the newspaper. I follow all of their twitter accounts. I watched most of their games this season from my laptop at BYU, and have been lucky enough to go to some of the playoff games since being home. This is the team that has unified the OU/OSU division in Oklahoma. This team exemplifies everything this great state stands for, and has put us on the map for something besides OU football, the OKC Bombing and the "Oklahoma!" play from the 50's. Our players are some of the most hard working, resilient, and humble players in this league. One of my favorite things about this is that they are just such good guys. Every one of them. Sam Presti did a great job of building this team into something our state could be proud of, and I must say he did a fantastic job.

Last night's game is one I will remember for years. Down by 20 points in the 2nd quarter, but our team fought back. The entire arena was on its feet the 2nd half, trying to give this team the lift they needed to make a comeback. They did it. They won the game. I watched as Kevin Durant, hugged his mom and brother on the sidelines. I watched as the team hugged each other. I looked on, with tears in my eyes, as they lifted the trophy up for the world to see.

"It just had everything to do with who we are as men, who we are as a team, the type of spirit that we want to show every time down the court. It was all about that.. and about being a family." - Coach Scott Brooks.

Everyone.... Thunder Up and watch as this team wins the World Championship next week.

Wedding

My cousin was married yesterday. I don't know what it is about weddings, but they always make me look forward to my own special day.

My cousin Devin, and his beautiful bride, Kim. 

I have been asked many times since being home if I found a "special someone" while at BYU. I'm sure it's just because of the reputation BYU has for girls getting married their first/second year out, but to answer your question.. No. There is no boy I am dying to get back to in August. Sorry to disappoint all of you :) 

In dating LDS (Mormon) guys, there is one thing that can be kind of difficult... they all go on their missions when they turn 19. Because of that, I think it's always in the back of your mind when you start to date someone that hasn't served their mission yet. If you lose sight of that, and get too close to someone it can be really hard when that boy leaves for 2 years to serve the Lord. But, it is such a great thing for these young men to do, and it's truly a blessing for me to watch so many of my friends leave everything behind to serve different states or countries around the world. These guys come home two years later more mature, and (more importantly) stronger in their testimonies of Jesus Christ. 

Anyways.. back to weddings... my cousins wedding was really nice. Most all of the decorations she made from Pinterest! It was pretty cool to see an entire Pinterest board come together to make a beautiful wedding. I definitely will keep some things in mind for my reception down the road. And when I say down the road... I mean, dooowwn the road. :) I am in no rush to put a ring on it, and can't wait to spend the next couple years with my roommates in our apartment... 

It's gonna be awesome.

Heard this quote today... and I love it. 

"Dance with God, and He will let the

 perfect man cut in."

But until then, Roommates.... here I come! :)

Trip to Texas

Last weekend.. was amazing! We somehow ended up getting a big group of BYU friends to meet up in Dallas. My friend Meghan flew to OKC from California, and along with Jessica (a future roommate who lives in Edmond) we drove down! It was a fun road trip. Then in Dallas, our friend Randy flew there with his dad (for a business trip) from California, Ryan lives in Plano, and then Rex is in Norman for the Summer and drove down Friday afternoon.. 

ANYWAYS... Jess, Meghan, and I drove down Thursday night. We picked up my cousin, Dalton, and headed to Bahama Bucks to get a snow cone!

Cousin!!

She is so talented.

Then we all went to the lake Friday (along with Eric, and Jarett). We rented a boat, and had a lot of fun tubing, and just swimming around the boat. Here's some pics...

The group :)

Eric and me on the tube!

Love these chicas! 

Miller driving the boat!

Eric.... being Eric.

After the lake we ate, and watched a movie at my aunts house. Then on Saturday we went to Hurricane Harbor! (Yes... I did get a tan being outside so much.) No pictures from Hurricane Harbor.. but it was pretty fun. That night we watched the Thunder BEAT the Lakers, and stayed up late having fun while... doing a lot of nothing.. haha :) Then Sunday... church! 

Looove this picture. 

REX!! This guy is living in Norman for the Summer.. Can't wait!

Doing the "Miller".. 

 Drove home Sunday.. and before Meghan left for Cali early the next morning we took her on the zip line at the farm!

.... yep... that's my sister! 

 It was great to get away for a few days, see some old friends, and make new ones. Since being home from the Y, my social life has drastically decreased.. which is completely expected, but it was definitely a nice change for the weekend. BUT.. now back to work and all of that fun stuff :) 

I started Insanity on Monday.. I'll keep you guys updated with how much that's kicking my butt... and I have started 1 of the 6 aprons I'm making this Summer for myself and the roommates. 

Here is the "before" picture...

A Humbling Experience...

Today at work, I had some spare time to talk to Faye, one of my favorite residents. She told me a few things I don't think I'll ever forget.

As Faye sat in her wheelchair, in her half of the small room, she looked at me with a smile and said,

 "I believe I am the luckiest person alive."

I probably looked at her with a strange look, because she went on to say "You don't believe me do you?" She was right. I was thinking to myself, how are you lucky? You're confined to a wheelchair at a nursing home and spend the majority of your day solving word searches by yourself. 

I asked her how she was lucky. She laughed and said, "Look around! I have such a beautiful room. I love my bed. I love all of my [stuffed] animals. I get to sit here, and do my puzzles all day long. Not everyone still has the mind to do these things at 82 years old. Oh and do you see that window? What a beautiful window it is. I'm amazed every time I look out of it. I have such a great view. Earlier this morning, I looked out the window and said, 'Thank you, God. Thank you for giving me this window to look out everyday.' 

Don't you see Shelby? I've got the world by the tail!"

Sitting next to Faye, I was humbled and instantly filled with gratitude. I can do so many things that Faye can't; however, she's the one expressing an ample amount of gratitude. She realizes that it's a blessing to have certain things in your life, and she doesn't take a single one of them for granted.

In short... she's absolutely right. She is the lucky one.

Welcome to the Real World, Shelby.

What is Summer Break?? 

I'm just now realizing that Summer will never be the same. 

No more, care-free, work a little, play a lot Summer.

Guess that's what my parents meant when they said I'm an adult :)

So let's see... I got a job at Grace Living Center in Norman as a CNA. It is really a great facility, and after my first full week I am finally getting the system down. I work from 7am-3pm, Mon-Fri, which is exactly what I wanted, and I really do like it. The only thing I would say I don't like... are the other employees!! Some of my co-workers love complaining to me about someone else not doing their job. It gets annoying after awhile... especially when the people I work with are a good 15 years older than me. It's not my job to worry about what the other nurses on my hall are doing, it's my job to take care of the residents.

 So quit complaining, and do your job! Other than the immature adults.. I really enjoy it. The residents are some of the funniest people I've met.

Life is great. It really is. :) 

I had a wonderful 19th birthday a few weeks a go with the family, and I'm really soaking up all the family time. Mother's Day yesterday was fantastic. We went as a family to my Grandma's grave, which was really nice to see, and after church, all of my grandparents came over to the house and we ate, ate, and ate some more. :) When they all left, the kids and I decided to try out our new trampoline.. 

AND.. since it was Mother's Day.. we Skyped BRANDON!! 

ONLY 2 MONTHS & 12 DAYS!

Besides working, I'm hoping to get started on a few projects for my apartment next year; however, time always seems to get away from me. I'm enjoying every second of the Play-off's, watching my Thunder boys play, and I'm getting into my late Grandma and Great-Grandma's genealogy work. I have found so many cool things & I have only scratched the surface! It's a lot of fun.

Although this Summer isn't quite a "break"right now, it's going to be great no matter what. I'm missing my roommates from BYU, but.. it will be August before I know it. So I'm going to stay busy, and not wish this Summer away... There won't be another one like it.