Breakdown Rant, Another Saturday Night and Sequins

I have been staring at my computer for hours trying to figure out where to begin. So, I got up, walked away and began to think how to explain the past few weeks of my life. There have been ups. There have been downs. There have been moments of emotional pain, physical pain and there have been some of the highest of highs. The past few weeks have not been documented well with pictures, but only with memories that keep being played over and over in my mind. It is the song stuck in my head and I find my self singing it in my sleep unless I am in a medically induced slumber. 
The past few weeks have been trying.
Who ever said becoming an adult was fun is a big fat liar.

Before this sounds like a spoiled little brat pity party, please know I have a wonderful life. That is hard to dispute. There are just certain points when in a person's life when he or she just needs to have a breakdown. A mental, emotional, physical, take a hot shower, crawl in your bed and cry breakdown. 
I am on the verge of this.

Maybe it was the recent suicide of Robin Williams. I broke. How can we not beat this? Is it because he channeled all his love, laughter and energy into other's happiness? It isn't the fact he will never add lib while presenting an award or he will never be able to play Mrs. Doubtfire again. It is the simple fact of the people who were close to him will never have him on earth again. 
While I was watching coverage of his death on the trash TV channel the anchors showed his last tweet. It was to his daughter, Zelda, on her 25th birthday in July with an Instagram picture of she and him when she was a small child. They both looked so young and happy. It got me thinking about my own parents and how lost I would feel if something happened to them.
My relationship with my dad is a strained one. We have both made life choices causing us to be distant. People make mistakes, but we are given the ability to think, reason and learn from those mistakes to become a better person. He is working on himself and I should must do the same. 
Burning bridges is not an option.
Even though my dad is by no means a social media guru and doesn't know Instagram from a Teddy Graham, I do want the social media world to know I do love my ornery dad. 

And then there is my mom. What did I ever do to deserve such a selfless person as a mother? She is my favorite person in the whole wide world and I would have given up on so many things if it weren't for her and her unconditional love and support. Our relationship has become such a blessing over the past year. I would rather be with her than anyone else. We are partners in crime, road trip buddies and creative cohorts. Together we can conquer the world or just make it a little bit prettier. Thanks for everything mom. I love you to the moon.

Now for the pictures.

One of my former students came to see me before he left for school. We saw this. Jesus is such a back seat driver.

Make note.

Fabulous Level: EXPERT!
My dear friend Shannon just randomly came across this beauty. It is from Miss Jackson's in Tulsa. Get ready for a black cat suit and this gem!

I went somewhere. That is all you need to know.
Dress: Lilly Pulitzer
Necklace: Marley Lilly

I look like a rapper's bae.
Top: Banana Republic
Pants: Ross

I found this at Nordstrom Rack (bank account ruined) and I couldn't leave it on the rack. I will have to check the designer but who doesn't love an orange and cream tweed with leather trim?!

 GuyJack started PreK a few weeks ago. This is his first day. When he came home he told his dad, "I just want to lay my head on a cold pillow and you read Moby Dick to me." 

Football season is close.
Top: Game Day Couture

Halloween Decorations!
It is the gateway holiday to harder holidays.

Top: Pazza Bella
Skirt: J Crew
Shoes: Kenneth Cole

This was what I looked like Saturday night. I hadn't been feeling very well since Thursday. I thought I had eaten something and it didn't set well with my lap band. I did what I normally do and went on a liquid diet but it didn't seem to help. I was in Tulsa Friday evening and Saturday afternoon my mom and I headed to Talihina. I kept getting more and more uncomfortable and that lead to pain. Finally it was so unbearable my mother took my straight to the hospital. The location of the pain made us think it might be a gallbladder attack. After being hooked up to monitors and an IV started the doctor came in to examine me. He ordered a CT Scan along with some heavy pain medication. I am usually a lightweight when it comes to pain meds. It seems to make me loopy with just a small dose. Tonight was not the same. I might relax for 5 minutes and then the pain was back again. I had to sit up. Laying on my back was out of the question; however, I had to do this for the CT Scan. That was misery. When the results from the CT Scan and my blood work came back the culprit was actually my lap band. My stomach was extremely swollen and causing me pain. Because my hospital in Tulsa is a specialty hospital and doesn't have an ER, an ambulance was not able to take me. My mom drove me right back to Tulsa to meet my bariatric surgeon but first I was given enough pain meds to make the trip. I couldn't thank my mother enough for making the late night trip to Tulsa. When we were a few miles outside of Tulsa the pain medication was starting to wear off. We met my Aunt Kalyn and friend Shannon at the hospital. The nurses hooked me up to monitors and started the regular questions. When my doctor came in he said I was the last person he thought this would be. My lap band experience has been wonderful and I wouldn't take it back for anything. He immediately started to unfill my band. I had to lay back for this and he said he would make it quick. The moment the saline started to come out of the band I had instant relief. My eyes popped open and I could breathe. I did a swallow test after the unfill. There was still saline in my band. Because of the severe swelling of my stomach he decided to completely unfill the band and put me on a liquid diet to heal.
I have an appointment in a month to have another swallow test to see how my band looks.
Many people have asked if I will have the band removed. The answer is no.
My world does not revolve around my next meal. I can focus on so many different things other than my life long addiction. I feel like a million bucks right now and I am taking this time of just having slight restriction to focus on eating healthy and becoming a healthier person. Thank you for all the thoughts, prayers, texts and good vibes. You people sure know how to make a lady feel loved.

I sent a SnapChat of my monitors and this is what
Jamie Fink sent back. How sweet.

Monday was so much better except for the catch in my right shoulder from being so tense Saturday.
Top: J Crew (I think)
Pants: Banana Republic
Shoes: Kenneth Cole

Fall is so close I can taste the pumpkin.
Top: Kate Spade
Skirt: Old Navy
Shoes: Sperry Topsider

Gypsies don't wash their hair everyday either.

With the grace of God, coffee and hairspray I will make it through today. Hopefully.
 I went and saw a Cher concert.
Holy. Mutha. Of. FABULOUS! 
I wore gold sequin shorts and was in hag heaven.
I have had a somewhat busy two weeks. I hosted a wedding shower for a friend getting married THIS WEEKEND. I don't just "host" showers, I go all out. It was so sweet and cute.

 The campus I work at hosted a delegation of students from Denmark. The whole campus was worried these students would hate the small rural community college, but they loved it and our students! 
Between the shower, the concert, hosting these students, providing activities, juggling my personal commitments I was exhausted. Last Saturday I slept late like a teenage boy. It was glorious.
Here are a few pictures of what has been going on. I lost about 500 photos due to a phone malfunction. A sailor would have blushed.

The only place I could find to do some serious mascara application.

My mother is by far my favorite person on the planet. I love her to the moon and beyond!

GOLD. SEQUIN. SHORTS!
Mom and I bought these at an estate sale 5 years ago. Never in a million years did I think my butt would be in them. Thanks to my Aunt Jodie for hemming these. 

Sweet Treats at Bree's Shower! It was Alice in Wonderland themed. It was so cute! All the decor came out of my or my parent's house. We like stuff.

Delta Zeta's at Bree's Shower

Friday Night is Alright for... reading and doing a hair treatment. (insert sigh)

Word.

Q liked the Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes mom and I won at the pie action Saturday night!
My hometown of Red Oak is known for helping out the community members in so many different ways.
On this night, the local Masonic Lodge sponsored a Pie Auction to help a local kindergarten girl battling cancer. The town raised $16,000 to help with family traveling to treatments and medical expenses. This is just one of the reasons I love this town.

Caught Reed playing with his sister's Build A Bear and stroller. When he realized what I was doing he threw it down. 

Q decided she needed to help with the auction.
Mom and I bought a lemon pie we were sure she was holding flat against her chest. Quincee is hilarious.

Working on our "Bitch Face."

Yep.

Jamie Fink is one of my students and is constantly trying to argue with me about movies, music and pop culture. He said this is how I look when he makes a ridiculous comment about something and I respond with, "Get out of my office." 

 I am not sure if this was Monday or Tuesday. That is my life right now.
Top: Gap (I think)
Pants: Mom's hand me downs
Scarf Belt: Lilly Pulitzer
Wedges: Old and Gold
Watch: Toy Watch
Hair: Clean!

I just flat out didn't get around to taking a full length picture on Wednesday, April 9.
Dress: Lilly Pulitzer
Necklace: Marley Lilly
Hair: Dirty

Today, Thursday, April 10, 2014

I have a few meetings and events today on campus. I am going to Springdale, AR to watch my cousin Lane's home opener with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals! Hello Baseball Season. Oh, how I have missed you!

Dress: Banana Republic

Belt: Lilly Pulitzer

Shoes: Gianni Bini

Watch: Toy Watch

Hair: Very Dirty but curled and fabulous