I want to thank you for being such an amazing father to me. You lost your own Father when you were just 2. You were blessed with a strong father figure in your maternal grandfather. He would have been proud of all you accomplished.

You were always so loving with me. You truly spoiled me rotten. I know being the youngest or as y'all affectionally called me "the happy surprise" isn't such a bad gig. We had a close relationship that I was truly grateful for - I hope you know growing up with you as my Dad was pretty amazing.

Playing recess on your former high school football field was awesome...after listening to stories of you being the star High School QB - I was so proud running around on that same ground. You left High School and joined the Army. After serving in WW2 - "The Big One", you worked so hard in the oilfields under that hot Texas sun where you started out as a roustabout....which meant low entry and hard work. You worked your way up from that position to "Company man" which translated to obtaining new clients and checking in with existing clients. I love that over a few cold ones that you decided instead of making money for someone else you could do it for yourself.

I remember you worked so hard to establish an oil field trucking, contracting and sandblasting company. I had no clue what sandblasting was....when employees couldn't handle the heat and would pass out doing the work in a hot water tower or grain tower you would go in and do it yourself. I can remember how drained you were. How on earth did you do that in that crazy heat? You worked very hard and became very successful and well known for what you did, but what you did wasn't who you were....you were a good person. You were so hilarious. You had the best sense of humor....you made people laugh and feel good. I know you had such a generous nature if you heard of someone in need you made sure it was taken care of....instead of just advancing a salary to someone who was struggling you lent a helping hand. You knew - you had been there. People respected you....your reputation of fairness and being someone decent to work for was well known and that just says a lot about your character.

I want to thank you for instilling within me a love for our Texas and respecting our precious land and all that inhabited it. You taught me how to hunt and fish responsibly. You taught me how to garden, which was such a gift...there's nothing like growing your own vegetables. Just so many things you blessed me with by being you.

I want to thank you for loving me through both my good and poor choices. You loved me unwaveringly. I am so sorry if I ever caused you a moment of pain. You taught me so much. Daddy, I miss you and I love you.

When I was little I called her mommy. When I got older I skipped mom or momma and went straight to Mother while my dad always remained Daddy. My mother was someone who had faced a lot of hardships as a child and managed to come through seeing good despite seeing so much in her young years. She was an orphan losing both parents years apart and was shipped around among relatives during the Depression, when no one could afford or wanted an extra mouth to feed. That in and of itself would have been enough to make someone perhaps take a different path in life, but not her. She stayed on the straight and narrow.

I can remember when I was doing my first cheerleader tryouts how she would show me the ones that she did when she was a cheerleader for her small town's basketball team. Yep, basketball. The town was so small they didn't have enough kids to play football. Sounds so very unTexan. I remember while I was practicing, she broke into "Strawberry Shortcake Banana Cream Pie V-I-C-T-O-R-Y. I'm sure that rallied a lot of victories! I remember us both laughing. Needless to say, I didn't steal that jewel for my tryout...but I do remember how she celebrated when I made the team. She always celebrated with me no matter the accomplishment.

I remember her waiting up for me on those High School Friday and Saturday nights of fun. The hug and kiss before she went off to bed was actually a sniff test to see if I smelled of beer or cigarettes....I failed....a lot. I remember her mumbling I was my "Father's child" as my mom never smoked or drank. At all. Period.

My mom didn't care anything about cars other than the fact that it ran and had gas. My dad on the other hand was a huge car guy. She often dreaded when he drove off in her car because it usually meant he was coming home with a new car. She didn't care about flashy things. Her wants were simply to give her children the best stable homelife possible, the very thing she never had....I can remember being 15 with a learner's permit driving a Lincoln Town Car that was the size of Rhode Island into San Antonio....she didn't like "traffic"....so she trusted me, and it was really fine because I had been driving trucks on and around our farm since I was about eleven...looking back though I am just so amazed how much she trusted me...it makes me laugh in this moment.

She was a woman of faith. (Might explain making me the designated driver - perhaps a leap of faith...lol). She believed in being positive, encouraging and throughout her day showed integrity in all that she did. She instilled in us that we were only as good as our word and that we should exhibit kindness to all we encountered. I remember when she passed, I just had to see her handwriting...I opened her Bible and read her worn pages filled with notes and papers with prayers written on them tucked between the pages. It was just a comfort to me. She lived by faith and she taught me the importance of faith in my life. I am so grateful for that fact.

There are so many wonderful memories and moments of my life growing up with this precious woman as my mom. I was blessed and I miss her badly. I often think what she would think about the world today. I miss her scent; I miss her smile; I miss her kiss and embrace. A mother's love is timeless...and despite the separation from this world and when one goes home - it is ever present and always felt...

Hey baby, que paso. Well, it's a Bloody Mary morning, so could you walk this way? I got a bad case of loving you. You see - I want a man with a slow hand, I want a lover with an easy touch.

My heroes have always been Cowboys, real cowboys not Dallas Cowboys...I come from the country, and I know I ain't seen it all, but you look so good in love, that's easy to see. You know if we left now, we could be in Amarillo by Morning.

This will be an everlasting love and I'll be good to you. It's a small-town Saturday night so let's give em something to talk about. Our love is alive and so it begins...foolishly laying our hearts on the table and stumblin' in... so let's pop a top, because Heaven's just a sin away. Well, I ain't first class but I ain't white trash and you, you desperado you've been out riding the fences for far too long.

Who can go the distance, well we'll find out in the long run. There may be smoke on the water, fire in the sky and there may be a bad moon rising but there's no getting over me. Some people call me a space-cowboy and some call me the gangster of love but here I am stuck in the middle with you dancin' in the moonlight deep in the heart of Texas.

So you sexy thing, the eyes of Texas are upon you so come and get your love, come and get your love now because I am going to take a slow ride and take it easy back to Houston. Houston home of the world's biggest Rodeo. That's right H-Town.

1. Hey Baby Que Paso - Texas Tornadoes

2. Bloody Mary Morning - Willie Nelson

3. Walk This Way - Aerosmith

4. Bad Case of Loving You - Robert Palmer

5. Slow Hand - Pointer Sisters/Conway Twitty

6. My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys - Willie Nelson

8. You Look So Good In Love - George Strait

8. You Look So Good In Love - George Strait

9. Amarillo By Morning - George Strait

10. Everlasting Love - Natalie Cole

11. I'll Be Good to You - Brothers Johnson

12. Small Town Saturday Night - Hal Ketchum

13. Something To Talk About - Bonnie Raitt

14. Stumblin' In - Chris Norman and Suzi Quatro

15. Pop A Top - Jim Ed Brown

16. Heaven's Just A Sin Away - The Kendalls

17. Some Girls Do - Sawyer Brown

18. Desperado - The Eagles

19. The Long Run - The Eagles

20. Smoke on the Water - Deep Purple

21. Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival

22. No Getting Over Me - Ronnie Milsap

23. The Joker - Steve Miller Band

24. Stuck in the Middle with You - Stealers Wheel

25. Dancing in the Moonlight - King Harvest

26. Deep in the Heart of Texas - Gene Autry

27. You Sexy Thing - Hot Chocolate

28. The Eyes of Texas - UT Longhorn Band

29. Come and Get Your Love - Redbone

30. Slow Ride - Foghat

31. Houston - Dean Martin

32. Houston (Means I'm One Day Closer to You) - Larry Gatlin

33. H-Town - Dizzee Rascal, featuring Bun B and Trae Tha Truth

I entered this room with a purpose

Perhaps the thought of why will somehow resurface

The word was just on the tip of my tongue, if I can be frank

I just went totally blank.

If you happen to see my car keys

Could you let me know please?

Pardon me if you will, I need to go find

Just where the hell I left my ever-loving mind.

Oh, and sure I will have fries with that......

There are definitely highs, with those highs come hard punching gut-wrenching lows

I have young students who have struggles too large for their small selves

I guess we never know the true hardships that one tows

It is so sad because their childhoods have been placed out of reach on high shelves.

When kids come and search you out

You see their face and you know by their haunting stare

Their body language if it could talk would be like a strong painful shout

They need your hug, a kind word, and your love because they know you care.

I have been confided in once again countless times this year

You have to maintain composure while in the midst of that talk

You try hard but sometimes it is ok, you need to let them see that slow rolling tear

Other times you know you just have to release it alone on a silent walk.

Texas just told me I have the honor of being in the top 5% of educators in the state

I appreciate it I do; it will be on my certificate and reflect in my pay for five years

Educators know we must come ready, come early and stay late

It's all about getting kids to where they need to be constantly shifting those gears.

Again, I am honored and proud to be recognized as a Master Teacher

I know for certain though, there is just one Master

And he is truly the greatest Teacher

He hears our stories, knows our tears, hopes and prayers for He is the Master.

God, please bless all your children around the world from small to tall

please Lord hold us, guide us and calm our fears

We may stumble in life, but you will not let us fall

With your tender mercies you see us through all our years.

I just don't like dogs, I absolutely love and adore them. I thank the good Lord for them because I can't imagine a greater blessing as a companion. From the adorable puppy days to watching them grow, to the day they cross that bridge, they forever leave your heart touched.

I believe dogs and kids are just heads and tails beyond accurate when it comes to sizing people up....I believe life is just sweeter with a bestie by your side. Seriously, one who doesn't care how much money you have/don't have. One who looks at you in pure love and awe - even on those days when you are not looking your best....One who senses when you are upset and won't leave your side....one that would lay down their life to protect you. It just doesn't get better than having a good dog....life would really be "ruff" without them....

I veer in and out of conversation....a lot. I have friends that have said they need Ritalin just to follow me. Give me a topic and I will cover it but I can and more than likely will get a wild hare and up and branch off into something else or multiple things. I also snort...not coke nor any other illegal substance....but when I start laughing...there's going to be that awkward snort of laughter. I like to think I provide clever insight and anecdotes with a genteel laugh.....in reality, it is talking perhaps too much and too fast, and a donkey girl scout laugh.

I believe some people are just born dark....that they actually enter into this world missing what defines us as humans. Bundy, Dahmer, and so many others began practicing their evil very young. I also believe and the news shows sadly too often that something just goes wrong somewhere and a person who has had no criminal history commits heinous acts of violence.

On August 1st, 1966 Charles Whitman barricaded himself on the observation deck at the University of Texas Tower. He brought hell with him. The citizens of Austin were terrorized for almost 96 minutes. He killed fourteen people and injured 31 others. People just going about their day... he just randomly began shooting at them from all directions. Before heading to the Tower, he had killed his wife as well as his mother. Years later as a kid hearing the Tower story was hard enough but finding out that family friends had been in Austin that day as their daughter was going to be attending UT and that they were actually crouched down on the sidewalk hiding behind a car just blew my mind.

On October 16th, 1991, long time family friends had stopped in to eat at Luby's in Killeen, Texas. George Hennard drove his truck through and began shooting. He killed 23 people and injured 27 others. Our friends made it out from the broken glass but the people behind them were not as fortunate.

I had a Psychology professor who I shared this story with, and he said the odds of knowing people that were involved in two separate mass shootings was just astronomical. When I told him wait...I'm not finished. I went on to share that in 1987 a friend who lived in Russellville, Arkansas was caught in the middle of a shooting spree when Ronald Eugene Simmons came into town seeking revenge on people that he felt had done him wrong. He killed 16 people and wounded several others. Fourteen of his victims were his family members.

My professor just shook his head and could not believe the sad truth that I was telling him. What is really hard to grasp is that incidents like these senseless tragedies have just become routine news stories in our lives. Here we are in May of 2023, and we have had over 200 mass shootings....what on earth creates such monsters? Are they born this way? Are they searching for notoriety? Whatever the reason they have left a path of destruction and devastation for those who have lost loved ones and left communities broken.

There are truly evil monsters in this world, and they live among us, and we sadly don't know when or where any of them could strike.

Thank you for loving me unconditionally and being supportive of me through all things. Thank you for your example of walking in faith consistently no matter the trial. Thank you for showing me how to be caring and compassionate and to treat others as I would want to be treated. You truly were the most amazing example of a person who accepts others without judgment and lends a hand, shoulder or ear when needed - I really appreciate that as it has served me well on my path. Thank you for showing me what a good mother is through all things. I really appreciate you telling me, "Don't ever say my child would not do that"....saved me from eating some crow! I am so sorry for the stress I placed upon you....ohhhh those teenage years....You left us far too soon and you are missed daily. I do catch myself making an expression or gesture and in that moment it will remind me of you - I know it's a gift letting me know you are always with me. I miss your laugh and hugs. I still have your Revlon Creamy Ivory compact that when I open to this day - it still smells like it did all those years ago. You are loved, appreciated and so missed. Happy Mother's Day....