Glory Days...

Yeah, just sitting back trying to recapture

A little of the glory of, well time slips away

And leaves you with nothing, mister, but

Boring stories of glory days.

Well, it's been 25 years since I graduated high school and 23 years since I've been back. I attended my first class reunion a few weeks ago. The days prior to leaving, I was flip-flopping between going and not going. It didn't seem like anybody from my class was going to be there and I only knew a few people from the other classes because of Facebook. I became that shy and insecure 17 year old all over again. Sad...but true.

In the end, I decided that I really wanted to go. I haven't been to any of the previous reunions and who knows when I'll have the chance to go to another one. So, Albert and I made the trek from South Carolina to West By God Virginia. Albert was so excited. He'd never been to WV.

The drive up almost ended about 40 minutes outside of Florence when the car just stopped accelerating. It was crazy! It would run but as soon as you pushed on the gas pedal, the car would stall. So, we "cruised" down the street in Cheraw until we got to a mechanic. The mechanic called a tow truck for us and called the dealership to order a fuel pump so that it would be there when we got there. Good thing because if the part hadn't been ordered by 11am, we would have been stuck like Chuck. After about 3 hours, we were seeing the light of the tunnel. In the end, it wasn't the fuel pump. It ended up being the air flow sensor and they just HAPPENED to have one in stock which allowed us to be on our way about 30 minutes after getting there.

At this point, we were still 6 hours away and it was already 1pm. The casual get-together started at 6pm. Do we go, do we not go?? We decide to continue on but started this leg of our trip with a prayer. And that made all the difference.

The trip was nice, scenic, and stressful. Albert rode the whole way up. And what a ride it was. The roads twisted and turned. It was fun and I did my best impression of Mario Andretti EVER!! There was a red 18-wheeler that was on my butt for a good portion of the hills. I mean he was INCHES from me. I wasn't skirred!! lol...I hunkered down and kept ahead of him. I even made it a race getting out of the toll booths. Albert just laughed at me and my nonsense.

We made good time and we managed to get to The Barge by 7:30pm. Albert and I had a great time. Carolyn and Roger Bird were there and Albert loved them. I didn't ever really talk to her in high school but because of Facebook, we had become pretty good friends. We had so much fun with the two of them. Marti and Kevin Ritz were there too and it was if we had known each other for forever. I found myself feeling comfortable and welcomed there when I had expected to feel awkward and lonely. I got to see Steve Peters, Michael Bumgarner, Debbie Holley, Cherie Casto, Brian Limer, Terry Gillespie, George Richardson, Mark Cadle, Julie Rowsey Ashworth, Joanna Bane Watters, and Sara Jane Grimes McMullen. A little into the night, I caught Albert laughing. I asked him what he was laughing at, he told me....I was looking around and I realized you're the only Mexican here. LMAO...Carolyn told him I was probably the only Mexican in West Virginia.

After the Barge, we all headed to MOJO's in South Charleston. Albert and I had a great time. He took video on his camera while I danced. He didn't seem to feel out of place and everybody was pretty friendly. I got to see Susan Horne Burgess aka George with whom I used to play softball. It was all in all a great night.

Saturday found me giving Albert a tour of Armour View and my neighborhood. We drove by my old house--1110 Ivywood Lane. The owners painted the house a hideous copper color. Although it appears that a double deck had been built in the back which looked pretty cool. I took him to Village Elementary which is now a sanitation department. He was pretty amazed at how far I walked to school. And then I continued up the hill and took him to Ridgewood Pool. He couldn't believe we walked all the way by ourselves. When he saw Ridgewood, his only comment was...That's small. lol...yes, yes it is!! Then we drove to Spring Hill Junior High which is now an elementary school. We went over the Dunbar Bridge and then headed back to the hotel to get ready for our evening.

The Saturday night event was a lot of fun. We sat at a table with Marti and Kevin and Julie and Roger Roberts. Albert assumed we had all known each other for years the way we all got along and joked around. Everybody made us all feel comfortable. The music was great. The dancing was fun. And there are pictures that prove it. Greg Harpold and Brian Hinkle showed up and that made my night. Albert and I had a blast on the dancefloor. Then we hit the "after party" in Ivan's hotel room. Albert had a blast drinking Bruised Boobies aka Purple Hooter Shooters that Donna Harrison Pauley kept serving him.

Good times were had by all.

Albert fell in love with West Virginia but was glad to get back to South Carolina. Mostly because when we were in West Virginia it was "all about Michelle". It was something he had never experienced. lol...people would talk to him and it was to ask about me or my family. He was referred to as "Michelle's boyfriend" or "Michelle's husband." I cracked up!! Poor Albert!!

I am SO glad I went. There weren't a lot of old memories to rehash but I made a lot of new memories and I'm so glad Albert was there to share them with me. I created stronger friendships with my Facebook friends and Albert made some new friends.

Thank you to everybody for making this reunion something special for me. Which reminds me, did Terry ever make it back for the fish Sunday morning?? lol...I sure hope so!!

Glory days, well they'll pass you by

Glory days, in the blink of a young girl's eye

Glory Days

Glory Days

Slip Sliding Away...

Golly Neds...

Where has this year gone?? How insane is it that it's already the middle of May??

I've got SO much that I want to get accomplished this year but in my mind I still had plenty o' time. My 25th year Class Reunion is in 2 months and I'm still chunkilicious. I wanted to be bootylicious but I'm afraid I might have to settle for NOT-s0-chunkilicious. But hey...there's still hope of losing at least 20lbs. If I cut off my boobs, that's about 15 right there!!

Things are a bit out of whack right now. I'm back on the road in Florence, SC. I love it here and am considering making a permanent move. The Business Office Director and Assistant BOD pulled me into the office and asked if I would consider applying for the A/R Manager position that is now vacant. I said I would consider it. It would be a great opportunity for me and on top of that, Florence is a beautiful little town.

Albert and I are still together but I don't know for how much longer. I love him dearly but he's not willing to consider anything more permanent and I'm too old to wait around for him to get there. We've grown a lot closer in the past 3 months and a lot of things have changed for him. He wants me to help him look for a job here in SC. He was here for almost 2 1/2 months and he love love LOVED it. One can never tell what the future holds but it does look like he just might be ready to make a permanent change in his residence.

Wyatt is getting so big!! He's absolutely gorgeous and the folks at the kennel where I've been boarding him think the world of him. He's a great dog. Super smart and full of energy. I can't imagine my life without him. He is a great companion and I love him.

Time just keeps flying by. I guess that's how I ended up being 42 almost 43 in the blink of an eye!! Albert's kids keep me young and Wyatt keeps me sane. Now, I just need something to keep me thin!!

At This Point In My Life...

I've done so many things wrong, I don't know if I can do anything right.....

These last two months have been a doozy. I haven't been working and my church attendence has been scattered. I'd like to be able to blame this perpetual downfall on my circumstances and/or those who are around me. But it has and is my fault.

The missionaries--Elder Walker and Elder Marr--came over this afternoon. They had made an appointment with me for tomorrow but they called yesterday and wanted to change it to today. I never returned the call because I was going to do the old Michelle move and avoid and ignore. It tends to work. However, my efforts were thwarted today, when they showed up and Albert actually came home on time. Therefore they gained access INTO the house via Albert. I was asleep. Yes, it was 4pm and I was asleep. I was having a really bad day and I decided it would be best for me to simply sleep through it.

So, they come in and Albert makes me get out of bed to at least greet them.

I'm so grateful to Albert for that. And even more than that, I'm grateful that he stayed in the room and listened to everything. He really is a great guy.

The missionaries want to build me back up by starting at the beginning and give me the lessons they give the investigators. As much as I hate to admit it, I think they are right. I balked at first because it just didn't make sense to go over things that I already KNOW. But as Elder Marr pointed out, the "tree" that I had initially planted had started to die and even with renewed attempts to nourish it, it wasn't growing....so, we need to start all over and plant a new seed.

Crazy how kids young enough to be my own children are inspired by our Father in Heaven and that they follow through with those promptings to give someone like me hope.

Hope that I can do this.
Hope that even though I should have known better, I can be loved.
Hope that I can and will find enough faith in myself to make it this time.
Hope that I will find what I'm looking for and get what I most deperately want.

This road that I find myself on is one that is all too familiar to me. I've been on it a thousand times before. Maybe this time, just maybe, I'll reach the end of it. I'm not naive nor conceited enough to think that it will be easy or that I won't take a step or two in the wrong direction. I am Michelle, after all.

Here's to hope. Here's to a renewed effort. Here's to the happiness that lies at the end of the road. Here's to two missionaries who cared enough and saw something in me worth the effort. Here's to finding enough faith in myself to believe that I will succeed spiritually.

Done so many things wrong, I don't know if I can do right

Done so many things wrong, I don't know if I can do right

At this point in my life

I've done so many things wrong I don't know if I can do right

If you put your trust in me I hope I won't let you down

If you give me a chance I'll try

You see it's been a hard road the road I'm traveling on

And if I take your hand I might lead you down the path to ruin

I've had a hard life I'm just saying it so you'll understand

That right now, right now, I'm doing the best I can

At this point in my life

At this point in my life

Although I've mostly walked in the shadows

I'm still searching for the light

Won't you put your faith in me

We both know that's what matters

If you give me a chance I'll try

You see I've been climbing stairs but mostly stumbling down

I've been reaching high always losing ground

You see I've conquered hills but I still have mountains to climb

And right now right now I'm doing the best I can

At this point in my life

Before we take a step

Before we walk down that path

Before I make any promises

Before you have regrets

Before we talk commitment

Let me tell you of my past

All I've seen and all I've done

The things I'd like to forget

At this point in my life

At this point in my life

I'd like to live as if only love mattered

As if redemption was in sight

As if the search to live honestly

Is all that anyone needs

No matter if you find it

You see when I've touched the sky Earth's gravity has pulled me down

But now I've reconciled that in this world

Birds and angels get the wings to fly

If you can believe in this heart of mine If you can give it a try

Then I'll reach inside and find and give you All the sweetness that I have

At this point in my life

At this point in my life.