Archive for the ‘Family’ Category

If you get a chance… Caption this. After going through my grandmother’s old photos I found this one and was curious about what they were doing… my aunt filled me in, but can you guess?

After I last posted I was emotionally exhausted from even looking at my blog, because I didn’t find any humor in posting anything whatsoever. Roxie’s death was such a changing event in my life that nothing took importance over blogging something after her. So, with the rollercoaster ride of 2008 starting with her death and ending with a shitty December with a broken leg and a miscarriage.

Revolution Mother & NOLA

So in early January Gypsie, Tate, Kelly & I went for a quick trip to New Orleans to see Revolution Mother play. Tate and I enjoyed the next morning with a photo session throughout the Quarter and as we were leaving we got caught up in early beginnings of Mardi Gras parades.

Roxie
Then in February we lost Roxie… She was a wonderful dog and if you read the post before this one, it really took a lot out of us… She now has a beautiful memorial in our bedroom, where her bed use to sit.

Tornado
Oh the wonderful April showers bring Tornados! We got a good portion of this at my office and some at our house, which I opted not to have trees in our yard which meant we only lost some shingles at the house. As for the office, it was an all out rebuild internally, which resulted in my getting my new office, former storage room. I need to get some photos of the office to post, which looks AMAZING now, but we were on plywood floors or a many many months!

Tattoos
I only made it for one tattoo in this year, which kinda disappointed me, but I can live as I plan to increase that this year. Chris Thomas did this for me in Arkansas.

& Sorrow Tattoo" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3262/2481728429_dfa1c9445f.jpg?v=0" alt="In Joy & Sorrow Tattoo" width="384" height="500" />

This was the “theme” for our wedding. I am still very proud of this tattoo. He freehanded the type in about 10 minutes and it still look beautiful.

Joon
In June we had some discussions about getting another dog, looking at our neighbors German Shepard puppy. So we decided to get one from the same breeder as Adam & Laura across the street… We called the breeder and went for a visit because the mother just happened to be pregnant again by accident. Meeting the GSD parents who were wonderful we decided to get one.

A week later our vet called and said they have found the perfect dog for us since they knew how special Roxie was to us. She was supposedly a Border Collie mix. So we went to CARA to look at her… This stinky ragamuffin walks out on a leash and I am floored… I was expecting more of a Border Collie look, which other than the eyes and colors that is about all that looked like one. Gypsie fell in love with her right then and there… I on the other hand didn’t want to have anything to do with her. But after a night of thinking how she made G-lynn smile I agreed to get her, thinking I wasn’t going to get my GSD… What do I know?

Turns out after you bath the ragamuffin and shave her she is a pretty great dog… VERY HUGGY HUGGY!

Birthday
I had a WONDERFUL birthday weekend down at the lake with my parents. Gypsie unfortunately didn’t get to come because she was with Kelly at the bachelorette party. But Tate did come with and we had a blast in the rain…. crazy videos and some photography.

I have some great “Monster” video that I still need to finish editing that was a great idea. I am glad my dad had such creative visions!

Dita
It turns out Gypsie wanted both dogs and since she is the boss, who am I to say no?

Now she is a bit larger… to say the least…

Bachelor Party
I am not going to say anything other that what an interesting time with all the boys… even some new ones… Who’s getting married next so we can do it again..?

Wedding
Tate and Kelly got married in Oxford, Gypsie and I drank too much… We had a blast though… Oxford is a beautiful city!
DAMMIT I CAN’T FIND ANY OF THE PHOTOS!

Broken Leg
After ALL these YEARS skateboarding… I was help in breaking my first bone. I will say that I am still in want to put some pain into this kid who should have known better! I will get my revenge!!

I am just a week off my crutches now and this happened in early December… don’t recommend it for anyone!

Miscarriage
Such a tragedy for two people who have been trying to get pregnant for awhile… although why stop now?
I will mention that this happened the same night as I broke my leg…

Christmas/New Years
Needless to say, we didn’t have the best Christmas or New Years…

Positives of the Year
We are on a serious plan to pay off our debt… and have accomplished so much so far in such a little time.

Dear Roxie,
In the past five years you have become my loyal friend who was there for me through anything I was going through. You passed at 4:45pm today and my sorrows deepened. I cannot express the love I felt for you throughout the last years of your life, but I want you to know that you will always be missed. We have had so many good times together I cannot list them all. I just want you to know that during your life you have befriended so many people in your 16 years of life and you will be missed in the deepest amount. There are so many things I would love to say, but you know and have remembered them all of them for sure. Just know I have loved you like I have known you since the day you were born my sweet baby. All my tears now are for the pain you are no longer suffering… I miss you dearly my child.

I want to thank you for the fun you have brought into my life, you have been such a joy…

Your loving father,
 Austin

These thoughts really popped into my head yesterday when I talked to my dad on the phone… he was making comments on my sister’s MySpace and not thinking I asked which sister, I have a 19 year-old sister and a 9 year-old sister? Then the sudden realization that my 9 year-old sister Connie wouldn’t have a MySpace page I was really surprised… or maybe I wasn’t… For some odd reason, maybe because I am an asshole, my 19 year-old sister Ashley/Lauren… or whatever she is going by these days… hasn’t invited me to be a MySpace friend, SHIT! that sounds pretty dorky… not that MySpace has this huge impact on my life, but it is the principal of the whole thing… family and all… In fact neither Gypsie or I have spoken to her since she stayed here at the house last year when she was moving to Texas.

I know I have bagged on her for the last few years about the guy she married, but I feel like I have had good reason… He has made no effort to have any real conversation with me, much less any realtionship. So I have bagged on them… but I had hoped that she would actually make good decisions in her life, like some sort of education and career, especially since I have strived to make something of myself and give myself everything I could want and more. We were invited to her high school graduation, which I think my mother may have had something to do with that… Other than that, she never even called to say “Hey brother I am getting married!”. I think about it now and want to say WHAT THE FUCK! I would just like my sister in my life and want to call and say “Hello” and whatnot… The only way I find out anything is if our parents tell me what is going on in her and her husbands life… In fact, my youngest sister talks to me on the phone much more than her and she is 9 years-old might I add!

We use to have fun together and somewhat hang out when we saw each other… Hell… one of her favorite bands is The Cure… HELLO! So if you read this, I love you and forgive your brother for being an asshole… understand where I am coming from with everything…

OK… it was on my mind and I wanted to express that… blah blah blah…