S family {Life}

Neither fire or thunderstorm kept me from this fun session in Stillwater, OK! There was a fire trying to jump the interstate on my way up and I later learned that the interstate had been shut down a few hours, re-opened for about 1 hour, and then shut down again. I'm lucky that I snuck through during that brief 1 hour window! It was pouring when I arrived in Stillwater though and the lightening was not being outdone by the rain either. Okay, so the storm delayed the session until the next day but that's beside the point haha.

This is a new location for me and, even though I'm an OU fan, I was excited to see what OSU's campus had to offer. It was a hot morning but this family toughed it out and I think we got some great pictures in the end!









For more of my faves, check out the album on Facebook here! Enjoy!

X's and O's,
Brandi Sue

Michelle {Life}

What a fun session this was! Michelle wanted some "just because" pictures and I was more than happy to assist! I was afraid of it being extremely hot (It was July after all) but we were blessed with rain that afternoon and evening! One of the few times we have had it all summer! We ran all over Bricktown and downtown OKC stopping anywhere we thought would make a great backdrop!










To see more of my faves, checkout the facebook album here! Enjoy!

X's and O's,
Brandi Sue

Life is short

As Devin and I were honeymooning in Hawaii, I would frequently send updates via facebook on what we were doing or whatnot. On our way out the door one afternoon, I got on to see what all was going on back home. I was surprised to see a "RIP Michael Jackson" as someones status update...and honestly thought it was a joke. So we flipped on the t.v. real quick, knowing that if it were true, it would be plastered all over non-stop. Sadly, it wasn't a joke. I was so shocked! I'm sure many of you were as well. It's an odd feeling...I didn't really KNOW the guy but it feels like someone I know passed away. But really, I only know the Michael Jackson that the media wanted me to know. None the less, I'm still sad that he passed away.

With that being said, I am so annoyed with this whole (for lack of a better word) situation. What is annoying me you ask? His so called "fans" and their behavior. They are all gathering around now, supporting one another through their grief. They are telling the family how sorry they are and how they are praying for them. They are talking about how great MJ was and all the good things he did for the world. That's all fine and dandy, I'm sure the family appreciates that. What I want to know is...where were they one month ago? 6 months ago? a year ago? Were they the same people buying the trashy tabloids and magazines? Were they the same people forwarding YouTube videos of his latest slip up? Were they the same people chasing him trying to catch a glimpse of him without his mask on...so they could sell it to one of the tabloids? While I was watching the media go on and on about him this last week, they showed a clip where MJ was being booed at a performance where he was trying to promote a comeback. What?! I can't remember where it was, but what was that all about? Are they the same people claiming to be huge fans? And anytime the media talked about him over the last several years, it seemed they were only trying to tear him down. But now that he is gone, they are flashing all his greatest achievements (along with some of the not so great moments still...they are relentless).

Why does it always seem to take a death to get people to realize that life is short? I see it happen all the time. I'm from a small town, several of them really since my family moved around a lot. In each of those towns I lived in there would always be a case or two of a young person passing away too soon. The town would all grieve, they forward e-mails of positive encouragement, and tell one another to appreciate those you love right now because you might not have the chance tomorrow. I could go to countless Myspace accounts and pull quotes of remembrance for those people they loved and advice to other people out there. I could show where they have proclaimed to never drink again because that's what caused their loved one to pass away. Or maybe they are going to wear their seatbelt all the time now because it could have saved their loved one. Yet, the pain dulls after awhile. People move on with their life and though they still remember their loved one or whoever they were to them...they seem to forget the lesson. Soon they are gossiping about one another again, they aren't taking the time to enjoy each other's company, and they aren't sharing their love for one another. Until someone else dies...then it starts all over again.

I use the word "they" as a general term. I'm not pointing fingers...you know where you stand. I'm also not saying any of this is wrong, it's natural. It has been something that has been bothering me for awhile now and seeing how people have reacted with Michael Jackson motivated me to finally write about it. Just a rant on my personal blog ;) It's so hard for me to understand why people can be like that when I am not. I tell people I love them. I send cards. I write letters. I try to spend time with those I love. I hug you when I see you because I am happy you're my friend, and I hug you before I leave because I don't know when I will see you again if at all. I never want to be that person who says, "I never got to say goodbye" or "I never told them how much they meant to me". I will tell you :) I know it makes me mushy and I know sometimes there are people who think I'm silly, but it's who I am and it makes me happy. I try my best to let the bad roll off my shoulders because, as I have said before, life is too short to hold a grudge. Life is too short to be angry and to hold pain inside. It makes my life happier and better to be happy, I'm a better person when I'm happy.

I have been watching MJ's memorial as I typed this...what a great memorial! It was heartfelt and sweet. How nice would it have been for Michael to have seen that kind of support (from the public who said they were fans) these past few years?! I bet it would have made him feel a lot better than that crowd booing him.

If you haven't already tonight, kiss your loved ones goodnight. Call that someone you haven't talked to in forever. And tell those who mean something to you how you feel, it just might brighten their day :) Just like the cliches say...Don't wait until it's too late. With that being said, I'm going to go cuddle with my honey.

X's and O's,
Brandi Sue

P.S. I'm a Michael Jackson fan...then and now :)

I AM....

Well I have a lot going on right now and don't really feel like typing it all tonight but here's something else to read! Have a great evening!

• I AM …so much more than meets the eye
• I WANT… to have more knowledge
• I HAVE … a lot of faith in others
  
• I KEEP …a camera on me 99% of the time
  
• I WISH I COULD … make everyone happy
  
• I HATE … when people choose to wake up on the wrong side of the bed
  
• I FEAR … making the wrong choices
  
• I HEAR … life all around me
  
• I DON'T THINK … my family will ever get along
  
• I REGRET … not studying more in school
  
• I LOVE … sunny days, warm weather, Sundays, good news, yummy smells, buying things for other people...
  
• I AM NOT … perfect...and I'm okay with that!!
  
• I DANCE … at random times haha I did a happy dance today!
  
• I SING … in the car, in the shower, at work, pretty much all the time!
  
• I NEVER …will give up on those I care about
  
• I RARELY …make appts for myself ie. doctor, dentist, hair, massage, eyes, nails, haha
  
• I CRY WHEN I WATCH … emotional things either happy or sad but only if I am alone otherwise I hold it in haha
  
• I AM NOT ALWAYS …in a good mood, but I choose to be 99% of the time so you probably wouldn't know unless it was bad
  
• I HATE THAT … that people don't want to be talked about and just want to be understood and yet they don't treat others that way, that people let their past dictate their future, that I feel the need to be careful about what I say so that I don't offend anyone but they don't worry about my feelings.
  
• I'M CONFUSED ABOUT …what the future holds
  
• I NEED … to finish my application, resume, photo editing, print pics, organize more paper work for the house, book the wedding photographer, laundry, start sorting through things to go to the house....
  
• I SHOULD … really not be on the computer haha so....

I'm off to try getting some of those things done! I don't have many patients tomorrow so I can get some of those things taken care of since they can't be done tonight anyway. A lot of changes are coming my way and I'm nervous but I know that God has a reason for everything so I am going to trust he believes in me and knows what is right! The week is almost over, hang in there!

Love and hugs,
Brandi