The Beginning of a List

It's just after lunch and I'm drawing a blank as far as what I want to write.

Funny BU memories

The stairs
Dominique the Donkey
Piggy Back Rides
Turning the skirt backwards
Ab workouts with Di
A Christmas story and pushing the beds together
The time Rachel fell back while attempting to get onto the top bunk.
Fire alarms in the freezing cold
Handstands in the hallway
Aerobics class
My embarassing Jazz class

WOAH DECA.. haha Meli!!!

So it's Sunday afternoon and I'm in the dungeon of the Schwitz. I just cleaned out the lint screen and tossed a heap of wet clothes into the dryer. I think I like laundry.. it makes me feel like I've accomplished something with my day. Anyone else? Hehe.

I'm in the middle of chemistry notes right now, but as I was taking notes my mind drifted to DECA. Weird? I know. Adam Fox came up to Butler this weekend mainly to meet Di's roomie and then hang out with Di and I for a short while. He had a choir contest up here this weekend and today he's headed to DECA state. Oh how I remember DECA state. I love DECA.

Last year Melissa, Mallory, Brittnee, Meghan, and I had a room together I think. Is that right.. where there five of us? I don't know..memory malfunction.. forgive me. Gosh, Melissa do you remember how you did the shoe presentation using the Finish Line products? Haha. Melissa and I used to work at Finish Line together.. it was so fun! Except those nights when we had to vaccum of something. I liked doing fixing the shoe walls except I was a little obsessive compulsive with how the shoes were laced and all that. Anyways, Melissa decided to use one of the products we had at Finish Line in her marketing presentation. She was trying to sell the Sof Sole shoe cleaning products. It's hard to explain but I just wanted to write this down before I forgot. One night after work I asked our manager if I could take some shoe shelves for Melissa's display board. Bernie, Meli's Dad, helped to construct something for the display too I think. It was great ( OMG doggie wheel chair.. hilarious) I just remember Meli trying to figure out whether she should ask the judge to give her his shoe or not. hehe. Oh goodness... and then there was the motivational speaker and that little workshop that we stayed at. (I still appreciate you waiting on us Mel and Mal) Melissa, do you remember "I love Life" .. or whatever it was? Hehe. Oh my.. and that one night where we were all really hungry and they wouldn't let us go to our hotel rooms. Haha. Oh wow.. the ride up with Shank and umm that other lady and we saw Mr. Browning and he almost heard us out the window. Oh and the ride back... Melissa do you remember jumping on my back and getting a piggy back ride and then I dropped you on the seat and you got stuck in the crack.
hahahahhahahaha.... sometimes it's too hard not too look back. I had so much fun. Alright, before I tear up here and miss things too much.. too late...I do miss them. I'm about to sob in the computer lab.. I didn't realize how much I relaly miss things. Just let me go back... please, I just want to go back. It was so close to perfection.. so so close.
My memory is so vivid, I can hear, see, and feel the past. Is it supposed to be like this?!

There are still good things, good days, laughter, smiles, but sometimes I wonder if I really ever needed the change.

Holding Strong

And so the Junior High Seven continue their journey through life connected. I LOVE my friends!

Collide...Howie Day

Even the best fall down sometimes.

I'm scared to know I'm always on your mind.

Even the stars refuse to shine.

Don't stop here. I lost my place. I'm close behind.

Even the wrong words seem to rhyme. Out of the dark that fills your mind, you finally find- you and I collide.

You finally find-you and I collide.

Sing it Avril

She wants to go home, but nobody's home. That's where she lies broken inside.

Her feelings she hides, her dreams she can't find. She's losing her mind.

There's no place to go, no place to go... to dry her eyes. Broken inside.

She's lost inside, lost inside.

This weekend...

-I tried to pair two people up at my restaurant that weren't together. It did make the lady with a cold face laugh though...and when her real husband actually arrived he gave me a hard time for trying to set up his wife. We all laughed together. Sometimes it feels good to mess up.

- A lady taking a picture backed into me while I was carrying 14 drinks on a tray and they all crashed down... one spilt on a lady at my table. You know what she said? Oh man, I didn't knowI was going to a water park today. Ha. Thank the Lord for easy going people.

-I made a contraption to do my homework on and set it up in front of the tv. I felt like a little kid building a tent... but it wasn't that cool.

-Diane and I had a sleep-over!!

-I did crunches through a storm of laughter....I think it intensifies the workout.

-I missed home.

-I drank a 32 oz. orange sunset smoothie and it was absolutely incredible.

-I busted out cheer moves outside of Starbucks just because it felt right.

-I savored the Jolly Rancher flavor.

-My little sister turned 6!

-I cleaned my room and color-coordinated my closet.

-I was reassured that life has so much more to offer.

Smile. Live. Laugh.. a whole lot!

Warm Fuzzies

And when I need to feel safe I pull out the extra extra large red sweatshirt that so often collects dust in my closet. I pull my hair up out of my face and slide the mass of fuzz over my head. I laugh as the static electricity makes my hair crazy after pulling through the hoodie. I pull up the sleeves that are much too large for my arms and let them wrinkle around my elbows. All snuggled up I close my eyes and I breath in. I'm so home.

Love the little things. Find comfort in simplicity.

Me, Kaya, Di, Natalie, Brandon, Veronica, and Rachel eatin' late at Steak N' Shake. Very cool night. Glad you came up V!!!! 

Me, Kaya, Di, Natalie, Brandon, Veronica, and Rachel eatin' late at Steak N' Shake. Very cool night. Glad you came up V!!!! 

Di, Whit, Britt and Meli @ GD Ritzy's. I love my friends...you guys are amazing. And look..they're even beautiful when they bum! 

Special K & I at Red Lobster for Kaya's 18th Bday!! Yum! 

I love my mommy. Just before getting in the car to head to Butler. 2004 

My friend Kacy and I at the Lilly Banquet over the summer. 

Kaya and Brookester ridin' in the Santa Fe. Thanksgiving Break 2004. 

Alright I just thought this pic was insanely gorgeous for just a normal day pic so I had to stick Britt on here by herself. I miss you Sissy! 

My Halloween at Don Pablos. I know it's dark, but I was dressed up as a cat and next to me is my co-worker, Courtney.. he's so fun! That day was a blast...if only the mexicans would've stopped pulling my tail...haha. They still call me gatita (little cat). What would I do without Donny P's? 

Hanging out with two of my favorite people on Grandma's couch. What a feeling. 

This pic was taken outside at my dad's work. The two ladies with me are Cindy and Joni....they're so much fun! This was my last day; one of the guys took us out to the yard to take pics. Thanks Dad. 

Brotherly love... Brandon you have gorgeous baby blues. 

Oh there we are again.. I think Brooke looks like an angel here. 

Brooke, the dogs, and me. Binky is the Lhaso Apso on the left and Buster is the one on the right =) 

Strange picture of me, but Britt looks gorgeous so oh well. Brittany's room in Texas just before I left for college. '04 

Bowling in good ol' MV. My cousin Kristen, sister Brittany, roomate Rakaya, and I. Rock on. 

Yip Skip...it's Friday!

And so I've finally found an opportunity to blog.
It's Friday folks... yippee yahoo! Haha. I still have classes to attend this morning, in fact I haven't actually been to one yet. Friday's are the one day I don't have class until 9. The only bad thing about today is that my first class is chemistry and I have to take a test in there today. So, since I haven't had chem in awhile I'm a little scared of the test. To release tension I decided I'd try to make myself feel prepared so I got up really early this morning and went to breakfast with my chem book. We had a very nice meal. Hehe. It just so happens that my study session didn't take as long as I'd expected and so here I am! Before I get into my whole little bloggy mode I want to wish you all a happy Friday! Oh my.. you know what today is?!?! It's Brooke Green's birthday!!!!! I have a phone call to make. By thw way she's six today, isn't that crazy!?!?

Carinos ( the Spanish word for love)
Bryana

Merry Christmas Eve

I wrote this as an e-mail over Winter Break and wanted to save it. Read if you'd like =).
Merry Christmas Eve!
> Tis the season to be jolly- fa la la lala la la la la > > So here I am- Home. Actually, I’m just visiting one of my three > homes- MV, > Butler, and Dallas. They say home is where the heart is... and I > promise I > have a piece of mine in all three of those listed. Haha I feel > so torn. > > I’m in MV with Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Bob in the warmth of my > old house > where I am still welcomed. It feels SO good to be here. It's > Saturday > afternoon and I'm just waiting for Melissa to call me and tell me > she's > home. I got in late Thursday night/early Friday morning. I drove > to MV > after work in my car that is packed with clothes for my month at > home. So > far I've been able to visit with G&G and a couple friends. I've > already > begun my holiday weight gain. Haha I am snacking on peanut > brittle as we > speak. Grandma made peanut brittle and fudge once again, she's in > trouble! > Hehe. Oh boy it sure is yummy! Endulge, right? > > So right now I'm sitting here thinking about how incredible > everything is. > I remember last year about this time when I had the opposite of > senioritis. > I had the I-don't-wanna-leave-everything-I've-known blues. I > don't know > what it is about Mount Vernon, Indiana but I was and will always > be > attached. Anwyays...to avoid drawing this out I'll get to the > point. I > thought that I had already experienced everything wonderful as a > senior in > high school. Looking back now I realize that there will always be > more to > come. Life always has more to offer. Being submerged in a > different > environment has been an experience in itself. I never thought I'd > enjoy > living in a a 12 by 14 (probably the wrong dimensions)room and > walking down > the hall to the bathroom, but I really do. Everything has its ups > and > downs. At least now I never have to go to the bathroom and feel > alone-hehe...and I never run out of hot water....and it's really > hard to be > unhappy when you have people saying hi to > you every 5 seconds. I mean isn't it every little girls dream to > live with > her friends? Sleep-over baby-YEAH!!! You miss things though too. > I miss > having little Brookie climb all over me and I miss talking to > Brittany > before I fall asleep. I miss attacking mom and dad and having to > be home at > a certain time. I miss living only a very short distance from my > best > friend. I miss driving down the road and having multiple memories > attached > to virtually every spot. I've learned that you have to find new > things to > fill each void and that you still have to hold onto the past while > living in > the present. Maybe things would be better if time rewound, but > time doesn't > rewind. Haha... just be careful not to live life in fast forward. > Haha > before I get too far into the VCR analogy we will quit. I am > thankful for > everything that was, is, and I'll even venture to say everything > that will > be. Thank you all for just being you and being part of the life i > love to > look back on and > will continue to look forward to. > > Yippee... Meli is here.... run jump hug....hang on tight.. do a > little > dance.. scream .. shout....haha. Talk to you soon! > > Haha okay so that portion of the e-mail was written in MV. I am > now in > Phoenix, Arizona visiting my other set of grandparents along with > my > cousins. Haha.. I feel flooded with family and it's so great. > Swimming in > love! I heard you MV peeps got a bunch of snow- how fun! Enjoy > your white > Christmas! Someone please play in the snow for me!!!! > I'm almost done babbling I swear I just wanted to tell you all to > enjoy your > winter break and this incredible holiday season that only comes > once a year. > I hope it's special! > I watched the little ones bake Christmas cookies and I had some > hot > chocolate this morning. I haven't gone sledding. I’m aching to > make a snow > angel and run in from the cold only to warm up and head back out, > but I > don't think the Arizona or Texas weather will bring that. I want > to stick > my tongue out and catch some snow flakes before they hit the > ground. I'd > probably look super goofy in a sock hat and a big poofy coat > though. Oh the > joys of Christmas! Be sure to take part in some of the holiday fun! > > I'm off to hang my stocking and watch the tree twinkle. I love > Christmas.I get to see the people I love and that’s the best > present I’ve ever had. > > Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you! > > May the love of Christmas warm your heart, > Love Always, > XOXO, > Bryana ( Elf # 459287503713998) > > P.S. To my seniors out there- way to go....you're almost there. > Love it > while you have it. I wish you the best second semester...it's so fun! >

Jace and Britt @ the DFW airport. Until next time...it was fun. 

My roomie, Rakaya, and I on Santa's lap. Yes, we did stand in line at the mall. Everyone has the right to see Santa. =) 

Brooke ans Meli lookin' goofy in TX. Everything is bigger there.... right Mel? 

This is the only pic where we weren't lying on the ice. Hehe. JK. Brooke learned that she loves to ice skate. She's pretty good at it too! Galleria Mall, Dallas, Texas...Winter Break. 

James & Britt in TX... yum.... get it Britter! 

One of my favorite pics of all time... little Brookie and little John on the trampoline. Backyard in MV. I miss the trampoline.. I miss Brooke being little... I miss everything about this picture. 

Bitty Bug and I- Winter Break 04-05