Birthday Reflections

I apologize in advance for this random blogpost.  I found myself reminiscing a lot this last week and so this may seem like I am just rambling.

So I am turning 29 today.  It seems surreal.  I don't feel 29 and definitely don't look it, as my age never fails to surprise people when they find out.

It has been over 10 years since I graduated from high school.  I unfortunately cannot attend my 10 year reunion, since they planned it in November instead of back during the summer like normal ones. When I was in high school, I was still using 3.5'' floppy disks and did all my homework and most research by hand.

I'd never heard of Facebook until the end of my mission, and discovered what YouTube was once I returned home.  The Preach My Gospel missionary program that feels like it has been around forever was brand new when I started my mission, as my MTC teachers were adjusting to teaching from it, and my trainer in the field was still reading through it for the first time when I got to Ukraine.  The first time I carried a cell phone was when I became a zone leader in the mission.

I got my first cell phone 2 months after my mission during my first semester of college when I realized it might be awkward asking girls on dates and giving out my Aunt's home phone # as my contact information.  I remember when Blockbuster locations started going out of business and Redboxes started replacing them.

Technically I am labelled as the same generation as those freshman that I am still in school with.  I feel quite a separation from them however.  They are a decade younger than me and grew up in a whole different world.  When I was an EFY counselor 2 years ago, I had 17 year olds who didn't remember September 11, 2001.  I was in high school when that happened.  I remember the Y2K scare in junior high.

Going back to elementary school, I remember the Jazz being beat in back to back Finals by Michael Jordan and the Bulls.  I remember going to a baseball game at old Candlestick Park and watching Barry Bonds slug 2 homers and break the 300 mark.  I remember Steve Young slinging balls to Jerry Rice and leading the 49'ers to win the Super Bowl.

I grew up collecting baseball cards, basketball cards, football cards, and Pogs.  I played Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers with my neighborhood friends.  I walked a mile to school and a mile home starting in 2nd grade.  Not a lot of parents let their kids do that anymore.

It took me over 7 years post mission to find my sweetheart, whom I love so much and am so grateful for.  The next 29 years of my life will be so much better with her by my side.  The older I get, the more sentimental I become and the more I enjoy the simple things in life.  Here's a photo that doesn't due justice to the beautiful fall colors Katy and I saw yesterday up at Porcupine Reservoir.

XIT Rodeo

So I got off work early on Friday so Katy and I could drive out to Dalhart, TX to attend the XIT Rodeo.  Each night of the 3-day rodeo they serve a free dinner.  We got a free meal sponsored by Cargill pork and got free pork chops!  It was awesome!  The feed they have on Saturday is the largest free barbecue in the world.

So the XIT Rodeo started out as a reunion for cowhands who used to work on the famous XIT Ranch.  In the 1880's, the Texas government sold 3,000,000 acres to some investors in order to raise money to build the Texas State Capitol building in Austin.  The XIT ranch was the largest fenced ranch in the world and at one time had 150,000 head of cattle on it.  In the early 1900's it was eventually parceled and sold off.

The rodeo is a part of the PRCA circuit, so we got to see some world champion rodeo men.  It was pretty awesome.  Katy and I have loved the faith and patriotism of the people here in Texas.  It was evident at the Rodeo as they started with a prayer and went through the opening ceremony.

Looking good. . . 

Yes, that is a limo truck.  Only in Texas.

Texas flags are as common as the US Flag.

Some good bronco riding.

Katy and I took a second trip to Palo Duro Canyon on Saturday to do some hiking and enjoy the sites. 

Lots of prickly pear in these parts.

The canyon was really green this year with all the rain they've got.

2 Outs, Extra Inning Giants Baseball

So the last 2 San Francisco Giants games that I have been to have gone to extra innings and ended in a Giants win.  Katy and I took our long awaited trip to Dallas last weekend, a 5.5 hour drive from Amarillo.  We went to the Giants game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington and witnessed the Giants hit 4 solo homers and win the game in 11 innings.  It was the only win the Giants got in that series.  It was a great game.  The Giants pitching wasn't superb.  I believe I saw all of the pitchers in the bullpen pitch except Sergio Romo.  They started with Heston, the went through Afieldt, Kontos, Lopez, Vogelsong, Petit, Strickland, and Casilla.  There were a lot of Giants fans at the game.  They represented well, as did me and Katy.

Go Giants!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Last Two Weeks

Last weekend was great!  Brandon and I had a wonderful time.  Friday as soon as Brandon was off work, I picked him up and we drove to Lake Merideth.  It's about an hour away from Amarillo.  I packed a picnic dinner for us.  We found a little cove on the other side of Lake Merrideth where we decided to stay.  We ate dinner, played in the water, and had a blast.

 Saturday, we did two sessions in a row at the Lubbock temple, which is just under two hours away.  It's a small, but very beautiful temple.

This week I flew to Utah to see my brother, Mitchell, come home from his mission.  I LOVED seeing him.  He was the same, but different at the same time.  I loved being with my family.

I'M SO GLAD MY BROTHER IS HOME!!!

                     katy+