Career Student

Some of my friends and family tease me, saying I'm a career student or a professional student. I'll take that. It's hard to believe that just 5 years ago, I hadn't finished my undergrad degree from back in the day and that in just a couple of weeks, I will have my MBA. I am super excited! I owe my decision to go back to school to a couple of people; my best friend and her husband. They were extremely supportive in me going back to school and now that I have gone back, I can't seem to stop. I used to think school was horrible and I often said I would never go back. Well, my thoughts have changed and I am glad I made the decision to go back just a few short years ago.

I will have 3 degrees to my name in a few weeks and I am even contemplating going for a second master's in the fall of this year. I am here to tell anyone who is currently in school and not looking to go to college that it may not be for you now, but years from now, if you decide to go back to pursue a long awaited degree, you are bound to learn a lot more and pay attention more as an adult than as a teenager. I will graduate Magna Cum Laude and back in high school, I barely graduated Thank You Laude!

Thanks Tree and Errol for instilling in me that getting my degree should be something I do for myself first and for a job or anyone else second. Thank God for allowing me the opportunity to fulfill my dreams of earning my degree and for the opportunity to learn more than I thought I would ever learn in school. Hats off to everyone in school pursuing any degree they are pursuing. I wish you all the best!

Brian Anthony Scott, II

I want to give all praise to God at this time and thank Him first and foremost for allowing the wonderful team of surgeons to perform a successful operation on my 3 month old nephew.

Brian A. Scott, II was diagnosed with craniosynostosis over a month ago and although fear entered all of our hearts and minds, we stayed prayerful and hopeful while asking everyone for their extended prayers. After sleepless nights and a stressful few hours at the hospital yesterday morning, the wonderful team of doctors and nurses assigned to perform the operation, assured us that everything was a success and that little Brian was doing just fine.

I personally want to thank all of my friends, family and extended network of people through my friends who extended their prayers to us and to B2 (Two as I like to call him). Thank you all for your prayers, countless emails and text messages asking about him, asking for updates and telling me to send your prayers to the immediate family. We appreciate everything!

Here are a couple of photos of the little trooper immediately after surgery. I am proud to share these photos with everyone as I'm sure everyone is excited to see them. B2 is recovering fine and awaiting the opportunity to share his miracle with everyone!

I love you B2! Always...

The Spirit of Christmas

With Christmas being less than two weeks away, the number one question being asked is "What do you want for Christmas?" Before you yell out an answer that includes material things, take a moment to read this email that was sent to me by a good friend of mine. It really makes you think and reflect on what this time of year should really mean and what gifts you should really be thankful for.

Thanks Cayenne, for this wonderful email!

Another year has come and almost gone and so many things, good and bad, have happened in so many lives. As the end of 2008 approaches, we need to truly take a moment to self reflect. How has God blessed you? Do you really pay attention? Sometimes we are so blessed that we forget to really be truly grateful to God.

You have a roof over your head and a warm bed? Blessed.
You have food in your fridge and dishes to serve it on? Blessed.
You have a job in an economy where hundreds of thousands have lost their jobs? Blessed.
You have healthy children and spouses? Lord have mercy! Blessed.
You have vehicles to transport you back n forth? Blessed.
You have a family who loves you and thinks about you? Blessed.

I could go on about why we should be happy and celebrating life and each other during this season but it does no good if we don't realize it for ourselves. Forget the spirit of Christmas for a second and remember the spirit of Christ. We should be worshipping him and giving lots of praise as we honor him. And in honoring him, we remember his greatest commandment...which is that we love one another. In loving your fellow man, you love Christ. If you are finding that you are not excited about Christmas anymore or that you feel empty or uninterested...it may be because you need a change for the holidays. Maybe visiting a hospital and bringing gifts to children who are battling cancer will make you feel uplifted and joyous as you go home and peak in on your own happy children safely in bed. Maybe donating your time and serving food to those made homeless by Rita, Katrina, and Ike will make you smile when you pull into your own driveway and realize your blessings. I honestly believe that taking the focus off your own grievances and problems to focus on someone else, can turn your humdrum spirit into one of joy. Suddenly, your problems don't seem so big anymore and you can fall to your face and kneel before God and give him TRUE PRAISE AND GLORY.

I said all that to say, this is a beautiful time of year when family and friends should look forward to seeing each other and celebrating life. Let's remember the people who are away from their families in Iraq this Christmas, let's remember the sick children and even the elderly who are cooped up in hospital wards this Christmas, let's remember the families where both parents have been laid off in the recent economy and can't buy gifts for their families this Christmas, let's remember the people who lost their homes, jobs and schools to Hurricane Ike this Christmas, let's remember the thousands of families who have lost their homes in foreclosure this Christmas and most of all let's remember CHRIST this Christmas. He is the reason for the season and we should always remember to be a blessing to others because we are so very blessed.

I love you all and ask that we each seek our hearts and remember what love truly is.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks and offer forgiveness. That being said...

What am I thankful for? I'm thankful for my family. For the love and support they have shown me and will continue to show me for many years to come. I'm thankful for my sisters...people say blood is thicker than mud, but these ladies have shown me that even though I didn't have any blood sisters given to me through my parents, that saying means nothing because they are the real deal. Thank you for loving me for me! Thank God for allowing me to meet some true friends in my lifetime. Thank God for my sister circle...they keep me laughing, crying, talking and they keep providing me topics to blog about without realizing it...LOL! I'm thankful for my God given talent and creative ability to draw, design, create and use my hands for more than just writing and typing. I'm also thankful that I have experienced or witnessed a lot of things in my 36 short years on this earth...love, hate, deceit, racism, jealousy, selfishness, death and anything else you can think of, and have been able to bounce back from and forgive as God forgives (I haven't been able to forget a lot of things, but I'm working on that part). I am also thankful for old friends, both female and male whom lives I may have touched in one way or another and for those who have touched my life in ways I will never forget. For those friends who realized that we are not meant to be in each others lives for a lifetime, but sometimes we are put in a person's life for a particular reason or season and have taught me a life lesson, whether good or bad...I thank you! I always say I'm gonna ride this mutha until the wheels fall off! That's what I've done thus far and that's what I plan to continue to do. That's for damn sure!!

One special thank you goes to someone who changed my life forever. Thank you for allowing me to experience things I never thought I'd experience, but at the same time, I'm grateful that I did because I'm a different person now. No regrets whatsoever! Thank you for allowing me to talk to you and be honest. Thank you for being open with me and most of all, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to possibly be good friends with you in the future.

God bless you all this Thanksgiving 2008! Much love!