Hooray hooray, for the 8th of May...

That's a poem that a very special person taught me years and years ago.  He's 20 years older than I am, but has acted like he's a teenager for most of his adult life.  He has a love for ministry and a gift of working with youth.  The number of miles I've traveled with this man are uncountable (to Dallas, to NYC, to LA, to Mississippi, to Charleston, to Chicago, to Toronto, to California, to Mexico, and beyond).  His ideas are always big, and he usually manages to pull them off.  My life in Norman, Oklahoma, would not be the same if it weren't for Scott Meier.  This post is for you, Scott.

Scott, Amy, Lydia--on the way to LA (summer 2002)

old school--circa 2002

Scott and Kristin cooked dinner for a big group of us going to semi-formal (circa 2002)

Wedding announcement :)

getting hitched!  

Scott and the Mrs.

lunch stop, on the way to Mexico!

Scott and his loving parents in Walla Walla!  Who else would open their home to 50 high schoolers?

Just your normal youth party in the kitchen...

Pretty good sport about a flour fight in the kitchen...

Completely stopped at the border of Mexico.  Dance party session.

Scott and his mini-me in Mexico

Juners!

doing what he does best...watering the dirt in Mexico

actually working!

Juners

Dora the explorer hat...

Scott and Jorge, best of buds

food bank fun

twinsies

The pumpkin patch!

old school McFarlin youth pic

Nora, Lydia, and Scott. A memorable ride in Mexico...

FISH float trip...Scott, Pirtle, Kendall

Teaching Tino how to ski...priceless :)

one of the many faces of SMeier

another face of SMeier

And the last pic we have together!  

Happy happy birthday, to the biggest kid I know! :)

Surprise Care Package time!

That's right folks.  When I went to the Post Office today expecting something from Peace Corps, instead I was greeted with an unexpected package!!!!!!  My dear brother and sis-in-law sent this baby and man was I excited to open it.  

I literally SQUEALED when I saw the pop-tarts sitting there. Even better?  They're the confetti kind which is a limited edition I saw online and have yet to try. 

So many goodies!!

Thank you thank you Jeremy and Tina.  The design mags, notepad, Easter goodies for my kids {let's be real: the Cadbury min-eggs are for me.  I'm not sharing my fave Easter candy...}, a mini-umbrella, and a Zippo hand warmer!  Oh, and a card that plays the ENTIRE Boomer Sooner song! I can't wait to show it to my friends.  I loved the Easter card too, which I'm guessing my brother had something to do with.

Am I right, Jeremy?  :)

I wrote on my sis-in-laws' facebook wall at 4:30 pm saying that I was trying my best not to open the mini-eggs yet.  

That lasted a whole 'nother hour before I opened the bag.  Turns out I have no self control when it comes to food from home.  Whoops.  I am putting the pop-tarts away for a rainy day though!

Speaking of precipitation, it snowed today. For a lot of hours. Didn't stick very much.  I am not getting out my winter coat again.  Nuh-uh.  No way.

A birthday shout-out is in order for today as well :)  March seems to be an incredibly popular month for my friends to be born?!  Today is Miss Britney's birthday--a dear friend with a true servant's heart.  

She drives a red bug in real life!  Not just this mini one... :)

Lydia, Britney, Grace--Mexico 2010

I first got to know Britney during the summer of 2010 on the 3-week mission in Mexico called Juners.  During those weeks, I watched Britney come out of her shell and truly become a leader for the younger ones on that trip.  She was always willing to lend a hand, no matter the {nasty} job.  Her love of life is truly contagious.  And, she has a wonderful sense of style :)

She also looks great in corn-rows.  

after a week of corn-rows, we were sad to take them out.  

an ex-gymnast.  look at that form!

I've never met a red-head who could tan like she does.  She's darker than me, which isn't saying a lot, but we won't get into that now...

at Passion 2011

Passion girls going to see Beth Moore

Hope your birthday is filled with love and lots of things that make you feel special today, Britney :) sending you a hug from 5500 miles away!  

Happy Birthday, Miss Carruth :)

Happy birthday, to one of the funniest and longest friends I've had in Nompton :)  Miss Amy Carruth.  

She's a great kindergarten teacher.  Don't you agree?

Amy isn't one to carry a camera with her...she usually depends on others to take the pics.  Lucky for her, I've got just a few {hundred} pics of our awkward moments, wonderful trips, and social events to show y'all.  Without further ado, happy birfday, Miss Carruth.  Here's to the next quarter century of making memories :)  much love.  Enjoy the show!

 

BASIC retreat 2002.  Wow.  

Choir Tour 2002 to DisneyWorld

Amy, Karen, Sarah, Meghan

Bennett, Mark, Anna, Rose, Swenson, David, Lydia

waiting in line at Tower of Terror

My first trip to Ukraine!  Eastern Europe Choir Tour 2004

Karen, Amy, Lydia, Anna, Lydia

Hanging out in Prague--2004

Kimball, Anna, Amy, Rose, Lydia Karen

Semi-Formal 2005--props goes to Anna for making the layout :)

Karen, Anna, Lydia, Amy, Rose

Senior Prom 2005--this pic makes me laugh every time :)

Prom 2005

Graduation Party 2005!

Lydia, Rose, Karen, Amy, David, Anna

David, Amy, Susan--IB program 2005

Hanging out in OC--2005

Disneyland 2005

Darren, Swenson, Melissa, Scott, Karen, Amy, Lydia, Anna, Rose

Sea World in San Diego 2005

Darren, Steph, Mandi

Swenson, Amy, Lydia, Karen, Brooke

Seniors at the home concert (where we left moments later for our senior trip to Cozumel! If only I had those pictures on this computer...)

Venita, Rose, Karen, Amy, Lydia, Anna

Bennett, David, Darren, Mark

Seattle Summer Mission 2005

Amy, Anna, Lydia, Karen

On top of the Space Needle in Seattle

Karen, Lydia, Gracie, Amy

OCU for the weekend with Amy and her suitemates :)

Happy 21st Amy!

Anna's big 2-1 celebration

What a gem :) Darren and Amy--2007

JUNERS 2008

Lydia, Taylor, Amy, Brooke

Lydia, Taylor, Schlegel, Amy

Monterrey 2008

Amy, Taylor, Orelio, Lydia, Brooke {stay tuned for a great video at the end of this post}

JUNERS 2008 chicas

Amy and Lydia working...while Chris and Schlegel watch.  :)

mu-mu time!

Amy and the 'rents 

And right after we got home from the 3 weeks in Mexico, we got back in a van and headed off on the middle school mission trip to Boulder!

Pirtle, Amy, Chris, Lydia, Scott, Tino

Winter Park, Colorado--2008

Fulfilling one of her dreams--driving a bobcat.  

exhausted.

The JUNERS who went to Boulder

"Do you think you guys can build a 60' sidewalk for me?"

dirty.

wedding season 2008

Opies fun!

Amy, Rose, Rachel, Karen, Lydia, Nan

Tacky Christmas Party 2008

Amy, Karen, Anna, Lydia, Rose

Saltillo, Mexico, College Mission 2009

this picture will probably make Susan cry...

Hanging out in Mexico

Amy, Swenson, Ruthie, Lydia, Melissa

This is Amy's face when she's tired of taking pics :)

Anna, Lydia, BERT, Amy, and Rose at Blake's wedding

dress-up time at Jacey's photobooth--2010

Karen, Nora, Lydia, Amy

Journey song?

And one of the co-conspirators of my surprise going away party.  PS--I want to play with your cricut when I come back to the states!!!!

teaching each other self-defense.

Hope your birthday has been nothing short of fabulous, Amy K :)  Sending you a big hug from halfway around the world!

The last gem :) a song we wrote for one of our maestros in Mexico.  Click on the video (anywhere on the screenshot) to make it play.  Much love, Amy poo.