Since I haven't written in this blog in a while although I started another blog I thought I would leave it open as I do reference alot of things from this blog.  I have to figure out how to export this blog into my new blog, but until I do check me out from now on at www.shareemfworld.blogspot.com

Keep the Faith!

Until next time,
~E

Everytime this past month of August that I wanted to blog I kept forgetting to do it when I went home. So now yes I am still at work and yes I am blogging before I forget to do it.  The month of August was a great month and was almost as good as July. :0) To recap my entire month of August I will do my best...

August 1-5 I cleaned up my apartment from top to bottom preparing for my sisters arrival to Texas. 

August 6 is when they arrived and I was more than thrilled to have them here with me.  August 6 we went to a Mexican restaurant in Houston after I picked them up from the airport called Pappasitos Cantina.  If you are ever in Texas and want good food the Pappas brand/chain has great food ranging from mexican, seafood, and barbeque.  You will never go wrong with Pappas.  And of course their desserts are to die for.  We opted out of dessert that time, but I knew I was going to take them to Pappadeaux (a seafood joint) which also has amazing tasty treats. 

On August 7 at 4pm I immediately left the office and drove home to pack my clothes for the weekend in Dallas.  We got on the road around 5pm and drove straight to Dallas going the scenic route i.e my Hurricane evacuation route if I ever needed to evacute this hurricane season.  It took us approximately 5 hours to get to Dallas as we stopped at Walmart.  I was being a great friend and helped wire some money to my friend in Brooklyn, NYC, have I heard from him since then? NO! Do I really care? That is the topic of another blog.  We also stopped at McDonalds as well as the Exxon gas station where I used my Exxon gas card for the first time :0) Yes, and high five for discounted gas WHOHOOo!  We arrived in Dallas around 9:30pm and went straight to the hotel to relax and sleep for the evening.  We stayed at this ragedy, roach invested, warn down Knights Inn directly across from our destination Six Flags over Texas.  I opted out to purchase cheap rooms but will never do it again because it was hot and I was uncomfortable, but I didn't let them know that. 

On August 8 we woke up early around 8am and I got dressed and attempted to see how the continental breakfast was at the hotel.  I knew if it was anything like the hotel room itself it wouldn't be good.  And of course my hypothesis was right because all there was fruit, cereal, and the smell of burnt coffee.  I mean really how can you burn coffee? Another blog topic..LOL Anywho, I waited patiently for my sisters to get dressed and went to get them breakfast at McDonalds.  After we ate we went to the park.  Rode approximately 7 or 8 roller coasters and it was starting to be the heat of the day so we went out of the park to get food.  I drove around for about 15 minutes and saw a Steak and Shake.  I only thought Steak and Shakes were in the mid west so we stopped their for lunch.  We got the itis quick and went back to the hotel to sleep before the Kirk Franklin concert at 7pm at the park.  The Kirk Franklin concert was awesome he did all of his old songs from "Stomp" to "Silver and Gold".  The surprise of it all was when he brought out on state Fred Hammond and Tye Tribett.  I went CRAZY!!!! My sister and I immediately ran to the front near the stage to take pictures we are HUGE Fred Hammond fans and Tye Tribett was the icing on the cake.  We ended up leaving the concert early because we wanted to ride at least one more ride before the park closed and we did.  Great day at Six Flags over Texas and I hope to do it again soon.

On August 9 we got up early to attend the 8am service T.D. Jakes church The Potters House in Dallas, Texas.  We checked out of the hotel, went for breakfast at McDonalds, and was on the road to his church.  We arrived around 830am and it was packed, guards were directing traffic, and so many people were moving towards this big building.  I was excited just to see all of the black people dressed up and dressed down making their way to Gods house.  When we got into the santuary it was already packed not realizing that the service didn't start to 930am I was happy we arrived early.  They combined their early morning 8am service and 11am service during the summer so this service was going to be a full house.  We had to sit in the balcony because there were no more seats on the floor already at 830am. YES I know CRAZY!  The spirit of the Lord was in that place and all of the misconceptions about a MEGA church went out the door for me, T.D. Jakes has a growing ministry and no one can tell me different.  I throughly enjoyed the service and will go back the next time I am in Dallas. After the service we drove 5 hours home.  I like Millicent drive for about an hour and she did well as I was tired and even went to sleep some.

On August 10-16 During the day I was at work, at night I tried to keep my sisters entertained.  We went to the movies, mall, go-carting, phazor tagging, swimming, etc.. We ended up in Houston on that Saturday I had to speak at a UH NSBE meeting and they wanted Steak and Shake so they drove to find it.  We went to the mall and aquarium and had a great time there. 

On August 16 my sisters flew back to VA.  I was sad to see them leave.  I was used to coming home to someone and having dinner semi already prepared for me.  I also was sad this day because it was the 10th anniversary of my fathers death.  I cried a bit on my drive back to Beaumont especially when Chrisette Michele's "My Joy" came on my zune playlist.  "No one loves me just like you do, no one compares to the way my eyes fit in yours, you will always be my father and I will always be your joy" I love him still always will!

On August 17-20 I hustled at work to get my work done because on August 21 I was gonna be back at home.

On August 19 I went to see The Color Purple with a friend in Houston. 

On August 20 I was on that midnight plane to Virginia! (not Georgia) lol I almost missed my connecting flight in Atlanta because my flight was delayed in Houston.  When I got off the plane in ATL they were calling my name on the loud speaker to immediately board my plane to VA.  How EMBARRSING is that? LOL

On August 21 I went to pick up my rental car.  Took my maternal grandparents out to breakfast for their 47th wedding anniversary.  And I was on my way to Richmond to see friends and for the Chrisette Michele concert.  I had a great time catching up with everyone and even wanted to see my friend.  I texted and called him and got no immediate response.  He did text me back after I was on the road to Chesapeake saying that tonight wasn't a good night and he wanted to see me on Saturday (BOO not gonna happen I already had plans) So, I ended up driving back to Chesapeake and stayed with my cousin that night.  We didn't go to sleep at all I talked to her until like 5am lol. 

On August 22 I was on the road to northern VA/DC with my BFFs.  We stopped in Richmond to pick up 2 other BFFs and had a blast in Adams Morgan/DC on Saturday night.

On August 23 I drove back from DC to Chesapeake while stopping in Richmond to drop of my BFFs.  I ended up not going to church because I didn't make it on time, but I did go see my paternal grandparents.  I love visiting them they always make me smile.  At approximately 5pm I returned my rental car and made my way back to my parents house in Chesapeake to say my goodbyes and pack my bags for Texas.  My maternal grandparents came over to say their goodbyes and we prayed as a family for my safe travels.  I gave them hugs and held in the tears because I knew deep down that I wasn't going back until Thanksgiving and that I miss having family so close.

On August 24-August 31 Back on my grind at work, making friends, doing NSBE alumni things, just trying to stay busy and active.

In the midst of it all I have forgiven me and ask God to forgive me for any wrongs that I have done to anyone or that anyone has done to me.  Remember I am on that journey of improving and becoming a better ME!!! So, in that process I have to forgive myself and those around me that have cause me hurt or pain. "I never ever want to press rewind never want to go back in time."

I love this song by Mary Mary called "Forgiven Me" It is truly my testimony!

Verse 1 (Erika)
I hold a memory of myself
Reflections of what I used to be
These broken roads that brought me here
They make it hard to face reality
(Tina)
But a new day is here
It's time that I embrace it
Can't wait another day
Right now I gotta face it

(Chorus)
I never ever wanna press rewind
Never wanna go back in time
Not much glory
In that story but it's mine so I'm
Loving who I am today
Past has past away
Finally I have forgiven me

Verse 2 (Erika)
I hold a memory of myself
So young and foolish and not knowing(Oh5x)
Careless decisions that I made
I wish someobody would have told me
(Tina)
But a new day is here
It's time that I embrace it
Can't wait another day
Right now I gotta face it

(Chorus)
I never ever wanna press rewind
Never wanna go back in time
Not much glory
In that story but it's mine so I'm
Loving who I am today
Past has past away
Finally I have forgiven me

(Bridge)
The mirror on the wall it
Lets me see today that I'm
I'm not that foolish girl
Time has brought a change a
Transformation the old into the new
When I let go of me and held on to you

(Chorus)2x
I never ever wanna press rewind
Never wanna go back in time
Not much glory
In that story but it's mine so I'm
Loving who I am today
Past has past away
Finally I have forgiven me

(Erika)
I hold a memory of myself

Keep the Faith!

Until next time,
~E

My birthday was so much fun!  I went to see The Phantom of the Opera and then out on the town club hopping.  I got to see Shaq yes Shaq he was standing like 2 feet from me.  Although I was slightly inebriated I am still able to tell the tell.  My mother sent me a Edible Arrangement to work as well as some flowers to my apartment.  No one loves me the way she does love her for that!!!  All in all great birthday and I am happy I did something despite not knowing many people here in Texas. 

Last weekend was a blur.  I went to see "The Ugly Truth".  It was a good movie filled with cynical comedy and a romantic love interest story line.  I didn't go alone and went with a friend.  After that we went to a friends apt and was taking shots yes shots.  So, out of character for me takes me back to freshmen year of college.  Anyway I ended up in bed until 2pm on that Saturday because of the aftermath of drinking on empty.  Never again will I do that I am not 18 anymore.  I learned my lesson and will stick to wine.  I'm getting too old to drink hard liquor...LOL

TGIF!!! This week so far has been great.  I presented to the plant manager, talked to the local agency, and sent off some important spreadsheets to corporate headquarters.  I am ready for the weekend, as it is HERE! TGIF!!!  This past Tuesday I was doing the normal social networking on gmail chat, facebook chat, and on twitter updating my life, and something weird happened.  As I was gchatting it up with an old love interest he said these exact words randomly "for what it is worth I miss you :/"  My first reaction is wow that was out of no where.  So, my question to my male friend here was what did he mean by that?  He summed it up saying that maybe he genuinely misses me and wanted me to know even though I may not care.  All of this is so true, but was I suppose to say that I missed him back?  The last time I saw him was at my graduation and before then I can't even remember but now that I am 1200 miles away he misses me?  I guess the saying "distance makes the heart grow fonder" is true or maybe now he realizes what he lost in messing things up with me.  Sometimes I think I needed to cut off all communication with him since I moved here and start anew, but then in the back of my mind I know that if he was here we would be together.  Crazy huh?  How can you miss someone from miles away but when they are near don't even think anything about them until they are gone?  I can't go back to him or even think about a long distance relationship because it would be pointless and effortless and he may do the same things and play the same games.  I just need to focus on me and what God has for me and my purpose and calling on this earth.  So, my remedy for solving this crazy random gchat, facebook chat, and twitter convos was to go on a social networking fast.  I am on this fast from this past Wednesday to this upcoming Monday.  I just needed a break to prioritize whats important, to get things off my mind, and stop being emotionally stressed.  But I do serve an awesome God and I know that he is a keep and way maker.

Until next time!

Keep the Faith!
~E