I'm Back and man do I have a story for you!

My life has been busy to say the least. It has gone from one crazy event to another. But that's okay - it keeps me on my toes. So much has happened I really don't know where to start.

I will start with my attendance at the first ever Five Tribes Story conference were I was ab

le to be a part of two panel

s (actual moderate one) and perform at the evening concert. This was an exciting time in my life ...to share the stage with so many other storytellers. I was invited to t

ake part in this event by Tim Tingle, Choctaw author and storyteller and Greg Rodgers, Choctaw author and storyteller. The conference had over 250 in

attendance. It was more than I was expecting really.

Okay actually I had no idea how many to expect but it wasn't 250!This was a special event for me as a storyteller. It was a feeling of finally being recognized for something that I do alone.

As a performer and storyteller. I was able

to be a part of a panel and speak of my own experiences and talk about what it means to me on so many levels. How storytellingis my spirtual path, m

y calling, and my duty. I also performed three

new stories that I had not done in public before. Actual two I had never done and one I keep rewriting. I told the Butterfly Lovers story that I learned in China. It is their version of Romeo and Juliet. I also told the Native American story about the Wind Horse which was challenging for me because it reminds me of my cousin Steven. But being able to tell it and not fall into tears was

a big step for me. I ended my concert with Unbreakable Love, the story I wrote for my sister and her son. It was another big night for me because my brothe

r, mother, and a special friend we

re in the audience. For the first time I actually wanted them to see me perform. I guess this means I am really getting out of my shell and like being on the stage. I am a totally different person on stage....it's like I leave one world myself and enter into another world.

And now introducing Payton Robins!! This is a little girl who has entered my life in a unique way. She is such a happy baby that when I see her and hold her and laugh and smile with her I can't help but think how people have such a hard time to put her first. But due to personal reason her parents can't

. Therefore my sister and her husband of guard

ianship of her now

And believe me it has made a world of difference. We weren't sure how Brody would take to her...we worried actually. Like most big siblings he didn't care too much for her in the beginning. When she cried he would at her and say, "Payton hush!". But now he is a very protective big brother. And when he enters the room Payton just smiles. When he cries she cries and vice versa. Here they are on Halloween. Brody is Nemo (he went dunking for pears) and she is a Flower Fairy. Nikki actually made the costumer herself. I was very impressed. Brody even won fist place at a Halloween Party for his age group! He was excited...he won a whole bag of candy. I wonder ever happened to that bag?

Brody and his girls (Makynlee and Cydnee) had their first video experience

They had a blast. They were to run over a hill with red paint on their hands. Brody was in heaven...anything to do with running and he is there. He didn't exactly know what was happening but he was having a good time and so where the girls. They were little professionals. The showing of the

music video took place the this years State of the Nation Address. It actually started the mornings events. Brody and I, along with GG and his momma stood in the back of the room to watch the video. He was excited when he saw himself on the screen. He looked at me and said, "that me TT?"

That should kind of catch everyone up on what has been happening in my world. As you can tell it still revolves around Brody and now Payton.

Almost Here!!!!

It's almost move in day!!!! I know it has been awhile since I have last posted anything on this site. But life for me has been crazy. Both personally and professionally. Since Lowak I have had my heart severally broken to the point of question if it would ever be whole again. I lost a very dear friend this past winter and his death has made me appreciate every person that is in my life as well as live with no regrets. I had an aunt diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time and cousin, who I am extremely close to, experienced a scare with breast cancer. After these past five months I wonder how it is that I have faith at all because believe me - my faith these past couple of months has really been tested. I keep wondering will when the testing stop? But maybe that is a test as well. Moving in to this house is going to be bitter sweet. When I first received news that I was going to get a house I pictured myself moving in with my family. Maybe that is to come later. Who knows?
But here is the most recent phote (I took it this morning) my house. As you can tell it has windows, doors, and is bricked. And now I have grass!!!!!! I have a lawn!!!! It has taking many months to get to this point. This process has been long but very much appreciated and I can not wait to move in. I have been going back and forth on ways to decorate, what colors am I going to use in the bedroom, living room and the kitchen? How am I going to decorate my bathroom, my dinning room, or spare room? It has been overwhelming at times. But, I have made a few decisions. My master bath and bedroom will have the colors of Chocolate and Tiffany Blue (how can a girl not like the color of a Tiffany's box!). My kitchen and dinning room will reflect Tuscany and a vineyard so there will be grapevines, sunflowers, rustic colors of yellow (burnt yellow) and burgundy. There will also be copper and weathered wood blended in here and there. My living room I'm still pondering. I want it to be welcoming because I plan to have many family moments in this room. I will eventually be painting the walls in these room but only when I am able to. That will be a whole new overwhelming issue for me to get through.
Even though life has happened to me these past months doesn't mean that some good hasn't come out of it. Because it has. I'm looking at it as a new chapter in my life that has started. It's like I have a clean slate but this time I decide what is written on it. This time I keep close watch over my life and not let others direct me. I've learned to try and not hold anger towards those who have hurt or angered me because that just makes me an angry and bitter person. And I don't want to look at what happened in the past. I want to move forward and what better way to do that than to move to a new address.