Thanks for Everything, Carter Elementary!

Well, y’all—the inevitable has happened!

The first semester at Carter Elementary has officially come to pass, and I gotta say: I had a great time with Mrs. Martin and her kindergarten class. I would like to thank Carter Elementary for a wonderful three months. And I know that I’ve said this a lot, but it’s worth saying again: I learned a great deal from both Mrs. Martin and her little kiddies. If anything, the kiddies contributed a helluva whole lot, as they helped me get one more step closer to my goal of becoming the best damn kindergarten teacher in the world. And of course, Mrs. Martin is in a class all by herself—she’s just simply the best.

And I gotta tell y’all: I must’ve done something right again, because Mrs. Martin and the kindergarteners gave me the sweetest little send-off, right in the middle of our Christmas party. They got me a Christmas basket and a big thank-you card with all of their signatures on it. Now, I had to make a promise to the little ones that I would not open my present until Christmas, and I’m gonna stick by that promise. However, I never said anything about their sweet homemade greeting card. I tell y’all, those little kiddies really made me feel special, and I let them know that I would take my card back to Mississippi with me.

And I’m not gonna lie—I kinda wept a little, but that’s only because I was overwhelmed at all the love and appreciation that the little kiddies showed me. Matter of fact, young Henry mustered up all the strength he had and gave me a sweet kiss on the cheek. Of course, I returned the favor, but as a means to be fair, I gave all the little fellas a kiss on the forehead… hahahaha!

Well, now that this chapter in my life is complete, it’s time to prepare for Christmas, and afterwards it’ll be time to head back to Bearcat Country. Speaking of Rust, I got an email from Ruby, and she says that she is counting down the days until I make my much anticipated return. Well, I sure hope they’re ready for me, because I know I am!

Until next time, y’all take care and have a great rest-of-the-day.

Smooches,

Natasha

Yet More Experience Under My Belt

Hi, Everybody!

Well, today is Friday, August 21, 2015, and I have officially completed my commitment at the Culver City Children’s Center. I would like to thank each and every staff member, leading up to and including my supervisor, Ms. Evelyn.

And of course, I must thank the little ones for making this chapter in my life so worthwhile. After all, if there are no students, then there are no teachers. So, kudos to those little boys and girls who inspired me to be the best darn kindergarten teacher in the whole wide world.

As y’all can see, I truly enjoyed having a summer job for the past month and a half—and yes, I am kinda sad to see it all end, but I’ve got so many memories to take with me. Besides, where this chapter ended, a new chapter is about to be written. It’s time for me to look ahead into the future… of course, I’m referring to my upcoming internship, which starts in a mere week and a half. I never thought I would live to say this, but believe it or not, I want to hit up the back-to-school sales! I’m looking forward to buying notebooks, notepads, pens, pencils, and even a backpack of my very own. I want to be fully prepared for what is in store for me when I work alongside Mrs. Ingrid Martin.

For the record: While I not spoken about Mrs. Martin too much, I have indeed kept in contact with her, and she is just as excited as I am. As a matter of fact, Mrs. Martin said that she is very excited to have such a mature energetic youngster like me to be her assistant for the upcoming fall semester… yep, those were her exact words!

Once again, this is proof that each lesson I’ve learned thus far is helping prepare me for my dream. I am showing great appreciation for every moment that I am able to teach a child, whether in a classroom setting or not.

Oh, lest I forget: Just as I was about to leave the Culver City Children’s Center, Ms. Evelyn called me into her office to speak to me. She said that she wanted me to know just how truly appreciative she was to have me on her staff, so she gave me the sweetest gift basket—it had apples and oranges, some peanut M&Ms, a couple of almond Snickers, a gift card to Best Buy, a gift card to JC Penney, and a letter of recommendation for when I go out to interviews. Now, I gotta be honest: I didn’t expect  any of this—I just expected the usual “thank you for your help” speech, and I really would’ve been content with that. I never imagined that I would receive such a heartwarming gift. Naturally, I told Ms. Evelyn that I was very appreciative, and she in turn said that I deserved the gift basket because—and these were her exact words: “Natasha, you are the best that I’ve ever seen thus far, and the best is yet to come.”

Wow—I am very touched, and very flattered!

Oh, yeah: Ms. Evelyn also said that I am always welcome to come back, be it on the payroll or to volunteer my services. “Please stay in touch, Natasha—we need more willing teachers like you,” she said.

And I gave her my word that I would definitely stay in touch.

Well, y’all—I reckon I’d better end this here blog post, but I cannot call it a night just yet. You see, it’s Fmaily Movie Night here in the Stewart household, and I used my paycheck to pitch in and order some pizzas, chicken wings, and submarine sandwiches. Now, as for the movie… well, my dad rented Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins, starring Martin Lawrence, James Earl Jones, Michael-Clarke Duncan, and Nicole Ari Parker. I’ve never seen this movie before, all things considered, and I’m very excited to finally have the opportunity to watch it with my two favorite peeps—Mom and Dad.

With that said, I’ll holla at y’all later.

 

 

Hugs & Kisses,

Natasha

Celebration Time for Momillennium

Uh-oh, y’all—it’s July 2, 2015, and it’s also my 600th blog post! Y’all know what that means: It’s time for a celebration of celebratory proportions!

It was forty-three years ago today in Memphis, Tennessee that my Grampa Clark and my Gramma Jewel were blessed with their fifth and final child—a baby girl whom they christened Danielle Renee. Over the years, this baby girl earned many nicknames from her loved ones. To Grampa Clark, she was “Reesie Junior;” to my aunts and uncles, she was “Dani;” to my cousins, she was “Aunt Dee;” and to my dad, she’s known as “The Queen.”

And y’all already know the special nickname that I give Momillennium… matter of fact, I just mentioned it! I’ve been referring to my mom as “Momillennium” ever since I was ten years old. Yes, I know that I merely combined “mom” and “millennium” to form this very unique word, but that’s only because my mom is a very unique lady. And even more so than that, my mommy is the greatest mother that The Lord could ever bless me with, and for that, I am truly grateful to Him.

I think I mentioned this once before, but it’s worth repeating again: My mom is simply the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be… and incidentally, I would like to wish Bret Hart a Happy #58. Imagine that, y’all—Bret Hart and my mom have something in common, and I guess it helps a little bit that my mom is also a Bret Hart fan.

In hindsight, I don’t think I did today’s blog post any justice, but I do hope that you all could see the unconditional love, respect, and admiration that I have for Momillennium. Shoot, we’re practically twins, all things considered… and that probably explains why she and I share the same middle name. You see, Renee is French for “reborn,” and it has been said on more than one occasion that I am my mother’s daughter. Well, let me just say that I humbly and graciously accept such a surefire compliment.

In closing today’s blog post, I would just like to say one more thing:

HAPPY #43 MOMILLENNIUM—I LOVE YOU BUNCHES!!!

 

 

Hugs & Kisses,

Natasha

Happy #44, Daddy-O!

Hi, Everybody!

Today is a special day for a very special gentleman who I love with all my heart. He was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, and he is a graduate of the University of Memphis, where he met and subsequently married one Danielle Renee Jones. To this union was born a sweet little girl, whom they named Natasha Renee Stewart… hahahaha!

That’s right, y’all—I’m talking about my father, Benjamin David Stewart!

I more or less gave a tribute to my dad a couple of days ago in the form of a pre-Father’s Day blog post, but what the heck—since it’s my dad’s special day today, I can give him another tribute if I want to. Besides, he still holds the record of being the greatest daddy in the universe, and on top of that, today is my daddy’s forty-fourth birthday.

I mentioned this in a blog post two years ago on this very day, and it still holds true: One of the things that I love about my dad, is that he goes out of his way to make sure that I have a smile on face, regardless of whether or not I’m already in a good mood. I still recall how he called me every day during my freshman year at Rust, and I still laugh at how excited he was when I told him about the time I had to kick some jerk square in his jewels, and I’ll never forget how excited he was to see me during my Christmas vacation. It was as if it was meant for him to pick me up from the airport that day.

When I asked my dad what he wanted for his birthday, he started singing “Biggest Part of Me” by Ambrosia, and then he segued into “Special Lady” by Ray, Goodman, and Brown. Daddy then told me that as far as he was concerned, Mom and I were the greatest birthday presents that he ever received. If I remember correctly, he said: “I realized only three years ago that you and your mother make my life worth living. God knew what He was doing when He blessed your mom to be my rib, and then He sent you down to be my HoneyBee. And as far as I’m concerned, you and your mother are the gifts that keep on givin’.”

Awwwwwwwwww, Daddy’s just a big man with a big heart—he’s a big ol’ soft teddy bear, if you will!

Well, with that said, there’s only one way to close this blog post:

HAPPY #44, DADDY-O—I’M GLAD THAT I MAKE YOUR LIFE WORTHWHILE!!!


Smooches,
Natasha

Ode to Daddy-O

Hi, Everybody!

I trust that you’re all enjoying your warm, sunny Saturday afternoon—I know I am!

Before I jump into today’s blog post, I would like to first of all apologize for neglecting you all this past week. The last time y’all heard from me, I had given my own special tribute to the legendary Virgil Riley Runnels, whom we all knew and loved as “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes—if ya weeeeeeeeeeeee, Baby! In any event, I promise that I have a very valid reason for not updating my blog this past week: You see, I’ve been out looking for a part-time job, just to make a little money, is all. I’ve got more to this story, but y’all are gonna have to wait until Monday… that’s right, y’all—I’m makin’ y’all wait until this Monday!

In the meantime in between time, I wanna dedicate today’s very special Father’s Day edition blog post to all of the great men in my life, particularly my father, Benjamin David Stewart—and yes, that’s the main reason for this special selfie of me and my Daddy-O.

As y’all know, tomorrow is Father’s Day, and I am eternally grateful for having such a great dad. Yes, I realize that every kid says that about their day, but I know for a fact that my is the best daddy in the entire universe. He’s a gentle man and a gentleman—a gentle giant, if you will (sorry, I couldn’t help myself)! He’s just a big ol’ teddy bear when it comes to me and my mom… matter of fact, my dad has stated on several occasions that he would do whatever he could to make sure that we were safe. He has proven that on more than one occasion. I still remember how he never left my mom’s side when she pulled a muscle in her leg a couple years ago—he actually took off from work, just to nurse my mom back to health. And it was during that same year (two months later, if you will… hahahahaha!) that my dad did everything he could to heal my broken heart. I still remember his sweet words: “Honey Bee, long before you were born, I fell in love with you, and ever since then, you had me sititn’ on top of the world, and I ain’t come back down yet.”

Who could ask for a greater love than that?

In conclusion, I would just like to say that I don’t really need a special day to show how much I love my dad, especially when I show him just how appreciative I am of him. At the same time, I still would like to wish a Happy Father’s Day to my daddy, and let him know that his little Honey Bee loves him to the utmost and beyond.

 

Hugs & Kisses,
Natasha

Celebrating Valentine's Day With My Peeps

Happy Valentine’s Day, Everyone!

Yes, as that old song suggests, love is in the air, everywhere you look around. And just like the singer Mr. John Paul Young, I don’t know if I’m being foolish or wise, but I do know that I feel loved.

This afternoon, I exchanged Valentine gifts with two people whom I love like my very own family—my sista from anotha mista Ruby, and the Neo One himself. All we did was order some pizzas, wings and other snacks, and we watched a couple of sappy romance movies in the lobby of Emma Elzy. I suggested this Hallmark movie called In My Dreams, Ruby suggested Beauty and the Beast, and Neo Theo chose his personal favorite Hitch. And while I’m thinking about it, I just want to state for the record that I have new respect for Valentine’s Day. Yes, I’m single, but so what? I can still celebrate this day with the ones I love and with those who I know love me. Ordinarily, I would be at home with my mom and dad, and we would celebrate with a great big ol’ Valentine breakfast, but I enjoyed chillin’ with my Rust College peeps. Yes, I know—I’m always chillin’ with Ruby and Theo, but this is the first time that the three of us have actually celebrated Valentine’s Day together, and it was freakin’ fantastic!

I also want to say that I got a Valentine present from one Craig Dixon as well. Y’all remember Craig—he’s studying to be an elementary teacher as well. I know I haven’t talked too much about Craig, but trust me when I tell you that he is still in the picture. I’m not gonna go into too much detail, but I will say that we’ve decided to just be friends and see what happens from here.

Well, I reckon I had better close up this here blog post, but I’ll be back with another gooden in the very near future. Until then, y’all take care, and enjoy the rest of your Valentine’s Day.


Smooches,

Natasha

21 Reasons to Be Grateful

Hi, Everyone!

It’s three days after my birthday (yes, I’m still celebrating), and I was just thinking: Around this time last year, I had a blog post where I mentioned twenty interesting tidbits about little ol’ me. I thought about doing that again this year, but I couldn’t think of anything brand-new. However, I decided to do something different for today’s very special birthday blog post—this time, I’m gonna list twenty-one things that I am grateful for:

 

1.    I am grateful to have lived to see another birthday.

2.    I am grateful to have been blessed with a beautifully charismatic mom and dad.

3.    I am grateful for my Gramma Jewel and all of her knowledge and wisdom.

4.    I am grateful for the college experience known as Rust College.

5.    I am grateful to have found my sista from another mista, Ruby Jean Hudspeth.

6.    I am grateful for my little brother from another mother, Theodore Campbell.

7.    I am grateful for the drive, desire, and passion that I have to be the best damn kindergarten teacher in the whole world.

8.    I am grateful that I come from a lineage of strong, sexy women!

9.    I am grateful for the fact that I am 4’11” and 140 pounds.

10.  I am grateful to have such a deep passion for learning.

11.  I am grateful that I know my worth as a young woman.

12.  I am grateful for little subtleties, such as a ladybug landing on my arm, a snowflake landing on my nose, and a butterfly in my hair.

13.  I am grateful for hot chocolate with marshmallows.

14.  I am grateful for my Uncle Ronnie’s corny jokes—to this day, they still make me laugh.

15.  I am grateful for the honor of following in my Grampa Clark’s footsteps.

16.  I am grateful that I am not allergic to peanut butter and strawberries.

17.  I am grateful to know that the man of my dreams is out there looking for me.

18.  I am grateful to know that my dad thinks so much of  me that he dedicated a special song to me—“Special Lady” by Ray, Goodman, and Brown.

19.  I am grateful for knowing the secret to true happiness.

20.  I am grateful that I can back up my words with my actions.

21.  I am grateful for being Natasha Renee Stewart.

 

And there it is, y’all—these are just twenty-one reasons why I am truly grateful. Trust me, there are other reasons, but because of my birthday yesterday, I narrowed the list to only 21… hahaha!

Until next time, y’all take it easy, and be good.


Smooches,
Natasha

The Number 21 Looks So Sexy On Me!

Hi, Everybody!

 

First of all, I would like to thank each and every one of you for making me feel so special on yesterday. I truly appreciate all of the birthday wishes, the greetings, and the prayers. As usual, my family showed up and showed out in ways that I couldn’t imagine—and I’m always grateful for them—but I was especially surprised when I watched yesterday’s episode of the talk show Holla At’cha Girls, and the lovely hostesses acknowledged me by name on the air. I gotta admit—I was feeling some kinda way when Miss Kim looked into the main camera with that beautiful beaming smile and said: “Happy Birthday, Ladybug!”

That right there is nothing but Bearcat Love. Thanks again, my sisters… muah!

Well, it goes without saying, but I’m gonna say it anyway: I had a great birthday yesterday. It all began when I discovered that my 1pm class was cancelled until tomorrow, which was more than enough incentive to celebrate the big 2-1 as I only know how. For starters, Ruby’s mom and dad went all out and cooked a birthday dinner that I will never forget—steak, shrimp, broccoli, loaded baked potato, and banana pudding.

And it was at that moment when I realized that I gained twenty pounds just looking at that dinner… hahaha!

Anyway, around 5pm yesterday evening, there was a knock on the door—and y’all could imagine how surprised I was when Great Aunt Reesie, Cousin Keith, and Cousin Jade stepped inside. In the famous words of my Gramma Jewel, I was a queen for a day!

And when I returned to my dorm, my voicemail was filled with so many birthday greetings from my mom and dad to Gramma Jewel, to even a surprising birthday song from Great Aunt Donna! As usual, she hit all kinds of wrong notes, but I was willing to survive those twenty seconds of a busted eardrum. It’s so sad that those twenty seconds were two minutes too long, though… hahahahaha!

All in all, I had a fantastic birthday. There’s just one question that remains: What plans do I have for Valentine’s Day?


Smooches,
Natasha

A Dedication to My Mom & Dad

Hi, Everybody!

 

Well, it goes without saying, but today’s blog post is very special to me, mainly because I’m dedicating it to one of the cutest couples that I’ve ever known—Benjamin & Danielle Stewart.

Yes, I am aware that I have dedicated plenty of blog posts to my mom and dad in the past, but hell—I can dedicate another one to them! I do, however, want to put out a disclaimer: Just in case this blog post is somewhat reminiscent of its predecessors, that’s only because I’m speaking the truth. It has been said that the truth is so special that it can be told over and over again, and it’ll never get old.

There is also a modus operandi for today’s blog post: You see, in the two and half years that I’ve been up here at Rust, I have made it known that I truly love my mom and dad, and I still hold true to my claim that they are indeed the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be. It’s no secret that I have such a strong relationship with my mom and dad, but ever since I’ve been away from them, I have a newfound appreciation for them. I guess it’s true that absence really makes the heart grow fonder, because everytime I step off that plane at LAX and run into my daddy’s arms, I hug him real tight and I give him a kiss on the cheek and pretend that I’m stuck. And then there’s my mom—lately we’ve done this thing where we met forehead to forehead, and simultaneously raise our eyebrows. And I also realized that my mom and I share the same middle name… matter of fact, my mom gave me her middle name as a tribute to her legacy, plus the name Renee is French for “reborn.”

That probably explains why my Uncle Ronnie calls me “Born Again… Again!”

Well, there y’all have it—another blog post dedicated to my mom and dad. I’m almost certain that I’m gonna dedicate another blog post to them in the very near future, but for now, today is their day. And of course, y’all can expect a future blog post dedicated to my entire family. Yes, I am aware that I talk about them a lot, and I am also aware that I put them on a pedestal, but I realize the blessing that I have in having them in my life. I also realize that there are people right now who would love to be in my shoes—some grew up in single parent homes while others don’t know their parents at all. This is just all the more reason to be grateful for Benjamin & Danielle Stewart.

Mom & Dad, it goes without saying, but I’m gonna say it anyway—I LOVE Y’ALL!!!


Smooches,

Natasha

A Sweet, Simple Valentine's Day

Hi, Everyone… and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Before I get to the “juicy” part of today’s blog post, I want y’all to know that I received the sweetest Valentine phone call this morning, from a corny couple named Benjamin & Danielle Stewart—and now y’all know where I get my corniness from! In any event, they called me around 9am CST my time and sang “You Are So Beautiful to Me,” and they were in great harmony, too. Granted, my mom and dad are no Ashford & Simpson, but they did a pretty damn good job with their duet. Of course, I was just grinnin’ and blushin’ away, but I did thank them for thinking of me. And while I didn’t openly admit it, I especially liked the part where my dad sang the high note toward the end of the song.

I also got a sweet Valentine card in the mail from my Gramma Jewel, alongside forty dollars (which I will not be spending anytime soon). On the front of the card is a heart-shaped peach, and on the inside it reads: “Bright Eyes, you’re the peachiest. Happy Hearts Day, my love.”

And now we come to the coup de gras—Craig’s special Valentine surprise for me.

Let me first of all state for the record that I did not expect Craig to get me anything more than a card and a little bag of Valentine M&Ms, mainly because that’s all that I had to give him, but I gotta tell y’all: Craig went out for a sista! He gave me a card with butterflies fluttering around a heart, some Valentine M&Ms cookies, and five peach roses.

“I know it’s not much, but it’s the best that I have for a lovely lady like you,” Craig said, all shyly.

Well, I was grateful that he even thought enough of me to begin with, so naturally I gave him an appreciative thank-you kiss on the cheek. Later on, he treated me to Pizza Hut, just the two of us… oh, and it was at Pizza Hut that Craig told me that I was his Valentine’s Day gift. Suffice it to say, he thanked me with a kiss on my cheek.

My Auntie Gloria was right—Simplicity Works!

So, in a nutshell, I had a great Valentine’s Day, and I also learned that people don’t necessarily have to be nice to you, so when they are, one should at least show one’s appreciation towards the nice gesture. As for me, I truly appreciate the love that I felt on this day—of course, I am loved every day, but I guess I mean to say that Craig really made me feel special. I’m not saying that we’re officially an item, but I am saying that he really showed that he was a gentleman, and he did it so effortlessly.

Yes, y’all—I’m basically saying that I was bit turned on by Craig actions!

Until tomorrow, when I find out the identity of my secret admirer…

Smooches,

Natasha

The True Act of Forgiveness

Hi, Everybody!

Today’s blog post is quite interesting… and that’s just putting it mildly!

Y’all ain’t gonna believe this crazy dream I had last night. Here’s what happened: I was walking along this long road in the middle of seemingly nowhere. The sky was filled with storm clouds, but there wasn’t so much as a drizzle, let alone a downpour. Anyway, as I continued walking along this path, I heard someone in the distance cry out for help. I raced over to the sound of the distressed voice, where I came across this deep, dark pit. When I looked down into the pit—y’all ain’t gonna believe this—it was none other than Ray Hernandez!

Yes, the same Ray Hernandez who broke my heart!

Anyway, I remember grabbing a rope from seemingly out of thin air and threw one end to him while I tied the other end to a large oak tree. When Ray climbed to the surface, I pulled him out of the pit, where he crawled towards the tree and collapsed. He thanked me for saving his life, and I simply nodded and said to him: “It’s okay—you’re forgiven.”

The strangest thing, though: When I woke up this morning, I clearly shouted out: “I forgive you, Ray!”

Since it was loud enough for Ruby to hear, she explained that the dream I had had was merely a sign that I had officially let go of my hurt and fears. I kinda understand what she meant by that, but I’m still a little lost as to the part about my “officially letting go,” especially considering that I had stated a week or so ago that I understood my worth as a young woman, and that I set the little boy free to do whatever the hell he wanted.

Well, I called Gramma Jewel this evening, and she broke it down for me, as only she could—Gramma Jewel basically said that although I had given myself time to heal, the anger that I still harbored would not allow me to forgive Ray. Only after I stopped being angry and understood my worth did I have that dream where I officially forgave Ray.

I tell y’all—Gramma Jewel be breakin’ it down for a sista!

Okay, it’s time for me to close up this here blog post, but I’ll be hollin’ at y’all tomorrow. I will say this, though: All things considered, I feel like I lost fifty pounds… emotionally, that is!

Smooches,

Natasha

True Love Is So Beautiful!

Good Saturday Morning, Everybody!

I just want to state for the record: I absolutely LOVE my daddy—he is truly the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be!

As you know, it was in yesterday’s blog post where I mentioned that my daddy would be treating me to a day of a personal celebration. He treated me to breakfast at IHOP, then he took me to the Griffith Park Observatory, where we just walked around and chilled… and yes, we event took a picture in front of the Hollywood sign—like, way out in front (hahaha)!

And then, my dad sat me down and told me something that I know I will forever cherish. Hugging me as tight as he could, he looked me straight in the eyes and said: “Now, Honey Bee—I know that you had your heart broken last week, and you probably feel alone in the world, but I want you to understand me clearly when I say this: As long as I’m your daddy, you’ll never be alone. Natasha Renee Stewart, you are a very special gal and an exciting little lady. Truth be told—long before you were born, I fell in love with you, and when you were finally born some twenty years ago, you had me sititn’ on top of the world, and I ain’t come back down yet.”

Daddy really made me blush in appreciation when he said that, but he wasn’t done.

“Now, I want you to know that you did right when you let Brotha Ray go—it takes a real strong, mature-minded woman to release a brotha. I know you feel like you shoulda done something else, but you did exactly what you needed to do. And trust me when I tell ya: Brotha Ray is gonna realize that he made a horrible mistake… matter of fact, he’s probably kickin’ his own ass right now, but when this new girl drops him like a bad habit, he’s gonna come runnin’ back to you. Oh, and one other thing: While your heart is healing, I want you to know that there is a guy out there looking for a sweetheart like you. Until he shows up, though, I’m gonna keep the keys to your heart. Speaking of which, I would be honored if you were to be my Valentine.”

My daddy is such a sweetie pie, isn’t he? And I don’t need to tell y’all how appreciative I was to hear him speak from his heart like he did. Heck, I probably don’t even need to mention that he made me cry—but they were tears of appreciation.

Well, I guess I’d better close up this blog post and see what the rest of this day will bring about, but until then, y’all take care, and have a good rest-of-the-day.

Hugs & Kisses,

Natasha

Celebrating Thanksgiving Before Thanksgiving, Tho!

Good Tuesday Afternoon, Everybody!

And yes—y’all read correctly: Ruby, Theo, and I had our very own Thanksgiving before Thanksgiving celebration!

Seeing as how the three of us officially don’t have classes until next Monday, we decided to go break bread at Pizza Hut. Now, check this out, y’all: Even though we stayed and had the buffet special, we still ordered some take home platters, just in case we got hungry!

Y’all already know that I’m a cornball, so as we dined and fellowshipped (I spent way too much time in church as a child… hahaha), I made it emphatically clear how grateful I was to be a part of such an elite trio. I further commented that I will be forever grateful to Ruby and Theo for helping me with my homesickness last year. Theo chuckled and pointed out how ironic it was that I hadn’t mentioned too much about L.A., other than my conversations with Gramma Jewel. Ruby pointed out that I hadn’t even mentioned Ray Hernandez… and she’s got a point! Matter of fact, it has been a minute since I last heard from Ray, and vice-versa. Well, in any event, I expressed my gratitude towards Ruby Red and Neo Theo, and let them know that I will forever appreciate them.

Ruby then took the stand (in a manner of speaking, of course) and said that she was grateful to have—as she so eloquently put it—“the greatest roommate in the world, and a helluva sista from anotha mista.” Naturally, I humbly accepted the compliment, to which Ruby turned her attention to Theo and expressed her gratitude towards him for being the Jack Tripper to our Janet and Terri… that’s right—Ruby refuses to be associated with Chrissy; she still wants to be known as the Terri Alden of the group… hahaha!

Finally, all eyes were on Neo Theo! He basically said that he was thankful to have two gorgeous ladies who would go to bat for him. He also admitted to us that he was a great big softhearted mush, and he will never forget how Ruby and I stepped up and became the undisputed protectors of his heart… yes, those were his exact words.

Well, lemme tell y’all: If this was one of those sappy sentimental TV sitcoms, y’all would hear that corny-ass soft music, with the closing credits rolling and the studio audience applauding—and I guess that great minds think alike, because we all said at the same time: “The Tripod was recorded in front of a live studio audience!” And then we just busted out laughing.

So, to sum it all up, my peeps and I celebrated the Thanksgiving holidays a little early—but then again, it’s like my Gramma Jewel always says: “When you’re a true child of God, you don’t have to wait until a certain day, because every day is a day of Thanksgiving.”

Until tomorrow, Loves!

Smooches,

Natasha

Heavenly Motivation

Thanks for the endorsement, Grampa Clark!

Oh, wow, y’all—I just woke up from the most beautiful dream!

Check this out: Last night, I had this dream that I was enrolled in a class called “Torch Passing 101.” Now, given my reputation up here at Rust, I take my classes seriously, so that being said, I was ten minutes early for the class. Well, once the bell rang, I walked inside the classroom and found a seat with ease, given that I was earlier than normal.

And that’s when it hit me—there were no other students in this class!

As I questioned where everyone would be, a bright light shone from Heaven, and “Power of Love/Love Power” by Luther Vandross played through an intercom system. I sang along to the tune, just as my Grampa Clark suddenly appeared before my very eyes. He still looked the same as I remembered him, except his salt-and-pepper hair and mustache were a silver white. He still had his gold-framed glasses, his favorite navy blue slacks, and grey Fisk University sweatshirt. With a click of his fingers, the Luther Vandross song ended, yet he continued to sing the ending of the song on account of that was always his favorite.

I tell y’all—I was so excited to see my Grampa Clark that I hopped out of my seat and ran towards him. However, with a loving smile, he held up his hand and pointed to my seat, making mention that it was “not time for that just yet.”

At the risk of boring you all with long, in-depth details (besides, I’ve got a personal journal for that), I’ll just say that my Grampa Clark was an excellent teacher. No disrespect at all to my instructors here at Rust, but in this beautiful dream, my Grampa Clark taught me lessons that I will forever hold in my heart. He basically sat me down and told me how proud he was of me; he also mentioned how he’s been cheering me on from his heavenly front row seat, as I displayed my gifts and talents to the Cradle Roll class at my church.

Simply put, Grampa Clark said that I was born to teach, and that there will indeed come a day where I will step onto familiar schoolgrounds and shape so many young little lives that they’ll have no choice but to create a Kindergarten Teacher Hall of Fame and select me as the first inductee.

If y’all don’t mind my saying, that is one damn good endorsement.

Finally, the time came to where the bell rang and class was over. Before I left out of the classroom, Grampa Clark said that he had another gift for me. I walked up to him, and he picked me up as easily as he did when I was two years old. There we were, sharing a great big ol’ hug—and when I woke up, I felt a kiss upon my cheek.

And how apropos that today marks 17 years that Grampa Clark transitioned to Heaven. It’s kinda funny how things happen like that, but I’ll say this: If I ever needed any other kind of motivation to continue to pursue my dream, then that visit with my Grampa Clark more than did the job!

Well, I guess I had better close this blog post and get on with my day. Let me give y’all a heads-up, though: Y’all ain’t gonna hear from me until Tuesday—it is a three-day weekend, don’tcha know! So, with that said, I’ll holla at y’all in about three days. Until then, y’all take care, and may God continue to bless and keep each and every last one-a-y’all. Smooches!

Hugs & Kisses,

Natasha

Until We Meet Again, Southern Cali...

Well, y’all—this is it!

This is my last day in L.A., at least until I return for the Christmas vacation.

I must say that I truly had a grandtastical summer vacation, and in addition to that, I’ve managed to accomplish everything that I wanted to accomplish this summer. And the beauty of it all: I finally finished my home movie project.

Alas, all good things must come to an end.

In a few hours, I’ll be on a plane and heading back to Rust. I’m all packed up and ready to go, but I gotta admit something: I’m gotten so reacclimated to my familiar surroundings that I’m gonna need to get readjusted to the central standard time and the college life all over again. Oh, well—it ain’t like I’m stepping into an unknown abyss. As heartbroken as I am to leave again, I know that I’ve got to do this. Besides, there’s a huge added incentive as it relates to my return to Bearcat County, and y’all already know that my homegirl Ruby Red and my main man Neo Theo have a helluva whole lot to do with that added incentive!

What can I say—I really did miss them.

Also, I want to thank Gramma Jewel for the delicious congratulatory dinner that she prepared for me, Becky, Cousin Matt, and Cousin Trisha earlier this afternoon. As usual, Gramma Jewel showed out; she made spaghetti, fried fish, fried chicken, coleslaw, green beans, macaroni and cheese, and garlic cheesy bread. And of course, she made her specialty dessert—the legendary strawberry seven-up cake! I may or may not have mentioned it, but Gramma Jewel threw this dinner in order to celebrate our academic accomplishments. “It’s a whole lot easier to tell y’all that I’m so proud-a-y’all, but I’d much rather show y’all,” she said with a smile. “And I want y’all to understand this: When y’all step back on your campuses—be it the first time, the second time, or the last time—I want y’all to learn all y’all can while y’all can, but never forget to keep The Lord first in everything y’all do. Oh, and one more thang: I love each and every last one-a-y’all!”

I tell y’all—if y’all ever need someone to give you encouragement, motivating, and uplifting words, Gramma Jewel is just that lady!

Oh, and lest I forget: Ray did keep his word and showed up to see me off—he’s such a sweetie pie, and check this out: He was no kinda shamed when he gave me yet another melting sweet kiss.

I can damn sure return back to Rust with a Cheshire Cat grin, can’t I? Hahaha!

Well, Southern Cali—it most certainly has been real! I thank you for the many summer memories that I can take with me. Yes, y’all—L.A. was very kind to me, and I’ve got something to look forward to when I come back home for Christmas. And I am so freakin’ excited that my home movie project is finally completed… I know I said that several times already, but y’all just don’t know how happy I am that it’s done! Trust me when I tell y’all: It was a lotta hard work, but it was so totally worth it.

With that said, I ask that you all keep me in your prayers for traveling grace from here to Memphis, and from Memphis to Rust. Once I get settled in, I’ll holla at y’all with a very special blog post!

Hugs & Kisses,

Natasha