And All that jazz...

I would like to discuss 2 people who have made my life! Not just my day or a month or my year but they have given me the opportunity to make some unforgettable memories.

First, Ian Devaney....

after fighting over seas for over a year, when he could be thinking about anything and anyone else, he sends me an email with a confirmation for 2 tickets to see Wicked...as in one of the most awesome musicals ever. We are going in March!!! I can't wait

Second, Stephanie Anne Nicole Farrell Stokes The 9th :)...

Just kidding...that could've been us as babies :) You may click on the link of her page to see what she looks like now (sorry Steph I didn't have a pic of you by yourself lol). Anyway, she bought me tickets to see Chicago in April!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just can't tell you how much it means to me to have friends who like and appreciate musical theatre the way I do. Not everyone does and to each his own, but I am SO thankful that each of you thought of me! :)

UPDATE!!

Ok so I am sorry that this has taken me so long. Life has been extremely busy lately. Since only have a computer at work, I can only update my blog here. Unfortunately, I have been working a lot lately, just not at my office.

To fill you all in. I am officially the coordinator of Teens Above the Influence. We are the Department of Health's Abstinence Education Project that covers Holmes, Washington, Jackson, Calhoun and Liberty Counties. Whew! So I am not only teaching 5-day curriculum in 6th and 8th grade, but making 1 time presentations in 7th and 10th grade, purchasing supplies and incentives for our program, going to disease updates so that we stay medically accurate, and program trainings so I know how to do all of the things I've just described. It is hectic and busy and stressful at times, but I LOVE IT!

This past Friday, several of our students were invited to participate in the World AIDS day event at the Capitol in Tallahassee. They performed a skit that I wrote called "I am the Voice". It represents all of those who have tested positive for HIV or know someone who has. I was not able to attend because I was in Tampa w/my fam, but I do have pictures of my students.

I am so blessed to work with the youth that I do. They are powerful and passionate about helping people choose to live life...to not get caught up in things that leave you feeling empty. They inspire me and keep me in check. Can I just say that it is hard to be 22 and abstinent :) But if they can do it, so can I.

Your thoughts?

Dear Blog Reader...
What makes this haircut acceptable? For people who live in 2007? Who have jobs? And some of them have all their teeth? Thats all I really care to say. Please comment. :)

Better than Gonorrhea

Friday night went MUCH better than I expected. The kids were well behaved and we had SO much fun. The parents were pleased and nothing was spilled on the floor :) My favorite part of the night is recorded below. The conversation is between 3 year old Sydney and myself. She is like a Welch's grape juice commercial kid but with a little more twang...SO CUTE!


"Ms. Tiffane, my stomach hurts."

"Well come here Sydney, tell me whats wrong."

"I have to go to the bathroom."

"OK. Do you remember where it is, or do you want me to go with you?"

"Come with me."

The two of us migrate to the bathroom where she proceeds to sit down. I stand by the sink to give her some partial privacy, until her two brothers (ages 7 & 11) come in and sit on the edge of the tub while reciting the movie we just watched. The 3 year old speaks...

"Ms. Tiffane I have diarrhea"

"Oh, ok. Well do you need me to help you wipe?"

"Yeah. I don't wanna get the diarrhea on my hand."

As I help her, she is constantly turning around on the seat to look in the toilet. She finally gets a good look and says

"Yep! Its Diarrhea!"

Between Pizza, Monopoly, (of course) High School Musical, and a little Diarrhea. It was a GREAT night!

P.S. I "teach" kids for the record....turds :) I'll fix my spelling.

Lets Play "How many bills does Tiffane have"

So tonight I have to babysit 3 children...this should not strike fear into a girl who is the oldest of four children, who's mother took care of at least one extra child most of her adolescent life, and who teaches kids on a daily basis. But honestly, its been awhile since I have been soley responsible for someone else's kids.

Did I mention they are my pastor's children? :)

And its not disciplinary issues that I'm worried about. I just think my house is very boring for the average 3, 7 and 11-year old. I don't have any toys or video games. I have uno...but sometimes I don't even want to play that. So I'll just have to pray for the best!

I am leaving work early to disinfect my house with lysol, bake some cookies and cue up High School Musical. If they leave healthy and happy and their faces look 2% better than the ones on the picture, my job is done.

Look foward to an update on Monday!!!!!

"Its Business Time"

For those of you who haven't had the privilege of discovering "Flight of the Conchords" I'm sorry. If you had, the title of this particular post would mean SO much more :)

So the 3 (Steph, L & Me) of us have been friends for quite some time now and since all 3 of us are/were commited to abstinence until marriage we each want the other to have the best "first" experience possible.

In May of 2006, Steph and I successfully made it out to the condo where Chad and Lauren would be spending their first night together as husband and wife. We decked it out in candles and rose petals. Then we hid in the stairwell waiting for them to arrive and periodically checking to be sure the candles didn't burn anything. Affirmative.

So for Steph and Thad (which I hope you readers are realizing that I will have to marry a Tad or Brad to stay within the friendship, so if you know any ?-ad's...send 'em my way) L and I wanted to make it equally special. The night was going well. The reception was fun, the sparklers had been passed out, and that was our cue to dip out. The plan was to leave, grab Steph's truck from the church, get to their house on the beach, turn it into a magical palace of love and get out before they got home! :) The events after leaving the reception went like this:

7:48-L & Tiff Speed

7:59-L & Tiff Speed pass the church on 231 because the power was out for an entire 2 mile stretch.

8:01-L & Tiff turn around and drive 2 mph to find the church in the dark

8:03-Tiff proceeds to jump Steph's truck (which had already expereiced battery trouble that day)

8:05-Crazy men (who were actually from the church) came and "helped" us...with my car history, I could jump a car with my eyes closed, but we appreciated the effort :)

8:12-Steph's car starts so L leaves the light-less parking lot

8:12:32-Steph's car dies and so Tiff calls L and says "turn around"

8:20-L & TIff leave Steph's truck while franctically speeding to get gas so they can get to the beach so Steph and Thad can have sex in a magical love palace.

8:33-L & Tiff stop at a gas station (in their dresses) because they were underneath "E"

8:42-Steph Calls and says "we're here"

8:43-It doens't happen. Us getting there on time, not the sex. The sex happened.

8:45-L & Tiff decide to go to the house anyway to drop off things that Steph needed from out of her car.

9:01-Awkward

So here is a formal apology:

Steph, we're sorry about your car, and sorry that you didn't have a magical love palace, but were are excited that you MADE magical love :)

And Here is a formal warning:

In the case that you and Lauren don't make it on time to decorate wherever I will be having sex for the first time...really, its ok. Don't worry about it. Do not knock. Do not pass go. Do Not collect 200 dollars. Just go home. :)

Analyze this...

...in a conversation with Steph this weekend, I bravely admitted that i am a pathological analyst. This has its good points and bad, but in a self analysis, I did something this weekend which confirmed that God loves my strengths and weaknesses.
There was a roach in my bathroom...I'm talking like at least 3 inches. I hate roaches (which is funny because if I had been a foreign Country, this would have been totally different)!!! But I kept the light on and went to get the can of spray. This was at 11:50 p.m. Then I went back and stood there...for an hour. I thought of everyway to get to it...it was on the ledge above my shower in clear sight, mind you. But I thought "ok, If I spray from this angle, it will go to the left. If I come this way it will fly towards me. But I can't just leave it. I can't sleep knowing its running around." There I stood, faced with an insect the size of my finger...I had the tool to kill it...I was in a good position...but I stood there for an hour out of fear. "Fear of what", you may ask? I'm not sure exactly. Fear that it would fly on me and bite me and infect me with its roach venom and I would be immediately paralyzed then it would call its roach friends and they would cover me and and I wouldn't be able to do a thing about it. :)

Please, now that you have a pitiful expression on your face like "Tiffane not only is that sad, but its ridiculous" know that did spray it. I sprayed the crap out of it while saying "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" lol...I'm not even lying.

So it brings me to admittance of this: I am afraid. I'm afraid of losing friends and being alone. I'm afraid of letting people down. I'm afraid of living in Chpley all my life and being the old lady on the corner with the cats (and roaches). But what a means for me to acknowledge my weakness. I don't like losing, I don't like being wrong, I don't like when people watch over my shoulder, I don't like being told what to do. But all of this comes from a fear of being seen as small, insignificant and incompetent. God know this and I think this is why I'm afraid of little things like roaches, so I am constantly reminded that there is nothing I can do on my own. It is only by His strength-which He faithfully gives.

Thank you to all of you who love me inspite of my pride and fear. Especially to Steph who not only listens to my rambling, but usually stays on the phone with me while I kill bugs! :) And to Lauren who got that spider the one time... :) I am blessed to have friends like you.