Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Irony: here's the definition - MY LIFE!

So....
about ONE YEAR ago.... I started this thing called "blogging".  I had NO idea what I was getting into - but I love to write and vent and someone shared this site with me.  I slowly started reading and following and then ultimately GAINING followers.  How COOL!
Before I knew it - I was addicted.

Here's the irony.
When I started blogging - I was in a weird place in life.  Kinda drifting around you could say. 
Dreams....
Ideas....
but nothing in stone.  Nothing concrete.
Nothing BLACK or WHITE.
Therefore my blog title - Every Day in GRAY!!!!   Not gray like sad... but gray like I was trying to figure out what was black and white in my life.
What I wanted.....with no gray area.
The gray was driving me crazy.

ONE YEAR later......
here I sit.....after blog after blog after blog about "love" and what I was looking for - I found it!!!  It was right under my nose and I didn't even see it.
Career.  YUP.  CHANGE!!!!!  Quit my job and went back to school
My career of choice......
ULTRASOUND!!!

READY for the irony.........
guess what ultrasound consists of!
Sitting in front of a screen, scanning the inside of patients and looking at  .......
nothing else but.....
..................
..........

A GRAY SCREEN!!!!!!!!!  ha ha ha
it's called "gray" scale!!!!!

And guess what.......
it's HARD as you know what - but I am SOOOOOo in love with what I'm doing!!!!!!

Check this out.......
Look at this.......
Do you know what THAT is???????
huh
huh
huh????
DO YA?????/
it's a liver!
and a gallbladder
and hepatics and a portal vein!
YUP - I CAN see that!!!




Everyone can see this........
It's a BABY!!!!!
look at that CUTE little face!!!!!
a little baby!
But I can measure it's head and abdomen and tell you if the kidneys have formed and see it's little heart beat...  all FOUR chambers!!!

Yes - there are days when I want to pull my hair out and it's sooooooo overwhelming
and YES - it's ALL GRAY!!!!!!!!!

BUT I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

God - you are a funny little thing aren't you?!!!!!

smack me in my face!!!  ha ha

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Ohhhh - How I have missed thee!

Hello blog world.
ohhhhh how I have missed you!!!
I have SOOOOO much to share!!!

Rehearsal pictures.... (story and pictures LATER)
wedding is done - I'm MARRIED - I will have pictures!!  (for another blog!)
(AND - I REEEEEEEALLY need to vent! ha)

SO today - I just had a thought....
I shared this quote {MY quote} on facebook and thought I would take a moment to share and vent a little.

I'm trying VERY hard to remain positive...
life is good
life is changing...
it's scary - but GOOD
but MOSTLY - it's HARD!!

"When nothing else is going right and it feels like ur world is crashing around you, always remember God will find a way to remind you he is still taking care of you! Don't blink, you just might miss it!!"

WHY is it that I try so hard to focus on each day and the POSITIVE in my life - but it seems circumstances and people around me keep draggin me down????
I just got married right?!
Wedding bliss.....newlyweds..  all the FUN of a new life came flooding in on me!
I couldn't wait to start that new life.


Just to be honest....
first week of marriage....
not all it's cracked up to be!!!!


DONT get me wrong.
I LOOOOOVE T and I'm soooooo glad the wedding has come and gone and we are now in the "happily ever after" - but WOW
it's just harder than I expected.


I'm not going to go into GREAT detail - just needed to vent a little.
I'm the glass half full girl.  I look at the positive - and maybe I do look at life through "rose colored glasses"

but....I am HAPPY!
I CHOOSE to be happy!
It IS a choice!!!!
and I guess for a while I just wanted to bask in the JOY of finally finding the love of my life.  Finally signing that piece of paper... finally being able to say I have a partner for life and he's my BEST friend.  
Yeah school is hard (another story for another blog)
yeah - money is gonna be tight.
I'm not stupid.
I'm not naive... I KNOW these things.

BUT don't you understand that a GREAT thing has just happened in my life.

NO - we don't have time or money for a honeymoon - but can't we just LIVE like a honeymoon for a while??


NOPE
real life is this:
gotta get everyone moved in and settled in and a schedule made and bills paid and a budget made.


SHUT  UP LIFE!

Let me live in my fantasy world for just a short while....


Anyway - just wanted everyone to know that I'm still alive, I am finally married and put THAT stress behind me- yeah school started and life is stressful - but I'm hoping to NOW be back to some sort of normal blog schedule again.
I'm missing my bloggy buddies.......  (and ur comments and support!)


MUAHHHHHHH

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Please allow me a multitude of "what if's"

So T made a comment to me the other day... innocently... jokingly... but it has brought on a whirlwind of emotion and more specifically .... a BIT of a freak out!!!!
{{is this what they refer to as cold feet??}

Now don't get me wrong - I'm totally in love and I'm not second guessing at all what we are doing and where we are going...
I LOVE T with all my heart and I can't WAIT to spend the rest of my life with him....

{{I still have moments when I can't believe that someone ACTUALLY loves me THAT much!}}

BUT
the other day he said   "I can't believe you said that you've waited all your life to get married"
and like a ton of bricks....
all the upcoming CHANGE washed over me like a monsoon!

Let me re-introduce myself.  ha ha  (for those of you who don't KNOW me personally)
I have been on my own for a long time.......it's been me and Zack... for 15 years!!!
I'm in charge.
It's my way....
(I'm kinda.... a little... selfish... shhhhhhhhhhh)
I make decisions and have no one to answer to...
Saturday - that will come to an end.

Life as we know it will CHANGE.

So I was surrounded with thoughts of.......
WHAT IF I can't do it?
WHAT IF I suck as a wife?
WHAT IF I suck as a step mom?
WHAT IF I suck at sharing?
WHAT IF I suck at compromising?
WHAT IF he doesn't love me enough?
WHAT IF he CAN'T love me enough?
WHAT IF I do everything wrong?
WHAT IF I break?
WHAT IF I break HIM?
What if......I only know how to BE single?

WHAT IF I have waited my whole life to be married.... to be a wife..... to have a husband that I love with everything I have.... WHAT IF I have waited my WHOLE life for this and I blow it???????

I know life has ups and downs.
I know that even as a "single girl" life has those mountains and valleys
But as a wife, someone else's happiness is in my hands too.

WHAT IF I don't know how to do everything right?

I know that no one KNOWS how to do everything right...
but I guess I'm just scared of letting someone else down...

I'm not having freak out moments about WHAT I'm doing.
I'm marrying the man of my dreams....... my everything!!!

I'm MORE having a little freak out about whether or not I can be and do all I need to be and do!

I'll be fine in the end.... I just always worry about letting someone else down.....

I just want everyone...... Preacher T, Z, the girls... to be JUST as happy as I am.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

5.....4.......3.....2...1

HOLY COW - I can NOT believe how fast things are slipping up on me!!!!!!!

Baby Z started back to school today...
I start ultrasound classes in 12 days...
Wedding is in 17 days...

Engagement pics are done - so I thought I would take a minute to share some of those with ya!
still a million little things to take care of...
music cd's
finalize the food menu
finalize the flower order
I don't even have my jewelry yet
still have bridesmaid gifts to purchase
blah blah blah.........

but in the meantime......
check these out from my AWESOME photographer friend.... Morgan Marie


Bachelorette party SATURDAY!!!!!!!
MORE pics to come from then........

NOW...............
I gotta go get busy!!!!!!

Wedding - Saturday, August 21 - 6:00 PM...  at Plum Springs Baptist Church

All of our friends and family are welcome  :)

Friday, July 16, 2010

When I jumped - I landed flat on my face...

Is it Monday?!!??

So far today - I feel as though I've struck out.
Beating my OWN head against the wall.
Some days are more frugal than others and today is not one of them.

Some days I feel like God is holding my hand and taking me down a path
and some days I feel like I just smashed a wall.

Some days I feel like people get me
and some days I feel like EVERYONE thinks I have lost my mind.

Some days I feel as though I'm making good decisions
and some days - I feel like EVERYTHING I do is questioned and not enough.

It seems as though no matter how HARD I try to do the right thing and think and plan ahead, it's just NEVER enough.  Someone tells me I'm irresponsible, someone tells me I'm wrong, someone looks at me like I'm stupid, someone has a "better idea"...

BACK OFF!

I'm over it.

how about this?
if it gets done, it gets done
and if it doesn't - WHY the crap should I care?????
no one else does until it's too late!!!!!

today = EPIC FAIL.
Good thing it's Friday.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

gave up the ghost.... I'm gonna JUMP!



Sometimes...
you just have to take the leap and build your wings on the way down.




Kobi Yamada



You know how you go through life and you take little small "leaps of faith" here and there.

Well - effective today - (actually I've been leading up to this for a while...)
anyway - effective today - I'm taking like FOURTEEN leaps of faith all at one time!

Yes that's right.
Throwing caution to the wind...
completely 100% putting my life and world in God's hands.

NOT that I don't do that every day...
but do you ever come to a point where a decision needs to be made... and then another one... and then another one???

You see... I'm not a patient person.  I'm just not.
I have prayed for patience... begged for it actually.  I want to know the answer before you ask the question.  Waiting games just drive me INSANE.

{I think back to when I started this blog.....every day in GRAY... the unknown.  I hate it.  Black and White.  That's what I like.  Right or wrong.  Yes or No.  Go or stay.....  none of this wishy washy depending on others what if's crap.  Well - after over almost a YEAR of blogging....I have learned....  the gray is where we GROW!!!}

So - here I am - jumping WIDE OPEN into all kinds of Gray!!!  and while there are and still will be times when I'm scared and I freak out (thank goodness for T!)  most of the time, I TRUST that God has a plan for me and he puts me in situations where I learn, and grow, and witness and become a better person.

SO - I stop asking questions and I thank God for holding me in his hands.

As most of you know - I am getting married in ...... approximately 5 weeks now.....  LEAP of faith!  ;-)
I love T - I know that.  and I KNOW he loves me.  That isn't the leap.  THIS is a whole new life for me.  Sharing.  Loving.  Making decisions for a family, not JUST me & Z anymore.  Living with another person.  Learning another person......
LEAP.

I start school in approximately 4 weeks now.  This is not night classes part time when I can squeeze them in.  I have done that for years.  Heck - that's how I got my degree from Western.  No No... this is FULL TIME 8 AM - 3:30 PM  Monday - Friday real life "going back to school."  Add on top of that clinicals in several different locations at different times, different days.  THIS is a full time commitment.

Do you remember that I work FULL TIME people.
I have a mortgage, I have a vehicle, I have bills, I have to eat, we need gas.....
Going to school full time, does NOT pay the bills.
So remember not too long ago - I got a second job.

well........turns out - no matter HOW superhuman I think I am..... there aren't physically enough hours in the day to do EVERYTHING.  {shrugs...}  Who knew?!!

So - once I got accepted into school (remember that?) - I tendered a resignation at my full time job.  Knowing I would be in school full time, I knew there was no way I could be in two places at one time.  HOWEVER, because I have been at my current job for YEARS and I have the best boss in the world - we have talked and talked and talked about how in the world I could possibly go to school and somehow maintain my position in my job.  No matter how much we have talked and thought and worked and brainstormed.... it just isn't possible.

So today.... I gave up the ghost.

Although I gave notice long ago.... today was sort of a ton of bricks for me.  I don't know why today - of all days it hit me. 
But it did.
I have resigned from a full time job.... to go to school FULL TIME instead.
and work part time at my second job as my full time means of income......

OH Lordy Lordy Lordy....... what have I done?!

I'll tell ya........

I JUMPED.
I took a leap of faith..... (wonder if T wanted to take that jump straight from the alter!  ha ha)
I'm kidding.
He has been nothing but supportive.

I know (as does my T!) - that God would not have opened the doors he has opened and put me in places he has put me, if he didn't KNOW that me and my new family will be just fine.   He will hold us in his hand where he always keeps me.

So......... here.........we ........... GOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

and  once again - so sorry I have been SOOOO absent from the blog world.
Been planning a wedding, planning for school, planning for new members in the house, working two jobs, ohhhhh - and did I mention - PLANNING A WEDDING...ha ha
Things are going well.....
Life is good
and as I jump through life from cliff to cliff - Life couldn't be any better and I couldn't be any HAPPIER!!!!!!

PS - I don't know if you follow Scope or not - but I have been reading about he and Cora's wedding and I am soooooooooooo excited!
Stop by and tell them Congrats!!!!!
Both of them share pre-wedding and wedding stories that are sooo touching and sweet - AND freaking HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!
Go now.....
go on...

I'll be back.....
hopefully more frequently.....

I have engagement pictures to share and a FUNNY FUNNNNNNY FUNNNNNY {a little private} story to share on myself........  I'm still debating on whether or not I WANT people to know this!!!!  But I can assure you - every time T and I look at our engagement pics - we will have a nice "PRIVATE" laugh!  LMAO!

Friday, July 2, 2010

just another little wedding update...

with some sneak peaks......
and a Rated "R" clip!  ha ha


Wedding update (other than I'm BEAT!):
**sneak peak pictures included!!
*note:  planning a wedding in 8 weeks..... while working full time, working part time and getting ready to start school.......HIGHLY NOT RECOMMENDED!  ha ha


Church - check

Reception venue - check

Minister - check (no... it's not Billy Gibbons...)

Music selected.......and no - I'm not walking down the aisle to "here comes the bride" or the "bridal march" - sooooooooo NOT me!  ;-)
**hint hint**

Colors - selected  - check

MY dress - purchased, been in for alternations - will be ready to pick up July 21st  (NO peaking on that one!)

MY shoes - purchased - they freaking ROCK!!!!!!  The pink is a better picture - but I got them in blue... harder to see that pic so I put both on here.

Bridesmaid dresses - ALL ordered (except one......will be in August 9th - we hope!)

Bridesmaid shoes - selected  (Here's a picture of the concept - not the same dresses - but the color scheme - you get the idea!!  how FUN!!!!!!!!!!)  *Thanks to Todd Pellowe for the pic*

Engagement ring sent off for sizing - will have back July 8th.

Photographer booked!

Engagement pictures scheduled  (what to wear ... what to wear?!)

Parents are all meeting Sunday!!!!

Going to register Sunday night.  (Shower dates are set!)

Guest list complete

Invitations (ALMOST) complete - I have all the supplies - need to finish putting together and address envelopes!

Flower list is in progress - but my "flower man" is signed on to decorate and make all bouquets etc.  And he's AWESOME!!!!!!  (here's the "concept" my bouquet will be based on - but with hydrangea, gerberas, roses, callas... and bells of ireland... and FEATHERS!)


What else What else.........What else am I missing?

DJ is in the works for the reception - but we do have BRENNAN GRAVES - The Legend - coming to play accoustic for us!

What are the men wearing???????  ummmmmmm....... no idea!  Black tuxes?  with....???  Lord only knows?!  That part is up to T and that scares me a little - ha ha!

BUT the BEST part of it all is................
I'M ON VACATION NEXT WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not going ANYWHERE......
just going to RELAX
and plan to be POOLSIDE - EVERY day next week!

Z will be home... we will go swimming.  My girls are scheduling random times off during the week to hang with me and I can't think of a better way to spend my "Vacation" than relaxing with everyone I love!

That's it.
Sorry I've been so ABSENT from blogger world........but life is crazy.
Not just wedding stuff either.......
There are A LOT of changes going on in my life.......
some I will share later, but it's ALL kinda scary at one time.

you know you have to take Leaps of Faith in life........Well - I'm taking about SEVEN at one time.
just sayin.......

For all you girls out there - especially YOU HOLLY - share thoughts... ideas.... suggestions on the wedding planning.
I'm all ears!  :)

Hope everyone has a GREAT 4th!!!!!!!