Back to World of Blogging!

Goodness! Time has sure flown by since my last post back in OCTOBER of last year. I guess planning a wedding, working, and going to school took me away more than I thought. So much has changed since then and I can't wait to share it all with you!

Luke and I were married on May 14th of this year. It was the most perfect day and we were so blessed to have so many of our family and friends there with us. We celebrated our special day on our Alma Mater, King College's, campus. That's where we met, so we felt it appropriate to end one chapter and start the next. God even blessed us with an absolutely beautiful rainbow above the chapel, just minutes before I walked down the aisle. Perfection!

Just nine days before the big day though, I was celebrating another very special day. I was finally getting "pinned" as a BSN nurse. To most of us in the nursing world, our pinning ceremony is not only a rite of passage, but also more important than our actual graduation. It's a special evening just for us and to really focus on our hard work and accomplishments throughout our years in nursing school. It's the evening we wait so impatiently for and then cannot believe how quickly it has arrived.

Each of us with our black dresses or suits, high heels, perfect hair, and a very special little piece of jewelry to commerorate our hard work and dedication to the world of nursing; it meant everything to me. And to top it all off, it was held in the most beautiful and amazing place; our sister church, First Presbyterian Church. It edges the top-end of our campus, crowning King with an even greater presence of Christ as our center. For such a special night and such a memorable moment, it was the perfect place to celebrate what God had blessed each and every one of us with. Unfortunately though, that's where the happiness ends until the wedding.

That evening, as my family and I celebrated at dinner out-on-the-town, I began to feel terrible from head to toe. Luke took me home early while everyone else finished their supper, hoping that it was just a 12-24 hour bug. Nope. Whatever this was took hold and wouldn't release until Sunday morning. I was admitted to the hospital in Bristol that evening, missing both baccalaureate and graduation. It was the most humbling and heartbreaking moment I had had in a very long time. Not only was I missing my moment on stage, but all of my friends and Luke who had worked so hard to become part of a minority group of college graduates. Sweetly and sadly, my mother called just before Luke walked across stage so I could be part of it from the other side of town.

In the weeks following, I've had my moments where I have wondered why I got sick right before the day I had struggled to get to. It hit me just recently the real reason. I wasn't focusing on God; I was focusing on me. I needed to step back and remember how great and mighty the Lord really is, controlling all situations in life. I could have been angry and I was for a while, but then I remembered that I didn't become a nurse for me, I became a nurse for Him. I am His child and His servent. I didn't need thirty seconds on a stage to make me who I am, I needed and always will each and every moment with God.

His love and plans for me are greater than anything I could ever imagine, even if that means I miss a day that I thought was oh-so-important. Yes, it would have been nice to have seen my now-husband walk across that stage and celebrate with all of my friends, but almost immediately after the ceremony was over my room flooded with all of the people I love and adore. It was such a blessing! To each of you that called, came by, sent flowers, cards and gifts... THANK YOU!!! I love you all!

Since then I have been 100% healthy and have been cleared by my physician. The final diagnosis was "infection and increased white blood cell count of unknown origin, related to extreme amounts of stress"... otherwise known as "a wake-up call to slow down". It's never been something I've been good at, but I'm learning each and every day to slow down and let God lead. Nothing is ever successful unless God is in control; believe me I know.

On June 1st Luke and I, along with our parents and new puppy Lilly, made the ten hour journey to Oxford, Mississippi. Boy were we in for a surprise! HOT HOT HOT is the temperature down here and with little relief. We've had some good storms, but not enough to keep us out of the high 90's and 100's. Our parent's left just a few days after getting us settled in and talk about difficult to say "goodbye". I think I cried for a week straight, but since then have become accustom to the distance and no longer take for granted to phone calls and conversations we have with one another.

We truly love it here in Oxford and hope to make this our permanent home. We have found an amazing church, have met some amazing Christian friends, and are excited about the adventures to come within our lives. Luke starts law school at Ole Miss next week and football season is just around the corner. So many fun times are ahead of us and we can't wait to share our stories more with each of you. For now, I will end my extremely lengthy post and pray that each of you have a safe and blessed day!

Fall is here!!!

Fall is FINALLY here! It seems like the past couple of years have been only 3, if not 2, seasons instead of 4. Don't get me wrong I love looking at the clean white snow, but heavens it's such a mess and I absolutely HATE driving in it. Spring is pretty good and summer just becomes unbearably hot. Fall is just right. The days are cooler and sweaters can be worn, besides pumpkins and corn mazes galore. Ohhh and did I forget to the mention... The Apple Festival!!! To some in town it's considered the "World's Largest Flea Market", but to me it means my year is nearly complete. The yummy foods and different crafts, as well as getting to run into long lost friends from years past.

This year will be Luke's first Apple Festival. I would like to make it a family tradition to try and make it every year. I want our future children to have fond memories of visiting their "Mimi" every fall and to learn how to enjoy the simpler pleasures in life like high school football games and Grace United Methodist Church's VERY famous friend apple pies. I am such a nerd when it comes to tradition and making things memorable. Luke and I are both big on being God and family centered. It's very important to both of us that these are the main focuses of our lives, with work, school, etc. to follow. Although fighting the crowds, paying waaay too much for a funnel cake or hot dog, and feeling like you've been mauled by a million strollers seems a bit ridiculous, it's about the time spent together and appreciating that we are able to have such a thing as the Apple Festival.

Updates...

Well hello there to those of you who follow, read, browse, whatever! It's been nearly 6 weeks since my last post, but I am here to reassure all is well and that we are doing fine. School started at the end of August and it's been nonstop since then. Luke has been studying every chance he gets for the LSAT (2 weeks from tomorrow) and I just started back to work (sprained shoulder). The past month has been quite eventful and has shown us how strong we really are. We've dealt with everything from budgets to bouquets and everything in between.

It's super hard to try and plan what your house/apartment is going to look like when you have no clue where you will be living. That's probably been one of our hardest challenges lately is not knowing exactly where we're going. Because some of the schools Luke has chosen to apply to don't start looking at applications until AFTER Christmas break, we're looking at having a decision by March. Not knowing where you will be living and what all you need is definitely nerve wracking. I am such a planner and organizer, so to let this go is quite the challenge for me.

I've started back to work and am working a good share of weekends within a month. I could complain and say "This isn't fair, I have no life." but I 1. Need the money and 2. Am grateful I still have a job. So many people today are without work and I am so very blessed to be able to still work and care for those who need it. Nursing school is by no means easy and it's very taxing on your mental, physical, and emotional health (not to mention that of your loved ones), but the reward is so much greater. Just knowing that I could have made some sort of slight difference in one person's life today means the world to me.

The wedding plans are in full swing with 3 of my 6 bridesmaids having ordered their dresses, the location for the wedding and reception set, florist booked and flowers picked, menu decided on, DJ booked, photographer done, and all respective parties up-to-date on activities and events. Luke and I have also started premarital counseling with my minister who will be performing the ceremony. Shew, planning this has been quite a job. I'm trying to stay positive and remember it's just one day and I need to focus on the marriage as a whole. I couldn't do it without Luke, my mom, MOH's, or my friends who want to be part of this crazy and stress filled endeavour. They keep me grounded and sane, with very few and minor meltdowns. It won't be perfect and things will go wrong along the way, but in the end I get to marry my best friend with all of those who love us the most to share in the day.

I am going to try desperately to keep a better regimen of updating the blog and eventually I will add pictures of different things we've done lately. I do ask a favor though to those of you who read our blog... PRAY!!! We need your prayers for strength, courage, stability, and the ABILITY to let go and let God. His plan is so great and so wonderful, but the times in which we are overwhelmed, stressed, and just "done" we need to remember that God does not falter with His promise to guide and provide as long as we allow Him to. Until next time, God bless :)

The Countdown

Above is one of my favorite engagement photos of us on the "Oval". The Oval is the heart of King College. Everyone, no matter what, has to pass through the Oval at least once a day. Basically it's just a grassy area in the shape of an... oval :) It's surrounded by an old brick sidewalk and all but a few of buildings on campus. Basically just doesn't cover the Oval though. It's a place of memories. It's a place of tradition. It's a place that represents our beginning and our end at King. We begin our journey there by walking around the oval to the opening convocation freshman year and end it on graduation day by, again, making one last trip around it. The oval is even where we will walk across to our reception next May after we say "I do". It's basically.... everything.

Anyways, this is my 5th year and Luke's 6th. As we like to say all the time, "life has never gone normal for us, so why start now?". I had my accident last fall and Luke at one point needed a short break from school. No matter the time line though, this is where we have ended up. It's a bittersweet time for us. King has become my home, I've lived on campus 4 out of my 5 years and have become close to so many students, professors, and staff. It's my safteynet, my bubble. For Luke, I feel that this has become a place of success for him. He has found his groove and has become very well respected within his major by students and faculty alike. We both love King and it will definitely be difficult to leave.

But believe me when I say, "This year I AM READY to graduate!". Of course I have the natural feelings of anxiety and fear, still I'm ready. We're ready. Change is a big deal, especially when so many changes are happening at once. Where went the days of endless trips to the pool and explorations out in the backyard? When did we have to start making schedules with enough time alotted for each other, our families, friends, and of course school and work. It baffles me how quickly time has gone by and that those days are loooong gone. Looking ahead though, I am very excited.

Less than 9 months from now I will have my BSN and.... in 9 months, 1 day, 16 hours, and 11 minutes (I'm pathetic, I know) I will be somebody's wife. My name will have changed, as well as my role, responsibilities, and priorities. Now I feel as though I'm already starting to change those things, but by next May it will be for real. Forever. Ohhh how excited I am! Somedays the changes are still pretty surreal. There are other days though, where I am completely freaked out and once school starts it's just going to go by that much faster. So next May when we walk across the oval one last time, I hope that we can look back years from now, cherishing the wonderful memories we've made throughout our time at ol' KC and thanking God that we were able to do it together. What blessings!!!

Yours, Mine.... Ours?!

Have you ever watched a TV show or seen a movie in which the man was the "bread winner" and the woman stayed at home, barefoot and pregnant? Ugh, it KILLS me! As our last year at King begins, we are also gearing up for the "big move". We won't be sure where we will be moving to until about March, but we can always get a head start on stuff. Beyond the cleaning out of closets and under our beds, digging through the now seemingly ancient toys and yearbooks, we have the issue of money.

When does money stop being his or hers and becomes theirs, or in this case, ours? First, we needed to be completely honest with one another about our spending habits, what/if we owe anything and what we see our financial priorities as being. Obviously, credit cards (they're evil, don't even bother getting into that mess!), student loans, car payments, and cell phone plans were at the top of the list. Also, we have been monitoring how much we go out and noticing where we spend the most money. Food, food, and food. Seriously, the cost of going out to eat is absolutely ridiculous some days! With all of that weighing on decisions about future housing, transportation, and grad school looming ahead, we've made some decisions.

1. Pay off all debts A.S.A.P. - Obviously there are only so many hours in a day and so many days a week a person can work, but the sooner unsecured and then secured debts are paid off the better.

2. Save, save, and SAVE!!! - Although the goal is to be debt free as soon as we can, we also need a "Rainy Day" fund. This, for us, is more about a deposit on a housing rental, setting up cable, internet, utilities, etc., as well as moving expenses. There are only two adults and currently one dog making the trip, but we still have LOTS of stuff haha.

3. Honesty is the best policy, always. - It took me nearly 7 months to tell Luke that I had a pretty good amount of unsecured credit card debt. Nothing horrible, but enough to put a little pressure on someone. Being honest about what we have, what we need to pay, and what we have afterward is the best way of communicating when dealing with finances. Any big purchases are now discussed beforehand, let alone the daily things that come along. Being honest with your spouse (or soon-to-be) about your finances can definitely save lots of arguing, heartache, and money troubles down the road. Trust me.

4. It's who that wears the pants??? - Ha! This goes back to my opening statement of the man in the movies earning the income, while the wife stays at home doing everything a "good little housewife" should. Please! Luke and I take pride in being equal partners. He helps me with dishes and laundry when he can, but I'd rather do it if he'll mow the yard ;) Also, I will be working while he is in law school and he will be working when I go back for my MSN. Give and take people, give and take. It's about talking, listening, and being able to understand AND accept that at different times throughout your lives, you will in fact, be giving more than receiving and visa versa. It's about finding the balance between being a strong, stable couple and still retaining your sense of independence. No one said marriage would be a piece of cake, but as we are starting to discover, it's going to be an amazing adventure we get to take together.

5. Do Not Worry - "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:6 This passage from the book of Matthew is one of my all-time favorites. I AM THE ULTIMATE WORRIER!!! It's a horrible trait, but it's what God gave me so I deal with it as best as I can. Worrying, stressing, letting your head spin round and round will do nothing but push you further into an oblivion. In my opinion, have faith. Simple as that, yet it is sometimes so hard to do. Have faith, trust in the Lord and know that things may not always be smooth and there will be some bumps along the way, but His plan is in the works and all we need to do is follow.

Sometimes in life I feel as though I need a self-help book, but then maybe I could possibly write one hahaha!

The Delicate Balancing Act of Families

Over the past almost 8 months Luke and I have grown accustom to sharing our free time with not only each other and our friends, but our families as well. It's become almost like a custody situation in which we are always saying "Okay, now who's weekend is this?". Ha! It's sad, but not. We love our families and we love getting to spend time with them.

Next summer it's just going to be us. We will be who knows where and possibly no closer than 2 hours to the nearest family member. It's such an exciting time, but it's also very stressful and scary. Like I said in an earlier post, we both cried after watching Toy Story 3.... of course with good reason. This was a movie that came out when were still considered kids and it was a pretty big part of our growing up experiences. Today kids have Hannah Montana, Wow Wow Wubzy.... whatever they watch and obsess over, it's like how Toy Story and Rugrats were to us.

It defined our moving into adulthood in such a permanent kind of way. The realization of our childhoods being long gone was this huge wake up call and it definitely caught our attention. I'm sure to some this post will seem silly and somewhat immature, but for two people who are super close to their families and have never known anything but "home" it's hard. Of course all families have their ups and downs and can possibly not always get along, but I feel strongly that I can speak for both Luke and myself in saying that we couldn't do half of what we've done without ours.

3D Glasses and an Empty Wallet

Last Friday Luke and I decided enough was enough and we were going on a date. We've been trying really hard to cut back on how much we go out and keep our money towards just bills and savings. Has anyone ever mentioned how expensive it is to get married AND move?!? My heavens! Anyways, I had been BEGGING to see Toy Story 3 and we headed that way after dinner at Logan's. Little did we know that we were in for quite the pricey evening.

Toy Story was only being shown in 3D, so of course 3D glasses were necessary. As we ordered our tickets and the girl asked for our money, my mouth hit the ground. $24... yes $24 dollars for two adults to see a movie. I couldn't believe it! Now obviously they have to make some sort of profit off of these specialty showings, but apparently I've been living under a rock and hadn't realized how expensive it was to go to a movie these days. I told Luke that I'll be working overtime just to save up for having kids. I can't even imagine what it costs with kids!!!

The movie was great and at one point we both cried. He'll kill me when he see this, hehehe. It was a great ending to a movie series that came out when we were both "kids". Can you believe that the first Toy Story came out when I was 8? I will be 22 this month! I. Am. Getting. Old. Ha! And as for our so-called lack of dates, we have become creative with our time together. We have definitely rediscovered movies and popcorn at home... and maybe some extra melted butter ;)