Sunday, December 14, 2008

Thankful

Thank you. I know I hear it all the time...but does it really sink in? Do I really mean it when I say it? And do I really-truly realize how much I have to be thankful for....

Tonight I had the most uplifting experience I have had in weeks, months, maybe in even several years....I think the Lord is tugging on my heart....wanting me to realize how much he has done for me...and he deserves much more thanks than I can ever give. The church puts on a concert series each year for Christmas - every Sunday night in December there is a different program...and this is the first one I have been able to attend in several years since moving away. It was awesome...amazing...indescribable....there are no words...

I am so thankful to have a family that has always been there, for parents that have taken me to church, taught me right from wrong, and who truly love me no matter how many times I disappoint them. I cannot say enough about how amazing they are..each and every family member in their own way...

Nate graduated this weekend (and if THAT isn't something to be thankful for I dont know WHAT is! :) ) these past few months have been such a period of adjustment for us both, same city, completely different schedules, planning a wedding, finishing an internship, working a new job, trying to make ends meet, and wondering if we will ever get to that next phase....and through it all there has been unconditional love....how amazing...to know that no matter what we go through, no matter how bleak the situation looks, no matter how frusterating it gets...to know that someone is right beside me...going through life with me...every step of the way..no matter how back of an attitude I get, no matter how many tears I cry, no matter how bad I just want to scream....somehow he is always there..chugging along...encouraging me to be better...do better...and just be me. I hope that he knows just how much he means to me...I hope that somehow I can explain to him just how truly thankful I am that he looked my way.

I have a job. I have a job that I hate. But I have a job. I have a job that pays my bills..not much else...but it I have a job...I have a job that I should be thankful for, but instead I would rather gripe. I have chosen to see the worst in the situation, instead of the fact that the Lord has provided every single one of my needs since I have been in Jacksonville. What a humbling thought...there are thousands of people everyday being laid off, and I have not been one of them. (yet) I should be so grateful, I have set it in my mind, from now foward, until the Lord decides to move me one way or the other...to be thankful where I am at...to choose happiness over misery...to make the best out of a situation that I feel is hopeless...and to trust God no matter what.
He will provide my needs in HIS timing.

Nate and I have chosen to sponsor a child through Compassion International -Sena Beka from Etheopia. It never ceases to amaze me how a little tiny child in a third world country is so thankful...for the smallest of things. Nate and I met on a mission trip, and have always felt like the Lord wanted us somewhere doing something - but we haven't found that open door, we aren't sure where and when he will call - but we are both ready. Today in the morning service we laid our "yes" on the alter..so that whenever, wherever, whoever....we will go. It's so easy to forget how much we have to be thankful for....and seeing the faces of those little children who have NOTHING, nothing to eat, nothing to wear, nothing to sleep on....yet they are thankful for the smallest of things...for a bowl of rice that I would turn my nose up to, for a bed of straw that I would say was itchy, for a school made of mud and sticks that I would think was hot and dirty....
Shame on me. Shame on me for not realizing what I have. Shame on me for always wanting more. Shame on me for not thanking God everyday for the blessings he has given me...

So THANK YOU Jesus...for being so merciful....for seeing me like no one else sees me - despite my every failure...for giving me more than I deserve....for loving me unconditionally and for blessing me beyond measure. Thank YOU Jesus.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Just Thinking

So writing has become a way for me to think outloud, and trick myself into believing that I have gotten something off my chest when I have no one to talk to and too much to say. I used to talk to Tyce but now that he is in doggie heaven I feel a little wierd..praying to a dog so to speak...So instead of praying to a dog, or talking to myself, or calling someone, I write my feelings out and shoot them into cyberspace....total nerd I know.

So, I know everyone has felt this way before: Should I say something, or just keep my mouth shut? Will I be better off, or will it just make things worse? If I pretend I don't know, will it go away, or will it come back to bite me in the bum?
Since I really wasn't SUPPOSED to know in the first place, I just happened to found out, is it really something I should stress over?

So you may have felt that way, but what do you do? I'm am in a situation at work and I am feeling confused, mixed up, hurt, angry, sad, bitter, defensive, betrayed...and so many more things...all because of something I SHOULDN'T have found out..but I did...and now I don't know what to do.

I feel like I will eventually say something, even if it does come back to haunt me, just because I have never been one to keep anything inside for too long...and at this point, I feel like nothing I do can make the situation any worse than it already is...

Anyway, this is one of those posts that if anyone actually reads they will scratch their heads and say :oh my she has really lost it now: but I guess I just need to write it out...not that it helped this time...I am not closer to knowing what I SHOULD do than before I started typing.

Everything else in life is happening so fast it makes me wonder where the time goes...I hear it only gets worse from here.....

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

I Cook and He Cleans







So the title pretty much speaks for itself huh....oh if only it always worked this way! :)

I have grown to LOVE cooking - even more than before - because there is someone to help me eat it :) There is something about cooking for just yourself, and then having a stack of dishes, that makes that lean cuisine in the freezer look all the more appealing!

Thankfully Nate has adopted quite nicely to homecooked meals (including losing 12 lbs - oh if only it was that easy for all of us)...but what I have to work on is....if I cook...and WE eat...you have to at least HELP clean... but tonight was different....he volunteered to clean...partially because he wanted the meat cooked on the :George: instead of panfried - and I was VERY firm about not cleaning that grill - (I love cooking on it - but I HATE cleaning it) ... anyway ...I think I might have to start striking up a deal like this EVERY day before the pots come out to be cooked in :)

Anyway, We got our engagement pictures back today (the second set) and I LOVE them!!!!!!!! I will post some more once I get the CD with all of them!

For now, I am happy...nate is here at least for another hour, and we are fixin' to settle in for an episode of CSI "our show".

Anyway, so I have a couple of prayer requests as of lately.....for my job ( which I will spare you all the details ) , that Nate can find another job until he is promoted to full time at UPS, for the next 5 weeks to pass by quickly, but not TOO quickly, that I get all the last minute things done, and that everything will just fall into place...which I know it will but you know..its my job to worry about it! :)

Anyway, I will update again soon - this whole blogging thing has become somewhat of a stress reliever for me.. and I'm starting to think it might have to become a daily thing.... oh boy.. :)

NightNight!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Bla Bla Bla

This might just be a bunch of random ramblings but here it goes...

I ordered three of the last fewthings for the wedding (sand vases, veil, cake topper) and here is the outcome. Caketopper - CHECK. It came in three days and is exactly what I wanted. Great start right?
Wrong. I get a letter from the veil company...I'm sorry - we no longer carry that veil in the color you wanted ( something in between white and ivory) you may order white or ivory.....boo..if I wanted white or ivory, I probably wouldnt be ordering a veil you goober. Oh well, its just one more thing to put back on my list of things to do that seems to keep getting longer instead of shorter.
THEN I am thrilled to see that the vases for the sand ceremony came in (right on time) only to find that three of the four things are cracked...(somehow this doesnt surprise me one bit because Nate says that at UPS if a package says "fragile" those are the ones they throw, drop on purpose, and play football with in the hub....maybe I shouldn't write that)...but none the less despite the neon orange :fragile - handle with care: sticker....they are cracked....THEN I go to make a phone call to the company's customer service center to see what my options are...only to find that the customer service number is fake...it tells you to email the company - they only coorospond via the internet....
wow...sketchy or what? I guess this is what I get for trying to save a few dollars by ordering online and price comparing for a month before purchasing. Way to go bargain hunter...you saved approximately $12 and gain another headache, you will wait 3 more weeks IF they will replace them and IF they will get here in time...oh well... :) What can you do.

Nate has been so great through everything...job, wedding plans, emotional breakdowns, mental exhaustion, trying to be an overachiever when there is barely time to achieve let alone OVERachieve....all the while, he is grinning, bearing it, telling me he loves me and it will all be okay...even when I am crying hysterically...no it will not...there's a crack in my vase and I hate my job and I didn't work out today and I have a migraine and I dont know when I have time to breathe and there are 700 things to do and blablablabla...it never ends...

But thankfully - its almost over and honeymoon is about to begin...maybe then I will get some relief...errr...relaxation from all these happenings :)

I have placed a picture of the cabin in TN where we will be staying for a week on both my home and work computer - to remind myself that if I can just make it to Jan 17th at 5:30 when the reception is over and I can breath, no longer worrying about who is happy with my plans - when I have a week away from work to clear my head - and when I can finally start my life long slumber party with the man who makes me smile even when it seems like nothing is going right....

If I can JUST make it until then...life may not always be easy, and it may not always be fun...but I will be RIGHT where I want to be...curled up away from everything but HIM for a whole week....sounds like bliss to me...

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Wedding Bells are Ringing!


WOW! It has been so long since I have updated and BOY how have things changed!!
I am getting married in 7 weeks!! AHH! Nathan and I have opted to have a small family wedding with only a few close friends...hopefully this will keep my nerves down, and make it a day we will be able to enjoy and remember forever!

Between now and then there isn't a SINGLE weekend where there isn't SOMETHING to do! Thanksgiving, showers, more engagement pictures, Nate's Graduation, Christmas, New Years, bachelorette weekend and then BOOM - WEDDING!

Nate has been so helpful and completely wonderful through everything the past couple of months...I have started a new job (which I have grown to ...ummm....shall we say "dislike")....we got a dog..then had to give him away...(that seemed like the worst week of my life)....and then on top of it all - we are making decisions everyday and trying to keep two families happy throughout it all...THANK GOODNESS Nate is alot less emotional then me - or we both would have to be locked in a padded room somewhere!

Nate is still finishing up his internship, and looking for another partime job until UPS takes him fulltime...and I am praying with all my heart that is sooner than later! My little apartment is still just as wonderful as before - I have finally put pictures on the wall, added a new bookshelf, and this weekend we bought a dresser so that Nate can start moving some stuff in when we have time...(THAT is SOOO wierd!)

Anyway, I just wanted to write a little note to catch you all up, (not that anyone reads this too much) :) Hope everyone has a FABULOUS thanksgiving...and cross your fingers that I will still be able to fit in my dress when it comes in after all these holiday treats!!

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

The past couple of days....





okay okay - I know what you are thinking...that we are sooo caught up in engaged bliss that we forgot all about you guys at home......
ha...I wish...well...I mean not that we arent in engaged bliss...but that we had internet access....the last place we stayed was okay as far as amenities...and thank goodness for A/C (its in the upper 90s here in italy) - but it was about $10 for 45 minutes of Internet...so sorry yall - we had no intentions of updating you! :)

anyway! Im going to let Nate fill you in on the past couple of days - hes a little better at being brief than I am - and hopefully you will get the jist :) so! here he is!

oh yes - one thing I forgot to say about Germany - we went on the autobahn - something I think mom and i would be very much at home on ....on a daily basis - it really is as completely insane as you would imagine - and the 100 min for the fast lane speaks for itself! :) that is all - here is nathan - my fiiiiiaaaannnnnnccccceeeee!! :)


Italy... well.. it is HOTTT!!!! And that says a lot with me living in Florida for the past 3 years....


Anyway... We left Germany and rode in a train... not just any train but a train like Harry Potter rode in on his journeys to Hogwarts... it was a compartment train. It had 6 seats 3 facing the other 3. This made the trip a little easier to play cards because we were all facing each other. We played cards for about 4 hours of the 6 hour trip. IT WAS AWESOME!!!! After playing cards... we found out the chairs recline and dont just recline like a normal chair would but like turn into a bed.... Yeah.. we did.... we reclined all 6 of the chairs and made 1 HUGE bed... haha all 6 of us laid down and slept... Now... Let me just fill you in on my family... I am 5 11 and my dad is 6 3... my brother is almost 6 5 and both my mom and sister are around 5 8.... And then there is Carrie bringing up the rear at a whopping 5 2ish.... if you ask her... she is 5 3. Anyway... it wasnt the most comfortable slumber, but it worked.

When we arrived to Italy, we walk out of the train station to what Venice is known for: the water highways. It truly is incredible how precise these boat captains are with these boats... and no, there arent just Gondolas here... they have motorboats as well..

We get to our hotel and we have to walk up to what we would call the 3rd floor but its there 2nd. Anyway... after this trip... Stairs are the DEVIL!!

The first day in Venice all we did was get REAL italian food. Carrie had some lasagna that tasted to me a lot like Chef Boyardee... But she liked it. My mom, my dad, and I had Penne with a cream sauce and sausage... INCREDIBLE and Manda and Brandon had Spaghetti.

That night is when we really became great friends with Gelato... AWESOME!!

On Monday we had a walking tour of what was supposed to be Venice but it was just of San Marco Square. The most interesting part of the tour was the getting there and getting back to the hotel. Anyway, the part of the tour that we all enjoyed was we got to take a boat to see Glass Blowing. If you have never seen a real glass blowing demonstration, youre missing out. It is soo cool how they just heat up a ball of glass and then make these amazing figurines and vases and all sorts of different shapes. The guy first made a flower vase in about 4 mins. Then he made a horse in about 2. It was soo incredible just to see all the different things they make on a daily basis with this glass.

Ok, the travels getting to and from the tour. If you have ever seen a garden maze... that is what Venice is. No cars just water taxis and foot travel. Their streets are allies... Some as big as a a 2 lane road and others that were only one person wide. There werent any street signs just like landmark arrows that pointed you in a generalized direction. So... we went home a totally different way we went there.. ha.

After a day of walking Venice we all went back to the Hotel and rested. My mom, Carrie, and I left after a while in search for a Laundry mat. Yeah, we definitely needed to find one... :)

On our search we found one... ALL THE MACHINES WERE BROKEN!!! GEEZ!! Anyway... we went back to the hotel and talked to the receptionist who spoke some of the most broken english and found another one. Off we went.

We found the second and washed our clothes. When they were done, we put the clothes all in the same dryer, 3 loads. After 30 mins of drying... the clothes were ice cold and wet. So us, being the brain surgeons we are.. kept the same clothes in the SAME dryer and put it in for another 30 mins. THE DRYER DIDNT HAVE ANY HEAT!!! So we took wet cold clothes back to the hotel and hung all them up on the balcony. So that was an experience that I could have done with out but it was cool cause Carrie and I just sat and talked with my mom (Mama Dukes) for the whole time just cracking up by the conversations we had.

On Tuesday we headed to Florence. This time it was only a 2 hour train trip and it was on a FAST TRAIN. When we arrived... we were immediately put into a tizzy because we only had an hour to meet up at the meet point for our afternoon tour. An hour may seem like a long time... but the way that our Hotel searches have been going... we were ALL freaking out. My dad mapped everything out the day prior to leaving so that we would have an IDEA of where we were headed. We got to the hotel checked in, and headed out to the meet point. While all of this was happening... I had to be very patient because everyone knows how Carrie is when she gets overwhelmed.... Enough said right... ;)

Anyway we got our meet point with about 15 mins to spare which we should have called Guiness because that was record timing!!

Anyway... with nothing to eat since about 730ish... we left for a tour that said it was about 5 hours long. We started the tour at about 230. We were all tired and HUNGRY!!! Carrie got a migraine and we took a trip off our incredibly FUN (cough cough) tour to get something for Carrie to munch on to carry her over til we could get something to eat.

After we went back to find the group... we got back just in time to find out that the tour was over. THANK GOD!!! Also... we learned that the tour ended and we had to find our OWN way back home... NICE. When we looked at a map, we were about 3 to 4 miles away from our hotel. And that may seem like a long while... when you look at the map... IT WAS.. even regardless... we had to walk it... at least they have streets here and not just ally ways.

Before we began our half across Florence trek, we stopped and had food. We ate Spaghetti calzones and lasagna. IT WAS GOOD!!!! Real Italian. Real GOOD!!

Then we got home at about 830ish and just hung out. Manda, Carrie and I watched a movie and then went to sleep around midnightish. We GOT TO SLEEP IN FOR THE FIRST DAY THIS ENTIRE TRIP. It was much needed. All the attitudes were great this morning and there wasnt any stress.

Today we went on ANOTHER TOUR. ha. This time we went to the famous leaning tower of Pisa. And yes, we took pictures just like all the other 546541689746549846 people making it look like they were holding it up. :)

We traveled home and ate at this Gyro place. This was by far one of MY favorite dinners with the exception of the Bratwarsts!! It was wrapped up in a tortilla with shredded LAMB and lettuce with some other stuff and garlic sauce. AWESOME!!! I can still taste it when I burp!! (That is for you Harpers!! Just like the Cavenders!!)

Tonight we are going to hang out somemore and get some more Gelato!! We are heading to Rome tomorrow where we have heard that it is EVEN HOTTER!! Hooray!!

And.... TOMORROW IS CARRIE AND MY 1 WEEK ANNIVERSARY OF BEING ENGAGED!! :)


We will keep you guys posted IF we have Internet!!

We love you all!!

Cheers!!

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Last Day in Heaven....DAY THREE as a FIANCEE :)

So I know how to spell fiancee/fiance...whatever...we are flippin getting married!!....

So...first of all...I am NOT looking forward to leaving this hotel in Germany tomorrow...*we will get to sleep in though- our train does not leave until 11 -HOoRAY!!!:)

Here we have AC the BEST shower EVER- beds that are so comfortable you dont even move at night....well....it might be the fact that I was SOOO SOO SOO tired from the night before (I only slept for about 45 minutes the night after we got engaged) - but my legs and feet and knees were hurting so bad...nate massaged them last night and I have no idea when he left or if he even finished the massage...but I know I woke up in the exact same position that I remember being in when he started on my right foot :)

The next place we are staying in is a bed and breakfast in Venice...we are hoping it somewhat nice....but we have definitely been spoiled...did I mention that we have AC?!?!

The food here is the best of all countries so far too - and by FAR the cheapest....we have had bratwurst for dinner for the past two nights...they are over a foot long and on a toasted baguette...the breakfast at the hotel is AMAZING - I was so excited to see scrambled eggs and fruit and ham and cheese and bacon and pastries .... the other hotels had boiled eggs, hard bread and wierd cereal that you put pudding/plain yogurt on....Im telling you guys - it feels like heaven here! :)

Today we traveled to two castles and were able to tour each of them - I wore shorts and a t shirt with tennis shoes today and BOY am I thankful I decided on the tennis shoes...we went to the ALPS to see the castles and it was FREEZING! for the last castle we had to walk UPHILL for the over one mile in the RAIN - and then downhill again too in the RAIN - so the shorts and tee wasnt the best *especially since the tee was white...oops :( - but thank goodness for the tennis shoes!

anyway- we are having a card game tournament tonight so I have to go kick some butt right now :) hope all is well and I will write again soon! We love you all!!

BYE!!!!

PS - pray that the travel tomorrow goes smoothly and that the hotel is halfway decent.... :)

Friday, July 25, 2008

Day six in Europe - one in Germany - and two as a FIANCE! :)

okay - so that last part would be MUCH more hilarious if you could hear Nate and I say FIANCE with our super sweet french accents! :)

Anyway - we are in GERMANY!! - our train this morning was an hour delayed - so we didn't get to see the concentration camp when we got here....sad.

BUT - We have almost gotten this travel thing down to an art by now..the first couple times it was super stressful..but now - we just look for the tourism office - find the attendant with "I speak English" and ask how to get to the metro (underground railroad)....the systems over here are AMAZING - its so convenient!

Once we get a map and metro tickets we head towards the hotel...this time...the metro spits us out ON the steps of our hotel...AND ....we can use escalators and elevators instead of the 300 steps in the metro like in Paris....
My feet and knees are killing me like you cannot imagine - and my skin feels so dehydrated from not drinking enough water over here...its so wierd....I might actaully agree to a pedicure when I get back to the states...

Well- we got here and this is the nicest hotel we have stayed at so far...a "four star" according to German standards..it is smaller than in America...but just a comfortable and has ALL the comforts of home..with the exception of ice....which we have yet to find anywhere.

so...we missed the concentration camp - but are fixing to go get something to eat...and HOPEFULLY it will be really really yummy - I hear they are famous for their brautwarts (spelling?) - and walking down the street just smelled amazing!

anyway - we are heading out now and I will try to blog again tonight...oh yes..did I mention this hotel has free wireless EVERYWHERE in the hotel as well as a free computer lab? HOORAY!

alright - Im going to dinner ...catch you later....hope you enjoyed the pictures we posted! oh yes - and he DID ask my dad - I finally got the whole story how EVERYTHING happened out of him last night - ill update that again soon....also...since aparently everyone and their brother knew except me - thanks for keeping it a secret! I am still shocked..what does this mean?? I have to plan a wedding?!!? oh boy. well I better go get something greasy to eat followed by a german chocolate pastry...and enjoy it....before the wedding diet in the states starts. haha... :)
love you all!

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Day Four and Five + proposal

SOO…I didn’t blog yesterday…but before I start there…you should know….I am a FIANCE!!! 

Anyway – I’ll start from the very beginning. We arrived in Paris yesterday around 1pm via train. The taxis were WAY WAY too expensive and we had to find an alternate way around. Enter the coolest transportation device ever known to man – the metro system….complete underground buses/trams that can take you anywhere you need to go. (Did I mention the finding the ticket and such was not NEARLY as easy in London?? where they speak ENGLISH??)

Once we overcame the language barrier, located a map, purchased tickets and hauled our luggage up over 200 stairs…(no exaggeration there)…we made it to our stop..only about 3 hours later did we make it to our hotel. Nate and I took over as tour guides this time around…and made it out to the Eiffel tower in time to see the light show, and get to the top of the tower to see the entire city. It was truly one of the most breathtaking views I have ever seen…I was in shock.

Okay, now as most of you know, I had pretty much talked myself out of a Paris proposal Рespecially because of all the hype it was getting from someone else Рand Nate had assured me that I would not receive a clich̩ proposal. So Рwhen we left the Eiffel tower I was SURE that there was NO WAY it was happening here.

Also – we were supposed to meet up with Jason Mannon from our surf class (he is over here for three months doing the backpacking thing). All day Nate said he felt so awful that we hadn’t been able to find internet connection to get in touch with him – and he was so worried he would be stranded with no place to stay. When we got back from the Eiffel tower around 1am we located a calling card to try to get in touch with him…only to find out that they calling card operator only spoke French and we had no clue how to use the free dialing….no sooner had we almost given up and who walks through the front door of the hotel? Jason. That’s right – he located the Itinerary that Nate had sent him (several months ago – because apparently this was all a part of the “master plan”) – got on the metro and rode to where he THOUGHt the hotel might be located – and started walking. Nate happened to be wearing his Trinity Softball shirt with the Christian saying on the back and when Jason saw that he thought it must be Nate….how completely random…..

Anyway – we sat up and talked until almost 2ish and then went to be knowing the next day would be a full one.

After breakfast at the hotel – we headed back to the metro to go out to the Garden of Versailles. Jason had been before and taken some awesome pictures – and it was the one place that Nate wanted to go see in person. We took the RER (another underground train) for about 30-40 minutes outside of Paris – and walked into the gardens….I really had no idea what to expect...but it was AMAZING…

As far as your eyes can see there are gardens! and shrub mazes! and fountains! and sculptures! We took pictures and walked around just taking it all in for several hours….The whole experience was just indescribable…

We went off by ourselves just looking at everything...and then out of nowhere I was holding hands with Nate and the next thing I knew he was kneeling on one knee….


Now I can tell you that I had thought about how this would happen now for oh…lets say about 3 years….but never could I have ever prepared myself for the thoughts and emotions that came flooding out all at one time….

All I could think about is “Is he kneeling?....Oh my gosh…WHAT is he DOING??....oh my gosh…are you KIDDING me?...is this really happening?? …oh goodness…please don’t throw up….is he proposing? Holy cow!” pretty much exactly like that…then my knees felt like jello…and I started crying…I think this is when I said “Are you serious…are you being serious right now? Oh my gosh! Yes!”

While all that was going through my head - I think I remember something about how much he loves me and he is ready to spend the rest of his life with me ….and will I marry him…but I couldn’t tell you exactly because the whole place was spinning….

Then once the tears stopped flowing a little bit..I got a glimpse of the ring…and holy cow…I was SPEACHLESS…..(and that in itself is nearly impossible to do)…really though - it is the most gorgeous ring…I couldn’t have hand picked a better one myself..I was SOO shocked…it’s SO huge and its SOO much more that I ever would have dreamed of or deserved….but apparently he loves me. :0)

As soon as I said yes, all these questions started rushing out..did you ask my dad? Did your family know this was going to happen? When did you plan this? Blablabla…

And to give you the shortened version…Jason and Nate had been talking (several months ago) about being in Europe at the same time and meeting up..Nate mentioned proposing and Jason said – oh I should come take pictures…and that is how he ended up in the picture…err…taking the picture …blablabla…

Anyway…he decided on the garden because its not crowded or dirty like the area surrounding the Eiffel tower and apparently a great place for photos… so after everything calmed down and I hugged all my soon-to-be-in-laws (that is still so weird) Jason took a few more pictures of my fiancé and I (that’s still weird too) – and we headed off to see the rest of Paris…well not after a diet coke and cheeseburger from McDonalds because I was had a headache and everyone was starving 

So we finished the rest of the day on a red city tour bus seeing everything from the Louvre and Mona Lisa, to Notre Dame and the Arc de Triumph…it was so amazing..

After a quick pizza dinner around 8 we headed back to the Eiffel tower to see the light show from the ground  The perfect ending to a perfect day….

So..there you have it…the shortened version…pictures are on facebook and webshots….so enjoy them and thanks for being excited with us  Love you all and I’ll blog again with you soon.

Oh yes – we are off to Germany tomorrow...well actaully it is after 3am here now and we are leaving at 6am....so today we are leaving – please pray for safe travels and no stress!! Love love love!

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Day Three :)

Eeellloooooo All! :)

I must say - it might have only been three days - but we are all developing a lovely accent....even without meaning to :) its quite a laugh...

Well - today was a LONG day - but so fun! we got a really early start...but as you can imagine...there were a few hiccups :) #1. SOMEONE forgot the map #2. NOONE knew exactly where we were supposed to get picked up (except it was a holiday inn) and #3. every one was alittle tired ...as you can imagine it didnt go over very well...we were under the impression that we needed to be at the holiday inn at 7:20am - so at 7:15 when we couldnt find it things got a little hairy! (especially since this was the biggest day in London that was planned and the tour had already been paid for) ...so Nate and I decided to practice our communication skills since we have totally decided that we would be super on the Amazing Race :)

We asked a local - who had no clue what we were asking or where we were trying to go...so we just picked a direction and started running ... (please - remind me if we make it to the Amazing Race - to wear tennis shoes not flip flops) ....anyway we saw one in the distance and got there right at 7:20 only to be told the tour we asked about didnt get picked up until 7:45...nice...

THEN we realize that Papa Cass had found another Holiday in on the other side of the street and down a side street.....who said THEY had a tour that left at 7:45....hmm...well OUR tour left from the hotel that he had found - (I guess Nate and I would have been up a creek on A/R)...

Then since we had 10 minutes by the time we got there...Nate and I went in search of fast breakfast...and again...we are sprinting down the streets of a foreign city....looking like crazies...all in the name of food :) go figure...we picked up several muffins and danishes and a combo of diet coke, waters, and OJ....

Finally on our way - we had an hours drive to the first stop ... WINDSOR CASTLE...home to the queen.....it was HUGE and probably one of the most amazing things I have seen so far...we only got to go in one wing...the one that is made into a replica of the live in wing of the king and queen....we toured the state rooms....the most GORGEOUS arcitecture and chandeliers adn furniture you will ever see...

Then we went to the queens doll house... it was a COMPLETE doll house formed like the castle....all the way down to the silverwear on the dining room table....there were also porcelin dolls with clothes that were representative of the clothing the royals wear depending on what time it was (day dress, garden party dress, evening dress, tea dress ect...)

I so wish we could have taken pictures of these things...but we were ony aloud to take pictures of the outside of the castle... by the way.. PICTURES ARE UP!!

Well, we had an hours drive in between the castle and STONEHENGE... stop #2 for the day...this was something that you have seen pictures of in history books...but to see it in person was incredible! totally awesome to think that people made something like that out of rocks that weight thousands and thousands of pounds without any type of heavy machinery. (In case you didnt know - it measure time and days and months and the year change by the sun and moon...and where it was shining on the rocks)....

FYI: you may notice that in the pictures of these places we saw today we were holding things to our ears that look slightly like walkie talkies or phones...they are mobile tour guides that allow you to hear the history at your own pace...when you get to a corrosponding number at any one of the sights you are viewing...you press the number on your translator and it tells you the story in whatever language you want...

Anyway...we had another hour in between stonehenge and the ROMAN BATHS...which for Nate and I meant the third nap of the morning...which is good because I am starting to get sick...mainly I think from the drastic weather change and our shower is slightly moldier than I am comfortable with...anyway...we are thankful that tomorrow we are heading to Paris and hopefully a slightly nicer hotel....we aren't crossing our fingers though....

ANWAY - Roman Baths...its just like out of the Bible times...where the Romans went to bathe...and gather for social hours...as well as conduct business ... it was incredible to see the spring that the entire bath and each adjoining room was filled from...also the fact that the original for so so so long ago is still standing is pretty amazing itself...
the pictures of everything we saw today do not do anything justice....it was breathtaking...

Anyway..I guess I will close this blog with a funny story... amanda and I got the short in of the stick on hotel rooms...NOTHING works...when we asked for a fan the other night...the man from the front desk said he would bring one up...and show us how to use the iron while he was there....well, he brought the fan...but couldnt get it to work...he couldnt get our TV to turn on...and decided it was the plugs...so...after much embarrassment on his part...especially when he couldnt figure out how to work the iron....he said..I will go get a new fan...and read the manual on the iron so that I can show you how it works...NOW...keep in mind...they are totally ok with B.O. over here..in fact...most of them don't wear deoderant and its considered manly if you smell...well he was VERY manly... I sprayed 8 or 9 sprays of perfume..and we still couldnt get his scent to leave...so we were frantically trying to get the fan to work on our own so that he didnt ahve to come back....we called Nate and he came over and hit power....boom...the fan is on...nice.... anyway...we called the man back to tell him not to come back..we would just use the boy's iron....and his responce was....do you want to change rooms? nothing in your room works.....haha...nice...thank you captain obvious.

Anyway - please pray that I dont get sick...but that maybe I am just stuffy and having a sore throat because of the conditions we are staying in right now...and that it will get better tomorrow! :)

We leave for Paris at 10am tomorrow...and should be there by early afternoon..hopefully we will be there in time to go and see the eiffle tower at night when it is all lit up ...this is what I have been looking forward to the most our of the whole trip!

So - maybe we will have FREE internet in France..and I will update as soon as possible...Nate is uploading pictures right now..only a few from each day because it takes so long...but it will give you a taste of what we are seeing...and there will be EASILY over a thousand pictures for you to see when we get home!

Hope all is well wherever you are... LOVE you all.

Ps. Mom- check your email :)

Monday, July 21, 2008

Day Two!!

Well - I am going to try to get this all finished in under twenty minutes - which will leave me twenty minutes for tomorrow... (we ended up finding a video store that let us buy an hour for £1 - about 2$)

So here goes - first of all I am writing this on a full stomach - which feels AMAZING! :) We found a resteraunt on the corner of the street we are staying on that has FREE REFILLS!!!! So - after an AMAZING chicken pita ( grilled lime and herb chicken, grilled pineapple, and melted white cheddar cheese) - some chips (fries) and some super wierd but delicious coleslaw - and about 8 glasses of diet coke (so yes mom I am back to normal) - I am happy...and ready for bed! :)

Anyway here is how today went - we had our wake up call at 7am and headed down for breakfast at 8....for breakfast there is a complimentary buffet which includes two types of wierd cereal ( some corn flake things, and a raisin oat cereal that looks like uncooked oatmeal) - strawberry or plain yogurt, fruit cocktail, hard boiled eggs, ham sliced like lunch meet and slices of some type of cheese - toast - hot tea or coffee..... I had some ham and cheese, fruit and hot tea...it was delish!

We headed off to spend the day on the double decker red buses....we had all day passes that allowed us to get on and off of four different routes that went all around London. SO fun... took TONS of pictures - went over the London Bridge, visited Big Ben, the London Eye, The London Dungeon, Parliment, Westminister Abby ( from sound of music) Buckingham Palace (we actually exited the bus and were able to watch the changing of the guard (well - what we could see over and through the hundreds of people who were already there waiting), and tons of statues and buildings with historical signifigance....

(Nate is sitting next to me and is fixing to post pictures - we will try to caption some of them) anyway - the jet lag seems to be hitting everyone but me - Nate fell asleep during the morning on the tour and amanda and papa Cass fell asleep after lunch. (by the way lunch was awesome as well, in fact I haven't had anything that I havent liked yet! Nate and I had two sandwhiches to split - a REAL panini - and a ciabatta - with fried chicken, tomatoes, basil, and mozerrella - kinda like chicken parmasean)

After lunch and a few more hours on the tour we decided we would try to head to find the tour spot that we have to be at at 7am tomorrow morning - just so we could know where to go...THIS is where the story twists....

Amandas ticket got lost sometime during her nap...which means we couldnt get back on the bus....but it didnt really matter because we didn't realize how late it had gotten and the bus that we needed had already stopped running - or maybe we weren't at the right spot ....none the less ....we decide to start walking ( sometime around 4) and about 2 hours later we were still several miles from "home" ...oh well - we were back in the shopping disctrict - which was somewhere we needed to go to see if we could find a couple of shirts with sleeves so that maybe I wouldnt freeze anymore....

i found one shirt for £3 at none other than GAP...and decided to purchase it....then onto H&M....I didnt find anything there...well I did...but I couldnt justify a £19.99 jacket...knowing it was almost $40...so I passed...(oh I forgot to mention Nate and Amanda and I were the only ones shopping at this point, everyone else had headed back to the hotel and was wiped out) ...we decided we were more interested in eating that spending money on clothes...we can just layer and hope that Paris in two days is a little warmer....

so...we head back to the hotel...and I ask Nate once we are about 30 minutes into our walk...where did you put my GAP bag?.....oh boy...he had sat it down in H&M to help me hang up a jacket and never picked it back up....oh well...I was WAY to tired and WAY to hungry to turn around and walk half an hour in the OTHER direction for a $6 shirt that MIGHT not even be there anymore.....Nate felt so bad but oh well... I love him :)

Anyway, I already told you about dinner, and Nate can't get the pictures to upload ...something about our thumb drive and their programs....so I apolagize for the tease that pictures should be posted soon....it will have to wait until the next country where hopefully we will not have to pay for internet and we will be able to get free WiFi...

So for now...we are off to bed ...we have a tour of a Cathederal, Stonehenge, and Bath for most of the day tomorrow and we head to Paris the following day...thank goodness the weather is predicted to be warmer here tomorrow....and in France it should be in the mid to upper 80s.....I will be much more comfortable hopefully :)

So..until then....Love you all!
Chow!

Sunday, July 20, 2008

First Day in Europe

Disclaimer: this post has been copied from a Microsoft Word file - we couldn't get Internet without having to pay for it...so it was written before hand...and I was typing super fast so I wouldn't leave anything out. The grammar is awful and there are a zillion run-on sentences...but we are paying for Internet by the hour so I am going to upload this post and then save it...hopefully you can decipher my thoughts. :) Basically - we are here...we are tired....we are having fun...but we are going to bed. ASAP. Love Love Love to all. Oh yes, and we don't have a way to upload pictures yet...so hang tight...maybe tomorrow. :)

We started our journey in style. J Papa Cass won a limo ride in a raffle a few weekends ago – so we rode in a stretch excursion to the airport. Totally awesome! We flew for over six hours and here is the blog from the first day.

Well, we made it! It took forever and a day – literally – but we made it. After a long 6.5 hours in flight, we landed at approximately 6:20am local time (1:20am Jacksonville time) exhausted and ready for nothing more than a nap.

As soon as the plane landed the pilot encouraged everyone to “secure their belongings – as it is very difficult to re-enter the plane if you were to leave anything behind.” Since we were rows 4,5,and 6 from the back of the plane (Boeing 777) we had PLENTY of time to get our things together and exit. However, upon exiting and getting in line at the exchange station to buy some “pounds” –Brandon realized he left his vampire book on the plane and starts to flip out. Now – if you know Brandon, vampires are a pretty big deal – he’s totally into that kind of thing – but what was even a bigger deal was the fact that he had “disguised” the fact that he was carrying money –by placing it all throughout his book – instead of in his wallet – approximate value of the paper vampire book: $400. Nice. So, the rest of us left to make our way through customs (leaving Brandon and Mr. Cass to try to sweet talk their way back onto the plane) I assured Brandon (in my most charming English accent) that it might be his lucky day- because the cute little English girl who went back to search for his book might just be his ticket to a little European romance. (He was really not thrilled and could care less) Anyway, the book turned up – thank goodness – and we made it through customs!

We were greeted by Anderson (our taxi bus driver) after collecting our luggage –and he took us down the completely crowded streets of London at rapid speeds on the wrong side of the street – completely nerve racking. Anderson had the personality of roadkill – and hardly understood a word we were saying. For example my question to him – “So Anderson, how long have you been driving a taxi here?” was answered by “uhhh…to da hotel…bout twenty minutes”…nice. Oh well – Nate found common ground talking about ‘futbol’ and Mr. Cass kept bringing up the British Open – and Anderson acted like he knew what it was – but he wasn’t fooling any of us – British Open and golf…..we might as well have been speaking Greek….errr actually that might have been better :)

We arrived at our hotel – and our worst fears were confirmed. We were discussing the fact that most hotels will not let you check in until the afternoon – and here it was 7am ish. ….Since the hotel was booked we were informed that we could leave our bags in the guest lounge and go out for the day…..and we “ should not be afraid – we trust our guests….and no one never steal from this hotel before”. Well, needless to say, we were not doing that at all – so we decided to sit around and see if we could get into at least one room to leave our bags and freshen up so that we could go explore. Not happening. So, as Amanda and Brandon napped, Mama Cass was journaling – Nate and I took Papa Cass and started down the street in search of something to eat (hopefully a pastry). :)

We located a small little shop called Morish and boy – was it amazing! Nathan and I both had flaky homemade croissants stuffed with ham and bubbly hot cheese!! Totally awesome! After picking up some other things for the ones we left at the hotel – we headed back to see if we could get into a room. Nope. Still no room. That’s when it all becomes a little hazy for me – it was about 9am and I sat down in a chair curled up with my pillow and conked out – apparently at some point I even stood up and made my way to the couch to spread out….I do not remember this at all. BUT sometime around 1pm we were woken up by the front desk receptionist telling us that our rooms were ready. Thank goodness – for a nap AND a room – I could not WAIT to shower off and brush my teeth.

She told us that our “double rooms” were ready and gave us our keys – explaining that the key has to be placed into this little socket thing on the wall for the lights to work (I guess to save energy) – because it is impossible to leave the lights on if you want to be able to unlock your door on your return. When we opened the rooms, we were quickly informed that “double” means ONE bed over here – not two – and TWIN means two beds. The rooms weren’t exactly what we were expecting at all – in fact in the words of Mama Cass “These sure looked a lot nicer on the internet.” They are so tiny – and there is no A/C…only a fan. The bathroom is so tiny you can hardly turn around ….and the towels smell like they were folded up soaking wet and left to dry. Definitely not the most appetizing smell of all – but you know what – compared to some placed I stayed over in Mexico- My Place Hotel is five star. J Besides – we will only be in the room to sleep – and we will be so tired it won’t matter anyway! Oh yeah – did I mention its like 60 degrees over here (it was 50something when we landed) and I only packed one pair of jeans – hopefully it will warm up!! However, with no A/C the temperatures being so low at night will definitely make us more comfortable in the room – I think it is supposed to be about 45 degrees tonight….Brrrr

After a quick shower and change of clothes – we met in the lobby to walk the streets and go visit Hyde Park. It is so funny here to see all of the cars that we consider luxury vehicles (BMW Audi and Mercedes) are the everyday cars – Ferraris are on every corner – something that tickles the boys pink – and I’m not gonna lie – they are pretty awesome! We have seen several Hondas and a couple of fords – but they don’t look like the American ones.

We stopped in for lunch at “Express Pizza” where a large pizza is about the size of an American Medium – and cost 7 pounds (about 14 dollars). Then – we ordered soft drinks – at 1.95 pounds each – which included one bottle of soda and no refills. (That sure makes the 2.25 fountain diet cokes with unlimited refills seem like a bargain!) We had two pizzas to split – a pepperoni and a cheese – they were SOO yummy – not like American pizza at all! It was a super thin crunchy crust with a splash of olive oil – the minimum amount of toppings but such FLAVOR! ( I think it was the sauce) and the pizza was grilled!! MMMMmmmm

After lunch we walked down the streets just watching the people – and seeing the sights. We took a TON of pictures – and spent about three hours in Hyde Park – looking at all the memorials for Princess Diana and different nobles. After a hundred or so pictures and well over five miles of walking we headed back to the hotel. (Amanda and Papa Cass were already back at the hotel since Amanda wasn’t feeling well). We stopped at Ben’s cookies on the way back to have a snack. After what they call a “cookie monster” (a homemade cookie and a scoop of ice-cream) we finished walking “home”.

Nate and I searched for a diet coke and free WI-Fi so we could update the blog. Everywhere requires payment for Internet and the only place we found with free Internet – we can’t connect. We have been sitting in the “pub” (a bar and grill) on the corner of the street so that I can go ahead and write everything down before I forget. I’m not sure when I’ll get to post this – and I'm sorry for mom and the girls who I know have probably been sitting around frantically checking for an update. Until we can locate a free connection – it looks like everything will be typed in Microsoft Word – 5 pounds for an hour (about 12 dollars) seems a bit ridiculous.
Anyway – looks like we might have to head across the street to pay for Internet since Nate has an anatomy quiz due at midnight….maybe I will post a mini post or at least try to upload a couple of pictures…..

Saturday, July 19, 2008

TSA - Stipped Down

Oh boy! Well - we made it to VA last night -but not without a story. :) You know Nate and I can never go anywhere without wanting to get noticed - even if it means trying to smuggle a knife in to the airport.

None the less - here is the mini-version of a super traumatizing event.
First of all - you should know that my one fear at the airport - is that I will have something in my bag that warrants a strip search. So - every time I must proceed through the metal detectors and slide my bag down that conveyor belt- I start to sweat and breath a little faster than normal.

However, I made it though safely this time , repacked all my electronics and sat on the bench to wait for Nate. No sooner do I turn around - and there is the TSA holding Nate's backpack saying "sir, is this your bag - we need to look inside". This is where the freak out begins ..... all I can see in my head is the police, taking Nate into some back room, strip searching him, and then hauling him away in handcuffs...all the while I am crying hysterically "NNNNNOOOO please!!! don't take HIIIIIM!!!!!" - and wondering how in the world I will ask my dad to help me post bail on my terrorist boyfriend. :)

Thank goodness, Nate's response "Oh - that's where that knife was - I was looking for it" seemed to be nonchalant enough to get him out of trouble. So, after a solid five minute freak out on my part - we proceeded to our gate for takeoff - leaving the knife in the hands of the TSA.

Kudos to Nate - way to check your bags dude.

ANYWAY, we have made a "webshot" page were we will be uploading all the photos from the week as they happen ....okay...maybe a few hours of delay - but none the less.

Our member name is CarrieandNate

When you go to webshots.com there is a option in the title bar to search. Type in our member name and then click the drop down menu and do a member search and click on our name.

Hopefully we will give you guys the "EUROPE" experience without all the smells!!! ;)


Love you all!!!

-Carrie and Nate

Friday, July 18, 2008

And We're Off!

So, I today at 4:38pm Nate and I will board a plane to fly to Virginia to meet up with his family - and at 4pm on Saturday we will start our journey to London!

I can hardly believe this day is already here - I thought it would take forever to "count down to lift off" - but time has FLOWN by! :) ha.

Anyway - the plan is to update this thing on a daily basis - since cell phone service will be minimal - and it will be alot easier to tell the story just once on here - and not to each individual person on the phone.

Please pray for safety as we travel for the next couple of weeks - I had been pumping myself up for the next couple of days of flight ( anyone who knows me knows that I am NOT the biggest fan) - but this morning I woke up extremely nervous and with a queasy stomach. Hopefully it will all go away before we actaully get on a plane - or at least maybe I will have a window seat...
then there is always the back-up plan....dramamine....but I'm really not that fun when I am halfway in a coma :)

Anyway - updates soon! Bon-Voyage!

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Home at Last!

Well...I am officially all moved in - and I am IN LOVE with my new little house. It's ADORABLE!! I haven't finished decorating completely - and some things may have to wait until I get my first paycheck - but who cares - I am where I want to be. :)

Nate and BJ came from Jacksonville Friday afternoon with the empty uhaul - and by 7pm - Josh and I had helped them stuff it full!! We had a quick dinner with Beka (our last trip to the Tallahassee Moe's as roommates) - it was almost sad! We went back home to finish packing and get ready to turn in early so we could rise and shine at 5:45 to get on the road....Only sleep didnt come easy for Beka and I. The boys slept no problem (even on the floor) but we were up until almost one, trying to wind down while snuggling and watching 27 dresses in her still furnished room. Around 2:45 I dozed off for about 15 minutes..only to wake right back up and lay there thinking about all the things I wanted to get done the next day. The last time I looked at the clock it was 4:48 and the alarm was set for 5:30....Hooray.

Oh well! After less than an hour of sleep ...we were on the road! Thank Goodness BJ drove ( not that I would have been able to sleep on the way to Jacksonville) - followed by Josh and Nate pulling the Uhaul! My family met us at my new house - and we had the entire trailor and both cars unloaded before 10. I am SOO thankful for the boys who helped - and my mom and sisters who helped me organize everything! (Well, should I say CANDACE and Mom who helped ;) ) Colette - I hope you enjoyed your 5 hour nap on my new couches!

I was so ready to go to bed around noon - but my bed wasn't put together yet- and there were so many boxes that I wouldn't have been able to find the sheets! :)
Sometime after 5:30 My family left, and Nate and I made a Target run to get a few things I needed before the next day. By the time we returned and had a quick chick-fil-a dinner to-go I was wiped out and completely delirious! After a much needed shower and about 15 minutes on the couch I was out like a light.

I slept like a dead person, for the first time in over two weeks and woke up completely refreshed and feeling AMAZING - just in time for church!
It was so wierd driving all by myself from the completely opposite side of town - but I loved getting on the expressway and actually putting the pedal to the medal!! Something I am totally not used to since I didnt EVER drive on the expressway in Tallahassee - or even over 45mph for that matter!

Anyway - I will update with pictures soon - because I am sure that you are tired of reading this already - and besides - I still have a few boxes left to unpack and organize! But first I think I will spend a few minutes enjoying my new couches and pillows before going back to church tonight with Nate- something I ALSO haven't been able to do in over two years. I think I will adjust to being back in Jacksonville just fine - especially since Nate is on the couch already. :)

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Nerves Nerves Nerves

So...I may be over the hump....but the nerves finally hit this morning.

I feel like I swallowed a large mouth bass and it is flopping around like a fish out of water...or maybe its just a fish in stomach acid....either way...its really not making it easy to keep that Kashi breakfast down.

I'm not even really sure what there is to be nervous about, other than the fact i hate goodbyes- and that is all the next two days will consist of......or maybe its the fact that i havent slept in over a week....OR it could be that I am constantly thinking that this moving experience could be as horrible as the last if I just forget to do ONE thing....and I can't think of that ONE thing.... Or maybe its just excitement....yeah - let's hope so....only I've never been this "excited" over anything in my life.

Oh well, either way...the fish is still there....and I'm still moving home. I just wish it would hurry....cause fish is never any better the second time around. :)

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Hump Day

Welp, tomorrow I am over the hump!! Half way through my last week in Tally.
I can't believe it's flying by so fast!

This past weekend after a family reunion in Tampa(ish) :) - I realize how perfectly Nate fits into my little world. He never meets a stranger- and he does nothing but bring out the best in me. He encourages me - even when I am being strong-headed and stubborn. He lets me know when I am being rediculously obssesive over people and situations that I cannot change - and he teaches me how to find a ray of sunshine in a completely stormy situation. I love him. I cannot wait to be back home - so that I can bug him daily, of course. :)

My sisters are so excited for this weekend that you can't help but smile! I'm so glad I will be able to see them grow up - they are getting bigger (no pun intended, girls ) everytime I see them!! :)
I am so excited to watch them experience high school and all the awesome things that it entails! Girls nights will be much more frequent and I will NEVER be without a shopping date again! AWESOME!

Stephen is moving out soon too, we will be almost-neighbors. How exciting to watch him grow up and become an adult. I'm looking forward to the random calls asking "What's for dinner -and can I come over" - hopefully we will become closer and closer while we experience the big city all on our own! :)

Then there's my sweet parents and grandma/grandparents. Without complaining once, they have listened to me cry over school, roommate drama, and "stress" over the past two and half years - knowing that there is nothing they can do about any of it - and yet they are still excited about me coming home. Pretty amazing if you ask me. I am so thankful that I have a family that has always welcomed me with open arms - even though sometimes I am sure I have overstayed my welcome when I "moved out" yet still found a reason to come home every other weekend. I can only hope that when I move back I will make them proud during this next phase of life.

Anyway, most of all I am learning that no matter how happyyou are, there is always someone who wants to see you fall. But I refuse to let those people discourage me and get me down. I am happy right where I am. I am happy with whats in the near future for me. And I am happy with where I am going. I am content to be me and not what everyone else wants me to be. I am who I am - and I am confident that I am doing what is right for me right now. So, put that in your pipe and smoke it suckers! :) ...err wait...maybe thats a bad choice of words for some....muah hahaha!

That's all for now - Love you all.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

The Countdown Continues...

At this time in our relationship, there are many countdowns. Countdown until the family reunion, countdown to Carrie moving back to Jax, and definitely a countdown to EUROPE!!! Countdowns to beginnings of Carrie's new job, countdown to the start of my internship at Trinity, which leads to the countdown of my graduation in DECEMBER!!


All of the these countdowns will come and pass in no time.


The transition from us being together APART to being together TOGETHER is one of the most exciting countdowns of our relationship so far. Having someone in your life that has made such a huge impact on my life as Carrie being 187 miles or 2- 2 1/2 hours depending on traffic ;) has taken an incredible amount of trust and patience.


The time spent before bed on the phone knowing that I had to be up at 130 am was worth everything just being able to solve any problems we were going through just so we wouldn't go to bed mad at each other. The 35+ times we call each other daily just to give a word of encouragement to get us to the end of the day has been worth all of the jokes from my buddies constantly asking, "You're calling her AGAIN?!?!" I know that deep down inside they are just jealous that they don't have someone as amazing as Carrie in their lives... =)


As mentioned before, countdowns... if you didn't already know... CARRIE MOVES HOME IN 9 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!


I am pretty excited about that... like you haven't noticed right? :)
It is an exprience like non other to have the one you love come home and not have to leave 3 or 4 days later.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Home Sweet Home

Welp - Here is the most recent update!

First off: After a trip to Jacksonville for a short weekend break filled with furniture shopping, wedding bliss and visits with out of town family - I have signed a lease and officially have a place to stay!

Secondly: I bought my first set of living room furniture, received the knife set I wanted for my birthday, bought adorable accent pillows, and filled my heart with so much excitement that it just might burst!

I have 2 weeks left here in Tallahassee - yet I am already living almost completely out of boxes. Anxious? I think so.

T-minus 13 days til move in.
T-minus 19 days til Europe.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Here Goes Nothin'

So...I've been thinking about doing this for a while - just never actually sat down and done it. But, here I am - blogging.

The past six months have been a whirlwind - to say the least. And even though the year is only halfway through, I feel like I am about to start a new one - actually, it feels like a whole new life.

Nate and I have been together for 2 years, 10 months, and 7 days (not that I have been counting)- and for 4 months and 13 days we lived in the same city. Yeah - I'm pretty over this whole long distance thing. BUT - its official - I am moving back to Jacksonville. HOORAY!!!

I have LOVED my time in Tallahassee, and I wouldn't trade it for ANYTHING. I have learned so much - and grown more in the past two years that I ever could have imagined I would. I'm done with school now (praise the Lord), and despite having a full time job that I love (most days) - the time has come to say goodbye to my little home here. I wasn't sure last week - if it was REALLY what I wanted to do, but its amazing how once you make a decision and it's the right one - the Lord has a way of telling you - and boy - did He. :)

Everything is falling into place - just like I knew in my heart it would - and I couldn't be more happy.

Anyway, this is enough for now. I'll update soon. Maybe.

Oh yes. I almost forgot. I leave for Europe in 22 days. AAAHHH!