home sweet almost-home

this weekend was a very productive one. my mom and i headed to the delta after work on friday. we met my mom's sister's family & my kevin for dinner and then had drinks around a bonfire. saturday morning we were up rather early to go look at houses for kevin & i (he had to work and missed all the fun :( ). the first house we looked at was H.U.G.E. for 2 people. i would have lost kevin...and most definitely lost FJ! despite the "bigness", something was just off...it was DARK..really dark. and the carpet was much older than i prefer, plus...no fenced in yard for the princess. So, to the 2nd house we went. I must admit, at this point, my hopes were pretty crushed. we had our hearts set on that big house...but i just couldn't live with the inside, and it definitely wasn't move-in ready. when we got to the 2nd house, my spirits were immediately lifted. IT HAS A RED FRONT DOOR! if you know me, you know that i absolutely ADORE red front doors. there's something just so inviting and friendly about a red front door (promise, that's the last time i'm going to use the phrase "red front door" in this post!). Anyways, we went inside and i fell in love! it has light hardwood floors, and khaki walls with white trim...and LOTS of windows! so there is LOTS of natural sunlight coming in. it has a fenced in backyard for the princess and the kitchen is FABULOUS! it's newly remodled with new appliances and fabulous countertops.  the living room is huge (and i can't wait to fill it with all new furniture...when money allows..). the bedrooms are nice sized and i've already picked out which will be our bedroom, our guest room and our office. the ONLY downfall to this home is that it only has 1 bathroom...but it's not teensy tinsy, and we will make it work. overall, for our first house, i think we should be proud of it...and it will make a wonderful first home for us. i can't wait to get in there and clean clean clean and really make it ours.  :) so...if anyone is around on saturday and wants to help us move...feel free! the tentative schedule is as follows:

Friday, Jan. 16th: 

Finish packing while waiting on Kevin to get to town

Saturday, Jan. 17th:

Load up my entire LIFE into a covered trailer.

Head to Cleveland.

Unload my entire LIFE from the trailer.

Unpack, and hang pictures and make this house a HOME :) 

Sunday, Jan. 18th:

Finish unpacking, arranging, and rearranging.

Go grocery shopping to stock our NEW KITCHEN.

Monday, Jan. 19th:

Circa 5 A.M: Head to Starkville for doctor's appointment at 8:30.

After doctor, head to Dux to finish out last 2 days of work.

Tuesday, Jan. 20th:

After last day of employment at Dux, head to Cleveland to see what my Honey has done in our house! :) hopefully, lots of manly, handy things that i can't do. Oh, the joys of living with a man! 

Wednesday, Jan 21st:

First day at Dr. Blake's office...and first day we get to come home to each other after work! 

Can you feel my happiness?

-E

On the way to work this morning, i was listening to the local country music station, and Sugarland's "Want To" came on the radio. I really listened to the lyrics of this song...and it really does fit what i'm feeling in my life right now. For the first time in my life, i have jumped in head first without analyzing it to death (even though i tried!) and for the first time in my life, i am truly happy with EVERYTHING. even though i do NOT want to not see my niece and nephew every day, or my parents & sister every day..i know this move is what God has planned for me...and i know that Kevin is the one he has picked out for me...since we were both tiny babies. It's so amazing to have dreams, and to meet someone who has the SAME dreams...and to put your lives together and have dreams together. 

I packed a cooler and a change of clothes
Let's jump in, see how far it goes
You got my heart and your daddy's boat
We've got all night to make it float

We could sit on the shore
We could just be friends
Or we could jump in

The whole world could change in a minute
Just one kiss could stop it spinning
We could think it through
But I don't want to, if you don't want to

We could keep things just the same
Leave here the way we came
with nothing to lose
But I don't want to, if you don't want to

I got your ring around my neck
and a couple of nights I don't regret
You've got a dream of a degree and a shirt that smells like me

Yeah we both got dreams
we could chase alone
or we could make our own

The whole world could change in a minute
Just one kiss could stop it spinning
We could think it through
But I don't want to if you don't want to
We could keep things just the same
Leave here the way we came
with nothing to lose
But I don't want to if you don't want to

Never waste another day wonderin' what you threw away
Holding me, holding you
I don't want to, if you don't want to

We could keep things just the same
Leave here the way we came with nothing to lose
But I don't want to, if you don't want to

But I want to
But I want you 

-E

Leaving on a jet plane...

well..i won't be leaving on a PLANE exactly..more like my car and kevin's yukon with a BIG trailer behind it. BUT...the news is that i HAVE accepted a position in Cleveland. I will be doing insurance & billing for Dr. Blake, who is a general surgeon at Bolivar Medical Center. I am really excited about this opportunity, and most definitely could NOT pass it up! I am ready to be settled and to be with Kevin...more than just weekends, at least! :) So keep me/us in your prayers...lots of changes coming up! 

Next Step: House hunting this weekend! :)

-E

Sayonara, 2008!

i know, i know...2 posts in 1 hour?! seriously? but ya'll know how i do love a good survey..and this one really let me reflect on what all i am thankful for from the past year! it was a rough year...and at times the best year of my life! so here goes!! :) 

Favorite song in 08: i have so many favorites...for many different reasons. i LOVE Aqualung's "brighter than sunshine". i LOVE Zac Brown Band's "chicken fried. and i love SugarLand's "already gone". 

Favorite movie in 08: TOTALLY Sex and the City...without a doubt! 

Favorite new friends of 08: Kevin!! of course!!! and my Holley!! 

Favorite concert in 08: Hmm....did i go to

 a concert this year??? i really don't think i did. except some heavy metal ones that i really did not get into..

Favorite musical group in 08: Hmmm...i LOVE Sugarland...and Zac Brown Band....i love so many groups right now.....

Favorite purchase in 08: Hmm...probably some pair of shoes or a fabulous outfit..

Favorite baby born in 08: Most definitely my sweet, sweet Braylon boy.
Favorite TV show in 08: Grey's Anatomy, Big Bang Theory, New Adventures of Old Christine, American Idol, anything on Food Network! 

Favorite vacation spot of 08: Savannah, GA & Cleveland, MS....soon to be my HOME! :) 

Favorite photo taken in 08:This one, our very first picture together :) 

 

long time, no post!

merry christmas, happy new year and all that jazz! i've been away from the blog world for almost 2 weeks now! wow! it's been really nice being off work and not having to look at a computer screen...but today it's back to the daily grind. work work and more work! it's not as bad as i thought it might be...but we'll see how the day progresses! i have LOTS to update on...hmm i guess christmas is first. we had a wonderful christmas eve with my family. my sister and the babies were there, as well as my sweet Mamaw from Clinton (and she LOVED her painting, which just thrilled me!). my sister gave kevin and i a STAND MIXER..which i have wanted for SUCH a long time. we were thrilled with our gift and appreciate lindsay's thoughtfulness so much. kevin got it out when we got back to town yesterday and whipped up a batch of brownies and a strawberry cake to take to my mom's for sunday lunch! yeah, he's a keeper! :) she also gave us a digital picture frame..which i have to admit i have never really been into. but the one she gave is us really cute and tasteful, and will be used to display pictures of kevin & i together in our new home ( more on this later in the post). 

Cute little digital picture frame...with no pictues on it. 

Our wonderful stand mixer...after her first use! 

After we had Christmas with my family on Christmas Eve, Kevin decided he was ready for us to have our Christmas...and would not STOP until I agreed to exchange presents. so off we went to my house to gather up our presents for each other and head back to my parents....because of COURSE my mom wanted to see each and every thing we got for each other :). ladies, let me just tell you...my man knows me and knows what i want! and boy does he have good taste! :) i'll let the pictures speak for themselves on this one!!

Yes, that says JIMMY CHOO!!!

my beautiful purse..he did so good! 

Hello, Mr. Hobo!

my sparklies. i love them so much :) 

Those are my pretties from my honey :). he also bought sweet flossie jayne a dress, and got me a really cute MSU t-shirt. After a wonderful Christmas Eve with my family, we woke up Christmas morning and headed to the Delta for Christmas with his family at his brother's house. They draw names and were so sweet to include me in their drawing this year. I drew Kevin's brother, Chris, and he drew my name as well! Here is a picture of the fabulous decorative tray & candles they gave me! Thank you, Chris & Leigh! 

Chris & Leigh also gave me some SCRUMPTIOUS French Vanilla coffee! They are too sweet. I really enjoyed spending the day with Kevin's family and they are such sweet, sweet people. The next week was spent just hanging out with Kevin, my cousins and other family and lounging with Flossie Jayne. Here are a couple pictures from the New Year's bonfire. 

Me and my sweet, sweet cousin Beth

me, Beth, and my Aunt Tina

me and my sweet, sweet honey :)

So i guess the biggest news of the holiday season is that we are actively looking for a place to live TOGETHER. i couldn't be more thrilled and excited about starting this next phase of my life with the LOVE of my life! :)  more details to come as i know them! as for know, keep your fingers crossed and remember us in your prayers as i think about job opportunities as well as thinking about moving! 

-E

can you paint with all the colors of the wind?

merry christmas eve, ya'll! :) so i'm FINALLY done with every little last minute detail of my christmas preparations. it feels so good! yesterday was a long day...i got my hair colored at lunch (pictures to come soon) and ran a couple more errands after work. when i got home, my only project left was to wrap 1 more present, and paint a canvas for my grandmother. those of you who know me know that i really do love to paint. it's finding the time and channeling my creativity to do it that is the problem. sometimes i have trouble just sitting and letting an idea come to me, i try to force it i guess. well i had in mind what i wanted to paint for my sweet mamaw, and it turned out wonderfully, in my opinion! 

I think my grandmother will be pleased with this...at least i hope. i really enjoyed painting it and it really relaxed me after a stressful, not fun day. i'm thinking of doing what so many others have done and making a blog for my paintings and possibly selling some...i just don't want it to feel like work and i end up not enjoying it. anyways..maybe that's a project for the first of the year.

this is my LAST work day for the YEAR. it feels so good to say that, even though it's really only for a week and a half or so. i will so enjoy my time off! FJ and i will be in cleveland with kevin for most of our vacation. we will spend our days cuddled up by the fire watching the food network, and we are both ECSTATIC about it :). tonight is christmas with my family. i can't wait to see taylee open her presents..she's really into christmas this year...last weekend she INSISTED on sleeping under my parents christmas tree because it was time for "santa bring me toys". sweet angel face she is. braylon doesn't really know what's going on...he's just happy as long as someone's holding him! anyways...lack of internet will prevent me from posting until i return to work on 1.5, but expect a nice long post complete with pictures of christmas, new years, and everything else in between, including the new hair! let's hope it gets kevin's approval in about 2 hours when he arrives! love to all and merry christmas! 

-e

it's the most wonderful time of the year...

i. love. christmas. i'm even one of those WEIRD people who LOVES shopping right before christmas...the mad dashes, the crowds, the screaming children. LOVE. IT. and it's a good thing too! kevin and i FINISHED (actually..started AND finished) our christmas shopping this weekend. we had a WONDERFUL weekend...let's back up....

last tuesday i headed to cleveland just for the night..and had a wonderful time! we visited and i watched kevin bowl. coming back the next day was really tough, since we hadn't seen each other in over a week. then, friday evening, kevin arrived around 6:30..and we immediately headed out for a dinner date :) after a wonderful meal at chili's, we went to wal-mart to start some shopping for the nieces & nephews. after browsing the toy area at wal mart for a while, we headed back to my apartment (after purchasing a favorite of mine, THE ITALIAN JOB, for FIVE DOLLARS!). saturday morning, we woke up rather early...for various reasons...1. kevin couldn't sleep because of pain in his arms and 2. we had an EXTREMELY busy day ahead of us! after breakfast together, we headed to visit my mom and take her a piping hot cup o' coffee from the brew. after our visit, we headed to the Co-Op to look for some hunting gear for Chris, Kevin's brother. After we decided to purchase our hunting gear elsewhere, we headed to Lindsay's shop so Kevin could get a quick haircut. FINALLY, after taking care of ALL those errands and showering and getting dressed, we were on our way to tuscaloosa. it. was. packed. we started our shopping spree at toys r' us. carrie and bobby met us there, and we shopped with them for the rest of the day. it was wonderful to see them and spend time with them, and i'm so glad they got to meet kevin!! after a wonderful dinner at depalma's in downtown tuscaloosa, kevin & i headed home. we watched a movie on the couch together, and slept there for the rest of the night! we were exhausted! sunday was a very lazy day for us. i was a sweet, sweet girl and went out and got breakfast :) and we ate and went back to bed! around 1, we got up and went to my parents for a bit, then to wal mart to pick up some last minute odds and ends for christmas. after a dinner of yummy mexican food with my whole family, kevin headed back to the delta. i wasn't as sad as i usually am on sunday evenings, because he will be back on WEDNESDAY! wednesday is my last day of work for the year..and after i get off, we will head to my parents and have christmas with them and taylee and braylon. christmas morning will be our christmas together, then we'll head to cleveland for christmas with kevin's family. and i will remain in cleveland until january 3rd! i hope he doesn't get sick of me after spending a week and a half with me! :) flossie jayne will be accompanying me on this journey..it will be her first trip to the delta...in the past she's stayed with her nana. she's pretty excited! 

i'm really excited for the holidays this year. taylee is already talking about santa bringing toys. she's really getting into it this year...braylon, not so much. but he's still a sweet, sweet lil man. :) and i'm also thankful i get to spend time with kevin & his wonderful family. he's truly my most treasured gift this year :) MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

-E