Well last week was exciting. I drove to Charleston, SC on Tuesday afternoon for my brother's wedding. Mom and Dad had brought Grandmamma and Grandaddy down a few hours earlier and Justin decided last minute to drive down too! It was great to see him again so soon :) We went out to dinner at Ye Olde Fashioned Ice Cream Shoppe (pronounced shoppey by our family) with Grandma Jan too. Afterwards, we went to see Chris and Sam's new house in James Island, SC. Her mom, grandmother, and uncle were there as well as her friend Katie. It was great seeing everyone and spending time together as a family.
On Wednesday, Justin and I spent the entire morning in bed watching TV in the hotel. We were enjoying being lazy and just doing nothing. Grandmamma, Grandaddy, mom, dad, Justin, and I went to lunch at a restaurant very close to our hotel and then got ready for the wedding. I was the photographer, along with my dad, and got to spend some time with Sam before the wedding started. They had it in Grandma Jan's backyard on the "Steps to Nowhere" which are brick steps that lead down to the marsh. Grandma Jan had arranged some hydrangeas for where they stood as well as around the garden and house. She also arranged Sam's bouquet which was Iris and Stargazer lilies. The ceremony was lovely with family and some friends. Other than the minor bump in the road (Sam not having Chris's ring), it went very smoothly. Afterwards, we enjoyed a toast, watched them sign the official documents, and then had the "reception" at a seafood restaurant downtown called Coast. That was delicious (don't worry people, I haven't changed my taste all of sudden... I had chicken caesar salad...hehe).
For dessert, we went back to Chris and Sam's house for the wedding cake he had made. Funfetti on the bottom layer, strawberry on the top two, covered in icing and nerds...with a little stuffed pig and dog as the wedding toppers. It was very unique and interesting, but totally them. It tasted pretty good too (with a little extra zing/crunch of the nerds). We all woke up Thursday morning, had our hotel continental breakfast, and then everyone hit the road (in 3 different directions). I enjoyed the trip and it was especially good to see Grandma Jan, Uncle Kent, and Aunt Trish (I didn't get to Charleston this past New Year's). I also enjoyed seeing Chris and Sam in their new place and on their special day. Their wedding just ignited the "I'm ready to get married" fire that Justin and I are feeling. Soon. It will be our turn in about one year... Pictures from the wedding are here.
So I have finally begun progress on my research. This week is packed each day with lab work. I am currently working on some things that have to get done before I can do my actual experiment in the Fall. These techniques are very tedious and take a while, but they are not hard and it is somewhat peaceful being "in the hood" and just doing my thing. I am foreseeing a lot of busy weeks ahead of me. Now that my days are consumed with lab work, I will have to spend nights and some weekends working on reading papers and writing my literature review. That is difficult because when I come home, I want to relax. I want to leave the lab where it is and not take it home with me. I guess I will just have to find some motivation and push through.
Today, Dr. Edwards and I were talking and the whole topic of career came up. (Warning: this may be slightly unorganized with a hint of venting...) So when people meet me, they generally ask what I'm studying. When they hear animal science, their first response is "Oh you want to be a vet." I say no and then they always follow with, "Oh. So what do you want to do with a master's in animal science?" You know, that's a really good question! And as of right now, I have no earthly idea. When I came into UT in the Fall, I was going into this with the intention of continuing with a PhD so I could become a professor at a university. A few months in, I realized that research is not for me. My brain does not naturally think that way. I don't question how things work or what would happen if you changed X, Y, or Z. I like to learn a subject or master a technique. I like this for two reasons 1) I love to learn and 2) I love to teach people what I have learned. It is such a rewarding feeling to explain something to someone and watch the light bulb go off. I love to see people progress and take what they have learned and apply it. So I love to teach. But you can't teach college students without a PhD and I don't think I'm interested in teaching high schoolers or younger. I don't really know.
Another problem (which is not really a problem) that I have is that I enjoy so many things. There is not ONE occupation or field that interests me above and beyond all others. Because I love learning so much, it really doesn't matter what it is I'm learning, I generally enjoy it. This makes it very difficult to narrow down a career. I enjoy lab work and could see myself working in a lab. I also enjoy working with animals, but have no strong drive to do vet school (though I know I would absolutely love vet school). I would probably love physical therapy (another 4 years of school) or being a tutor. I would love being a photographer (with some serious training). So many things interest me, but none are pulling me towards them. I feel no drive or calling to do any single thing yet.
When I talk about this to people, I generally get two different answers. The first being that I don't need to know. I don't have to have things figured out or worry about what I will do with my life. I should just live day by day, learn what I can, and be content with where I am. In many ways, that is how I feel. I would call it blind faith. I have no idea where I'm going, but I trust that I will get there some way or another. I guess I have worn out all of my frustration on this subject, so it doesn't really bother me much anymore. On the other hand, I get the answer that I need to be thinking strongly about what I want to do so that I can get the experience I need to be the most marketable person for that particular job. This also makes sense because it is important to have experience that will aid in getting a job. My problem is that I don't know what job I want, so I don't know how to equip myself with the tools I need. I feel like I should just run in to the shed and grab as many as I can in the hopes that I'll pick up the right one.
It is not a fun position to be in. I don't like not knowing, but at the same time I am ok just trusting. It is hard when Justin and I are thinking/planning about where we might be going once he graduates. It is hard because while he will have a clearly defined job, I will not. Maybe by then I will have a better idea of what I want to do, but I will have to find somewhere to do it in whatever city we end up in.
What I am clear of is this: I want to finish this degree. I want to go back to Raleigh, get married, and start my life with Justin. I want to find a job that I enjoy, that has a purpose, and that I can be proud of. I want to work with people and help people. I also want to eventually start a family. Other than those things, I just don't know. I am so confused about this that I can't decide whether or not to be upset about it. I really do feel like I am living by blind faith. I just hope some day my eyes will be opened and I will figure out what I am supposed to do. Until then, I will keep going and see what happens.
Sorry if that was a lot, but I needed to get it off my chest.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Let the Good Times Roll
Do you like the new look? Justin re-did the title design for me while he was in Knoxville for the week!
Well wow. A lot has been going on since my last post! On the Thursday before Good Friday, I flew to Raleigh. Upon landing, Justin picked me up from the airport and we then went to a party with a bunch of his vet school friends. They were celebrating "halfway to DVM" as they had just finished all of their final exams for 2nd year! I got to see a bunch of friends that I had not seen in a while and we made mega-smore's in a fire pit. Friday, I met 3 of my 4 bridesmaids for lunch at Village Deli. It was awesome to catch up and I was really happy to see all of my girls chatting and getting to know one another. (I feel like it's always a bit awkward when you show up as a bridesmaid to a wedding and don't really know any of the other bridesmaids)
It was gloomy and rainy all day...which was beginning to make Justin and me nervous for our planned engagement photo shoot the next day. After lunch, Justin and I went to the barn so I could ride in the 4:30 lesson. I decided to ride Eli because I had been craving a good, lazy, easy ride (Essau tends to be slightly more work than, say a Quarter Horse). Eli was such a good boy and I had a great time riding, jumping cross rails, chatting with the girls, and catching up. I spent some time loving on Ivan while I was there and he just makes me smile :) After a sprained ankle/fetlock, he is going to start getting back into work very soon, so hopefully I will be able to ride him on my next trip to Raleigh.
I texted our photographer, Annie Harrison, that evening to inquire about the weather situation. She was a little weary about how wet the ground would be and decided we'd get in touch in the morning. Low and behold, it was still rainy/overcast in the morning and things were not looking good. The weathermen LIED (big surprise), and the sun wasn't supposed to come out until 2:00 PM. I told her that we would like to try if at all possible since I had no idea when I would be in Raleigh next. With our fingers crossed, Justin and I got ready (my ring cleaned, painted nails, ironed all outfits) and around 3:00, she said "let's do it!" We had our pictures taken at Fearrington Village in Pittsboro, NC. It was absolutely gorgeous and the clouds made for some nice shade in which to take pictures. We were really pleased with how the pictures turned out and our photographer is AWESOME!! She is full of energy, jokes, and smiles and we just love her. Here they are!
Justin and I drove back to Knoxville Sunday after church and lunch with my parents. He spent the entire week here with me because he had a week off between finals and his one week of selectives. Last week was my very last week of classes for this semester! I was at the lab/classes for most of the day and he got to be lazy and chill (a much deserved break for him!). It was really awesome to come home and him be there (a foreshadow of married life). It's also just really nice to have someone in my apartment to talk to. Even with my kitty, it can get lonely.
We got to attend an Animal Science banquet on Tuesday evening where I won a scholarship. Wednesday, the most insane storms came through Knoxville and we endured a lot of rain, the most lightning I have ever seen in my life, as well as ping pong ball-sized hail. Both of our cars took a nice beating and will hopefully be fixed soon! I took Justin to some of my favorite restaurants around K-ville including Calhoun's, Wasabi, Trio, and Menchie's. We also ate at a new burrito restaurant on Market Square with Kim and Jessy and enjoyed Rita's for dessert.
Following Dr. Edwards's advice, Justin and I began reading Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus by John Gray. We have only read 4 chapters and are already loving it. It is a guide to understanding the opposite sex and points out the differences between men and women. By understanding our differences, it is easier to communicate and become closer. The chapters we have read have already sparked some great discussion that has brought a little bit of clarity and insight into each other's way of thinking, feeling, and expressing emotions/stress. I would highly recommend it for any couple and hope it will continue to give us a better understanding of one another.
Aside from the crazy weather, it was an incredible week. I am now finished with classes and only have one final exam on Wednesday! Tomorrow is my first meeting with most of my committee and I am hoping that will be very productive. I really hope we can all agree on what I am going to do so I can start doing it! I need to keep busy this summer, so I will gladly take a laundry list of tasks from them.
Justin left today and, as always, it was not easy to see him go. I am very much looking forward to a time when we are together and don't have to part ways at the end of the weekend. I know this past year (and especially this past semester) has flown by and I hope and pray that the next one will as well. Justin will be working with USDA all summer and I will be busy doing research, so hopefully that will keep the time zipping past.
On a random note: my brother is getting married in less than 2 weeks! He and Sam, his girlfriend, decided to tie the knot and applied for a marriage lisence last week. They recently moved to James Island, SC (just outside of Charleston) where they are now living in their first house and are working new jobs. I will be heading to Charleston for the wedding in my Grandma Jan's back yard on May 11th. I'm happy for him and hope the wedding is everything they hoped for!
Well wow. A lot has been going on since my last post! On the Thursday before Good Friday, I flew to Raleigh. Upon landing, Justin picked me up from the airport and we then went to a party with a bunch of his vet school friends. They were celebrating "halfway to DVM" as they had just finished all of their final exams for 2nd year! I got to see a bunch of friends that I had not seen in a while and we made mega-smore's in a fire pit. Friday, I met 3 of my 4 bridesmaids for lunch at Village Deli. It was awesome to catch up and I was really happy to see all of my girls chatting and getting to know one another. (I feel like it's always a bit awkward when you show up as a bridesmaid to a wedding and don't really know any of the other bridesmaids)
It was gloomy and rainy all day...which was beginning to make Justin and me nervous for our planned engagement photo shoot the next day. After lunch, Justin and I went to the barn so I could ride in the 4:30 lesson. I decided to ride Eli because I had been craving a good, lazy, easy ride (Essau tends to be slightly more work than, say a Quarter Horse). Eli was such a good boy and I had a great time riding, jumping cross rails, chatting with the girls, and catching up. I spent some time loving on Ivan while I was there and he just makes me smile :) After a sprained ankle/fetlock, he is going to start getting back into work very soon, so hopefully I will be able to ride him on my next trip to Raleigh.
I texted our photographer, Annie Harrison, that evening to inquire about the weather situation. She was a little weary about how wet the ground would be and decided we'd get in touch in the morning. Low and behold, it was still rainy/overcast in the morning and things were not looking good. The weathermen LIED (big surprise), and the sun wasn't supposed to come out until 2:00 PM. I told her that we would like to try if at all possible since I had no idea when I would be in Raleigh next. With our fingers crossed, Justin and I got ready (my ring cleaned, painted nails, ironed all outfits) and around 3:00, she said "let's do it!" We had our pictures taken at Fearrington Village in Pittsboro, NC. It was absolutely gorgeous and the clouds made for some nice shade in which to take pictures. We were really pleased with how the pictures turned out and our photographer is AWESOME!! She is full of energy, jokes, and smiles and we just love her. Here they are!
Justin and I drove back to Knoxville Sunday after church and lunch with my parents. He spent the entire week here with me because he had a week off between finals and his one week of selectives. Last week was my very last week of classes for this semester! I was at the lab/classes for most of the day and he got to be lazy and chill (a much deserved break for him!). It was really awesome to come home and him be there (a foreshadow of married life). It's also just really nice to have someone in my apartment to talk to. Even with my kitty, it can get lonely.
We got to attend an Animal Science banquet on Tuesday evening where I won a scholarship. Wednesday, the most insane storms came through Knoxville and we endured a lot of rain, the most lightning I have ever seen in my life, as well as ping pong ball-sized hail. Both of our cars took a nice beating and will hopefully be fixed soon! I took Justin to some of my favorite restaurants around K-ville including Calhoun's, Wasabi, Trio, and Menchie's. We also ate at a new burrito restaurant on Market Square with Kim and Jessy and enjoyed Rita's for dessert.
Following Dr. Edwards's advice, Justin and I began reading Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus by John Gray. We have only read 4 chapters and are already loving it. It is a guide to understanding the opposite sex and points out the differences between men and women. By understanding our differences, it is easier to communicate and become closer. The chapters we have read have already sparked some great discussion that has brought a little bit of clarity and insight into each other's way of thinking, feeling, and expressing emotions/stress. I would highly recommend it for any couple and hope it will continue to give us a better understanding of one another.
Aside from the crazy weather, it was an incredible week. I am now finished with classes and only have one final exam on Wednesday! Tomorrow is my first meeting with most of my committee and I am hoping that will be very productive. I really hope we can all agree on what I am going to do so I can start doing it! I need to keep busy this summer, so I will gladly take a laundry list of tasks from them.
Justin left today and, as always, it was not easy to see him go. I am very much looking forward to a time when we are together and don't have to part ways at the end of the weekend. I know this past year (and especially this past semester) has flown by and I hope and pray that the next one will as well. Justin will be working with USDA all summer and I will be busy doing research, so hopefully that will keep the time zipping past.
On a random note: my brother is getting married in less than 2 weeks! He and Sam, his girlfriend, decided to tie the knot and applied for a marriage lisence last week. They recently moved to James Island, SC (just outside of Charleston) where they are now living in their first house and are working new jobs. I will be heading to Charleston for the wedding in my Grandma Jan's back yard on May 11th. I'm happy for him and hope the wedding is everything they hoped for!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Is it our turn yet?
Well last weekend was absolutely amazing. I hit the road Friday around 6:00 PM towards Lake Lure, NC. After making it to Asheville, I figured 74-Alt would be just another highway. Boy was I wrong! It was the windiest, curviest road I've ever been on. And it went that way for many many miles! All of the roads around Lake Lure and surrounding towns are like that and I was pretty dizzy after finally arriving to the resort. We stayed in a little condo which was tucked way back off the main road and was very cute. Saturday morning we had to go on an adventure to find breakfast as this resort had no restaurants and certainly no continental breakfast (oh, not to mention the office is closed on Saturdays). We found a little coffee shop down the street and split a blueberry muffin and an apple crunch muffin. The lady who runs the coffee shop held us captive for over an hour just chatting away. She and her husband were very sweet people and Justin gave them lots of advice on their dogs. Gotta love having a vet student around :)
After breakfast we went down to the Lake Lure Inn & Spa (where Mary's wedding would take place) to walk around a bit. There was a pretty bridge that ran along the edge of the lake where I took lots of pictures. We were scoping out where we thought the wedding would take place and found a gorgeous gazebo on the other side of the lake. We were pretty sure that would be the spot. I was able to use my new macro lens to take some cool flower pictures and took some fun ones of the docks using the aperture setting (my favorite). Justin always laughs at me for my unusual body positions when I'm trying to get "the perfect angle". Here are some pictures from the trip. After strolling, we went about 3 minutes down the road to the big town of Chimney Rock. The 1/2-mile-long town consisted of one road lined with souvenir shops and cafes. Justin and I browsed the shops for a little while and then found a place to eat lunch. Laura's House was wall-to-wall windows on the front which gave an incredible view of the lookout at Chimney Rock and the waterfall. We had a really delicious lunch (chicken salad melt) and headed back to the resort for some studying and homework.
The wedding was at 4:30 that afternoon and we arrived in plenty of time. Right as we were pulling up, Justin asked me if I remembered to get their present from my car. Of course not. We decided to run quick back to the resort right after the ceremony to grab it. As we walked up to the inn, I saw two people I knew very well. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols are the parents of a friend of mine from high school. We chatted a bit and stuck with them most of the evening. The ceremony did indeed take place at the gazebo and I was shocked to find out that only about 50 people were attending. This made me feel very blessed an honored to have been invited to such a special day for Mary! Despite serious wind, the weather was lovely as was the ceremony. They had an incredibly cute "can't decide which way to kiss you" moment which made everyone chuckle.
Right after the ceremony, Justin and I jetted back to grab the present. This was probably a really good thing in the end because when we returned, the hors d'oeuvres "hour" was actually more like 2 hours. You know how it is with wedding photography after the ceremony...takes FOREVER! (I promise ours will not take very long. We're going to do all of the pictures before that don't involve Justin and me together). We enjoyed a very nice plated dinner (ceasar salad, steak, chicken, mashed potatoes, broccoli, rolls) and sat with Michelle, her parents, Erika, and her parents. (Michelle and Erika went to high school with me) It was fun to see them again and catch up! The photographer also went to high school with us so it was almost a mini-reunion.
It was really fun to be at a wedding with Justin. He was able to see things he did and didn't like and it was almost a foreshadowing of our wedding. It was really fun for me to hear him commenting on the cake, food, seating arrangements, and other details. I guess just being in the atmosphere gave us both a glimpse of what it will be like for us. We are both really, really ready for our turn!
Sunday we went on another adventure to find breakfast, this time towards Rutherfordton for a late breakfast/brunch. We missed the little country kitchen we were trying to find and ended up eating at Denny's. Since we both had quite a bit of work to do for the upcoming week, we decided to head our separate ways after eating. It was tough watching him go after such a short weekend, but that was one of the best short weekends I've had with him. I don't know if it was the love in the air from the wedding or what but I just enjoyed every single second I was with him. We both were experiencing a case of "twitterpated" and much to our surprise, our love continues to skyrocket. I don't know how to explain it unless you have experienced it before. You think there's no way you can love this person any more than you do right now, but you prove yourself wrong every day. Perhaps it is the distance. Perhaps it is just divinely planned. Maybe some of both. All I know is that I love him more every day and am ready more than ever to get married!
On that note, my wedding dress came in as well as my garters. David's Bridal said 6-10 weeks for the dress, but it came in 2!!! I am certainly not complaining and am very excited to have it hanging in my closet! Things are starting to come together and as the time ticks down (a little less than 14 months now), we both get more and more excited! We'll be taking our engagement pictures over Easter weekend and then Justin is going to spend a week with me in Knoxville!!!
As far as UT goes...I am working extremely hard this week on my seminar that I will be presenting on Monday. This is a required class that you must take twice. All of the Animal Science graduate students give a seminar (40 minutes for PhD student and 20 minutes for MS student) in front of the other graduate students and any/all Animal Science faculty and staff that wish to attend. I will be presenting the research I have done so far as well as what I plan to do for my project. I am currently feeling really good about it and will be practicing the oral part of it soon and all weekend. After that is over, I'll be able to get going on my research as we wind down the last 3 weeks of the semester.
After breakfast we went down to the Lake Lure Inn & Spa (where Mary's wedding would take place) to walk around a bit. There was a pretty bridge that ran along the edge of the lake where I took lots of pictures. We were scoping out where we thought the wedding would take place and found a gorgeous gazebo on the other side of the lake. We were pretty sure that would be the spot. I was able to use my new macro lens to take some cool flower pictures and took some fun ones of the docks using the aperture setting (my favorite). Justin always laughs at me for my unusual body positions when I'm trying to get "the perfect angle". Here are some pictures from the trip. After strolling, we went about 3 minutes down the road to the big town of Chimney Rock. The 1/2-mile-long town consisted of one road lined with souvenir shops and cafes. Justin and I browsed the shops for a little while and then found a place to eat lunch. Laura's House was wall-to-wall windows on the front which gave an incredible view of the lookout at Chimney Rock and the waterfall. We had a really delicious lunch (chicken salad melt) and headed back to the resort for some studying and homework.
The wedding was at 4:30 that afternoon and we arrived in plenty of time. Right as we were pulling up, Justin asked me if I remembered to get their present from my car. Of course not. We decided to run quick back to the resort right after the ceremony to grab it. As we walked up to the inn, I saw two people I knew very well. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols are the parents of a friend of mine from high school. We chatted a bit and stuck with them most of the evening. The ceremony did indeed take place at the gazebo and I was shocked to find out that only about 50 people were attending. This made me feel very blessed an honored to have been invited to such a special day for Mary! Despite serious wind, the weather was lovely as was the ceremony. They had an incredibly cute "can't decide which way to kiss you" moment which made everyone chuckle.
Right after the ceremony, Justin and I jetted back to grab the present. This was probably a really good thing in the end because when we returned, the hors d'oeuvres "hour" was actually more like 2 hours. You know how it is with wedding photography after the ceremony...takes FOREVER! (I promise ours will not take very long. We're going to do all of the pictures before that don't involve Justin and me together). We enjoyed a very nice plated dinner (ceasar salad, steak, chicken, mashed potatoes, broccoli, rolls) and sat with Michelle, her parents, Erika, and her parents. (Michelle and Erika went to high school with me) It was fun to see them again and catch up! The photographer also went to high school with us so it was almost a mini-reunion.
It was really fun to be at a wedding with Justin. He was able to see things he did and didn't like and it was almost a foreshadowing of our wedding. It was really fun for me to hear him commenting on the cake, food, seating arrangements, and other details. I guess just being in the atmosphere gave us both a glimpse of what it will be like for us. We are both really, really ready for our turn!
Sunday we went on another adventure to find breakfast, this time towards Rutherfordton for a late breakfast/brunch. We missed the little country kitchen we were trying to find and ended up eating at Denny's. Since we both had quite a bit of work to do for the upcoming week, we decided to head our separate ways after eating. It was tough watching him go after such a short weekend, but that was one of the best short weekends I've had with him. I don't know if it was the love in the air from the wedding or what but I just enjoyed every single second I was with him. We both were experiencing a case of "twitterpated" and much to our surprise, our love continues to skyrocket. I don't know how to explain it unless you have experienced it before. You think there's no way you can love this person any more than you do right now, but you prove yourself wrong every day. Perhaps it is the distance. Perhaps it is just divinely planned. Maybe some of both. All I know is that I love him more every day and am ready more than ever to get married!
On that note, my wedding dress came in as well as my garters. David's Bridal said 6-10 weeks for the dress, but it came in 2!!! I am certainly not complaining and am very excited to have it hanging in my closet! Things are starting to come together and as the time ticks down (a little less than 14 months now), we both get more and more excited! We'll be taking our engagement pictures over Easter weekend and then Justin is going to spend a week with me in Knoxville!!!
As far as UT goes...I am working extremely hard this week on my seminar that I will be presenting on Monday. This is a required class that you must take twice. All of the Animal Science graduate students give a seminar (40 minutes for PhD student and 20 minutes for MS student) in front of the other graduate students and any/all Animal Science faculty and staff that wish to attend. I will be presenting the research I have done so far as well as what I plan to do for my project. I am currently feeling really good about it and will be practicing the oral part of it soon and all weekend. After that is over, I'll be able to get going on my research as we wind down the last 3 weeks of the semester.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
A Big Hairy Mess
After the high from last weekend, this week hit a bit of a low. I guess it was hard going back to being alone in the apartment after having mom around for 4 days. It was also difficult because I was so excited about the wedding, which made me miss Justin more. He and Tim spent the week in California, so he was even farther away! They had a blast though and made it home safely yesterday. My week turned out pretty well towards the end and now I am 5 days away from seeing Justin for a wedding this weekend in Lake Lure, NC!!!
Saturday I clipped Essau and thought you might enjoy some before and after pictures!
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Saturday, March 19, 2011
Yes to the Dress
This past week was UT's Spring Break. Being a grad student, I did not have the luxury of having the week off. Monday was a slaughterhouse day, collecting udders for an upcoming 320 lab. Wednesday, Kim and I drove to a slaughterhouse in Gaffney, SC (3 hours) and back to get ovaries and pituitaries. That was an incredibly long, tiring trip, but we finally made it. Mom was also traveling that day to come here. She arrived around dinner time and we went to Calhoun's for dinner, followed by a Wal-Mart run. Thursday, I had to get up early again and make another Bean Station udder run. I don't recall being that physically tired in a long time and am still recovering from it. Mom met me at JARTU around 5 and we went to the barn to lunge Essau. I cooked dinner for us (feta chicken, green beans, and rolls) and then we just took it easy that evening.
Friday, she came with me to the lab where I gave her a tour, did some chores, and watched Kim practice her seminar for a few hours. We left around lunch time to eat at an amazing deli called Trio in Market Square downtown. We then had real Italian gelato/sorbetto from Coolato, which was incredible. They have different flavors every day and the flavor I had (Italian lemon something) was the best one yet. YUM! I had an appointment at a bridal salon at 2:30, but we had some time to kill so we went into Mast General Store, and a few other stores in Market Square before heading out.
We arrived at the bridal salon a bit early for my very first dress experience. The girls were very nice, but I was surprised when they said "just look around, see what you want, and you can try it on." I guess "Say Yes to the Dress" has me spoiled a bit because I thought I would at least have someone helping me figure out what it was I wanted. I tried on about 5 gowns there. They were all very nice, but not what I was looking for. Mom and I decided to go to their "sister" store in Jacksboro, TN that had a larger selection. We punched the address into Carmen (my GPS) and headed down the road. After exiting off the highway, we were taken off the road a bit. We started passing little farms, winding on little country roads, and were getting more and more into the absolute middle of nowhere. When we finally heard "arriving at destination, on right" I was certain we were in the completely wrong place. I called the store and asked where they were located. "Oh we're just past the Wal-Mart". Wouldn't you know. After a good laugh, we eventually found the place!
This store had many more dresses and I tried on 8. They were all so very similar, however, which was not helping me to find what I was looking for. After the 5 from the other store, it was pretty obvious that this style was not for me. I was a bit annoyed with their lack of variety, but much more confident of the style I was going for, so we decided to stop by David's Bridal on the way home. It was about 5:30 PM when we arrived. I met my consultant, Heather, and we got started! I told her what sorts of styles I was looking for and she picked out a few for me to try. I happened to see one that caught my eye hanging on the rack and took it to the dressing area to add to the stack. It was the first one I tried on and I LOVED it. Everything about it was flattering and I did not have anything negative to say! I tried on about 6 more afterwards, but kept comparing them back to the first. After narrowing it down to my top two, I put number one back on and didn't want to take it off. We played with accessories a little bit and finally rang the bell (a David's tradition when you "say yes"). I am so excited about it. It is not at all the style I imagined when I used to think about getting married and what I might look like, but it is absolutely perfect for me! I'm not posting pictures anywhere, sorry! I also decided that since Justin has to wait until the big day to see it, I would make it fair and keep it a secret from the general public as well. But for the record, it is a hot pink silk gown with 4 large green flowers on the left shoulder, a huge purple bow on the back, and 6 layers of gold ruffles in the skirt. :)
After 6 hours of dress shopping, Mom and I had a much-deserved celebratory dinner at Olive Garden. This morning we had a big breakfast at a little coffee shop downtown called Pete's (as per my friend Emily's suggestion). We actually went back to David's today so I could look for a dress to wear as Jeannie's bridesmaid (she's my maid of honor...will be matron of honor). I found a really pretty spaghetti strap satin dress that I have ordered. It will be hot pink, her favorite :) Tonight we're making my amazing chili and then tomorrow will be church. I think she's enjoyed her time here and it's been really great to have company! Asher especially has enjoyed the extra attention!!
Justin and Tim should be arriving any moment in California where they'll be spending their Spring Break visiting his family, seeing California, and diving in the kelp forest. They have been working SO very hard and definitely deserve this break. I will get to see Justin in 2 weeks for a friend's wedding in Lake Lure, NC so that will be exciting! Only 6 more weeks of class until this semester is over...CRAZY! And Spring starts tomorrow! Yay!!
Friday, she came with me to the lab where I gave her a tour, did some chores, and watched Kim practice her seminar for a few hours. We left around lunch time to eat at an amazing deli called Trio in Market Square downtown. We then had real Italian gelato/sorbetto from Coolato, which was incredible. They have different flavors every day and the flavor I had (Italian lemon something) was the best one yet. YUM! I had an appointment at a bridal salon at 2:30, but we had some time to kill so we went into Mast General Store, and a few other stores in Market Square before heading out.
We arrived at the bridal salon a bit early for my very first dress experience. The girls were very nice, but I was surprised when they said "just look around, see what you want, and you can try it on." I guess "Say Yes to the Dress" has me spoiled a bit because I thought I would at least have someone helping me figure out what it was I wanted. I tried on about 5 gowns there. They were all very nice, but not what I was looking for. Mom and I decided to go to their "sister" store in Jacksboro, TN that had a larger selection. We punched the address into Carmen (my GPS) and headed down the road. After exiting off the highway, we were taken off the road a bit. We started passing little farms, winding on little country roads, and were getting more and more into the absolute middle of nowhere. When we finally heard "arriving at destination, on right" I was certain we were in the completely wrong place. I called the store and asked where they were located. "Oh we're just past the Wal-Mart". Wouldn't you know. After a good laugh, we eventually found the place!
This store had many more dresses and I tried on 8. They were all so very similar, however, which was not helping me to find what I was looking for. After the 5 from the other store, it was pretty obvious that this style was not for me. I was a bit annoyed with their lack of variety, but much more confident of the style I was going for, so we decided to stop by David's Bridal on the way home. It was about 5:30 PM when we arrived. I met my consultant, Heather, and we got started! I told her what sorts of styles I was looking for and she picked out a few for me to try. I happened to see one that caught my eye hanging on the rack and took it to the dressing area to add to the stack. It was the first one I tried on and I LOVED it. Everything about it was flattering and I did not have anything negative to say! I tried on about 6 more afterwards, but kept comparing them back to the first. After narrowing it down to my top two, I put number one back on and didn't want to take it off. We played with accessories a little bit and finally rang the bell (a David's tradition when you "say yes"). I am so excited about it. It is not at all the style I imagined when I used to think about getting married and what I might look like, but it is absolutely perfect for me! I'm not posting pictures anywhere, sorry! I also decided that since Justin has to wait until the big day to see it, I would make it fair and keep it a secret from the general public as well. But for the record, it is a hot pink silk gown with 4 large green flowers on the left shoulder, a huge purple bow on the back, and 6 layers of gold ruffles in the skirt. :)
After 6 hours of dress shopping, Mom and I had a much-deserved celebratory dinner at Olive Garden. This morning we had a big breakfast at a little coffee shop downtown called Pete's (as per my friend Emily's suggestion). We actually went back to David's today so I could look for a dress to wear as Jeannie's bridesmaid (she's my maid of honor...will be matron of honor). I found a really pretty spaghetti strap satin dress that I have ordered. It will be hot pink, her favorite :) Tonight we're making my amazing chili and then tomorrow will be church. I think she's enjoyed her time here and it's been really great to have company! Asher especially has enjoyed the extra attention!!
Justin and Tim should be arriving any moment in California where they'll be spending their Spring Break visiting his family, seeing California, and diving in the kelp forest. They have been working SO very hard and definitely deserve this break. I will get to see Justin in 2 weeks for a friend's wedding in Lake Lure, NC so that will be exciting! Only 6 more weeks of class until this semester is over...CRAZY! And Spring starts tomorrow! Yay!!
Monday, March 7, 2011
OORAH
Another week down! I had a great workout on Saturday with Harold. I did not feel like I was going to pass out, throw up, or die. I pushed through for an entire hour and it felt awesome. The only thing I wanted to do when I was done was yell a big "OOORAH" like the Coast Guard in The Guardian. I was sore Sunday, but nowhere near as bad as two weeks ago (my first session with Harold). It feels great to already feel stronger and I'm loving it! Justin is also getting some motivation to work out, so that's exciting too!
I don't think I mentioned that Brooke, from the lab, is taking a job in Birmingham, Alabama starting a week from today! We will certainly miss her! She has been such an awesome help to me as I transitioned into graduate school. She's a great listener and gives advice whenever she can to help me through rough times. I will be sad to see her go, but am very happy she found a job that will make her happy!
Mom comse to Knoxville next week! I am excited to show her around, take her to some of the best places to eat, and go dress shopping! After Jeannie, my maid of honor, just got her dress this past weekend, I am REALLY itching to try some on!! Mom and I have also been working on my possible invitations. We'll see how pricing goes and move forward from there.
School is going well. My classes are great. I've been writing a good bit and am going to start learning some of the techniques needed for the next steps in my research this week. I am hoping to take every opportunity to learn something new and enjoy it, even if it is frustrating at first. It is always hard to do something when you are first learning it and you think you will never get it. After a while, you do something so much it becomes routine and you don't even have to think about it. I am sure these new techniques will follow the same pattern.
Essau and Asher are doing well. Essau is fuzzy, a bit out of shape, but very happy. I ride him about once a week and lunge about once a week. He needs way more exercise than that, but that is all I can give him right now. He doesn't seem to mind too much :) Asher, I think, has grown up a bit the last few weeks. He is actually sleeping in the bed I bought him when he was a kitten. He has switched his psychotic episodes from night to morning (which is very nice since I can actually get to sleep without his pinball antics).
For your viewing pleasure...one of the funniest videos I have ever seen:
I don't think I mentioned that Brooke, from the lab, is taking a job in Birmingham, Alabama starting a week from today! We will certainly miss her! She has been such an awesome help to me as I transitioned into graduate school. She's a great listener and gives advice whenever she can to help me through rough times. I will be sad to see her go, but am very happy she found a job that will make her happy!
Mom comse to Knoxville next week! I am excited to show her around, take her to some of the best places to eat, and go dress shopping! After Jeannie, my maid of honor, just got her dress this past weekend, I am REALLY itching to try some on!! Mom and I have also been working on my possible invitations. We'll see how pricing goes and move forward from there.
School is going well. My classes are great. I've been writing a good bit and am going to start learning some of the techniques needed for the next steps in my research this week. I am hoping to take every opportunity to learn something new and enjoy it, even if it is frustrating at first. It is always hard to do something when you are first learning it and you think you will never get it. After a while, you do something so much it becomes routine and you don't even have to think about it. I am sure these new techniques will follow the same pattern.
Essau and Asher are doing well. Essau is fuzzy, a bit out of shape, but very happy. I ride him about once a week and lunge about once a week. He needs way more exercise than that, but that is all I can give him right now. He doesn't seem to mind too much :) Asher, I think, has grown up a bit the last few weeks. He is actually sleeping in the bed I bought him when he was a kitten. He has switched his psychotic episodes from night to morning (which is very nice since I can actually get to sleep without his pinball antics).
For your viewing pleasure...one of the funniest videos I have ever seen:
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Lazy and Delicious
This weekend was great. I drove to Marion Friday afternoon and arrived in time for dinner with Justin, his Dad, and Louise. We had some yummy ChowTime pizza and watched an incredibly depressing movie, Everybody's Fine. Saturday morning we took my car to get it inspected and had a yummy brunch at a local Coffee House where I had pancakes and eggs. YUM! We then drove up to Linville Falls for some hiking and picture taking. Here are some pictures from our trip. It was so pretty and a nice day. After stopping by Sonic for a smoothie/milkshake snack, we went to visit Alice and Rick for a while. That night we cooked hamburgers in Louise's new Nuwave oven and watched Sweet Home Alabama and part of Twilight. Oh, we also made use of the hot tub and partook in some cherry cobbler a la mode (I let Justin eat most of the cherries...they were a little tart for me) :)
Sunday was a sleep-in kind of morning...I can't remember the last time I was in the bed at 10:00 AM!! :) Justin and I got up and watched most of Men Who Stare at Goats (dumbest movie ever) and then packed up and headed to Grandma Shirley's for lunch. I always love going there for some amazing, southern, home-cooking! I had fresh creamed corn, potato casserole, peas, coleslaw, sweet potatoes, a biscuit, and some lemon pound cake. You never go hungry at Grandma Shirley's, nor is there ever anything on that table that isn't absolutely delicious! Another perk is the slew of hilarious stories she tells. That is one awesome lady and everyone loves her to death! :)
Justin and I parted ways after lunch and headed back to our respective homes. It was, as usual, hard to say goodbye and see him go, but we'll see each other again soon for a friend's wedding!
Sunday was a sleep-in kind of morning...I can't remember the last time I was in the bed at 10:00 AM!! :) Justin and I got up and watched most of Men Who Stare at Goats (dumbest movie ever) and then packed up and headed to Grandma Shirley's for lunch. I always love going there for some amazing, southern, home-cooking! I had fresh creamed corn, potato casserole, peas, coleslaw, sweet potatoes, a biscuit, and some lemon pound cake. You never go hungry at Grandma Shirley's, nor is there ever anything on that table that isn't absolutely delicious! Another perk is the slew of hilarious stories she tells. That is one awesome lady and everyone loves her to death! :)
Justin and I parted ways after lunch and headed back to our respective homes. It was, as usual, hard to say goodbye and see him go, but we'll see each other again soon for a friend's wedding!
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