Shut down

I think it's time for a shut down of the blog whether it's temporary or permanent. Life is so busy these days that I can't seem to find the energy, interest, or effort to blog. I still love reading everyone's blogs so I'll leave it up to see those. I've enjoyed it for the past year or so and hope to find interest again one day! Take care!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

We've been busy moving into our new home. We had it painted, hardwoods installed downstairs and soon in the bathrooms upstairs, hung ceiling fans, had the house and driveway pressure washed, installed a new patio door, and had the garage door painted. Mama and I worked really hard to get the whole kitchen unpacked this weekend.

We are so blessed to have wonderful neighbors! They're so sweet!! We've met 6 houses around us and have been brought cupcakes (twice!) and even a TV to borrow. I absolutely love my next door neighbor, Kristin. She always checks on me and assures me I can come over any time. Her husband has been so nice to offer Brandon tools and advice for all our new homeowner questions! They have 3 boys that are so precious and asked daily after closing if we were spending the night in the house!

They say bad stuff comes in three's. Closing on the house was easy despite mother nature's welcoming gift of lightning to the tree in the front yard. Thankfully it didn't hit the house! Then Brandon's truck was hit in the Kroger parking lot but at least the guy stayed and it's being fixed. The third was expected, but still the worst.

Popaw took a turn for the worst last week. He had a strange spell which we found out was due to high fever and had been terribly weak. He had scans at MDA this week showing new cancer. The drugs are not working so he has stopped the trial. He will not start a new trial, meaning that this is the beginning of the end. Soon, hospice will be arranged and we'll make the most of the time we have left.

I think we've known that this would come eventually, but it doesn't make it any easier. A sweet friend asked what to pray for specifically and I couldn't think of anything. What's harder-more or less time? He's suffered long enough and hasn't been able to really live at all in the past 6 months and the past 2 years have been pretty hellacious.

Cancer is an ugly, ugly thing and doesn't discriminate. We can all say that we know someone with cancer but most of the time don't see the horrible physical and emotional effects.

On a selfish note, I've been wondering what I was thinking by taking a job in Hematology/Oncology given the ongoing situation. It seemed great to want to support doctors working to cure cancer. Now, it's harder than ever walking through the clinic, seeing patients, working with trials, and emotionally separating from it all.

Prayers for peace, emotional stability, reduced pain, clarity, and progress toward a cure for the future are appreciated.

Lately

You would think by now that I would have news of us doing lots of "Nashville" things, being tourists in our own town, etc. Nope. Hasn't happened. What we HAVE been doing is spending a lot of time at the YMCA, picking out paint, sitting on the patio with Toby, shopping for appliances and furniture, getting excellent news on the appraisal, and stalking by the house every chance we get. I have a new love for yoga and Body Flow, picked paint colors using Pinterest, and can't wait to buy our washer and dryer today.

Work is going well, just very different. I was accustomed to eating lunch with my coworkers regularly and now I take my lunch to the Children's Hospital and sit by myself. Quite the adjustment. Everyone is nice, just not my same crew. The morning commute isn't bad, but parking on sublevel 3 of the garage isn't my favorite. The drive home is a different story.

So since I don't have any fun "this is us doing this Nashville thing," here's a link to a musician I love!

http://m.myspace.com/home.wap?bfd=webnext&isredirected=true#friends.list/profile/13883797

Victory!

We were in Nashville over the weekend house hunting FOR REAL. We have an amazing realtor that my mom worked with and a friend of friends. We love him! We saw quite a few houses on Saturday and wore ourselves out along with Aaron, the realtor! We really loved one house in particular, went back to see it again, found out that the sellers were extremely motivated and the price had just dropped, and decided to make an offer that night. We got a counter around 1:00 on Sunday, countered back, and found out around 5:00 that we have a contract! We could move in like it is, but there are a few things we want to do first. It's in a big neighborhood next to my mom and we're only 1.3 miles away from door to door!

Maybe enough room for a small swing! Definitely a rocker if nothing else!

Formal Dining Room

Planning on laying hardwoods throughout the downstairs

Not much cabinet space, but definitely room for a sideboard, buffet, or server

Perfect for our kitchen table and chairs! Backdoor will be replaced.

Granite countertops! Appliances stay including the 3 month old supa fancy Samsung fridge!

Insert new furniture HERE!

There's a half bath downstairs, but no picture of it.

Bonus room which will be an office.

Big Sexy Red bedroom with ghetto molding (AKA upside down baseboards) that will be done away with ASAP!

Great size closets in addition to the one in the bedroom.

What Mama calls the "nursery" every chance she gets along with a reminder that "it's time."

Guest bedroom with an alcove on the left not pictured.

Leland Cypresses to hide the backyard neighbors.

Small patio, but sufficient.

We close on July 20th barring any craziness with the inspection and appraisal and are beyond excited to move in!

Birthdays

I spent last weekend in Monroe for the last time before we move. Mama an my grandparents had been in Houston last week and my uncle an cousin came through on their way to the beach. I'm pretty sure it's the first time we've all been at the house overnight since Jackson was little (they normally stay with my aunt's parents) so we had fun. It was also Mama and Tommy's birthday so we had a pizza party and cake! Their birthdays are a day apart and so they're the same age for 1 day. My poor grandmother!!

See, the thing is I plan parties at work. All the time. Going away, wedding, baby, whatever. I can seem to coordinate an office party, but somehow managed to order the cake at the wrong grocery store. My poor uncle Johnny went on a wild goose chase to get it!!

We had a good weekend an Popaw is fair. Scans showed that cancer that showed up in April is shrinking which is good. Bad news is that he'll always have to take he drugs and they have not so nice side effects. He's also had another eye surgery to lift he brow because it was sagging so much he couldn't see. He's really been through the ringer, but is in wonderful spirits. I love my grandparents and will hate bring twice as far away!

Packing is coming along and we're starting to take stuff to Mama's. Hopefully we can buy and get moved into a house without moving twice!

Extra long weekend

We took an extra long weekend and eased down to the coast. It was the first vacation we'd taken alone since our honeymoon. And passed the hotel where we spent the first night of our honeymoon!

Renaissance Riverview Mobile

 We had points from all of Brandon's traveling so our hotel was free!! We went to Orange Beach and enjoyed doing pretty much nothing.

Throwed roll at Lambert's

We played putt putt one night (and tied!!) and visited one of his accounts.

If you've never been to Sand Dollar Lifestyles at the Wharf, you should go! It's impressive! We bought what I call miracle spray there but anybody that burns in the sun should have it!

We ate ice cream and Dippin' Dots and watched a lot of Pawn Stars. We were there just long enough to relax but not be bored! Hope you had an enjoyable weekend too!

99 Things

I'm a sucker for a list, so I stole this from a Mississippi native-Cajun Country transplant real-life and blogger friend. Some of these that I haven't done show how sheltered and much of a prude I am. :)

99 Random Things..

The ones I've done are bolded. 

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland (world)

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightening storm

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables 

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a (half)Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie 

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Got a tattoo

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee