Prayers for a Friend on Good Friday

I don't really have a ton to update on, as I have had a quiet week and most of the excitement I've had has revolved around going to Pure Barre. Mostly my thoughts are with a dear friend today.

 

My friend Jess was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and is having a lumpectomy today. She is also getting a port to start chemo.

 

Jessica's twin sister is going to let me know as soon as she is out of surgery. Both twins are long time friends of mine.

 

I've been thinking about Jess constantly and praying a lot since her diagnosis, and I have to say I have a really good feeling about her surgery today. She has a really positive attitude as well.

 

If you think of it today, say a prayer for Jess.

 

On a much ligher note, this picture makes me think I've gone a little overboard on highlights and also (sad to say) eating as well. I was really skinny. Hoping I can get back down to that size for my wedding.

 

Happy Good Friday and Easter weekend!!

Tired Tuesday

I don't know about you, but I am DRAGGING this week! I packed way too much in this weekend, but the good news is I think we found our wedding venue. Yay! More on that later.

 

The pageant Friday was a success! In terms of beautiful and talented contestants, I don't know if I have ever seen such a great pageant.

 

I was the official time keeper in interviews and assisted the auditor during the pageant. Both pretty easy jobs (I did some errands for my friend Benson who was the director in between), so I could sit back and enjoy the pageant for the most part.

 

We were SO tired by the time it was over.

 

 

 Benson was one of the first people I met at Carolina. I met him in Theatre Appreciation. I am super shy and he was the first person I met at Carolina on my own (not through other pple). I am so grateful I met him, because he is a friend for life!! I am lucky to call him my friend.

 

Being around all the beauty at the pageant definately inspired me to step up my gym routine. I bought myself ten classes of Pure Barre and I CANNOT.WAIT. to go back.

 

My "Sweating for the Wedding" shirt. Purchased from etsy.

 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday! 



TGIF!!

I don't have much to say because I spent most of my week sick in bed with flu like symptoms. Not very exciting.

 

Last year I got season 1 and 2 of ER on DVD. It was one of my favorite shows when it was on, and I want to watch it all the way through from beginning to end. I totally geek out on medical shows now. Even more so if I recognize terminology from my A&P class last semester. I watched a lot of ER this week.

 

Today I get off at 12 because I am helping my dear friend Benson with a pageant. If you live in the Columbia SC area and don't have plans this evening, come watch the 2013 Miss River City, Miss Richland County, and Miss Yellow Jasmine Scholarship Program and Teen Pageants. We are going to have some talented contestants!!

 

Let's hope my helping Benson today goes better than the time I helped him with a pageant and was up in some rafters on a ladder hanging stars-with the flu.

 

I feel like a news anchor today in this dress. I wanted to wear something bright to the pageant.

We are headed to Savannah in the morning and I CANNOT.WAIT.

The pups are staying in an animal resort in Savannah. It will be Trinket's second time going to a dog day care and Yadi's first time. I'm nervous for them.

Have a wonderful weekend!



St. Pat's Festival, Pinterest, etc.

The good news is that Nick was home this weekend and we had so much fun! I forget how incredibly lucky I am that I get to share my life with him. Sometimes I still can't believe my good luck. :)

 

The bad news is that I am exhausted today.

 

My friend Lauren spent the night and went with us to a festival on Saturday.

After spending way too long in search of a missing shamrock earring Saturday morning, it has come to my attention that I REALLY need to make some time to organize my jewelry.

I found things I didn't even remember I own.

I love how this little airplane is so dainty. For a few years I was into big pieces for accessories (probably from pageants), but now I'm getting into more delicate things.

I love to travel and my grandfather is a retired pilot, which makes this plane perfection. I really need to find a way to incorporate it into an outfit soon.

 

I have TONS of ideas pinned on Pinterest and I need a good kick in the pants to make them a reality. We have a walk in closet, so I have the space to get a little table or vanity and make a home for my jewelry. As it is currently, I dont' like things on on my counters, so all my jewelry is stored away and is a big mess.

 

I love these ideas.

Both images from Pinterest

 

 

Happy Monday everyone!! I hope it will pass quickly, I am ready to be back in my bed.

 



{Very Unexpected} Good News

I have wanted a career change for as long as I can remember. I started out going to Tri County Tech in Pendleton, SC, for nursing. I did all the prenursing stuff, and applied for their program. They had a crazy long waiting list, so I also applied to USC, mostly as a backup.

 

I didn't apply to nursing at USC because my GPA wasn't high enough for their upper division. I had fun while I was working in a restaurant/bar and going to Tech is all I will say about that.

 

I got into USC, and also into the Associate Degree Nursing program at TTC.

 

For reasons that probably were not the best reasons, or well thought out {I was 20 years old}, I picked USC.

 

I L-O-V-E USC. Love. And I loved every minute of being a student there. I have nothing but positive things to say about the university. I had wonderful instructors and made some great friends.

 

However, I was in a hurry to graduate, so I switched my major from Biology to something else. {I work for this college and don't want anything I say here to come off negatively, because that is not how I mean it, it just isn't my personal dream career, so I will not say what major.}

 

The whole time I was doing my practicum and internship, I wanted to change my major back to something to do with the healthcare field. My Mom told me to, but I felt like I was too close to graduation to change majors.

 

Ever since I graduated college I have had huge regrets that I didn't stick with my original plan, or do something in the healthcare field.

 

I had an AWFUL job for three years before I came to my current job last May. I had a mean boss that obviously didn't like me, and it was just a bad situation, both personally and financially. It was a really frustrating way to live {by that I mean broke}, and I felt disappointed and unfulfilled with my career {or lack thereof}.

 

After I got my present job {where people are nice to me}, I felt like I was finally in a place where I could start thinking about the future, and started looking into going back to school part time. Last fall, I took an Anatomy and Physiology course.

 

I applied to the Masters of Communication Disorders program, fully expecting NOT to gain admission.

 

Remember how I said I had fun at tech? The whole time I was at USC I made all As and Bs, but my cumulative GPA is still only a 3.1. I didn't think I stood a chance, especially since all I've heard was that admittance to this program is competitive.  

 

I studied for the GRE and worked a lot on my Statement of Intentions, but I still thought my GPA would hold me back.

 

This weekend I checked the mail and had a letter from USC. I was preparing myself for it to be a rejection letter and telling myself that I expected this and not to let it ruin my weekend.

 

I was NOT expecting what it said.

 

I am VERY grateful.

 

I turn in my deposit and signed letter of intent this Friday, and I start August 22nd.

 

That puts even more of a rush on getting the details of the wedding nailed down, but I think I can get it all ironed out in the five months before school starts.

 

My sweet and thoughtful fiance sent me this yesterday :)

 

 His support means so much to me.

 

I am really happy and excited!! This was a huge surprise.

 

Hope everyone has a great Tuesday! 



I heart Pure Barre

While I am happy its Friday, I have a heavy heart today thinking of a dear sweet friend of mine that received some bad news yesterday. I thought of her as I went to sleep last night, and first thing this morning.

 

I almost didn't do my Pure Barre post today, as I can't really concentrate that well since my thoughts are on my friend. However, I don't know how many people she has shared her health diagnosis with, so for today I will just say please pray a special prayer of health and healing for my friend.

 

I tried Pure Barre for the first time yesterday and I L-O-V-E it. I'm not really sure why I had so much fun, as it is torture, but somehow I had a great time. It felt so good to be in a setting that brought me back to dance class.

 

 

I used to take jazz and I miss it so much. I haven't been in a studio since senior year of college.

 

Last weekend I got a film on iTunes called First Position. It is a documentary about dancers, and seeing them practice made me miss dance so much. Seeing the competitions in the film brought back so many of the emotions from competing in pageants and I miss that incredibly.

  

 

I want this body back for my wedding!! As a side note, I am not sure why I look so ridiculously enthused in this picture. Maybe I knew I was about to age out of pageants and I was already thinking about the eating binge I was going to (and did) go on.

 

I would definitely recommend trying Pure Barre if you're interested in trying it. It is no joke a big time workout. I thought I was pretty flexible from yoga, and I thought I was in shape from doing cardio and taking Body Pump, but I was sweaty and shaking within the first ten minutes of class. Today everything is sore. I can't wait to go back.

 

It is one of those classes that goes by super fast because they play music and its fun.

 

I went ahead and got the Pure Barre socks. I hate feet and socks so I will not share a picture of them. They have little grippys on the bottom of them and are thick.

 

I hope everyone has a good weekend!



Weekend Update

Happy Monday!!

 

This weekend Nick and I went to the Ducks Unlimited Banquet in our town. I used to bartend for Ducks Unlimited when I was in college and I always have fun attending banquets.

 

 

I bid on and won a Jill Strickland painting at the banquet. This was the first time I've ever gotten anything in an auction. I gave a friend a Jill Strickland for her birthday one year, and I've always wanted one of my own. When I saw one in the auction, I said it had to come home with me.
 

 

Nick travels for work and is usually gone Monday through Friday, so I spend a lot of time alone when I'm not at work. I work a 9-5 type job, so I'm usually solo at night when he's not home.

 

Sometimes I get sad and lonely when he leaves, but lately I've really been making an effort to find things to keep myself occupied. Saturday I went to Hob Lob and got supplies for a new spring wreath. I made it yesterday evening after he left so I would have something to do. Its not my best, but I think it will do for a while (until I get tired of looking at it).

 

 

Does anyone else have a significant other that travels?

 

I'm also making an effort to make plans with friends during the week, instead of sitting at home alone. Last semester I was in school (just one class) in addition to working (I eventually want to change careers), so I didn't really have free time. Since I'm not in school right now, I have a friend I meet at the gym every Monday, another friend Tuesday, and I'm trying Pure Barre for the first time on Thursday.

 

More about Pure Barre later. I hope I will love it!

 

Hope y'all have a good Monday!