Moving Day!!!

Finally moving day is here!!! The movers are packing the trucks right now. I will take pics for everyone, but I might not get them posted until next week. Long story, but we will not have internet or television until February 4th and no phone until February 9th. If anyone needs to get in touch with me, call me on my cell phone. Wish us luck getting everything unpacked and organized in time for Mike's parents to come for a visit next week. We can't wait to have more visitors- college friends reunion, visits from family and friends from Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin and Bloggiefest could be in the future:)

Packing!!

We are trying to finish packing today. The movers come tomorrow morning, and we will have a new address by tomorrow evening. Wow!! Anyone want to come help??

The End of an Era

Well, the end of an era has happened in my life. Yesterday, my husband and I made the official decision that I would not go back to being a flight attendant. It was such a hard decision that invoked many tears, but I am closing this door in my life. You see, I had wanted to be a flight attendant from the age of 11. I started putting in applications to airlines while I was in college, but the airlines were all in a hiring freeze for several years. I spent 3 1/2 years after graduating from college trying to figure out what else I might want to do with my life. Finally, when I was 26 my wish came true. I went for an interview, and they wanted me!! I became a flight attendant for Delta, worked out of New York and Cinncinati and saw/did some amazing things. I LOVED my job!! Life hands out curve balls, though, and I was thrown many of them over the next several years. I had three injuries to my back in a year and a half, and my health took a downward spiral from there. I was out of work on disability, would go back to work and get hurt again, out on disablility again, etc. I was about to go back to work again, then 9/11 happened. This changed so many people's lives, including mine. Delta was trying to get people off payroll by offering leave of absenses, so I decided to take a 5 year leave to try to heal my body. After a couple of jobs where I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do, I finally started a job selling gifts and stationery. Once again, I found something that I LOVED!! I still never wanted to give up on my dream of being a flight attendant, though. I truly never thought that I would get a call back to Delta, but low and behold in Nov. 2006 I was called back to do what I had always wanted to do. I was scheduled for training in the Spring of 2007. I quit my job selling stationery and gifts to go to Atlanta for Delta training. More unexpected events prevented me from completing the class. Over the next several months, they would put me in classes when they had them available in order for me to finish my training. The last several months have been extremely stressful wondering when I would finally go back to work, building our new home and suffering from even more health problems. Some of those health problems included losing 2 pregnancies in a 9 month period of time. After having daily headaches for almost 6 months, I also discovered that I was suffering from chronic daily migraines. I have been going through test after test, MRI's and lots of different meds to try to find the best option for me. Yesterday, Mike and I went to a reproductive endocrinologist. We both had blood drawn to check for chromosome abnormalities. Next week I will have more blood work done, and then in the next couple of weeks I will go to the hospital for an X-ray of my female reproductive parts. After going to the doctor yesterday, we made a decision together that we want to concentrate on having a family. It's not in the cards for me to go back to traveling all of the time. I need to be home with my husband. My life has changed. I have more than myself to think about now. As much as I wanted to go back to traveling the world, I want to be a mother more. I have shed so many tears about closing this door in my life, but God has different plans for me. I am just sure that he is going to open a whole set of new doors for me. It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life....

House Update

The end is in sight!! We have scheduled our movers for Monday. Let's hope they get everything fixed by then!!

They are almost finished with the landscaping. Just a few more plants, more pine straw and landscaping will be done. Well, at least until the Spring when we decide to add more stuff.

We actually have house numbers now.
This is the pineapple light in the foyer that matches the pineapple lights on the front of the house and the sides of the garage door.
Here's the mirror in the guest bath. They still need to fix the light fixture.
Here's the closet in one of the guest bedrooms. There are spots in the drywall because they installed the guest bedroom closets backwards. They are still working on that problem:)
The grates are on the cooktop.
One side of our master closet. We have 2 sets of drawers, shelves and shoe racks.
Here's the other side of the closet. We have double hanging rods going down the side, a single hanging rod along the back wall and shoe racks underneath.
Here's one view of the master bath that includes my vanity. They still have to install the shower doors and hopefully fix the mirrors that they screwed up. I certainly didn't want a wall '0 mirror!!
Here's another view which includes Mike's vanity. Another messed up mirror.
I have this whole bamboo thing going on. Mike and I have matching faucets.
Here's the matching tub faucet. On the right is a really cool sprayer.

Date Night

Mike and I have decided to start a weekly date night like our church recommends in order to stay connected as a couple. Last night we went on our "first date". We started by going to Books A Million so I could pick up "Get Out of that Pit" by Beth Moore. I am going to start doing an online book club. We then went to eat at one of our favorite restaurants- Travinias. We had a gift certificate from Christmas, so that made the food taste even better!! It was a great night, and we look forward to our next date!!

House Update

Here's a bunch of house pics. I was out of town for a few days, so I had to play catch up. We are within days of the big move!!!

The dining room chandelier (they finally hung it in the correct room)

The breakfast nook chandelier (it has Seagrass lamp shades)
Here's the lights on our outdoor back porch
The fans on the back porch
A close up of the rattan fan
The basement door that leads out onto a concrete patio
Our pineapple front porch lights (the lights by each side of the garage door match these)
A close up of the pineapple lights
The laundry room light
The lights in our master closet
The light in the stairway to the upstairs

The fan in one of the guest bedrooms
Our double oven has been installed
Our cooktop has been installed, but the grates are not sitting on top of the gas burners
Our microwave has been installed over the gas cooktop

I LOVE, LOVE my commercial faucet sprayer- just like a restaurant one!!

Our dishwasher has been installed
Our dining room- we have hardwoods!!
Our kitchen/breakfast nook
Our great room

Our master bedroom

Our shower in our master bathroom
Our shower floor in our master bath
Our hallway

I see how I rate!!

Mike has been gone for the last few days playing in a golf tournament. He arrived home tonight bearing gifts for the girls (see pics below). I mentioned to him that it might have been nice of him to bring ME home say- At least a single flower? He claims that he had every intention to buy me something from a shop that they had passed near the resort where he stayed, but the shop was closed when he left the resort today. Well, if I do believe him then I guess it was the thought that counted. I told him that I thought he missed the girls more than me. He said, "You just wait until we have a child." So, I guess it will be child-#1, girl dogs-#2 and Mommy- last place in the race!! This comes from a man who used to make sure that I had fresh flowers at all times, wrote poems for me and put together gift baskets filled with stuff that he knew I would love. He came up with all of those things all on his own. Please tell me what has happened here??

By the way, when he called to tell me that he was on his way home I asked what he might like for dinner. When he arrived home, I was finishing up the fettucine alfredo (made from scratch) topped with fresh sauteed shrimp and hot crusty french loaf bread. What is wrong with that picture? (Disclaimer: Even though this is words of truth, I'm not actually mad:) I mean he is building me a new house after all.)

Baby Boom!!!

We are having a baby boom among my family and friends!! 2007 brought many babies into the world and the announcement of many more to come in 2008. I can't believe that I will be a great-aunt to 4 nieces and nephews by next Fall. Crazy!! Most people my age are not even close to being a great-aunt, but then again I was an aunt by the time I was 6 years old!! Congratulations to everyone!! We are so happy for you!! I hope ya'll enjoy these pics as much as I do!!

Hunter was born on Jan. 19th to our friends Shannon and Brandon

Hunter in an old school pram that was his mother's when she was a baby
Hunter on the beach this summer during our annual trip to Pawley's Island
Our Godson Cole was born on May 6th to Mike's sister Alicia, her husband Brian and Big Sis Riley
Cole playing on the floor with his Daddy
Cole's baptism (Big sis Riley stood at the alter with us during her baby brother's baptism)
Cole and Uncle Mike shopping the night before Christmas Eve
Addison was born on Aug. 31st to our friends Stephanie, Andrew and Big Brother Connor
Addison catching a nap
Addison is still so tired
Ryan was born on Dec. 21st to our friends Michelle, Jeff and Big Brother Alex
Ryan enjoying a nap
TaylorAnne was born on Dec. 24th to our friends Chevis, Marc and Bis Sis Ryanne
TaylorAnne is going to need a haircut before she is a month old:)
Big Sis Ryanne with her favorite stocking stuffer- her new little sis!!
Anderson was born on Dec. 28th to our friends Nicole, Brady and Bis Sis Ava
Anderson telling his Momma to be quiet:)
Our friends Megan, Chris and Big Brother Eli are expecting any day now
Our friends Dottie and David will soon have their first baby (Sorry David that I didn't have a pic of you on my computer)
My nephew Andrew, his wife Emelita and Big Sis Emmarie are expecting another baby girl this Spring. Unfortunately, Andrew is leaving in a few days for Afghanistan for 15 months. Please keep them in your prayers!!
Andrew's younger brother (my nephew) and Megan are expecting a baby next Summer
My BFF from Illinois, Nancy and her husband Brad, who got married on Sept. 15th just found out that they are expecting.
Another friend from Illinois, Rachel and her husband John (Sorry John I didn't have a pic of you) who got married on March 1st are expecting a baby this Summer.
My cousin Paula, her husband Paul and Big Sis Mady are expecting a baby this Spring. Sorry Paula and Paul that I didn't have a pic of the two of you. I was happy to show off Mady, though!!
My niece Lisa and Keith are expecting a baby boy this Spring.