Long time no write......

Wow this has been some crazy months. Since I last wrote I moved to Nashville, have my own apartment, and am currently working full time and going to school. That may tell you a little bit of why I haven't written. 

Some awesome things that have happened are that my boyfriend and I just celebrated the fact that we've been together one year!!! I never would have thought a year ago that I would be talking about being with someone at all, let alone a year. I am so blessed to be loved by him, he is such a wonderful kind and caring man. God really answered my prayers with him. 

For our anniversary he planned a whole day of activities, which is so cool that he spent all that time to plan that stuff. He woke me up with breakfast in be, pancakes and sausage (which he made by the way, he has never cooked before so I was very impressed). Then we just kinda hung out the rest of the morning, and then we went and saw that new Richard Gere and Diane Lane movie Nights in Rodanthe. It was soooo good and very romantic, he did very well. Then we went to Barnes & Noble, which to some people may not be very romantic but the fact that he knows that that's where I love to go and relax is very romantic to me. I love going there and hadn't been in a long time, and really needed it after the long week I had had. Then after that we went home and dressed up a bit and then he took me out to one of my favorite restaurants, O' Charley's. It was the perfect day, I loved every bit of it especially because I had a whole day with him, and that he had done a lot of work to plan it. I love him very very much, and am so thankful God answered my prayers. He was worth the wait. 

I am doing well in my classes so far, I actually should be studying right now instead of being on here but my laptop was calling my name. Well I'm going to go plan out some lunches for the week, I'm trying not to eat out as much or at all. Hope this finds you well.

Place of the month

I did forget for a while but I promise I will do it while I'm at work. After I finish some projects for instructors.

Catching up

I know I haven't posted in a while, but i've been really really busy. As of the 18th my boyfriend moved up here from Louisiana. He is applying at the Bowling Green police department; which is why he moved up here so quickly. He had been planning on moving up here for a while, but wanted to save up some money to be up here. We thought the hiring process was going to start in the fall so he had planned to come up sometime before it started. Well, a couple weeks ago he got a letter saying that the hiring process was going to start at the end of July. (The part that is actually in the fall is the interview process.)

So, it just happened that around the same time his mom, and aunt were driving to Michigan to see family. It worked out that he was able to pull all of his stuff into his car and drive the 12 hour drive from his house to mine.

It's now been two weeks since he got up here. He is staying with me and my parents (in the office), and is looking for a job. The first part of the application process is this Saturday, so we're hoping that it all goes well.

I'm getting adjusted to having him around all the time, and seeing all his guy-isms. It's going well though, I'm really enjoying getting to see him every day.



On another note, I'm finishing up my job as a tutor at WKU, my last day is next Thursday. I'm having mixed feelings about leaving, especially when I get to tutor someone who is really excited about learing something; that really reminds me of why I loved this job.

I'm trying to get ready for my move to Nashville, but I'm so tired that I can't really do much yet. So, I've been sending my resume out to several companies (20 to be exact) but haven't heard anything yet. I hate looking for a job, I don't like any part of it. I just wish someone would come up to me and hand me a great job. I know I can do it, and I know that I'm a good worker but I just hate the part of putting myself on a piece of paper for people to judge. It makes me uneasy. I picture myself laying on a table with, banker type old men, looking over me. I don't like the fact that they are judging whether or not I can do a job, by how well I can word my job duties. I'm not good at, or comfortable with, trying to make the fact that I filed papers sound like I was saving the world every day. It feels too close to lying for me. But I did it again, I redid my whole resume (and if you didn't know I've saved the world a few times too!); I also wrote the dreaded cover letter of doom and with these two magnificently written pieces of art I have yet to hear anything back from the companies. This is driving me crazy, I'm regretting my prayers for patience and wondering if they're being answered at this time.

What am I supposed to learn from this horribly hard summer?

I can't remember a time when so much hard things have happened so close together; without time for me to fully heal from them. But what is "fully healed"? I've started going to this thing that my has been going to since last October; called Celebrate Recovery. It's once of those places where you can just spill your guts and tell it all, and the people there will just be like "OK, I've done that too"; I've only been a couple times but so far I'm wishing I had given in a couple months ago (my mom's been asking me to go since November). I can see myself being able to move on with the help of this group; which is really nice because I haven't seen the light at the end of the tunnel all summer. HAHA I just realized something, maybe this is why I've gone through all of this! God was just trying to get me to a place where I would give in and see what can really come of a church group that actually seems to care about each other.

I feel alot better.

We had a scare last Friday. My dog, Albert, ran away right before this big storm came through. The hard thing was that I had made a quick run to Nashville, and got home about half an hour after he'd taken off. I searched for about an hour that night, and then quite a bit the next morning. Nothing came of our driving around. It was the worst feeling ever! My dog of 16 years was just gone. My parents just said that he had left to die. I couldn't believe that he would do that, it didn't match his personality. He's such a momma's boy that I couldn't imagine him going to do something like that by himself. Well we went on with our weekend, trying to come to terms with the fact that there was no more Albert, honestly I was numb (which seems to be my most recent way of dealing with big things, or not dealing with them). Come Monday morning I went to work and decided to call the humane society, so I get to work and give them a call; the lady informs me that they have an elderly schnauzer there that was brought in Saturday. So, I call my mom trying not to get excited, and she heads up there. It's Him!!!!!! Praise God!! I'm so thankful that he hasn't really taken off like they thought, he was just being his ornery self. I'm so glad that ordeal is over.

So, things are settled for now. I'm worn out from writing this much, but I feel good. I hope this finds you well.

Big News!!!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. But I've kinda been preoccupied with the fact that my boyfriend is moving up here next week. I will go into more details on Monday, seeing as I have nothing better to do at work. See you then!!

The Kitchen

So, I officially started packing yesterday. My mom went through all of her kitchen cupboards and pulled out all of my stuff, and old stuff of hers that she is giving to me. It filled up about half the kitchen table. It was kind of a weird feeling for me, with the splitting of the kitchen it kind of felt like what some people go through in a divorce; not that it was a bad situation but that we were going through stuff trying to figure out who bought what. Because I've bought several things through Pampered Chef parties, and other things. One funny thing was that my mom gave me an old liquid measuring cup, which through excessive use has lost all of the lines. So, the resourceful person that I am grabbed a permanent marker and drew them back on. It looks pretty cute, and kind of eclectic. I might even start a new line of country chic measuring utensils. What do you think? But, even through the big pile I'm kind of excited. I kept imagining myself in my little kitchen making something for a friend. It'll be neat to find my own style, and way of doing things once I have the room to do it in. I'm looking forward to getting it all set up, and kind of wish it would get here sooner.







Also, I got a new set of dishes thanks to my aunts who gave me a JCPenney's gift card. I went through them this weekend to make sure that none were broken and found that one of the dinner plates was broken in half. But, I called and they're shipping me a new one free of charge. The people were really nice, and for future reference if the invoice number is on the sticker on the box if there isn't any paperwork inside. Just wanna save you a call. Here are my new dishes!! Aren't they cute?!?!














And they will go with my Italian chef style kitchen. Taken from this painting by Jennifer Garant.

Better mood

I've been in a rut lately. I haven't really felt like myself, and wasn't sure why. So, in my process of figuring out how to get back to the way I was before the end of the stressful semester knocked me out, I have been trying several things.

See about December 15, 2007 I started going to Curves 3 times a week. I've had a membership there for like four years now, but have never been able to get into a groove of going; where I didn't have to talk myself into it. It was actually kinda fun, not that I made any great friends there, but I enjoyed it and enjoyed having time to myself. So, by getting into the groove I went three times a week, faithfully for about 3 months. Then about March I decided to add another day, plus start doing situps. I loved those too (totally not being sarcastic at all, no seriously i'm not. really. this isn't sarcasm either...fine don't believe me) I got to where I enjoyed it, almost looked forward to it. Then some things started happening, I started having trouble with classes and other things. That just totally threw me off. So, I ended up going into survival mode. I stopped going to Curves, stopped doing pretty much everything but working and going to school. Well, now that everything thing is done, and I'm all gradiated and stuff, I'm still in a rut. It's been what like almost two months now. I don't know how to get back into that mode. Maybe, the fact that I recognize it and and consiously trying to change some things will help with that.

So, in order to get out of this rut I'm going to try a couple things. I'm going to make some conscious efforts to go to Curves three times a week. I felt better when I did that, and I was happier. And I looked better in my clothes. I'm going to write three things consisting of things that I did good, or am good at, or something I accomplished every day. And I'm also going to the tanning bed, that is helping me because I don't make it outside very much and am only tanning on my left arm (the arm that gets sun on my 20 minute drive to work every day). Don't worry I'm not going to go every day and lay in there for half an hour; I know what could happen and i'm being careful.

This is my "get out of my rut" plan. I'll let you know how that's going, as I work it.

What else

I just finished the first place of the month blog. Phew that was allot of work. I didn't even cover the surface, I think I took on a little too much with doing a whole country the first time out. Maybe next time I'll do a city or something.

There are so many things that I would love to do, but it seems like I don't have enough time to turn around. This is one thing that I've had on my list. Another is to catch up on some reading because I know that I will have no time whatsoever this fall. I want to get into a good book, and would love to have a book discussion. But that is something else that requires time. It's weird because I don't really feel like I'm doing anything but I still have so many unaccomplished things on my list. Here is part of it:

• Read a couple really good books
• Go through boxes in storage unit
• Clean junk out of room
• Pack up stuff for apartment
  
• Fix intake on car
• Find a job in Nashville

As you can probably tell from the list, I'm moving to Nashville! I'm excited about getting back down there because I love the city, but now that it's getting closer I'm starting to get nervous about moving out on my own. Thankfully my parents are there to help me, so I'm not jumping out there with no supports.

I am a planner. I like to plan everything out, and make lists and know about what is going to happen. I like to be prepared, and have some extras for cushion. My mom is just the opposite, she will jump into something and then look around to see if she landed OK. So, in preparing to go to Nashville and start school down there I would like to have most of what I need bought and packed up and ready to go. But she wants me to take what I have down there and then once I get moved in and settled see what I need and go from there. This is scaring the crap out of me. I'm afraid to be down there with nothing. I feel like if I don't get what I think I'll need before I get down there I'll be out of luck. I know she has told me that's not at all what she's thinking, but that is how I feel. Because it's not in a box in the garage with a label on it saying that it's gonna go to my apartment.

I know my mom will take care of it. I know that God will take care of me, but it's scaring me that there are so many unknowns. I don't like that, it's out of my comfort zone. But, I will just have to keep praying and trusting that God will work all of this out for me. He hasn't let me down yet, even though I let Him down all the time. Thank you God for being so steady and constant, in such a wobbly and twisted world. Amen

Ireland

The name Ireland derives from the name Ériu (in modern Irish, Éire) with the addition of the Germanic word land. Most other western European names for Ireland derive from the same source, such as French Irlande, Spanish, Italian, Romanian and Portuguese Irlanda, German Irland and Dutch Ierland. (wikipedia)

The Shamrock is the most well known symbol for Ireland; and seems to be regarded as the national flower.

Irish step dancing is what most people think of when they think about Ireland and dancing. You may have heard of Lord of the Dance. It is very fast paced and fun. The music is wonderful and can get anyone up and dancing.

The population of Ireland as of 2007 was 4,109,086.

The currency in the Republic of Ireland is the Euro (ISO currency code EUR). There are 7 euro notes. In different colours and sizes they are denominated in 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 euros. The notes are uniform throughout the euro area; unlike coins, they have no national side. The designs are symbolic for Europe's architectural heritage. They do not represent any existing monuments.
There are 8 euro coins denominated in 2 and 1 euros, then 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents. Every euro coin carries a common European face. On the reverse, each Member State has their own motif. In the case of Irish coins they have a harp, the date and the word "ire" - i.e. word for Ireland in the Irish language.

To see the current exchange rate, click here.

Getting around is pretty easy in Ireland, they have many forms of transportation. Whether you want to rent a car, take a tour bus, ride the train, or take a bike tour. Find the way that will give you the experience you want.

If you really want the full experience of Ireland I would say to stay in B&B's that way you can be around locals, and get to experience might than you might if you were in a ritzy hotel. Another perk is that they are usually cheaper also. Here are a list of Hotels and B&B's to look at.

Did you know?

Ireland is thought to have been inhabited from around 6000BC by people of a mid-Stone Age culture.
And about 4,000 years later, tribes from Southern Europe arrived and established a high Neolithic culture. The best-known Neolithic sites in Ireland are the megalithic passage tombs of Newgrange and Knowth in County Meath. Both were built around 3200BC, making them older than Stonehenge in England, and the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

Ireland’s famous patron saint didn’t actually come from Ireland.
Saint Patrick was taken prisoner from his family home in Britain by Irish raiders and was brought to Ireland to work as a shepherd. After Patrick escaped back to Britain, he had a vision from God telling him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Now credited with introducing Christianity to Ireland, relics of St Patrick’s time here can be seen all over Ireland. One of the best known is Croagh Patrick in County Mayo, where Patrick fasted for 40 days in 441AD. Today, pilgrims climb the mountain every year on the last Sunday in July. Saint Patrick’s remains are believed to be buried in the grounds of Downpatrick Cathedral, County Down.

The latter half of the 19th century was a period of tragedy in Irish history.
Ireland was struck by the Great Famine caused by a potato blight that struck crops over a four-year period from 1845-49. Over a million of the population died from starvation, with many more falling prey to diseases such as typhus. Over two million people emigrated to countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, and from 1848-1950 over six million Irish fled the land. Now the Irish diaspora is thought to contain over 80 million people scattered all over the globe. To learn more about the famine visit The Famine Museum in Strokestown Estate, The Cobh Heritage Centre and the Famine Commemoration Centre in Skibbereen.

There are an estimated 80 million people who claim Irish ancestry.
Imagine tracing your ancestry and discovering your family history! The Irish Genealogical Project can help you find the answers to the questions you have about your Irish roots. Take yourself on a journey of discovery that may inspire you to visit the land of your ancestors.


The website that has given me the most information is Ireland's tourist website, it is

www.discoverireland.com

It has a wonderful vacation planner, and links, and tips to pretty much everything you'll need.

Place of the month

The first country that I'm going to talk about is Ireland. I'm starting with this country because it is one that I have loved for a long time. I haven't been there yet, but I'm going to make it over there at some point. Actually, I have Irish heritage coming from both sides of my family. So, I may end up spending more than a week on this one.

First off there is some general information that I think everyone should know about each country, or city. So, you can expect at least that bit of information on each one. You can expect to see:

• Name
• Flag
• Population
• Flower, song, dance, etc.
• Best travel books, or websites
• Currency
• Best way to get there, and around
• Top 5 sites to see

In addition to those I will add other things for each country that caught my eye. Plus, I will give you the link to any website that I use so you can get the most info possible. This is my way of traveling until I get out of school, and then hopefully I'll get to put fingerwork to use. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I'll enjoy looking it up.

Hi

Ok so I've had other blogs but didn't really do anything with them because I didn't have a purpose for them. So I'm going to pick one for this so I can actually do something with it. By the way I hope you like my layout because it took me forever to find one I liked. So, now i'm tired from trying to put a gazebo together at 9:30 at night. It sounded good when we started, but the fact that we don't have the canopy for it kinda dampened our efforts. So, were going to try and find something else. I am tired, and am not looking forward to getting up at 6am tomorrow when I've been sleeping in all week. I need a real vacation, not just time off from work, but a beach or something. It's been six years since my family has had a vacation. Wow, I think it's about time. I think one of my ideas for this blog might be to have a weekly destination, and i'll find out all I can about that place and put cool stuff up here. That sounds like fun. I think I'll start with Ireland tomorrow. YAY i'm excited, a goal for my blog. Maybe it won't be so blah after all.