I am blessed (Friday Mashup too!)

After Wednesday's post,

I was obviously troubled.

But, I wanted to tell you (and remind myself)

all the ways that I'm blessed.

I have -the- best parents in the history of best parents. They are always there to offer support if I need it, advice if I need it, or just a shoulder, if I need it. I can't count the times I laugh out loud while on the phone with my Dad because he's being silly, or how much better it feels to actually call mom when you need her. 

side note: Mom, is it ok if I cry when I eat your biscuits and gravy next month? Is it ok if I make you make them for me in Cali? ditto for the cornbread(andgravy) macaroni and potatoes...yeah, and treet meat. Please? Maybe peanut butter and cheese too, though, I'll just eat Dad's.

Mike is quite simply wonderful. I'm completely myself and it's great. There are no secrets, only love. I've truly learned what it's like to have someone who puts my happiness or "our" happiness over his own, and combined with my desire to do the same, it just clicks. Also, you make football bets with me and let me watch Disney movies and sing crazy songs in the car. 

Mike's parents are some of the warmest, kindest individuals I've met. They've always made me feel welcome and important and part of the conversation and it's truly made my life easier and better. Ditto on his grandparents, sisters, and extended family. The guy really hit the jackpot on the whole lot of em. 

 

Finally, do I need to tell you how lucky I am to have the friend's that I do? I'm not going to hunt for photos of all of them, mostly because that's ridiculous. But, whether it's 2am and we're chattering on ghcat, or I need help picking out a dress, or I need cupcake ideas or just to vent, they're there. I'll never stop being amazed at how easy the relationships are with these people, whether I've seen them a week ago or 5 years ago, as soon as we're back together, the conversations just flow and it's natural and wonderful. 

I have been blessed with much more than I deserve, and I am eternally grateful for it. 

PICK ME!

HAY GUYS!

SHIVA HERE.

 ON THURSDAY!

YEW LUCKY DUCKS.

GO HERE or ELSE I will sit on you with all 45lbs of my fury.

and then lick your face.

and eat your dinner.

I promised

Hope one of these makes you giggle:

Source: themetapicture.com via Ruth on Pinterest

Source: icanhascheezburger.com via Marge on Pinterest

Source: icanhascheezburger.com via Illy on Pinterest

Source: via A on Pinterest

this is my favorite :

Source: cdn.twentytwowords.com via Lakin on Pinterest

Source: themetapicture.com via Terri on Pinterest

Source: demotivatingposters.com via Terri on Pinterest

Be Brave.

It's a blogging trend lately to do a "if you really know me" post. 

I can't really think of anything that scandalous.. 

I love love potatoes, 

painting makes me happy, 

and I'm ridiculously over critical of myself, 

however, it did make me think about actually being open. 

Everyone has a tendency to put their best face forward, 

to compare their behind-the-scenes to everyone else's highlight reel. 

(..yeah, I totally stole that from Pinterest.) 

So, guys. 

I'm struggling here. 

I leave Raleigh, NC in 39 days. 

THIRTY-NINE

The house is no where NEAR packed, much less cleaned. 

Although I've contacted movers, none have gotten back in touch with me

ditto on the cleaners - both carpet and house.

 So, I worry. 

I'm running out of space to put the boxes I have packed, 

and still don't know what I'm going to do with the furniture. 

So, I worry. 

I'm nervous about making the new place a home, not just another rental. 

We need new furniture for a couple rooms,

 and while only spending $1000 is better than $10,000  it's still money. 

Money that I then worry about because -I don't have a job yet.- 

Both Mike and I decided that we wanted to get everything unpacked

 and in place before I start looking for a job, 

and let's be honest, do I really have time to fly across country for a interview?

No, No I don't. I know it's only temporary, 

but it's rough temporary. 

 So, I worry. 

Shiva's not getting better. 

They said it could take two months to get rid of the mites, 

and even two more months to get her hair to grow back. 

They also said it wasn't my fault. That doesn't help, though. 

She had a rash on her stomach when I picked her up from the boarders this week. 

Rash that will probably mean more antibiotics. 

More antibiotics mean more vet visits. 

Poor little girl has hardly any hair on her face. 

So, I worry. 

poor hairless face. 

We leave for Europe in a week. 

I'm OCD when I travel. 

I like reservations, plans, organization. I have hardly any. 

We dont have train tickets, underground tickets, attraction tickets, or dinner reservations. 

We don't really even know what we're doing. 

Canal tour in Amsterdam? 

Jack the Ripper tour in London?

Romantic dinner cruise in Paris?

Versailles? Anne Frank House? The Louvre? London Eye? - all need advanced tickets.

That I haven't purchased yet. 

So, I worry. 

Did I mention that I'm going to Charleston this weekend?

And going home the weekend I'm back in town from Europe. 

My friend is also due that day, so while I hope baby comes after Europe, 

I need him to come before I leave to go home. 

I'm also heading to Charlotte, to see a dear friend. 

This one, plus his lady friends. 

I could cancel these things. 

But, I dont WANT to. 

I've been in this town, with these people, for 26 years. 

It hurts to rip out these roots and replant them somewhere far -FAR- away. 

A land without sweet tea, bojangles or mom. 

Y'all - I talk to my mom &/or dad at least twice a day. 

Not kidding. As I walk in and out of work. 

Just - chat -

YES I KNOW I CAN STILL DO THAT and that there's skype, 

but leaving work at 5pm in San Jose means calling Mom at 8pm. 

Which is fine, unless shes working 12 hour days, 

4am is early. 8pm is late. You do the math. 

Yes, I'm 26 years old and I want my mommy. 

I'm not even going to mention that I'm

training someone new at work on software that I took 2 years to learn, 

(and i have 1 day to teach)

or that the cats and Shiva are suddenly at odds, 

or that I haven't bought my bridesmaids dress yet, (SORRY APRIL, I WILL FRIDAY!)

or that it isn't easy to maintain a relationship via Skype, 

or that I worry if we'll still have friends in NC or make friends in CA, 

or...

I'm not here to whine or beg for pity. 

Just to say, it's hard. 

I decided, however, that THIS will be bought 

for over my desk in Cali. 

Because, it's what I have. 

via

It will be ok. I know it will. Things will fall into place. 

 Mike and I are happy and love each other. 

We have an amazing family unit on both sides that surrounds us

 with love and prayers and positive energy- and good food..

We have friends that we love, animals that love us, and a great future around us. 

But, sometimes it's hard. 

So, I worry. 

(I promise a full post of cute animal pictures tomorrow so that everyone laughs)

Moving Sights

As you well know, 

we're moving. 

Unlike the other 12 moves of my life, 

this one is NOT local and everything has to go in one swoop. 

So we pack, 

and clean, 

and organize, 

and pack some more. 

I tried cleaning out my nail polish stash,

I threw out a few bottles, 

and marveled at my tendency to stick with the same basic colors. 

I've piled books into boxes, 

only to discover they're too heavy to lift on my own. 

This is why we hire movers ;)

I've sorted through years of brewery glasses, 

festival glasses,  tasting glasses, "gifts" and giveaways, 

wrapped the ones we wanted delicately, 

and put them into boxes. 

Who needs fancy juice glasses and matching tumblers, 

when you have 812 pint glasses?

I've had "help" from the cats: 

and some from Shiva

but little by little, the boxes are getting filled. 

You really have no clue how much STUFF you have, 

until you try to put it in boxes. 

This is going to be a loooooooooooong process, 

but it'll be worth it in the end. 

Weekend Update

This was a great great weekend. 

We celebrated love:

both through the marriage of two friends, 

and the reunion of Mike and I. 

Let's take a peek.

Washington, we love you. 

Dinner on Friday Night. 

Local brews are always excellent. 

Dessert back at the hotel. 

Reception time!

Groom + the most adorable flower girl

Love

The Georgia Tech Rugby team. 

CUPCAKES!

Naptime back at the hotel

After party at a local dive bar.

smiles!

Sunday morning brunch before a long drive home. 

I didn't take a ton of photos this weekend, 

because I was too busy enjoying the crowd, the company, and the events of the days. 

I realize it makes me a bad blogger. 

I'm sorry. 

not really
I'm also trying desperately to shake off this headache,
but Im just not having any  luck doing it.
Hopefully that'll shake soon. 

What'd you do this weekend?

 

This week

As you can imagine, (and you've read), 

 I'm a bit busy. 

Here's a couple quick shots of what's happened this week:

Fall (decor) has arrived!!

I painted -another- painting. This one matches the colors in the new house so well, I had to do it. 

SHIVA SAYS HI

and I've been packing. Most of the art/pictures are off the walls now. 

Which is ridiculously depressing, but it is what it is. 

We're off to Maryland this weekend for a friend's wedding. 

Mike's already on a place, 

Shiva's already at the boarders, 

the cats are already snoozing in the quiet house, 

and I should really be working so I can leave soon. 

'Til Monday loves <3

26 in 26 update

When I wrote this post, 

and made this list, 

 I had no idea we'd be in California by Christmas. 

wait. gulp. we'll be in california by thanksgiving. 

sheesh

Let's look at this: 

1:   Order a boat of sushi
2:   Go to a beer dinner
3:   Hold a newborn (coming soon!)
4:   Be in a wedding (coming soon!)
5:   Attend something out of my ordinary.
   6:   Host a cocktail/dinner party
7:   Climb Cape Hatteras
8:   Reunite with the fourple

9:   Add a stamp to my passport
10:   Learn basic French 
11:   Take the GRE  (I think this one needs to go. I planned on going back to school, to give me something to do, but I don't see it happening now. )
12: Participate in a cookie exchange (no one likes stale cookies, do they?)

13: Visit Biltmore during the Festival of Flowers 

14:  Get a puppy!
15:   Can my own jam/salsa/sauce
16:   Do 12 DIY projects. (1/12)
17:   Make a 27 in 27 list.
18:   Learn a new hobby.
19:   Get to 100 beers at Flying Saucer (I can't drink 40 beers in 46 days. Well, I can, but I won't. And they dont do prizes anymore, so I don't care)
20:   Learn to unwind and relax
21:  Reduce my diet coke consumption
22:   Buy something from a home shopping channel and something from etsy.
23:    Lose 26 lbs (total)
24:    Visit a new to me tourist attraction in NC (I don't have time and my favorite tourist buddy is already in CA )
25:   Add to my tattoo collection
26:    Find the PERFECT red lipstick. 

Random Picture, because posts without pictures are LAME. 

                                                       Source: sunshineandcandyhearts.tumblr.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

So, I need 4 new things for this year. Any ideas?

Because

Let's just get it alllll out there. 

Sept 20th : Craft Night

Sept 21-23: Maryland for Charlie & Sally's wedding

Sept 25th: Girls Night

Sept 27: Shiva Appt

Sept 28-30: Charleston for Totes Bach. 

Oct 3-13: London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, London

Oct 19-21: Home for one last time

(That's also around the time for Leslie to pop!)

Oct 24: Dinner for work

Oct 25: Shiva Appt

Oct 26: Last Day of work

Oct 27-29: Charlotte

Oct 29-Nov 1: Packing blitz (hopefully with my wonderful mama and/or papa)

Oct 30: Hair appt

Nov 2: Apey's wedding!

Nov 3-4: Last weekend in Raleigh

Nov 5: Goodbye NC. 

I'm exhausted. All I did was write it. 

Only one thing to do

                                                                                                            Source: etsy.com via Terri on Pinterest

Well this is a story...

Do you guys remember Fresh Prince of Bel Air?

Feel free to refresh yourself:

Well, you remember Mike's crazy road trip?

Well, I wrote him this one morning last week, 

to help with the trip. 

(Sing it to the tune of Fresh Prince)

Well this is a story all about how, 
Mike packed the stuff out from the house, 
and then slammed it in the car and drove on out, 
for forty eight hours on a crazy route...

In West Cal-i-four-na-ya, where he heads
to start a new job and blow up his bed, 
passing by arches, and windmills, and corn
with the same ol khaki's that he's worn. 
When he gets to the house in the new neighborhood, 
he'll take a deep breath and know he done good
Then he'll fly right back and forth more than he should
before one last flight all out to Raleighwood. 

But before he comes back there's trips that are fab
to help get his soul breath and his mind of out of the lab:
DC, Lon-don, Amsterdam and Pair-ey
with his favorite redhead  the awesome terri!

then pack up the pod and send it away
shove the cats, dogs and us in the pri
and drive back home to san jose
to make a new life thats more than ok. 
I love you lots, hope you like my rap
im white like rice and rhyme like crap. 

i wrote this say you rock and you're great
and I can't wait to see you again post haste

I'm pretty much the best girlfriend ever. 

Weekend Update

FRIDAY

I went out to my first "thing" with Mike in Cali. 

Lab Dinner to celebrate someone's Ph.D. 

Only two rolls this time. 

Sad. 

Sad but delicious!

Then, I came home and got ready to go to someone's homewarming. 

So I fell asleep. 

At 9:30. 

I'm so cool. 

SATURDAY

Mom and Dad came into town. 

I met them over at the Salon and cuddled into a cup a coffee, 

while Mom got her hair did. ;)

Then we headed over to Southpoint to take inventory. 

(As my dad calls it)

I got boots for Europe.  

Then we headed to the food court.

I got a chicken cesar wrap, Mom got a Philly cheese steak.

So we did what normal people do, and we swapped halves. 

So, I never liked cheese steaks (because I'd never had them) 

but, they're good!

I also had a peanut butter brownie bomb,

 but only because Mom forced me. 

totally. 

Then we walked around and looked for inspiration for the San Jose house for a bit. 

Then, I stopped at Starbucks and found a new favorite!

Americano with 1 pump of Pumpkin Spice, some half and half, 

and half a packet of Sugar in the Raw. 

Don't judge. It's delicccccccious. 

Don't believe me? Ask the dishes!

Off to Target, where I found this:

Unfortunately, it didn't come in her size. 

I did get her a new toy. 

My parents were giving me crap because I buy her fluffy toys, 

and she's too old for that and I should buy her more big dog toys. 

So, I bought her a duck. 

This is what happened to the duck. 

In 15 minutes: 

It's only worse now. 

Then I headed out to Jeremy and April's to celebrate his birthday!

Pink Lady

Inspiration

SUNDAY

I can sum up the day pretty easily. 

Shiva's weird. 

Packing is not fun. 

Neither is cleaning. 

Neither are rainy dreary days where you lose football bets. 

However, tomato soup and grilled cheese are still epic.  

I looked over while eating my dinner and saw Shiva. 

She's apparently making herself a new fort. 

weirdo. 

Only a week to go until I see Mike. 

Two weeks until the Bachelorette partaytay. 

Three Weeks until Europe. 

I'm going to stop there. For my own sanity. 

Linking up with some lovely ladies: