Plaster Surgery.

Our 88 year old plaster walls are getting a facelift. Too many wrinkles and cracks.

12 hours and 2 coats of primer.

Back aches. Fingers cramped. Neck sore.

But so worth it!

A New Adventure

So, I left my job. Yes. I am currently jobless, but for good reasons: no cell phone signal and minimal email access at work makes for planning a wedding almost impossible; too many days off from work needed in the next few months; and a few others that are beyond the scope of this post. So now my new adventure is beginning.

I left work last Thursday and cried part of the way home. I did not expect that to happen. But I've had the same patients for 2 years so it was an emotional drive home. I will miss most of my coworkers, but I'm having lunch KW on Friday when she's in Jax for an appointment. I'm really looking forward to that. I didn't get a chance to celebrate my last day of work because we left out of JIA at 6am Friday for Arkansas. Dar and I spent the weekend with my family and we also had our first party! About 125 people came through to meet Dar at "A Southern Evening" (every party in my hometown, Magtown, has to have a theme apparently). It was very busy and my face still hurts from smiling for 5 hours straight! My legs and feet have recovered. I had college friends make the drive and it was so wonderful seeing them. My mom hired a photographer and he took lots of photos for us. If you're interested in seeing them, shoot me an email and I'll give you think link.

And now I'm back in Florida. And the transition from Florida to Texas is getting in full-swing. I'm beginning to get the house ready to get put on the market, which means a lot of cleaning up and freshening up. I spent some time at Lowe's getting prep tools. Things that will be done soon include painting the fireplace--currently dark red and sucking the life out of the room--and painting the walls a more welcoming color--and eliminating all the paw prints from the dogs! I'm going to take photos of this process and post them.

I'm starting with the fireplace. It's been cleaned with several vacuumings and a good scrub down with a stiff brush and soapy water.

But that's not even the real excitement. Look what I found in the house (after 3 years of living here)...

Pretty sweet, huh? I can tell you are completely jealous.

More later.

Reality.

I have done a major reality check this week...or still doing one. I have definitely started to see a little bit of a panic light going off in the front of my mind, highlighted by the insanely crazy wedding-related dreams I have been experiencing. To check myself, I have started to interview wedding event-planners. I found one I love. But I still have to talk to one more. I need someone to go over my plan and fix gaps I may have. I also need someone to help hold me accountable, because all I have right now, is, well, me.

I got hit again when one of my friends (JP) bought her plane ticket! Ahhhhh. I have one official guest! What a really, really, really, really strange feeling. As a therapist you would think I could find better emotional words to describe, but no: 4 really's does it well.

Happy New Year

So here it is January 2nd. I rang in the new year with a friend from college who now lives in Orlando. It was low key and fun. Dar was working so I skipped out of town for 2 nights. Speaking of work, I will not be seeing him very much this upcoming month. They have scheduled him to work every weekend, which seems a little absurd to me. We only have 6 more months of Shands!

Over Christmas we began announcing to our families that we would be heading to Austin after Jacksonville. We are sitting on two job offers in Austin and are comparing contracts, deciding which route to take. But Austin it is! Most likely we won't be leaving the Sunshine State till September. Dar is also going to start moonlighting this month in Georgia and is looking into a local moonlighting position as well. 2010 is definitely starting out in positive direction for us and our lives together.

Before Thanksgiving we did a recon mission in Charlotte, to investigate more about the city. Then Dar had an interview offer in Austin for job #2. We road-tripped our way to Arkansas for the Christmas holidays with our 2 dogs in tow. It was actually a very good trip. Little drama. Just having Dar meet a TON of people. Basically my entire family. In fact, 6 people were missing, which means Dar is only lacking meeting 4 people from my family, and due to family crazies won't be meeting 3 of those 4. But we all have those.

As for wedding, things have been low-key. Its going to be full-gear the next 2 months. Dress(es) altered. Finally decide on DJ. Get flowers for tables and other arrangements with florist finalized (in like 10 days actually!). MOB returns to town soon and we'll be finishing up the invitations and other paper products together. Dar and I return back to Arkansas on February 20th for a Couple's Party, so everyone can meet my handsome fiance (any dog sitting offers?). Ack. Enough for now.

Indian Shopping...almost

I have my mom in town for a few days and am very excited. Just picked her up from the airport at lunchtime. She got a rental car because she does not trust my car to drive us around (my 15 year old, 185000+ mileage Camry). So now we are sporting a bright "Razorback" red HHR. Dar is too embarrased to ride with us.

Tomorrow, mom and I are heading to Orlando to check out some Indian clothing stores. I have no idea what we will find, but we will be exploring and checking the scene out. Most specifically we are looking for a lehnga for me to wear at the reception. I also want to know what the stores have so I can assist some of my friends in locating either lehngas themselves or sarees to wear. If it turns out to be a total flop, Dar's mom is heading back to India in 3 days and may have to find this dress for me too! I think things will work out.

I anticipate taking photos and sharing them. Sometimes I have the best intentions.

Austin Texas

Dar had his first interview Monday morning in Shelby North Carolina. Went well and sounds like a really good opportunity. We'll see what happens. More interviews to go.

So here I am sitting in the hotel room, pondering where to go. Dar has just left to head off to his first of 3 interviews here in Texas. I'm not sure what I should do first this morning. Breakfast sounds good. Perhaps I'll do that. [Dar just called...made it easily to his meeting, with much time to spare.] Texas seems interesting. I grew up making fun of the state and now here I am contemplating a potential move to its heart. Here's the sunset last night when we were flying in... They do it nice here.





It's very wierd to be selecting which city to which to move. "Pick a city! We'll find a hospital!" It's almost too open. Overwhelming. We've definately narrowed it down. Charlotte. Austin. Greenville. There are more, but I think I've forgotten them. Too busy thinking about other plans.

Dar was lucky enough to spend the past weekend with his entire family (minus me) in Charlotte. His brother and fam were there from Houston. Sister already lives there. Parents too. About the only wedding update from that weekend is that his dad wants me to contact him every week to give him my updates. He really just wants to be included and be in the "know". Which sounds find to me. Communication, communication, communication!


We've settled on a florist. Dar actually went on the interview to this florist with me. He liked them and so did I. Their proposal looks great and they feel easy to work with. I am very excited about this decision. I've been working on the catering, but the Indian Restaurants in town are s-l-o-w to respond. Very frustrating. I know that it will happen, but I wanted to to happen yesterday, or like 10 days ago. So I take a deep breath and realize that this is just how it goes with them and will go forward and know that it will all come together.