Keepin' up with the Varners

Gettin' into the Groove

2012-01-31T11:53:00.000-08:00

Moving day has come and gone, all boxes are unpacked, and things are starting to shape up. Hopefully we'll be putting on some finishing touches this week when our new bedroom and dining room furniture arrive! So far, we LOVE our new ~~house~~ home. I've worked a little on the nursery, and a lot on everything else. It feels good to have somewhere that's OURS. :)

Dothan has welcomed us with open arms. Kerry's job is going wonderfully! He loves his work and his co-workers, and that makes all the difference in the world. Our neighbors are all very friendly and have introduced themselves and even helped us out on a few occasions (like the afternoon we locked ourselves out...yeah). Otis is the only one of us having difficulty adjusting. He doesn't want to be left at the house alone...think he has anxiety issues? Never ever has he been this way, and it's very sad. He's slowly coming around though. One neighbor has 2 dachshunds that "talk" to him when he's outside, and he's figuring out that I'm here a good bit. We also have been putting down some throw rugs on our floors so he has traction to run around and jump on the couch. Poor fella.

We're in the process of searching for a church home, as well. We visited Harvest this past Sunday, and found it very similar to where we worshiped in Panama City. We haven't decided where we'll attend this coming Sunday, but we'd like to go to several to ensure we find a place to serve God and branch out.

Justin is still doing well! He's quite an active baby, and I'm starting to notice patterns in his movements throughout the day. Tomorrow officially starts the third trimester, so time is drawing near! I can't wait to meet the little guy. :)

Signed, Sealed, Delivered...it's OURS!

2012-01-19T17:51:00.000-08:00

Today was the big day...CLOSING DAY. We now own our very first home. Neither of us have signed our names so many times! Moving day will be Saturday, and rain is forecast, so prayers would be greatly appreciated for the ordeal. I will have to post some pictures after the fact to show off the new digs. Both of us are so excited to decorate Justin's room and make the place ours!

I also went to the doctor this morning for another checkup, and another good report. The glucose test was negative, and I'm not anemic...both good things. Mom was with me so she got to meet Dr. Nicholls, and I believe she approves. :) He says everything is "perfect" and right on schedule, which thrills me because I can be a bit of a worrywart.

Justin is definitely growing if my expanding waistline is any proof! There's no doubt it's baby belly and not a "food baby" in there. Besides that, he moves and grooves a lot more than in the previous weeks. Like clockwork every evening around 7:30 he has a little tapdance session. I just pat along and smile.

Kerry's first week of work is almost complete, and he LOVES it! I'm so proud of him, and I'm even more proud that things are so great for him there. Blessings coming down from everywhere!

As Good as it Gets

2012-01-05T18:32:00.000-08:00

What an amazing month we've had! Of course you know about graduation, and probably already know that Kerry passed his boards, and even the packing up process to prepare for the move...but did you know how much answered prayer has come to us on top of all that?? Today was a complete example of that.

We got up early to drive from Panama City to Dothan for my first appointment with our new doctor. I've not been too keen on the idea of having to switch in the middle of pregnancy, but even from the first phonecall they reassured me that everything would be just fine. We had another ultrasound to see our precious boy, and since they had a brand new machine, the tech went ahead and did some 4D work just to "play with the new scanner". I wish someone could have taken a picture of Kerry and me, because we were in such awe at the sight of his face that the room fell silent for a minute (which if you know us, you KNOW that's an accomplishment!!). After the talking resumed, we decided he's adorable and perfect...and that he has my nose ;) We met with my new doctor for over an hour talking about anything and everything that came to mind. My mind is SO much more at ease now! And at the end of all that, the man invited us to church. How do you like that?

Another major concern for us is that we're in a weird gap between insurance coverages right now. After being prepared to pay a nice sum out of pocket today, the biller looked at us and said, "Oh, you can put that checkbook away. You don't owe us a dime." Say what!? For a record SECOND time today we were rendered totally speechless. I'm so thankful for these people, you just don't even know!

We walked through our new house again today--this time to measure spaces and decide where furniture will go, etc. I was so excited to see it!! We met a neighbor who welcomed us readily. I have a feeling we'll really like it there.

We spent the rest of the day doing paperwork for Kerry's job and for the mortgage stuff, and eventually made our way back to Andalusia, both exhausted and overjoyed. Things really are lining up...things we've prayed hard for over the past several months. I can hardly wait to see all that God is going to do in our lives if he's already done so much for us. Somebody pinch me. :)

6 am...Day after Christmas

2011-12-26T06:08:00.000-08:00

Well this amazing Christmas is winding down. We've just hugged and said our goodbyes to Jonathan, Misty, and Jenna as they departed for Little Rock. Sad to see them go, but very happy they were here.

We were so blessed this Christmas! December 17th was the day we've counted down to for so long...Kerry graduated! It was an amazing feeling watching him receive his awards and diploma--like a weight lifted. Then the icing on the cake, he passed his national certification on the 23rd! For him, that means being able to relax and enjoy the next couple of weeks before he starts to work. In the mean time, we'll be packing boxes and getting ready to make the move up to Dothan into our new house. How exciting! I can't wait to decorate the nursery and plant flowers. :)

Speaking of the nursery, Justin and I are doing quite well. We'll be switching doctors in the near future, and that sort of makes me nervous. I'm growing like crazy (because, I suppose, he is too). I can feel him kicking pretty regularly now, even if other folks can't quite yet. Kerry did get to feel it on a particularly active evening, and that's something I'll always cherish. His face was so funny! We're both still in awe of the things going on and how much God has blessed us over the past few years, but especially the last few months. Looking forward to an amazing 2012!

Snips and snails, and puppy dogs tails...that's what little boys are made of!

2011-12-05T12:55:00.000-08:00

That's right!

Justin Michael Varner, our SON (!!!), will make his debut in April. My doctor appointment went well again today. So far, Justin measures dead on schedule for an April 25 due date. He has a heart rate in the 140's, and weighs about a half a pound. So far so good for me, too.

Also, during our Thanksgiving break, our niece, Jenna, was born. She's a beautiful girl, and I can't wait for Christmas to come so I can squeeze her!

Less than 2 weeks until graduation! We're so thrilled! God is good. :)

Helloooooooo 2nd Trimester!

2011-11-01T16:04:00.000-07:00

I haven't had this much energy in...well...at least 3 months! I'm about a week into the second trimester (over a third of the way there, yayuh) and I feel the fabulousness. The nauseated gross feeling has left me for the most part, my crazy pregosaurus rex attitude has chilled out a little, and I still take a snooze here and there, but I was actually able to get out and RUN today - not jog, RUN. And it felt great for a number of reasons.

We're in the process of signing papers, etc, for our house, so hopefully soon we'll be homeowners! We absolutely love the one we picked out, so hopefully all goes well, and we can move in before Christmas. I really really want to put up a Christmas tree this year, but I'm afraid I might not be able to. 46 days until graduation, so the time is drawing nearer!

In other updates, the "first" friend I ever had finally walked down the isle this weekend! I was proud to stand by Jessica on her big day, and even prouder that the bridesmaid dress zipped...whew. The wedding was absolutely beautiful, and the reception was so much fun! I never thought I'd see her daddy (my other daddy) dancing to DJ Khaled! Hysterical! She married a real sweet guy, too, so that's a huge plus ;)

Next doctor visit is on Monday, so maybe, JUST MAYBE we'll get to see if this little person is a boy or a girl!

11 weeks 5 days - another great checkup!

2011-10-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

3D image. See him/her hiding behind the cord?

Profile Shot!

Another great checkup today! Things are moving right along as they should according to the doctor and the ultrasound tech. It's good to "know" people...I knew the tech from work when she was trainging as a student, so she gave me a few extra minutes, and even did a 3d/4d scan just to see. We didn't get to see a face because the cord and arms were all up in the way, but that's ok...it most likely doesn't look "normal" yet anyway! I love it when Kerry is along for these appointments. He's so excited - asking all kinds of questions and pointing to the screen grinning SO big. They told me that probably not the next visit, but the one after that is when we should know if this is a "JMV" or a "MSV"...tentatively speaking that is. ;) And NO, I'm not divulging names until we know...so there!

HGTV?!

2011-09-29T17:12:00.000-07:00

Update time! Update time!

So since we've begun looking for houses over the last few weeks, smart little me thought it would be a funny idea to write to HGTV to see if we could get on one of their homebuying shows. Well, "My First Place" and "Property Virgins" weren't currently looking for anyone, but "House Hunters" had an open invite. Naturally I filled in the blanks and hit send--all the while not counting on anything coming of it. 3 days later, there was a message from an unknown person in my inbox that simply said "House Hunters" in the subject line. It was one of the segment producers thanking me for the inquiry...blah blah blah. I skimmed it thinking it would say "thanks but no thanks"...but wait...what did that say?!? "We would love to know more about you and Kerry. Where are you in your homebuying process? When is the best time to reach you?" SAY WHAT!?!? I responded with our phone number, etc., and he wrote me back later the next day to set up a phone interview with us! AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! So next Tuesday he's going to run through the process and get to know us a little better. WOW! How cool would that be?! Now--Pessimistic Polly (me) still holds out that they will say "thanks but no thanks"...but to get this far? That's gotta be something, right?

In other news, baby V and I are doing well. Nausea is still lingering, but I'm a little more energetic each day (especially if I get a nap!) and I'm happy as I can be! I may be just looking for an excuse, but I've started having trouble being comfy in my smaller pants I worked so hard to get into this year. Glad I saved the bigger ones, because I think they'll be necessary sooner than later!

Today is our 4 year/10 year anniversary. We're kind of bummed we couldn't spend it together since he's in Dothan, but he'll be home tomorrow and that's all right with me. I can hardly believe it's been a decade since he picked me up in his big, black, LOUD truck and took me to Subway. :) How romantic, right? Hey- we all start somewhere. Haha! I've been smitten with him since that day! We've eaten at a lot of other restaurants since, too. ;)

Keep your fingers crossed for us!!!

From afraid to blessed

2011-09-18T17:42:00.000-07:00

Listen...wait...did you hear that WHOOOSH sound? That was life passing by! Call it my hormones, call it an awakening, but I've had such an emotional day --and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I started out my morning with a bowl of cereal and a movie while petting my dog. As I looked at Otis, the thoughts started coming to me: we're less than 3 months from graduation...we're 6 months from becoming parents...life is about to change radically! So, naturally, Nicole got scared and had a little sniffle/cry spell. My day got immensely better when we went to church. I had calmed down significantly by then, and was looking forward to the praise and worship part of the service. I sang loud as I could, and with tears running all over again, praised God for our immense blessings - instead of being afraid of the changes. How freeing that was! God is good :)

Later, we had a surprise visit from my mom and dad! We ate lunch and cruised around, just visiting, and it did my heart a world of good as well. I am glad we'll be a touch closer when we move. (remember I'm a homebody, right?) After they left, we shopped around for houses online. Right at sunset, though, we headed to the beach to stroll along at sunset...holding hands...you know, lovey dovey like, which also did my heart a world of good. It's tough for Kerry to be gone so much of the week, but we know that this situation is for the betterment of our NEXT situation, and that's what's getting us through.

Humor me and check out this link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FUr5vs-AwQ
This is a snippet of the AMAZING music at 9forty. We will miss Woodlawn UMC when we move.

First Doctor Visit

2011-09-12T16:15:00.000-07:00

So today was our first visit to the doctor. I don't know what I was expecting -- I can say I've had more eventful doctor visits, but hey, she gave us a clean bill of health and said we're doing fine! She waited for Kerry to get there from class to do the ultrasound. We got to see the tiny flicker of a heartbeat and our little butterbean/jelly bean/peanut/etc! We're in love. :)

She confirmed our due date to be April 25 (which Kerry claims to not like for some reason or another). But we'll take him or her whenever he or she decides to show up...just hopefully not tooooo early. Next appointment is October 10.

OHHH BOY...or girl... :)

2011-09-04T09:08:00.000-07:00

How about that? We're going to be parents! It still really hasn't quite sunk in for either of us, but this weekend was like Christmas morning for us. We've known for the past couple of weeks, but just didn't tell anyone. Let me tell you that's the hardest secret I've ever kept! I mean, we both wanted to run to the radio station and broadcast it to the world that very minute, but we know that wouldn't be appreciated ;)

The morning I took the test, I was up at 3:30, all alone, and thinking "this will prove Kerry wrong." He had been telling me all week that I needed to take one, so when I agreed, guess what...for one of the first times in recorded history, HE was right, and I was wrong! (just a little joke there...heh) I woke him up whining that I couldn't sleep any more, so he needed to get up and watch a movie with me. I picked several off our shelf (Nine Months, Knocked Up, Junior, etc.) and told him he had to choose from those. He just shrugged because he didn't get it at that point, picked one, and got up and put on his scrubs. THEN he shuffled to the bathroom and saw the stick...I wish you could have witnessed the range of facial expressions he gave! I laughed SO much!!

We came home this weekend to spread the news. We let Otis tell my parents (with a tshirt that said "I'M GOING TO BE A BIG BROTHER") and we brought a birthday cake to his mom from the baby and Brayden (her first grandbaby). It was so much fun! Everyone is so excited and we just love it. Can't wait to see what the next few months will be like.

So far, I fell pretty good. Not too much nausea, but I could give Rip van Winkle a run for his money in the sleep department! I can sleep sitting straight up!

Trust me there will be more blogs to follow on this topic. Keep us lifted up in prayer! =)

Ch-ch-ch-Changes!

2011-08-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

I'm writing quietly this afternoon so as not to wake Kerry, who is recouperating from oral surgery. The wisdom teeth finally came out today! I know he'll be much happier tomorrow, but it's hard to see him not feeling too good at the moment. Unlike my experience, he said he can remember everything - which is a scary thought for me. Bless him!

Over the weekend, we said goodbye to Ol' Blue and hello to the new family ride! That Honda took me everywhere from the age of 17 until now, so it's kind of sad to see it go, but I LOVE my new car! It's a 2011 Nissan Murano, and it's sharp if I do say so myself. :)

Another semester is in the books, and this is the beginning of the LAST SEMESTER OF ANESTHESIA SCHOOL! ~*par-tay!*~ Less than 4 months to go at this point, and it's going by extremely quickly. After labor day Kerry will start clinicals at Flowers Hospital, so I hope it keeps flying by. I hate being separated! We should be house hunting soon in the Dothan area, as well, so all you folks that know your way around Dothan, help us out!

New England in two Days

2011-08-13T07:30:00.000-07:00

I neglected to blog anymore from Boston, I'm sorry...but we've been here and done that, so not really too much new to report on. There were meetings, dinners, naps, etc. Just like normal, right? ;)

BUT, Thursday finally came, and we were done with Boston and ready to take on the rest of New England. We packed our bags, checked out of the Sheraton, and took a taxi to the airport to pick up our rental car. It was a 2012 Ford Focus - small, but very surprisingly NICE! Kerry nicknamed it the squirrel, and we took off headed north.

As soon as we crossed into the state of Maine, we pulled off at the welcome center to get some maps and plot our lighthouse route on the way to Portland. We saw a total of 7 - there were many more on the way, they were just a couple of miles offshore, and only visible by boat or helicopter (of which we had neither). We stopped for lunch nearby Cape Elizabeth at the Lobster Shack for a lobster roll and french fries. Of all the food I ate on the trip, I must say that a lobster roll is the one thing I'd love to have again and again! The air temperature stayed in the mid-70s, and the drive was absolutely beautiful. If it wasn't for the winters, I'd be very tempted to pack up and move up that way! I don't do winter too well! :)

After a full day of chasing down lighthouses and points of interest, we pulled into the B&B, and were greeted warmly by the innkeeper. He showed us to the 3rd floor of a VERY old house, and told us it was ours! Yay for privacy. :) He gave us a few pointers on dinner - we wanted somewhere the locals would hang out rather than the overpriced, tourist-driven, fancy-shmancy stuff. He sent us to the harbor area to J's Oyster Bar. Definitely a gritty hole-in-the-wall, but the servers were fun, and had that awesome distinctive Maine accent. "You ottah go up to Bah Habah. It's ahhsome." We both ordered the steamed dinner (1 1/2 pound lobster, a dozen clams, and an ear of corn), and got the lesson in how to eat them. Only word for it was FAB-U-LOUS. We meandered around the cobblestone streets downtown for a few and headed back to the B&B.

Breakfast Friday morning was a bread boule stuffed with eggs, local cheeses, and bacon...A+ in my book! You can't go wrong with bacon. ;) The innkeeper was kind enough to give us directions to the Kancamangus Highway for a scenic drive through Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. We drove for a total of maybe 8 hours all day (through 5 states and 3 mountain ranges), but we made it from Portland all the way to Albany, New York - and then back to Framingham, MA to spend the night.

So now here we sit at the airport, rental care turned in and waiting to check our bags. It'll be another long day of travel, but we'll eventually be back to PCB and real life - and laundry. Tomorrow, we pick up Otis! I can't wait to see my little man...it's been 2 weeks! Thanks for checking up on us - til next time. :)

Bright Lights and a Bigger City!

2011-08-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

It's Varner Vacation time again! Except this time around it's only about 50% vacation for Kerry. We're here in the great city of Boston, MA for the AANA annual conference. He's been pretty busy at the Wellness Committee's booth, so I've had time to catch up on sleep, shop, etc.

We left Friday morning bright and early from PCB's airport headed up (with a pit stop in Baltimore to change planes). We arrived at Logan around noon, and quickly realized at the baggage claim that the airline had broken and ripped our bags. {Side note - Southwest Airlines, you will be hearing from me. Bags fly free, but not gently, huh?} Kerry asked a nearby airport employee for directions to the T (subway), and he told us to jump on the next shuttle. WELL, about 2 minutes into the ride we realized we had gotten on without paying, so MBTA, here is my apology for being a stow-away on the bus, then the red and green lines, respectively! We resurfaced and headed down the 2 block walk to the hotel, and checked in. Kerry had to go to the conference pretty much immediately, so I unpacked. As I unpacked I discovered not only were our bags broken, but some of our stuff was, also. So, after some rinsing and muttering under my breath, our clothes finally smell normal again. Ugh.
We ate dinner at the food court that's part of the Prudential Center's mall (aka the PRU), and enjoyed a little stroll around outside. Temps in the 70s are MUUUUUCH better than 110 in the shade back home!

Saturday after the conference activities were finished, the group went to Fenway Pahk to see the Sox beat up on the Yankees! It was such a good time. We hung out at the Bleacher Bar for a few before going into the stadium for the game. Kerry absoultely loves it here. It's fun to see him like such a little kid. :)
After the game, we all walked to Beacon Hill to eat at the 21st Amendment - which claims to be the first pub to open after the repeal of Prohibition. Pretty cool. :)

I'll update again as the trip goes on. So far, so good, though.

Helloooooooooooooo Dothan!

2011-07-23T05:17:00.000-07:00

Since Thursday, you haven't been able to wipe the smiles off the faces around this house! Know why? We got the call--Kerry has a job lined up for when he is finished with school! We are so thrilled!

We had been kayaking the Econfina all day Thursday with my parents. When we got back to the car to unload and drive back to PCB, both our phones had missed calls from Dothan, AL numbers. He returned the call, and put it on speaker phone so we could hear the conversation. Kerry will be working for Flowers Hospital! Let me tell you, I was DANCING in that passenger seat! We are one step closer to being done now, and we are both thankful that we will still be close to family.

So of course, typical me, I laid awake most of the night that night worrying about change. Change is good, but change stresses me out 99.99% of the time. "We need to find a house." "How can we afford a house? We've only rented the entire time we've been married." "What will I do now?" "We'll have to find a new church, doctors, friends, etc" All these things were running through my mind at once! I always envisioned the day we found out where we'd end up would be a load off our minds, not a NEW load.

I've done a lot of praying, and I've had Kerry bring the last 2 weeks sermons from church back to my attention (which were both about fear and worry...ironic?). I've always hated to move, but since we've done it SO much since we got married we should be pros by now. Hopefully this transition will be smooth, and we'll get to stay put for a long, long time.

P90X...a retrospective.

2011-04-09T14:55:00.000-07:00

The past 90 days we have been working our fannies off! Literally. :)
I didn't really post a whole lot about it for the first couple of weeks because (classic Nicole) I was afraid of failure. When those first 2 pounds came off and I said, "You know, I might actually be able to do this," I decided to go public with the fact that we were giving it a try. Since I never blogged about it, or did much more than write a couple of facebook statuses about it, I'll reflect on it now.

We started back in January while Kerry was on his rotation in Marianna. We're not big on New Year's resolutions or anything, it was just a timing thing. Based on a little research, we picked up with the Lean version - mostly because it adds more cardio into the mix, and that's what I love to do! We also adopted a higher protein eating plan, and tried to get more veggies in the mix as well.

Keeping track of everything was the fun part. We took pictures the day before we started, at 30, 60, and now 90 days respectively. We measured at 30 days (because we forgot to at the start) and again at 90...and I was a little blown away with my results. Kerry wasn't really looking to lose weight so much as he was looking to bulk up a little and shed some flab. What flab? Ha...I've always thought he looked awesome myself ;)

I started out at a weight that I've been since 2006. I'm pretty good at maintaining...I credit that to a liking for running. Now, I'm at a number I haven't seen since my freshman year of college at Troy! 11 pounds may not be drastic like biggest loser numbers, or anything--but they're 11 pounds I won't miss! From day 30 to day 90 I shed 8 inches as well...and depending on the brand of pants, 2 pant sizes! Yay me!

top left: day 1 top right: day 30
bottom left: day 60 bottom right: day 90

Kerry lost about 12 pounds and 9 inches. The biggest difference in him has to be muscular, though. He has abs for crying out loud! I'm so proud of him! :)

left: day1 right: day 90

We're not stopping here, though. We're taking a weekend off to relax and Monday we start Insanity with Shaun T. Gluttons for punishment? Maybe so. But to quote Tony Horton, "I hate it...but I love it."

BRING IT!!!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T12:40:00.000-08:00

Bye bye, 2010! I can't even begin to say how enormously excited I am that this year has come. It is officially Kerry's graduation year. Not that we're wishing our lives away, but this is a time we would definitely like to get behind us. Everyone makes resolutions this time of year...but I'll plead the fifth for ours until later.

Christmas and the days after were good to us. We got to see nearly all of our families! We are truly blessed.

Kerry is working at a small hospital in Marianna this month, so we won't see a whole lot of each other. I'm praying this month flies by!!

Semester 4 is in the books!

2010-12-19T08:12:00.001-08:00

Congratulations, Gooding Institute class of 2010!

Yesterday was graduation for the upper class. It was an awesome day! Watching the seniors get their hoods and diplomas, I was looking ahead to next December and just dreaming away. Kerry even received a scholarship during the ceremony! We had no idea, and it is GREATLY appreciated. I am so insanely proud of him and his accomplishments, and the best is yet to come. So now with that group graduated and out, Kerry's class is instantly promoted to senior status. One year to go. That is exciting in itself. :)

Not to put myself in the spotlight, but I will also mention that I was selected as Bay Medical Center's employee of the month for December 2010. I'm floored and deeply appreciative of this, as I've only been there right at a year. I have great co-workers, and a pretty awesome manager, and without them in the clinic, I'd be more than crazy!

Christmas is here, as well! Our favorite time of the year by far, and this year will be very special. I can't wait to see my big brother, hang out with the rest of the family, eat, go to a Christmas Eve service at church, watch 24 hours of A Christmas Story on TBS, help Brayden celebrate his first Christmas, swap gifts, and the rest of the things that come with the next few days. And since we'll be spending the night at my parents' house next weekend, I'll probably do just like I did for years as a child – look at the stars out the window in my room and look for Santa. ;)

Merry Christmas to you.

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving!

2010-11-30T13:45:00.000-08:00

I realize it's the last day of November, and I'm late posting, but you'll have to excuse me. We've been home in Red Level/ Andalusia loving on our new nephew, Brayden! He is SO beautiful, and we're thrilled to be Uncle Kerry and Aunt Colie. He got here pretty late on the 22nd, and was beautiful and healthy from the get go. It was an amazing Thanksgiving back home with family. Congratulations to Erin and Josh!

As December starts and this year comes to a close, we're so very excited to only have a year left as a student and wife of a student! We don't mind it for now, but we sometimes (me in particular) get restless and ready for a change of scenery. It is a little mind boggling that 2010 is nearly over, and as I sit here and write out Christmas cards, I can't help but look forward to all the events that will come in the next year!

Please continue to remember us in your prayers, and as soon as the magazine is out, I'll post Kerry's article. That's his latest project...he'll be a published author! Isn't that something? My current projects still revolve around cooking, and I must say, I'm getting pretty darn good at it. Except for the fact that I'm somewhat of an accident waiting to happen, i.e. slicing my finger on a mandolin and burning my entire hand on a cast iron skillet, I'm making some pretty tasty things. So come visit, and I'll cook you up a little something ;)

I am due to return to the neurologist in a couple of weeks, so I'll update on that as it comes.

Days go by...

2010-09-30T14:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was our 3rd/9th anniversary. It's hard to imagine a more crazy day than the day we got married. Thank goodness for pictures, because so much of it is still a blur in my mind. Even with the madness, I still consider it to be one of the best days of my life...I mean, look at this picture! So goofy and in love, just as we have been from the moment we met. I wouldn't trade the past nine years for anything. Not to say they've been perfect, but if things trend the way they have, we have a lifetime of goof left in us (ha).

To celebrate this year, I cooked a big dinner on Friday night before our anniversary. Then the actual day of, we headed for Bonefish grill, as per tradition, and walked the beach and sat in the sand watching the sunset. I know blah-dee-blah romantic stuff, but it means a lot for us to just unwind and take in our surroundings while we're here. And this happens to be the PERFECT time of year. I couldn't imagine celebrating an anniversary any other season...it just makes sense for us.

This time next year I hope to be sorting things to sell or give away so that we can MOVE, and I certainly hope Kerry has a job nailed down by then. It just seems so far away, but when I look back, I think it isn't all that long. Heck just yesterday we loaded the Equinox like the Clampetts and drove all the way to Baltimore for an adventure, right?

So on to the future...this weekend we will fulfill our other anniversary tradition and snap a few photos, this year without Otis because he's just too camera shy. I'll post to facebook and maybe here when that's done.

'til next time : )

SEPTEMBER!

2010-09-01T17:03:00.000-07:00

Today marks the start of my most favorite month of the year! In honor of that, I'm posting a video I made for my Kerry to honor our 3rd anniversary...even though that doesn't happen til the end of the month. I celebrate the whole month though, and I see absolutely NOTHING wrong with that!!!!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Another semester down, and all the updates that come with that...

2010-08-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

That's right! Another semester is behind us, and wow did it seem to go by fast. Maybe because it's summer time, maybe because of wishful thinking, or maybe just because hindsight is better than foresight...who knows? Semester #3 is gone, and a fresh, shiny new one will start tomorrow. Along with it will come new faces that we welcomed at the hail party this weekend. It's strange to think of Kerry as an upperclassman now, but it's a very good thing! I'm so proud of my straight-A student! That, and he was chosen to be a member of a committee for the AANA. Pretty swank, huh? But we all know how special he is, so I'll stop. I'm just SO proud of him and his accomplishments. This time next year (dare I say it) we'll be looking at other places to live! YAY! The end is in sight.

At the end of the semester we had a little free time to take a little vacation from PCB. Of all places, Kerry chose New Orleans. I was skeptical to say the least, but it turned out to be a wonderful trip! (Mostly because I like to eat, haha...) We spent the better part of 3 days and 2 nights in a beautifully restored old home that is now a B&B on Esplanade. The owner is a fabulous cook, too (absinthe in the sauce on the crepes? Hello?!) We had a good time touring the city on foot and taking in the music at night. We will be going back because there is so much more to do than we were able in the time allotted.

We also took a canoe trip nearby to us here in PCB on the Econfina Creek. I have never seen more beautiful blue water existing in nature. It was a nice retreat from the usual busy highway and tourist filled places here in Bay County. This will be a definite return trip for us as well.

The trips were fun while they lasted, but it's back to life, back to reality tomorrow bright and early. It sure is good to have Otis back home (he stayed with my parents while we were gone), and maybe get back into a routine of sorts. Until then, the countdown rolls on. ;)

Bye bye, wisdom teeth!

2010-06-27T17:02:00.000-07:00

It was nice to have a day off on Friday, except the reason I was off was to get these pesky wisdom teeth out once and for all! I put it off way too long. As far as procedures go, I'll say I've had worse, but the recovery hasn't been so fun. I don't remember much after the doc said he was putting meds in my IV that would make me cough (which did...ha). The next thing I knew, I was awake and had a mouthfull of gauze! All I wanted to do was sleep, so that's what I did, and let me tell you, that was the BEST SLEEP EVER!!! It was so nice to have my mom and dad here to take care of me. And Kerry was there, too, just as soon as he could get away from the O.R. on Friday. Even Otis wanted to be in the bed with me and right in my face. Such a sweet weenie dog :)

Everything is going fine though! The right side hasn't hurt the first time, but the left is still a little sore because of the way the sutures are positioned. Not much swelling at all either. Hopefully it won't last too much longer. Things are looking up because I got my first solid food down this evening, and I will be going back to work tomorrow.

Since I last posted, we found out we will be having a NEPHEW! YAY! I can't think of a better Christmas gift for that side of the family. =)

I know I would normally post a picture, but since there wasn't much makeup or hairstyling going on this weekend, I decided to spare you this time ;)

Til next time!

Updates, updates, updates

2010-06-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

I realize what a terrible job I've been doing keeping my blog updated lately! I'm so sorry :(

I've been going home to Andalusia every weekend since Dad's surgery to keep a check on him and mom, and I'm happy to report he's doing fabulously! He also got an A+ checkup from his cardiologist yesterday, and was told to keep up the good work.

On to my laundry list of woes...or so it seems! HA! I saw my (new) new neurologist last week, and have quickly decided that he's gonna have to earn my trust. He put me on some new medications and was talking about possibly doing nerve blocks, which I am 99.9% against. On top of that, after my appointment Wednesday, I woke up Thursday with an infected wisdom tooth that very rapidly got worse. That being said, I now have an appointment to have my wisdom teeth removed on the 18th of this month. Nice. So here's hoping that procedure goes well, and the healing is as rapid as the problem started ;)

Kerry and Otis are still doing quite well and both are keeping me going! Kerry's still making awesome grades and racking up cases in the O.R., and O is just his usual wonderful self. I'll post later on and let you know how the teeth turn out, as well as how the discussion goes with Dr. Makki about shots in the back of my head (that I don't want...).

God Bless!

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

2010-05-17T16:15:00.000-07:00

Happy 29th anniversary to my sweet parents! I'm so happy DAD CAME HOME today! =D
What a way to celebrate an anniversary, right? Things are looking good for him. Now they're beginning the recovery time, which won't be easy or fun, so please continue to remember them in your prayers.

OK...on another note...What's up with the baby boom? I glanced through my facebook friends list and counted on my fingers the number of people I know that are expecting and came up with a grand total of...get this...18!!! WOW. And everyone is due in Nov/Dec/Jan. Whatever's in the air or water, I don't want it, so get me a mask and hide me! Seriously, CONGRATS to all of you, and to the 2 of you that just had yours, CONGRATS to you, and to the one of you having TWINS (!!) DOUBLE CONGRATS :) AND.........Kerry and I will be changing our names to UNCLE KERRY and AUNT COLIE ;) How exciting!! I'm pulling for a niece, myself. (hint hint) So, congrats to Erin and Josh. Can't wait to meet the little one!

What a busy Christmas this will be!

The Long Day is Over

2010-05-12T06:53:00.000-07:00

I borrowed the title from Norah Jones, but that's exactly how I felt as I lay my head down on a guest bed at Aunt Mary's house last night. It was a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng day, but a success according to all doctors and nurses involved.

I had planned to drive up yesterday morning before dad's surgery to wish him well, but as I slept the night before, plans were changed and his surgery was moved to the first one of the day. I guess so I wouldn't worry or try to drive too early, my parents elected not to tell me this tidbit, so by the time I was up and moving things were already in process! I wasn't mad, but it didn't necessarily slow my driving ;)

He was already back for prepping when I got to Dothan, so I sat in the waiting room with my family and waited, waited, waited. He did just fine! Not sure exactly how long the surgery lasted but phonecall to phonecall was nearly 5 hours. (plenty long in my opinion) Now the fun part begins, and he's already back to some of his ways. He spoke to us precious little yesterday, but that's to be expected - not too surprising the first thing he asked me specifically about was Otis. How do you like that?! With his good progress, we're hoping he moves to a regular room and out of ICU today, and hopefully home over the weekend. The doctor and nurses all assure us he is doing spectacularly.

Thank you all for your prayers, and I'll go ahead and ask for more, because he's gonna need all he can get over the coming weeks! Recovery is tough, but for this guy it's gonna be tougher. He already wants to know when he can play golf again, and he's worried about things at work...but those things will just have to wait for now. SO thankful things are looking up. :)

The HEART of the matter...

2010-05-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

WHAT A WEEKEND.

Please keep us in your prayers during this week-tomorrow especially! My dad will be having open heart surgery for coronary artery bypass grafts. He had some tests last week at his doctor back home, which didn't go so well, so he had a heart cath on Friday in Dothan. Kerry called me at work, so I left early to be with my parents. We rushed up there together to hear the news that he has some pretty major blockage and needs surgery. I spent the weekend with them in Dothan at the hospital (Kerry had to work), and will be going back to Dothan tomorrow for the surgery. Please remember us all, especially him, as he goes through this and recovers. It's very much a surprise, and VERY scary for us all.

I'm trying to be more optimistic as a general rule, so it is good that there was no cardiac muscle damage to speak of yet, and the blockage is all we're dealing with, so they expect him to recover fully, and fairly quickly. God is good.

I will keep you posted on results and outcomes.

Two down, Five to Go!

2010-05-05T15:06:00.000-07:00

Another semester of CRNA school is behind us, and I'm happy to report, the pristine 4.0 is still intact! I'm SO PROUD of Kerry! He's working so hard for those grades, and he absolutely loves his clinicals. I believe he's found a career he was meant for. That leaves us with somewhere in the neighborhood of a year and a half to go. Who knows where we'll end up after that! Our current favorite thing is to dream though, and pretend...so we play house hunters online and pick out houses in different areas based on what we think we'll be able to afford. We're so sick of renting it isn't even funny!

Not much else is different around here. The weather's warming up and it's nice to live at the beach for a change with all the spring breakers and snow birds gone! I have another neurologist appointment at the end of the month, so I'll let you know what goes on there.

And in case I don't see you, Happy Mother's Day! :)

Talk about a Headache...

2010-04-08T05:05:00.000-07:00

If I have never experienced a let down in my life, yesterday was the best example I could ever think of. I found the absolute BEST doctor I have ever been to, hands down. The entire visit was everything you could ever hope for: speedy service, the doctor sat down with me for 2 hours and really listened to me, examined my head and neck thoroughly, seemed genuinely concerned, made a plan with me on paper of what we were going to do and everything...only I found out when I left there that he's NOT IN MY INSURANCE NETWORK! I had no idea. I was referred to him by another doctor, and didn't even check. Rather than make me pay out of pocket, he said he would write off the cost of my visit. Very nice. I'm crushed though.

Moving on to the info I found out...no change on the MRI's from last week, but he would like for me to have a more specialized MRI called a "stand up" MRI in Tallahassee that shows a better picture than supine images. You can see in the example I found online that the sitting image better shows the herniation of the cerebellum because of the downward force.

He also wanted blood work done since I've been on the same medicine close to a year, but all the tests he ordered are null and void because my insurance won't pay for anything he wants. Boo. So we're back to square one finding a neurologist I can trust down here. I NEVER thought I would say I miss Montgomery, but I finally found a reason I do. That and we're going to miss the 4th annual doxie races this weekend. Double boo.

So as usual, I will ask you to keep praying. I still have a headache, and still have no doctor :(

Easter!

2010-04-04T07:35:00.000-07:00

Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!

Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!

Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!

Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

Happy Easter my friends! Take some time from the eating and egg hunting and chocolate overload today to remember why this holiday is even here. Blessings to you all. :) And save me some marshmallow Peeps!!

Nicole, Kerry, and Otis

2010-04-03T06:28:00.000-07:00

A quick update for you...

I visited the new neurosurgeon on the 31st (Dr. DeSilva). He quickly ordered 2 more MRI's to re-evaluate since it has been a while since the last ones were done, and set up 2 other appointments for me. One is a regular neurologist and the other is an ENT to evaluate my facial/cranial nerves. I did the MRI's on Wednesday and Thursday and hope to hear some kind of result possibly Wednesday from the neurologist. I'll pass along any information (new or otherwise) at that point. Days and nights have been a wild ride lately for me! Keep the prayers coming, if you don't mind. I'll return the favor ;)

A really rough one...

2010-03-09T06:43:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't complained about my headaches on the blog for a while...or even updated the situation...but that's only because there hasn't been much to update lately. We've been searching for a new neurologist here in Panama City because Montgomery is too far to drive for regular appointments, and I'm pretty sure my insurance company would not like the idea anyway. Friday was a very frustrating day trying to call back and forth between offices to get an appointment and get my old records faxed to a new doctor. I appreciate patient privacy laws, but sometimes they're a real pain! So after the runaround I'm in to see Dr. Karin Maddox here in PC in late April...way overdue. :(

I think yesterday was probably the worst headache I've ever had. I think I managed pretty well, but came home and crashed after work. If I had the option to call in, I would have. Gotta love that orientation period though! Complaining aside, I'm thankful for my job, and my coworkers were more than helpful with my awkwardness yesterday ;)

I have a feeling we're headed for some form of treatment other than medication. Dr. Maddox's office said to call back and check for cancellations to see if they could get me in earlier than April, so I'll be sure to let you know. I would most likely be referred back to my same neurosurgeon at UAB if this course of action is taken. At this point, I'd go willingly. Please continue to pray about this situation! Thanks.

Charity's Married!

2010-02-21T12:17:00.000-08:00

Another milestone...another friend tying the knot :)

I hadn't seen her mother in YEARS and at the rehearsal when she walked in and saw the group together on stage her comment said it all..."You guys are all grown up!" That we are, but sometimes I just refuse. I still don't feel ready to take on all of that just yet...but anyway.........

Charity's wedding was sweet, and it was beautiful. I'm thrilled for her and pray blessings on her new life as Mrs. Hart.

I posted a link to my facebook this past week from another blog I found while I was doing some research. My headaches have gotten increasingly worse over the past few weeks (add dizziness and nausea to the mix), and I've contacted a neurologist down here, but I can't get an appointment for several weeks. I hate I can't see my same neurologist in Montgomery, but at least with my insurance I can stick with my same neurosurgeon in Birmingham! So in the limbo time I've joined a few websites to get some of my treatment questions answered. I put a link to a particularly inspirational blog on my blog, but here's the link: http://ihavechiaritype1.blogspot.com/ She described her whole process and even included pictures after her surgery and such. I still hope I never have to have it, but I really would like to feel better, you know? So keep me in your prayers that we get this straightened out!

Another Trip Around the Sun

2010-01-31T11:59:00.000-08:00

I turned 25 yesterday!

Kerry put aside his studies and trips to Panera to spend the day with me. He and Otis woke me up bright and early with breakfast in bed...waffles and scrambled eggs. I shared with them, and I don't think I've ever laughed harder at this dog. We have to get it on video some time, but he has absolutely no table manners lately...we'll leave it at that ;) AND the birthday fairy came to see me "while I snored" according to some people...and brought me a new charm for my Pandora bracelet. Pretty original way to give me a gift, don't you think? (It'll only start to worry me if he's wearing wings and a tutu.)

Next Kerry showed me my birthday cake he decorated all by himself. He drew a running shoe, Otis, a heart, and wrote all kinds of crazy sayings all over it. Truly a masterpiece! We saved sweets for after lunch though. I was told to get up and get dressed because we had a date with a massage table! We got an hour long couple's massage at Beach Massage on Thomas Drive. Let me rephrase that...a MUCH NEEDED couple's massage. I fell asleep during it ;) My foot hasn't felt that good since before my run back in December! I came home and took a nap for a bit.

Later on we continued the birthday tradition we started several years ago. No matter where we are, we try to make it to a Bonefish Grill for our birthday dinner. No particular reason why, we just like it...so we decided to get out of PCB and drove over to Destin to eat at that one (where we actually started the tradition). We stopped at one of the beaches along 30A on the way for a few minutes, but it was too cold to hang around. We had a fabulous meal and came back home with the intentions of staying up until 10:58 to celebrate my turning 25, but we fell asleep...and that's ok because I was pretty tired!

All day I had to think of a song Kerry played for me earlier in the week. Jimmy Buffett:

"Hear 'em singing Happy Birthday

Better think about the wish I made

This year gone by ain't been a piece of cake

Every day's a revolution

Pull it together and it comes undone

Just one more candle and a trip around the sun"

I hope my next trip around the sun is as wild and crazy as the last few have been. If not, it'll just be boring :)

New Year, Same Us

2010-01-03T11:33:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 2010! It's hard to believe how much can happen over a decade. Looking back all the way to New Year's Eve 1999 going into Y2K we had NO idea what was coming our way, did we? During this time, Kerry and I met, graduated high school, graduated college, got married, moved more times than we care to remember, made TONS of new friends, said goodbye to several folks, and somehow managed to make it through intact.

Though the dynamics of our families may have changed and our friends may be scattered here, there, and everywhere, our hope for the new year is that Christ may be the center of our lives just as in the past. That's the one constant we've come to count on.

All that being said, the countdown rolls on. I can't wait to see what's in store for the next decade. :)

2003
2009

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

2009-12-19T14:14:00.000-08:00

Lots of cheeful news in this blog :)

Kerry has completed his first semester of anesthesia school with...get this...a 4.0 average! All A's for my brilliant future anesthetist! I'm so proud of him and the effort he's put into this, and that he's found something he trully loves to do. One semester down, six to go. Two years from right now I believe we'll be SO happy we won't be able to stand it.

Since he's not having to study for a huge test, Kerry came with me this morning to Freeport, FL to run in a race. I ran in a 10k (6.2 miles) and he did a 5k. BOTH of us finished first in our divisions! That's pretty cool. For all the races I've participated in, I've never taken home a medal. Felt pretty good if you ask me. ;)

And for some very encouraging, much needed, long awaited news...I started my new job Monday morning! And I gotta say, so far, so good. We're so thrilled. God is good!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Against the Wind

2009-12-06T12:12:00.000-08:00

I ran my first half-marathon yesterday! Talk about tough, everything was going against me. The weather was mean (40 degrees with a 15 mph wind that gusted even higher at times), but I felt fine once I got moving around and what not. I went to program my iPod with my list of awesome music I compiled just for this event, and despite the fact that I had charged it, it was DEAD. I still have NO clue how that happened, so for the entire 13.1 miles I was forced to entertain myself...scary, I know. To top it all off, at the turnaround point, my plantar faciitis in my left foot came screaming back despite the fact that we taped my feet for extra support. SO for at least 6 1/2 miles I had to slow down and even hobble a bit. Pitiful. I'm not totally happy with the whole experience, but hey, I DID IT! That's the longest distance I've ever run, and I'm pretty proud of it. I trained intensely for 10 weeks, which for dumpy little me isn't all that long. Now I need a new goal, and a new pair of running shoes...I think these have about had it! ;)

With many thanks

2009-11-29T12:38:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving was definitely one we'll never forget. Last Monday started out like any other, Kerry getting up and going to school, me tending to Otis and doing some chores. We got the call from home close to lunchtime that things were taking a turn for the worse with Kerry's papa, so the split decision was made to pack hurriedly and zoom up to Andalusia/Red Level. We made it in time to say our goodbyes and hold hands with papa for a few more hours before he was gone, and we are so thankful. Close to 9pm, it was finished. It was a tearful week, but a joyful one at the same time. We were with family and friends laughing and crying together, and eating way too much as usual ;). We will miss him terribly, but everything is going to be ok. We know who holds tomorrow.

Kerry and Austin even went running with me Thursday morning! It was great to have company on the run. I'm getting nervous because it's crunch time! My half marathon is this coming Saturday morning. I sure hope I can at least cross the finish line. I've trained pretty hard for this, and I'm looking forward to it...that and the many pasta meals we'll have this week ;)

Please continue to remember us at this time. God bless.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2009-11-21T16:49:00.000-08:00

Ok so I caved in and put up our trees. But ONLY a week early. My excuse is that we don't know what the plans are for the coming days, so we went ahead with things, and who knows, maybe I'll get to help my mom with hers next week. I'm very excited about one of mine! It's a beach tree in honor of our move to PCB. Blue ornaments, sand dollars, starfish, etc. SO pretty to me. The other tree is our classic red and gold that we've had since our first Christmas, plus our extra ornaments we've been given as gifts over the years (Auburn, Alabama, etc.) That should do it for trees since our space and funds are limited ;)

Take a peek! Check out my favorite ornament, too. Looks just like my little O!

A year after...

2009-11-19T12:05:00.000-08:00

A year ago today we lost my dear, sweet Grandaddy. I say lost...he passed away. He had a far better place to be. It was tough, and I miss him so much still, but I'm confident that I'll see him again.

What's strange is that at this time Kerry and I are dealing with a very similar situation with his Papa. He has pancreatic cancer, and will most likely not be with us for very much longer. It's a heartbreaking time for us, so please remember us in your prayers. This is putting a strain on Kerry as well because he's juggling his studies and trips home to spend some time with his Papa before it's too late.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner! 2009 is almost in the books. I have nothing more profound to say about it just yet, isn't that sad? Today I only wanted to focus on Grandaddy and the things he taught me, and the things I still strive to glean from my relationship with him. That should be enough. =)

Happy Halloweenie :)

2009-10-18T16:43:00.000-07:00

October is here, and as of Friday evening fall is finally in the air! Brr! We love cuddle weather around here though, and were well past ready to get rid of the humidity. Here's hoping it stays away awhile.

What a busy month it has been! Kerry is still working hard in school and doing quite well, so the prayers are working! We need more though, so keep 'em coming. We were able to go home this weekend for the first time since he started classes, and it was awesome to see everyone. I made him get up early with me on Saturday morning to go running, of course. I made it 6 miles this time. Not a personal best, but getting there. This half marathon will be here before I want it to! My only goal is to cross the finish line in a respectable amount of time...so that leaves me plenty of flexibility right? Homecoming at Mt. Zion was also this weekend, so we were able to see some of our church family and my extended family as well. It was a great day!

Please keep praying for Kerry, his grandfather (who is going through some serious testing), and for me! I've made the startling decision to switch careers. Sounds crazy, I know, but I really do believe that God is leading me elsewhere. My struggle is with faith in His plan and guidance right now. Things will fall into place, I'm sure, because they always do when I let go of what I think is best.

Happy Halloweenie! Like my Doxie pumpkin? I'm still a little creative right? haha ;)

2 and 8

2009-09-29T18:34:00.000-07:00

Today is a great day!

Today, 2 years ago at 4pm, I married the man of my dreams, my best friend, and the most handsome man alive. Two years have flown by! I'm happy to report we're right on track for our plans, but then again, how can we ever really plan anything? We're achieving our goals right and left, and sometimes it helps (me at least) to step back and realize that!

ALSO 8 years ago today, Kerry took me out on our first date ;)

We celebrated this weekend with a big dinner that I (gasp) cooked. I recreated some of the menu from our reception with a few changes...pork roast, twice baked sweet potatoes, asparagus salad, and a tiramisu for dessert! Not bad if I do say so myself! Nothing burned, and the house and kitchen are still intact, so I call it a success! We went out for dinner at our favorite restaurant tonight for our actual anniversary and reminisced on the last 8 years. It was fun to remember football games, Kerry's old truck, movies, college, and all sorts of memories we have already made.

Kerry is doing extremely well with his classes, I'm happy to report! All A's so far! Keep praying him through this! It'll only get tougher. He's loving it, and that's very important. Work is work for me. Training is never fun, and it takes time and effort (whine, sob, cry, boohoo). I'm secretly counting down the days until I can go back and get a second degree, or a post-grad...haven't made up my mind yet.

No pictures from today to post, but I may have some family photos to post soon!

Life is Good =)

2009-08-31T14:46:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I posted a blog, but things have been a little mundane, so I thought it would be a pretty boring read unless I waited around a little bit ;)

Kerry started school today! He came home with a smile on his face and a pretty good bit of reading to do, but that's pretty much expected. He's super excited to get started, and I'm glad it's finally here as well. We've waited for this for a long time. 28 months seems like forever and not very long at the same time. Now we can get on with the show!

I've started working, as well. Right now, I've got 2 jobs (yikes)...I'm training at Gulf Coast Medical Center for a PRN (as needed) position, and have been for the last 3 weeks. Next week I will start training for my full time job in Sandestin at Sacred Heart on the Emerald Coast. Unless something changes, I'll be keeping both jobs...but with the way things have been changing around, you never know! GCMC is a great place so far, and I love my co-workers. I hope SHEC treats me just as well.

Otis is still loving the lazy beach life! Every now and then I get on a kick of wanting to adopt another dog to keep him company, but when I look at the vet bills, that pretty much cures me of that ;)

We've committed to attending Woodlawn UMC here in Panama City Beach, and we're so excited about that! We've really enjoyed the 9forty contemporary worship service and our newlywed small group that meets every Sunday. It's good to have the support of these folks during this potentially stressful time.

Nothing new to report on the headache situation as of now. I'm up to taking 4 Topamax a day, and should be contacting my neurologist soon for a consult on where to go from here. My next UAB appointment isn't until December. Then we'll do another MRI and re-evaluate with the neurosurgeon to see if our current care plan is good. The pain management isn't really working out for me too well, but then that's to be expected.

Remember to pray for Kerry as he adjusts to his new schedule, and me as I adjust to mine!

Headache Update

2009-07-01T06:57:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to let you know what happened yesterday...

We took a trip to UAB to consult a neurosurgeon. Don't get all worried, it was just to discuss options! She didn't see any reason to jump in and operate right now, which is good news to me. She will follow my case and do an MRI every 6 months to see if what she called "key features" develop. (She did say that other doctors might go ahead with the surgery at this point, but given her experience and such, she was hesitant...) It's an answered prayer, but at the same time I still have no headache relief. The medicines my neurologist put me on aren't really doing the trick. She suggested maybe a massage or something of that nature might help...and that is something I'm willing to try!

The Arnold-Chiari malformation is fairly common, and most people that have it never even know it. Why mine gives me headaches is a mystery to me. This picture shows what's going on...in the top one, the cerebellar tonsils are herniated through the foramen magnum. The bottom picture shows the same patient after the decompression surgery. I'm not a fan of surgery...especially on my head...but we'll have to wait and see if it ever comes to that. Pray that it won't!!!

So fresh and so clean!

2009-06-25T19:20:00.000-07:00

WHEW! What a whirlwind couple of weeks this has been!

We are finally all moved in and settled in Panama City Beach. We LOVE our new house, and I can't wait to post pictures of it, but I can't do that just now. I'll update later and let you see. :) I'm getting used to the city as well. I've never stayed down here longer than a week at a time, so I really think it will be a blast for us until Kerry starts school.

Both of our parents came down with us last Saturday to help move the furniture and such. We couldn't have accomplished such a task without them! Mom has stayed with me since then to help hang curtains and pictures, and Kerry has gone back to work in Montgomery for the week. He'll be back in PCB with me on Wednesday, and we'll have a week together to finish up the little nit-picky things that need doing.

I've applied for jobs at 3 different places now, so please pray someone accepts me! We really need it for the health insurance in particular. Oh and some income would be nice as well (haha).

I took Otis to the beach for the first time on Wednesday. I think he hated it! He's not much for water anyway, but every time a wave would come up he would bark at it and try to bite it! SO cute and funny. I have a video of it, but it would only hurt your ears, so I won't post it. :)

Headache update: the 2nd MRI was good. No cervical syrinx was noted, which is a definite plus for this situation. I have an appointment in Birmingham with a neruosurgeon Tuesday morning...not real sure what that will accomplish, and it's a LONG drive from PCB, but I'll let you know what she says. I have actually felt better the past couple of days with my new meds, so we'll see how this turns out!

Almost there!

2009-06-13T07:30:00.000-07:00

We are roughly a week away from the big move to PCB! The last couple of months flew by so fast. Now we have boxes and clothes thrown all over the place in this cute little house we've called home for just over a year. BUT, we're moving to an equally cute home in a place we both have always wanted to live, so maybe we'll enjoy it even more! I'm still on the job hunt even though I'm licensed in Florida now. Please pray that I find something soon! It's a daunting feeling knowing I will be the sole income provider over the next couple of years. We do have savings, but we'd rather not touch those, and we will have loans to help, but that's just more debt. At least my car is paid for! Kerry's should be soon, as well.

My last day of work at Chilton Medical Center is this coming Wednesday! SO SAD about that. I have met some awesome people, and I love them all. My time with them was too short, but we knew it would be a possibility. I can only hope that I will find another "dream job" like I have there someday down the line. I don't have much faith in that, though. ;)

An update on the headache thing...

As most of you probably know, I've been suffering from pretty rough headaches for nearly 6 weeks. After a really bad spell last Sunday night, I went to a neurologist on Thursday and had an MRI of my head. Still don't know the results yet, but the doctor seemed positive it was a fairly common case of migraine headaches with a bit of an odd presentation (in that they've not gone away for more than a couple of hours in over a month and no medication is touching it). Please continue to remember me during this frustrating time period.

I'm going with my Jenny today for her bridal portraits! So exciting! She's less than a month away from her wedding now, so I'm getting nervous with her. Chris is an AWESOME match for her, and I wish them tons of happiness. :)

I'll post some things after the move and show off the new nest.

Peace.

Bark in the Park '09

2009-04-18T16:54:00.000-07:00

While the boys went to Tuscaloosa for A-day, mom and I took Odie to Bark in the Park out at Cooter's Pond! It was a beautiful spring day, and there must have been at least 75 other dogs out to enjoy the sunshine. Otis met several other weenies, as well as 2 Great Danes, a Weimeraner (sp?), a Bull Mastiff, a Great Pyrenees, 3 Pugs, several mutts, and even a Chinese Crested. He had a ball! There were games, relays, and treats for all the pups.

It was good to spend a day out with mom shopping and talking. I miss getting to do that with her! Maybe someday we'll make it back to good ol' Covington County so that we can stay as close as we'd like to. Kerry and I only have 2 months until our next move. Yikes! Keep us in your thoughts as we pack and get ready for the next chapter of our lives.

Martha Stewart, look out!

2009-04-03T18:58:00.001-07:00

Finally a night to relax! I love not working weekends right now. Kerry's at work and Otis could care less what I'm doing because I gave him a rawhide to chew on, so I hit our local Michael's store and got creative. After weeks without a wreath on our door, I finally have a pretty spring one. I'm kind of proud of it, if I do say so myself. Check it out!

Hope this post finds everyone well. God bless. :)

2009-03-30T06:44:00.000-07:00

We are so very excited! Kerry got the call that he was accepted at the Gooding Institute of Nurse Anesthesia in Panama City, FL. This is a huge thing for us! We've prayed and dreamed that this was the school for him, and now the choice is made. We would have been in Nashville if not for this, and if you know us you know how great this news really is. We want to be close to home. And to live in Florida?! How great is that!? Life seems to be falling into place all around us and we are just SO excited and SO blessed beyond belief. The only downside is another move. In the first 2 years of our marriage we will have lived in 4 different places. Yuck. You'd be amazed at just how much junk you accumulate and how NOT fun it is to pack it up and put it in a U-Haul and pray nothing breaks. At least this time we know it will be longer than a year (which when we leave here it will have been a little more than...). He is slated to graduate December 2011. Sounds like a long way off, but it also sounds like music to our ears! We plan to settle after that and build a house, hopefully in Covington County. Continue to pray for us! This is immensely wonderful and scary at the same time. A new place, a new job, new everything is all just around the corner again. Everyone we know already in the program promises that this is the toughest 2 1/2 years, but if we survived this long, we'll make it through anything I fully believe. And in 2011, the year he graduates, we will have been together for 10 years. WHOA. We also found out that Misty will be doing her residency in Little Rock, Arkansas, so that's at least 3 more years for Jonathan and her to be away. Maybe someday we'll all land back in the same general area. Until then, we'll keep on like usual!