Off to Atlanta

I am so excited!!! I am fixing to load up and go to Atlanta's airport to pick up Brandi! She has been really home sick, and since her husband will be gone this next week or so she decided to fly in to see us. It was such a last minute thing but I am so excited. I promise I will post lots of pictures for the both of us.

50 years- to life

That could possibly be the sentence a judge would hand me if my day doesn't seem to get some sort of ray of hope soon. Why you ask? Because I have had "one of those days"! It started out fine. I got up had plenty of time to take care of the dogs and get ready. I even arrived early to school, were as I usually arrive just in time for class to start! It was a long day at school. We usually get out a little early but not today. We spent 1 1/2 hours doing drug dosing math equations in Pharmacology, and then 3 hours talking about wounds in Foundations to Nursing! So nothing bad, just a long day. So I am tired when I get home I have to pee (sorry I don't know how else to put it) so bad since I couldn't go during class, that all I want to do is go use the bathroom. Well, I walk in to the bathroom and there is water on the floor and the toilet is backed up. We have never had this problem before so of course I am unprepared and don't have a plunger. But I figured it was no big deal I would just call maintenance and they would come fix it for me. At our last place if you had 1 toilet and it had a problem then it was considered an emergency and they would come fix it immediately. Well, apparently that isn't how it works here. 2 hours later I still haven't peed and their isn't anyone here to fix it. I am mad at this point as I think to myself that I could have just gone and gotten a plunger then I could have fixed it myself. And that is exactly what I did. I called the office again and told them that I was going to fix it myself. So 15 mins later, I had run to the convince store down the road, gotten a plunger, gotten then mail, fixed my toilet, and peed!

But to understand just why I am so mad you have to know what went on during this time I decided to check and see if my financial aid stuff had finally gone through for school. And for those of you who don't know I go to Roane State who recently has gotten some bad press concerning there financial aid department and how slow they have become in getting everything done. Well, once again mine hadn't been done. So I decided to call them. I have done this before and each time they tell me that they are working on it and it should be done soon. Well, today I call and the lady she informs me that the reason that they haven't finished it is because they don't have a copy of Travis's signed tax return form. Hello......why haven't I heard about this before! She proceeds to tell me that they sent me an email and/or a post card on Sept. 18 that told me that. I told her that I didn't have it. Me and Travis didn't file our taxes together because we weren't married yet. But my FAFSA form had both of our information on it. Back in August they sent me a letter that said that they needed my tax return form. So I sent it to them, but they never said anything about his. I also told her that he was in Iraq and that I didn't know where it would be. And you know what she told me to do. "Ask him" is what she says. I didn't know what to say. Ask him, when would she like me to ask him. I don't talk to him on a regular bases, and when I do talk to him I have trouble remembering all the things that I want to talk to him about. That isn't at the top of my priority list! I just don't understand the federal government approved me for this money why can't my stupid school? Needless to say I am going to be writing the president of the school and let him know what is going on!

Once again, just another example of the things that can go wrong when your husband is away!

Balloon Festival

Last night me, my friend Mary Beth, and her son Dylan all went to an annual Hot Air Balloon festival held at a local community college. It was so much fun. As soon as we got there we started with a funnel cake. I hadn't had one since I was little and it was delicous. We walked around and looked at all the vendors that were there. There was one tjhat did face painting, so we stopped and got Dylan's face painted. It was so much fun and he loved it. About this time it got dark and we went to find a good place to stand and see the show. The balloons were awesome to see. They put on this show were they flashed to music it was so cool.

They did a tribute to the military which was also really cool. One of the Balloons raised up the American Flag while they played Lee Greenwoods "God Bless the USA" and the National Anthem. It was very cool to see.

Luckily for us the weather held out. It was suppose to rain, but didn't until we were already on our way home. It was such a great night. Thanks for going with me Mary Beth and Dylan. Hope everyone enjoys the pictures:

2 down

I know that it doesn't seem like much but I am super excited! Travis has been gone for over 2 months!! Can you believe that it has only been 2 months. It seems like a lot longer than that to me. But I guess I finally realized it today and it seems that time really is moving! Now we have almost 3 times that to go, but you never really know! Please continue to pray for him (and me)! Thanks for all the support so far it really means alot to me.

WHAT IS THIS!

I would like to say thank you to whatever hurricane is hitting Texas. Because of this the gas prices here in Knoxville, have sky rocketed!!!! Yesterday, when I was coming home from work the price was $3.69 a gallon. It was that much this morning when I went to school. During class we had talked about how the price was suppose to go up. Well I left to go home and it had gone up to $3.99! In less than an 24 hours it had gone up 30 cents! Crazy, right well that isn't the worst of it. Less then an hour later I left to go run some errands. And it had gone up to $4.49!! 50 cents in one hour! Unbelievable. I think that this is what they call ROBBERY! OK, so maybe that is an over-exaggerating. But that is sure what it feels like. Oh, well nothing I can do right.

Blessed

Today I really realized how much God has blessed me. I have always know that I have a wonderful family, but it is even more obvious to me know! Since, Travis has left I have had good days, and bad. I have been lonely alot. But my family is always there to cheer me up. No matter what is wrong they are always there to fix it in any way that they can. I honestly don't know what I would do with out all of them. My sister is always there for a good laugh when I need it. My parents take care of me. They entertain me when I need it the most. And they are always there to help with problems that I can't seem to fix on my own, like opening a Dr. Pepper bottle! My grandparents put up an electric fence so that my dogs could stay at there place on Tuesday's when I am gone at clinicals all day. And although she isn't family God has blessed me with a great friend. Mary Beth is there to just sit and help make noise in a quiet house. And all the rest of my aunts and uncles and cousins are always praying and supporting me. And I know that I could call on them at anytime of day for any reason. I am so blessed to be loved so unconditionally by so many people, even when I don't always deserve it!

I love you all. You are all the best family that any one could ask for! Thank you for all the support and prayers. I love you soooo much.

safe and sound

So I am back. It has been awhile, but let's face it I am a very busy women these days. But I have finally found a moment to tell you how things are going. Well, I am ok. I have been having a rough few days this past week. With Travis being gone, and starting school, and trying to take care of everything on my own i was a tad bit overwhelmed. But today seemed to be a fairly good day. The dogs decided to give me a break and we laid around and slept for a good portion of the day. It was nice, but unfortunately I did have to go to work but I'll get over it.

Yesterday, was a fun day! My friend Mary Beth came over for awhile last night. We ran a few errands together, and then we came back to my apartment and colored her hair. Actually, I colored her hair. She trusted me enough to do. I even did highlights. I was freaking out and really really nervous. But she was excited. And it actually turned out really well. She loved it, which was a relief to me.

All in all it has been a good day, and tomorrow is looking pretty good.

A note to my parents, I got the door brace today and I immediately put it up when I got home. So I am even more safe than usual. Thanks for buying it for me, I love it. It is nice to have an extra security blanket while being by myself. I love you guys. Have fun with Brandi!!!