...is all I get to spend with my guy every week. That's it. Two whole days. I was thinking about this while I was driving back to Nashville from Tuscaloosa late Sunday afternoon. I had just spent the weekend there visiting my family and spending time with my guy.
We had just spent the weekend doing our pre-martial counseling and apartment hunting. It was a busy weekend and by the time Sunday afternoon rolled around I couldn't believe it was time for me to get back on the road to head home. It's always so hard when it's time to say good-bye. Especially when our good-byes are said at the gas station where I fill up my car for my return to trip home. It's not the most romantic place to kiss my fiancee good bye...especially when you have people who are looking at you and saying, "Get a room!". :) We have to cram so much stuff in our weekends together that it just flies by. I know that we aren't the only long distance couples and I know that we are actually more lucky than most since we do get to see each other every week. But this isn't about other long distance relationships...its about mine.
For fifteen months, Alan and I have been driving back and forth from Tuscaloosa to Nashville. That's four hours one way and eight hours round trip (longer if there has been an accident or construction). I actually did the trip distance on my car for the first time this weekend and from Tuscaloosa to my door is a little over 250 miles. That's 500 miles every weekend we are driving. Let me tell you, I know every exit between here and there and not because I stop at them (I don't) I just see them every other weekend and they have been engraved in my brain.
I can't tell you how many severe storms and snowstorms we have driven through this past year and a half. I'm terrified of storms and there were trips that I would pray the entire time for the Lord to keep me safe and my car on the road. I have felt the Lord's protection over both of us because so far He has kept us safe during our travels. The only horrible thing that has happened was Alan's little Acura broke down in Birmingham.
But after fifteen months of dating we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. In two months and one week I will walk down the aisle and marry the man of my dreams and all the long hours on the road, the nightly talks on the phone, the constant texting during the day and the long passionate kisses at the gas station will come to an end.
Did I get tired of all the driving alone? Did I get tired of never spending at weekend at my own house? Did I get tired of living in a suitcase? Did I get tired of driving in blinding rain and dodging tornadoes? Yes, I did. But you know what? I would do it all again tomorrow if it meant having Alan in my life.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Hobnobbing With A Country Music Star
Saturday I got a text from a friend saying she had two free passes to preview The Lincoln Lawyer starring Matthew McConaughey and Ryan Phillippe and asked if I wanted to attend it with her. So not wanting to give up a free ticket to a movie or a chance to stare at Matthew McConaughey for two hours I quickly replied, "YES!"
So last night we met at the theatre and after going through security (including pat downs and metal wands and my purse practically turned upside down on the table) we quickly found seats off to the side and near the front. I had watched a trailer of this movie earlier in the day to remind myself what it was about and I had seen that Trace Adkins had a part in the film. I had no sooner said this movie fact to my friend when all of a sudden Trace comes out from the side entrance, gets a few photos made and walks in front of the audience. He was there to introduce the film to us. He said a few words and told us some behind the scenes information which were quite funny. He then walked to our side of the theatre, walked passed us and sat just a few rows behind us.
He had a very small part in the film...one scene in the beginning and a couple small scenes at the very end. When the opening credits started and Trace's name appeared everyone broke out in this thunderous applause and cheering every so loudly. Now I love Trace Adkins. I love his voice and his songs. I loved him on Celebrity Apprentice and I think he is a very nice and funny man. He wasn't a bad actor either. After saying that I'm so glad he only had a few small scenes only because of the ladies sitting directly behind me and my friend. Every time Trace appeared on screen they would start screaming and saying things and moaning. Although it was cute at first it got old very quickly (and distracting)and it took everything I had not to turned around and ask them to please moan and groan to themselves.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any pictures of him since we were made to turn off all cameras and phones because the movie doesn't open in theaters until March 18. Overall, the movie was excellent, Matthew and Ryan were very very very good in this movie. It is a crime drama but it had some very funny lines in it. It did have some bad language a tiny bit of violence but it's more drama than anything else. It was an excellent movie and I was happy to see Matthew McConaughey do another drama. He hadn't done one like this since A Time To Kill (another excellent movie).
After the movie we walked out of the theater (behind our new friend, Trace) and was immediately pulled away but a news crew asking us our opinion of the movie and everyone in it. I was mortified. I've been out of hairspray for two days and my hair was not at it's best.
Ah, just a typical night in Nashville!
So last night we met at the theatre and after going through security (including pat downs and metal wands and my purse practically turned upside down on the table) we quickly found seats off to the side and near the front. I had watched a trailer of this movie earlier in the day to remind myself what it was about and I had seen that Trace Adkins had a part in the film. I had no sooner said this movie fact to my friend when all of a sudden Trace comes out from the side entrance, gets a few photos made and walks in front of the audience. He was there to introduce the film to us. He said a few words and told us some behind the scenes information which were quite funny. He then walked to our side of the theatre, walked passed us and sat just a few rows behind us.
He had a very small part in the film...one scene in the beginning and a couple small scenes at the very end. When the opening credits started and Trace's name appeared everyone broke out in this thunderous applause and cheering every so loudly. Now I love Trace Adkins. I love his voice and his songs. I loved him on Celebrity Apprentice and I think he is a very nice and funny man. He wasn't a bad actor either. After saying that I'm so glad he only had a few small scenes only because of the ladies sitting directly behind me and my friend. Every time Trace appeared on screen they would start screaming and saying things and moaning. Although it was cute at first it got old very quickly (and distracting)and it took everything I had not to turned around and ask them to please moan and groan to themselves.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any pictures of him since we were made to turn off all cameras and phones because the movie doesn't open in theaters until March 18. Overall, the movie was excellent, Matthew and Ryan were very very very good in this movie. It is a crime drama but it had some very funny lines in it. It did have some bad language a tiny bit of violence but it's more drama than anything else. It was an excellent movie and I was happy to see Matthew McConaughey do another drama. He hadn't done one like this since A Time To Kill (another excellent movie).
After the movie we walked out of the theater (behind our new friend, Trace) and was immediately pulled away but a news crew asking us our opinion of the movie and everyone in it. I was mortified. I've been out of hairspray for two days and my hair was not at it's best.
Ah, just a typical night in Nashville!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Woo Hoo!!!
I'm interrupting your day today to say how excited I am that..........................
Ralph Macchio is going to be on Dancing with the Stars!!! Can I get a "Whoop! Whoop!"?
I love love love him! I had the hugest crush on him when the original Karate Kid movie came out. So as I watch this season's of Dancing I shall revert to my inner 80's child.
You may not go back to your regular scheduled day. :-)
Ralph Macchio is going to be on Dancing with the Stars!!! Can I get a "Whoop! Whoop!"?
I love love love him! I had the hugest crush on him when the original Karate Kid movie came out. So as I watch this season's of Dancing I shall revert to my inner 80's child.
You may not go back to your regular scheduled day. :-)
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Wedding Stuff
I had a friend email me the other day and say she was surprised that I'm not giving any wedding details away on my blog. I had every intention of posting what I was doing and what colors I choose, the cake I got, the flowers I'm ordering. I had even written an entire post about the wedding and then I deleted the whole thing. I realized that I didn't want to give out any details. Not because I'm super private since any one that knows me knows that I'm an open book in most cases. I just realized that I wanted my wedding guests to be surprised I guess you can say.
I know that I have friends that read this who live in other states and won't be able to come to the wedding and want to know every detail. But I realize that I didn't want to give away so much detail and also I didn't want every post to be about the wedding. I always hated when a friend got engaged and all they talked about was their upcoming wedding. I'm trying so hard not to do that with everyone but yet I'm so excited that I do want to talk about it. Besides, I think my words won't do near as much explaining as pictures so I do plan on posting photos of the wedding on Facebook and on here after we get back from the honeymoon.
Which brings me to the real subject of my post today. I will tell you where we are going on our honeymoon. I had asked a few months ago where you all went on your honeymoon. Alan and I just had no idea at that time where we wanted to go that wouldn't break our bank account.
So after much talking and researching and planning we have decided to honeymoon in Maui, Hawaii!! We are so excited. I have been to Hawaii but not to Maui. I went to Oahu in 2008 but I went with a uh "friend" and her mother. It was an all right time. It could have been better. It was a busy vacation then. This time we wanted to go some place where we wouldn't feel as if we had to go to all these places and see all these things to make it worth our while. We just wanted to go to some place where we could just sit and relax on the beach or by the pool and maybe do a couple things here and there. After researching Maui and talking to others who had been there we realized that Maui was the place for us to go. Alan also got a great deal on air, hotel and a rental car.
The hotel we are staying at has a webcam and everyday I take a couple of minutes and open it up and stare at the beach and the awesome pool the hotel has. I especially do that on days and evenings when the weather is gray, raining and freezing outside. It makes my heart happy to know that I'll be there in less than 3 months...with my new husband!! I cannot wait!
I know that I have friends that read this who live in other states and won't be able to come to the wedding and want to know every detail. But I realize that I didn't want to give away so much detail and also I didn't want every post to be about the wedding. I always hated when a friend got engaged and all they talked about was their upcoming wedding. I'm trying so hard not to do that with everyone but yet I'm so excited that I do want to talk about it. Besides, I think my words won't do near as much explaining as pictures so I do plan on posting photos of the wedding on Facebook and on here after we get back from the honeymoon.
Which brings me to the real subject of my post today. I will tell you where we are going on our honeymoon. I had asked a few months ago where you all went on your honeymoon. Alan and I just had no idea at that time where we wanted to go that wouldn't break our bank account.
So after much talking and researching and planning we have decided to honeymoon in Maui, Hawaii!! We are so excited. I have been to Hawaii but not to Maui. I went to Oahu in 2008 but I went with a uh "friend" and her mother. It was an all right time. It could have been better. It was a busy vacation then. This time we wanted to go some place where we wouldn't feel as if we had to go to all these places and see all these things to make it worth our while. We just wanted to go to some place where we could just sit and relax on the beach or by the pool and maybe do a couple things here and there. After researching Maui and talking to others who had been there we realized that Maui was the place for us to go. Alan also got a great deal on air, hotel and a rental car.
The hotel we are staying at has a webcam and everyday I take a couple of minutes and open it up and stare at the beach and the awesome pool the hotel has. I especially do that on days and evenings when the weather is gray, raining and freezing outside. It makes my heart happy to know that I'll be there in less than 3 months...with my new husband!! I cannot wait!
Friday, February 25, 2011
My Calmer
I'm more in love today than I was yesterday. Last night we had a pretty big nasty storm blow through my area. It was quite powerful. Every county had a tornado warning. I hate storms. I get so scared over the possibility of what could happen during storms that are predicted with tornadoes. When I say scared, I'm talking about nervous stomach and I didn't even eat dinner because I was too nervous over what "could be". I know, not very trusting in God that He will protect me. I was very trusting that He will protect me but the human in me still gets very nervous and scared...especially when I'm home alone.
I was on the phone with my guy when the storm hit and, bless his heart, he kept me calm the whole time. While he was talking I heard a popping outside my back door. So I go back there to check it out and the rain was coming down so hard and I could hear the wind just howling. I looked at the trees and they were completely bent over. The fencing that separates me from my neighbors were shaking back and forth violently and then I could feel my house shaking. All of a sudden part of the fencing blew off. I was like, "Um, Alan? I think there's a tornado outside my house." His reaction? "Cool!" Ugh, men! (Alan loves storms and everything that comes with it. Weirdo.) Anyway, I finally decide to back away from my glass window and try to remember to breathe. Alan though was so good about talking to me and keeping me calm by telling me a story about something and keeping my mind off the storm outside. It worked so well. As I was listening to him I got more intrigued by his story and the next thing I know the storm had passed and praise the Lord I never lost power.
I am more in love today with him than I was yesterday. He is so what I need and I'm glad the Lord had me wait this long for him. He is my other half and I can't believe that I get to spend the rest of my life with him.
By the way, there was a tornado that hit down the road from me and damaged the building I work in pretty good. It blew the loading dock doors (which are huge, metal, and heavy) to our warehouse off...frame and all. The ceiling in both the men and women's restrooms collapsed and a For Sale sign had pierced the outside of the building. The storm also ripped one of our security lights out and damaged the wiring in our building. Our area of town (Antioch) was hit pretty hard. Many trees had fallen on houses and cars and quite a bit of business signs have either been blown away by the tornado and straight line winds or they were twisted and mangled and spread across the streets. Luckily there were no major injuries or deaths in our area. It could have been a lot worse. I thank the Lord for His protection and also for my guy staying on the phone with me and keeping me calm during the whole ordeal.
Have a great weekend!
I was on the phone with my guy when the storm hit and, bless his heart, he kept me calm the whole time. While he was talking I heard a popping outside my back door. So I go back there to check it out and the rain was coming down so hard and I could hear the wind just howling. I looked at the trees and they were completely bent over. The fencing that separates me from my neighbors were shaking back and forth violently and then I could feel my house shaking. All of a sudden part of the fencing blew off. I was like, "Um, Alan? I think there's a tornado outside my house." His reaction? "Cool!" Ugh, men! (Alan loves storms and everything that comes with it. Weirdo.) Anyway, I finally decide to back away from my glass window and try to remember to breathe. Alan though was so good about talking to me and keeping me calm by telling me a story about something and keeping my mind off the storm outside. It worked so well. As I was listening to him I got more intrigued by his story and the next thing I know the storm had passed and praise the Lord I never lost power.
I am more in love today with him than I was yesterday. He is so what I need and I'm glad the Lord had me wait this long for him. He is my other half and I can't believe that I get to spend the rest of my life with him.
By the way, there was a tornado that hit down the road from me and damaged the building I work in pretty good. It blew the loading dock doors (which are huge, metal, and heavy) to our warehouse off...frame and all. The ceiling in both the men and women's restrooms collapsed and a For Sale sign had pierced the outside of the building. The storm also ripped one of our security lights out and damaged the wiring in our building. Our area of town (Antioch) was hit pretty hard. Many trees had fallen on houses and cars and quite a bit of business signs have either been blown away by the tornado and straight line winds or they were twisted and mangled and spread across the streets. Luckily there were no major injuries or deaths in our area. It could have been a lot worse. I thank the Lord for His protection and also for my guy staying on the phone with me and keeping me calm during the whole ordeal.
Have a great weekend!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Creature of Habit
So I've decided to pop in today and post. I actually may make this more of a habit than I originally planned. After blogging the other day I realized that I missed it. So I'll try to be more frequent but if I'm not it's because I'm drowning in wedding plans and all the good things that go along with it.
I have realized that I am a creature of habit. I'm sure we all are but I realized this a few weeks ago. My sister in law was set to be induced to have the baby on the 10th of February so I volunteered to come down the Sunday before and stay all week to help with the cooking, cleaning and taking care of the kids so her and my brother could relax and prepare for Emma's arrival. Emma was such a big baby and Jenny was hurting so badly the last month and half of the pregnancy that I felt I needed to go down and help her out some.
Anyway, the weekend before, Alan was up in Nashville visiting me and I was able on that Sunday ride back with him to Tuscaloosa to stay with my brother and his family and become their servant for a week. It was so nice to spend a few hours on the road with my man. We always have such a good time when we are together and this was no exception. When I head down to Alabama to visit Alan I always stop at certain place coming and going. It's what I've done even before I met Alan and I was just visiting my family. So this is five years or so of stopping at this particular exit. Alan was going to keep going but I told him that we had to stop here and I couldn't stop at any other place. After he gave me the look like, "You are one crazy woman", he pulled over and I joyfully hopped out of the truck. (I actually mean I hopped out. He has no running boards on his truck and it's too high off the ground for my short legs. So I basically strap a parachute on my back and jump out.)
This particular thing is not even what I'm referring to when I say I'm a creature of habit although I can see where that may apply. My thing is that when I stop at this particular Pilot station I get the same snack. Every. Single. Time. It is the best snack in all the world but I can't find it in grocery stores...only gas stations or truck stops. Here it is:
I love popcorn. I think I get that love from my mom. She loves her some cheddar cheese popcorn. I'm a fan of all flavors. But there is something about this particular brand that really makes me want to run through a meadow of flowers. It's also gluten free if any of you are on a gluten free diet. They have many flavors: caramel, butter, white cheddar, jalapeno, red chili, and kettle corn. I've only tried the caramel, white cheddar and butter. They are all delicious but since my favorite all time flavor of popcorn is caramel that is what I always revert too and this is what I get to snack every time I go to Tuscaloosa and every time I head back to Nashville. If I don't get this...my weekend has been ruined.
I have realized that I am a creature of habit. I'm sure we all are but I realized this a few weeks ago. My sister in law was set to be induced to have the baby on the 10th of February so I volunteered to come down the Sunday before and stay all week to help with the cooking, cleaning and taking care of the kids so her and my brother could relax and prepare for Emma's arrival. Emma was such a big baby and Jenny was hurting so badly the last month and half of the pregnancy that I felt I needed to go down and help her out some.
Anyway, the weekend before, Alan was up in Nashville visiting me and I was able on that Sunday ride back with him to Tuscaloosa to stay with my brother and his family and become their servant for a week. It was so nice to spend a few hours on the road with my man. We always have such a good time when we are together and this was no exception. When I head down to Alabama to visit Alan I always stop at certain place coming and going. It's what I've done even before I met Alan and I was just visiting my family. So this is five years or so of stopping at this particular exit. Alan was going to keep going but I told him that we had to stop here and I couldn't stop at any other place. After he gave me the look like, "You are one crazy woman", he pulled over and I joyfully hopped out of the truck. (I actually mean I hopped out. He has no running boards on his truck and it's too high off the ground for my short legs. So I basically strap a parachute on my back and jump out.)
This particular thing is not even what I'm referring to when I say I'm a creature of habit although I can see where that may apply. My thing is that when I stop at this particular Pilot station I get the same snack. Every. Single. Time. It is the best snack in all the world but I can't find it in grocery stores...only gas stations or truck stops. Here it is:
I love popcorn. I think I get that love from my mom. She loves her some cheddar cheese popcorn. I'm a fan of all flavors. But there is something about this particular brand that really makes me want to run through a meadow of flowers. It's also gluten free if any of you are on a gluten free diet. They have many flavors: caramel, butter, white cheddar, jalapeno, red chili, and kettle corn. I've only tried the caramel, white cheddar and butter. They are all delicious but since my favorite all time flavor of popcorn is caramel that is what I always revert too and this is what I get to snack every time I go to Tuscaloosa and every time I head back to Nashville. If I don't get this...my weekend has been ruined.
Monday, February 21, 2011
It's Been A While...
Hello, blogging world! I have very much neglected you the past couple of months. Things have been crazy busy and I honestly haven't had much time to blog in a few months. I don't think it will get much better until after the wedding. I don't think I realized how much little things go into planning a wedding. The big stuff is easy. It's the little things that can make your head spin. I have made lists upon lists of things we need to do before the wedding. But as of today we have 89 days until the wedding or 3 months exactly! I cannot wait! The time seems to be dragging but yet it is just flying by. I've had a few nightmares where my photographer hasn't shown up for the wedding and that some random guy cut up and served my wedding cake before the ceremony even started. I also had a dream where my bridesmaids changed the dresses I picked out. They changed them to canary yellow, sequenced and a halter top. That is so not what I have picked. My dresses are chocolate brown, one shoulder empire waist dress. They're beautiful and coming from Indonesia. But I've learned that every bride has these nightmare and my photographer has assured me she will be there.
Anyway, I'm posting today to say that I will more than likely be taking a sabbatical on blogging (as if you didn't already know) until things slow down a bit and I am a married woman and settled in Alabama. I did enjoy blogging and I have every intention of keeping up with it once things slow down some. My fiancee has a computer so I will be able to blog more from our instead of elsewhere. (I blog currently from elsewhere because I don't own a home computer or laptop. I know...how very 20th century of me.)
I may though pop in every once in a while to update on things going on such as my brother and his wife had their third baby a week and a half ago. Emma Faith was born on Februaty 10th weighing in at a whopping 9 lbs even and was 22 inches long. My sister in law was a trooper and did so well. We are ecstatic that she's here.
Please be patient with me as I swim through all this wedding stuff and after I get back from my honeymoon, I plan to be more consistent with blogging. After all, this yankee is moving further south (and in the middle of Roll Tide country) so I'm sure there will be plenty of stories to tell.
Stay tuned!
Anyway, I'm posting today to say that I will more than likely be taking a sabbatical on blogging (as if you didn't already know) until things slow down a bit and I am a married woman and settled in Alabama. I did enjoy blogging and I have every intention of keeping up with it once things slow down some. My fiancee has a computer so I will be able to blog more from our instead of elsewhere. (I blog currently from elsewhere because I don't own a home computer or laptop. I know...how very 20th century of me.)
I may though pop in every once in a while to update on things going on such as my brother and his wife had their third baby a week and a half ago. Emma Faith was born on Februaty 10th weighing in at a whopping 9 lbs even and was 22 inches long. My sister in law was a trooper and did so well. We are ecstatic that she's here.
Please be patient with me as I swim through all this wedding stuff and after I get back from my honeymoon, I plan to be more consistent with blogging. After all, this yankee is moving further south (and in the middle of Roll Tide country) so I'm sure there will be plenty of stories to tell.
Stay tuned!
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