To be missed...

Knowing I'll be missed makes me feel loved, needed, befriended, essential, and a part of other people's lives.

It reminds me that the last five years have been spent buliding relationships and are years I will never forget. Even though I am confident God is leading us on this new journey, I am glad I can take my memories and friendships with me.

It also makes me realize how much I'll miss everyone here, too!

All-nighters

I loved college life, but one of the things I don't miss is "pulling an all-nighter." Maybe I have become wimpy in my old age, but I hit a wall at around 11pm and just can't concentrate on anything, not even a conversation with Hubs.

Last night, I woke up from a nightmare involving me 50 pounds heavier battling talking wolves and bears (weird), to find the hall light still on and Hubs not there. He had left at 9pm to get some work done in the lab and so I assumed it was probably about 1:30am and he would be home shortly. To my amazement, the clock said 3:20am!

Five minutes later I heard Hubs pull into the parking lot and after a few questions on what he had accomplished, I fell right back asleep. Then, four short hours later, I woke Hubs up so he could get off to school.

I do believe this was his last all-nighter. And who knows, maybe we will be in a reversed situation when I start taking classes again.

Which first? and then your advice.

In general, when putting together an outfit for an occasion, do you:

A. Search for the shoes & accessories, then find the outfit.

B. Search for the outfit, then find the shoes and accessories?


I found the dress. That's done. It's pretty plain, though, so I need some fantastic accessories to jazz it up.

I also found the jewelry. I just need the shoes and am having no luck. Plus, I only have 8 days to find them. I have exhausted the local stores and have frantically searched the Internet, only to find one pair that is completely out of my price range.

I found a really cute pair of shoes in town that would go with the dress. But, I would have to completely change the jewelry (which I love). This is my back-up plan.

So, should I just give up on finding the perfect colored shoes to go with my jewelry and settle on the shoes I have already found so that I can remain sane? Or, should I keep looking and stressing for the perfect shoes until the very last minute and then, if I don't find them, run around and try to find jewelry to go with the back up shoes?

Maybe I'll just wear a potato sack to graduation.

Chocolatiers

This weekend, we used 5lbs of this:

and this:

Then we did this:

so we could put it into these:

and make these:

Then, we packaged them like this:

And that's not even the cutest part!

On our wedding day...

In response to the poll, I thought I would give you a snippet of what actually did happen on my wedding day.

I was ticketted by a police officer.
I was in an unfamiliar city, taking my bridesmaid to her hotel after midnight. I had made a wrong turn and was lost in some neighborhood. I saw the sign for the hotel and completely missed the stop sign. Not one, but two police cars had the right of way at that two-way stop and pulled me over.

They had no sympathy for me, even thought it was my first ticket and it was my wedding day. Of course, any regard to one's feelings leaves when you are almost killed by the driver and I can understand that. After assuring him I had not been drinking and attempting to explain why I did not have my most current verification of insurance, he issued me a citation for $175, which I had to pay the next morning before we left the country on our honeymoon.

I did not trip up the stairs and bump my nose, although that would be very believable.

I did not take a shower.
Due to the delay in getting home because of the police officer incident and then getting up at 5:30am to get other things done, I did not have time to take a shower. Instead, I shaved my legs in the sink and made sure I didn't stink too badly.

I did run down 11 flights of stairs and I did run into a glass door.
I called Hubs after I got the ticket. I was delirious because in a right state of mind I would have thought through calling my fiance at 1:30am the morning of his wedding to tell him his future wife almost killed herself and 2 of her friends which resulted in a ticket that would be sure to affect our insurance rate. But I wasn't thinking clearly, so I called him.

Whether or not it was the waking him up or the fact I got a ticket that made the conversation unpleasant, I am not sure, but I fretted about it all night and had to see him the next morning before anything else happened. Once I was at his hotel, I couldn't remember the room number, just which floor he was on. So after knocking on the one I thought was his and nobody answering, I realized I had to get back so we could leave for the church. I pushed the elevator button and waited. And waited. And waited. Then, I called the front desk and told them the elevator wasn't working. I waited some more. Finally, when I could not wait any longer, I found the stairs and ran down 11 flights to the ground floor. In my frustration at a very rough start to my day, I walked right into the glass door and bumped my nose.

The tears took over from there.

I did not back into my brother's car or laugh so hard that water came up my nose.

This recap was only of the first few hours of my wedding day. I did not tell you how my mother-in-law got chigger bites from her knees to her toes. I also did not tell you about the call Hubs received from the courthouse informing him that our marriage license was not valid. We'll save those for another time.

The Dental School Years - Part 1.

I can tell dental school is almost over. Not only are we overwhelmed with future planning, but Hubs hasn't had homework in weeks. There haven't been tests, or studying, or labwork, or research. It is truly and officially winding down.

And so, finally I think I can honestly blog about what it is like, being a dental school wife.

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As dental school approached, we were a newly engaged couple. We had a carefree, fun and exciting summer where every moment of our spare time was spent together. So, as the first day of school drew closer, I despaired. The inevitable hours of studying were coming closer and closer and all I had heard were horror stories about the pressure, the tests, the time commitment, and the lab work.

I lived about 20 minutes away on campus with two great roommates. I worked a part-time job, went to school full-time, was planning a wedding, and was pretty involved at church. This was good, because I couldn’t see Hubs every night, but I was busy with studying and stuff so I was lonely. My roommates were great fun, too, and kept me company on the free nights. Hubs and I would talk to each day and sometimes study together. It was fun to surprise him by stopping by and it was even more fun when he surprised me! On days that he had big tests, I would drive over early in the morning with muffins. We cherished the times we spent together.

We had determined early on that Friday nights would remain our date-nights. These were times when Hubs put aside his studies no matter what so that we could be together. It was a good break for him and it was what we both looked forward to each week.

By the end of spring semester and right on into summer semester, I could tell Hubs needed a break from dental school. Yet, he still had 8 weeks left and his Part 1 Board exam at the end. We both felt the pressure and I began to blame dental school, hating it for dividing Hubs attention from me at the time when I most wanted to be assured of his love and commitment towards me. Our wedding was weeks away….I wanted him to be as enthralled in the planning as I was. As I realized my selfish thoughts, I took my head from my rear and started encouraging Hubs in his studies and in his work. He had enough pressure on him without me adding to it. For the next three years of my life I would be sharing Hubs with dental school commitments and he needed me to be right there beside him, cheering him on. So, we pressed on, looking forward to our break.

Hubs had a 5 week break between summer and fall semester. We planned our wedding 5 days after his Part 1 Board exam – the test that determines whether or not you can continue your dental education. No big deal or anything… So, as I was stressing over wedding plans, traveling to and from Kansas, attending bridal showers, moving into our apartment, and working full-time, Hubs was deep into the books, preparing for his exam. He jokes about not having a clue about our wedding plans, but it was true. He heard the music, saw the décor, and learned the order of service the night before, at rehearsal.

The moment I saw him after his board exam was over, I knew my Hubs was back. He looked like a boulder had been lifted off his shoulder and he was ready to be my Hubs. We celebrated that night and the next morning I took off for Kansas to prepare for our wedding. We both looked forward to year 2, knowing that we would at least be together through it all.

My Hy-Vee Man

My Hy-Vee is right across the street which is extremely convenient on nights when the planned dinner meal doesn't sound very good. To say we frequent the grocery store during the week is an understatement. I went there 3 times this past Sunday alone.

But, I love my Hy-Vee. It's the largest one around, but I know the layout and where everything is located. They have a good selection and, of course, there is a "helpful smile in every aisle." But more than a helpful smile, there is my helpful Hy-Vee man.

Months ago, back when the store was relatively new, I was shopping and an older gentleman who was handing out samples asked if I wanted to try his roast. I did and started to walk away, but he called me back and asked how it was. It was good. Before I understood what was happening I had a pot roast in my hands, instructions on how to cook it, and was off to buy potatoes, carrots, and onions to cook with it. My trip to "just pick up some milk" turned into Saturday's meal.

The next time I went in, he taught me how to cook a cornish hen. This time I carried it around with me, but put it back when he wasn't looking. I didn't have the heart to tell him I wasn't interested.

For a while, I tried to sneak by him on my trips to the grocery store. Sometimes it would work, other times he would call me over, Well hello young lady! How are you doing today?, to teach me a new recipe. Just this past Sunday, I cooked the pork roast he showed me how to make. After each lesson, he tells me, And remember, if I can cook it, you can cook it.

I don't avoid my Hy-Vee man anymore, but I have also learned to say, maybe next time, when he places random meat in my hands. I enjoy tasting his food and chatting when I go in.

I will miss my Hy-Vee man when we move. I will also miss the Caribou Coffee shop located inside my Hy-Vee. And, the cracked pepper linguine that I can't find anywhere else. And the redbox that gives out free movies. And the $.15 I earn each time I bring my reusable bags in.

Can I take Hy-Vee with me?