Closing Time

Another couple of weeks are history, and closing time is quickly approaching. This chapter of my life is just about over, but I sure as hell plan to enjoy writing til the very end of it. I have 10 days left here in Jacksonville. Although I am looking forward to what is to come, I will miss so much about what I've grown to love in my short time here. Jenn is flying down this Thursday to spend the last 5 days with me, and she will be riding back with me and Arnie to WV on the 15th -in my new vehicular automobile!!! LOL I traded in my 2009 Pontiac G8 for a 2008 Acura RDX after I had to take my car in to the dealership for the second time in 2 months -this time to have the transmission replaced. Yikes! There is no reason why a car should have those kinds of problems (the first was an oil leak) after only one year of life. It was still well under warranty, but I was afraid of what other problems I would have in the future. Therefore, I traded it in a heartbeat. As much as I loved that car, I think I made a more practical choice this time. The fun news is that my dad is no longer a cosigner on this car. I'm a big girl now! I have built enough credit in the past year to do it all on my own! That's a great feeling! Here is my new ride:




I officially moved out of my apartment a week ago and have been staying with Josh & Laura. It's been an easy transition for the most part. I traveled down to the Clearwater/Tampa area with my friend Amber last weekend which turned out to be a much better weekend than we anticipated. We truly had the time of our lives down there. We were able to stay with one of her friends, whom I happened to remember from Marshall athletics, and he was an awesome host & tour guide. We got to go out in South Tampa, rented a boat & took it out on the Gulf to Anclote Key Islands, kayaked to what we thought had to be Cuba by the time we got there, played board games with an entertaining group of people, laughed til our bellies hurt, and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful ocean and sunsets from the dock. He lives right on the water which totally beat any hotel we would've been able to book. And best part -it was pretty much a FREE weekend for the both of us. Memorial Day 2010 is definitely something to remember in itself. Here are a few pics from to enjoy:













I couldn't leave Florida without traveling over to the Gulf side, and I'm so glad I did. It is even more beautiful than I had heard it was. That side is definitely filled with more beauty than the Atlantic coast. I'm a fan.

While my sister is in town, we are gonna try and do some last minute fun things here in Jacksonville before we leave, including the zoo, Budweiser Brewery, the beach (duh), crabs (yum), museums, arts market, & who knows what else. As for the summer.... I will constantly be doing stuff while at home. Already, I have plans to go to Cedar Point with my CD girls, Jamboree in the Hills, a possible family trip to Myrtle Beach, and a family reunion in OH -all in July. I already know time is going to go by rather quickly, as always.

Well, I guess I'm going to stop being antisocial and go join the other housemates in the living room for the rest of the evening. The next time you hear from me will most likely be from good 'ol WV, so cheers to my life in Florida! :)

Stepping Stones

Wow, I guess it's been a couple of weeks since my last post. Life has been kinda hectic (although good) lately, so I haven't had the chance to sit down and actually write an update. Here goes:

My trip to Colorado was phenomenally exquisite! I can't even put into words the beauty of that state. It's much more than I expected and more magnificent than a simple picture can explain. I'll share some pictures anyway since that's as close as you'll get until you plan a trip for yourself. :) I highly encourage it! Besides the fact that I got to spend a long weekend with some great friends, the highlights of the trip consisted of a trip to the New Belgium Brewery (awesomeness), a dog park, Red Rocks Amphitheatre (where I fully intend to attend a concert some day), some neat places in Downtown Denver, a hike to the top of Three Sisters Peaks, and a drive up to the top of Loveland Pass at the Continental Divide approximately 12,000 ft above sea level. Here are a few photos for you to enjoy:

Red Rocks Amphitheater:

Three Sisters Peaks:

Loveland Pass:

I had to pick my jaw up off the ground everywhere we went. I was truly in awe. I love Colorado and will be visiting Lynsey & Mike again very soon. In fact, I will be visiting them in August along my drive to California.

Yep, that's right. I cancelled the moving company for my car (still having my furniture & stuff shipped out) and will be taking a road trip with my dad & hopefully my sister too. We are planning to drive through the Rockies & stay a night in Morrison, CO & continue on to stay a night or two in Las Vegas -woo! I'm sure we will be making other stops along the way, but these are the main ones we're planning our trip around. Oh, and we will try to see the Grand Canyon too.

Speaking of moving..... and packing..... ummmm, well I haven't done much of that, LOL. The moving company will be here in 5 days, and I keep staring at empty boxes sitting in my living room floor, hoping that if I take a nap & wake up they will magically be filled with my belongings. It hasn't happened yet, but there's still time! :) I'll get around to it eventually. HAH!

So where am I moving? I have officially accepted a job working in Santa Barbara County Schools in Santa Maria, CA. I'm finally doing it!!!! My caseload will be ALL preschool-age kids, and I will be doing a lot of play-based assessment and intervention in preschools as well as homes. This is perfect for me. Seriously. Awesome! I finally get to hone in on early childhood development and concentrate on the area of my field that interests me the most. I am stoked about this job! I will be working 40 hours/week (unlike my job now where I only get 35 hours/week) and will continue to get a housing stipend through the holidays (also unlike my job now). A major pro of working as a contracted therapist in the schools is the fact that you get so many days off (holidays, weather/snow days, spring break, etc.). The con is that you get those days without pay if you are hourly instead of salary. This next job will be better, and I won't have to worry as much when I get those 10-12 days off for Christmas. Anyway, I think I have made the right choice. I start work out there August 23rd. Until then -I am finishing up my last 3 weeks in Jacksonville & then truckin' it home to good 'ol WV!

I am definitely going to miss my friends here in Jax -I've met some really great people. They will come and visit me in CA, and I know will be back to visit here at some point as well. My good friend, Laura, asked me to be a bridesmaid in her & Josh's wedding next summer. That's how close we have become, and we have only known each other for about 9 months now. God put me here for a reason, and I'm glad he did. It's been a stepping stone and an eye-opening experience in many ways. I will write a "What I've learned during my time in Jax" post a little later. I think it will do me some good to write & then read it for myself.

Off to continue NOT packing. Maybe when I wake up in the morning the boxes will be.................................... ;)

New Kicks at 26

Another fulfilling year down with an an equally eventful one to come, I'm sure. I'm 26 years old. While there is nothing specifically exciting about this age it was, by far, the best birthday I've had in quite a while. The past 7 b-days were spent studying for or taking final exams with a little celebration dinner on the side. This year was very different. I actually felt like I was celebrating!

My gifts: Well, I've already mentioned my trip to Colorado (which takes place this weekend, yay!) from my family. I also got a new Fossil watch from my dad, a box sent from Wine Country (filled with wine, cheese, crackers, & lots of other goodies) from my sis, some salad plates & coffee cups to go with my dish collection from Laura & Josh, some flowers from them as well (which I managed to kill in a day & a half because I forgot to put water in the vase -that tells ya how often I get flowers, lol), some new running shoes and an outfit from myself, dinner & a gift card from my supervisor Stacie -adding to the $55 worth of existing gift cards to my favorite place on earth, Starbucks! :) People know me oh so well. I also got $25 to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory where I bought the best caramel apples in the world. This was from the Lovejoys whom I love dearly. I shared the apples with my friends, & Arnie got some special treats from there too, of course.

Now for the best gift: MY FAMILY!!!!!!!

As I mentioned in my last post, my sister & cousin with their boyfriends flew down to Orlando for the weekend to celebrate with me. I pulled up to the airport, got out & gave them the biggest hugs, & popped the trunk of my car. As I helped load their bags, my sister said, "there's one more behind you." I turned right around, & there was my aunt Jeanetta standing right there with open arms. Needless to say, I was a big ball of tears. I don't know how they pulled it off because nobody in my family can keep secrets from one another, but they managed to successfully surprise me. I couldn't have been happier (well, maybe a little had I seen my daddy too). We had a 3-bedroom suite for the night, so nobody had to sleep on the couch! :) Josh & Laura drove down, and our friend Chris from home who now lives in Orlando met us out later that night. The 9 of us had a fun and memorable time. I thank God everyday for these people. How lucky am I!?!?

Cheers to another year of living life to the fullest!

April Showers Bring May Flowers

I have never been a fan of rain except for on days when I could curl up on the couch and be a potato all day. However, I could totally use a nice day of rain right now. I never had allergies (that I knew of) until I moved to Florida. The pollen is so insanely existent that there is a thick orange film on my bright red car. Sheesh, I would love a heavy rain and some more Claritan in my medicine cabinet!

Last weekend, I got to go to Savannah, Georgia for the first time which was nothing short of what I expected. It is a beautiful little town buzzing with art, culture, and history. I can totally see why people fall in love with this city. I surely did. It was great spending time with Jane and Dave -laughing, talking, and simply catching up on life. They are so easy-going and put my mood at ease. There is never a dull moment with this family, and I am glad I can consider myself a part of that. We ate at Paula Dean's restaurant called The Lady and Sons. I totally get the rave now because the food was deliciousness. I felt like I had just been treated to the world's most famous southern, home -cooked food including fried green tomatoes, mashed potatoes & cream style corn (mixed together, of course), mixed greens, fried chicken, casseroles, sweet tea, & more. YUMMY! And let's not forget about River Street Sweets. I tried pralines & bear claws for the first time. We walked around the city & then drove out to Tybee Island & even managed to get lost & take the scenic route back home. :) I was glad because the longer we drove, the more time I got to spend with Jane & Dave. They are staying in Daytona all week, so I drove down to spend another evening with them yesterday at Daytona Beach. We ate at Carrabba's, talked & laughed, took a stroll along the ocean walk (after they treated me to a grande no-water vanilla chai tea latte from the famous Starbucks), sat by the pool while singing & enjoying the weather, and laughed a lot more. These people are amazing. I am a lucky girl.

Update on the job situation: Well, I can tell you that I am looking at possibilities in Santa Barbara and Long Beach, CA. The great news is that I will most likely end up moving to the same area and working with Layla!!! We are currently interviewing for jobs in both areas. We are both open to different areas in Cali but have talked specifically about these two. I believe these are some fun and exciting times to be had, according to this picture haha! I will be spending a lot more time in Huntington this summer because I get to go back and work for Pathways since they never took me off of the payroll! I am still an employee there, so I can easily have summer work. Any bit of $$$ will help since I will not have any source of income from my current job. I will hopefully be babysitting a little as well, especially once my best friend Kayla goes back to work in July. I cannot wait to see my lil miss Delaney Ryen Boggs. She is due June 8th, so I will be home shortly thereafter. I will try to keep you guys posted as I figure out what is next.

Still to come: this weekend I'm truckin' it up to Warner Robbins, GA to visit Kristen & Dan! YAY! Then, I will end another work week by turning 26 (crazy) and being greeted by my sister Jenn & her boy Alex, my cousin Ashlee & her boy LJ, and my friends Laura & Josh for a weekend in Orlando! Holy cow, this is excitement! They are flying down (except the latter two -they are my neighbors, lol) for $17.99 each way (per person) thanks to the brilliant Allegiant Air. Woo-hoo! It will be a short trip but well worth it, I'm sure. I can't wait to see my family! Then, after yet another work week I will fly to Colorado to spend a weekend with the Lynsey & Mike. Then, the dreaded packing/moving begins. Yikes! My, how time flies. I like it.

I love exclamation points!!!!!! haha!!!!!!! :)

After March

So, where to even start???? Hmmm.....

April has been an awesome month thus far. Nobody got me on any April Fools jokes this year, so that's a great start! But, that doesn't mean they didn't try, lol.

I finally got to see my dad & sister for the first time in 4 months which was beyond eventful. We had the best time at Disney World and enjoyed being kids again. My sis got on a plane and flew for the first time (of many to come) and loved it. We got lost trying to find our hotel, so we did quite a bit of driving after picking them up from the airport. The first day in Orlando was one to brag about. We went to Ripley's Believe it or Not which we thought was very cool. I had been to a couple, but neither Dad or Jenn had been. All of them are a little different. Then, we got to go on a helicopter ride -something we all enjoyed thoroughly. This was another first for my sis. We went to Universal City Walk that night and paid a visit to Margaritaville & Fat Tuesdays (if ya know what I mean, lol). The city is beautiful at night especially with all the lights. The next three days were spent at Disney -a first for all three of us. We went to Animal Kingdom on Saturday, Epcot on Sunday, and Magic Kingdom on Monday. I loved each and every one of these parks for different reasons. I recommend this vacation to anyone who still believes in magic! :) This was the first year since I've been alive that I haven't attended church on Easter Sunday, but I couldn't have thought of a better way to spend the day than with the two people I love most. These are the same people who taught me about Jesus Christ and the life He gave so that we could be together on this day. I say this a lot, but I am beyond blessed. I run out of ways to express how much I appreciate my life and everything/one in it.

My Redeemer lives, so I should too.

It was difficult to say goodbye to my family, but the good news is that I will be seeing them sooner than I thought! I will get more into that shortly.....

My Spring Break continued with a trip to San Diego. After I dropped Dad & Jenn off at the airport in Orlando, I drove straight to Jacksonville (about 2 and a half hours) and met up with my friend Erin. She dropped me off at the airport and kept Arnie for me for 5 nights -I definitely owe her for that one. I got there with half an hour to spare & made my way out west. Loring picked me up at the airport in SD at 3:30 just in time for a day of sunshine! Ahhhhhh....... so nice. I got the business part of my trip finished fairly early (fingerprinting, apartment hunting, met with a potential employer, licensure packet mailed out) so that I could relax and enjoy the trip. We spent time at Ocean Beach which is less than a mile from where he lives. We also went to the Naval Base in Point Loma which was breathtaking. I wish the pictures could do it justice, but that's not possible. You could literally see the city, ocean, hills, cliffs, roads, sailboats, a lighthouse, homes, all kinds of beauty all at the same time. Simply amazing. Really. We also went to Balboa Park which was close by as well. There was an opera singer performing outside, so we got to enjoy that. It was just nice to ride a bike and get exercise without feeling like it's a chore anymore. I am in such a slump with my exercising and really can't wait to get back into it. I will be able to do that this summer because there's not much else to do in Logan, WV.

That's right -I will be going home for the summer! The job situation isn't looking good for June, so I will be waiting until August to start another job. I will not be working for my company anymore, so we will see what happens. I am actually looking into going to Santa Barbara, CA where I have a job prospect for August! This will change all of the plans I have already made, but hey things change sometimes, right? :) I am actually very excited about this possibility. We will see what happens. Once again, it's called having an open mind. It works for me. I do look forward to spending two months at home with friends and family, getting spoiled by my aunt with our talks and the best food in the world, and my sister with foot rubs and cuddles, and by my dad with all the love a girl could feel in the world. That man loves me unconditionally, and I thank God every day for that feeling. That is the one security I have in this world: the love and support of my father (and, of course, the rest of my friends and family).

While we're on the topic of upcoming events (and friends), let's talk about some things that are coming up a little sooner:


This weekend, my dear friends/family Jane & Dave Lovejoy are coming to visit me. They are going to Daytona for vacation and will be driving up to Jacksonville to get me & take me to Savannah. One, I've never been to Savannah and will be able to cross that off of my bucket list! Two, these people are the most special and loving couple that I will forever consider my family and dear friends. They couldn't have shown me more love if I were born into their family as they have shown me over the past several years. I like to say that I'm their adopted daughter. Their name is entirely suiting! Boy, I cannot wait to see them!


The next weekend, I am traveling up to Warner Robins to see Kristen & Dan Welsh! My supervisor, Stacie, is going to Atlanta that weekend, so she is going to drop me off along to way. Holy YAY!!!!!!! It will be so nice to catch up and to finally see this happily married couple and their cute little (big) dog! I finally get my roomy back for a couple of days. I miss this girl. PS: This picture is one of my favs of Kristen. The caption reads, "Bow Son!"


My birthday is coming up the following weekend, and guess what I am getting!?!? That's right, I get round-trip ticket to Colorado to visit my precious friends, Lynsey & Mike!!!! Ahhh, I couldn't be more thrilled. I have wanted to see that state and more so this couple of amazing people since they moved. I am spending the weekend of May 7th there which are fun times to be had. I just want a hug. I'd travel 1,800 miles to hug the Currys! PS: This picture was taken on her birthday on January 23, 2008 during our first year of graduate school! :)

Looks like it's going to be quite an adventurous month ahead of me to say the least!!!! Once again, I love my life!

Keep Smiling :)

I'm super sleepy, and it is late. However, I don't think I will get a chance to post again for a couple of weeks, so I am writing a quick review/preview of events to fill you all in. I can't give much detail about the job situation considering my blog is public and viewable to anyone. I changed the settings so that it wouldn't show up on search engines, yet I'm still seeing it pop up when I search my name, lol. If you wanna know those details -well, you're just gonna have to ask. I will say that there are different possibilities for what may happen, and I am still working out the details. California is the only detail set in stone, carved, and glossed over. :)

Weeks are stressful right now because of the above, but weekends have been nice. This past weekend was eventful and much-needed. I went shopping in St. Augustine all day Saturday with Stacie and then went to a benefit concert at the Landing for Somer Thompson later that night. Her story: This girl lived near Orange Park (the area where my middle school is located) and was abducted, molested, and murdered while walking home from school one day this past October. They found her body in a land fill nearby and have been investigating ever since. They had a suspect in mind who was found guilty in the state of Mississippi for 50+ counts of child pornography & molestation, so they had him expedited back to FL as a person of interest in this little girl's case because he lived a few doors down from where she was taken. The good news is that the police arrested and charged this guy for her murder last Thursday. The benefit concert was already scheduled before this happened, so this news was a big deal to the city. Several bands played on Saturday, but I only knew two of them -Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Molly Hatchet. The latter band wrote and sang a song for Somer, and her sister got on stage and sang "You Are My Sunshine" with the band playing. It was an amazing moment to hear her family stand up there and express the feeling of finding justice in their loss. I'm glad I went.

I also got to see Alice in Wonderland in 3D with Josh & Laura which was amazing. I was already excited for Disney World but now even more so. I leave the day after tomorrow -woo! I will be more happy to see and hug my family than anything. Bring on the fun! Oh, and 5 days in San Diego will be nice next week too! I have a jam-packed Spring Break and couldn't ask for more. Oh, and I found a Jimmy John's here in Jax. Freakin' awesome!!!! :P

Until next time.... keep smiling. :)

Hallelujah

My dad and sister will be here (well, Orlando) in 1 week and 2 days. Hallelujah! It's not like I'm counting down or anything. ;) I cannot wait to see them. I need them. The hotel allows pets, so Arnie gets to attend the family vacation too, thankfully. Boarding is expensive. I am lucky that my friend Erin is going to keep him for me the 5 nights I'm in San Diego. Hallelujah! Again, thankfully. I have appointments to go and look at apartments while I am out there. However, I don't know what this summer holds to be honest. I am having to take a couple of steps back and reevaluate some things. The job is what is holding me back. I'm not sure what to do, really. I will figure it out. Nonetheless, I will be in California soon. Hallelujah! The rest is TBA.... even to me.

My mind is doing a lot of running these days, so I try to keep myself entertained and stress-free. I recorded another song that I've been working on. I heard it on American Idol a couple of weeks ago & liked it, so I learned it. The song is called "Hallelujah".



Also to relieve some stress, I thought it would be wise to take a cup (not a breakable glass, lol) of wine out to the hot tub and relax. The water was nice and hot; however, the chunky girl in the thong bikini was not. That's right -a thong. A chunky girl in a thong. Gross! I wouldn't even want to see a skinny girl in a thong, especially in a public hot tub. She kept getting in and out which made it an even more awkward situation. Eeek. Not pretty.

Today, I am thankful for my job, friends, family, sunshine, Asti wine, good music, reality tv, mashed potatoes and corn (mixed together), tylenol, and one-piece bathing suits. Hallelujah!

I miss everyone.

MARCH-ing

Hello, March! Hello, Sunshine! Hello, Spring!

Winter is making its exit back to the North Pole where it belongs. It's supposed to be in the high 70s by the end of this week, which I'm really looking forward to. I laugh at the people wearing scarves and gloves to work in the mornings in this 40-50 degree weather because, to me, it is not that cold. It is, however, not Florida weather -so I guess I get it. Sorta. Floridians do love the sunshine & expect it all of the time. But, I mean, who wouldn't?!?!

Melissa came down from Cincinnati to visit last weekend -YAY! I didn't cry a single time on Friday (my mom's birthday) for the first year since 2005. That is a milestone. I'm starting to see the light of "it'll get easier with time" which I've doubted could happen. I am a firm believer now -it does get easier. Humans grieve, grow, and go on living! The latter is the choice that some people don't make. Those are the people who don't let life get easier. I'm not one of them. These past couple of weeks have been pretty normal yet still exciting. Melissa got to meet a couple of my friends here, and we all had a great time catching up on life. It was so nice of her to come & visit me. Fun, shopping, dinner, drinks, & the beach were only a few of the highlights of our time. The work week flew by, and this weekend was equally as enjoyable. I got to go the San Sabastian Winery in St. Augustine yesterday with Amber & Erin. The drive along the coast was worth the evening in itself. I bought a couple bottles of wine (don't worry... I'll drink it in moderation, lol) after the free tasting. We sat on the roof of the winery for a couple of hours while chatting & laughing & drinking HOT wine. It sounds gross but was oddly delicious. It was chilly out, so the hot wine was soothing & had a cinnamon stick to add to the taste -yum! Anyway, I always appreciate some quality "girl" time. We stopped and ate at a restaurant on the St. John's River called Cap's. I was craving some seafood, so it definitely hit the spot. We couldn't have beaten the view. That place would make for a perfect romantic date for any cute couple -or any cute threesome of good friends, haha! I love friends! :)

Today was a lazy day. Laura & I went to Target & sat down for a chat & a cup of tea at Starbucks. Yeah, that's right -we have a Starbucks inside of Super Target. Seriously, can it get any better than that?!? I'm not sure that it can! I bought some cheese to go with the new wine. Laura, Josh, & I watched a movie & had cheese & wine for lunch. It was scrumptious!

The only other news I have is that I booked a flight to San Diego for April 6-11th. I'll be at Disney World with Dad & Jenn the 1st through the morning of the 6th and will fly out west the same day they leave to go back to WV. It'll surely be a busy week, but I can't wait! I will have time there to get some business done as well as some play time. Woo-hoo!!! Until then, I shall work & play here in sunny FL. Cheers!!!

Path of the Unknown

Hey guys. It's a tough week for me, but I have found ways to get through it. For instance, I decided to write my first song EVER! I wrote it about my mother, of course, and particularly the journey I have had in letting go over these past few years. Well, you never truly let go. Losing a parent is never easy, especially at such an early age. It is never something you can get over. It is, however, something you can get through. It has taken me a while, and I have handled my mother's death in my very own way. There are still days that are difficult. There are so many things I miss about her. Yet, there are so many things I have learned from this. To say that I have grown from this experience would be an understatement. I have truly embraced the fact that God had better plans for her, and my sister and I have both become more than something for her to brag about in Heaven. I could only imagine how proud she is of us right now. Of course, it would be so nice to hear her say it, but she doesn't have to because we know. We feel it. There are no words to describe the love my mother had for us. We were her world, and she was ours.

Blogging is amazing! When trying to gather ideas for my first song, I was able to read back through my old blogs and found that I had written quite a bit about my fear of the unknown. You can refer to my earlier posts if you haven't read them already. I do believe that I have somewhat conquered this fear, and I am freely walking down the path of the unknown. I couldn't do this without my Angel Mother by my side. She is good. God is good. Life is good.

Here is a video of my very first attempt at song writing. It's a bumpy recording because I'd just written it 3 days ago and haven't had much practice. But it is, nonetheless, a song. :) I hope you enjoy!



Path of the Unknown -Lyrics

Verse 1:
You picked me up when I was just a child
You held my hand once I had grown
My feet were unsteady
And I wasn't ready
To do this on my own

Verse 2:
I didn't get the chance to say goodbye
And I was angry for a while
I needed a glance
Just one last chance
To see you smile

Chorus 1:
I used to ask you why you'd leave me
Here in this world so alone
But now I know that you're still here
And you're not letting go
So walk me down the path of the unknown

Verse 3:
Oh, how I longed for what's been missing
Then I found hope inside of me
You gave me faith
And now I can't wait
To be all that I can be

Verse 4:
Angel Mother please walk me on stage
Cause it's my chance to shine
Your little girl
Can take on this big world
With you by my side

Chorus 2:
I used to ask you why you'd leave me
Here in this world so alone
But cause I know that you're still here
I won't stumble at all
So walk me down the path of the unknown

Chorus 3:
I used to ask you why you'd leave me
Here in this world so alone
But though I know that you're still here
You can let me go
I'm walking down the path of the unknown

New Face, Same Heart

Another week come and gone. Still cannot believe how quickly these weeks pass, but that's a good thing. I had a smooth week at work, especially with Monday off. I wore hats all week to cover my very unnatural looking eyebrows, but as you can see in this new photo they are looking mighty nice I must say. All of the scabbing & ink has fallen off (along with a lot of the hairs which will grow back), so this is actually a sneak peak at what they will actually look like -but much fuller. Again, click on the photo for a larger view. I honestly could not be happier with the appearance and shape. Yay for eyebrows!!! :o)

I thoroughly enjoyed the sunshine and great weather this weekend. It has been in the high 60s and 70s the past couple of days. Yesterday, Stacie & I took Arnie to the beach and rented bikes for a few hours. I stuck the pooch in a basket and strolled along the beach, not saying a word, taking in the fresh air, and enjoyed seeing people out in the street/yards/sidewalks doing the same -only playing football, corn hole, reading, baking (obviously themselves), rollerblading, or just sitting on the porch. Yes, in WV we call it a porch. Gosh, the sun sure does make me smile. I had a couple of friends come to town this weekend, so I was able to meet up with them for a few hours yesterday evening. It was great to see familiar faces, reminisce, and talk about old times. There's nothing better than being from a small town; I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love where I'm from, and I love the fact that I love where I'm from. Logan. West Virginia. Home. I spent my entire life trying to get away. Now that I have, I love and appreciate that place more than I could express. Ok, now I'm getting cheesy on you and probably not making a bit of sense to anyone but myself. Sorry. :)

By the way, God is good. Great, actually.

Today was just as nice of a day for me. I spent time with Josh & Laura, my awesome neighbors & friends. We went to Sonic and got slushies & then went for a walk on the beach. It was 75 degrees this afternoon, but the beach was cooler because of the wind. It was, again, relaxing and refreshing. We went to Super Target & did a little shopping afterward. What is nice is having neighbors that I can share stuff with & save money. For instance, Target had a deal on 30 rolls of toilet paper for $16!!! Problem: all 30 rolls are in one package. Solution: they buy the 30 rolls, I give them $8, and we split the deal! I would never buy $16 worth of TP, but $8 for 15 rolls is a hell of a deal, HAH! Anyway, they are great people who make me laugh constantly. Good friends = happy me.

Ok, this is a shorter post, but I plan to write again this week. There's a lot on my mind.