Happy Halloween! and a SUPER Busy November!

So far October has proved to be a busy and crazy month for us! October 1st was our glimpse at our baby, it was an exciting experience to hear the heartbeat for the first time! Since then, we've come a long way and I'm now 10 weeks and 3 days pregnant. We won't see the baby again until mid-December which I'm so excited about :) Joe and I found out about this website that allows you to upload your photos and it guesses what your baby looks like... here's what we got!


Anyhow, we've got a super big month in November. Muffin is finally getting fixed, that is a whole other blog posting... Joe and I are going to the Veteran's Ball, Then there's a potluck for his unit, not to mention all the exams and papers I have due this month! Plus Joe finishes up two of his clep exams.

I'll write more soon, I just got the heavy rush of sleepiness wash over me. Goodnight all!

Our Little Butterbean

Joe and I found out we're expecting! We were both surprised considering what the doctors told me over the summer, not to mention we were not trying to get pregnant. I'm about 10 weeks now, and finally starting not to feel sick all of the time, now just some of the time (lol). I'm still in school, and not going to stop even after the baby is born. Fortunately, he or she will be born in the summer time so I won't be in school anyhow. Although I may take one online class just to get ahead.

Joe is picking up his CLEP exam books and studying so that he can someday start OCS (officer candidacy school). I'm really hoping he can get it all together here soon because time passes so quickly, it's easy to procrastinate and then wake up just as your chance is flying by.

We are absolutely enjoying our time here in South Carolina, and really there couldn't have been a better time in Joe's career for us to have a baby. We're in a terrific neighborhood and a big house, not to mention our landlord is awesome! I have to head off to class now, but I'll try to write on here more often!

So I promised I would update...

Lately everything is just pretty much falling into place. Joe and I had a terrific time in Florida, the wedding was fantastic. My mom and grandmother had worked really super hard on it, putting everything together. My whole family was so invested in this affair it was incredible how everything turned out. Of course the girls had a great time the night before, we went to City Walk at Universal. We walked around for a bit, saw a street performer, went to Pat Obrien's, drank something called a fuzzy leprechaun... and then conned a dab driver into taking us to where the boys were. It was a blast. I don't even know how to explain the seawee...
But anyways, outside of a few family issues, I won't say whose side it was one, we had a terrific time. Joe and I are so grateful to have such wonderful friends and family that are supportive and loving.

We finally had our wedding!!.... 2 years after we got married lol

So Joe and I finally got our wedding, after we've been legally married for 2 years. It was INCREDIBLE. There aren't words. Everything was perfect except for a few small glitches as far as the DJ was concerned. AKA he introduced my parents wrong and played the wrong lengths of the songs and had no idea about the itinerary. lol But other than that, it was just heaven.

Sour grapes and some whine too...

Before you get any ideas, the party was fabulous! We had a grand old time with our new neighbors that we love so dearly. Joe and I truly did luck out in being surrounded with such wonderful people! We did learn however, that I cannot play competitive games while intoxicated. I know it sounds ridiculous that at 22 years old I can't play fair but let's remember I played lacrosse and they allowed me to hit and trash talk with minor consequences (lol).

On a serious level though it is something I have to work on... I somehow have a missing link in my brain where it files personal with non-personal. Joe is completely frustrated with my inability to play nice, but I'm frustrated because I feel like every one baits me into it. I have so many hot buttons that just set me off so easily. For instance, playing guys against girls, I cannot do because I have issues with male dominance. If there is an overly dominant male in a conversation or whatever the case may be, I will find him and have his ego in shreds on the floor in 5.2 milliseconds. I know where it comes from, but I am up front about the fact that I haven't yet found a way to control that part of me. So my simple conclusion until I do find that solution is not to play competitive games until I figure it all out. Joe thinks that's ridiculous and he has all the faith in the world in my capability to control my competitive edge. That's one of the things I love about my husband, he thinks so much more highly of me than even I do (lol). But honestly, I'll work on it and soon get over it. I just cannot stand trash talking, it's like I can't stop until I win, or someone cries. It's so weird because between me and my siblings, I'm the peacemaker. I guess I'll figure it out, right?

On to happier subjects, I went yard sale shopping with our neighbor Jake and found a load of stuff for 11 bucks. A mirror, table centerpiece, immersion blender, and dessert/chip and dip platters. I feel accomplished. Imagine, if I do this every Saturday maybe I can have my house decorated and furnished for less that 1/3 of retail prices!

Humans are smarter than apes!

Sorry I just saw that commercial on TV...

Well tomorrow is my birthday, and it feels really weird to be almost twenty-two years old. With everything going on this summer, my birthday seems to be the least exciting (lol). We're having a cook out this Friday though, to celebrate mine and Joe's birthdays with our friends here in Columbia, SC. July is fast approaching though! And that means our vow celebration isn't too far off. My journey to lose weight and look fabulous in my dress continues, as does my mission to get Joe to get his dress blues and inform his groomsmen.

Everything seems to be in order for the vow celebration, just waiting on rsvps and little details now. Although, we have had our share of drama... we've had one bridesmaid just "go missing: (or as I like to say- just became a bad friend) and then one of Joe's groomsmen is in Special Forces school so he can't come either. Our fabulous photographer extraordinaire bailed on us claiming we didn't give him a release he'd given us after I'd asked him several times for it. Basically, he emailed me something while we were PCSing to Fort Jackson and I told him how hectic it was, but he refused to email it again- only after I basically called daily and emailed like 1000 times. In my opinion, he was dishonest and something must have happened to where he didn't have the time or professionalism to work with us. Either way, he bailed out on us three months before our wedding. Thankfully, my parents and grandmother swooped in to save the day and located a wonderful photographer and are taking care of it for us. My mother and grandmother have breathed so much life into this wedding, it wouldn't have been able to work without them. Hopefully, we won't have any more serious drama like the above mentioned.

The DJ, cake, caterer, florist, hotel, venue, and just about everything are paid for. Please Lord let this go off without a hitch!

As I mentioned, this Friday we're having a BBQ for our birthdays. I've decided it's going to be tropically themed, just because that sounds easy and fun. I went to the Dollar General here, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much they had for parties. I bought all the BBQ tins we'll need, some party glasses in the form of tiki gods (they're cute, I'll post pictures), table cloth, disposable blue and green drink cups, themed napkins and plates, and some tiki/tropically themed streamers for the doorway to the dining room... all for twenty bucks! I also got everything set up like the cake and invitations. Any ways, I'm excited about putting together a huge party, I'll let ya know how it pans out!

Summer Stressing...

Ok so here's an update since I haven't written since April.

I've started work again, full throttle and Joe has as well. I love my store that I'm working in, all the girls are fantastic and super friendly. Joe is sitting at a desk, not his usual MO but you know- I'm grateful that he won't be deployed from here.

We hang out with our awesome neighbors a lot now, we have a cook out or just hang out about every other weekend. Jake, one of our neighbors, will often stop over to have a beer with Joe and just chat since he lives by himself (his girlfriend is studying abroad but gets back in June).

All of the wedding preparation is getting into high gear now. I'm overwhelmed with decisions to make on programs, seating, favors, hair and makeup... and let's not forget paying all those wonderful people like the caterer, wedding planner, venue, baker, and DJ. However, they are all paid, thank the Lord for tax returns lol. It's been insane the past few weeks! I still have to get my dress fitted but my grandmother is doing that, and I'm pretty sure Joe is trying to give me a heart attack because he hasn't been fitted for his dress blues as of yet. Not to mention there is drama about Joe and I having a registry even though we've been married for two years. Let me clear this up/vent a little bit...

When Joe and I got married, I was a college student (hint- nearly broke and no housing decor or kitchen stuff whatsoever) marrying a bachelor (video games, one full bed, a couch and a TV). I have to be honest and say that Joe had some really nice things when we got married like our couches, the TV, and good DVD collection. But when it comes to pots and pans, kitchen utensils, kitchen table, etc- I was on my own in finding these things when I moved into our house while he was deployed. Thank God for Peggy-Gail (close friend of the family) who gave us our wonderful pots and pans from Revere Ware. My grandmother has pretty much suited my kitchen from top to bottom with a mixer, gorgeous plates, and some serve ware. I'm very grateful for all of the nice things Joe and I have been blessed with, but the point I'm trying to make can be split into two parts: a) Joe and I never had a wedding and therefore didn't get to do the whole ritual of bridal and engagement showers b) We are in need of some things for our home and we are still a couple just starting out.

Sorry, I needed to get that off of my chest.

On top of all of this, I still have to go to school this summer and get ready for Fall. Geezy peezy.

Joe is doing great though, I have to say. He gets along well with the people he's working with, and he's started studying for taking his CLEP exams and is going to begin school here pretty soon.

Overall we've been incredibly blessed with this move, and even though this summer is going to be super hectic and exciting, we love it all!