Big day!

BRAD HAS 34 MINUTES OF EDUCATION REMAINING!
EVER.
EVER.
EVER.
I didn't really realize until the morning the magnitude of this day. This is the final day of the final class of the final step of eduation for Mr. B-rad. We are seriously not going to know what to do with all of the time in the afternoons! I can only imagine his anticipation right now seeing that I am about to throw a party by myself if the time doesn't pass more quickly. I can't wait for the graduate to be to walk through that door! Wooohooo.......
And on other exciting notes I started a new job today. So much to say about this but for now - I went to work for the first time in awhile with no burden on my shoulders and a rare smile on my face. I feel so confident about this next opportunity and I am just so grateful for these doors that have opened. I truly feel like some amazing and creative author is writing our story right now and we are just filling the roles waiting for the next scene. ANd though I should always be allowing God to write my days I am just now embracing this lack of control and the this depth of trust. I am going to decorate now and get a celebration beer ready for the super-star! Amos is so excited too....he is turning tornados between the kitchen and the bedroom. I love how he matches our moods! More to come......Celebrate for now!

Unexpected FNO (family night out)

Last night I cooked up some potent margaritas for my date. They were semi-homemade and super delicious! Brad and I had a mimi-fiesta at our house. We ate enchiladas on the porch under the glare of some candles and the roar of the cars on Peachtree Road. So serene I tell you!

All of this celebration was the pre-party for the real party! After dinner my date and I headed downtown for the much anticipated office clean-out. Amos came, too, and was so happy that I would no longer be working downtown but rather be working from home with him. He is my assistant starting next Wednesday. The office clean-out was pretty uneventful. I hadn't had enough of my own stuff in the office in the 5 months to really have to do too much cleaning out but nonetheless, Brad and I had fun roaming the building and saying our good-byes.

As we left the building a voice told us to hold tight. There would be a show in Centennial Park in 5 minutes. This overpowering voice was quite frightening to Amos dog who then jumped into panic-dog mode. We calmed him down as we waited for this supposed show. Then the voice came on again and Amos went crazy. And then the water fountains started going crazy and music was blaring and the by passers were all dancing and clapping and driving Amos even more nuts. Poor dog.....he went from a small South Georgia town of 14 cars and no "voices" to a condo on Peachtree with a ga-zillion cars and a mom who likes to take him to odd places and make him assimilate! Baptism by fire, right? The show was quick and we were on our merry way. Or so we thought. Dad decided he wanted to play in the fountains. I bet him $5 to make it all the way through the 10 foot tall shooting water fountains. The margaritas told him this would be a grand idea and without hesitation he jumped in. Amos and I laughed the whole way home and were so proud of Mr. B-rad and his audacious behavior during our unexpected family outing. He even took my five dollars for real!

My two hunks at their Glamour shot photo shoot

Will you be my MuddyBuddy?

You know me, I love having something on my calendar to look forward to. When Brad asks what he can do to serve me or make me smile...simple I say - plan something! Even something small but give me a date to put on my calendar. Now, I know this isn't the best way to live. I know busyness is not next to godliness and "idleness" shouldn't be a dirty word in our family but I've admitted it before, that's just how I am. Take these last few weeks away from work......I wake up with a beautiful thought that I have nothing I have to do today and within 7 minutes I am stressed just trying to find something...anything to fill the hours. I do admit that marriage has lessened the severity of this disease as I am better able to enjoy a plan-less Saturday with Brad but the effects of the disease still linger no matter how hard I try to just sit...and rest...and relax....and enjoy nothing!

So yesterday I get this fairly usual looking flyer in the mail. One that I normally wouldn't even have looked at but because of this new found free time I have been reading every piece of mail - even the 6 credit card apps in the mail everyday....just to wonder if they spelled my name right! So the front of my flyer says MUDDYBUDDY. I used to love NuttyBuddies, you know, the Little Debbie slender snack filled with layers or peanut butter??? Oh my, just thinking about this layered chocolate wonder makes my stomach turn. Mama used to have every type of Little Debbie in the pantry for lunches. I really took this for granted, knowing now how much she probably had to spend at the store just to give us some unneccessary variety. So seeing that the words were similar I figured there could be something in this flyer for me and oh - was there!

You probably know about this even that is storming the country (or atleast the marketing department made me think so). Supposedly, you pick a partner, do some marginal training and this summer you dress in any wacky outfit you can find and you compete. I love getting dirty! I love bike riding! I love "themed" parties! I love having something fun on my calendar as you now know....And I love a little friendly competition! So I am signing Brad and I up today! I am not sure if he knew I was serious when I mentioned it but I am. So this summer Brad and I will dress as penguins or clowns or maybe cheerleaders and head to Conyers to participate with 999 other duos. Basically you leap frog eachother by running and biking at the same time and you meet at an obstacle and then switch places on bike or on foot. All the while inching closer to the end....the mud pit!!!! I just can't tell you how excited I am just to decide what we may wear....but then to get to play outside and end by running through a mud pit...I can feel us giggling and cackling now!

Here is the site..... www.muddybuddy.com
Check it out and let me know if you have an idea for our costume! More so, sign up and come play with us on the morning of June 21st. This is really the best news of the week! Get excited, B-rad!

And here are a few other things on the calendar that excite me:
*My brother's 25th bday is tomorrow and the fam is heading to Athens on Saturday to celebrate with a scrumptious dinner
*Concert on the Marietta square tomorrow night with the Smith's.....I love a little dancing on the square.
*Cuatro de Mayo party at the Powells in a few weekends. Mrs. Powell is a Tejas native and the queen of sangria and guacamole!
*Brad's "Brad-uation"-slash-Birthday party in a few weeks. I love planning parties with my mama!
*Weekend-o-fun in Savannah in May! I have been dreaming of kayaking and sailing on the water and eating seafood!
*MUDDYBUDDY weekend - June 21st!

Cheers to "things to do" on my calendar. Speaking of......I need a new datebook as I am getting rid of the blackberry when I officially end my job next week. I LOVE filling in dates on a calendar! I like to write every single thing on there....birthdates, anniversaries, when i ate a meal I loved, how many miles I ran that day.....you know, the usual. No wonder I always feel like there aren't enough hours in the day!

A day of play...

Amos and mom went to our friend Loretta and Tucker and Harley's house today to sit by the pool and enjoy the sunshine and pollen! (Amos had as bad of an allergy attack that I did today). Harley, the golden retriever wasn't so thrilled with our visit. "Imbecilel," I heard him say to us as we played silly puppy games around the pool. Amos even went for a swim. He loves water! Here are some pics of our play date with Tucker. We love lazy Wednesdays with a chick-fil-a tea and fun new friends!

This makes my day!

Kat, one of my former roommates sent out some recent pics of recent shenanigans. This was one of the pictures she took and I just can't tell you what it does for me! I just adore these two girls (and the other Katie who was MIA here) and I loved our sweet time at the Terrace. I miss having the girls to sit around and solve all the worlds problems on the smelly couch. I also miss having two fashion consultants 24:7 and an occasional fun pair of earrings to wear that certainly didnt come from my jewelry box! Anyway, Kat is soon to be married and then she moves to B'ham and Catie is living the dream in Dallas, Tx working for Neiman Marcus (and getting amazing discounts in the store!) Bottom line....I miss them! And I miss our simple but fun times at the Terrace. I can't wait for a reunion soon because this it what tends to happen.....wonderful silliness! Happy Wednesday!