Wow, it's been a couple of weeks! Time for an update, huh?
I went to Greenville, SC a couple of weeks ago for my sister-in-law's baby shower. It was a lot of fun. Since she's due the week of St. Patrick's Day, we all dressed up in green for the shower, and had four leaf clover hats :) It was a lot of fun going out with my parents, brother and sister-in-law, and a lot of their friends for dinner and drinks later. Good times. No idea on the name of baby girl Robinson yet, but I'm super excited. This will be my first time being an aunt, and I can hardly wait!! :) Then, that Sunday, my parents and I drove to Asheville to check out the wedding venue and....we booked it!!!! It is OFFICIALLY set now, September 24, 2011 will be the day that I become a Mrs. :) The place we're getting married at is a really cute bed and breakfast, and the wedding coordinator is super nice and threw in two nights at the carriage house FOR FREE (that's usually like $350 extra!!!)....so I'm pretty stoked about staying in the carriage house with some of my bridesmaids the night before the wedding, and getting ready with my girls there, as well. I'm not quite sure WHERE Matt will stay the night before the wedding...but I'm good to go! haha.
Oh, and today I officially accepted my "contingent" job offer. I will be starting February 28 (thank God). I was supposed to start Valentine's Day, but since I have to find a place to live and move, I'm glad that I was able to get a couple of extra weeks to arrange for that. I suppose I will start looking at houses next week. I'm really pumped about the opportunity to move to the Winston-Salem area! Hopefully Matt and I will be able to buy within the next year or so (that's our goal, anyways. We really don't wanna keep renting for too much longer). Definitely a lot of new, and exciting changes this year...and I can't wait for it.
Other than the upcoming arrival of my niece, starting a new job and moving to a new city, and planning my wedding, the only other major thing in my life has been trying to consistently stay active and be healthy. It's definitely a learning process. I can't WAIT to join a gym again and get back into the gym groove (I love all the different classes!), but so far, Just Dance 2, Gold's Gym Dance Workout, and the new Zumba for Wii have been keeping me motivated to work out just because it's so much FUN to dance and it doesn't seem like work. Although, I came down with a pretty yucky cold this weekend that put me out of commission until yesterday... :(
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Keeping the momentum going.
Okay, I had a couple of things I was very excited to share with you, faithful readers. The first is I'm REALLY, REALLY trying to improve my diet, not only to lose weight, but more to be healthier and feel better (have more energy, etc, etc). My dad had high cholesterol, and as I'm approaching 30 (in a couple of years...but STILL), I realize that I need to begin taking my health a LOT more seriously than I have been up to now.
If any of you have kept a food journal, you know just how HARD it is to do. I think I started keeping one four years ago (which helped me to lose 15 or so pounds), but I had a hard time keeping track of it. I'd forget for days at a time, and then be thinking "hmm, what did I eat." And since I'm awful at math, counting all those calories was THE WORST. So a couple of days ago, I was trying to find some kind of free website I could join to keep a food journal, and maybe even exercise journal, and who knows, maybe even tips or motivation to keep up the momentum. I found a wonderful website that I would like to share with you. It's called www.everydayhealth.com, and it's free. Since my goal is to lose 10-15 pounds (I'm not exactly overweight, but I feel I'm slowly getting there--I've definitely put on weight and would like to be able to fit in my wedding dress since it's already altered without having to pay extra to get more taken out), I entered my height, weight, and it gave me a guideline of how many calories to consume daily. I know calorie counting sucks, BUT this nifty tool makes it easy. I think that there database has restaurant dishes, brand names of foods in grocery stores, and if you can't find it on there, you can just take the nutrition label and add the name of the food, serving size, and any nutrition info (though I usually just stick with calories). It adds it all up for you (yay! No math for me!). In addition to that, it keeps a tally of any exercises you do, whether that's running, playing fitness games on the Wii, washing dishes, or cleaning the house. You enter your weight, and how long you were doing a particular exercise for, and it calculates calories burned. It's convenient because there's even a color coded system at the bottom that says whether you are over or under your "calorie budget" for the day. I hope to continue using this tool, as it is proven that people are more likely to lose weight when they keep a food journal. It serves as motivation and lets me know how I'm doing for the day, and what area I need to improve in. I'm also trying to eat more fruits and vegetables, as well as drink more water, and there's even an icon where you click a glass for every 8oz. glass of water consumed for that day.
Another couple of things that I am definitely loving lately are Just Dance 2 for the Wii, as well as Gold's Gym Dance Workout. The Gold's Gym game also has kickboxing, and some "mini games" like matador (I'm not too good at it, Matt is though), bullriding, canoeing, sword fighting, and running. The Latin dances are basically dance moves you'd do in Zumba, and it also counts your calories for you. It seems to be like Wii Fit in that it gives you motivation by giving you "stamps" for every day that you work out, I think that there is a weigh-in option on there as well, I just haven't hooked it up with my balance board just yet. I'm still waiting to get the Zumba game for Wii, I have heard that it is awesome, and I look forward to getting that very soon!!! I've definitely decided that I like a good dance workout though, because it is much more fun, and doesn't feel like exercising.
If any of you have kept a food journal, you know just how HARD it is to do. I think I started keeping one four years ago (which helped me to lose 15 or so pounds), but I had a hard time keeping track of it. I'd forget for days at a time, and then be thinking "hmm, what did I eat." And since I'm awful at math, counting all those calories was THE WORST. So a couple of days ago, I was trying to find some kind of free website I could join to keep a food journal, and maybe even exercise journal, and who knows, maybe even tips or motivation to keep up the momentum. I found a wonderful website that I would like to share with you. It's called www.everydayhealth.com, and it's free. Since my goal is to lose 10-15 pounds (I'm not exactly overweight, but I feel I'm slowly getting there--I've definitely put on weight and would like to be able to fit in my wedding dress since it's already altered without having to pay extra to get more taken out), I entered my height, weight, and it gave me a guideline of how many calories to consume daily. I know calorie counting sucks, BUT this nifty tool makes it easy. I think that there database has restaurant dishes, brand names of foods in grocery stores, and if you can't find it on there, you can just take the nutrition label and add the name of the food, serving size, and any nutrition info (though I usually just stick with calories). It adds it all up for you (yay! No math for me!). In addition to that, it keeps a tally of any exercises you do, whether that's running, playing fitness games on the Wii, washing dishes, or cleaning the house. You enter your weight, and how long you were doing a particular exercise for, and it calculates calories burned. It's convenient because there's even a color coded system at the bottom that says whether you are over or under your "calorie budget" for the day. I hope to continue using this tool, as it is proven that people are more likely to lose weight when they keep a food journal. It serves as motivation and lets me know how I'm doing for the day, and what area I need to improve in. I'm also trying to eat more fruits and vegetables, as well as drink more water, and there's even an icon where you click a glass for every 8oz. glass of water consumed for that day.
Another couple of things that I am definitely loving lately are Just Dance 2 for the Wii, as well as Gold's Gym Dance Workout. The Gold's Gym game also has kickboxing, and some "mini games" like matador (I'm not too good at it, Matt is though), bullriding, canoeing, sword fighting, and running. The Latin dances are basically dance moves you'd do in Zumba, and it also counts your calories for you. It seems to be like Wii Fit in that it gives you motivation by giving you "stamps" for every day that you work out, I think that there is a weigh-in option on there as well, I just haven't hooked it up with my balance board just yet. I'm still waiting to get the Zumba game for Wii, I have heard that it is awesome, and I look forward to getting that very soon!!! I've definitely decided that I like a good dance workout though, because it is much more fun, and doesn't feel like exercising.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
People pleasing
I wanted to add another New Year's "goal" to the list....and this one is so deeply ingrained in me, that it's going to be hard to work on. This has been something that I have struggled with for years...in fact, I think this is going to not only be a New Year's goal, but a life goal as well.
I am EXHAUSTED with trying to meet other people's expectations, with caring what they think, or generally trying to make others happy 24/7. I don't want to sound selfish. But I think for so long, I have put others' needs and the happiness of others above my own, that maybe I was starting to forget about what MY OWN happiness looks like.
This sentiment of working on my people pleasing is not entirely new, but was definitely brought to my attention tonight by a particularly mean and nasty argument that I got in with somebody who disagrees with my engagement (this person and their relationship to me will remain anonymous to protect privacy!). Instead of a genuine congratulations, I got a "you haven't been dating for even six months!" and "you're rebounding and just desperately want to get married that you don't care to who." Ouch. I was on the verge of telling this person a piece of my mind, and how they would not be welcome at my wedding, but fortunately, Matt stopped me, reminding me that this was a battle I wasn't going to win, and I need to be the bigger person and just let it go. But it's hard to let things like that go.
I've been trying REALLY hard lately, especially since I've recently gotten engaged, to let snarky comments (usually by well meaning family and friends) such as "wow...don't ya think that's kinda fast?" or "already?" or "you're an idiot" roll off my back, but it's been hard. I want for everybody to share in my ecstatic happiness. I want for everybody to realize that I literally glow in a way that I never have before (you can actually see this in pictures with Matt). I've found something that I've never had with another person before. I've been in relationships before, sure, but not with the right person. I have found something far greater than I could ever have imagined for myself.
I'm tired of being judged by the past. Yes, I WAS engaged before. Yes, it ended fairly recently. That previous engagement was a mistake, as I KNEW in my heart of hearts that he was NOT the one for me. Should that engagement have gotten as far as it did? No, in fact, the relationship should have ended a long time before it did. But, it didn't, and I did learn valuable lessons from it. Namely, what I want, and what I'm worth as a person, and as a woman. However, just because I feel I more or less jumped into a previous engagement after 2.5 years with somebody, does not mean that I lack insight or judgment to identify the right person for me.
Yes, I was on match.com. Yes, this was shortly after breaking off my previous engagement. Yes, I was hoping that I would at least get some dates out of it, and maybe, JUST maybe...EVENTUALLY find "the One." I know that online dating has worked for several of my friends. Did I expect for love to find me again so soon? Absolutely not. Am I glad that it did? You bet your sweet ass I am! Was I completely surprised and floored when he asked me to marry him? You bet! I honestly thought it would be another few months at least before we had that conversation! However, when he asked, I didn't have a moment of doubt or hesitation. I KNEW that he was the one who was meant for me. With that being said, I don't feel I need to apologize or explain myself or my relationship with anybody, and I'm tired of doing so. Those of you who understand and are TRULY happy for me...thank you. I know that I have found something special, and almost magical with Matt. I've never felt so close to another human being the way I feel with him. He has truly become my best friend, and he is my soul mate and the love of my life. I'm a firm believer that when you "just know"....you JUST KNOW. Whether that be days, weeks, months, or years. I have found somebody who loves me completely and unconditionally JUST as I am, somebody who would bend over backwards for me, is always showing me he loves me by his selfless act...and I could really go on and on, but you get the picture.
And to those who don't, or who question my judgment...well, it's too bad. Because I've just decided to STOP caring what others think. I need to nurture my own happiness, even if others don't like my choices. Because really, what matters in my engagement is that Matt and I are ridiculously happy, both of us are happier than we've been in years. We light each other up. It's just too bad that there are those who can't, or, because of their small minds, or judgmental attitude, refuse to see that.
I am EXHAUSTED with trying to meet other people's expectations, with caring what they think, or generally trying to make others happy 24/7. I don't want to sound selfish. But I think for so long, I have put others' needs and the happiness of others above my own, that maybe I was starting to forget about what MY OWN happiness looks like.
This sentiment of working on my people pleasing is not entirely new, but was definitely brought to my attention tonight by a particularly mean and nasty argument that I got in with somebody who disagrees with my engagement (this person and their relationship to me will remain anonymous to protect privacy!). Instead of a genuine congratulations, I got a "you haven't been dating for even six months!" and "you're rebounding and just desperately want to get married that you don't care to who." Ouch. I was on the verge of telling this person a piece of my mind, and how they would not be welcome at my wedding, but fortunately, Matt stopped me, reminding me that this was a battle I wasn't going to win, and I need to be the bigger person and just let it go. But it's hard to let things like that go.
I've been trying REALLY hard lately, especially since I've recently gotten engaged, to let snarky comments (usually by well meaning family and friends) such as "wow...don't ya think that's kinda fast?" or "already?" or "you're an idiot" roll off my back, but it's been hard. I want for everybody to share in my ecstatic happiness. I want for everybody to realize that I literally glow in a way that I never have before (you can actually see this in pictures with Matt). I've found something that I've never had with another person before. I've been in relationships before, sure, but not with the right person. I have found something far greater than I could ever have imagined for myself.
I'm tired of being judged by the past. Yes, I WAS engaged before. Yes, it ended fairly recently. That previous engagement was a mistake, as I KNEW in my heart of hearts that he was NOT the one for me. Should that engagement have gotten as far as it did? No, in fact, the relationship should have ended a long time before it did. But, it didn't, and I did learn valuable lessons from it. Namely, what I want, and what I'm worth as a person, and as a woman. However, just because I feel I more or less jumped into a previous engagement after 2.5 years with somebody, does not mean that I lack insight or judgment to identify the right person for me.
Yes, I was on match.com. Yes, this was shortly after breaking off my previous engagement. Yes, I was hoping that I would at least get some dates out of it, and maybe, JUST maybe...EVENTUALLY find "the One." I know that online dating has worked for several of my friends. Did I expect for love to find me again so soon? Absolutely not. Am I glad that it did? You bet your sweet ass I am! Was I completely surprised and floored when he asked me to marry him? You bet! I honestly thought it would be another few months at least before we had that conversation! However, when he asked, I didn't have a moment of doubt or hesitation. I KNEW that he was the one who was meant for me. With that being said, I don't feel I need to apologize or explain myself or my relationship with anybody, and I'm tired of doing so. Those of you who understand and are TRULY happy for me...thank you. I know that I have found something special, and almost magical with Matt. I've never felt so close to another human being the way I feel with him. He has truly become my best friend, and he is my soul mate and the love of my life. I'm a firm believer that when you "just know"....you JUST KNOW. Whether that be days, weeks, months, or years. I have found somebody who loves me completely and unconditionally JUST as I am, somebody who would bend over backwards for me, is always showing me he loves me by his selfless act...and I could really go on and on, but you get the picture.
And to those who don't, or who question my judgment...well, it's too bad. Because I've just decided to STOP caring what others think. I need to nurture my own happiness, even if others don't like my choices. Because really, what matters in my engagement is that Matt and I are ridiculously happy, both of us are happier than we've been in years. We light each other up. It's just too bad that there are those who can't, or, because of their small minds, or judgmental attitude, refuse to see that.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
2011 "Goals" (NOT resolutions!)
Since it is a brand new year, as usual, I have some "goals" for myself. It was brought to my attention that calling them "resolutions" is more setting up for failure, so I'm choosing to call them goals. Maybe if I post them on here, they will be easier to achieve? I certainly hope so, anyways.
1. Stop eating out as much, cook more, eat healthier. About four years ago, I began a very healthy diet, was exercising about 4-5 days a week and I felt AMAZING! It wasn't just the exercise, it was putting HEALTHY food in my body and eating steadily throughout the day (five smaller meals) that kept me going. Unfortunately, when I began working in Gastonia, and constantly had to drive around the county all day, I had no choice but to eat fast food. I didn't get a lunch hour, and I didn't have anywhere to store a lunch. I have plenty of healthy recipes from fitness magazines--the tip is to just work on incorporating it into my routine, and working on my portion size.
2. Exercise!! And by exercise, I mean exercising on a regular basis. I used to work out all the time, eating up the Zumba, step aerobics, kickboxing, and spin classes at the YMCA. Sadly, I have gotten out of the habit of this, and desperately need to jump back on the bandwagon. I've felt particularly drained of energy lately, and not to mention I have packed on a few pounds within the past few months. Hopefully, once I move, I will be able to join the YMCA, and get back in my Zumba classes. I want to walk more. I bought some Fila Fit (which are similar to Sketchers Shape Ups) for $30 last week (they were normally $80--score!!), and I can tell that they make a difference. I also want to get back in my Wii Fit, as well as get the Just Dance 2 for the Wii. I did that the other day with my good friend/sister Krystal and her sons, and we spent about thirty minutes dancing and got a GREAT workout!! I know that I will feel better about myself, have more energy, lose a few pounds, and be able to fit in my wedding dress.
3. Get "financially fit". I am fortunate and blessed to own my car outright, and not have ANY student loans. While I do have some debt, it is fairly manageable in that it is relatively low compared to what most people my age have. I am VERY happy not to have student loans, especially since I was in school for 6.5 years!!! :) However, I would like to have my laptop computer that I opened up a Best Buy account for completely paid off. I also would like to have my credit card balance down to about $200-400. That is reasonable for me. I would like to completely pay it off, but I'm not sure that that will happen...BUT I am hoping to at least bring my balance down considerably. Not only that, I would like to SAVE, SAVE, SAVE, SAVE, SAVE as much as I possibly can, and hopefully even begin to plan for retirement. I want to have money saved up in case of emergencies, so that I don't have to go into debt. I also would like for Matt and I to pay for our honeymoon, which we hope to take this year (we are thinking Disney World!), which hopefully we can save for. In addition to saving, and paying off debt, I'd like to learn how to live more frugally.
4. Try something new. I am thinking about selling Avon in order to make some extra money that can go towards my wedding, honeymoon, etc, etc. We will see how that goes! I did try to sell Mary Kay this past summer, but that didn't pan out, ultimately because of the person that I was with at the time. Avon is a little bit cheaper to start up, and it seems like it would fit my lifestyle a little bit more. I hope to start that up within the next couple of months. I've discussed it with Matt, and he (as always) encouraged me to go for it, because as he said, even if I just made a couple hundred extra a month, it's still extra money. We will see where it goes.
5. Get a job! I'm almost there :) I just had a job offer yesterday for a place in Winston-Salem, had a job interview in Waynesville today, and had a place in Statesville ask what my "plans" were, job wise. So the job part is almost there :) Hopefully, it will be a job that I will feel isn't JUST a "job" but one where I can feel comfortable in, knowing that I am making a difference in the lives of others, and where I have a positive impact on the world. THAT is important to me (as most of you who know me know!) I hope that I can find satisfaction in this job, and leave everyday feeling good about myself, and a job where I gain more confidence on a daily basis. I think that's really important, being able to feel confident in the job that you are in.
6. Buy a house! Since Matt and I have four cats and a dog between us, renting no longer makes sense. I have wanted to buy for YEARS, and the time was never really right, obviously. I had looked into buying this past summer, but as you all know, things didn't work out with the relationship or job that I was in. (so thank God I didn't buy or I'd be in trouble!) The plan is to find something short term to rent (maybe 6 month or even month-to-month), possibly even a rent-to-own. Matt will be finishing his semester up in May, and his lease is up at the end of June, so he will be joining me in June at the latest. IF I work in Winston-Salem, I'll look at buying in Kernersville or Clemmons (and probably renting there too--I've heard to stay away from Winston-Salem as there are many undesirable places to live there!)
7. Get married! Obviously, as I'm engaged, this one is already in the works :) In fact, I am going to Swannanoa (near Asheville) tomorrow to check out a potential wedding venue. Pray that it works out for me, this place looks great online and is all-inclusive and we'd get a GREAT deal on it, so yay!:) We are still shooting for late September for the wedding. I'm very much optimistic about what this year holds: this will be the year I get a new job, relocate to a new city, and hopefully buy a house. This will be the year that I begin to be more budget conscious, hopefully pay off 90% of debt, and save for a future, including retirement. And this will be the year I marry the love of my life, my best friend, and my soul mate, Matthew Jones and become Courtney Jones! :)
May all of you have a blessed and wonderful 2011!
1. Stop eating out as much, cook more, eat healthier. About four years ago, I began a very healthy diet, was exercising about 4-5 days a week and I felt AMAZING! It wasn't just the exercise, it was putting HEALTHY food in my body and eating steadily throughout the day (five smaller meals) that kept me going. Unfortunately, when I began working in Gastonia, and constantly had to drive around the county all day, I had no choice but to eat fast food. I didn't get a lunch hour, and I didn't have anywhere to store a lunch. I have plenty of healthy recipes from fitness magazines--the tip is to just work on incorporating it into my routine, and working on my portion size.
2. Exercise!! And by exercise, I mean exercising on a regular basis. I used to work out all the time, eating up the Zumba, step aerobics, kickboxing, and spin classes at the YMCA. Sadly, I have gotten out of the habit of this, and desperately need to jump back on the bandwagon. I've felt particularly drained of energy lately, and not to mention I have packed on a few pounds within the past few months. Hopefully, once I move, I will be able to join the YMCA, and get back in my Zumba classes. I want to walk more. I bought some Fila Fit (which are similar to Sketchers Shape Ups) for $30 last week (they were normally $80--score!!), and I can tell that they make a difference. I also want to get back in my Wii Fit, as well as get the Just Dance 2 for the Wii. I did that the other day with my good friend/sister Krystal and her sons, and we spent about thirty minutes dancing and got a GREAT workout!! I know that I will feel better about myself, have more energy, lose a few pounds, and be able to fit in my wedding dress.
3. Get "financially fit". I am fortunate and blessed to own my car outright, and not have ANY student loans. While I do have some debt, it is fairly manageable in that it is relatively low compared to what most people my age have. I am VERY happy not to have student loans, especially since I was in school for 6.5 years!!! :) However, I would like to have my laptop computer that I opened up a Best Buy account for completely paid off. I also would like to have my credit card balance down to about $200-400. That is reasonable for me. I would like to completely pay it off, but I'm not sure that that will happen...BUT I am hoping to at least bring my balance down considerably. Not only that, I would like to SAVE, SAVE, SAVE, SAVE, SAVE as much as I possibly can, and hopefully even begin to plan for retirement. I want to have money saved up in case of emergencies, so that I don't have to go into debt. I also would like for Matt and I to pay for our honeymoon, which we hope to take this year (we are thinking Disney World!), which hopefully we can save for. In addition to saving, and paying off debt, I'd like to learn how to live more frugally.
4. Try something new. I am thinking about selling Avon in order to make some extra money that can go towards my wedding, honeymoon, etc, etc. We will see how that goes! I did try to sell Mary Kay this past summer, but that didn't pan out, ultimately because of the person that I was with at the time. Avon is a little bit cheaper to start up, and it seems like it would fit my lifestyle a little bit more. I hope to start that up within the next couple of months. I've discussed it with Matt, and he (as always) encouraged me to go for it, because as he said, even if I just made a couple hundred extra a month, it's still extra money. We will see where it goes.
5. Get a job! I'm almost there :) I just had a job offer yesterday for a place in Winston-Salem, had a job interview in Waynesville today, and had a place in Statesville ask what my "plans" were, job wise. So the job part is almost there :) Hopefully, it will be a job that I will feel isn't JUST a "job" but one where I can feel comfortable in, knowing that I am making a difference in the lives of others, and where I have a positive impact on the world. THAT is important to me (as most of you who know me know!) I hope that I can find satisfaction in this job, and leave everyday feeling good about myself, and a job where I gain more confidence on a daily basis. I think that's really important, being able to feel confident in the job that you are in.
6. Buy a house! Since Matt and I have four cats and a dog between us, renting no longer makes sense. I have wanted to buy for YEARS, and the time was never really right, obviously. I had looked into buying this past summer, but as you all know, things didn't work out with the relationship or job that I was in. (so thank God I didn't buy or I'd be in trouble!) The plan is to find something short term to rent (maybe 6 month or even month-to-month), possibly even a rent-to-own. Matt will be finishing his semester up in May, and his lease is up at the end of June, so he will be joining me in June at the latest. IF I work in Winston-Salem, I'll look at buying in Kernersville or Clemmons (and probably renting there too--I've heard to stay away from Winston-Salem as there are many undesirable places to live there!)
7. Get married! Obviously, as I'm engaged, this one is already in the works :) In fact, I am going to Swannanoa (near Asheville) tomorrow to check out a potential wedding venue. Pray that it works out for me, this place looks great online and is all-inclusive and we'd get a GREAT deal on it, so yay!:) We are still shooting for late September for the wedding. I'm very much optimistic about what this year holds: this will be the year I get a new job, relocate to a new city, and hopefully buy a house. This will be the year that I begin to be more budget conscious, hopefully pay off 90% of debt, and save for a future, including retirement. And this will be the year I marry the love of my life, my best friend, and my soul mate, Matthew Jones and become Courtney Jones! :)
May all of you have a blessed and wonderful 2011!
Monday, January 3, 2011
First week of the new year...busy already!
So this week I have not one, but TWO job interviews. My first interview is tomorrow, in Winston-Salem and it's actually a second interview ( :) :) :) :) ), which means that they must REALLY like me. I would be working in with substance abuse clients, as opposed to mental health...which would definitely be a change for me. I also have another interview on Thursday for a place in the Asheville area. To top that off, I decided that since I'm going to be around Asheville anyways, I would go ahead and try to visit the venue I'm wanting to have my wedding at in order to ensure that it's just as quaint, beautiful and perfect in person as it is online (you can't ever REALLY judge things from online!) I'll be staying with friends the next few nights, so needless to say it'll be a busy (and tiring) week.
I also had one more positive thing happen on the job front...I got an e-mail from a lady that I interviewed with a couple of weeks ago. She basically said that while they are still reviewing candidates, they will not know anything until the end of the month. She went on in the e-mail to mention "let's keep in touch" and that she is sure I am having other interviews, and she wants me to let them know my plans, more or less. Which sounds VERY promising to me, and that also happens to be the job that I want. Hopefully, God willing, I will get a couple of great offers and will have to turn somebody down...I've NEVER had to do that before ever, but I think that's definitely a great position for me to be in!
Other than that, the beginning of wedding planning has already begun, I am debating over whether to have an engagement party (and WHEN to do it ) because Matt and I both unanimously want a smaller wedding (about 75 people max). When I really think about it, I can't imagine having too many more people, because I think it would feel like it had lost some of its intimacy that way. I want our wedding to be more about us, than about just inviting every single person we know, and truthfully, that's how I feel weddings should be--about the couple, and not just about hosting a really big, expensive party. I will be VERY happy if I do go with this one venue, as it is all-inclusive which means less of a headache! :)
Matt is starting back school on Wednesday, and with that will also bring some changes. His work schedule has changed, and he will be working a lot more on the weekends, especially Sundays, which kinda stinks because Sunday is usually the one day that we spend entirely together. Speaking of spending time together, I think this week will mark the FIRST time in our relationship that we've gone more than a day or two without seeing each other. I realize that that might not sound significant, but we just really enjoy being together. I don't think I've ever had as much fun with a guy before as I do with Matt. I did get to see him today before heading to Raleigh to stay overnight with my friend, and I will see him Friday night when I get home and he gets off work, but as much as I'm excited about this week of interviews, getting to catch up with old friends, and prospects, it's a little bit sad we don't get to see each other much this week. There are definitely a lot of big changes coming up in this upcoming year, and I'm excited to see what happens next.
I also had one more positive thing happen on the job front...I got an e-mail from a lady that I interviewed with a couple of weeks ago. She basically said that while they are still reviewing candidates, they will not know anything until the end of the month. She went on in the e-mail to mention "let's keep in touch" and that she is sure I am having other interviews, and she wants me to let them know my plans, more or less. Which sounds VERY promising to me, and that also happens to be the job that I want. Hopefully, God willing, I will get a couple of great offers and will have to turn somebody down...I've NEVER had to do that before ever, but I think that's definitely a great position for me to be in!
Other than that, the beginning of wedding planning has already begun, I am debating over whether to have an engagement party (and WHEN to do it ) because Matt and I both unanimously want a smaller wedding (about 75 people max). When I really think about it, I can't imagine having too many more people, because I think it would feel like it had lost some of its intimacy that way. I want our wedding to be more about us, than about just inviting every single person we know, and truthfully, that's how I feel weddings should be--about the couple, and not just about hosting a really big, expensive party. I will be VERY happy if I do go with this one venue, as it is all-inclusive which means less of a headache! :)
Matt is starting back school on Wednesday, and with that will also bring some changes. His work schedule has changed, and he will be working a lot more on the weekends, especially Sundays, which kinda stinks because Sunday is usually the one day that we spend entirely together. Speaking of spending time together, I think this week will mark the FIRST time in our relationship that we've gone more than a day or two without seeing each other. I realize that that might not sound significant, but we just really enjoy being together. I don't think I've ever had as much fun with a guy before as I do with Matt. I did get to see him today before heading to Raleigh to stay overnight with my friend, and I will see him Friday night when I get home and he gets off work, but as much as I'm excited about this week of interviews, getting to catch up with old friends, and prospects, it's a little bit sad we don't get to see each other much this week. There are definitely a lot of big changes coming up in this upcoming year, and I'm excited to see what happens next.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Hello 2011!! (and a recap from the rest of 2010)
So, I started this blog with the intentions of actually UPDATING it regularly, and I realize it has been several months since I've done so. Life has been keeping me pretty busy lately, but I will do my best to write a brief synopsis....(although I'm typically long winded, so it might not be TOO brief)....
In late August, after suffering for a few weeks from a stroke, my grandmother passed away. Other than my grandmother passing away, and having a brief, "rebound" that is barely worth mentioning, nothing else happened in August (I would say that the breakup and my grandmother passing away was enough though!) In late August/early September, I ventured into the online dating world. I won't lie...I wanted to find somebody serious, I didn't want somebody who played games, or messed with my mind or heart. I was done with that. Did I expect to? Well, maybe eventually, but not initially. I tried eHarmony...despite all of the hype, was not that impressed with it. I did talk to a few people on there, but the communication seemed extremely slow paced, so that there was never really any momentum. Things never picked up, if you will. Needless to say, that went nowhere. I also signed up for Match.com. I knew of other couples who had met and married on there. I kind of balked at paying for it, so initially I just signed up and got the "winks." However, eventually, after receiving e-mails, I decided that I would "just pay one month" on match. I think it was only like $30, which was a bargain compared to eHarmony. So, after several winks, a few e-mails, and one particularly nasty jerk who felt the need to criticize my personality after ONLY having a phone conversation with me...I met Matt. Actually, it was funny, because when Matt "winked" at me on there and I read his profile, I thought "Hmm, he doesn't seem really serious...he seems kind of like a player" (anybody who has met Matt or has heard me talk about him KNOWS this is the furthest thing from the truth). But, for some reason, there was something telling me to give him a chance (I now believe that this "something" was God trying to talk some sense into me!). We e-mailed each other for a week and a half or so, and then he gave me his phone number. I of course was too chicken to call him, so I texted him...and we spent two days texting before I hinted that it would be easier to talk on the phone. The first time we talked on the phone, we talked for eight hours (I kid you not...from 10pm to 6am...and NO, it was not all me talking either. We were both asking a lot of questions, and really getting to know each other. This shocks some people when I tell them that only because Matt is a fairly quiet person--though he's not all that quiet with me--if that makes sense?). At the end of that phone conversation, I asked him to come meet me for team trivia at B-dubs...because a couple friends of mine went with me. However, when Tuesday night rolled around, nobody else was there so it was just me and him. I was SO nervous, I couldn't eat. That date ended with us stargazing at Fort Fisher until close to 2am, and the date ONLY ended because I reminded him that he had to work early the next day, so he needed sleep. Our second date was two days later, we went to lunch at Flaming Amy's, went to the Battleship, and had ice cream. It was sort of a rushed date because I had bowling league that night (oh yeah...I joined a bowling league for the first time EVER in September and LOVE it!). By the third date, which was that Sunday, I knew he was the one. We went to church together, ate lunch at McAlister's, and then each of us went to our respective houses to get ready for a day of hiking. I brought my dog, Coleman and we went hiking at Carolina Beach State Park and then ended up at Fort Fisher. Matt gave me the new Nicholas Sparks book, and after that....I JUST KNEW. I think that date ended about 9pm, and only because I needed to take my dog home and feed him, and I was getting hungry myself (and had a job interview the next day). He met my parents and picked me up at my house after four dates, and brought me yellow gerber daisies and whoppers. We ate at an Italian restaurant where I was slow eating because I couldn't stop talking (shouldn't surprise anybody!), and went to see You Again (he let me pick it out!) where we were dorky and made googly eyes and held hands the whole time. We even laughed together when I about tripped walking UP the stairs...yeah...I'm cool, I know :) Just twelve days after our first date, Matt asked me to be his girlfriend right before going to lunch after church. He asked if he could turn my Claddagh ring.
I had a job interview in September, it didn't work out. In October, I had my party celebrating me NOT getting married to a loser (otherwise known as what would have been my wedding day). My best friend and her husband came, as well as my ex-boyfriend (whom I'm actually friends with), as well as Matt. We had a blast, and I hated it when the weekend ended. I then went to Knoxville for a job interview that ultimately didn't pan out, either. At the end of October, Matt took me to the mountains. He'd never been. We went to the Biltmore House, Mount Mitchell, Chimney Rock, Lake Lure, and Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We laughed, had a blast, and I felt closer to him after that weekend than I ever had before. We hiked (a lot) and I felt our bond grow even deeper. From the beginning, we began to develop the kind of relationship where we are best friends, and feel as if we'd known each other for years.
Early November, I had another job interview that ultimately, did not work out. Matt also asked me to marry him at the top of a ferris wheel one night when we were at the fair. While he DID give me a ring, it wasn't "the ring" and I wanted to keep it "on the downlow" until I officially had the ring. I had some concerns with how people would view that, and wanted to let our relationship grow even further before announcing it to family and the general population (although, close friends knew!!). Matt had already met my good friend Alexis and my bff Mo at this point, but he hadn't met my girl Krystal, so he came with me to her son's birthday party. Matt spent Thanksgiving with me and my family, and spoiled me on my birthday by giving me a red Wii, buying me flowers, chocolates, and taking me out to dinner at a Japanese Steakhouse (even though he's not crazy about Japanese food!!)
That brings us to the month of December. I've had a few job interviews, and actually have a second interview on Tuesday in Winston-Salem, even have a job interview in Asheville this Thursday. Have had a phone interview, and one in Wilmington for a place in Statesville. I spoiled Matt rotten with gifts, and two days before Christmas, he "surprised" me by taking me to the mall to pick out my engagement ring. He spent all of Christmas weekend with me and my family, and spoiled me further by buying me a kindle AND an iPod touch. (seriously...he spoils me rotten, but I do not ever take it for granted!!!). On December 29, 2010 I got the message that my engagement ring had come in...so went to pick it out, he paid for it, and Matt took me to Fort Fisher and proposed in the little gazebo we sat in on our first date. He got down on one knee and said something to the effect of "Miss Courtney I love you and want you in my life for life"....I mean, I KNEW it was coming, I had just went with him to pick up the ring, but he had promised to get down on one knee when I got the real ring. We waited until the next day and broke the news to my family.
I think a lot of people are surprised...and a lot of people aren't. I know there are people who probably think I'm absolutely NUTS...and honestly...I'm so happy that I just couldn't care less what others think. I have struggled for a long time with being a people pleaser. For the first time in my life, I'm truly happy in a relationship. I won't say that I'm perfect, or that Matt's perfect, but I truly know that we are perfect for each other. I've never had a relationship be this happy or healthy before. In the past, I've often felt lonely and isolated with the people I've been with. Matt and I can sit around for hours doing nothing, or not even saying a word and it's just comforting having him in the same room. He believes in me unconditionally, and encourages me to do accomplish my dreams, no matter what they may be. I know that we have discussed me going back to school, or even possibly changing career paths, and all he wants is for me to be happy. He makes me laugh, and he's there for me when I'm having a bad day or feel like everything is falling apart. He told me in the beginning that he would go with me wherever I got a job. He's willing to do absolutely whatever he can for me, and that is so amazing. He even serves me breakfast in bed if not once a week, once every other week, and when he cooks me dinner, he brings my plate to me. It's crazy to think how far we've come in such a short time, but he is my best friend, soul mate, love of my life, and what they say is true...when you know, you know.
I rang in 2011 the other day with my good friend Angie at her anniversary party in Gastonia. I am really excited to this year, and looking forward to what's coming next. I am becoming an aunt in just a couple of months, and couldn't be more thrilled. I'm so happy that I've finally met the one I'm supposed to be with. I wish all of you blessings and joy in 2011!!
By the way, I'm sorry if this is outrageously long. Kudos to those who have actually taken the time to read the whole thing :)
In late August, after suffering for a few weeks from a stroke, my grandmother passed away. Other than my grandmother passing away, and having a brief, "rebound" that is barely worth mentioning, nothing else happened in August (I would say that the breakup and my grandmother passing away was enough though!) In late August/early September, I ventured into the online dating world. I won't lie...I wanted to find somebody serious, I didn't want somebody who played games, or messed with my mind or heart. I was done with that. Did I expect to? Well, maybe eventually, but not initially. I tried eHarmony...despite all of the hype, was not that impressed with it. I did talk to a few people on there, but the communication seemed extremely slow paced, so that there was never really any momentum. Things never picked up, if you will. Needless to say, that went nowhere. I also signed up for Match.com. I knew of other couples who had met and married on there. I kind of balked at paying for it, so initially I just signed up and got the "winks." However, eventually, after receiving e-mails, I decided that I would "just pay one month" on match. I think it was only like $30, which was a bargain compared to eHarmony. So, after several winks, a few e-mails, and one particularly nasty jerk who felt the need to criticize my personality after ONLY having a phone conversation with me...I met Matt. Actually, it was funny, because when Matt "winked" at me on there and I read his profile, I thought "Hmm, he doesn't seem really serious...he seems kind of like a player" (anybody who has met Matt or has heard me talk about him KNOWS this is the furthest thing from the truth). But, for some reason, there was something telling me to give him a chance (I now believe that this "something" was God trying to talk some sense into me!). We e-mailed each other for a week and a half or so, and then he gave me his phone number. I of course was too chicken to call him, so I texted him...and we spent two days texting before I hinted that it would be easier to talk on the phone. The first time we talked on the phone, we talked for eight hours (I kid you not...from 10pm to 6am...and NO, it was not all me talking either. We were both asking a lot of questions, and really getting to know each other. This shocks some people when I tell them that only because Matt is a fairly quiet person--though he's not all that quiet with me--if that makes sense?). At the end of that phone conversation, I asked him to come meet me for team trivia at B-dubs...because a couple friends of mine went with me. However, when Tuesday night rolled around, nobody else was there so it was just me and him. I was SO nervous, I couldn't eat. That date ended with us stargazing at Fort Fisher until close to 2am, and the date ONLY ended because I reminded him that he had to work early the next day, so he needed sleep. Our second date was two days later, we went to lunch at Flaming Amy's, went to the Battleship, and had ice cream. It was sort of a rushed date because I had bowling league that night (oh yeah...I joined a bowling league for the first time EVER in September and LOVE it!). By the third date, which was that Sunday, I knew he was the one. We went to church together, ate lunch at McAlister's, and then each of us went to our respective houses to get ready for a day of hiking. I brought my dog, Coleman and we went hiking at Carolina Beach State Park and then ended up at Fort Fisher. Matt gave me the new Nicholas Sparks book, and after that....I JUST KNEW. I think that date ended about 9pm, and only because I needed to take my dog home and feed him, and I was getting hungry myself (and had a job interview the next day). He met my parents and picked me up at my house after four dates, and brought me yellow gerber daisies and whoppers. We ate at an Italian restaurant where I was slow eating because I couldn't stop talking (shouldn't surprise anybody!), and went to see You Again (he let me pick it out!) where we were dorky and made googly eyes and held hands the whole time. We even laughed together when I about tripped walking UP the stairs...yeah...I'm cool, I know :) Just twelve days after our first date, Matt asked me to be his girlfriend right before going to lunch after church. He asked if he could turn my Claddagh ring.
I had a job interview in September, it didn't work out. In October, I had my party celebrating me NOT getting married to a loser (otherwise known as what would have been my wedding day). My best friend and her husband came, as well as my ex-boyfriend (whom I'm actually friends with), as well as Matt. We had a blast, and I hated it when the weekend ended. I then went to Knoxville for a job interview that ultimately didn't pan out, either. At the end of October, Matt took me to the mountains. He'd never been. We went to the Biltmore House, Mount Mitchell, Chimney Rock, Lake Lure, and Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We laughed, had a blast, and I felt closer to him after that weekend than I ever had before. We hiked (a lot) and I felt our bond grow even deeper. From the beginning, we began to develop the kind of relationship where we are best friends, and feel as if we'd known each other for years.
Early November, I had another job interview that ultimately, did not work out. Matt also asked me to marry him at the top of a ferris wheel one night when we were at the fair. While he DID give me a ring, it wasn't "the ring" and I wanted to keep it "on the downlow" until I officially had the ring. I had some concerns with how people would view that, and wanted to let our relationship grow even further before announcing it to family and the general population (although, close friends knew!!). Matt had already met my good friend Alexis and my bff Mo at this point, but he hadn't met my girl Krystal, so he came with me to her son's birthday party. Matt spent Thanksgiving with me and my family, and spoiled me on my birthday by giving me a red Wii, buying me flowers, chocolates, and taking me out to dinner at a Japanese Steakhouse (even though he's not crazy about Japanese food!!)
That brings us to the month of December. I've had a few job interviews, and actually have a second interview on Tuesday in Winston-Salem, even have a job interview in Asheville this Thursday. Have had a phone interview, and one in Wilmington for a place in Statesville. I spoiled Matt rotten with gifts, and two days before Christmas, he "surprised" me by taking me to the mall to pick out my engagement ring. He spent all of Christmas weekend with me and my family, and spoiled me further by buying me a kindle AND an iPod touch. (seriously...he spoils me rotten, but I do not ever take it for granted!!!). On December 29, 2010 I got the message that my engagement ring had come in...so went to pick it out, he paid for it, and Matt took me to Fort Fisher and proposed in the little gazebo we sat in on our first date. He got down on one knee and said something to the effect of "Miss Courtney I love you and want you in my life for life"....I mean, I KNEW it was coming, I had just went with him to pick up the ring, but he had promised to get down on one knee when I got the real ring. We waited until the next day and broke the news to my family.
I think a lot of people are surprised...and a lot of people aren't. I know there are people who probably think I'm absolutely NUTS...and honestly...I'm so happy that I just couldn't care less what others think. I have struggled for a long time with being a people pleaser. For the first time in my life, I'm truly happy in a relationship. I won't say that I'm perfect, or that Matt's perfect, but I truly know that we are perfect for each other. I've never had a relationship be this happy or healthy before. In the past, I've often felt lonely and isolated with the people I've been with. Matt and I can sit around for hours doing nothing, or not even saying a word and it's just comforting having him in the same room. He believes in me unconditionally, and encourages me to do accomplish my dreams, no matter what they may be. I know that we have discussed me going back to school, or even possibly changing career paths, and all he wants is for me to be happy. He makes me laugh, and he's there for me when I'm having a bad day or feel like everything is falling apart. He told me in the beginning that he would go with me wherever I got a job. He's willing to do absolutely whatever he can for me, and that is so amazing. He even serves me breakfast in bed if not once a week, once every other week, and when he cooks me dinner, he brings my plate to me. It's crazy to think how far we've come in such a short time, but he is my best friend, soul mate, love of my life, and what they say is true...when you know, you know.
I rang in 2011 the other day with my good friend Angie at her anniversary party in Gastonia. I am really excited to this year, and looking forward to what's coming next. I am becoming an aunt in just a couple of months, and couldn't be more thrilled. I'm so happy that I've finally met the one I'm supposed to be with. I wish all of you blessings and joy in 2011!!
By the way, I'm sorry if this is outrageously long. Kudos to those who have actually taken the time to read the whole thing :)
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