the happenings of my life

I miss my blog. I miss typing out my thoughts and what I've done because it's fun to go back and remember. I really miss the internet because we don't have it at home for now. We have gone through a lot of changes recently. Ben and James had to leave their dad's company because of the economy so no more contracting for Ben but he's happy about it. It was a lot of stress on him and he's happy to not bring his work home with him. He can clock out and leave his work behind till the next day. I guess you're wondering where he's working, well he is a shift manager for Towne Park valet at Opryland Hotel and he is 99.9% sure he got the job of assistant contract manager which will hopefully lead him to a contract manager position which is equivalent to the boss! :) I think that was just a run-on sentence, whoops!

I am only somewhat happy with my job right now. We recently switched over to a new computer system which means we are going paper-light. It has been a huge transition and stress and I sorta feel like I'm at a new job because you have to learn a whole new system. I am pretty sure that I am ready for change. It's horrible to say but I think I am staying at my job because I would miss my boss's dog Sam who follows me around like a shadow all day. He would miss me and I would miss him and that breaks my heart. He's my buddy. I am really hoping for some doors to open soon as far as a new job. I have no idea what I want to do, I would like to finish school but I despise school and I know it would just be two years and then I would be done but ugh...two years of school and studying! I don't even know what I would study. I want to be a mom but I can't be a mom until we have for sure steady income that is enough to support us with no income from me. That's why we're hoping Ben gets the contract manager position. That would be a big deal.

I have done some cool stuff lately. I surprised my mom on her birthday with a trip to Mammoth Cave. It was me, Ben, mom and

Justin. We had a blast and I know she enjoyed her day as much as we did. I planned a picnic lunch and everything!

Can I just say how happy I am for fall to be here. It feels WONDERFUL outside today. The high is only like 73 and

it's amazing! It's so breezy out and cool and I would sleep outside today if I had a hammock or something. What a great

day to be off work. A friend of mine, Leslie, is in nursing school and wanted some extra hours so she's working for me today. One thing about fall that I most look forward to is going to Farmers Market to pick out pumpkins, then heading over to Germantown for the Oktoberfest and then going back to Tim and Karens that night to carve pumpkins with family and friends. It's so much fun and it is next saturday, the 11th. It is probably my favorite day of fall besides Halloween of course. Which by the way, I don't have a costume idea and I need one. The only thing I can think of is to be Nastia Liukin, the olympic gymnast. It's scary how much we look alike at times.

I've made some wonderful new friendships lately. We are starting a bible study that will include me, Holly, Tabitha, Tonya, Lauren Helms, Olivia and Johanna. It was just me, Holly and the twins last night and Karen who is the leader and Karen was saying she hopes this can be a study where we can learn to trust each other. Tonya was saying she has a hard time trusting people sometimes and I started thinking about how I was with trusting. I think I often times trust too easily. I put a lot of faith in people, mostly in my friendships and I get hurt a lot of times. Ben and I were talking on the way home from church Sunday and I was saying how hard it is when you develop this friendship, this bond with someone and you just feel so connected and then all of the sudden you are the only one putting in the effort and you wonder where that wonderful friendship went and you don't really get any answers and it's really hurtful. I work real hard sometimes and don't get much in return but I still just keep working especially if it's something I really feel is worth working for.

My brother comes in town this weekend and I'm really excited. I never see him anymore since he's off to college and working. He is on fall break so he'll be in town today through sunday. We are cooking out over at dad's after church sunday which will be fun. My dad lives in Hendersonville and so I really don't see him much but we talk on the phone basically everyday. I'm thankful to have such a close relationship with both parents. I usually talk to them everyday and if I don't, it feels weird like part of my day is missing.

I have been fostering kittens ALL summer long. A lady came in on July 22nd with two kittens that she said were born 3 days earlier but I think maybe 7 days earlier, either way, they

were a week old. The mother had abandoned them and they needed care that the lady couldn't give them. I of course said yes and am so glad I did. I raised Dobby (calico that now lives with Olivia) and Henry (tabby who lives with me). They are wonderful cats. I am also fostering a black and white long haired kitten right now that will need a home in a couple weeks. I am the crazy cat lady for sure! (pic of the babies with my cat Toby)