Sunday, April 25, 2010

Bridal Shower #1

Saturday night I had my first bridal shower! ;-) It was a small little shower with my mom's closest friends. I grew up with all of her friends. On Friday nights, I looked forward to going to dinner with my parents and their friends. I think that is one main reason why I have always been 'more mature" for my age. I've always liked to hang out with the adults at parties.

I had such a good time at this shower! I got lots of "fun" things. HAHA!!! :-) It was pretty funny and have some great stories.

Me with all the gifts :-)

The table was decorated so beautiful

The best chocolate covered strawberries I have ever had!

Fancy china and great dinner!

So obviously something was said that shocked or embarrassed me... hahaha!

Love all these women.


This shower made me realize that I really am getting married in 97 days!!! :-) Getting so excited!!!


Wednesday I will be done with college classes FOREVER!!! So exciting!!!

Monday, April 19, 2010

My life be like oooo ahhh.....

So, lately I have been realizing how extremely exciting this phase and chapter of my life is... and will continue to be.


Pretty much dance around to this song.. haha!

For the past 3 years I have been striving to live for the moment, to be excited about my life here at school... it's been a rough 3 years. I've cried more than I ever have, I've grown, I've stumbled... but most of all, I have persevered. I truly pride myself in the fact that I have a lot of perseverance.

Nursing school has been a challenge since before I even began. It took me 2 years to be accepted into a nursing school. I was told by the dean of nursing at my former college that I did not have the GPA to be admitted to nursing school. basically "you're not good enough". I was devastated. All I wanted was to be a nurse.

I was finally accepted after a lot of praying and heartbreak. I moved to West Virginia Wesleyan College in August 2007. I moved an hour away from my parents and my boyfriend. It was a difficult year. I saw Matt most weekends, and went home about every other weekend. I learned that nursing school was going to be extremely challenging. I had a very hard time with test taking. It took a lot of studying, and a great deal of sacrificing a life and fun.

I pushed through my sophomore year, then Matt moved away to Illinois. This made life even harder. My support was in a completely different time zone. I have to admit that he truly helped me through nursing school.

I got through Junior year. In the spring, Matt proposed. :-) I thought my next year would go SO fast!

I went to Africa, I had an externship at a large hospital, and I enjoyed summer wedding planning.

I began my senior year, thinking that it was going to be a breeze. It was going to fly by. Matt and I continued to do wedding planning from a distance and when he was able to visit first semester we did some planning. Christmas break came and we spent a month together.

This past semester has been very trying. I am ready to be done. I am ready for my life to begin. I'm ready for the next chapter.

This week, I began to truly see the bright light at the end of the tunnel. I have 2 weeks left of classes and 2 finals.

After so much turmoil and hard work-- this past weekend I was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International, which is the National Honor Society for Nursing. Mind you, I was not even in the National Honor Society in high school. I am extremely excited and proud of myself for this achievement. I have worked hard and persevered through 5 years of college, let downs, being told I wasn't good enough, and sacrificing my life. Here I am at the end of this journey and the beginning of a new journey... and I can't wait for every single new day!!!! Even though I have a lot on my mind, (passing NCLEX, transferring my licensem finding an apartment in Chicago for Matt and I, finding a job in Chicago,... etc) I am so excited and know everything will work out in God's time.

I'm truly enjoying every single day of life right now. :-)
Being inducted into Sigma Theta Tau

My beautiful Grandmother --so supportive and encouraging


My beautiful mother-- could not have gone through these 3 years without her and my dad, who couldn't be there.. My soon to be in-laws. So glad they were there to support me.


Senior nursing girls at the Senior Banquet. :-) Gonna miss them..

My favorite professor. She is so great. Thankful for her continued support...




This upcoming weekend I have an NCLEX review all weekend, but on Saturday evening I have a small dinner bridal shower back home. I'm really excited about it! :-) Like I said... exciting times in my life for the rest of the year!! :-)




Sunday, April 4, 2010

Easter 2010

So, Spring Fashion Week Fail..... I kind of lost interest after the first couple days in taking pictures of myself. But, I did LOVE seeing everyone else's lovely outfits! I got really busy with family being in and didn't really have time to take many pictures of myself. But, I do have some group shots of some of my outfits...

It was a lovely Easter weekend. Most ALL of my family was in. Extended family included. We were all here except the fiance, my uncle Bill, and my cousins boyfriend, Joe. It was a good weekend, but I am exhausted now. I'm trying to get revamped to start packing to go back to school tomorrow and leave for Florida on Tuesday.

Here is my weekend in photos::
Church services and Easter Egg Hunts
Dying Easter Eggs
Shopping and dressing up. :-) (i am in love with that blue dress. the back of it is all lace)



Loving on my nieces. :-)

And family time. :-)


All in all a FANTASTIC Easter weekend.