Our Married Adventure: Giving Thanks (and the October/November Update)

Oh, what a couple of months it has been!

Our days have been filled with tons of work, school, more work, sad tears, happy tears, lots of stress but lots of love. To say the least I have been a rollercoaster of emotions the past couple of months - a lot due to work but mostly our dear Mollie. She passed away in October and while all of our hearts are aching, they are all filled with 16 YEARS of love, joy, laughter, snuggles, feet warming, blanket digging, toy playing and wet nose kisses. To say she was a love of my life is a complete understatement. Mom gave her to me in the 5th grade folks - that qualifies her as a sister and another child for Mom and Dad :)

Forever and Always, Molls, Forever and Always in my heart!

Work is beyond busy as the designs begin to really take shape. I'm working on approximately 7 different attractions, full steam ahead. A hunt has begun for more help with our projects but right now it's just me as the right fit has not been found yet. Onwards! I did move into a private office a couple of weeks ago - really nice to be able to shut the door and let off some steam! :)

I've also been battling an injury during all of this adding to my stress level. Back in September, I strained my right hand (dominant drawing hand) but didn't think much about it as it was just sore. The pain became severe and I went to my primary care doctor. She didn't run an xray but did test me for gout because you could barely touch the area around my index finger knuckle. When that came back negative, she told me to take it easy and if it got worse to call. Two weeks went by with no problem then bam! Major swelling. I couldn't even see my knuckle or the middle finger knuckle next to it! Talk about pain and talk about freaking out! Art is my lively hood! And job! I fought for a week to get an appointment with an orthopedic and finally saw the best. He suggested I try therapy with the best hand specialist in LA (so true and he's great!) so I've been seeing him twice a week for about four weeks now. However, my therapist recently broke his ankle so now I've been without therapy for about three weeks - see my stress level raising? Luckily, he made me a splint that I wear all the time so it rests the joint and keeps the swelling down. I'm on major anti-inflammatory drugs and go back to the orthopedic next month but for now, one day at a time....

On November 10th, Brandon GRADUATED!!!! I am so proud of him!!! I took the day off of work so I could attend his graduation. It was an informal affair with only 30 people in the afternoon graduation - the school has students graduate every three weeks, large turnover but only about a 68% graduation rate. Before each student walked across the stage they announced all of the accomplishments and awards that student had achieved. When it was Brandon's turn I was SO EXCITED! The professor said, "Okay folks. This is when you need to take out your Snickers bars because we are going to be here for awhile." Brandon had 13 awards! Before him, students had maybe two. The audience began clapping for him before they even finished listing his accomplishments. I snapped just these few photos below then stood up and yelled for him! I was so proud and had to embarrass him just a little bit :) When I sat back down, several people around me tapped me on the shoulder to tell me how impressive that was - all smiles :) After the ceremony, he was able to show me around the school then I treated him to a big bbq dinner! We headed home to the south and GA two days later (more on that in a minute) but before we left, he was offered a full-time position at the dealership he is currently working! It's as the same position, lube-tech, and not a mechanic but it is a full-time job in the industry he loves with opportunity to move up so hopefully something opens up soon!

More professional pics to come - I'll upload them when we receive them!

Before Brandon graduated, he received a LARGE shipment of tools from Snap-On that he ordered to do his job - and at a great discount through the school! Mechanics have to provide their own tools and boxes at the dealerships. He is so proud of them and it was so fun to watch him open everything - also hilarious because I had no idea what anything costs. He would hold up some tiny thing the size of my thumb and say, "this costs $100." What! But it's fair because he has no idea what I pay for my art materials ;)

My graduation present to him :)

Like a kid in a candy (tool) store :)

We headed home to GA on a red-eye on November 12th. Thought a red-eye would be a great idea, we leave LA at 11pm and arrive in ATL at 6am. And it was a great idea until we really didn't sleep! Mom and Dad picked us up and had breakfast for us at home then B and I crashed for 4 hours and woke up at 1pm! Oh well, at least it wasn't a full day lost in travel!

We spent lots of time with Grandma Juanita and Mom and Dad. I spent Tuesday afternoon with Amber - major shopping time! Can I just say if you are in Newnan, you HAVE to go to the consignment shops on 34 near Thomas Crossroads (I think that's right, ha!). At one store, I bought three pair of designer jeans for $60. At the other store in the very next shopping complex, I hit the mother-load. I was pretty un-interested in this store but Amber was finding shoes left and right! When we asked how much the shoes were the reply was, "if it has been 30 days you get 25% off, if 60 days you get that item half off." Okay! I got two pair of shoes for $3.00, two pair for $17 (and Guess at that!), two shirts for around $20 and another pair of designer jeans for $13. AH! Go, run, don't walk, but I think you should take Amber, she's my lucky charm and deal spotter ;)

The $3 shoes!

On Wednesday of our visit, we had Thanksgiving! Both Grandma Juanita and Janet came over for the afternoon. We had fried turkey, green beans, cornbread dressing, cranberry sauce, Senator Russell's sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, rolls, pumpkin pie, key lime pie, and coconut cream pie - YUM!
Frying the turkey proved a bit tricky as thunderstorms rolled into the area but Daddy-O and Brandon handled the situation with a curious Juanita watching intently :)

On our last day in GA, we had an organized "Atlanta Day" by Dad. The itinerary was to go to the Cyclorama (as Dad and I had never been), to the Varsity for lunch, then to the top of Stone Mountain via the sky lift. Needless to say, things didn't go as planned....

We had a 10:30am reservation to see the coolest, largest oil painting - along with 204 school children! Really and truly. When we heard that, Mom and I ran to the bathroom then to the gift shop before grabbing our seats. Those little brats talked, chatted, and whispered the entire time and I was ready to strangle every last one of them. But, the whole diorama was just amazing! I can't believe I had never seen it! And did you know that Clark Gable is somewhere in the scene??? I had to literally plug my ears to see with my eyes as even the docent was annoying - he spoke something like this: Basically, this is a diorama of basically the Battle of Atlanta. Basically it is the largest oil painting in the world, basically four stories tall. Basically there is one door in the scene - basically the seats move around the diorama, basically, basicALLY, basICALLY, BASICALLY, BASICALLY, BASICALLY!!!!!!!!!!! Where were the complaint/suggestion cards!!!!!! AH!!!!!!!!!!!

The Yanks!

Next we head to the glorious Varsity for lunch - I had a slaw dog and chili dog calling my name :)

Last we headed to Stone Mountain where we were once again faced with two charter buses of children. After purchasing our tickets and seeing the kids in line, we decided to wait longer for the next lift to take us to the top. As we were the next in line to head up, the winds kicked up and they had to shut down the sky lifts! Mom and I have been to the top but Dad and Brandon have not - needless to say Dad was disappointed. The kicker is, the kids we waited to NOT be on the lift with were now stranded at the top! The only option for them was to walk down, the only option for us was a refund! We walked around for a little bit but with "limited attractions open" we shortly headed home - we did however, see the little rascals running down the mountain so everyone made it back safely :)

Next time, Dad!

We flew back Friday of that week at 8:20 am and landed in LA around 10:30am - so easy going West!
I've had a really short, easy week at work which is so what has been needed. Brandon is on his 9am-6pm work schedule - no more 4am wake up alarms!!! Yay! And I am trying to get used to him being at the apartment in the mornings and leaving before him, still weird :)

And now today, it is Thanksgiving! We've begun decorating the apartment for Christmas, hanging stockings and stringing lights on the tree. Also worked on our fabulous Christmas card today coming soon to you! Still not sure what we will do for dinner (as we hope to find some restaurant open) and will be having a neighbors Thanksgiving celebration feast tomorrow.....

We are thankful for each other, neighbors, jobs, health, time with family (can't wait to see Mom here in LA in a couple of weeks!), the time I had and we both had with Miss Mollie, true best friends, and all the memories in between!

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

And I'll try to get back on top of this blog ;)

****UPDATE****

We found a place for dinner! A restaurant called Black Angus - kind of like a Longhorns.....and only a 30 minute wait! And boy was there a TON of food!! I forsee major exercising in my future, meaning I need it now to get rid of that feast!