The Words I Thought I'd Never Say

There are words I never thought I'd say and then there are words that I hoped I would never say and these words are the ones that I hoped I wouldn't say, "I miss the college days."  Yes, I said it.  I miss college.  Or maybe it's not that I miss college as much as I miss the people that made college fun.  I woke up this morning feeling a bit empty inside.  My heart is just missing something special.  I realize that what I'm feeling empty about is my friends from college.  I miss them more than words can describe.  This group of friends are special.  I know that when we are in our forties and sixties we will still be having get-togethers and it will be like we never lived hundreds of miles from each other. 

I met this group of friends (The Boggtrotters are what we call ourselves) while working at ETSU Financial Aid Office.  We all worked in the back file room.  Working in the file room is absolutely the most BORING job you can have on the face of the planet, but I can honestly say that I enjoyed going to work just because my friends were there and I knew that from the time I walked in to the time I left I would be laughing my head off.  We had a blast in that office (on most days, anyway.)  Not all of the people that worked in the file room were our friends though, but we always tried to make an effort.  There were 8 of us that just clicked from day one and we've been Boggtrotters ever since.  We had some crazies that worked with us and when I say crazy, I mean CrAzY!  We had a lady that called herself a witch (casting spells and all) who was a Social Work major and locked herself INSIDE her house one day, yikes!  We had a worker that would come in so high from smoking pot that you would feel like you were getting high too just from her smell (She only lasted a couple of weeks.)  And there were many other crazies too.  But it was fun.  And I can't remember ever laughing as much as I did when I was there.  But then graduations started happening and one by one someone was gone and it eventually wasn't fun anymore.  But those are days I'll never forget.

We started hanging out outside of the office and that's when the real fun began.  We had weekly dinners and there were weekly tv shows some of us would come together to watch (One Tree Hill, Laguna Beach, The Hills).  We were always getting into something.  Out of the 8 of us, there was only one guy.  Travis.  And oh my goodness he's a funny man.  He was usually the reason behind our laughs.  You don't even understand until you meet him.  I usually brought my video camera along with us just to capture some of the funny things Travis would do.  We still laugh til this day about some of the things he's done or said. 

I just miss having them around to laugh with and to be silly with.  Sometimes people just need to be silly. The few get-togethers we have a year is just not enough, but of course I'll take what I can get.  I can still sit here and laugh about something that happened 6 years ago and I will hold onto those memories for a lifetime.

Now, we are all married, except for Travis (but he has an awesome girlfriend that I'm crossing my fingers for him to marry) and our husbands have all become really good friends too.  So it makes it that much more fun to have all the girls and their hubbys at reunions.  I think the husbands talk to eachother on the phone more than us gals do these days.  It's funny how close they all are.  I love it!

I guess I woke up missing my friends so much this morning because they threw me and Erin (a boggtrotter who is pregnant also- we're a week a part) a surprise baby shower on Saturday.  And now that we are all back to our busy, grown up lives and I won't be seeing them for a few months, it makes me sad. 

I just want to go back to college and work in Fin Aid- just for one day.  Just to have a good laugh and make my heart happy. 

Sunshine Makes Me Wanna Dance

I know, I know, I know... My plan to keep me writing daily didn't work.  But let's face it, I'm just not the "write on my blog everyday kinda gal."  Sure, I'd love to write on it everyday but it's just not in me.  It's time that I admitted it to you and to myself.

This beautiful sunny weather we're having gave me a little motivation to update you on whats been goin' on with me.  It also makes me wanna do a little dance.  The sunshine isn't the only thing that makes me wanna jig right now though... My cute hubby will be home in just a couple of hours from work.  He has been at work for the last 36 hours and I have missed him tons! 

I don't have too much going on these days but I guess it's been nice to be able to rest a bit.  I'm ready to find another job though, that's for sure.  I'm not the stay-at-home type.  But I may be saying something completely different once the little one gets here. 

Speaking of the little one... WE'RE HAVING A BOY!!  We are going to name him Liam Bradley.  Let me tell ya, he's a kicker!  It feels like he's doing aerobics in my belly.  And by the way, my belly is getting HUGE!  It freaks me out because I still have like 4 months to go.  I don't know where this baby is going to fit considering  he was 12 ounces 2 weeks ago and he will probably be between 6-8 pounds when he's born. Yikes! 

Lydia, my sister-in-law, bought me the book "Belly Laughs" by Jenny McCarthy and it is HILARIOUS!  But it really made me realize that my pregnancy is probably freakishly easier than most.  Not a single day of morning sickness, no mood swings (yet), I've only had a couple of cravings, the only way I can even tell that I am pregnant is for the fact that my belly can't hide it and I can feel him kicking.  I've had a few bones that have ached pretty bad at times but other than than, It's been smooth sailing so far (Thank you, Jesus!)  Anyway, back to the book, Jenny tells it like it is and I think anyone who is pregnant should read it just to get a good laugh.

I will post new ultrasound pics of Liam as soon as I dig my scanner out of it's hiding place.
Hope you all have a wonderful day! 

XOXO
Kelli

Ten Things Tuesday

Hiya Franz!  So today is Ten Things Tuesday.  This will be the day that I tell you about 10 things that I've learned or a new favorite or a new thought or just whatever I've come to realize over the past week.  So here are my 10 things for the week.

1. The Lord has blessed us sooo much lately.  Thank you Jesus!
2. I don't like to be pushed into something.  If I tell you "no" or "not right now" then that's what I mean.
3. Strawberry Fruitista Freezes from Taco Bell are my new weakness.
4. I hate unpacking.  Especially when I don't have enough space for everything.
5. I drink a lot of milk. 
6. I keep unnecessary things... For a LONG time.
7. Sitting in silence makes me sleepy. And bored. Not a good combo.
8. I have a lot of ideas, but I don't know where to start.
9. Melton Lake Park in Oak Ridge is not that cool. 
10. I can't wait until we get to register for the baby.  And I really can't wait to find out if we're having a boy or a girl!

Since I missed Memory Monday, I'll go ahead and share a memory with you now.  I was reminded of this memory earlier this week when I was looking for something for lunch.  This is a memory of my Nan and I think it's appropriate to share since she has been gone for one year on the 10th of this month.  It's a memory of Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup.  I can remember the very first time I ate it.  It's just one of those things I'll never forget.  I was 5 years old and my brother and I were spending the night with my nan.  It was storming very bad outside and I was scared.  So to calm me down, nan cooked us some Cream of Chicken soup and she told us that it was pourage.  She had us sit in the floor with our blankets and pillows while we ate, and she told us the story of Goldie Locks and the Three Bears (she always told us stories).  Of course, this is where the pourage came from.  And I believed her that it was pourage.  I didn't know that it was Cream of Chicken soup at the time.  It was such a fun night.  I'll never forget it.  She was a fun person and I miss her terribly.  And now I'm craving soup. 

XoXo,
Kelli

Funday Sunday

Okay, so I totally missed Shareday Saturday... I knew I was gonna be bad at this!  (Wink, wink)  Funday Sunday is going to be when I blog about what ever comes to my mind for the moment.  Today I suppose I will just write what was going to be for Shareday Saturday.  Shareday Saturdays I will tell you about what I did in the past week.  So here it is...

Basically, my week consisted of a lot of unpacking (can you believe I'm still not done?!) and a lot of napping.  This pregnancy stuff really wears a lady out!  I don't like being so tired all the time.  It's no fun at all.  They say that you get more energy when you're in your  second trimester... well, I'm still waiting on my energy to kick in people.

 I got to visit with my best friend Lydia (also sister-in-law) and my adorable niece and nephews, TWICE this week.  It's always a joy to see their sweet faces.  My hubs worked late almost every night so I've been pretty lonely lately.  But he and I got to spend a lot of time together over the weekend, so my heart is happy.  He is becoming obsessed with my belly.  It's getting huge by the way.  It seems like it grew a ton over night.  I'm 18 weeks today, can you believe it?!  We will find out what the baby is SOON!  Soooo excited! 

Brad and I took a long drive back to Johnson City today because silly me forgot our silverware at our old house when we were moving.  I left it right in the drawer.  I realized that I don't miss that drive one single bit!  That was my week in a nutshell.

Now, I'd like to do a little ranting if you don't mind. 
For the past 18 weeks, I've been pregnant.  I've not had one single day of morning sickness.  Not one.  If I haven't yet, then the chances are that I'm not going to.  BUT there are a few people who ask me EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. we talk "How are you feeling?"  "You been sick?" (in that deeply concerned voice) and it's really starting to get to me.  They treat me as if I have a disease and I'm dying.  They know that I've not been sick at all, but yet that question still comes rolling right off their tongue every time. EVERY TIME.  I don't have a serious illness people... I'm just pregnant.  So please stop talking to me like I'm going to die.  That's the only thing that has driven me crazy with this pregnancy so far... I've even been able to handle the belly patting, but the question "How are you feeling" crawls right under my skin.  I can hear the words being spoken right now in my head and it makes me shiver.  Sorry for the rant, but I had to.  Funday Sunday! ; )

Okay, good night bloggers!!  Have a wonderful week! 

A Little Something New + Photo Friday

I've been thinking and I've decided to try a little something new on my blog just to make it a little more fun for myself (and hopefully it will motivate me to write more often.)  I've decided to designate a category to write about for each day of the week.  For example:  Memory Monday, Thankful Thursday, Photo Friday, etc. I don't know how long this will last, but I thought I'd give it a try.  And hopefully I can keep up with it. 

Every Friday, I'll share a photo I've taken recently with my new camera.  I'm trying to learn everything about it, so bare with me as I'm still new to all of this photography stuff.  I'm kinda glad I get to start with "Photo Friday". 

Here is a picture that I took on my camera's first outing...  

(Click the image to see it larger)

This picture was taken from Norris Dam of the Norris Dam Marina.  It is one of my first shots taken from my new camera and it is my very first night shot.  You can even see the stars!!!  This picture makes me so ready for summer... I love Norris lake!

See you tomorrow for "Share Day Saturday!"

"Indescribable. Uncontainable. You placed the stars in the sky and you know them by name.  You are amazing God." -Chris Tomlin

Surrounded by Boxes

So here I am... Sitting in Clinton, bored out of my mind, on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.  My sweet hubs had to work this morning so I'm just waiting on him to get off so we can enjoy this lovely day together.  I need out of this apartment in a baaaad way!  I'm surrounded by boxes.  Everywhere I look there is a box.  And I've already unpacked like a million of them but they just don't seem to disappear. EVER!  I've considered picking up a few unpacked boxes and just tossing them in the dumpster.  Probably wouldn't miss the stuff anyway.  I've also thought about just dumping everything out into the floor just so I can get rid of the mountain of boxes that sit in front of my face.  I found myself just starring at them yesterday for a good 30 mins.  It's like I was frozen and couldn't move.  All I could do was stare and wonder where was I going to put it all?!  I'm definitely going to be having a yard sale in the near future, that for sure.  Heck, maybe I can just have a "yard" sale now and let people come in a buy a whole box. Wanna buy a box??

On a good note though, I live in walking distance to Hamack's Perkadeli (best chicken salad ever!)  I've already bought a pound of Darlene's Chicken Salad.  Yes, a pound. 

On another good note, I also live in walking distance to the Git-N-Go market, which sells really good Fried Pickles.  I had those for dinner last night and I wish I had them for breakfast and lunch today too.  They are THAT good.  (I don't know why I say that things are in walking distance to our apartment... I have a car and I plan on always driving to both of those places.)  

Speaking of apartments... It's been a bit of an adjustment moving from a house with tons of privacy, to an apartment with no privacy.  It hasn't been that bad though.  I keep telling myself, "It's only for a year."  I don't like the rules they have here either.  They have some really dump rules... 'No grills allowed', 'Don't shake your rugs out of your windows', 'Walk your pets at least 20 feet from the buildings', etc.  I don't like rules.

Well, I hope you folks have a wonderful weekend!  Let me know if you wanna buy a box.  ; )  Kidding. Kinda. 

xoxo
Kelli

Bittersweet

This is the post that I've been wanting to write for about a year now, but now that I'm finally writing it I feel a bit of sadness in my heart.  We are finally moving... THIS WEEKEND!  Finally getting to move is a bittersweet feeling.  I'm really excited, but at the same time I'm sad to leave this place I've called home for nearly 8 years.  Brad got a job at the Anderson County EMS a few weeks ago and he's been traveling back and forth to work.  But after weeks of searching for a place to live we finally found something... so no more traveling for him!  He actually got a job in CC too but he's only doing part time for them.  He's apparently the "Man Candy" of EMS because he's been offered a job for 4 different counties.  If only his job hiring skills would rub off on me now. 

Today was sadly the last day of my job at ETSU.  I loved that job so I hate to go, but I know that God has something amazing planned for me.  Like maybe a future career in photography?!  Brad bought me a new camera for Valentine's Day and I super excited about it.  Hands down the best gift ever!  I'm one lucky lady, that's for sure. 

my new camera



We were not supposed to get to move into our new apartment until March 1st, but we got a call yesterday telling us that we could move in this weekend.  So I went from having 2 weeks to prepare to move to 3 days.  It's a bit overwhelming trying to get our entire house packed up in just a few days.  I'm just glad that I took a couple of days last week to pack some. And I'm sad that we won't get to say our goodbyes to Johnson City the proper way.  We had plans to go to all our favorite places before we left, but we obviously don't have time to do it now.  And worst of all, we won't get to say goodbye to our church friends on Sunday.  But I know we'll make plenty of visits to JC. 

I guess I should give you a pregnancy update... Baby is doing fine and growing like a little weed!  I'm 15 weeks.  My belly has really popped out and I don't like it one bit.  Everyone says how cute it is, but lets be honest- It's not cute.  I feel so blah.  And I've had my belly patted uncountable times in the past week.  Baby is the size of a navel orange.

It's been fun, but I gotta go pack some more.  I'll keep you updated on the big move!  The next time I blog, I'll probably be sitting in Clinton.  Woo-hoo!  Nite-nite blog bugs!