Pre-Homecoming Makeover

I got bored with the living room 1 week before Dan is to be stateside. so what do i do? completely tear it apart and hope to have it back together by Saturday. Well, the first project is done and i must say I'm pretty happy with it. With a little inspiration from Pinterest, here is the result:

I went to my old friend Craigslist.com, and found a dining room table and cut down the top. I would have used the table legs that came with the dining room table, but they were to short for this crate. so i picked up some new table legs (and brackets) from Home Depot.

The design on the top was inspiration from one of my favorite websites, Pinterest.com. With a little tape, a little spray paint, and some polycrylic sealer we have ourselves a lovely new end table.

I went 1 step further and sewed a curtain to drape around the outside of the crate. Rocky prefers to sleep in the dark, and it hides the awful gold crate walls. There is extra fabric in the front that drapes across and ties on the side, for a completely hidden crate.

Function AND beauty!

The Dome...

I'm finding my new position to be a real challenge(which is SUCH a nice change of pace!) and it has neat little rewards, like the one on wednesday. We took a feild trip to "the dome". now when this was first proposed to me, i was unaware of the full extent of what it meant, but i was soon to find out. here is a picture of us at the top of the Dome.

and here is a picture of where we were in relation to the rest of the building.

and here is what the inside of that building looks like. Right underneath us is the 20 foot marble Jesus, that was a gift back in the 1800s or something. the Jesus is directly below where we were.

The trip up to the top of the Dome was literally a journey back in time. the Dome is on the original hospital (now referred to as the billings building, billings was the architect who designed it) which was built in the 1800s. We went up to the top floor(5th) then up to the attic, through a room that is the front room of the attic, if you look at the picture of the outside of the hospital, towards the top near the dome, it is the only perfectly square window. when they stopped using that room for patients, they made at a physicians recreational room, and in the room was a "wall ball" (court, i guess you could call it, but it was by no means, what a wall ball court looks like today) and you could see the wall with the marks from where the wall balls hit it, really cool. from there we climbed a fire ladder( and iron ladder that just goes straight up) through a small passageway, then we got to the actual Dome, on the inside wall is a set of very narrow, very steep stairs that trace up the dome, then there is an old wooden platform (that of course, has been reinforced over the years) that has steep stairs going straight up, at the platform was a little place to stop and sign your name on the inside of the Dome, there were signatures from the 60s! Then we open a hatch, and go out on to the 360 degree balcony. Talk about a view. it was so cool to be up there, i mean, WHO gets to do that?? and the city ACTUALLY looked nice from up there, too bad you couldn't just go thru the city from up there, i might actually like the city in that case. ha! At any rate, I really love my new position so far. It’s pretty intense, but i find i work better when more is happening.

Wedding Happenings

On Friday, my "work family" totally surprised me with a "shower" of sorts. it was really nice, with sandwiches, cake and balloons. The funny thing is- they did it all under my nose, literally. See as you might already know, in my current position i work the front desk, pretty much everyone has to pass by me to get into the trailer, with the exception of a few side doors. Well all 25+ employees snuck around and went in and out of said side doors to put this together for me. it was really sweet and i was totally surprised. even my "future" boss (i say "future" boss because she is technically everyone's boss) came by for a minute, which apparently- never happens, which made me smile. however, I'm unsure if i over-stepped my boundaries by hugging her, but then again, as everyone knows- i am a hugger, and hugging is what i do- so maybe she'll just have to get used to it!- but don't tell her i said that..... 

The most touching part was afterwards, when i read my card and counted what was raised for me. now i won't say how much was in there, but it certainly  was heartfelt. i was a little stunned actually, and my work bff, Rebekah, proceeded to inform me that i am loved very much, and that everyone notices how much i love my job, and how hard i work. it was really touching, and made me feel really good. but kinda sad at the same time, as i am leaving that particular post and moving to my new job. but then i remembered that #1 I'm getting a raise & #2 I'll just be across the hall, so i can go bug everyone whenever i want :). 

In other news, it's down to the wire, for the wedding and the anticipation is killing me!!! we are SO excited.  Dan and i have the best family and friends in the world, hands down. but everyone knew that already. We have received a couple gifts here at the house which is great fun because i get to do stuff like this:

oh, he LIKES IT!!!!!
And don't you worry, Rocky is not left out:

And again in other wedding news, Michelle, Carrie and Karen surprised me last Friday with a bachelorette party in Annapolis. The girls up here are so awesome! i Love them! 

good times!

PROMOTION!!!

if you haven't heard already, i was offered a promotion! and i took it! i will now be working as an assistant to the VP of facilities. but i don't know when i start, hopefully soon!!!

UPDATE!

So i called the tuition reimbursement office at johns Hopkins, like 3 weeks ago, to see if the program I chose would qualify for reimbursement. well, they finally called me back, (after i hassled them non-stop) and informed me that the degree program, Environmental Policy and Management, with a concentration in Global Management, DOES NOT qualify for reimbursement! what’s up with that? whateves---

Spring, or so they say.....

SO the first day of spring was last month, don't ask which day, I can't remember. Yesterday there were snow flurries! Flurries!! This is spring? It’s quite depressing that this is what is considered spring up here. Mainly sad for my co-workers as they have yet to experience my spiffy spring wardrobe (yup! I said spiffy) complete with flowery skirts and sparkly pink open toed shoes..... ahh, my poor, poor co-workers, I guess they will just have to wait it out, until the weather takes a turn for the better.
In other news, I have decided to go back to school. This comes along with mixed emotions. I've never really "enjoyed" school as many of my friends have; however, the opportunity has presented itself to me in the form of tuition re-imbursement, via Johns Hopkins hospital. Again- there are mixed emotions. Yes, it is a great program, but there is a predictable clause. As of the day after graduation, I must "pay back" my time, with 2 full years of employment. Which is still a pretty sweet deal. However, as of May 29th, 2009, as you all know, I will be a military wife- and with that comes the ever-present possibility of at a moments notice, dropping everything and moving across the state, across the country or across the world, pretty much where ever good 'ole uncle Sam decides for you to land. Which again I have no problem with. However, if I am to leave Hopkins before the said 2 years is complete.... you guessed it, I must pay the tuition back in full. Dan and I decided that IF he gets re-stationed I would stay here, rent a small place and finish out my time spearte from him, to avoid having to pay back all the tuition. Sucks, but we would do it if we had too.

SO here I am. now up until last night, I had decided that this was truly a wonderful opportunity, and that I must take advantage, hopefully Dan wouldn't get re-stationed and we would stay here for at least 3 more years (until this tour is up- will he re-enlist? thats a whole 'nother entry entirely). I would hurry hurry hurry through school (meaning- do it really quick and hopefully finish in 1 year, all the while earning 'B' or better grades {which i must in order to recive credit for masters level courses} in each class, and hopefully not having to drop any classes or fail any classes, at all, with NO wiggle room) finish in 1 year, then commit myself to Hopkins for 2 more years, and then hopefully (if Dan does NOT re-enlist) get done with Hopkins, at approximately the same time he is to leave the USMC. Seems kinda stressful, but for an opportunity such as this, I was going to do it. BUT THEN LAST NIGHT my wonderful, super smart fiancé came home with great news! He found out about a program for active duty spouses wanting to go to college. I could get approx. $6000 from Uncle Sam to go to school!!! Which is great! because- a. I wasn't going back to school till after the wedding anyway (one thing at a time here people) b. I can take my time, and concentrate on the courses at hand, and not stress (as much) c. I don't have to commit time ANYWHERE and we could get stationed on Mars and I could still attend school (that is, if Mars had a wi-fi hook-up). Now we will have to "eat" some of the cost, but Dan and I have decided it’s worth it if I get the chance to take my time, and not be committed to one place. If we weren't at the mercy of Uncle Sam, you can bet your buns I’d take advantage of the program here at Hopkins. I LOVE my job, and in this economy it is a God send. I wish Hopkins could just follow Dan and me where ever we go. Oh well.

In other news, i went home last weekend for my bridal Tea Party. Janet, Mom and all my girls did an AMAZING job, i was totally floored. we had a great time. 50 days until the wedding!

Janet, Myself and Momma

The room all set up Moms China My Custom M&M's from Samantha
Cow Creamer! i think this is just cool. My Custom Sugar cubes from Kristi. Here are all the grand Daughters with our Nana

What a great day!

bzzzzz......

I know, I know, I’ve been HORRIBLE at keeping this up lately, and I’m sorry, but let's be honest, it probably wont get better until after the wedding. So until then, visit our wedding site. Click Here!

January!!!

what a month! wedding prepartions are coming along well.

i headed to Florida for Noahs first birthday, and what a trip! here are a few of my favorite pictures from the week:

Magic Kingdom

Here is everyone at "tuskers" for breakfast with the Characters in Animal Kingdom

Daisy was getting "fresh" with Scott

Noah at the drivers seat

Good times with friends!

What a weekend!

And lastly, on a sad note, we had to say goodbye to a family member. Lilly passed on last Saturday. But please don't be sad. She had the best life of any dog i have ever known. i remember when we had some work done to the house, the construction workers told my mother "when i die, i want to come back as your dog" she was a wonderful dog, and we miss her very much.

Johns Hopkins whirl-wind

WHEW! what a week! Johns Hopkins is a pretty amazing place to work. Orientation was 2 1/2 days long, and they just bombarded me with information. which was cool, but overwhelming. the hospital itself is like a small city, and i compare it to disney, because it has it's very own underground world.  But i really like it, and everyone seems to be SO happy to be there.  Everyone in my office is really nice, and it seems to be a pretty easy job. I am subtley starting to make it clear that i plan to move out of my secretarial position. i'll be hopefull about that :)

Dan and i are pretty much fixed on getting married on May 29th, in Naples on the beach. (YAY!) 

 Within the next 3 weeks or so, be looking for your save the date cards!!!

Engaged!!!

Yup! as of 12/24! and, as it so happens, so is my BFF Carol. Dan and i are planning to get married on May 23rd, memorial day weekend. well that is until we change our minds again. we will keep everyone informed, promise.

We couldn't get the camera to focus on my finger! hence the "box" pictures