and it was great!!! Andrew and I went to Birmingham this past weekend for a wedding marathon. We went to Lance's wedding Saturday night and then went out with a bunch of people. I was able to see Natalie and Reba out Saturday night (which is sadly not documented by any fun pictures). It was amazing to see familiar faces! I didn't want it to end!! Sunday we got up and went to MBCC, which was also great! I got to see girls from church and hear Tim speak one last time. It felt great being back in the ham! Sunday after church we ate lunch with Reba at Whole Foods, just a quick bite and we were off to Atlanta for Andrew's cousin's wedding. I got to meet the whole fam and they were great. His little sister, Sadie, was there and I absolutely ADORE her! Im so glad she will be in Dallas this summer. She attends Baylor so she when she goes back in the fall Im sure we wil be making frequent trips to Baylor. She is wonderful, so full of life! Andrew and I had a fun night of dancing with the great band. Then back to Birmingham on Monday. We were exhausted to say the least. It was a travel marathon. Oh yeah, dont forget that we had a rental car that smelled like smoke and it was a Rav4! I love the Rav! It revved, thats for sure! 

So Monday afternoon, Andrew dropped me off at Natalie's for some much needed Natalie time. Yes, there were many tears shed this weekend as well, but it was a refreshing trip that was much needed! I thoroughly enjoyed my time seeing friends. Lo stopped by to say hey, which was a nice little surprise bc I didn't think I was gonna get to see her. It just felt like home. I loved it!

Monday early evening Natalie, Andrew, and I grilled out for an early dinner, which was also a nice surprise since our flight didn't leave till later. All that is also undocumented...sadly!

We got back to Dallas Monday night and were absolutely zonked! Here are some fun pics from the Sunday cousin wedding!

Dancing!! Enjoying the great band!!

Sadie, Andrew, and I at the wedding!

Sweet siblings

Me and Sadie! Love the girl!

One down

One week down! Can't believe I've been living in Dallas for a week. Kinda crazy. Im learning my way around little by little. I made a rule the first few days I was here that everytime I get lost, Im buying myself a Sprinkles cupcake! Yum! I think I had 4 one day! ha! If I keep this up, Im be buying all new clothes. Not good.

Tomorrow starts work. Im excited. First two days are hospital orientation, completely normal for a hospital. Wednesday will be more real so we will see how that goes. 

School is almost over. This week I will take my last 2 tests and then I will have 1 class left. I might take the summer off to just enjoy Dallas and take a deep breath. But then again, who knows, I might just bite the dust. 

This week has definitely had its ups and downs. From staring at the ceiling because I didn't know where to start to getting lost to forming a love/hate relationship with Target (which is usually love love love target!) to some frustrations of just missing the normal life. But, I will say being in the same city as Andrew outweighs it all! Its been amazing. Adjusting to life in Dallas has been hard but he has made it a lot easier. He has put up with "Missy Pissy" this week while I complain about missing my friends and the frustrations of getting lost. I know things will get easier day by day and week by week as I continue to learn the city. I do know the major points: Andrew's house, the grocery store, the mall, work, little fun villages, the interstate, and of course Sprinkles Cupcakes! But thats it! One day it took me an hour to get home from the library where I have to take my school test and its literally maybe 5-8 miles from my house. Nice huh?!?! I think that deserves 5 cupcakes. 

Andrew and I have been able to have meals, go to a movie, run, and enjoy day to day happenings. Kinda crazy if you ask me! Today we were just enjoying a Sunday and it got to be around 430pm (the usual time I fly out), and I thought to myself.....ah, I don't fly out today, I stay! Its fun starting to date (in the same city). We both enjoy it! 

On a side note, a BIG side note---Congratulations Hannah to getting in grad school! Yeah! 

On another HUGE side note, Congratulations to Julie!! Happy entering the world Ellie and Kathyrn! 

Fun pics of my favorite niece and nephew in honor of Derby weekend. =)

She has a full out mohawk! Love it!

Michele and Tyler 

Gotta love hand-me-downs from his dad when he was a kid

Dallas!!

We made it! Yeah!

What a weekend. Andrew and I picked Natalie up at 6am and hit the road for a 10.5 hr drive. The Uhaul was haulin'! With 5 or 6 stops between, it actually was easier than I ever imagined. Easier in the hours of driving not easier in leaving my friends!

We did great and unpacked everything in under 1.5 hrs. 

We were pretty exhausted and enjoyed a nice relaxing meal with wine and great conversation. I was so lucky to have Natalie and Andrew for familiar faces for the first night. Natalie left Sunday, which was not the easiest of things to do. I can't thank her enough for her support in riding in a car for 10.5 hrs and putting up with me. Truly a Godsend! 

Its hard not having many familiar faces around. 

I mean driving is usually a thoughtless process but has now turned to a new source of stress. Dallas has these "access roads" next to the interstate and Im glad Im still living today. I think I ran 5 red lights on the way to Bed Bath and Beyond. I don't know many streets, I would love to see my face as I drive. A stressed out face. I think I need a glass of wine everytime I get out of the car. Its so different! 

Welcome to Dallas, as Andrew says! 

I have put together most of my apartment, still missing little odds and ends. The TV is coming tomorrow and I just have lots of blank space to fill. Its hard so hard to fill those spots. But we will see how far I can get with that. 

I go to work Wed morning to do some paper work and my first official day is Monday, Cinco De Mayo! How appropriate. I will be needed a large margarita after that day. I think the first few days will be orientation and then the next week will hit full force with being on the floors. Thats a whole new realm of stress/overwhelming feelings. We will get into that after work has started. 

As we started entering TX, we started making a list of the top 10 reasons you know you are in TX:

(I didnt finish all 10 and I lost the list so here are the top 5)

5. More Spanish speaking radio stations than you can count in the states of AL, TN, and MS.

4. Big Joe's Towing (speaks for itself)

3. We reach my apartment and my neighbors don't just have out-of-town guests, but out-of-COUNTRY guests.

2. More TX flags and stars you can count.

1. A toothless man greeting us at the TX welcome center with a goofy grin saying "Welcome to Texas"

Here are some pics from the first few days! Enjoy.

Southwest Airlines has great airfares to Dallas. Please start looking! Im excited to show off my new "home." 

The Uhaul!

(Gotta love that AL license plates, I already miss them)

Entering the Great State of Texas!

Here are some apartment pics:

Kitchen

Den

Hopefully things will keep coming together! Hope to see your faces down here soon!

Rachel Shaub!

Congratulations! What a wonderful and amazing weekend!
The whole weekend and every fun festivity was perfect. Everyone had so much fun. From the welcome party with pizza and salad to the ocean crashing in the background and seagulls flying above during the ceremony singing their harmony. Beautiful weather, a fun band, great food, and a stunning bride!
Here are some pics...I have none from the wedding but once I get them, I will post some!

Go Keish!

Get it Girl! We are pulling from you from all over the country!




Hannah, Brittney, and Courtney are there to support. We are so excited for you and cant wait to see the crown on you! =)
Mary posted this on her blog and I thought I would as well to get the word out:
Vote Keisha (Alabama) Miss Photogenic at www.nbc.com
Be sure to watch tonight at 8pm Central Time on NBC.

Sips n' Strokes

The abstract girls hard at work!

So much fun! We have been trying to do this since about November. Finally, we got our chance to become wine sipping artist! The concept is so fun. Sips n' Strokes---drink wine while you paint. At first I thought, how therapeutic then I realized my type A personality was coming out and I started to get frustrated. After we got past the initial first few steps and I sipped on my beverage of choice, which helps get the creative juices flowing, I was much better off! Our group was great--kali, emily, eleanor, lo, mac, and her friend jessica. We all had a blast. Emily, Eleanor, and Kali really had creative juices flowing as they went out on a limb and painted their own abstract.
Here are the results from beginning to end:

Getting ready to start our venture of becoming an artist!


About half way finished! Its coming along, slowly but surely!

The final touches!!


I give props to Kali--hers was amazing. She had no instruction, just a painting by her feet that she followed. I encouraged her to give up being a pharmacist and move on to a full-time artist!

West Palm Beach!

I got a start late on my West Palm Beach trip due to many cancellations in the Delta Airlines on Thursday morning. I was stranded at the airport but Rachel T. was sweet enough to come get me after Laura had dropped me off. I was soon to find out that hundreds of flights had been cancelled that day. So I went back home and started my month off work. I sat on the couch and was not sure what to do with all my time, which is what Im doing this morning. Im beside myself. I have plenty of school work for my master's classes to do, which could keep me busy for a couple of months right now. But off course Ill procrastinate that.

So it was like groundhog's day on Friday when Laura and I left at 615 for the airport again. I made it, I was on the plane!
I got to West Palm Beach around noon on friday. It was pretty much Tyler and Ellie's nap time when I arrived so I took myself to the pool and proceeded to get fried the first day. The sun loved me! I was so burnt. After nap time Tyler got in the pool and we played all afternoon. It was great to spend such great time with everyone.

Friday night Taffy and John (Tyler's parents) took Michele, Tyler, and me into Palm Beach for dinner. It was amazing and I had some of the best seafood ever. From crab claws and jumbo shrimp to saffron rissoto with lump crab and lobster meat. mmmmm! so amazing! This of course was followed by 4 desserts--which Missy pretty much consumed all of them after everyone had at 1 bite.

The rest of the weekend was pretty much relaxing, playing with Ellie and Tyler, and helping however I could. I failed to take lots of pictures. Michele pretty much has all the great pictures. I'll have to get some from her. But here are a couple that I do have.

On the Wed before I left, Katie, Shae, and Annabelle came in town and Lo, JD, and I were able to meet them for dinner. It was a great visit. Loved seeing them and visiting over a great meal at PF Changs! Annabelle was a great little one and I loved catching up with Katie. She looks great with a little bump! Cant wait to meet Baby Boy Hinson soon!