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Monday, October 15, 2012

Rusty is growing up...

Our insanely sweet and adorable puppy is growing up. This weekend I was letting him chew on my fingers-- one of his favorite things to do-- and noticed he had a loose tooth. When we finally got him to let us back in his mouth to look it was gone. And then a couple hours later, same story. He's losing teeth, but swallows them so we can't save them for the tooth fairy. He doesn't understand why this is a problem. I tried to explain over & over that the tooth fairy brings money so he can buy lots of toys!

Sunday night Rusty rang the doorbell to go outside to potty. See, we have these chimes that hang at the bottom of our door. Reggie was a good puppy and learned to ring the bell to go out, so we thought maybe Rusty would learn to use them too. They've been up for a couple weeks and today he actually rang the chimes and out he went, did his business and came back in.


Sunday, October 14, 2012

October 2012 Tornado

Let me paint this semi-embarrassing picture:
It's a Saturday night, around 9PM or so, Ryan & I are in our pajamas, on the couch, cuddling with the puppy and watching the DVR. Ok, ok, so it was Jersey Shore on the DVR, it's true... I almost died watching Jersey Shore on a Saturday night-- and I'm ok with it.
We are watching TV and this storm is getting insane around us. We hear the rain and it sounds like it's coming into the apartment-- it's coming in sideways-- it's loud and I say to Ryan "maybe we should turn on the weather." So off goes Jersey Shore and I turn it on to Channel 5 News-- you know the news channel with Garrett Lewis. One look at his sleeves and you know if you're in trouble or not... I hear Garrett's calm voice and the only words he says are "there's rotation..." and off go the lights, the TV and we're now sitting in the dark. (A link to Garrett Lewis' update)
We thought about our options, I called my parents to see if they had electricity and we contemplated driving over there. If the electricity was going to be out for hours on end we would just pack up a few things and head over to my parents, for air conditioning and TV... but we opted to stay in. Just go to bed early. Our awesome Saturday night. We were admittedly totally unaware. We walked outside to see if the entire apartment complex was without electricity, spoke to a neighbor, got Rusty to take his last outside break and then went to bed.
I woke up Sunday morning to a few tweets about destruction right down the road from us-- to put into perspective for those who don't know, if you stayed at the Staybridge for our wedding, we live right across the street and down about a quarter of a mile. The most destruction was up the same road as the hotel-- at my dad's office. Maybe a mile from us an entire Doctor's office was destroyed. They lost their roof, some buildings lost windows, and every where you looked trees down. The wind was blowing so oddly it actually spun out a car and caused a bank to lose it's sign.
The doctor's Office

The car that spun

The car went for an unintended ride


Highland Oncology lost windows!

Trees were uprooted, branches were broke

Big trees, little tress... trees on their side.

 

This stop sign was on top of a car last night
We are so thankful that we survived completely intact-- without any harm to us and barely any harm to anyone. We were totally oblivious, the destruction was in a mostly business area on a weekend night-- God was looking out for all of us.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Puppies and prayers...

Wow, two blog posts in two days. I guess you could say I might have gotten the motivation from some where and sadly the start of this motivation stems from a weekend tragedy. A local news caster was involved in a one-car accident that killed him, leaving his wife and beautiful baby with out their husband and father. This newscaster was a bit of a local celebrity, involved in many charitable galas as an emcee and around area he was "known" by everyone. He seemed very approachable probably, partially, due to his faith. He had time for everyone and because of this feeling that we all knew him we all mourn his death with great sadness.

While reading all the loving notes, blog posts and updates I was so moved by his family's blog. His wife kept up with monthly updates about their daughter, posting about things that some day their daughter could look back and see how loved she is and how much she's grown. I thought it was such a perfect use of a blog & I thought to myself... when it's all said & done I want people to look at my blog and be motivated. While saying your prayers today, if you could add in one for his wife & 10 month old baby I know they need to be lifted up in prayer, they need the extra support.

I would love to update you on the News in the life of the Newlyweds... us & our New Addition!! We were married on September 1 and Ryan had promised me we could adopt a puppy if I just waited until after the wedding. September 5 we went to the local animal shelter and walked through all the cages. I immediately saw this adorable face and said "uh oh, I think that's the one" but walked the other way first to be sure I didn't just stop at the first puppy I saw. We walked around and there he was again. A dachshund, red, short haired and sweet as could be... we asked them about the baby. He was rescued on September 1 and wouldn't be available to adopt until Saturday. He was a baby, maybe 11 weeks old and had all the ailments of an abandoned puppy. We nursed him back to health, he went to work with me for a week and spends his mornings playing with his uncles Reggie & Riley.

He's a puppy, full of energy and teething... usually on us, our fingers, our toes, our ears. He's a bit of a monster from time to time and we wouldn't have it any other way. He was suppose to always sleep in his crate, but he was so sick that we immediately gave in and he now snuggles in our arms, while laying on his back, head on the pillow. He is smart, playful and QUITE the jumper -- in fact he jUMpqe.... OK so he jumped up on the couch, attacked my hands, licked the keyboard and then deleted this post (but luckily it saves automatically!!!)

Last night Ryan went to the bathroom and I was cleaning up dinner in the kitchen. We had eaten at the coffee table while watching TV and left our cups of water on the table. When I came around the corner I found the dog-- back legs on the couch, front legs on the table, head in the cup-- drinking Ryan's water. I probably could have scolded him or taken a picture of it, but all I could do was laugh hysterically!!! I'd like to introduce you all to Rusty Charles Fitzpatrick.

Rusty, the brand new puppy, sick & underfed...
I think he feels like he fits in now...
 


Still sick, but at my work-- being adorable & sweet.
 
Now this is pathetic
Monster Puppy-- on the attack
 

I got out of bed to pee, I came back to him in my spot-- just like this...


 

 Happy Boy... we love him so much it's absolutely ridiculous!!

Monday, October 8, 2012

What a difference 6 months makes...

It's been far too long since I blogged anything... the reason being is I just did not feel like I was adding anything to the blog. I was doing a lot of ranting and a lot of ... whining?! I am so over it.

The wedding planning was a headache for a while, but to be honest with you it was WORTH IT! I had the most amazing wedding. I wish more people could have been a part of our day, but it was truly the best day of my life. It was a little warm, it was very rushed (flew by so fast), but it was perfect. So here are the highlights:

  • My Matron of Honor Megan was the best support system I ever could have asked for... in a day when I just needed someone to be there for all the little things she was everything and more. I could never thank her enough. Not to mention she looked so beautiful too!
  • My mom started crying Friday at the rehearsal dinner and didn't stop until Sunday it seems. She was all kinds of emotions, but always very supportive. I know it was hard for her, because it would have been her mother's birthday, but I think we all remembered Grandma in the best ways!!
  • Moments, literally just less than a minute, before I walked down the aisle my dad & I were standing in the lobby... I kid you not my dad pulled out his cell phone to check email/text a client... who knows, but needless-to-say that is a moment he will NEVER live down. I love my dad and I know I am a daddy's girl, spoiled perhaps, I expect a lot, and I will NEVER be able to ever thank my dad for the most perfect day in my life... but he'll never live down the cell phone thing.
  • I invited many guests-- family & friends-- and I was blessed by so many people who traveled so many hours to be there for us on our special day. Not too many people know that I was not nervous that day, but I did start to get a little excited (the unknown of it all-- other people calling the shots, starting the procession, taking my mom, my friends from me to get them down the aisle-- i have no idea if we started on time) as it all began, perhaps nervous or maybe anxious is a better word... What calmed me down right before I walked down the aisle? Looking out the window and seeing a co-worker. Knowing that Morgan was out there meant others would make it too-- we had a game that day and with the way the team had been playing it was pure luck that they would make it & with Hurricane Isaac making his rounds the probability of a rain-delay *& a rainy wedding day* was very overwhelming. But there she was, a familiar face of a group of people who I was so thankful could be there!!
There were so many wonderful things from that day, but I do not think I can even fathom keeping track of every single moment... thank you to everyone who helped keep me calm, provided an ear and was supportive & wonderful to us.

I wish I had professional photos to share, but of course we will have a long wait for that... in the meantime I do have a couple pics taken from family & friends to highlight some of the great memories of that perfect day. Of course, starting with the big surprise my dad got me... Reggie & Riley in tuxes!!

 My adorable flower girl made everything more beautiful. I loved having Reagan as a part of our wedding-- she was too perfect!!

 This is the only professional image I have seen as my photographer Erika Dotson uploaded this image on twitter & facebook on the day of our wedding. A cell phone snap off the back of the camera. How perfect.