"Thanksgiving is over! Christmas is now!"

To preface the title of this post,

 the hubs and I had a funny moment the other night.

 I asked him to put up THE TREE.

 To which he, as always, rolled his eyes and whined.

 You know, like men do.

 Since men don't understand women's obsessions with things

(like Christmas).

After much convincing, he proceeded to comment that,

 "Thanksgiving was just yesterday, though."

 and to which I replied,

 "Thanksgiving is over! Christmas is now!"

 Needless to say, our tree is assembled in the corner

 glowing in Christmas beauty as we speak.

 lol

 Got some bad news this week.

 Apparently the place we picked to have our wedding ceremony in Atlanta,

 which overlooks Piedmont Park,

 will be on the road that will be shut down on our wedding date

 during the exact hours of our ceremony...

 for a Red Bull soap box derby.

 Which means thousands of drunk idiots all over the park

 (where we were going to take pictures)

 being loud and obnoxious and probably being the reason my whole family won't find our wedding location because they are all out-of-towners and roads will be closed.

 Honestly, I'm worried that we won't even be able to hear ourselves think.

 Of course our coordinator waited to call and tell me the news

 "so as not to ruin our holiday".

 Awesome.

 Good thing we already bought all of our save the dates.

 With the date on them.

 And the venue.

 And they shipped.

 And they're already in envelopes at my house.

 Seriously?

 So now I don't really know what to do.

 Grin and bear it?

 Hope it's not that bad?

 Because I can't really change the date thanks as always to the lovely Air Force,

 and I can't really change the location because it's printed on 200 paid-for save the dates.

 Advice?

What would you do?

 Also, I'm entering this picture on 

 and then, she {snapped}'s blog

on the show-off page!

 I just ordered this picture as a canvas to become my first shop item on Etsy!!!

 I'm super excited about this.

 I plan to sell a whole line of canvasses of different door-knobs,

 because I'm weird and they're my photography obsession.

 I hope there are other people out there who like door-knobs lol.

 Have a great week everyone!!

Life As A Nurse

I feel terrible that my updates are so sporadic these days,

but work has been taking up all my time!

 Today ended my first week off of orientation,

 and I'll tell you what:

 Big Girl Panties are scary.

 I had that shift last week,

 you know,

 the one that might as well have had Murphy's Law stamped in bright red all over it?

 Everything went wrong,

 I ran around all day and night

 and didn't even realize I hadn't stopped to pee once since 6 a.m.

I should have just inserted my own catheter.

 Hauling the bag around would have been easier.

 But then, I had one patient,

 and as he stood there telling me about how much his necessary medications cost,

 and how hard it is for him, 

 I had my first "ah-ha" moment as a nurse.

I was TRULY listening to him.

 Not just HEARING him.

 Really taking to heart what he was saying,

 feeling my heart break for him as he looked so defeated by the system,

 and so I sat.

 Even though I was busy.

 I just sat, facing him, and I listened.

 And it really opened my heart. 

 I was reminded of a verse:

 James 1:19 "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear,

 slow to speak, and slow to anger."

 I was so frustrated by the shift, 

by feeling like I just couldn't get caught up to save my life,

 but in that moment I began to pray all of that away.

 And I listened.

 I heard not only the words my patient was speaking, but WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO SAY.

 And as I left later, he looked at me and said,

 "You know, I've had lots of fine nurses, but you've been one of the best."

 Talk about a heart bursting.

 Bursting with appreciation that for that shift, I had gotten that opportunity,

 and that God had given me ears to listen.

Wishing that I could solve all the problems of every person in the world,

 and having the knowledge to realize that I can't.

 But also to realize what I CAN do.

 And that's be more than just a waitress with a fancy title,

 more than just a medicine machine,

 more than just that girl who pops her head in every once in a while.

 I can be an example.

 I can be a picture of how a Christian woman should be.

 I can be the one person who truly cares,

 and takes the time to do as much as I can about it.

 I can be the person who knows my patients backwards and forwards

 and advocates for their best interests,

 even when the day has been long and I'm already behind.

 I can be the one who sits with them when they are scared and tells dumb jokes when they need a laugh,

 explain things to them instead of telling them it's "because the doctor says you need it,"

 the one who makes things right by them.

 I can be what it truly means to be a Nurse.

 And if I can be that,

 no matter how stressful my week was,

 I consider it a complete and total success.

Lots of Exciting Announcements!

Hello fellow bloggers!

 So much has been happening in my life lately!

 It makes me kind of tired just thinking about it :)

 But it's all good and exciting stuff,

 so I guess I'll let it slide.

 Just this once.

 For starters,

 I said YES to a dress!!

 I got to go shopping in Atlanta

 with my mom and my brother's girlfriend

 last weekend,

 and boom!

 There it was.

 It's so unique and simple and lovely,

 I can't stop staring at it!

 Since the hubs doesn't read the blog,

 I can show you guys :)

Another exciting piece of news is that I am now officially a

 Bravo Tango Tees Affiliate!!

Go check out their website by clicking on the link on the side of my page.

 Another link will shortly be posted to my Facebook page.

 There is a Veterans Day Sale going on if you buy from me

 and use the code VETS

or use THIS LINK to buy from me!

I LOVE their shirts, and they make great gifts for military friends and family!

 They also have some great motivational shirts on the site as well!

 Check them out!

 My Etsy shop

 "The Living Lens"

 will also be up later in the month!!

 I am in the process of getting my first group of items together

 before I list them.

 I am so excited!!

 I will be selling some of my own photography stretched onto canvas,

 hand-painted canvasses with Bible verses on them,

 and even some custom canvas work for your photography!

 My dream is to take peoples' wedding pictures and superimpose their vows into the background <3

 My husband has started his next phase of training,

 and nursing is taking me away from home for a few days each week,

 but it's been amazing and busy and wonderful

 and I'm thankful for it.

 BE and I also want to send out a huge thank you to all the Marines out there today,

 as they celebrate the birthday of the Marine Corps!!

 Thank you men/women, and your families, for all you do!!

Help!! Blogger In Technicality-Induced Distress!!

I am losing hair.

 Literally AND metaphorically.

 Wanna know why?

 ETSY.

 I am drowning in a sea of legal know-how

 that I don't have a clue how-to.

 A few days ago I had some friends look through my photos

 and mention that I should try to blow some up and sell them.

 I laughed.

 Then I considered.

 And now I'm committed.

 I can see some of my beach scenes above fireplaces,

 and Blue Angels pics posted on some little boy's bedroom wall.

 So I'm going to transfer some of them to canvas

 and try to share with the world a little passion of mine.

 But I'm not very Etsy-savvy.

 And therein lies my problem.

 Because, 

 as with EVERYTHING in this world,

 It's not "just that easy".

 In short, I want to get all the legal mumbo-jumbo done

 before I create the actual shop.

 But what all do I actually need?

 It's just me, in my living room,

 printing pictures onto canvas.

 That's it.

 No employees

 (the dog works for treats)

 and no real workspace.

 Here are things I've been told I need:

 a Florida business license

 a Business Tax Receipt (BTR)

 a DBA

 a "fictitious name" (not sure if that's the same as a DBA)

 an EIN

 a Sales and Tax Exemption Number

 and something for Income Tax.

 You've got to be kidding me.

 I have NO CLUE what all this stuff means,

 or even if I really need it.

 I just don't want the Law coming knocking at my door

 ready to take me away in handcuffs because I forgot some form.

 So, Etsy loves,

 help??!!

 If anyone knows anything about any of this,

 please please please shed some light for me!!

 Either respond here or email me at

 acreedandapsalm@gmail.com

 I will love you FOREVER.

Sincerely,

 your business illiterate friend,

 Me :)

As Time Goes By (a.k.a. I'm A Slacker)

I'm a bloggy slacker.

 So, to the blogosphere,

 I'm Sorry!

 I started my new job

 (YAY)

 and so that has been taking up a lot of time

 with orientation

 and then actually being on the floor (eek!)

 but it's nice to finally be a "Real Nurse"

 (which is what I'm convinced RN really stands for lol)

 even though a lot of days 

 I forget that I'm not a student anymore.

I had a patient who found out I was married to the Air Force,

 and from then on every time I walked into the room he would raise an eyebrow and say,

 "Oh, look. Fly Boy's wife is back"

 LOL

 Made me chuckle.

 Things with the wedding have been going well - 

 I have kind of a dilemma though.

 I have a very good friend from college,

 who I had originally asked to be in the wedding last year,

 but she disappeared off the face of the earth a few months ago,

 and I figured we were at odds over something I was unaware of.

 I tried to re-establish contact, with no luck.

 I shrugged, and moved on.

 Suddenly, she contacted me out of the blue today.

 Problem herein lies,

 that I planned the wedding in the meantime,

 and since I never expected to hear from her again,

 asked other people.

 Sigh.

 What to do?

 BE and I have been busy lately,

 celebrating our One Year anniversary a little early.

 We went to Disney World!! 

 A first time for the hubs.

 We ate SO. MUCH. FOOD.

 Oh my word.

 It was ridiculous.

 But for anyone who ever wondered,

 October is apparently the best time of the year to go to Disney,

 because we didn't wait in a single line at any park over 30 minutes.

 It was bliss,

 especially since I've experienced Disney during the summer.

 Torture?

 Doesn't even do it justice.

 It was a wonderful trip and we enjoyed being together,

 being silly,

 and remembering why we're "bestest good friends".

 I can't believe it's been a year already.

 The best year of my life :)

 Hopefully that bodes more amazing years to come.

We went to the Magic Kingdom early one morning

 to watch Mickey come in on the train and open the park for the day,

 and I started crying when they played

 "When You Wish Upon A Star"

 and welcomed everyone in.

 And my wonderful husband just grabbed my hand,

 squeezed it silently three times for "I Love You"

 and was sweet enough to not laugh at me.

 What's your favorite anniversary memory?

Do you and your significant other have any special little unspoken tokens of affection like our hand squeezes?

 I hope you have a MAGICAL day :)

 

Scrimps and Wedding Surprises :)

We went with some friends of ours to the Shrimp Festival today

 (my husband calls them Scrimps)

 and I ate carnival food and crab cakes 

 like fat wasn't even a word.

 It was fab.

 I also saw tons and tons of pictures

 that people had blown up and had printed onto canvas

 and were selling for OBNOXIOUS prices.

 I mean, I know I'm not a pro or anything,

 but I have some pictures that I think are pretty darn good.

 Maybe I should look into that,

 selling some of them.

 Which brings me to another point,

 of the fact that I can't wait to decorate our next house.

 Our furniture was all hand-me-down

 and nothing matches

 and there's really no theme in the whole place.

 When we move again we hope to get new stuff

 and hang some of my photography

 and make it look more cohesive.

 I can't wait.

 BE and I are trying to plan a trip for our 1-year anniversary

 coming up soon!!!

 Sadly, there isn't a single cabin still available in Gatlinburg

 or anywhere close.

 Figures.

 So who knows where we will go?

 We've thought Disney,

 or Charleston,

 but we're on the fence.

 Also trying to figure out how much we can afford to spend,

 with me paying on wedding stuff.

 I may quite possibly have found my dress this week!!!

 EEEK!

 It's gorgeous.

 Taffeta, empire waste, buttons down the back and Swarovski crystals.

 AND POCKETS.

 I'M OBSESSED WITH POCKETS.

 Like, you don't even know.

 I almost have to buy this dress on principle. 

It's that bad.

 I also decided on navy blue bridesmaids dresses,

 white hydrangeas,

 and silver shoes.

 I think I am going to have fun making this stuff DIY :)

 It's kind of nice that this is our ceremony,

 and not our actual marriage,

 because there is so much less stress!!

 Who cares if it goes off without a hitch?

 That everything looks absolutely perfect?

 Nobody.

 Because they're coming to show their love for us,

 not to see us put on a show.

 I can't wait!

 I already have a SUPER SPECIAL SURPRISE

 that I'm going to do for BE at our reception,

 and he has NO IDEA.

 So glad I can share it here!!

 I play piano, and I am obsessed with a certain song.

 So I bought the piano score for it the other day,

 and I'm going to practice it when he's not home,

 so I can play and sing it to him before our first dance.

 I think it's going to be adorable

 if I can do it without bawling like a baby. 

Hope you like the song :)

YAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!

Today,

 I am stupidly excited.

 And girly.

 And I'm not girly.

 But today,

 I am caving in with a giant
"EEEEEKKK!"

 of unrestrained giddyness.

 And I'll tell you why.

 Last year,

 when the hubs and I decided we were in LURVE and wanted to get hitched,

 we had very little time to do it

 before he was supposed to report to OTS,

 after which he would be moving to Florida,

 and I couldn't go with him

 unless we were married.

 Stupid housing rules.

 So we decided to elope (pretty much).

 I was too stubborn to just go to the courthouse,

 but I was in the middle of nursing school and there was NO WAY a big wedding was going to happen.

 So we decided to go up to the mountains in Gatlinburg

 and seal the deal,

 just him and me

 and have our shindig later.

 My mother had other plans.

 Suddenly, we had about ten guests,

 flowers,

 a dress,

 and cake.

 Sigh.

 We couldn't win.

 So we went on with it,

 knowing that we still wanted to have a wedding

 where all of our friends and family could come

 and celebrate with us.

 I have been dreaming of said wedding since I was about 4,

 when I was a bride for Halloween.

 Fake bouquet, clip-on earrings and all.

 Welllllll,

 we have been trying to plan said event

 since our marriage last November,

 but every date ends up falling through. 

 Yay training.

 It got to the point where I was embarrassed to tell my girlfriends

 "so we think we may be able to do it ______"

 I think they probably didn't even believe me anymore.

But today, it has happened.

 We found a place.

 We booked it.

 We set a date.

 And I started planning.

 What my mother doesn't understand is why we still feel the need to do this,

 when in her eyes we had a "perfectly nice wedding" last year.

 The reason we feel we need to do it

 is because none of our friends got to be there.

 And then we left town and moved here,

 and haven't gotten to see many of them again.

 We want all of our friends

 in one place

 to celebrate our marriage

 and renew our vows

 because our lives are going to change so much in the next year.

 We don't even know where we'll be living.

 Yay training.

 Plus,

 I never got to do all the girly stuff.

 I never got to plan.

 I never got to pick colors and food and bridesmaids dresses and centerpieces.

 And I'm kind of selfishly excited about all that.

 And my husband loves that I'm a DIY girl :)

(p.s. if you follow me on Pinterest,
 I apologize in advance for the spewing of wedding junk
that is about to ensue on my page).