Life and such

One of my absolute favorite things happened the other day. It FINALLY cooled off outside, and the air conditioner had been turned off. Then, the event that happens only once a year happened...I turned the heater on for the first time. Call me crazy, but I LOVE the smell that a heater makes when you turn it on for the first time each year. It is not necessarily an appealing smell, but the significance and symbolism is what is so great. The smell tells me that summer is FINALLY over, and the days of sweaters and mittens are just around the corner. No more dreadful humidity, and no more sweating! I will be able to turn on the fireplace soon and snuggle on the couch with my husband as we watch the flames flicker ever so peacefully. I will once again make chicken and dumplings, and beef stew...things that are just too hot for summertime. Ohhh, how I love that smell..and I love the season that comes with it :)

Onto a totally unrelated subject....I am having a back surgery on Monday, November 5. The doctor will burn the nerves in certain parts of my back, and ideally, that will eliminate some of the pain since the nerves will be unable to transmit pain signals to my brain for 6 months or so (until the nerves heal again, and then the procedure will be repeated). I did a lot of research the past few nights on the surgery, and although it is an outpatient procedure, I apparently will be in even more pain than I am right now because after they burn my nerves, it takes them a week or two to fully die, so during that time, there is partial nerve damage, and it will be pretty unpleasant. I am praying that the procedure works well, and at least SOME of my pain goes away. I am so tired of being on medication, and these sleepless nights that are caused by this horrible pain. I want to be able to pick up my kids, and run around with them, and actually walk through an ENTIRE exhibit at the zoo, or aquarium with them. They deserve so much more than I can give them right now. So please please please keep me in your prayers. I feel so lucky though, to have the church family here. Mike, the boys and I have been welcomed SO warmly into our church, and we absolutely love it there. It is so uplifting to have fellowship with such warm and dedicated Christians. Having that "family" here makes things like this so much easier to deal with. I will never be able to fully express how grateful I am for our church family here in Nashville. They are amazing.

So, have a good November, and enjoy all the preparations for the holiday season! God Bless!!!

Knock Knock

Kids are funny. My kids are funny. I have been telling Gabe knock knock jokes. He hasn't yet grasped the concept. Probably because he's four years old, but who knows. Anyhow, last night I was laying in bed with Gabe and Noah, and I was telling them knock knock jokes. Gabe: Hey Momma, I wanna tell a joke
Jenn: Okay sweetie, go ahead
Gabe: Knock Knock
Jenn: Whose there?
Gabe: Mr eyeball head
Jenn: Mr eyeball head who?
Gabe: Mr eyeball head feet!
Jenn: hahahahahahahahahaha
It makes me laugh when he thinks he is telling this AWESOME joke, and he doens't know that it makes no sense. I am sure that one day, he will get knock knock jokes, but until then, I will keep on laughing at his jokes.

Starting Somewhere

Well, here it is....the start of my blog. I've always wanted to be a blogger, but never quite took the plunge. Well, these days, there is SO much running through my head, I need to let it out somewhere, and I am a much faster at typing than I am at writing...so here I am.

I am getting married on June 16th! That is less than 3 weeks away!!! I am marrying the man of my dreams. He is amazing, wonderful, fantastic, gorgeous, humorous, loving, responsible, silly, happy...I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. Things are coming together perfectly for the wedding. We had planned on doing a lovely wedding and reception in his Aunt Karen's gorgeous back yard, but things were getting out of hand...too much to do and too little time to do it. So, we decided to elope...Mike was even looking for tickets to Vegas lol. After telling his mom we wanted to elope, she suggested that we go to Gatlinburg TN and get married in a little wedding chapel there. So...2 and a half weeks from now, we will be getting married at Chapel At the Park (www.chapelatthepark.com) in Gatlinburg with our immediate family present.

Sharon threw together a couples shower that is happening this weekend in Chattanooga. I am SO excited. It is SO nice of people to think enough of us to have this wonderful party. Gabe and Noah are going to be there, and Aunt Karen is bringing the twins so it will be double trouble times two! Here's a pic of the double trouble times two team...
sure, they all look innocent enough...but they get the "awwws" with the best of them lol.

Mike recently accepted a position with the State of Tennessee working for the TennCare bureau. That meant we all got to pack up and move to Nashville. I had only been in Chattanooga for about 4 months...so it was pretty easy to move considering I hadn't even finished unpacking from our move from Nebraska! Slowly but surely our new house (apartment) is becoming a home. I was working at T-Mobile prior to the move, but Mike and I decided that being a stay at home mom was the best idea for now. We are blessed enough to have the financial stability to make that work.

I am LOVING being a housewife. Being here for my kids everyday is the best thing in the world! I also love being able to make breakfast for Mike in the mornings before he leaves for work, and having supper ready for him when he gets home. It makes life easier on everyone having the boys and I at home. We have had some horrible experiences with daycare, and the quality definitely does NOT warrant the cost. Its also much easier on my back to be at home every day. It was taking a toll on me to have to work 8 or 9 hours a day.

Anyhow, I am going to go have Pre-School time with Gabe and Noah. More later.