GREAT NEWS :)

I don't think it's possible to express in words how excited I am right now!!!!

Travis called Doug at the PIF this morning, and they are in the process of getting the paperwork together to make him a job offer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are so thrilled and relieved. I can't say I was too worried when we hadn't heard by the end of March (like we were supposed to), but it's great to get some official confirmation that he's going to have a job after graduation. YAY!!!!!!

Doug also said that Travis can wait to start until after the beach trip with my family (May 29th - June 5th), so he gets to go to Fripp too! I think he's wanting to start right after that though, like the Monday after we get back. I'm glad that he'll get about a month off before starting work. After all, he gets to work for the rest of his life, so why not enjoy some time off for a month or so? Plus, we're going to be super busy during May with graduation stuff, moving, and getting everything set up here at Baugay's. We're finally going to have all our stuff in one place after 2 1/2 years of being married!!!

Travis also called the GI doctor's office today and got the results of the bloodwork he had done at the ER a couple of weeks ago. They told him that his IgG antibodies were positive, but his IgM antibodies were negative, which means that at some point in the past he had hepatitis A, but he doesn't have a current infection with it. YAY!!!! The doctor still wants to see him back in 2 weeks just to follow up, so we'll see what he says then I guess. Travis forgot to ask when he called whether or not the lab work checked his liver enzymes to see if they were still elevated or not, so he's going to ask about that at his next appointment.

The bottom line is that we are REALLY blessed. God has really taken care of us since we got married, and we are so thankful for that. Even though I know we'll go through some rough times too, God will be right there watching over us the whole time just like always!

This past weekend, we met halfway in Trussville at my parents' house and spent the weekend with them and Jenn. It was great to hang out and eat some of Mom's home cooking again :) We also went to see Gran, Dadaw, and Granny on Saturday afternoon, which was awesome because we hadn't seen them since Christmas! Saturday night, we went to a baby shower/cookout for Elijah and Leisha in Birmingham. It was a lot of fun, and they got so many cute things for McKenna! They are going to be such great parents, I'm sure!!

This week Travis will be coming up here Thursday sometime because classes are cancelled on Friday for Honors Day. I still have to work Friday, but at least we get a little extra time together! Saturday, we are going paintballing for Emily's 17th birthday. I'm excited! I've never been before, so we'll see how I do. Hopefully I won't end up with too many bruises :)

The weather has been great lately...just another reason to be in a wonderful mood!

I shouldn't get used to having 5 day weekends...

Well, I was supposed to have a 4 day weekend, but it turned into a 5 day weekend after they gave me Thursday off because we were "overstaffed." It was more than fine with me! I hurried back to Baugay's and packed my stuff, and I was able to drive to Tuscaloosa in time for church at 7 Wednesday night. It was the first Wednesday night I've been at Northwood all semester!

Thursday and Friday were pretty lazy days, at least for me. I changed the sheets on the bed, did some dishes, ran on the treadmill at the gym, went to the grocery store, and got the oil changed in my car. I also went through all the stuff in the stockpile in our pantry and fridge, checking expiration dates on everything. I feel like I've done a pretty good job so far judging how much of a certain thing we'll use before it goes bad, but I did end up throwing away some BBQ sauce, Worchestershire sauce, and a few other things. It's hard when you stockpile and buy groceries like we do to know exactly what you have at home! I'm going to try to do a better job in the future of using what we have and making sure I use the oldest stuff first!

Last night, I made Bacon, Ranch, and Chicken Macaroni and Cheese from my Cooking Light magazine. It turned out really good, but it almost turned into a disaster! I burned the flour the first time around (I guess I had the heat up too high), and it turned in a black, charred mess. I had to start that part over, so dinner was a little delayed, but it ended up being really yummy!

This morning, Travis and I went up to the Radiology Clinic for him to get an ultrasound of his liver done. Most of you probably know this already, but a few weeks ago, Travis thought he had mercury poisoning. Tuna has a lot of mercury in it, and he had been eaten about 3 times the recommended weekly amount for a couple of weeks. He had been having some funny symptoms, so he went up to the Student Health Center to get it checked out. Well, the doctor said that he didn't have mercury poisoning, but he does have hepatitis A! She could tell that from some of the blood work he'd had done that week. His liver enzymes were elevated, so she wanted him to come back in a week to get them rechecked. They were still elevated the second time, so she wanted him to get an ultrasound of his liver just to make sure everything is ok. You can get Hepatitis A from contaminated seafood, so we're assuming that's how he got it. Hopefully, next week we'll get the results from the ultrasound. In the meantime, please pray for him!

Today, I finally finished the journal I've been writing about our trip to Pasadena. It turned out to be 20 pages single spaced...it's basically a novel! Eventually, I'll let you all read it if you want to, but be prepared--it may take you a while!

Travis has been working like a madman on schoolwork this weekend. Let's see if I can keep this all straight: He has a test in Digital Control Systems on Monday, a group meeting for Senior Design Monday afternoon, a test in Quantum Physics on Tuesday, a group presentation for Senior Design on Wednesday, a 5 page paper for Quantum Physics due Thursday, and a 2 page paper (single spaced) due Friday in Communications. Makes me tired just typing it all out! I hope after this week that the worst will be behind him!!

Tonight, I'm trying another new recipe for Jamaican Chicken Burgers from Southern Living. Hope it turns out good too...I'll let you know! :)

I'll be in Tuscaloosa until Monday afternoon, and then I'm supposed to work from Tuesday to Friday next week. Then, I'll have a short weekend, and work the next week, after which I have spring break off!! Yay! I can't wait to spend a whole week with Travis :)

Only 70 days til he graduates!!!!

November 29, 2001

8 years ago today was a day that changed my life forever. It was the day that I had surgery to correct/stop the progression of my scoliosis. At the time, I don't think I really understood how serious of a surgery it was, but I definitely did after the fact. Let's just say that 8 hours in the OR is no walk in the park. I had an awesome surgeon, Dr. William Horton, and some really great nurses who took care of me while I was at Emory Hospital in Atlanta. And, despite a complication the night after surgery that almost took my life, I was able to leave the hospital after only 5 days. I guess God decided that it wasn't my time to go.

So, at age 15 I learned a lesson about appreciating life and good health while you have it. Every day is a gift, and I try to constantly remember that. I'm blessed with a wonderful family, awesome friends, the chance to get a college education, 2 warm and cozy places to live, and so much more. And, after seeing so many people that I care about get sick and struggle with illnesses like dementia and cancer, I'm reminded about how lucky I am to be in good health right now.

I guess in a way I'm lucky to have the 13 inch long scar on my back because it helps remind me to be thankful for everything I have.

One bad thing about working with sick kids...

...is that you get all their nasty germs! I think I was lucky the first two weeks I was on the peds unit b/c I didn't get sick at all afterwards. But, yesterday I took care of a 7 year old with strep throat who was throwing up all day...and my throat was hurting before I even left the hospital. Today, it still hurts, and I'm starting to ache all over. YUCK.

Other than that, it's been a pretty good week! I have a test tomorrow that I've been studying for off and on today, and it will be nice to get that over with. After tomorrow's test, I don't have another one for 2 weeks! Travis, on the other hand, is up to his ears in stuff to do...poor thing. Seems like all he ever does is write lab reports, do homework, study for tests, and go to class.

We're planning to go out to eat for Valentine's Day, except we're going on Friday night instead of Saturday. I think we're going to eat at Depalma's, an Italian restaurant here in town that is really really good! Depalma's is also where we had our first date, so it's a pretty special place :) Can't believe that was almost 3 years ago! Saturday night, Alisha, Katie and Mollie have planned a big Valentine's Day party. I'm excited! Apparently, we're doing a photo scavenger hunt, which I've never done before, so that should be fun!!

That's all for now :)