"See ya in the morning, Snuff"

This is what happens every afternoon before I leave for work.

Ashby doesn't quite understand why I leave in the afternoons and don't come back until it's time to wake up, so she feels like she needs to go with me :(



Talk about making you sad.

Working on the Night Shift

Wow-zers.

Work's been going great over the last six weeks or so, but this last week I started my normal shift on nights. To say it was an adjustment isn't even coming close!

If you know Dave and I at all, you know Ashby gets us up every morning between 6:30 and 7:00 am. From that point on, we're going full steam ahead. So imagine, just for a second, trying to keep the puppy quiet long enough for me to sleep all day and then make her understand what I won't be coming back again in time for bed time. Not only does Dave manage to keep Ashby quiet, but we always have a bowl of cereal together while watching The Today Show when I get home. After breakfast, Snuff and I have a little snuggle time and then it's bedtime.

That's pretty much been our routine this last week, and will continue until the end of time... No, not really, but for the immediate future, however. As far as the shift change goes, it's pretty great. The pace on night's is completely different than working days, but it's a good different. I like seeing the other side and feel like having this experience is only going to make me stronger - both as a nurse and a wife.

Dave and I are both on this learning curve together, so working through how things need to change has been interesting. He's done a fabulous job holding down the daily stuff I obviously can't take care of anymore, all the while keeping Snuff-a-luff-a-gus (Ashby) quiet and making dinner! Yep, ladies, that's right. My man makes dinner - and the good kind, too :)




Thursday afternoon he woke me up saying he had a surprise. Little did I know he had been slaving away grilling chicken, boiling fresh corn and making fried okra! Homemade meals are the best, but they're even better when the one you love surprises you!

Heading out to work on a full tummy was definitely good for the soul that evening, but it made me long for morning even more than the days before. I'm finding out more and more every day what a catch God placed in my life... and I get more and more excited about him every day.

(Dave and Ashby walk me out every afternoon and wave as I leave. If this doesn't make you want to turn the car around, I don't know what does.)

Sourdough Waffles

Have you ever had Ninnie's sourdough waffles?

I hadn't until last Sunday, and boy was I missing out. I used to think Waffle House was pretty darn good, but I was w.r.o.n.g.

After leaving the lake, we headed straight to Ninnie's for a little visit and catch up session. Earlier in the week, Dave had called Ninnie to inquire about making waffles and she just happened to remember in enough time to whip us up some of her special sourdough waffle mix! She told us how she had been tending to this sourdough starter since the early 70's and how you have to keep adding certain ingredients back into the bowl to keep the contents up, and told us that when we felt we were ready to tend to such a task, she would send us home with some of our own.

At first I was a little skeptical about whether or not we needed such a thing, but after Davis woke up early Sunday morning before church and started whipping those baby's out, I now understand. We quickly decided that we needed to make Ninnie's waffles every Saturday morning and that in order to do that, we were going to need a starter. Dave quickly informed me that he could eat them every day for breakfast, but to that I quickly reminded him that they were only for Saturday morning.

So, in true traditional form, this Ashley house had waffles yesterday morning for breakfast... and now we're completely OUT of waffle mix. Good news though: Dave's going home at the end of the week, and should be coming home with a little starter (hopefully). Here's to hoping I'm not the size of the side of a barn within the next month.



Special thanks to Ninnie: You're wondrous and delicious cooking never ceases to amaze me! Thank you for teaching me and loving me as your own! I cherish the special time spent in your kitchen.

Ashby's First Swim

Since the day we brought Ashby home, we've been wondering how she would react to water. All dogs can swim, right? And with her being part retriever, we figure she'll love the water.

Well, we headed to the lake last weekend to spend some time with family and let Ashby take her first dip... EVER.
I hate that we don't have more picture of the "after" part of this, but let's just say, our sweet puppy needs a few swimming lessons.

Ashby loves to fetch, and will run after whatever object you throw as many times as you'll let her. When you add water to the equation, however, she'll go about as far as she can touch and then she just turns and looks at you like you're crazy. So, Dave got IN the water with her, and tried to show her she would be ok. Her outlook on the situation, though, was a little different. Poor thing couldn't figure out how to get her rope without losing her whole head under the water, which then resulted in her panicking and fiercely paddling - with her front two feet only - until she could touch again :( It was both the funniest and saddest thing I had seen all day. I wanted so badly for her to be this super dog that would just jump off the pier into the water for her rope and bring it back to us... But she's not.

Maybe it'll come with time... Maybe it won't. Either way, she's ours and perfect nonetheless. We'll just have to swim WITH her until she figures it out. Fun, right?

Remember how I posted about our trip to Dogtown to look for some new furniture way back in April? Well, our prize finally arrived :)

So... you know what that means, right? See ya later, Country Blue! You've been a good friend. You've made it through quite a few football seasons, a l.o.t. of lazy Sunday's, and even held up for all the extra company we had. We shall miss you... but only a little.

Dave's mom and dad hand delivered our special prize one Saturday morning back in June and I can't being to tell you how excited we were - and still ARE!!!

We l.o.v.e. the new addition to our family and can't wait until she's all broken in.



Ashby, on the other hand, doesn't quite understand what's going on and would like for Ole' Blue to move back in. He's been her buddy and chewy for so long now... I'm sure was hard for her to see him go!Special thanks to Mike and Sandye for the sofa and loveseat! They are incredible and we love them dearly.

Big Girl Job: Day Two...

...Was no different than Day One, but I was holding on for a very special evening with my daddy!

While working at Griffin's over Christmas break, I heard on the radio one morning that James Taylor was coming to Birmingham! I've grown up loving his music and longing for the day I could take my dad. I knew immediately that morning I had to have two tickets, and knew I wanted them to be a special wedding day prize for my daddy. Keeping these tickets a secret for over four months was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but boy was it worth it!

(Sorry for the side-ways view. I couldn't get them to stay horizontal after loading them to blogger)

Daddy picked me up from work that afternoon and we had one of our original kind of father-daughter dates! Daddy always made special time for us while I was growing up, and just because I'm a big kid now doesn't mean those dates have to end. He's a special man in my life, and always will be. So, to Olive Garden for dinner it was, and then off to see our man!

The concert was in the smaller concert hall and it did not disappoint!

We managed to stay up way past both our bedtime's, but for a legend like James Taylor and a little quality time, I know it was well worth every minute!


Thanks for all the special things you did with and for me growing up, Daddy. I hope I can only begin to return the favor for you!

Big Girl Job: Day One

The day I had been praying for came without me being 110% ready.

To my disbelief, I had managed to come home from our honeymoon with an ear infection, which landed us in an urgent care facility way too early on Sunday morning. So here I am... about to start a new job (May 24th) and I've got a double ear infection. Let's just say I was NOT feeling too swell.

But, Monday came (go figure), and I put on my big girl clothes and headed out to my big girl job. Dave stepped into my mom and dad's role quite nicely that morning! He got up with me, made sure to take my picture - documenting my day - and gave me the encouragement I needed to get through it... feeling like poop. He's pretty good that way... pretty good :) I made it through the first half of the day, and felt the need to keep Dave in the loop with a picture of my "provided" lunch. Contrary to what it may look like, it was actually pretty good. Looking back though, I don't know if it was because I was more overwhelmed with everything being thrown at me, or the simple fact that I had just gotten off a cruise where everything you ate was like a four course meal! Some times you just need a sandwich, you know?

So, as I sat through my first day of orientation, I realized just how much I had enjoyed spending countless hours at home, giving my puppy and new husband, my undivided attention. Being away from them was going to be an adjustment, but I quickly remembered that as long as I, too, continued to document my day (and send pictures), they were really there with me!

To end my day, though, I came back to my car in th parking deck to find that I couldn't even get in the driver's side door :( I was upset/panicked and wasn't quite sure what to do. I was also holding my breath that when I finally did get inside and was able to back out, I wouldn't find any damage done to my car. Luckily, there wasn't a scratch. HOW?... I haven't a clue.