Excited and a bit nervous...

about my new job. I have spent the last 3 years going to school to learn to be a nurse. I graduated and then passed my boards. I was feeling so good, but having no luck finding an RN job, and started getting very frustrated. I had an amazing interview yesterday...felt so good about it, loved the manager and wasn't even really nervous once I was there. I didn't want to get my hopes up and didn't think I could wait until next week to find out I didn't get the job again. Well, I didn't have to wait and I didn't get rejected. I got the call this afternoon and was ecstatic! It's all official now...I am really an RN. I will be working at IMC on the 14th floor, Neurosciences. I can't wait to start training and learning even more. At the same time, it's a bit scary. It feels like a huge responsibility, but I know I can do it!

Happy 38th Brandon!!!

Today is my brother, Brandon's, birthday. He would be 38 today! We miss you B!
Tonight we are getting together to have cheesecake in honor of him.


I made this for his memorial service and now have it in my living room so I can look at each day and remember B and his life. It is really hard some days, just miss him more, and wish I could call and talk to him. I can't believe it has been over 5 years.

This is one of my favorite pictures of B and me. It was taken at the Outer Banks in NC almost 14 years ago. Mike, Rylee, and I were just saying goodbye after an incredible week with the family in an incredible place. Even after a week at the beach I was still pasty white and as usual B was so nice and tan. We had to take a pic of the two extremes.

More Ry & JB

For Rylee's birthday my friend, Aislinn, made her this awesome cake:

OBSESSED!!!

That is the only way to describe Rylee lately. She is OBSESSED with JB (aka Justin Beiber). She got her $30 tickets to the premier of his new movie way before Christmas and has been counting down the days since. Last week the big day finally arrived...she went with 5 of her friends and it surpassed all their expectations. Jenna was feeling left out so I got tickets for us to go on Friday (the actual release date). Rylee and 2 of her obsessed friends joined Jenna & I . The girls all wore their JB shirts and painted their faces and were screaming and screaming. I enjoyed the movie almost as much as the girls. We went to WalMart after so they could buy more JB shirts and jewelry. Then we went to McDonalds since that is what JB talked about in the movie. It was SO much fun hanging out with these crazy girls! I am glad Rylee has good friends that she has so much fun with.

Here is a picture of Ry with Shannon and Eliza (her cousins) wearing the JB shirts they made this summer. Notice Rylee's darker hair..she got it done for her bday and she also has some purple extensions (JB's favorite color). It looks really good on her. I love it!

Here is Jenna following in her big sister's footsteps...she is almost as obsessed as Ry.

Here are the girls after the movie on Friday. Ry, Jackie, and Anna were so nice to Jenna and included her in all they did that night.

Here Ry is with her friends at the premier. They had SO much fun!!!

14!

I cannot believe that Rylee is 14 today! Where has the time gone?!?! I remember the first time I held her in my arms (after pushing for an hour!) and feeling her sweet spirit emanating from her. I felt so blessed then and even more blessed today. She has become a beautiful young woman and is so full of life. It is impossible to be around Rylee and not be happy! She has taught me countless things about life and is an example to me in so many ways. Our family would be so dull without her. She never seems to sit still, literally! She loves to be busy and doing something every second of the day. She is up and gone everyday by 6 a.m. for cheerleading practice and then comes home and does homework and chores as quickly as she can so she can hang out with friends or chat on facebook or take pictures or dance or dream about JB (Justin Beiber). She is AMAZING!!! Love you Rylee!!!

Here she is with two of her BFF's

Here she is doing what she loves and is great at...being loud and cheering for others.

Here she is with her most prized possession, life size cardboard cutout of Justin Beiber. She really is OBSESSED!!! Some people may think she is crazy and but I figure what's the harm...right?!?!

60

My dad turned 60 yesterday! He doesn't seem that old to me, actually 60 doesn't seem that old to me anymore for anyone...maybe 80 is old. Anyway, I have the best dad in the world!!! I wanted to throw a big party since he is so old, but mom said he just wanted a nice dinner with family and their best friends. So we had dinner (Frogmore stew...yummy!) and shared some of our favorite memories with our dad. We also had to answer a questionnaire about him and I did ok, but learned a few new things about my dad. HAPPY BIRTHDAY OLD MAN, WE LOVE YOU!!!


Here are my parents with their best friends, the Noltes. They have known each other for 36 years! Greg had lots of fun memories to share about all the great times they have had throughout the years.


Here is my dad and Jenna. My dad only has 1 sister and she lives in Virginia so she sent money for me to get him some balloons and a few things so this picture was for her.


Here he is waiting to blow out the candles on his yummy lemon cake my mom made. I told mom she should have put on 60 candles but she didn't want to burn the house down...