MLK weekend

MLK weekend is always special to us.

3 years ago today, Nathan proposed. 🙂

It was freezing in OIB that weekend. The pipes had frozen at the beach house, and yet none of this mattered (at least not to me). It was a perfect weekend and I’m so glad I got to share it with so many good friends! Miss you guys!

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Our Weekend in Pictures

Miller Morrison!

Bert & Kalin’s baby came a little early than expected but only by a few days.  Miller joined us September 20!  He’s adorable 🙂

Clemson – FSU game

Dad & I decided last minute to go to the Clemson game, and we are soo glad we chose this game! Man, the Tigers had a GREAT game.  I miss Clemson so much.  Love Death Valley.

The Hinkle Men's Gator

Real men ride gators, not horses.

 Nathan, his Dad, & his brother went gator hunting Saturday night in the South Santee River.  They got one hell of a gator!

And that was our weekend.

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New fronts

I came downstairs from studying earlier when a thunderstorm just started to find Cooper sitting straight up on the sofa where I normally sit.  Now Cooper is NOT allowed on any furniture and he knows it.  Poor thing was shaking to pieces because of the storm.  I had to chuckle first at how proper he looked up on the sofa–of course I tried to calm him down after–but off of the sofa. 🙂

And, I think the thunderstorm killed my cell service.  It’s pretty lame actually.  I just got a text, but can’t respond.

So I’ve started back to school, and, it’s actually great!  I love my new classmates.  Everyone has been so nice and I love the girls I work with at Target.  I think Columbia is going to be good on that front…now if only we could find Nathan another job 🙂  But really, I’ve realized that actually living together, even without a job, is better than living in 2 separate cities.

So, that’s all for tonight.  I’m supposed to be studying while Nathan’s working at Lowes.  Keep us in your prayers, esp this week about Nathan’s job search.

mwah!

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Just 1 night left

Tomorrow I start my P2 year. I have all kinds of mixed up feelings. I’m excited to get back in the grove of things and hopefully making new friends. But, then I’m dreading the way my life changes during the school year. I like having time to relax and not feel the need to study every free minute. I’m hoping this year will be different since I won’t be living alone. With Nathan here, I’m hoping to stay on a more structured study schedule so I don’t get so burn out–we’ll see how that actually goes though once the exams come rolling in. (Silver lining: I guess if I’m studying, I won’t be spending money?)

I guess, too, I’m fearful. Fearful that I won’t make friends, and that classes will be too demanding. Everyone says this year is the worst.

But, I’ll soldier on. Nothing worth anything is easy right? So here’s to 1 more night of relaxing before it gets hectic again 🙂

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Home Owners :)

So finally, some long awaited house pics:

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It’s definitely an ongoing project.  Like I’ve gotten around to putting up a curtain in our room 🙂  Nathan made the wooden headboard on the brown bed, and he made the mason jar light at our front door.  We have one in the laundry room too.  We still have lots of projects we want to get done, so I’m hoping to get some good before & after pics.

Come see us–we have 2 spare rooms!  …well, not totally furnished.  But both at least have beds 🙂

We’re definitely still trying to figure out this home ownership thing.  We have a yard full of crab grass and apparently Columbia is too hot in the summer for crab grass killer.  Go figure.  I got locked out yesterday, and no, we hadn’t even thought about putting a spare key outside somewhere. (thank goodness for cousins!)  And we realized the room we set aside to be the office, doesn’t have an outlet (yet our closet has 3!!!!).  That’s right, we have an extension cord run into the hall until it cools off enough for Nathan to go into the attic and use his engineering magic.

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The Elephant in the Room

I friend recently reminded me that a blog space should be about life, the good and the bad.  I’ve been avoiding the blog because I didn’t want to address the elephant in the room…so here it goes.

I’ve been a terrible updating the blog this summer.  Originally, I was swamped trying to move and get our house put together and I hadn’t uploaded any pictures of our house because I wanted to get the Mac set up (where all our newer pictures are stored).  Then, just as I thought I had everything put together enough to blog and post pictures of our house, Nathan lost his job.  Yes, the job we moved to Columbia for.  We are devastated.  I guess a big part of me was embarrassed that we moved and bought a house for a job that no longer financially supports us.  But, as I’m learning, stuff happens.  I can’t be embarrassed for something that happened completely out of our control.  Nathan’s last day at Fed. Highways was July 15.  While he hasn’t found a permanent job yet, Nathan was hired part-time at Lowe’s before the end of July.  Is our life in Columbia how we had hoped it would be?  No, not quite.  We’re trying to have faith that God will continue to provide for us.  Just last year God provided in His perfect timing (also known as when we were down to $30 in our bank account).  We both believe that God has a plan for us in Columbia.  After moving here in June, I was able to get a position at Target pharmacy (!), which has been a huge blessing.  How’s this for irony…my first day in the pharmacy was the day Nathan found out about his job.

Silver lining:  At least we both have sweet discounts now–Target & Lowe’s.

So, if I seem distant or discouraged, now you know why.  Please keep us in your prayers.  This is hard.  It’s hard to see this happen to my husband.  It’s definitely teaching us to be humble.  Please pray that we continue to have faith that God will provide.  And pray that Nathan finds a good job soon.  If you have any connections to a civil engineering job in the Columbia area, please let us know.

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T minus 9 days

That’s right.  We close on the house in nine days!!  Then we become first time home owners.  It feels totally crazy, but I’m so excited…it’s less work than having a kid, right?  😉  So, what have we done so far to prepare for this house?  Well…I’ve raided the local liquor store’s boxes and begun packing items that fit in those small boxes; we’ve gotten some boxes from friends who recently moved; found where we need to buy the appliances we need (washer, dryer, fridge anyone?); Nathan has made elaborate plans for the garage & laundry room; he purchased an epoxy kit for the garage floor–complete with orange & purple flakes; we bought a lawn mower, and a potted red geranium!  Nothing says welcome home to me like a red geranium at the front door, and with the diligent care plants receive at Lowes, I figured we needed to go ahead and purchase my red geranium so it had time for some TLC.

Oh, and Cooper couldn’t let us have all the fun with the house festivities.  Of course he had to be included.  He dug his first hole in the backyard during the final walk-thru…they’re never to old to dig.

I think our garage floor is going to look something like this…

…I told you Nathan had elaborate plans for the garage.  Just you wait.

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love this season

The season of afternoon thunderstorms is finally here!  I LOVE it!  The cool breeze, the downpour of rain, the roars of thunder and the sparkles of lightening.  I find it absolutely relaxing…however, Cooper does not.  I got home today just after the storm started to find my giant 12 year old golden retriever cowering in the corner of my bedroom.  (poor baby)  I’ve had a panting 4-legged shadow ever since I opened the door.  I got to enjoy the storm from the rockers on my porch for as long as I thought ole’ Coops could handle it, because of course he couldn’t leave my side.

They’re just wonderful.  I’m going to miss Johns Island thunderstorms.  I feel like the skies open right above me when it thunders out here.

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CRBR!

The past week has been a crazy, but fun spring break-esc blur.  I started it off with a sleepover since Nathan was in DC, then Mom stayed with me while she was in town, then Kalin & Bert stayed for the week while Bert searched for jobs in the Charleston area, then Nathan came home thursday, then Rob flew in for the Bridge run, & Dad came down for the weekend.  How do all these people fit into a one bedroom apt you ask?  Magic!  Nah, just good timing & flexibility.  I was so thankful to have all the company, esp while Nathan was out of town–it kept me good company!  Good news–the new house has 3 bedrooms so hopefully no one will have to sleep on the sofa or floor anymore.  I feel like I should add that Bert & Kalin are awesome house guests!  They cook, clean, & take out the trash!  I came home one day from class only to find that the cleaning fairy had come to my apartment 🙂

The Cooper River Bridge Run was Saturday.  Nathan, Rob (yes, Rob flew in from Boulder to run 10K), & I ran the bridge run sporting some super snazzy team Rx shirts–complements of SC College of Pharmacy.

Before:

After:

So we weren’t quite as chipper afterwards, but still smiles all around.

Still didn’t make my goal of running it under an hour, but there’s always next year!  Thanks again to Kalin & Bert for being our transportation to MP & back!!

Nathan & I had been waiting to go to the Firefly distillery on Wadmalaw Island until Dad was in town, so we took the opportunity Saturday.  Definitely a neat place.  They let you sample vodkas/rums they don’t sell anywhere else.  The Firefly lemonade is quite tasty!  If sweet tea flavored vodka isn’t your thing, they also have a vineyard out there.  I think they only make muscadine wines (on the sweeter side).  AND, there’s a zoo of farm animals!  It’s a great afternoon outing for your next trip to Charleston 🙂  …..just be aware there may be a group of women praying for you in the parking lot as you walk up.

 

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Just another Thursday Night

Nathan’s home from DC!!!!!  After what seemed like forever (10 days).  He had a wonderful time touring the Smithsonian & monuments, going to the Cherry Tree Festival, eating at delicious restaurants, and oh yeah, going to a conference.  I don’t even think he missed me with all that fun!

Tonight I made a Country Fried Steak dinner to welcome Nathan home, but with a small healthy twist.  I used venison as the steak.  I let it soak all afternoon in butter milk (well, milk + vinegar, I didn’t actually have buttermilk), then breaded and fried it.  Nothing like a healthy fried meal before the Cooper River Bridge Run–2 days!!  It was awesome–thanks Ethan for killing a deer!

Also, Mom sent me this link tonight of a live feed of an Eagle whose eggs are supposed to hatch in the next 2 days.  I think there are 3 eggs.  So, yeah, we totally have the live feed up hoping to catch the action.  Check it out

 

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