So, considering it has been over a month since you heard from me last, I thought it was about time to update. Thanksgiving has already come and gone. This year has seriously flown by!! I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. With only minor finagling on my part, I was able to be off Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for Thanksgiving. So, we got to go to Arlington, spend plenty of time with both my family and Charles' family, and not have to drive back on Thanksgiving day. Hooray for Michelle for agreeing to work Friday for me!!

While we were in Arlington, a few exciting wedding-related events took place.
1) On Wednesday, I got to bring home my wedding dress!! Hooray! It is currently hanging in Brandon's closest (the only place we could find to accomodate the size of the bag) awaiting alterations. I pretty much lucked out and only have to get it hemmed for length, because it fits perfectly everywhere else. I just have to be extra careful not to store away any extra poundage before March!!
2) Our invitations came in!! They are super cute, if I do say so myself. Quite simple, and exactly what I wanted. I brought the whole box of them back with me to Abilene because before they will be mail-ready, I have to go through and tie a tiny black ribbon on each one. All 275 of them. Should be good times! Oh, and let's not forget the addressing of them all. It's a good thing we have a couple months before they have to get in the mail!
3) We booked the location for the rehearsal dinner. Johnny Carino's here we come! I am very excited about this little accomplishment. We are going to have some fantastic Italian food and possibly the best chocolate cake ever. And, the girl who set it all up for us was so amazing that she worked it to where we got a super reasonable price for everything, plus sent us home with a pocketful of gift cards to use between now and January! What a deal!

I am so ready to get married. Is it March 15 yet? Only 110 days to go!

The parts of my life not consumed with wedding planning are going pretty well also. Work has been a bit insane lately. We are starting to get a taste of the winter months with more patients. Last Monday just about killed everyone working. We got 9 admissions that day, some of which were pretty critical. No one got a lunch or even a break that day. It was nuts, but we survived. And, I got to see an IV placed in the external jugular vein. I didn't even know that could be done! I felt really bad for the traumatized parents who had to witness it being done on their 1-year-old baby, but it was pretty cool to see from the nursing perspective. The next few weeks and months will be pretty interesting because we're short-staffed as it is, and I just found out this weekend that we're losing 2 more RN's on day shift in 2 weeks. Goo. But, God has gotten us through some pretty rough patches already, so I have no doubt He will get us through this one as well.

Also, there is a possibility that I will be one of the ones saying goodbye to Hendrick in the next few months. Nothing is certain yet, but a pretty incredible possibility has just been laid in front of Charles for a job back in Arlington. He would get to coach soccer, which is his dream. The whole opportunity is something we never could have imagined. Only it starts in January. So, if it all works out, he will move back to Arlington in January to start this job, and I will join him in March when we get married. That is definitely a pretty significant change from the plans we thought we had, but I'm starting to realize that God usually has plans of his own, so maybe this is one of them. We have been doing a lot of thinking and praying, and we are excited to see what path God will lead us down. I realize I'm being a bit vague right now, but as things become more certain, I will fill you in on the details.

The whole possibility of leaving Abilene in March has me a bit torn. I know for a fact that Abilene is not where I want to be forever, but it has treated me well these past 5 1/2 years. I have a lot of friends here, and I have a great job that I love and do well at. However, things are not all about me anymore. I am about to get married, which means my life is directly tied to Charles' life. I have to consider what is best for him. If this job in Arlington works out, I have no doubt that it will be in his best interest to take it. And, that being said, I will gladly say goodbye to this stage of my life and welcome the next with open arms. His success means my success, and his happiness means my happiness. I believe that if it is God's plan for Charles to get a job in the Metroplex, then He has a place for me in the Metroplex as well.