10 days and counting....

Considering that it's almost midnight, I have 10 days left until the wedding.  There's so much going on right now, and yes...I'm stressing out.  Once again, not about GETTING married, but about the wedding itself.  This week's focus: finishing touches.  The dress...it still needs "something."  Working on that...  Also, my hair.  And of course I'd love to lose 30 lbs.  Anybody got a magic pill?  Oh, um...didn't think so.  I guess he must love me for who I am then, because I don't think that I'm getting much smaller in the next 10 days.  Oh well, it's a life-long struggle/journey for me...  Will I ever be happy with my body?  Doubt it....

Also, we're still working out the issues with the kids.  Seems that their mom is moving this week (bad, bad timing for us), and we're still trying to figure out all the visitation details.  Of course I have my own opinions about how to solve this problem (C-O-U-R-T), but it's not really my place to give input, and I'll just support Dan in what he thinks is best.

We're also trying to sell the house, and possibly look at ones to buy/rent in the near future.  It's very frustrating to be moving with the notion that we're not really unpacking, just temporarily storing boxes. *sigh* What else can we do?  Not much...  Just pray for God's peace and move on.  Speaking of moving on, I had better go and get Dan his dinner.  Hopefully this is his last weekend doing swing shift, however I won't hold my breath!

Closing Chapters...

Yesterday was the final school day of my 7th year of teaching; my 5th and final year at Basin City.  It was completely bittersweet.  I was so happy to be "DONE," checked out, and have ONE more thing crossed off my list.  I even planned to head up to Lewiston early to surprise my honey that I came on Friday instead of Saturday! (Yay for surprises!)  However, I had to say "see you later" (I hate "good-byes") to another group of kids that I won't get to see grown up :( and to a staff that I've spent a lot of time with!  I will admit, that I'm quite saddened to see a lot of those friendships with coworkers deteriorate as they have over this past year, but I guess we're all moving on.... different priorities.

The GREAT news about yesterday is that Jigs had her first ever tap recital.  Oh my gosh!  What an ADORABLE production!  And she did SO good!  Auntie Bibi, Pam and Matt were there to see it as well.  She messed up on one small part, and she fretted about it in the car on the way home!  Poor thing!  I told her EVERYONE makes mistakes, and she did GREAT! She got so many compliments and flowers, you would have thought it was her birthday!  OH WAIT! IT WAS! lol :-)  Yep, 7th birthday, last day of school, AND her first tap recital!  What a day!  No wonder why she slept so good on the way to Lewiston last night! 

Now, it's on to the next "phase."  Since school is done, tap recital completed and 7th bday has past, it's now officially MOVING TIME! 

This week the craziness just keeps on going.... Hunter starts football camp in Lewiston, we're trying to sell the house (long story), and Dan and I will head to Connell (probably a few times) to pick up the bigger furniture from the house.  We're borrowing a horse trailer to load everything in and it will probably take 1-2 loads.  (Hopefully, only 1!)  In the meantime, I have a wedding hair appointment as well, and need Heather to work some magic! :-)  

The BIG day is now under 2 weeks away....  I'm not nervous about the MARRIAGE, I'm nervous about the WEDDING and MOVING and just getting it all DONE. (Does it ever end???  Obviously it will on June 23rd!)  We know where my kids are going, and working on how we're going to "hand off" Dan's kids, so we just need to make sure the dogs (the "other kids") are ok, and then we're set to head to the coast for 10 days! Yay! I'm very excited!  Not only because I love the coast, but because I'll be there with my best friend; my husband.  (That sounds so weird, yet not.)

I used to go to the coast with my best friend...my mom.  It will be bittersweet that this is a different type of trip (honeymoon vs. a family vacation trip), but I'll miss her nonetheless.

Well, this entry should be wrapped up so that I can get some things done!  Until later.....

Can I just say I'm going to marry Mr. Wonderful? Because I'm saying it!

Ok, it's official - I am marrying the most wonderful man in the world!  Truly.  I'm sure some of  you ladies out there will disagree with me, and that's ok.  I'm sure YOUR hubby/boyfriend/etc. is YOUR Mr. Wonderful, and I'm incredibly happy for you.  But I must say that God is blessing me SO much by bringing Dan into my life.

Why?  Well, where do I start?  Since I don't have all night to tell you about him, let me just tell you what he did recently.  He came to visit.  Sure, sounds simple enough, but it meant so much because he truly didn't have to!  

I've been feeling down in the dumps lately - weather's been icky, tired of boxes everywhere, packing, wrapping up the school year, and did I mention MORE packing?  Stress of moving and a wedding... urg!

So after work on Monday and a few things he needed to take care of, he headed 112 miles to my house. Just to be able to visit, put his arms around me and be here. *sigh*  Sounds like no big deal, but he was barely here 1/2 a day before he loaded his Dodge up with more of my packed up crap and took off for home.  I wish he could have stayed, but today starts his time with the kids.  On top of it all, he left me a sweet note on my pillow.  I'm revived and refreshed!

A bit down...

Well, this is really hard to type after a great baby dedication for our Pastor's daughter this morning (because it was great!), but I'm feeling a bit melancholy lately.

It very much could be that the past two days it's been overcast, rainy and just more like spring than upcoming summer.  OR it could also be that I've been spoiled lately and seen Dan at least once a week, and that's not the case, so I'm feeling a bit deprived.  OR it could be that I'm so very tired of packing, packing, packing and a bit more of packing... OR it could be that with the impending wedding, I really wish that my family could or want to be there (I just know of one aunt who's coming for sure - the rest can't/won't or haven't RSVP'd).  And I miss my mom.  I wish she could be here to bounce wedding ideas off of, or to show her my new shoes, or what I bought for the garter, or ideas for things to do once Dan and I get down at the coast.

OR it could just be a little bit of all of the above. :(  

39 days left...

ONLY 39 days left...

Ok, admittedly, I'm excited that time is going by pretty quickly.  But as anything that has a timeline, there's still a LOT to do, with little time to do it in.

However, instead of going to Lewiston this weekend (taking up another moving load like normal), I stayed in town and started working on a few things to check off my "to-do" list.   Here's what I got done today:

- garter(s) yes...two...one to toss, one to keep
- bought bubbles for the reception and the ribbon to tie on them
- the guest book
- a mat to put around a picture (of us) for the guests to sign
- candles (for reception and honeymoon)
- the vase for our "unity vase" (stilll need to buy the sand)
- "bling" to put on my shoes (they're pretty, but plain)
- pads for the bottom of my heels to keep from slipping!


I think that's it...whew!  I feel like I was in town ALL DAY today!  Although I was gone a long time, I don't really feel like I got too much done, but I do have a few things checked off my to-do list....


Now I had better get OFF the computer and pack a few more boxes because I'm really thinking that I need to head to Lewiston next weekend.  I've been spoiled seeing him about once a week and I miss him!

The purpose...

I've always liked journaling, but I've never really considered myself a "blogger."  However, there are a lot of changes going on in our family right now, and I'm sure that most people are more than tired about hearing all about the wedding, how it's coming along, etc.  And then there are people who claim that I NEVER tell them ANYthing about the wedding (which may be true because I don't want to bore anyone).  And then there are the kids...continually growing (up) and changing.  And oh, did I mention we're moving?  Uh, yeah...so all those who are interested can read our "dirt" here. lol...


Who are we?


Daniel, Stacey, Hunter, Matthew, Abigail and Jillian.  


In order of oldest to youngest. 
Some of us are Shaws, some of us are Kinnicks.
We're about to become a blended family on June 23, 2011.
Come read about our adventures....