Birthday Girl!

My Birthday has always been my favorite holiday. My mom always made sure to make it extra special for me, and this year was no exception! I woke up this morning to a message on my car windows on my way to clinicals.  I didn't get a picture because of the rain, but it said, "Happy Birthday Jacey! We Love You!"

Clinicals was pretty good. I got to start an IV, take out some staples, watch the Dr. do some stitches bedside, take out a central line, and give some IV push drugs. It was my idea of fun these days! I talked to my Fiance afterwards and then got a little nap before dinner. Mom made me sweet potato casserole complete with marshmallows, breaded, baked chicken breast, scalloped potatoes, and a chocolate birthday pie! When I blew out the candles I couldn't think of a single thing to wish for, since my wish for so long has been to be engaged. I used every shooting star, wishing well penny, and birthday candle to try to make it come true! My parents said now maybe my wish should be for money to pay for this wedding.

She and dad got me 2 of 4 pieces of artwork I've had my eye on for my bedroom. They will look great on the wide white walls of the apartment.


I put down a deposit yesterday, so we officially have a photographer for the wedding! His name is Bob Ocken, and I am very excited about his work. He has a very journalistic view, which I enjoy. I don't want to be posing for pictures during my entire wedding, I want pictures of events as they happen.

I have some birthday homework to do, and then I plan on sleeping amazingly well! Thanks to all who sent me birthday wishes and good tidings for my engagement!

Back to Reality

I'm back, doing the every day grind! We had a great weekend. Saturday we went to Birmingham to visit my future in-laws! They have a great family, and we had a lot of fun playing Settlers of Cataan (The greatest board game of all, I might add!), making guacamole, and jumping on the trampoline. That evening, Stu and I started our trek back to Oxford. I had just checked the weather on my phone and commented on a ll the ugly looking storm cells that seemed to be hovering all along HWY 78, when all of a sudden the tornado siren went off. We made a u-turn and went back to the house. As we watched the weather we learned of a huge wall cloud, with rotation and nickel sized hail, right where we were going!  I was so glad we turned around! Sunday morning, Stu and I woke up at 5 AM to drive back to Oxford.

All of my furniture is in Oxford, since I now live with my parents and there is no room for it in our house.  My box spring kept falling off the support brackets on either one side or the other, so I called Home Depot Sunday to have them cut me some 1 x 4 slats. I wrestled the double sided queen sized pillow top mattress off bed. Then I wrestled the box spring, measured for my slats, and called to see if the slats could be cut for me and I could pick them up. The man on the phone was a little snarky about my request, and told me the saw wasn't accurate, and he couldn't guarantee the cuts would be 60.25". I asked him how much of a variance there was and he old me 0.25- 0.5"! I told him never mind then and hung up, but the more I thought about it, the more determined I became to get my slats. I traveled to Home Depot with my measurements and requested my wood be cut. After the first pieces were cut, I stepped over to them and whipped out my own tape measure. After that, they realized I meant business, and magically my wood was cut to perfect standard. I made up my bed with the new duvet cover I had ordered from Crate and Barrel months ago. It looked very lovely, if I do say so myself!

I arrived home late last night. Mom waited up for me, and to see my ring! Today I am back at school. I go to class 40 hrs a week and work about 32 hrs each weekend on night shift. It gets tedious, but I am almost finished with school, and it will be much better then. I am glad we are giving ourselves a year to plan the wedding. I think trying to go to school, work, working out, and planning a wedding, along with eating and sleeping may be a little too much for me to handle!

My next big projects are starting a pre-wedding bible study, tackling the guest list, and saving up for the photographer deposit. I am getting excited about some engagement photos! After we get those, save the dates can go out! Only 376 days away!

A Beautiful Fog

This whole week so far has been one big, jumbled, beautiful dream! It all started out last Monday...

I came down from Arkansas and arrived in Oxford early early Monday morning. I was exhausted, and slept until after 2pm! Stu and I decided to go to one of our favorite restaurants, Texas de Brazil, in Memphis. We try to eat there 2-3 times a year. It is so good!

Memphis Main Street Trolley

After eating a wonderful dinner (the lamb was to DIE for!), I mentioned to Stu that we should ride the trolly around the downtown Memphis area. It's a really nice loop that goes by the river and around several old buildings. The trolleys are very old and lovely themselves!

Texas de Brazil Memphis

Texas de Brazil is included in the courtyard that includes the main entrance to the Peabody Hotel. On our way out to the street, Stu said, "Hey, why don't we go to the roof of the Peabody for a while?" I thought that was a great idea. It is beautiful up there. It is a popular place for rooftop parties, weddings, fancy dinners, etc, and has beautiful views of Memphis, and the Mississippi River.

We were looking at the New and Improved Duck House and the beautiful views when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Stu fiddling around in his pocket. I continued to look out over the city as I wondered to myself what he was doing. Then I saw him take a knee slightly behind me. I was stunned! I couldn't move! He finally called my name when he realized I wasn't turning around!

The Peabody Hotel, Memphi

He looked into my eyes (we are much more eye level when he is kneeling) and said, "Jacey?"

And I said something dumb in my shocked state like, "Are we really doing this?" In my shocked state, what I really meant was, "Oh my goodness! This is such a wonderful surprise!"

Stu smiled and nodded to my open mouthed gasp and continued to say, "Jacey, I would like to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

The Duck House on the roof of The Peabody

I was so stunned. I explained to him later that night, I had, as all women do, prepared for this day my whole life so far. Every time I got ready for a date I thought in the back of my mind, "Will tonight be the night?" But in the entire 4 years of our relationship, that moment hadn't happened so far, until just then. Time was standing still.

My mind wondered back to how I always thought I would burst into tears immediately at the sight of Stu on his knee with that magical black box. In his nervousness, Stu had placed the ring into my palm instead of onto my ring finger. I looked deep into the face of the man I loved, the man I couldn't imagine spending life without, and I said, "Yes!" At the utterance of that magical answer, the flood of tears I had expected arrived. We hugged, and kissed, and laughed, and I cried, and then I smiled.

The view from the Peabody Hotel rooftop

My smile lasted the remainder of the evening. We rode the Trolley around the Main Street Loop. I didn't even know where we were. We called family members. I smiled. I told Stu how I felt like shouting to everyone we passed that we had just gotten engaged. He said please don't. I continued to smile. I stared at my gorgeous vintage style ring. I joked about none of my patients having eyes after I cared for them from either being blinded by my diamonds, or being knocked out by them.

Stu told me he had driven to Flippin last Wednesday to meet with my Dad and ask for my hand in person over dinner at the 178 Club in Bull Shoals. I recalled that my Dad had told me he had a business dinner at Western Sizzlin' in Mountain Home. I had felt sorry for him, and Mom and I ate macaroni and cheese and fish sticks. I had been in bed by 6pm that night.

The inside of the Trolley

I called my parents and they asked how he had proposed and told me how they knew about the secret. I stared at my ring and smiled. We called grandparents, siblings, and best friends. I smiled. We drove back to Oxford, smiling and talking. I never had thought it possible until that night, but the muscles in my face that allowed me to smile were hurting. I kept on smiling, as I was completely incapable of doing anything else.

In Batesville, MS we got a flat tire. We continued to smile, and it was fixed in less than 10 mins. We made a joke about trying out for a NASCAR pit crew. When we got home, we made the engagement "Facebook Official," and got excited by all the comments we were receiving.

2 Very Happy People!

When I woke up the next morning, I could have sworn it had all been a dream. I kept looking down to my ring to reassure myself of reality. Stu took me to breakfast. We showed my sweet friend Lindsey at her store on the square. We bought "Will you be my bridesmaid?" invitations from the stationary store next door. My ring was a little big, so we went to the jeweler's, about 30 mins away to have it resized. While we were there we picked out wedding bands.

Throughout the week, I have visited friends, seen the dentist, and still can't believe I am engaged. I look at my hand constantly, in between bites of food and looking online at wedding things. I forget my phone. I lose my computer. I don't remember what I had been doing 3 seconds before. All I think about is how excited I am to be the future Mrs. Edwards.

I have wanted to blog for a while now. I love reading other blogs, and never felt I had anything to blog about. I hope to use my blog as a memoir to Stu and my journey to our new life. I hope you enjoy coming along with us! It won't always be fun and games, but it will be fantastic, no matter what!

-- Jacey