Story time!

So... a neat little story to share that coincides with something from this past week.

As you all may know, we up and moved over a county and Cory started working as a firefighter for a dept in Oconee County (where I work as an EMT now) in March. We had moved into our apartment 2 weeks previously and then had to move to the townhouse (not to mention this was a 3rd story apartment) so it was quite the ordeal. Well, about a month-month and a half ago Cory was working in his department when someone walked up to him and said "Oh wow you've gained a lot of weight in the past 3 years". He just looked at this guy with his marine stare I'm sure lol (and no he's not fat, he just used to be a twig) and the guy automatically asked him how he couldn't recognize his roommate from Iraq. Turns out, one of our paramedics/FTOs at Oconee was Cory's roommate for a little bit of time in Iraq. Klaren didn't live here at the time and they had no clue that the both of them lived in South Carolina, but 8000 miles away they reunited 3 years later. He went out to the range with Klaren and his wife Thursday and had a blast. All while I slept the day away from working the previous night at the hospital.

How cool is that though?!?

Anyways, nothing around here. Was just told I officially have the offer for job #3 with the state's largest ambulance organization. We'll see.... otherwise it's work work work. Cory found a new truck (well, new to us) so we're working on getting that. We are so thankful for our friends Jennifer and Charlie for helping us with this. Having one car would work out great if I didn't have one job that is 45 minutes to a hour away and I work 7p to 7a at the hospital while Cory works 8a to 8p at the FD and then has a job 2 hours away in Columbia at the academy.

I promise that I'm not neglecting comments, I'm just have a little trouble learning how to sign in and etc. Anyways, it's 0142 and I'm tired! I worked 12 today (7a to 7p), 10 yesterday (9a to 7p), I work 12 tomorrow night (7p to 7a), and then 12 on Wednesday (7a to 7p). I work the weekend but at least I have Tuesday and Thursday off!

B

Time for some big life announcements!

First of all *drumroll please*....

I'm not going to paramedic school!!! Wait, what?!?! I know I know I just received my acceptance letter and I was so excited and I've worked SO hard for this and I even took the summer off to prep for it but, I need more time. Until then it's prepping to attend Clemson University in the fall (or spring 2013!) of next year. I am still going to school this fall. Unfortunately not thinking I majored in Associates of Arts for my basics degree because I used to be an education major. Well, things change, I change, life changes so now I am in need of some major science classes and it's cheaper for me to do them at Greenville Tech than it is at Clemson. By the time I get to Clemson I'll have some of their basic classes to take (College 101 stuff) and a 300 level English and the rest will be my nursing classes. I'm so excited! So hopefully I can make it through 2 or 3 more semesters at GTC and then head on to be a tiger. Know that I love EMS and I love doing what I do at Oconee. I just don't know that paramedicine is right for me fresh into my EMS career. I really want to do trauma nursing and nicu nursing (wow, neonatal, that was out of left field for me.. I use to be terrified of little babies!) and then attend MUSC for my MSN-NP degree. I'm looking into being a neonatal or family nurse practitioner. I guess we'll just have to see where my heart lies.

Second of all...

My healthier life begins tomorrow. I am done eatting twix bars out of the vending machines at work (or my latest craving... mini chewy sweettarts). I actually bought some sunflower kernels tonight to snack on. Then I replaced my ice cream cravings with skinny cow ice cream snacks (mmm!). Tomorrow I'll be joining a local 24 hour gym so that the nights I can't sleep and the lovely future hubby is passed out I can run up there and get a work out to make me tired to come home and sleep. Starting tomorrow I am also going to be drinking a lot more water and going to try to manage to only drink one coke/dr pepper a day. I am so determined to get back into shape. Plus I kinda have this wedding thing to prep for so I better be in my best shape :). I'll keep you guys updated to my weight loss. I have to keep up with Cory though, he's been slimming down a bunch lately. I am so proud of him, he's been working so hard!

On another note...

Charleston was fabulous. We have a good idea of where we're getting married, when we're getting married and the thing is, we're probably keeping it under wraps for now :). We want this to be extra special to us and if everyone is expecting it and some people are trying to wiggle their way into the ceremony or offended because we didn't invite this person or we invited this person and not them then it'll be stressful. The weekend was way too short but full of laughs, cuddling, sightseeing and yummy food.

Otherwise things are good and starting to slow down which is nice considering my classes start August 15th (ahh so soon!). I'm ready to get back into the swing of things after a summer off and get this degree done. I'm getting an awesome bracelet this week in support of my marine :). Cory has started at the academy and will be working there once a week once we get some things worked out around here. I'm working a little less right now but I needed a break. 72 hour weeks are for the birds! I was told I was getting offered a third job but after some hard thinking and hardcore praying I just don't know if now is the right time in my life for 3 jobs.

We miss everyone back in Texas and hope to see ya'll soon! I promise it won't be so long between updates next time. We have some things coming up that we're looking forward to so I can't wait to tell you guys all about it!

<3 b

For better or worse, for more dogs or less....

So, I promised Toby would be our last one but I looked at the Greenville Humane Society, Oconee Animal Shelter and Spartanburg Humane Society out of curious and the rest is history. Welcome Lassie (we didn't choose the name and she's almost 5 so we can't change it) to the [future] Bouldin family. She's a purebred smooth collie and sweet as can be. In fact she's sitting here on the couch with me. Initially we were scared of how the other dogs would get along with her but so far, Bella tries to show out occassionally but otherwise they're all good. Now, while we were there we got introduced to the furminator.... I had heard of this thing before but omg how did I live without it? It's a grooming/shedding tool that pulls out the undercoat that is loose and helps you keep them from shedding so much. I've been chasing the dogs around with it all day. So far we have half a wal-mart bag full of fur. Thank goodness we have our pet hair friendly vacuum! This weekend the 3 of them are sharing a run at the place we board the dogs so that we can head out of town so we'll see if I get any frantic phone calls from the place but I don't see it being a problem.

So otherwise what's been up? First of all Cory and I celebrated July 4th on July 3rd at the Westminster fireworks. It was so awesome and we got to spend some time with friends so it was definitely a good time. A few "exciting moments" but no one got hurt :). I have been offered an interview at another ambulance service in this area so I have decided to take it. I figure I can work part time for them since I only work prn for Oconee and 3 nights a week for GMH. Cory has orientation at the SCFA this week. Not to mention, the unmentionable possible future plan took a big step in coming around last Friday. Excited, scared, and anxious about what the future holds career wise for us. Hopefully I'll get to tell you guys soon what's going on.

This weekend is Charleston (Wooo!). We're leaving Saturday morning and returning late on Sunday. We so far have plans to go to the USS Yorktown, Angel Oak Tree Park, and the American LaFrance museum. I'm really looking forward to this.

Now onto cleaning up the mess called having 3 dogs. Cory's working on our office so maybe I can post pictures of the entire place soon.

Brenda C.

Our first post!

So... with LOTS of changes coming up in our life I figured I'd start a blog so that all of our friends and family could keep up with what's going on with Cory and I. We are so lucky to have all of you in our life.

So lately, let's catch up. I just started two new jobs this summer, one working PRN for Oconee Medical Center EMS and then I work full-time at Greenville Memorial Hospital - Emergency Trauma Center as a NST. Definitely been an adjustment for Cory and I as I now work nights at the hospital and this comes right as we become a one-car family temporarily due to some problems with the other car we had. But nothing we haven't handled and thankfully Cory has been amazing in how he tries to sleep in with me until the afternoon (though I don't think he complains about sleeping in until 2:30ish). Cory is still at Westminster FD and we're still waiting to hear back from the SCFA on his start date there. I am so proud of him for chasing his dreams. I just know he'll go far in his career. We're still in our townhouse in Seneca, still working on turning it into home. Cory brought home some of his stuff from his grandparents so the garage is slowly but surely becoming his "man cave". We're working on deciding what we do after the lease at this place is up next February but we also have to wait to see if some things fall into place. Either way it looks like we'll be staying in Oconee County as we have enjoyed the hiking and the small town feel (though I do miss my shopping and variety of places to meet with friends.).

So another change, looks like I'll be Mrs. Bouldin a little sooner than originally planned. Weddings are expensive (26,000+ on average as of 2005 according to cnnmoney.com) and we really don't feel like waiting until next October when we could afford the one we want soooo we're doing a small ceremony at a date known to us in Charleston and then eventually we'll have a big wedding and reception for everyone to attend. This was a decision that wasn't easy as we didn't want to leave our family completely out but we're very excited about our plans and then we can't wait to celebrate with everyone at a later date. For the record, since everyone has had this thought since we announced it, no I am not pregnant. We're doing this for us and us only.

So lots of decisions and changes coming up in the future. I've got some decisions to make about school. I think my heart is in nursing and doing EMS prn soooo I've got some decisions to make there. I love EMS but I have to keep in mind I want a family one day and I don't see how being a mom and working 24 hour shifts will work for me. I still have my sights on being a nurse practitioner. To make things a little more murky I did get accepted to the Paramedic program this fall so lots of decisions. Hopefully I'll know some things soon :).

This weekend has been one of relaxation. Yesterday we took the dogs out to Chau Ram for hiking and their first swim and it went off wonderfully except Bella getting injured. She'll be fine though. Tonight is hopefully us getting to spend some time together for July 4th since I'm working on the actual holiday and then next weekend is my 5 day weekend on this new [temporary] rotation and then the weekend after that we're headed off to Charleston to scout out a place to get married and spend some time down there. I've missed it a lot!

Hope this finds everyone well and check back frequently for updates. As the changes happen and as exciting things (such as Charleston) happen we'll keep you guys informed. I know many of you wished I would get back into blogging and now that I am working back on my weight loss and spending many wonderful life events with Cory I promise to become proactive in it again. Love ya'll!

Brenda C.