The Engagement Story

Well obviously this weekend was absolutley amazing. Let's start with the good stuff. After some fun with Jayke and Nicole Saturday morning Jim wanted to go downtown and walk around the old market. That was fine with me, I have always loved the old market, ever since I was a kid even. We went in some of the shops and while we were in the passageway Jim told me he had a surprise for me. He pulled out a card which was incredibly sweet. The P.S. on the card asked if I wanted to go for a swim (I really enjoy to swim). Inside was a reservation sheet for that night at the Hilton. Jim said that he had asked my Dad and Deb to watch Odie so that we could have a night to ourself since we hadn't been able to do that for awhile, I thought that was extremely sweet.

After that we headed out and walked around a bit more. We stopped for ice cream at Ted and Wally's which gave us a chance to cool down since it was super hot. When we headed back out Jim suggested we go on a horse and carriage ride. Now there is the way straight to my heart! I have always wanted to go on a carriage ride through the old market and Jim knew that so he made it happen. It was very sweet to cuddle in the cart and it was so beautiful out.

After that we headed over to Heartland of America park. Jim and I had always talked about going and somehow we never had which is amazing because it is one of those spots in Omaha I just love (something about the whole downtown area, with the old market, and all the character... I just love it all). When we got out of the car Jim grabbed a gift bag from under the seat and told me he had a present for me but I couldn't have it yet. I REALLY wanted to know what was in it, but he told me every time I asked he was going to wait another minute before giving it to me, now that is harsh!

As we walked around Jim stopped at one point and asked me if I wanted part of my present and of course I did! We sat on the bench and Jim gave me a small gift bag from the larger one. Of course my heart flutters a bit and I open the bag, as I do Jim pretends to have a rock in his shoe and he gets down on one knee. Inside the bag is a pair of earrings and the whole rock thing was just to throw me off, but it worked.

Aftr that we went on a gondala boat ride out around the fountain. It was super pretty and we had a nice time. He told me when we were done with the boat ride I could have the other present so I was getting pretty excited. Afterward we found just the right spot and Jim was ready to give me my present. I sat down on the bench and opened the gift. It was a picture frame that opened up. On one side was a picture of Jim kneeling down with the ring and it was engraved. It said "Will you marry me Mandy? Love Jim". The other side was a clock engraved with the date, "August 5th, 2006". When I looked up Jim was kneeling down just like the picture, down to the same clothes. When he asked me to marry him of course I squealed yes!

From there the night only got better. We were supposed to be meeting my Dad and Deb for supper so we left right after the proposal to head there. When we got there they were waiting outside for us. When we went in we turned the corner and there was my whole family and Jim's family all there to celebrate with us. Jim had arranged for all of them to come! It was amazing, it was like a big celebration and party and I had so much fun! I can not tell you how I felt to have him plan that whole day. We did everything in omaha that I love, and even better, we got to share something so special with the people around us!

Between my Jim, my family, and his, I never felt so special! I love you Jim and I can not thank you enough for all you have done for me and for planning something so amazing! I am so confident with our life together and in case you didn't know, you are super-fantabulously wonderful, just how I like you!

*I will post pictures soon!

We have some super-fantabulous news...

We're Engaged!!!

It's been a wonderful weekend but it is quite late and I am very tired so it is off to bed. Don't worry, all the details will follow tomorrow!

Weekends Away

Well the weekends have been flying by. Two weekends ago we were in Dubuque spending some time with Jim's friends and family. We got there Friday evening and even after taking a detour we got there before his Mom and had to wait outside for a solid 45 minutes before we got in the building. That pretty much stunk. We got in and got settled and then his Mom arrived a little after that. Odie was a little unsure why someone he didn't know was marching in the door and he barked a bit, but I just went over and sat next to her on the couch and had her give him a treat and he was fine after that. He definately likes being new places especially when it comes to his walks, nothing like a walk around a different neighborhood to get that sniffer going.

We were in town for Marty's birthday (Marty is Jim's friend), it was his big yearly birthday bash. It was a good time. We were eating, drinking and hanging around the fire pit until pretty late in the evening, or early in the morning I should say. All in all it was fun and I am glad I finally got to go.

This past weekend we had a family reunion to go to on Sunday. It was with Jim's Mom's family. They had it at Glee and Ron's place in Northeastern Iowa (that is Jim's aunt and uncle). The drive there felt like it took absolutely forever, a solid 3 1/2 hours. It just felt SOOOO LOOONG for some reason, especially when we get a call from Jim's sister thinking left later then we did, but nope, it is just a long drive. When we got there we visited, ate, and played some baggo (now that we got the boards done, they are a lot of fun). Odie went with us on that trip too. He liked the country, but he didn't care for Glee and Ron's massive 80 pound lab puppy. I think he was a but intimidated by his size. We got back late Sunday and then we were off with our week.

This next weekend will be spent back in Omaha.....will we ever get a break?!?!?!

Sicky Icky

Well, this weekend certainly hasn't been very eventful. Jim and I have both been fighting something, Jim has been far worse than I am. Stuffy noses, sore throats, aches, and ickiness. Not to mention the fact it is about a billion degrees out. That makes it even harder to gather the motivation to do anything spectacular.

We did go out and get a few groceries and such. We also got started painting the Baggo Boxes Jim made. We need to get them finished this week so we can take them to his friend Marty's birthday party next weekend. While out today we did get Odie a doggy bed. He keeps adopting one of the pillows so we thought he might like his own bed, and he does!

Hello Again

Well, as of today we have our internet back. You don't realize how much you use it until you can't. When the cable company finally came out it turns out the squirrels had been chewing through the line. I thought to catch up I would post some pictures. Enjoy!

David, from my class, after a pudding eating contest at our Olympics.

Kaleb and Jack after eating pudding as well

Jim and I in the backyard

My class and I outside Adventureland

Zion on the Frog Hopper

Ashlyn on the bus all tuckered out from Adventureland

Me and Cubbie at the Iowa Cubs game on the 4th of July

Fireworks on the 4th

Ashlyn and Mark skating this past Friday

Jayda, Jack, and I skating

Silly Internet

Sorry for the sparse updates, unfortunately our cable internet hasn't been working too well (or hardly at all). We have called the company but there never seems to be an avaliable day, and neither one of us really want to take half a day off to wait for the cable guy to come around. Basically the signal running to our house isn't strong enough to provide the internet like it is supposed to. I am not sure what the fix is, but we plan on getting it all worked out in the next week or two. I will update as much as I can!

The New Job

So the new job is going great! For the first time in far too long I like going to work everyday. I spend my day working with a classroom full of kids getting ready to head into first grade. They are so eager and energetic that it just makes the day fly. I come home everyday just exhausted, but a good exhausted.

The way the program works the kids have field trips four days a week so it gets to be quite busy. This week we went to the pool on Monday (where I got completely burned) and our onsite day was today. Tomorrow we head to living history farms, mini-golf on Thursday, and the Des Moines Zoo on Friday. As you can tell, we keep ourselves very busy! It is great though.

I feel behind on getting things ready for school so I need to start that soon. I need to get my loans defered, fafsa filled out, health papers in, just a lot of stuff. I need to definately get on top of all that.

Jim's dad is coming to town this weekend. Him and his wife have some things to do in Des Moines so it will be nice to get to spend some time with them. I think we may head to a baseball game and I am sure they will come by and see the house. Other than that I am not too sure what is happening.

And since I won't get to be home, Happy Father's Day Dad!

More Puppy Pictures

Good Ol' Odie

Our New Addition

This is Odie. Welcome him to our clan! A girl at work offered him to us and we took him in a heartbeat! Very well behaved and quite a lover, once the cats get used to him it will be perfect.

This is him right after his bath when we first got him.

This is a bad picture but a good picture of him.

Taking a break from playing.

Grandma's Doing Well

It has been a rough week and a half for my Grandma but I am proud to report she has pulled through remarkably well. For those who don't know, last Tuesday my grandma was taken to the hospital after suddenly getting sick at dinner that night. On Wednesday they finally figured out where the pain was coming from, spparantly she had a tear in her esophagus. They rushed her into emergency surgery which was an extremely scary 7 1/2 hours. They just kept saying it was very serious and very grave.

When she got out of surgery things looked pretty grim (the doctor said grim and IF she makes it a lot I guess). Her esophagus had almost completely separated from her stomach and her stomach acid had leaked out into her blood stream cousing a very serious infection to spread throughout her body. When she made it through the first night we were all cautiously happy. Lucky for everyone every day has been a significant improvement. When we last saw her on Sunday she was talking and looking a lot more like my grandma.

We got more good news on Tuesday when we found out her biopsy of the area around her esophagus and stomach came back negative for cancer. They still don't know what caused the separation and she is still in the ICU but she did get moved to a room with a window which she is very happy about. She has a very long road ahead of her yet, but she is the hospital's miracle right now and I will keep everyone posted on her progress.