Good Morning.

so this morning i woke up and went to take sweet little charlie out to potty because she was whining. as i walked through the living room, i squished between my toes the droppings she decided couldn't possibly wait, and where better than the living room rug?

i then screamed at aaron to get HIS dog and clean up HIS dog's mess. she's always only HIS dog when she's this bad.

needless to say, it was a rough start to the morning.

Charlie J. Update

Here's to Aaron's best friend and favorite companion, Charlie Jenkins. I know most of you are shocked that I didn't say Megan, but this big puppy had almost a whole year of Aaron to herself and she just doesn't know what to do not being the center of his world anymore. When Aaron and I sit on the couch together, 55lb Charlie jumps up right in between us. If she's able to sneak in the bed without us noticing right away--how a massive dog manages to do this is beyond me--she will get as close to Aaron as she possibly can. She's trying so very hard to mark her territory, and she doesn't mind who (me) she steps on along the way.  Our tiny little house can hardly contain her extreme hyperactivity that never seems to settle. Everyone I meet that hears we have a Boxer tells us they are puppies at heart til the day they die. No one, not ONE, mentioned this to me a year ago when I said, "Sure honey, get a puppy. I know you're lonely in Texas." All that being said, we have fun. She keeps us active. I'm putting an invisible fence on my Christmas list this year.

She is cute, I'll give her that.

Her favorite spot to lay in the sunshine.

Her favorite pastime: chewing sticks into a billion tiny pieces in the house. Typically while I'm not home because Aaron can't stand to tell her no or to take any happiness away from her. Foreshadowing children??

She loves to play fetch. ALL THE TIME. We can't keep up with her.

Charlie got hit by a car and had to have surgery on her leg. Aaron was in worse shape than Charlie.

Would not leave her side. Sad because he said it was his fault. Apologized to Charlie all night long.

Heavily medicated Charlie was my favorite week ever. Ok ok, it was sad, but she was so peaceful. Aaron spent the night on the floor beside her. Thank you to Meg and Frank for fixing her up so nicely. She's back to running 6 miles and still ready for more.

Pittsburgh with the Mullaneys

The family I have babysat for for the past 5 years asked me to come to Pittsburgh with them a week after our honeymoon. After declining with the excuse that I didn't want to leave my husband so early after the wedding, they asked us both to come along and entertain two of my favorite boys, Michael and Johnny. It was one of our favorite trips to date. Highlights include: Dave and Busters, Kennywood Theme Park, Pamela's Breakfast (twice), bubble tea, pizza at midnight after we had already eaten dinner, Page's Icecream  where we also discovered how good the cheeseburgers were right after dinner, Crab Legs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Museum of Natural History (among other cool museums), Phipps Conservatory, tour of Carnegie Mellon, Primanti Brothers, and Saris Chocolates--just to name a few. On top of that, we had the best tour guide anyone could ask for! Aaron managed to navigate the streets of downtown Pittsburgh fairly well despite the boys screaming in the back and his copilot (me) questioning our every turn. He was sure kids could wait for a long while after this trip. At one point, he told John that as soon as we got out of the car he would count to 10 before beating the snot out of him =). The Mullaney's are so fun and we kept busy and well occupied/entertained 24/7.

Primanti Brothers' Sandwiches--coleslaw, fries, meat, and cheese.

Johnny was a little apprehensive about the roller coasters in the beginning. And about using a hairbrush. Ever.

This happened 98.9% of everyday. Sometimes drawing blood.

Finally attempting the coaster.

99.2% of the time.

Pittsburgh was such a cool town--lots of history and character. We will definitely take another trip there in the near future, but will definitely not be eating as much. Pretty sure this trip right after the honeymoon contributed to the "Freshman Marriage 15" I feel like I've packed on.

Honeymoon

**wedding photos too large for blog, so we'll skip straight to honeymoon**

The day after our wedding, we left for our All Inclusive resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico. It was wonderful to say the least. We were spoiled entirely for 5 days. Aaron spent most of our honeymoon checking out all the different restrooms at the resort. The all you can eat food and drink did a number on those already sensitive Jenkins' bowels. Once it was so bad he had to ask for a new bathrobe. =) Aaron also failed to pack any decent looking clothes because, "Why would I need to wear long pants if I'm going to the beach and it's hot?" I had too many other things on my mind before the wedding to make sure he had packed the right outfits, but as soon as we got to the resort and were told that all dining for dinner was pants and closed-toed shoes only, we went to the Mexican giftshop and paid 175 pesos for a pair of cheap, extremely long, navy blue linen pants. Aaron wore them every night for lack of other options. It also rained quite a bit every day.

I want to go back ASAP.

Hotub on our balcony.

Raining. Aaron's awesome linen pants.

Aaron's favorite spot at the resort.

Lots of Changes!

Life got a little hectic and crazy pre-wedding, then we had an (ongoing, neverending) adjustment phase, and we know feel settled enough to post some life updates. Slowly but surely I'll get pictures and updates posted on life Post-Wedding.

Quick overview-- Monsoon wedding weekend, amazingly relaxing honeymoon, Pittsburgh for a week, house cleaning bonanza, jobless apprehension, week in Dallas, new jobs, and finally settling in to a routine that we know better than to get used to because God is always in control and we cannot fathom what he has planned for tomorrow. Awesomely, His mercies are new every morning and we can face each day when it comes.

April Madness Comes First

We can't always plan and map out our lives because we never know God's plan. He's the ultimate gatekeeper to our future. This week God revealed a little more of his plan for the lives of future Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins, and fortunately for us, he wants us to be home with our wonderful, huge, gracious, loving families. Aaron should be home this weekend sometime, 17 days til the wedding and then we'll go from there! Can't wait to see Aaron every single day. =)

Like they say, "If you wanna hear God laugh, tell him your plans."

May Madness...

The wedding is 2 weeks away from this Saturday and I have to tell you that May will be a crazy time for me and Megan. I will be doing a lot of traveling and here is how it goes…


May 7th Fly from Abilene to Knoxville

May 8th Drive to and from Nashville for Eric Hensley’s wedding.

May 9th Fly back to Abilene.

May 12th Fly back to Knoxville (Flight has to go from Abilene to Dallas to Chicago to Knoxville….)

May 15th Get Hitched.

May 16th Fly to Houston then to Cancun Mexico.

May 21 Fly back to Knoxville.

May 22nd Start Drive back to Abilene with Megan’s clothing and shoes in tow.

May is going to a crazy time but super excited about the wedding and the rest of my life with Megan. Its just going to be a little crazy to get to Abilene to unpack. But at least Megan has nothing else to do besides unpack and make a nest.

Little Known Facts....

As the big day nears I have come to realize that there are many things that have to get done before I get married. I know Megan is so super excited about coming to live with me but there are a few things that she really has to realize before she gets here….

I don’t always remember to put the toilet seat down.

Heck I really don’t remember to put the seat up! So in turn I may from time to time drip a little on the seat.

Dutch Ovens….If she does not know what this she will very soon….

Charlie, my dog, from time to time will chew things up. IE. Toilet paper, cardboard boxes toothbrushes, toothpaste (three tubes), bag of chips, milk jugs, and even a book or two.

I sometimes forget to put my dishes in the dishwasher. To tell the truth I most of the time forget to get them out of the floor where Charlie helped cleaned them.

I sometimes but very rarely forget to put my clothes in the dirty clothing hamper. Somehow I just leave it where I ever took it off even if that’s on top of the refrigerator.

Charlie likes to sleep in the bed. I have told her to go sleep in the floor but she thinks the bed is where she is supposed to be.

Some mornings I don’t dry off very well before I step out of the shower and cover the bathroom floor with water.

Megan is going to be so lucky to have someone like me. The wedding is sneaking up on as quicker and quicker. I still have to figure how to get all of Megan’s clothes down here I am think freight load using a semi…..I sure do hope that we don’t lose any boxes on the way down…I am excited to have a wife to come home to after a longs day work. As Megan informs me every morning on her way to school its only 24 days….

Holy Moly!

Aaron here reporting that today marks 25 days until I marry my best friend and I couldn't be more excited. Ok, it's Megan. Here are a few things that equal 25:

A quarter of a century

A quarter

5 squared

Mid twenties

Halfway to 50

The amount of money required for one matinee movie ticket and a large popcorn and coke zero

The temperature outside when Aaron took me camping with no tent

The age I will be in 2012

The number of grandchildren that will be in the Jenkins family by 2012 =)

The amount of times my Kindergarteners ask me if it's playtime in a given day

The amount of times I've almost gagged at the snot/mucas/urine/throwup from my school children...this week

The age Brandon will be on the day after our wedding

The number of times Brandon has told Aaron he still has time to back out

1/4 of the amount of shoes I realized I have after packing

Exactly the amount of bathing suits I realized I have after packing

Only 1/1,000,000,000,000,000 of the love and excitment I have to be marrying my best friend.

See you so soon. I can't wait.

UPDATE!!!

Tomorrow will be 52 days until the wedding. Friday will be 50 days. And Saturday, you guessed it, we're in the 40s people. My Kindergarteners can count that high, so it can't be too far away!

Another weekend has come and passed and I really have nothing new to report.

Work is going well as could be asked kind of in-between work right now so things move at a slower pace.

The weather had been wonderful so I have been playing golf. Wish I could say that I was a fantastic player but got nothing right now maybe in a few more months.

I am looking forward to coming home over Easter. I hope that I get to relax a little bit before I have to head back.

In case anyone is wondering today is 2 months till Megan’s wedding. I know because Megan tells me every morning when she calls me on the way to school.

Sorry that I really don’t have anything wonderful and exciting to report but that’s just how things are here in Abilene.

Valentines in Abilene

#1--For Valentine's Day I got a 52" flatscreen LCD and a Playstation 3. Exactly what I wanted.

Ok, so I'm just messing with Aaron--I did get a plane ticket, an expensive dinner, a tripod for my camera, and The Pioneer Woman cookbook (thepioneerwoman.com). Little added bonus--I got a messy puppy who ate my whole bag of chocolate truffles (pooped about 12 times after that), ate and chewed up every styrofoam cup of diet coke that I brought into the apartment, and chewed and dispersed of my makeup and a roll of toilet paper throughout the living room. After witch Megan just cried for 10 minutes while I laughed. She also ate 6 English Muffins for a combined total of 48grams of fiber (pooped about 7 times after this). Anyone would crap that much after that amount of fiber

#2--Aaron informed me that he had been cleaning all week before I got there. I've always known we had different ideas of cleanliness, but I'm near certain there was nothing in that apartment that could be considered clean. Maybe the bedroom, but there's not even any furniture in there. Speaking of, Charlie's crate is being used as a nightstand, a big cardboard box for a tv stand, and a wooden shelf from the Home Depot dumpster for a dresser. There is a lot of work to be done in the next 89 days!

Luckily, I had time to clean a little Saturday morning when he went into work for a couple hours. I spent an hour and a half cleaning a kitchen the size of most people's closet. Here are a few of the questions that I picture go through Aaron's mind on a regular basis:

How did that golf ball get into my garbage disposal?

Fell in. Come like you all have never found something different in the garbage disposal!!

If Charlie destroyed this bag of bread, but there are still a few pieces/parts left is it okay to eat?

Yes, There are children all over the world that would a half ate English muffin. Plus I have read that dogs mouths are cleaner than humans.

If I've left these dishes in the sink so long that the food is plastered on, will this cheap little dishwasher still clean them?

Easy one...No

If I can clearly see said food still plastered on said dishes even after running the dishwasher (twice), should I still eat off of them? Or tell our guests to grab a cup from the dishwasher?

I have no fear eating off them and why should anyone else. I mean come on they have been washed twice.

If I spill spaghetti sauce on the floor, will Charlie lick it all up so I don't have to clean it up?

98% of the time Yes and with optimal results.

If I reheat enough red/brown food in the microwave, can I eventually turn the whole interior of the microwave red/brown?

I was 1/4 of the way there till someone had to clean my art work off the walls.

If I just put cleaning supplies under my sink, does that mean my apartment is clean?

If I just spray said cleaning supplies randomly without any further application, will my apartment be clean?

Yes it will. I bought everything under that sink and now my apartment is clean. You just have to wait long enough and then the cleaning fairy will come do it for you.

Should I use this dish drain as something to store my dirty dishes?

I think to fully grasp this question you must first define "dirty"

How long does garlic stay fresh/good?

Till Megan throws it in the trash.

Will a ceramic crockpot break if I set it on top of Charlie's cage and she knocks it over?

Yes and very easily I might add I think someone need a letter on the quality of their products.

Even if I know this vacuum cleaner is clogged up, will it still clean up Charlie's messes if I run it over it?

Depends on how many times you are willing to run over it.

If I just buy enough air fresheners, will it mask the smell of my 30lb dog that poops chocolate truffles?

Sure that's why I have one in every outlet in my apartment. No joke there are 5 in my apartment.

If I buy myself a 52" flatscreen TV and a Playstation 3 will I ever be able to keep my dirty apartment even remotely clean?

As long as you first buy an engaugement ring first.

Just a few that I thought of while scrubbing the floors, microwave, dishes, and sink. Aaron walked in about the time I was scrubbing the floor in my somewhat lower rise jeans than I typically wear and now has the perfect blackmail picture of me looking much like a plumber.

#3--We had such a wonderful Valentine's Dinner at Rancho Loma (a neat little restaurant Becky found in the Southern Living magazine). It was about an hour outside of Abilene and Cameron and Jessica were able to come along with us! Cameron drove his freshly washed and brand new truck. When we got within about 10 miles of the restaurant (according to the GPS), we were instructed to turn down a County Road (aka dirt road). After about 50 feet, Cameron's pride for his pretty truck negated the need to get to this restaurant, so we turned around determined there was another route. The GPS quickly rerouted us...to the next County Rd. This time his wife insisted that we just do it to get there because we were running late. We were so glad we did because it made for such good laughs. For 10 miles we drove down a dirt road with fences and ranches that ran along beside us. And buffalo.

Being Miss Debbie Downer/Negative Nancy, I had a thousand different situations running through my head: what if the GPS was navigated by some psychopath that led us this way to murder us, Texas Chainsaw Massacre (road looked identical to the movie), what if this was a fake address or a fake restaurant trying to see how many young couples they could capture/torture...of course I voiced all of these suggestions as we were driving. I blame it on Criminal Minds.

So we made it. Safely. No psychopaths or chainsaws, however, when the man that owned the place opened the door for us to walk in, I did stand back and let Cameron and Jessica go first. =)

It was a beautiful ranch house that a family has turned in to a super neat restaurant on the weekends. The husband told us his wife always wanted to own her own little restaurant--never been to culinary school and never worked as a chef anywhere else. It was such a neat experience and fun atmosphere. We had a five course meal: cream cheese and red grapes with a balsamic vinegar, parmesean crusted scallops (served on a big shell), mussels in a white wine sauce (I could hardly muster letting one slide down my throat--Aaron sneakily ate mine and replaced the empty shells so it looked like I ate them), a filet (best steak I have ever eaten-hands down), and some sort of chocolate truffle brownie? Delicious. All I can say. Here are our fun new friends.

We're having fun making our home away from home a fun place to spend a little time. I did get a little stressed out about what in the world I'll be doing when I get there, but I'm working on totally giving that to the Lord and trusting his plan. I've always had trouble with that sort of thing--I'm such a planner/worrier/stresser. I'll be an Abilenean in about 89 days and can't wait to see God's plan for our future!

The red are comments my Aaron.

Birthday Wishes

I know everyone out there thinks the month is February but you would be wrong. Its Megan’s Birthday month and more importantly its her birthday week. I know its so exciting! Well the moment everyone has been waiting for since last year is here.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FUTURE MRS. JENKINS!!!!!

Snow Days

I made it into town this past weekend and lucky for me it was a snowy weekend! I was worried that I would not be able to make into Knoxville due to the impending snow storm. Luckily for me I made it in safe and with no delays. Megan was unsure if she would be able to pick me up by herself so her brother and Reddick made the trip with Brandon driving.

With a few slips and slides we made it home to Megan’s house after a stop at the local watering hole. Saturday I made Megan wake up early and come to my folks and got to play in the snow with all the nieces and nephews. Brandon Trey and Reddick all came down and had a good time playing in the snow and riding four wheelers.

I had really came in to celebrate Megan’s birthday Saturday by taking her to Regas. Those plans fell through after all the snow. Now we could have made it to dinner and a movie but Megan being the wonderful bride to be that she is said that she would take a rain check and that I could go play in the snow with all the boys again.

After a wonderful day it was over and it was again Sunday again time to get ready to go back to Texas. At least I was able to get a wonderful Sunday dinner before I had to catch my flight.
It’s never fun leaving east Tennessee but at least Megan will be visiting in two weeks. That means I have to make sure everything is in excellent condition before she get there.

No Worries I'm still here

I really do suck at this whole blog thing….

I started this blog at work when I had about 6 hours a day to kill, but now I work 60 hour weeks…

Work has been going good for a while we were working 7 days a week. I don’t know if you ever have done that or not but you really have no day of the week to look forward to everyday is like a Monday…. Thing are starting to slow down now we are between projects so until the next one gets behind back to 48 hour weeks. I did come to find that I will be in Abilene for at least the next year so that means Megan will be moving to A-Town come May. Feel free to come visit but be forewarned that there is not much to do in Abilene…

My apartment has started to take shape and look like someone actually lives there. Well to at least my standards. I still have no bedroom furniture so all of my clothing are on piles on the floor. I now have a kitchen table, coffee table, recliner and a baker’s rack (I still don’t know what it’s really for so as of right now it holds my shoes…. Megan is coming down in Feb so she will be able to tell you if I am really keeping up with everything…

My wonderful mother got me a Crockpot for Christmas and I have been making one meal a week in it and eating that one thing for at least 3 days (lunch and dinner) I really don’t have the hang of it quite yet but I’ll get there. Next week its going to be more pot roast.

I am going to try and keep my blog up to date but we know that really won’t happen. Maybe after I get married Megan will take over and everyone will be able to check it out then.