Sunday Update

So I've survived my first two weeks of being back in the working world. I'm still in training until the end of March most likely and I'm still learning a lot! Working in a hospital is a lot different than any other job I've had. Tomorrow I'm working my first 12 hour shift (I've never worked one in my life) and I'm working this weekend, but I get Thursday and Friday off which is nice.

As far as the rest of my life, well its been pretty darn boring. I have been trying some new recipes which I hope to post about soon and I finally got caught up on all my cleaning and laundry yesterday. Today I took a little break and we drove out to Battelle Darby Park to see the Bison they have there. I'll try and get the pictures up sometime this week.

I've also been busy with my volunteer work, helping get a newsletter off the ground and planning the fundraiser gala Live & Silent Auction. We are also going to the Motor City Casino as part of an awards ceremony for Andrews work March 12th & 13th so that is something fun to look forward too. Sorry for my lack of blogging and commenting but I promise to get back on track soon!!

Whew

Please excuse me if I'm a little bit absent from commenting on blogs/blogging.

I started my job on Monday and the training is hectic. I have never worked in the health care field before and I'm mentally exhausted from all there is to learn. Today we have a test to take and then we learn how to use the computer programs such as the email, intranet and online learning guides.

I'm in training until Tuesday and then I start shadowing another person with my job title until the beginning of March then I'm on my own!

I hope that everyone has a great rest of the week and weekend - I'll try to write something up on Sunday and get to commenting on some blogs!

Happy Valentines Day

Love it or hate it, I do believe that Valentines Day is a real holiday and that it was not invented by Hallmark. I remember very vividly learning about St. Valentine in my CCD classes as a kid.

I also start my new job today and I'm hoping that it will be a good first week. I've got 7 days of training and shadowing then I'll start working on my own. I think everyone gets nervous to start a new job.

I'm going to make Chicken Cordon Bleu for dinner tonight with mashed potatoes and green beans. Andrew and I got one another small gifts this year and here are a few photos of what he got me.

I hope that all of you have a wonderful Valentines Day!

Another life change

So on Monday I'm starting my new job. Its not exactly a fancy PR or Marketing job, but I'll be getting my foot in the door at one of the best places to work in Central Ohio. The job is entry level and the pay isn't much more than my previous job - but I think it will be an AMAZING opportunity.

In the 6-8 months I've been job searching I've only had three interviews, two of which were for the job I got. I thought the economy was improving but I guess I was wrong. Although I've enjoyed the free time I've had since school ended before Thanksgiving - I'm going insane. Yes, cooking fun meals, baking and spending time with friends has been great. Being broke, the only person who is home all day and starting to get cabin fever is not very glamorous.

I've spent a better part of today cleaning the house, getting everything organized for my transition back into the working world. I cannot concentrate at work when I know my house is messy (dear Lord, I'm becoming my mother) and I need my full concentration during my 7 days of training. So now my house is pretty well cleaned, my job clothes are ironed (don't make fun of me, I do iron my dress clothes) and I'm doing everything in my power to relax this weekend.

My nerves are a wreck right now, I've always been anxious when starting a new job but I'm hoping come the end of next week I'll feel much better.

My Valentines

Yup - that's my boyfriend with the van he bought this summer and although I hate that van I still love him. He's not just my Valentine because he's my boyfriend but because he's truly my soul-mate. I know that sounds corny, but its true. Everyone around us notices how we bring out the best in one another and fill in the voids the other person has and its true. He can always make me laugh or smile, he's sweet and kind although sometimes he teases me too much, he's proud of what I've accomplished and he loves me no matter what.
I can't believe that we've been dating for 3 years now and that this is our third Valentines day together!

I know that most people wouldn't pick a dog as their other Valentine but this little love holds the key to my heart. One of the reasons I fell in love with Andrew was that he had rescued Bessie from a really horrible existence. She was tied up with a German Sheppard, had a broken leg and was half starved to death. I knew that any guy who cared about an animal that much would make an amazing boyfriend.
But back to Bessie, I don't know what I'd do without her. Its nice to have the company when Andrew travels for work or has to work late, when I'm upset or lonely she's always there to get me to play with her or scratch her belly. She makes the cutest little noises, howls and those eyes just melt your heart.

So who are your Valentines? Write up a post and link up at Mama Kat's by clicking the button below!

L.O.V.E

This weekend we celebrated our 3 year anniversary. The day began with a 2 hour (rather scary) drive to WV to go to Cabelas and pick up some Yuengling Beer for the Super Bowl. We ran into a lovely freezing rain storm on the way and watched at least 5 cars spin out, nearly hitting one of them and saw a jack-knifed semi as well. But since we were more than halfway there, we kept going. Once we got there, the roads were fine and they were on the way home too. I must really love my boyfriend to go on a 2 hour trip just so he could splurge on a new gun with his tax return (but when we got home I ordered my Kindle and a few other Amazon wish listed items).

We had lunch at Quaker Steak and Lube and only spent $5 thanks to a gift card I had from Christmas. Then we picked up our beer and headed back to Ohio.

I wanted to go somewhere different for dinner this year so I made reservations at Buca Di Beppo. We shared a Caesar Salad, Prosciutto Chicken and Spaghetti, I think I was food drunk after the meal. We were also treated to a brownie sundae after telling the waiter it was our anniversary. We always tend to go to the same restaurants and it was nice to do something different.

I feel very lucky to have the relationship that I do. He can always make me laugh, get me to calm down when I'm freaking out and I adore his family. Though I wish that we were married already, I think its time to give up harassing a certain someone about that - when he asks the time will be right and it will be a surprise.

A cooking adventure

So I decided it would be fun to have Andrew's parents over for dinner this winter and wanted to really out-do myself with some good cooking. Since his parents are vegetarians/vegans, I began searching for a good recipe that would please everyone and then I found it in my Martha Stewart magazine: Eggplant Parmesan. I had made the Chicken Parmesan a month ago and Andrew said it was one of the best things I've ever cooked, but I skipped one of the major time consuming parts which was making the sauce. This time I went all out:

I made the sauce.


Cut up and breaded the eggplants.


Then let them sit for 30 minutes so the breading would stick then fried them for 5 minutes each.

Started layering my casserole and popped it in the fridge for the next night.


Total time: 1 hour and 50 minutes - holy cow! I don't think I've ever cooked something so time consuming. Everyone raved about how good the dinner was so I'd say it was a success! I would post the recipe but then this post would be really long! If you'd like it though, let me know and I'll email a scan of the page out of the magazine (I couldn't find it online).

"The Marriage Talk"

When the discussion of marriage first started between Andrew and myself there was plenty of talk on my part about the romance of getting engaged and married. I find it adorable that he wants everything to be surprise, from the ring to the proposal itself and found myself dreaming of all the possible ways he will ask me.

But soon the romance turned to a more serious discussion, the discussion of a pre-nup. To me, a pre-nup is something rich people have or people who are entering into a second marriage and have the interest of their children to protect. But for Andrew, its "an insurance policy for the relationship, a way for me to protect my stuff because you know what if you want to take my boat or my van when you get all bitter and want to divorce me." When I argued that it takes away the romance of marriage I don't think he quite understood where I was coming from, I felt my heart slowly falling apart and I wasn't sure what to do.

This discussion went on for months, I did my fair share of internet research and finally decided it would be a good idea for both of us to meet with his family lawyer and figure out if we really needed a pre-nup. So one dreary December day, we headed to his office. I had been writing down questions for months, not a lot of conversation went on during our 35 minute drive and when we arrived I got nervous. What if Andrew is doing this because he doesn't think or marriage can last? What if he thinks I'm a gold digger?

Although the family lawyer doesn't write pre-nups, he gave us some worthwhile advice from all of his experience dealing in family matters and the man did have some good advice for both of us. After voicing our concerns about marriage, divorce, inheritance and children this was the advice he had to offer.

He told Andrew that any inheritance he would gain would be his alone as long as it was not placed into a joint account and that the same went for anything I would inherit. He told us it would not deal with custody of children should we have any or anything that is considered "marital property." As we both weighed his opinion in our minds I could see that this was not something we needed. We would both have to get our own lawyer (big $$) just to have a pre-nup written, both parties would have to agree on every sentence and word and there would be no turning back once it was signed. I totally understood where Andrew was coming from when he mentioned how bitter and vindictive people can become during a divorce but I was also hoping he would understand that I don't believe in divorce (in most cases).

I was so relieved when we left the office and Andrew had decided that the whole thing was a bad idea. He's a really cheap person, and paying for two lawyers didn't sound like such a good idea to him. I had a feeling that we would end up not having a pre-nup at all but I had to at least let him talk it out with an unbiased party. Now I can spend my time worrying about planning a wedding instead of planning out a pre-nup.

So have you had this same discussion? Write it up and link up over at Mama Kat's for her weekly writers workshop!!!