Dear Lord...it's been over a year...

Well it's been over a year and I can honestly say, I've missed the blogging experience.

Few things have been missed since then. But, I'll just point out the key factors. Let's see...

Well, for starters, back in October of last year I began an awesome, yet freaking BORING, job at the hospital. I work in telemetry, which means I watch these screens with many different heart rhythms that go across. At most, I could be watching 48 patients' rhythms. Cool, huh? You think so now. Just you wait and visit our small, hole-in-the-wall room. Currently, the air conditioner has been running non-stop the last three days and we've had to bundle up until the damn thing is fixed. No need to worry about prepping myself for the cold anymore. It's happening.

Also, within the time I have been employed at the hospital, I have managed to obtain the ever disdained role as shiftleader. Or shitleader as my co-worker so cleverly phrased it. Hmm...took some imagination on her part, I guess. Could there be any more room for advancement? Nope. Not really. However, the pay is nice. Normal pay starts out at $8.99 per hour. But since I work the night shift, I get paid 15% more and 30% more on weekend nights and holidays. Now that I am shiftleader, tack on another dollar or two. Yes, there are some advantages. Yay... I am so not in it for the pay, nor the experience. Don't get me wrong, it's a good job. But I can't stay there forever. I'll go postal.

Ahem. Continuing on. In November of last year, my loving William proposed to me and I did accept. We are getting married in December of this year and I couldn't be happier. We have so much left to do in the little time we have, but it has come together quiet beautifully with the amazing help of his family. Especially his aunt Pat. That woman astounds me with her many talents of crafts. I never knew one person could work so hard concerning the decorating and coordination of a wedding. And she is doing everything herself! She's made so much! God bless her for her willingness to do it all!

In February of this year, Will helped me find my own place and he has been helping with the rent and other bills, though he doesn't live with me. He's just been too good. He does that on top of working at the bank, taking his classes (by the way, he is finishing his bachelor's in business administration), going to church, coming over and hanging out with me, taking me on dates, working at his other job that deals with weddings on the beach (seasonal), going to the gym, etc. He's amazing! Cute, too. :) Seriously, though, as much as we've been through this past year, I'm very excited about our marriage. We've worked through a lot, and fought, and raged, and kissed, and hugged, and made up. Every emotion you can think of with the exception of hate and regret. We never once hated, or regretted, being with each other.

This year has gone by so fast it's hard to describe everything. I suppose I should talk about some interesting pets that Will and I have obtained since being together. When Will and I were first together he had a dog named Brownie and a box turtle. Brownie was about fifteen and she passed away a few months ago at the age of sixteen. She was a very sweet lab, and very loving. The turtle...is still there.

When I first moved into my apartment, Will said I could have a housewarming gift. He knew I had been eyeing these cute little dwarf hamsters for a while and took me to PetSmart to get one. Well, he strolled off to look at something for the turtle and I went over to see the hamsters. However, it was not they who caught my attention. I decided to look at the other cute, furry creatures. But when I walked to the other side, the only things there were two small hairless rats. I fell in love. I told Will what I wanted and he laughed. I did end up persuading him to get them for me and now I have two hairless rats. Their names are Rodney and Ronon and we both love them very much.

As it progressed around summer, Will had been eyeing this hideous Pacman frog. I told him no and he kept repeating "one day", "one day". Sigh. One day, I gave in and did some spontaneous shopping and spent over $150 on a frog. The Pacman frog, who has rightfully been named Loki. The thing hides and cleverly catches crickets. I hate it. He loves it. We're happy. (By the way, we named the box turtle Artemis.)

About a month after I get this frog, Will finds a yellow eared slider in his backyard. Note: there is no fresh water in the Cove. This had been someone's pet. Unfortunately, most people don't know you can't just let a turtle back into the wild when you can't handle them anymore. Give them to someone who can. Or a store. Whatever. Don't let them go. Anyway, we ended up keeping it and now his name is Poseidon. ...OMG!

I did have a kitten named Neko, but Will was allergic and I had to take him back to the...animal control center. Per contract, mind you! Will felt bad and now......! I have a beautiful Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Isabella!!! The most precious puppy and spoiled rotten little pest ever! She is almost four months old and is very healthy and tricky. She's too smart for her own good sometimes. But Will and I adore her and that's all that matters.

And last, but not least, is MacGyver the goldfish. Will and I went to the fair a couple of weeks ago and he won me the little guy. He, too, is happy in his little aquarium with all its pretty, colorful pebbles at the bottom. I never knew that pets could be so entertaining until we had such a diversity within our household. (I just don't want the frog.) So here we are with our seven pets and our 900 sq. ft. apartment and its limited space.

Marriage is going to be grand.