Suiting Up

Today I'll be going to the Career Fair.  Every semester here at the Colorado School of Mines the school brings together hundreds of companies who are interested in hiring us Mines students.  What this means for me is:  Jackpot!

I'll be dressed up nice, handing out my printed resume, and finding out more about some of the engineering companies I'm interested in.  This Fair is a win-win because it takes the guesswork out of job-searching.  No, it does not guarantee a job placement, but it certainly gives the recruiters a face to go with the resume they'll receive from me.

The next step is to setup an interview.  As the recruiters wade through the many qualified (and some not so qualified) Mines students, they will inform those in which they see potential to sign up for an interview slot on our school's career website (affectionately called "DiggerNet" because we are the CSM OreDiggers!)

Please pray for me today.  I'm hoping that God will give me grace with the recruiters, the interviewers (assuming I get into an interview), and my potential employers.  I am going to graduate this coming December, and it sure would be great if Ashley and I knew where I will be employed.

We have no fear, though.  Ours is a good God who will neet our every need!

Wedding Pictures: It's in The Details

There were so many people involved in planning our wedding that I'm overwhelmed with gratitude when I think about it for any length of time. Pattie and Mom started looking at churches and meeting with caterers soon after we were engaged. Before long Erin joined the Ramsey wedding planning committee and around the same time Pooh volunteered her genius to the decorating.

Pooh was simply amazing in spite of me. I don't know a thing about flowers so I just told her to "make them pretty." And she did.  The cake was delicious. It was Almond mocha something and very moist.

 

This is Nikki. She has done Mom's and my hair for years. She made a special trip to the church the morning of the wedding for us even though she had her class reunion that evening

This frame was at the reception for people to sign and now it hangs in our hallway. It was so fun to read everything people wrote to us.  

                                                    

I put off getting wedding jewelry. I don't wear a lot of jewelry so I knew whatever I did get had to be simple because me wearing a lot of bling would look plain silly.

A few days before the wedding Mom gave me a necklace that she had custom made by our county Jeweler. I have no idea what I will do if Brian and I have more than one daughter because goodness knows they will all want it. I wear this necklace anytime I'm not in running clothes. Good job Mom.

Our wedding party really outdid themselves with the get-a-way car. They FILLED the cab with balloons bearing verses from Song of Solomon like this. If you look closely you can see the look of shock on my face.

FAIL: Muffins

Today I made attempted to make muffins as is my beginning of the week ritual. I make a dozen and they usually last us the week long as snacks and dinner additions. My friend Candice graciously gives me freshly ground wheat flour when I'm in the Springs on Tuesdays so these muffins are  fresh, heathly, and yummy. Except for this particular batch. I forgot the single most important muffin ingredient: baking powder.

Brian and I waste very, very little so it was pretty painful to toss my muffins in the trash. But without baking powder that's where muffins belong.

Speaking of painful, let me introduce you to my new best friend. I have had a tension headache for weeks. My shoulders are tight and my head hurts like crazy. I drink so much water that I'm up half the night in the bathroom so I know I'm not dehydrated.

Any one have any tips or suggestions for how to kick a three week tension headache?

Wedding Pictures: Preparations

One of my favorite things about our wedding was how many friends and family I visited with in the half hour before the wedding. People were not shy about coming back to the bride's room and chatting. And I'm so glad they weren't! Here are some of my favorite shots from my pre-wedding visits.

Dad came to say hello.

Maw Maw and Paw Paw dropped in per my request and we had a good laugh as always. (Brian calls them Ma Ma and Pa Pa because he cannot inflect enough Tennessee twang to pronounce their names properly. Until he learns, I told him he can call them Mr. Arnold and Mrs. Shirley.)

Josh is one of my "brothers" from college. He's getting married in January. Hopefully Brian and I can be there.

Mamma D and Papa Lewis (whose names Brian can pronounce because they are regionally neutral) and below the one and only Stephanie Ryan. 

 

It would figure that while I was hosting a pre-wedding social hour Brian was in the groom's room reading the Bible. He's so much more spiritual than I am.

I promise that tomorrow's post will have more pictures of Brian. What can I say? I was the bride. There were a lot of pictures of me ;)

My Mistress

This was a weekend of homework. Try as I might, I can't seem to get all of it done before the weekend hits, leaving me to work on Heat Transfer or the write-ups for my three labs.  I make an effort to work from morning until 5pm every day during the week, not because there wouldn't be time to work on homework in the evening, but I want to establish the habit now of "Leave work at work!"

So, I have been working hard, coming home tired (which is actually quite refreshing in a way) and truly enjoying my evenings with Ashley. On Thursdays, when I have no classes, I try to complete all unfinished assignments because Ashley and I want to rest and spend time doing the things we can't during the week (aka rest).  Oh, and did I mention we like to try to rest on the weekends if at all possible?

With all of the time it takes to do well at the Colorado School of Mines, however, and since it's my final semester before graduating, the homework is almost always too much to complete during the 5 weekdays.

Ashley and I joke that my homework is my mistress. Then we give each other a glance that says, "I really will miss you, and homework does seem to be robbing us of something."

I'm finding in this season of my life that God is growing me by giving me a longing to be at home.  When I'm away working as a barista in the school's library/coffee shop, or sitting in class, or getting that assignment done, my heart is elsewhere.  My heart is at home with my lovely wife.

Right now she's outside returning a phone call (we have bad phone service inside our apartment).  I miss her already!

Wedding Photos Arrived Today!

Our wedding pictures arrived today. Yay Lance! Lance Murphey was our photographer. I highly recommend him. He has a heart for his craft and for weddings. He captured some really touching pictures of family and friends that I never told him I wanted. He has a real knack for figuring out what matters. Here are some previews until I can show them to you in person. 

Above is Brian getting ready. He was so handsome. 


To the right is Erin talking me through a moment. (No second thoughts or  anything).  Erin was the wedding coordinator. It was her first wedding and she was a pro. She was calm, cool, and collected right up until I cried before leaving the reception. Then she cried with me. So many emotions.       


It rained on my our wedding day. (Still getting used to the "us" thing.) Matt, Brian's brother-in-law, saved the day with the brilliant plan below. And yes, I am a little embarrassed that my dress is practically up around my waist. But doesn't it make for a funny picture?                                    

My pastor has never been known to preach a short sermon and my wedding was no exception. By the time he pronounced us husband and wife my legs were like jello. I made it to the chair in the foyer before collapsing. Good thing my new husband we there to catch me.  My wobbly legs were worth it though, because Bro. Bobby's message was so unique and gospel-centered that Brian and I will cherish it for years to come. 

I cried during our vows. Shocked everyone, especially Brian. Must be something about marriage because I haven't stopped crying since. Geez. 


My bridesmaids were amazing. Christian, Brittany, Katie and Jenn were just as loving as sacrificial on my wedding day as they have been the whole of our friendships. I love you ladies. Thank you for all you did. You were beautiful attendants.                                            

How Pork Chops Will Be in Heaven

Yesterday I got better acquainted with my crockpot. I'd never even used one before last week. Most people (including Brian) find this hard to believe but it's true. Mom taught me a lot of things but the art of crockpot cooking was not one of them. 

So we had a crockpot lesson via phone. She said to put a cup of water and 1/2 an onion soup mix packet in the crock with my 4 pack of thawed pork chops. I peppered them and left them on low for 4 or 5 hours (they could have been done at 2 or 3 I think but I had all day so I figured they did too) and turned them to warm for another 2 hours. They were so tender that just looking at a fork made them fall apart. 

I haven't been to the grocery store lately. I love most all things domestic but I loathe going to the grocery alone. Mostly I like help carrying them to the car and up 5 flights of stairs to our apartment but I also enjoy the company. I've been putting it off thinking Brian and I could go together but it seems our schedules just won't permit. All that to say that I had pitiful little to add to my amazing main dish. I decided that a hearty sauce would make up  for whatever side dishes were lacking. Not only did it make up for lack of side dishes but I would have eaten it alone with a spoon. Please try this sometime. It was amazing. 

Heavenly Pork Chop Sauce:

1 c. pork chop broth from slow cooker

1/4 green bell pepper chopped lengthwise

1/3 onion sliced

3 or 4 small mushrooms sliced

2 roma tomatoes sliced (optional)

2 or 3 dallops sour cream 

a few splashes half and half

Sauté peppers, onion, tomatoes in light cooking spray or 1 T. butter until softened. Add 1 cup of broth and let simmer. Add sour cream and half and half. Simmer until creamy and serve atop pork chops. So simple. So good. 

What would you add to the sauce if you were making it? I think the only spice I added was a little bit of garlic salt.