House Hunting...

A few months back, John and I embarked on the adventure of house hunting. At first, we would drive around looking at houses for sell and learning more about the different areas we would like to live. Now we have gotten more serious on our search, we have a wonderful realtor that John's friend recommended and have even talked to a builder. We are torn now on whether we want to build our house or buy one on the market. They both have pro's and con's like anything in life. I guess it's a matter of personal preference.

If you know me well, you probably know that when I was little my Dad and I would go out on Saturdays looking at houses. I love those memories and cherish them to this day! My dad could literally find a way into any empty house, whether it was through a door or open window, so we could look inside. This is when my love for house hunting began. I have literally thought about becoming a realtor more times than not. It's something I have such an interest in and truly enjoy. So never say never, I guess :) Now that John and I are looking for houses I think that already having some experience with my dad and him pointing things out to me about houses when we would go look has helped me for this next journey. So on that note, thanks Dad for the knowledge and love for houses that you passed down to me, I'm very grateful!

When I think of the possibility of having our own house it still seems so far fetched! I still can't believe I'm not 10 years old and I'm actually old enough to be looking for my very own house! It's exciting and I really see it as another BIG step in our journey as a married couple. Maybe I'm the only one who thinks it is crazy that I'm looking at a house to purchase, but I think it is a huge deal. I think that's a good thing though, I know how honored I will be to have a home and how much I will appreciate this next step! John and I combined our savings once we got married and have been very religious about setting out a certain amount every month to go into our "house fund." Luckily, we are almost there!!! When we do get a house we will know it is all of ours, we worked hard for it and gave up things and made sacrifices for it. I think that's when something in life has true meaning and value to you, when you have to work hard at achieving a goal and finally seeing all the hard work pay off. We didn't have help from anyone, we did this on our own and that's really the way it should be! We only eat out once or twice a week. We have a certain amount of "fun" money per month that we use on things we enjoy together, like going to the movies, etc. This plan has worked so well for us so far and I'm so blessed to have a husband who I'm on the same page with when it comes to finances because this is a big problem for a lot of couples.

Since our life and place we would be settling down has been in limbo for the past few months we have been afraid to get serious about house hunting until we knew where we would be living. Recently, a few things happened and it looks like we will be in Chattanooga for a while. It still could change but we think we will be here for a while. So this is our plan...and we are sticking to it...for now at least! :)

The more we look the more we realize what a long process this is. We will see one house and like several things about it and see another with other things we like. It's a shame you can't combine the best things of several different house to make the "perfect house." We have waited to buy one and we will wait some more to find the best one for us and I know when we find one it will be the one made for us! I'm excited to announce this next step in the Denniston Journey! The search for our dream home!

Drama Queens...

In this blog post I plan on being very honest and real. Quite frankly that's the only way I know how to be and if I offend anyone...sorry! Why have a blog if I have to sugar-coat things and walk on egg shells? I write this blog for myself, to get out things I feel and think about. So here it goes...

DRAMA QUEENS... We all know them. Maybe you are one or maybe your like me who work with some, have a few in the family, or have those friends that are. I have NEVER been a huge fan of drama. Even in high school when it was "cool" to start and create drama I steered clear. I have always been nice to everyone and friends with all kinds of people, that's just who I am. Sometimes this lead me to getting flack from others because I was friends with those who were "Uncool". Perhaps it also has to do with the way I was raised. My parents would never let me disrespected them or anyone else for that matter. My Mom always told me "Be nice to those who get picked on and who other people don't want to be friends with because if that was you, you would need a good friend," and the classic "Always treat others as you would want to be treated." These are the principles I grew up with that are now fried into my brain and make me who I am. However, now that I am an adult I realize there are tons of adults, even those who are a lot older than I am, who act younger and more immature than any child I have ever seen.

It is disappointing that so many I know and are around seem to live for the drama. I don't get their motivation behind it? I guess I really can't think like they do though, it seems so far fetched to me. Maybe it makes them feel better by being rude, mean, back stabbing, and putting others down to build themselves up??? I don't know. Maybe it's because some don't have anything else better to do with their time and they are bored? Who knows? All I know is I believe it is childish for adults to act this way. For me, I am too busy to think of being in drama, it really doesn't even cross my mind. I am lucky that I also married John who doesn't believe in drama, that way we are on the same page.

In the past few months I have seen drama first hand on too many occasions to the point that John and I have decided to remove ourselves from these situations. For certain reasons I will not get into any details on some of these but I do think it's a shame that even family will put you down, be disrespectful, and talk to our friends more than we ever hear from them and act like our friend hung the moon when they have no idea about that person. I just don't get the motivation behind being so rude. Or another family member who won't even see his own parents now that he's married much less let their grand daughter see them. I mean seriously? Grow up! The world is a cruel and harsh place so why also be this way to your relatives, we need to work on building each other up, no tearing one another down. We already get enough of that in the world we are living in.

I have also dealt with this at work. My co-workers are all older than me and have children but act so immature. I came from St. Thomas where I was used to my co-workers being family. We all got along and had each others backs. Well, little did I know I was up for a HUGE upset. On my unit now, all the nurses have it out for me (with the exception of like 2 or 3 people). Talk about a hostile environment to be in for 13 or more hours a day! I have no friends at work and really don't have anything in common with my co-workers. They are always in bad moods and always complaining. I can get along with anyone and it didn't bother me at first but after so long it starts to wear on me. I have had people at work put me down for no reason, always give me the hard assignments, I always have more patients than anyone else, talk behind my back, and try to find a reason to get me in trouble. I guess since I'm the new girl on the block who is young and positive and happy they decided to have it out for me since the day I started. It doesn't really matter to me, I go into work and do my job and take good care of my patients and try to ignore all the things they do or say. But I have come home on numerous occasions in tears. I have never had this issue in my life with anyone, let alone a whole unit of people. I guess the saying is true "nurses like to eat their own young." In all honesty, these people are probably unhappy with their own lives and then see me who is happy and enjoying life and they just can't stand it. It's not all women either, I know a few Drama Kings as well! There are certain doctors at work who I've seen yell at a nurse in the middle of the hallway where all the co-workers, patients, families, etc. can hear. The worst part is, usually the doctor is dead wrong and doesn't even know what is going on with their own patient. But if anything doesn't go according to their way they have to put someone else down who actually was doing the right thing. Heaven forbid they aren't right... that just doesn't happen, lol. So I never go into work looking forward to it and I never leave happy either. The ONLY reason I go back is for my patients! I love them so it makes it worth the awful environment.

So after dealing with a family member, a friend, these co-workers, and complete strangers acting rude and being the best Drama Queens they can possibly be, John and I decided it was time for a change and time for simplifying our lives. Basically, getting rid of all the negativity and people who didn't have any respect for us and couldn't treat us with the same kindness we tried to treat them with. After a while, it became hard to always be the nice guy. That act gets old! I don't hate anyone so I don't wish anything bad for these people, I just don't care to have these kind of people in my life. I think after a while of being the bigger person and taking the high road you eventually have the right to walk away and be done with those situations. It's really a shame that people have to be like that but all I know is what goes around comes around and these people will meet their match one day. John and I strive to be mature adults and to be nice to everyone around us, that's how Christ wants us to be. I will no longer let these people have any kind of effect on me. That's why we have cleaned up our friends on face book as well as those people in our lives. It is only fair. So we are happy to be starting a new chapter without any Drama Queens/Kings and it feels SO good! So here's to simplicity, maturity, and being kind to one everyone! Remember... if you act like a child, expect to be treated like one. If you are an adult, grow up and act like one or no one is going to take you seriously or want to be around you. If you back stab people to get on their nerves don't except them to want anything to do with you. It really does all go back to a simple lesson we all learned as children... "Treat others as you want to be treated." Come on adults, let's all grow up!

Catch-Up Post

Hello Blog World!

I am still here, just have been crazy busy since November really so I have gotten very far behind on my posts. I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday Season! John and I enjoyed ours, we spent 8 weeks in a row traveling so it was very busy but we really enjoyed it! We went to see John's family in Memphis the weekend before Christmas and got to spend Christmas Eve and the day after with my family this year, I had to work Christmas Day :( but we still enjoyed being with my family and made the most of our time with them! We have learned that we have to divide up the Holidays between our families since they are so far away from each other. Last year we learned our lesson. I worked Christmas Eve night because I was still on night shift, As soon as I got off we went to Memphis to see John's family for Christmas. The next day we went to Atlanta to see mine. So our whole Holiday was spent in the car and we were miserable and I was SO tired (I think I stayed up for 36 hours straight). So needless to say this year worked much better and I'm so glad we have it figured out! I just love Christmas and family time around the Holidays. I am truly reminded of how blessed I am to celebrate Jesus and spend time with people I love the most! John and I set a budget for each other on gifts and neither one of us stuck to the budget but when it's your first Christmas as a married couple I guess your allowed to spurge a little. :) John really spoils me rotten and I'm so blessed to have a husband that pays attention to detail. John will literally remember something I said I wanted a year ago that I completely forget about and low and behold he gets it for me. He puts a lot of thought behind the gifts he gives me which is even better to me than the actual gifts themselves. So needless to stay John and I had a wonderful first Christmas as a married couple!

New Years was spent in St. Louis where we ate at a wonderful restaurant on New Years Eve and went to see John's 49 ers play on New Years Day. The 49 ers won so it made the trip worth our while! St. Louis is a neat city, I have been there three times now and every time I go I learn more about the city and places to go. John also had a interview down in New Orleans the week before Christmas so we were down there Thursday and Friday before heading to Memphis from there, so a long weekend on the road! New Orleans was different.... never a place I have desired to go but I can now say I've been there. Parts of it were cool and neat to see (Cafe Du Monde was my Fav.) but I could never live there. It's like a different world and even the people seem like a different breed. But I'm glad I was able to go with John to keep him company! Luckily, if he gets that job it could be anywhere in the country!

EXCITING NEWS... We booked our vacation for our 1 year Anniversary last week! We are going to Antigua to an all-inclusive resort for a week! We wanted to do something big for it and might as well travel all we can before we have kids. Basically I've already started a countdown to June 6th and everyday look up and research different things about the place we are staying and the Island itself. It looks beautiful and we can't wait for a vacation! We love to travel if you can't tell since we spent all of November and December on the go. But I honestly hope this is the next trip we take, I'm ready to be at home for a while!

As John continues his job search, we have decided to just sign another 6 month lease in the condo we have been living in instead of moving into another condo or buy a house. I DREAD moving! So the thought of moving for just a few months doesn't seem worth our while. We are still waiting to see if he gets any offers, he has had several interviews lately so in the next few months we should hear back and have a better idea of where we will be long-term. If we stay in Chattanooga we want to buy a house, but that's a big decision if we aren't going to settle down here. So we are praying hard about it and we know God will lead us to where we need to be! If we do stay in Chattanooga, I will hopefully have some exciting news to announce in a few months but don't want to share it until I know where we will be for sure! It's hard to not feel settled right now but we are trying to just deal with it. We are really keeping our fingers crossed for Atlanta or Nashville (we love both places and hope to eventually end up settling down in one of these cities.) While we are young with no children though, we are open to lots of places, I think it would be fun to live somewhere out West for just a few years! It will all work out for the best and the way it's meant to be! John and I are not crazy about our jobs here so we are mainly hoping for better opportunities as far as our careers go, that's the most important aspect to us! Hope you all are doing well! Promise to update again soon!

-Allison

Give Thanks...

I LOVE November!!! It is such a wonderful month of Thanksgiving and remembering all that we have to be thankful for. In many ways, thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love getting together with family and looking back on how blessed we are. It isn't about presents and gift giving and getting caught up in material things. It's just about getting together and spending quality time (and of course eating a delicious meal). :) I think America needs a Thanksgiving once a month. This day in time I don't think we take the time to realize how much we have been given, we are too focused on what we don't have, myself included. As I look back on this year I have received many blessings and in some ways 2011 has been the greatest year of my life. In other ways though it has been the hardest and most challenging, which humbles me and has a way of bringing me back down to reality.

First of all this year I'm EXTREMELY thankful for marrying my best friend and having the wedding of my dreams!!! That day will always be my favorite day for the rest of my life. I am so blessed to have John in my life! He is an amazing husband and every day together just gets better and better! I couldn't have gotten more lucky to have such a catch! We were made for each other and I'm so glad God allowed us to be together forever, what a blessing and now my life is complete with my better half! Marriage is wonderful and we are truly thankful for one another!

Also, I am thankful that my wonderful parents gave me the wedding of my dreams!!! Since I was a little girl I have dreamed about how my wedding day would be and I can honestly say it was even better than I had hoped for! Thanks Mom and Dad for giving me the best day and for all your hard work and helping me pull off my wedding just the way I wanted it. Thank you both for supporting and encouraging John and I every step of the way. It was such a fun process and I wish we could do it all over again. Also, the wedding was such a great opportunity to get everyone we know together, that was a once in a lifetime thing where everyone was there...it's depressing because I know there will never again be a time when all the people we love will be in the same room. On the up side, it was a total BLAST having everyone there to help us celebrate, there was nothing like that night and we will always look back on those wonderful memories.

My family is another reason I'm so blessed. This year especially we have really been super close with the wedding and Chandler's health issue. Family are the people you can always count on and when life brings you joy or sorrow family will be right there to help celebrate with you or to be a shoulder to cry on. This year has brought my life much happiness and much sadness as well but I can say we have never stopped loving one another every step of the way and we only grow closer and stronger. I couldn't be more thankful for John, my Mom, Dad, and Chandler. The five of us now, lol, are such a close knit family and we really enjoy each time we are all together. I really appreciate how my family has taken John in this year as one of their own and truly treats him like a son. I know he appreciates that just as much as I do! Also, I love my grandparents beyond words are they are possibly the sweetest people I know! I really look up to them and admire them and I'm thankful for everything they have done for John and I this year! The wedding was a wonderful time to also have all of the extended family get together. I have a BIG family so when we all get together it is a party! I love each and every one of them and am so thankful they all were their to support John and I on our special day. Also, a HUGE thanks to my wonderful Aunt's and Cousin who gave me the BEST Bridesmaid's lunch! All of my family stepped up to help out with the Wedding in any way they could and I will forever be grateful!

Friends are another reason I'm so thankful! This year has truly allowed me to see who my true friends are and I'm so grateful for each of the friendships I have. My friend Brittany, also my Maid of Honor is such a great friend that I can always rely on and will always be in my life and for that I couldn't be happier. My friend Krista is also one of my best friends that I'm so thankful for. Our friendship continues to grow even though I moved away and I just love to talk to her and see her when we can. Both of these girls mean the world to me! My friend Nicole and I also have such a great friendship. We don't always get to see each other often but we always pick up where we leave off and I'm so honored that she was a bridesmaid in my wedding, I know we will always be friends too. No distance can take that away! I also miss Katie, Ashley, Stephanie, Aisha, and Gesma and all of my other St. Thomas friends that are always there for me and I'm so thankful that we all started out as co-workers and ended up being friends! I miss you girls but love visiting and talking with you all. You all mean so much to me too and I miss having co-workers like you all! I couldn't believe ya'll came to my wedding in Georgia, that will always mean the world to me. I love all of these friends in my life. This year they have all been there for me through the happiest time of my life and the hard times. Thanks for all the support and love!

I'm thankful for the nice city John and I live in and the opportunities we have both been given here in Chattanooga. We both have good careers to where we can live comfortably and enjoy our life. God has given us a great church home here that we love and a wonderful place that has a lot to do but is still a small and safe town to live in. It has been a great place to start our lives together!

John's family has also been a blessing in our lives and I'm glad that some of them were able to be at our Wedding this year. Even though I don't know some of them that well yet I look forward to getting to know them better through the years. His Mom and Stepdad and Dad and Stepmom are wonderful and we enjoy spending time with them when we can.

Overall, I have SO much to be thankful for and these are just a few reasons I count my blessings. I could go on and on but I'll stop there. However, none of these things would have been possible without God, He is the one that all blessings come from and I'm beyond thankful to have such a wonderful Savior who has given me a blissful life and so much to be thankful for!

A heavy heart...

As many of you already know... this week has been one of the hardest for my family. I will never forget this past Thursday and all the emotions and fears I have had since I received the news about my brother. I apologize if this blog is all over the place and a little scattered, it is extremely tough for me to write but I feel like if I can write all my thoughts out it will help me.

It was Thursday morning around 10 am. Apparently I had missed calls from my Dad and John but I had no idea because my stupid phone did not ring and had no cell service randomly that morning, just my luck...the only time my phone has ever done this. John got a text from my mom saying they couldn't get in touch with me and told him briefly what was going on. John called the girl in our apartment complex and she came over to knock on my door to wake me up. I am a light sleeper and rarely sleep till 10 am anymore but I had just worked 3, 12 hour shifts in a row and had a horrible week at work so I was exhausted. I immediately jumped up when I heard knocking at the door. I opened it and the girl said "You need to call your husband immediately, it's something to do with your brother." My first thought was he had been in a car wreck, I knew he had to go to Atlanta for his doctors appointment so I instantly thought it was something to do with him traveling back home. I ran to my phone in the bedroom and tried to call John but my phone wouldn't call out. I had to turn it off and wait for it to turn back on, longest minute of my life! I was shaking and in tears at this point. I called John and asked if my brother was ok and what was going on. He told me to call my mom that he was ok, not injured or anything but had received some bad news.

I will never forget the phone conversation with my mom. When she picked up she was crying which made me start crying as well. She managed to tell me that the MRI results about my brothers finger had not come back well, and that it showed a tumor on his finger. I was in SHOCK. My brother is 22 years old, this couldn't be happening! How was this even possible??? I couldn't comprehend the news so I kept asking her what that meant. I may be a nurse... but I can honestly admit all my knowledge about the medical field goes out the window when it comes to hearing about my family being sick, I did not want to put two and two together. I wanted to pretend that surely it was ok. Next my mom told told me this orthopedic doctor only sees 2 cases of this a year and that it is extremely rare. My mind went blank. All I could think about was my brother is 22 years old and he has so much going for him and so much life to live. Then my mom told me the news that sent me over the edge all together. My brother needed to see a specialist now and that there are only 2 specialists in all of Georgia and only 2 in Tennessee that cover these kind of cases. I was curious as to what specialist that was since there were so few of them and she then told me it was a orthopedic ONCOLOGIST. My heart hit the floor and is honestly still down there. Oncology is NO word anyone wants to hear and it has a way of shaking you down to the bone. How could my brother need to see an oncologist? Don't they understand...Chandler is a 22 year old senior in college who is the BEST brother a sister could ask for, the ideal son, the good friend, naturally smart (who is graduating with his Masters in Accounting in another year), a good Christian man, the guy all the parents want their daughters to date, a true comedian who can make his sister laugh more than anyone, a talented musician, a true athlete, and so much more. How could this be happening to my only brother?

For those of you who don't know... Chandler and I are only two years apart in age. Ever since we were little we have been the best of buddies. Whether it was fighting like cats and dogs all growing up or being the best of friends now, we have always been VERY close and he has always been my best friend. Chandler and I can pick at each other all the time, but heaven forbid someone else try to mess with the other sibling and there would be hell for them to pay. We have always had each others backs and whenever I really needed someone Chandler was right there for me, no questions asked. Chandler is one of those people who truly walks in a room and the entire room lights up. He has this contagious personality that shines and his outgoing personality that I have always been jealous of. He can literally pick me up and make me laugh when I felt like I would never been able to smile again. He is also the funniest person I know, I love being around him because he is always making me laugh the hardest I have ever laughed. He also knows exactly what to say when I'm upset, I guess that's his brotherly intuition. I could go on and on about him because I really do think he is a much better person than I am. He always had the qualities I wished I had and even though he is my little brother he is mature beyond his years and I look up to him and admire him.

So after his appointment on Thursday we immediately called out the prayer warriors for my brother. We pasted the news on to all the family and my church back home. My grandmother gets a call from a friend that goes to our church and she says she knows a woman who goes to our church that works for the head Oncologist at Emory. This is where God starts to work and things start to fall into place. My grandmother calls this woman up and tells her about my brothers situation. Twenty minutes later the head doctor of oncology at Emory in Atlanta is calling my Dad to talk to him about my brother, who ironically also goes to my church back home. This is before my brother even decided where he was going to try to be seen, it Atlanta or in Nashville. The head doctor of oncology said he could get in touch with the two doctors who are the specialist in Georgia who happen to be at Emory. We couldn't have made any of this fall into place any better. My brother gets an appointment the next day, Friday, at 8 15 am with the orthopedic oncologist. This would have been IMPOSSIBLE without these connections and God at work!

After his appointment on Friday, Chandler is scheduled to have the tumor removed from his finger on Nov. 1st. From there they will replace the bone they take from him with a cadaver bone and then send the tumor off to be biopsied. We will know the results in a week from Nov. 1st. The tumor is either benign or malignant. We are praying that everything will be benign and there will be No signs of cancer. But all we can do is pray and put our trust in God. Waiting has been torture and it's only been 4 days since all the news. We are still in shock and still can't wrap our minds around everything. This all began 3 years ago when my brother's finger became swollen on one hand and painful occasionally. We thought for a long time that it would go away and was probably an injury from when he played basketball in high school. When it didn't go away he finally saw a doctor a year ago who told him it was just a bone sheath that had grown and just needed to be removed. Well before surgery my brother wanted a second opinion and thank God he did. The next doctor did a x-ray which didn't show anything so the next step was the MRI which showed the tumor. NEVER in our wildest dreams did we think it could be anything like this.

I know that everything happens for a reason and God doesn't give us anything that we can't handle in life. All I know is that I am frustrated and confused as to why this is happening to my brother. I really wish I could take it all away for him and that it could be me instead. There are no words to describe how I feel all I know is that I have cried a ton, been angry, confused, mad, sad, hopeful, restless, lost my appetite, and discouraged. All I know is that Chandler is stronger than I am and I'm scared to death for him. You never know when your whole world will randomly be turned upside down. All you can do is love the ones around you with everything you have all the time, never take anyone in your life for granted, pray for them constantly, if you have a disagreement be quick to forgive, call them up or see them regularly, and never forget to tell them how proud you are of them and how much they mean to you. It really is the simple things in life like family that mean the most.

It's also times like these were we realize how blessed we are. My brother and family has had SO many people reach out to us and support us during this difficult time. All the prayers, phone calls, face book messages, e-mails, and visits has meant the world to us and truly makes all the difference. We know that prayer is the most powerful medicine and my brother has people all over the country praying for him. Please continue to keep Chandler in your prayers, he is still struggling with the news as well as my family. I will continue to update as we know more but thank you for all the thoughts and prayers. I have no doubts that my brother will fight this like a pro. Also, thanks for allowing me to be real and honest with my feelings. Even though this was very difficult to write it helps me get out my fears and sadness which I needed to work through. Just remember Chandler... God and your sister have your back and are here with you every step of the way!

- A heavy heart

Wicked and Nashvegas...

This weekend has been another hectic, busy, stay on the go kind of weekend. It started with our trip to Nashville for a few hours on Friday so John could take a test for his job. A few days before John had told me he had to go to Nashville and I was SO pumped!!! 1. Nashville is one of my favorite cities 2. I lived there for 6 years and miss it so much! 3. I haven't been back since May, when I moved away :( 4. All of my friends and my brother are in Nashville 5. I was off on Friday so I could totally tag along with John!!! So needless to say I couldn't wait to be back in that city if only for a few short hours. While John was taking his test I got to have lunch with Katie and Stephanie, my good friends and co-workers from St. Thomas! I had the best time at lunch catching up with Katie and Stephanie and it made me realize even more how much I miss them!!! Those are two of my friends that have been there with me through crazy/ tragic/ hilarious/ sad/ happy/stressful times of my nursing career. We really do have a bond and share common experiences that I don't have with any other people in my life. We caught up on nursing stuff of course, but also about life and that's what I love. They are more than friends at work, they are there to be friends throughout the walk of life and I really love that about them both. The second I text them saying I was coming to Nashville they both instantly agreed to have lunch and cleared their schedules to make time to see me and I really appreciate that kind of friendship. Even though we haven't seen each other in a few months we always pick up right where we leave off and always find something crazy to laugh about. I wish I could bottle up their sweet spirits and carry it with me back to Chattanooga on days at work when I really need good co-workers to have my back or just to keep me company on my days off when I wished I could see them. Since that isn't possible, I will just have to keep visiting and hope they come visit me soon as well! :) Our lunch made me so thankful for great friends and even better company!!!

So after lunch in Nashville, I tried to see my brother before we left. Unfortunately he was busy getting ready for a Wedding he was DJ-ing later that evening which I understand. I'll see him again soon! So since Chandler was busy that afternoon John and I headed back to Chattanooga to get ready for Atlanta the following morning. We also got to go pick out some cute fall decorations for the apartment which I was thrilled about! It's fun decorating for each season now that I am married and we have our place. I'm definitely in the Fall spirit now!

Saturday morning we woke up and headed down to my parents house to see Wicked later that evening. Before Wicked, we went to eat at Flip Burger which is an upscale/ trendy/unique burger spot. If you are ever in Atlanta it's a MUST, the food is great and the milkshakes are so good too! Then we went down to the FOX theatre in downtown to see WICKED!!!

I have been to the FOX only one other time when I was younger for a concert so I hardly remembered it. The FOX is absolutely amazing!!! It's such a beautiful building and has so much history behind it, it really is such a neat place, it looks like a old elaborate castle and the ceiling looks just like a blue night sky with clouds moving, it's hard to describe but totally stunning! Wicked was just as great too! John and I have never been to a big Broadway play so we didn't know what to expect. Wicked was wonderful! The actors/actresses were so talented and had amazing voices. Also, the bad/good witches played their parts so well. The best part was when the bad witch flew up in the air and was singing , it looked just like a scene from the Wizard of OZ! the Wizard was really cool too. This play exceeded our expectations and we hope to see more, hopefully even go to New York one day and see one there! Wicked will be hard to beat though, I recommend it to everyone! We had such a great time and so glad my parents went with us!

This morning we went to my church home and we were so thankful to see Don, our preacher back at church after being out for several months in the hospital. Don means so much to me and my family, he is the best preacher I know and we also married John and I! He is so selfless and genuinely cares about each person around him and makes you feel like your the only one that matters, that is truly a gift when in reality he has a church of a thousand members and is known all around the world. So glad his recovery is going well and he couldn't speak but a few minutes today at church because he is still really weak but I'm glad we were there to see him on his first Sunday back! We also love going back to visit because I know everyone there and everyone is always so glad to see John and I, especially the small group my parents are in. After church we went to eat wings and watch the football games. My poor Braves and Falcons lost :( Glad the Titans won though! John's 49ers also won so that makes for a much more pleasant day at the Denniston house! Such a great weekend with friends and family...I'm truly blessed beyond words!

Always on the go...

So I am extremely behind with my blogging, I try but John and I really have been super busy! I feel like when I'm not working we are always out of town lately. It's a lot of fun to be on the go because we both LOVE to travel. However, I'm also enjoying these two non-traveling, working, hanging around the house kinda days in my PJ's. The only thing that's missing is my husband though! John is away for seven days doing a project for his job in Decatur and Huntsville, AL. I got to tag along the first two days with him which was fun but had to come back to work this Sunday so I didn't get to stay long. I miss him SO much! I guess when we got married we never even thought of the next time we would be without one another, it just seems so weird now being apart. It definitely takes me back to the year and a half we had a distance relationship and I am so thankful we no longer have to worry about that anymore! I can say that I can't stand staying at our place without him. I'm already really paranoid and a big baby when I stay alone somewhere. It's a wonder I had my own apartment in Nashville for two years all by myself! I can't sleep good at night and am worried the craziest things will happen, lol. Crazy? I know but I really freak myself out and always have.

So I have much to catch up on, my next blog I hope to write about our trip to the beach and talk about John turning the BIG 3-0 and celebrating my Mom's B-day as well! It was such a fun trip!

Also, this Thursday night John comes back in town so I'm counting down the days! He has to go to Nashville Friday for a test so I will go also since I'm not working! I'm SO excited! I haven't been back to Nashville since I left there at the beginning of May to move back home for a month before the wedding. It seems surreal being gone for so long but I can't wait to be back!!! I LOVE that city and mostly some of the people in that city! I can't wait to do lunch with some of my good friends and hopefully see my brother as well! It will be great even if it's just for a day...I'll take it! Then we come back to Chattanooga Friday night so we can head down to Atlanta on Saturday to go see Wicked with my parents! I'm really looking forward to it! Wicked is playing at the famous FOX theatre in Atlanta and I have never been to a broadway-like play so I can't wait! See... we really do stay on the go but we wouldn't change a thing about this hectic-stay on the go life we have! Hope everyone is doing well! More updates to come soon!

A Sweet Tooth's Heaven...

John and I are both sweet tooth's. We love our desserts and I always consider it the best part of any meal. However, we don't often eat dessert because we are trying to stay in shape and usually avoid the temptations if all possible. We joined a gym here in Chattanooga and have been going a few times a week. We have been doing really great and I think it helps when you can motivated each other. So one day after we worked out we were soaking up some sun at the sports facility pool and that's when the sweet tooth craving hit...we both wanted ice cream and were going to do anything to get it. Yes, we went to get ice cream after leaving the gym which totally ruins all those calories we just worked off. With that being said, we also both got cotton candy ice cream. We are A: sweet tooth's at heart and B: just big kids! Got to love it. Anyways, after ice cream I think the sweet tooth bug stuck with John because a few hours later he was begging me to make one of his favorite desserts, a cheesecake. John will never admit he is a sweet tooth but he REALLY is, sometimes even more than me which says a lot! So I planned on making him my first ever attempt at a cheesecake and thank God my Mom is such a wonderful cook that she has an amazing cheesecake recipe that is out of this world! I rolled up my new bride sleeves and was determined to get this cheesecake right for my husband. Lucky for me it turned out great and John has been enjoying a piece every night lately. So I will share this great recipe that has been in my family for so long...thanks Mom for all the great ideas and good cooking genes!!!

Mom's Famous Creamy Vanilla Cheesecake:

First what you'll need-

- 5 (8oz.) packages of soften cream cheese. I use the Philadelphia cream cheese and let it sit out for a few hours so it softens.

-1 1/2 cups of sugar

-3 Eggs

-2 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

-1 box of graham cracker crumbs

-fresh strawberries (optional)

First, to make the crust take 1 2/3 cups of the graham cracker crumbs and 1/3 cup of melted butter. Combine the crumbs and butter together stirring well.

Then, press the mixture firmly and evenly onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 10 inch spring from pan.

Bake the crust for 5 mins. on 350.

For the cake: Beat cream cheese at high speed with mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar. Then add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg.

Stir in vanilla and pour onto crust.

Then bake the cheesecake at 350 for 40 mins. Turn oven off, open the door partially for 30 mins. Let the cheesecake cool while in the oven. Cover and chill 6-8 hours before serving. Garnish with strawberries (optional).

If anyone tries it out let me know how you like it! It's delicious! On another note, please pray I get over this awful sinus infection I have had for a few weeks now. I was put on antibiotics and got a steroid shot but still can't seem to feel better. On a happy note, Happy Two Months of Marriage Bliss to my wonderful husband!!! It has been so wonderful and can't believe it's been 2 months already!

-A Betty Crocker in Training

My Hair Dilemma...

So HAPPY Friday everyone!!! Got to love Friday's, especially when I'm not working! Can't wait to enjoy another weekend with my Hubby!

On another note, I've been stuck in a hair rut... Yes and it's driving me crazy! I wanted to keep the same style and longer length for my Wedding because changing it around the Wedding would have just stressed me out. If I changed it who know if I'd even like it...so I played it safe and LOVED my hair on my Wedding Day!!! We all know that my hair doesn't usually look that good though. I don't get to style my hair everyday and it's usually up most days when I'm at work so I have the "nurse do" going on.

After the Wedding I thought I would do something different and I needed a change. But I just haven't come up with any ideas that I'm excited to try. I have had this same style for a while and I like to change it up every once in a while but can't settle on anything in particular. My hair is the longest it's EVER been for the Wedding and I like it long but it takes longer to straighten it everyday since my hair is now frizzy/curly (thanks to puberty years ago). If I do keep it long I would like a different style to it but I feel like with long hair there aren't many ways to change the style up. I have considered going shorter too but that makes me nervous. LOL I don't know if I'd like it but one of my good friends recently cut hers short after her Wedding and it looks GREAT! It's chin length and it's adorable on her. I wish I was brave to take a big risk like that!

Why is it that us girls have such a hard time with hair, or maybe I'm speaking for myself. I always feel like I try to change up my style but either the hairstylist keeps it close to what I had before or I just keep going to get the same thing done. I tried the Juvexin keratin treatment that straightened my hair for over 7 months and that was wonderful, no straightening which saved me time on getting ready. So maybe I should try that again??? Who knows!!! Ugh...why is getting the look you want so difficult?

So...I'd love any suggestions or just knowing that I'm not the only one in this hair rut. It's frustrating because I really need to get my hair done, it's getting out of control, but I want a specific style I am going for beforehand so I don't come out looking the exact same.

-A Bad Hair Day Girl

My 7D Gang Pictures!

Some of my 7D co-workers at my Wedding!

At my Wedding, love these girls!

Me, Krista, and Arlene at work!

Krista and I always had too much fun at work!

Love my night shift crew!

Gesma and I...this girl cracks me up!

The going away/bridal shower they had for me...so sweet!

I was trying to add pictures to my last post but I guess I wrote too much, haha. Here are some of the pictures of the wonderful nurses I was talking about...

My 7D Gang!

Sorry I haven't written a blog in a while. I have started a new job that has taken most of my free time lately. I got a job at Memorial hospital on a Cardiac short-stay unit. It's day shift which is SO much better than nights, I don't feel like a vampire anymore and it's totally new to me so I feel like a new grad nurse again but I'm enjoining learning and hope I will eventually be able to keep up on my own. Everyone has been nice so far and I'm just really thankful to have found a job so fast so I can help John financially in our marriage.

Even though I am happy about my new job it will never be the same...and yes I'll say it, I miss 7D! For those of you who don't know 7D is the pulmonary unit in Nashville where I started my nursing career and worked for over a year and a half. I worked 7 PM-7AM on night shift. It was such a crazy unit filled with critically ill and crazy patients all the time and was quite stressful being a new nurse and having 5-6 of those patients at night. Not to mention they put me to be in charge of the unit some nights just a few short months after I finished my orientation. I did not care for pulmonary or night shift or how over worked we all were. But there is one reason and ONE reason only that I would give up this new and improved job and go back to the trenches of 7D...My Co-Workers!!! Anyone knows that what truly makes a job is the people you work with and in my case it really made all the difference! These lovely ladies are the reason I kept my sanity and enjoyed going into work each night.

There's a peace I would get going into a crazy night just knowing that whoever I was working with would have my back and I had theirs. We would make it through till 7AM with all of our patients still alive. We could not have a better group of people on 7D who work so well together on night shift. It's like God put us all together for a reason and I really believe that! We have laughed together, cried together, been frustrated, had parties at work late at night, gotten early morning breakfast when we would get off, hang out outside of work, plot pranks to play on each other, and helped each other out without even being asked. I could have been caught up in a patients room and one of my co-workers would step in and look out for my other patients with out me even asking. We could communicate to one another without even saying a word. No one was ever afraid of rolling up their sleeves and joining you in a patients room to help out. We have had to call security many nights on patients and Rapid Response or codes some nights and the only way we and our patients survived were of the kind of nurses 7D had on the unit. The 7D nurses on nights are different than any other nurses I know... we had everyone's best interest at hand and tried to be the best nurses we could to our patients.

I will never forget the pranks we pulled on Rachel and Ben,Gesma dancing down the hall at 2AM, Katie and I greeting a patient with our antlers on around Christmas time, Stephanie and I pulling a patient up in bed one night, haha, Ben rolling his laptop around at 100mph, my patient who kept escaping out of her restraints, laughing so hard I cried a lot of nights, crying together when we had though nights and so many more! Those are the moments you remember and cherish. This is the reason why we all became friends so fast because we have been through so much together. I truly believe my nursing friends are the best friends I have. Nursing friends are different than my other friends. We share in a bond that no one of my other friends and I have. I could call them up no matter what time of day and know that they would genuinely be there for me whole heartedly. These are some of the most real and selfless friendships I know. You don't find friends like that anywhere else. I know that they understand exactly the way I feel and have been there with me through it all. I consider them some of the best people I know! I can't express the type of relationship we all have but they know what I'm talking about and know how special it is!

I have been so blessed to work with my 7D gang and I miss them more than they know. Thank you all for the good memories, getting me through the though time, making me laugh, and always being there for me and supporting me in what ever I had going on. Eight of my co-workers drove all the way down to my Wedding in Georgia from Nashville and that just meant the world to me, it truly defines who they are and how they would be there for me even though I haven't seen them in over a month. They drove back Sunday and some had to go into work that night. It overwhelms me with their kindness and making sure they didn't miss my special day. You don't find people like that a whole lot. You all mean the world to me, thanks for making my Wedding day and my time at St. T so meaningful! There are no other nurses I would stay up all night with and actually enjoy it. I wish I could come back to work with you all! I love you all and promise to visit soon!

With Love,

Yours Truly (A proud 7D nurse)

Wedding Blues

June 11th was the best day of my life by far...My Wedding Day! My parents gave me the Wedding of my dreams and I enjoyed the seven months of planning with my mom...yes, we were crazy and only had SEVEN months to pull off the Wedding I had always wanted. Needless to say it was very stressful and sometimes I felt like I needed a Xanax! Since it was so special to me, you will see me write a lot of blogs about different parts of that day and everything I felt about the planning. That way you all that weren't able to be there can re-live it with me and those of you that were there can hear about the parts you did not see. I just mainly want to keep reliving the entire process and this is one way I can...haha! My mom and I had NO CLUE what we were getting ourselves into when we took on the task of planning a Wedding. I don't have a sister or any close friends for that matter who have gotten married yet. I have been to a ton of Weddings and a flower girl in many as well but never knew how much work goes into the day! Looking back I don't know how we pulled it off perfectly but we did with the grace of God! Looking back on the day now, I would do every step all over again. I have to be honest, I was on a Wedding High during the entire planning process, the Wedding itself, and the Honeymoon, that when I finally got back home from it all I didn't know what to do with myself. There was no details to worry about, I wasn't running around like crazy, and no millions of phone calls to make. It kept me busy and excited for so long and now that it's over I look back and the whole day seems like a blur that went by WAY too fast! It's crazy to think that all the little details, big plans, and stress all came down to just a few short hours. It seems like with as much time and work it takes it should at least last a day or even a week! So as a nurse I have a new diagnosis for the Medical world...Wedding Blues. Yes, it's real and it does exist and I have suffered from these Wedding Blues! I dreamed about my Wedding Day, like all little girls, for as long as I could remember. It just doesn't seem fair that the one day I waited for my entire life went by so fast. The part that makes me the saddest about when I think back on the day was as I looked around the reception room at all of our family and guests I knew that this would be the ONLY time all these people who are so special to John and I would ever be together like this. Everyone we cared about were in one big room and here to support us. It was breathtaking and honestly still makes me tear up. If it was up to me I'd have a big party every month and get all these people we love together to celebrate...but John and I aren't rich enough to have a big party like that and not everyone could come due to their own schedules. Our Wedding Day was the ONLY day to have everyone together like that ever again, and that's depressing to me! We had my HUGE family there all together, a few of John's family from Memphis and Louisiana, a bunch of my co-workers and friends from Nashville, John's Groomsmen and friends from all over the country, one of his Groomsmen who lost his Dad the week before, a lot of his co-workers from Chattanooga, and my best friend from childhood (who even though we lose touch every now and then) came back into town just in time for the Wedding and said she wouldn't have missed it, to my great Aunt who is on oxygen and doesn't hardly get out of the house anymore, to the man at our church who two weeks ago had triple bypass heart surgery and said he'd do his best to make it even though he was still recovering...and at the reception he was one of the first to come up and hug me. It still blows me away at how supportive everyone has been and people were there from all parts of our life. From childhood to the present. Everyone who has meant something to us throughout our lives were their to celebrate with us! So needless to say, John and I are SO blessed and on that night it really hit us! It was earth-shattering to see how much love and kindness was in that room and we will never forget each individual there!

When I got the call from my photographer that our Wedding Album was online for us to view I was beyond excited because John and I have anxiously waited to see our pictures so we could re-live some of the moments. Once I started looking at the first few pictures I immediately started to cry...I got so emotional just looking at those few pictures. They are truly beautiful...almost as beautiful as the day itself. It made me want to go back in time and marry John every day, over and over again, to dance with my Dad to our favorite song (Butterfly Kisses), and enjoy the company of everyone special to us. Yes, the Wedding Blues have hit me for the past month after the Wedding. It is getting better with time and having John with me everyday as we begin our lives together has been wonderful! However, if I had my choice I'd re-play the day over and over again. I know that no other day will ever compared to that day and nothing will ever seem as exciting but I find relief knowing that I have a wonderful husband to share my life with and fabulous photos and video of the Wedding to help me re-live the day. Also, we have the most AMAZING people in our lives that we can see at different times. Has any other Bride out there suffered from Wedding Blues? Please tell me I'm not the only crazy one out there, haha!

If you would like to see the Wedding Album...Go to Karenburnsphotography.com, click on Album Gallery, and our is the first one! Enjoy!

-A Blessed Bride

One Month...

One month ago today I married my Best Friend! I can't believe it's been a month already, I don't know where the time has gone! This month has by far been the best month of my life so far and I don't know how I lived without John in my life now. We are enjoying married life so much and it just keeps getting better everyday! Just thinking about the future makes me so excited!!! I can't wait to see what were are going to accomplish as a couple, the things we are going to do, and the places we will go! One month down...a lifetime to go!

Happy One Month Anniversary to the best Husband, I love you!

Chattanooga Choo-Choo

Hey Everyone...

Thanks for your support of the first Blog! I love blogging so far and I am glad so many of you enjoyed it as well! I hope to write a few times a week, I would say everyday but I'll be honest up front...there will be days I don't get around to writing a blog so let's just plan on a few times a week. :) I hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend! John and I were in Chattanooga for the entire weekend which hardly ever happens, especially lately, so it was nice to not be on the road. However, I feel like traveling will be common for us given that my family is in Marietta, his in Memphis, my family Mountain cabin is in East Tennessee, my friends and brother in Nashville. So we are used to being spread all over and have gotten used to living out of our suitcases, especially when we were dating and engaged and lived in different cities. It is lovely finally being together under the same roof but we love to travel so I don't think Chattanooga will hold us down too long. It is amazing how a small city like Chattanooga can seem suffocating after a while and I've only been here a few weeks straight! John and I both LOVE big cities and suburbs of cities because that is what we know and have learned to love. Don't get me wrong... We both love the country occasionally, there really is nothing like going outside and hearing nothing for miles. It's nice to escape to nature and appreciate the outdoors but we are both busy-bodies and like to have tons of activities to do at our fingertips. So the city life appeals to us more and we are lucky to see eye to eye on this. After all, what married couple wants to argue endlessly on where to live? That's not a good way to start off. So I know many of you reading this are thinking that Chattanooga must be a perfect place for us, lots of outdoors activities and some city...not too huge and overwhelming though. You would think that we would be satisfied...but not the Denniston's. Many people we meet talk about how wonderful Chattanooga is and we have yet to see the great things these people tell us about. Now, we know it could be a lot worse, we could be living in some Mexican town right on the border, so this is why we don't totally despise Chattanooga...Just aren't too fond of the place. We dream of living in Atlanta or Nashville. These are our favorite cities and we hope to one day, God Willing, get back to either one! Or John even mentioned California (that's where his favorite Football team is and the only reason I believe he cares about California, but I'm sure he will tell you differently.) :) Chattanooga is a place that you either love or hate, and there is no in between. It is a nice place for families with kids because they have a ton of things for children to do here, but since John and I do not plan on having kids for a while this doesn't make it more appealing to us. Also, the majority of people here seem to be older or families with children, so the whole being a young married couple with no kids doesn't seem to fit in well. We are trying and praying that we find some great couple friends who are on the same level we are that we can do things with but so far it hasn't happened. I hope it's just going to take time and will eventually happen. Also, we haven't found a church home which that takes lots of time too at the rate we are going. We either find ones that are too conservative or too contemporary...or like the church we went to today that just scared us and any minute we were sure that they were going to speak in tongues. I can honestly say I have never been scared in church until today and it was unlike anything I have ever seen. Different strokes for different folks I guess but we are just looking for a church somewhere in the middle. So as you can tell our first month in Chattanooga has been eventful to say the least but we are enjoying learning the city together even though it is not the most ideal place for us. I think the hardest part for me was starting all over. I know I needed to and it's the best way to start off a marriage by relying on one another at first. But I will admit I miss my friends in Nashville and I miss the comfort of my job and my wonderful co-workers. I'll admit starting over in a city where you have no friends, family, and have to begin a new job that is totally different that what I was doing before is a bit stressful. I know it's worth it though and I have my biggest cheerleader here to support me...my wonderful husband. We will find our way in this city and be better people coming out on the other end one day. We will look back at these early days one day and laugh for worrying about not finding our fit and worrying about starting over. I know that God doesn't give us anything we can't handle and in the big scheme of things our worries are nothing compared to others right now. We are truly blessed just to have each other and even though Chattanooga isn't our top pick we are still having tons of fun and enjoying each other so it's all worth it! And if we never find our way back to Atlanta or Nashville...hopefully we will at least end up between two palm trees on the beach of the Dominican Republic...Yes, I am a bit of a dreamer :)

On another, more important note. Please keep a family in your prayers. They go to my church back in Dunwoody, GA. They just lost their nineteen year old daughter in a car crash. It was a hit and run on the interstate and luckily they found the man who hit her but it still doesn't change the outcome. I can only imagine the grief this family is feeling so please keep them in your prayers during this tragic time.

-Allison

Hello Blogging World!

Hello Blogging World-

This is my first Blog so I'm sorry if it seems boring, hopefully I'll get the hang of this with time. I thought I'd finally give this a chance now that I'm settled and I have a few friends who have tried Blogging and seem to love it! For those of you who don't know I just got married June 11th, moved to Chattanooga where my husband's job is, and am about to start a new job! So needless to say my world has been turned up-side down in the past few months but I'm loving every second of it! I'm one of those people who avoids change at all cost, my close friends and family know this about me. So these past few months have been exciting for me as well as scary. I'm not the one to move a lot, the only place I moved besides two new houses in the same town when I was younger was to Nashville when I started college almost seven years ago. I did not know a soul except my two guy cousins and I was terrified to death. So I'm sure you can imagine how the whole turning my life inside-out has affected me. I am extremely blessed to have found the love of my life John, who you will hear a lot about in my Blogs, and for us to begin the rest of our lives together. God truly answered my prayers when he sent me John! I did not think guys like John still existed and I had been in prayer for a while for God to please send me the right guy. Well, I must have done something right because he did! John is so loving and patient with me and we enjoy each other's company so much, he is my best friend. The Wedding and beginning our lives has by far been the best thing I could hope for. However, moving from Nashville where all my friends were, who seem more like family than friends because they have been my family away from home, was not so easy...I literally still tear up when I think about how much I miss them. Also, my brother is in Nashville and I consider him to be one of my best friends as well as a brother. We used to see each other once a week in Nashville, we only lived two blocks away, so I miss our time together too because there is nothing like having family close by! Oh, and another huge part moving was difficult...because I had the BEST co-workers I could ever have...and I'm not just saying that! You will learn about my co-workers in another blog soon! And when it comes down to it, besides Atlanta where I'm from, Nashville is by far my favorite city ever and I just miss the city! However, even though starting all over in a new place is hard, I'm so lucky to have the best husband to start over with! We are so excited about the next chapter of our lives and I look forward to updating you all on our journey...Welcome to the Denniston Life!!!