i forgot i had a blog.

Well, hello. Welcome back to my blog. With the whirlwind it's been surrounding the holidays, I completely forgot about this thing. Hence, no post in a rather long time. But, alas, I have returned! And with quite a load of information up my sleeve (or hiding behind these fingers, whichever applies..)

These past few weeks have been so much fun. I love Christmas and everything that goes with it.. decorations, family time, laziness, food, and just the feeling of joy that surrounds this time of year. There's just something about December that makes you feel content and warm. Maybe it's all the hot chocolate and blankets, or maybe it's the feeling of love that seems to abound from everyone simply because it's Christmastime, but I love it. And what I love even MORE is that next year, Chuck and I will be celebrating as husband and wife. There is a long list of things that I can't wait for as newlyweds, and celebrating the holidays together is definitely one of them.

So, like I said, the past few weeks have been so much fun. A group of us went camping (yes, it was 25 degrees...) and it was miserable to say the absolute least. A piece of advice? Don't go camping when you wake up that morning with a fever and feel like death. Hiking through the woods and sleeping without heat when it's below freezing won't make you feel any better. In fact, it will make you feel worse. Ok, enough of the pity party. Here are some pictures of us being miserable having a party in the woods.

Christmas has been different around the Graves household the past several years. We've gone from the traditional Christmas as kids to spending the day a little differently. Three years ago, Amy was off in a far away land on Christmas day (ha) and last year we spent Christmas day on a plane flying home from Disney World. This Christmas, though, all three of us girls jumped into my big bed at home on Christmas Eve and slept like we did when we were little. It was nice to wake up on Christmas morning like we did as kids (minus the hiding behind the hall door so we couldn't see what Santa brought) and celebrating together as a family.

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone has had such a good holiday season. I spent Christmas night working my first holiday as an RN. Amy was blessed by being put on call (she was supposed to work Christmas Eve) so I was thankful that she didn't have to go in and we could all spend the time together as a family. We went to the Candlelight Service at church with both our family and Greg's family, split and went our separate ways, and then Chuck joined us at our house for the remainder of the night. I love having the family all together, especially when Chuck can be there. Then, on Christmas day, us 4 girls spent the morning at the house opening gifts and then joined the Abbey clan for an afternoon of food and hanging out. After that, I headed to work (dressed in my red and green, of course) and spread some holiday cheer to my patients. I much preferred to work Christmas night rather than Christmas Eve, so I didn't mind it so much. I did think about everyone who worked day shift that day who couldn't spend that time with their families. It put into perspective the sacrifice so many people make and how sad it is to not spend the holidays with family, like all of those in the military, emergency personnel (like firefighters, policeman), healthcare workers, and others. I definitely won't take spending time with family on a holiday for granted now that I know what it's like to have to sacrifice that time.

I am just filled with such good spirits lately, and I hope you are too. I don't know if it's the lingering holiday cheer, or the fact that in 9 days I'll be in Disney World, or both! But I've worked the past two nights, it's 11am after a night of work and I haven't gone to sleep yet, and I'm still just so happy right now. Maybe it's delirium, I don't know. But what I do know is that I'm thankful for a blessed life and the wonderful people in it.

Now, here's a look at what my eyes will see in a little over a week... eeeeeek! :)

Happy Holidays and love you all!

Time.

Time is relative. We live our lives day-by-day, hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute based on this 24 hour clock that we've been told to plan our lives around. Shoot, the clock even changes halfway during the year just because it has been for years and years and years, even though it doesn't make much since to change the clock now-a-days. ANYWHO, time is, personally, my worst enemy. And we can safely say that it wasn't exactly on my side or Chuck's side today.

Since I worked last night, I slept late again like I always do today. About 2pm, I get a (panicked) call from Chuck saying that his final that he thought was at 3:30pm was actually at 11am. Oops. So after bounding out of bed to try and figure out what I can do to help, even though there was very little I could actually do, we spend the rest of the afternoon in a worried-stricken state waiting around for a phone call or email or something... anything... followed by a lot of nothing.

Then, tonight, I had a meeting with Feel the Beat Entertainment regarding them being our DJ for the wedding. The meeting was at 6pm and I was going to leave my house about 4:15 and meet my mom at her office at 5ish to head out to Chelsea where their office is located. Somehow, because of my complete lack of concentration or my worried mind about Chuck's exam or something, I managed to leave my house at 5:15pm without even the slightest clue I was an entire hour behind. I get in the car, call my mom to tell her I'm on my way, and have a panic moment when I come to the realization I am an ENTIRE HOUR LATE. How does that happen?

So, twice in one day, time caused panic for both me and Chuck. He was ready to take his final exam at 3:30, but because he simply switched times in his head, he missed it. I had ingrained in my head that I was leaving at 5:15 instead of 4:15, which put me an entire hour behind schedule. What if someone showed up 15 minutes late for work and got fired because of it? Or someone left their house 5 minutes earlier than normal and got in a car accident they would have otherwise avoided? I am a schedule-aholic and plan my life out like nobody's business, but even that doesn't keep me from being late. I am the world's WORST at being on time. I am often always at least 10 minutes late wherever I go. And I try to be on time, but my effort doesn't usually help any.

When I got that call from Chuck, all I could think to do (because I couldn't do much) was send out texts to people asking for prayers that his teacher would be understanding and kind. And it worked! His teacher emailed him back tonight and he is taking his exam at 9am in the morning. What a relief.

"Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you" 1 Peter 5:7

And my meeting wasn't a disaster, either. We showed up at 6:15 and pretty much made a decision regarding our DJ. So all is well.

But, dang, time sure did kick us in the butt today.

too much.

Is it possible to love something so much and hate it at the very same time? If I had to describe this football season, it would be with that one simple question. Every year, I look forward to kickoff in the fall and watching my Crimson Tide run all over the field. The competitive personalities that come out thanks to football season are hilarious, too, because people can get quite crazy over a game. This season, however, it went too far. I've always hated Auburn (it comes with the territory of growing up a Bama fan) but a rivalry should only go so far. This season has been horrific.. on both sides. The hatred people have for each other has intensified beyond my wildest imagination... and it makes me sad. Cameron Newton's ordeal has put Bama fans in a tizzy, while making Auburn fans deny something that could very well erase a great season. Fans from both sides have not only pulled for their own team, but outright bashed the other on both a general and personal level. I have never heard arguments over a game get to such an outrageous level, and feelings have been hurt. Auburn fans have been way too defensive about the entire situation, and Alabama fans have used the whole story to try and nullify the good season Auburn has had. And it's pathetic.. on everyone's part.

Football is supposed to be something to enjoy.. like it has been for my entire life. But this season, I dreaded every Saturday because of the fights that ensue as soon as the games are over. People have been outright mean and taken personal shots where personal shots should not have been taken. It's a game. It's meant for entertainment. And it got waaaaay out of hand this season.

So Auburn has been accused of some nasty stuff that may or may not play out very badly for them. And Alabama fans are using it to their advantage. If the tables were turned, Auburn would do the same thing. And Alabama has had plenty of dirty players in their past, as well. I'm not really sure when it became alright to question people's religious faith over football, but that has happened this season as well. It's absurd and I'm so over it.

I'm proud to be an Alabama fan, and that will never change. I pulled for the Tide last year during our undefeated National Championship season, and I'm proud to still be defending champs until January. Just because I don't pull for Auburn when they play in the National Championship game doesn't mean I'm a terrible person. They are my rivals.. why should I pull for them? I'm not a fan of the SEC or a fan of the state of Alabama.. I'm a University of Alabama fan and I cheer for the Crimson Tide. And that's that.

Congrats to Auburn for having a good season. Seriously, you have remained undefeated and are playing for the National Championship.. so congrats. But if I have to hear about Cameron Newton past this season, I may pull out my hair. Because not only does that mean that I have to see his smiling face everywhere for another 5 months next fall, I'll have to see and listen to all of the same arguments next season. And I can't take/dish out any more arguments.

I am included in the bunch of people who took it too far. But I realize I'm at fault for being so emotionally involved in something that doesn't change my life one bit.

In church this morning, Pastor Danny finished up his few weeks on talking about the Attributes of God. Today, he discussed how God is Love. God not only shows love, He IS love. And we are to "love one another, for love comes from God" (1 John 4:7). Something so simple sparked something in my head; I have done the exact opposite this season all because of FOOTBALL. All because I cared way too much and got way too involved, I have cut people down (and been cut down by others) and have not shown love.

So, to say it simply, I'm out.

No more comments.

No bashing or pulling for anyone.

I'm Switzerland come January 10th.

Roll Tide. Always.