Thankful on A Thursday

I have a friend from high school named Gini, and although we haven't kept over the years, I found her blog and I love it. I love her financially savy coupon trifecta tips, and more importantly, I love Thursday. So much, that I wanted to bring Thankful on a Thursday to you. I think this is a beautiful thing that I am really going to enjoy. So in no particular order...

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1.) I am thankful for my sisters.

I have one sister in a league of her own, but I have multiple others who consistantly change my world for the better. I love that we stay close though we may be far, and I never doubt that you'll be there in my moment of need. I am truly blessed for each one of you.

2.)Faith, Family, Friends
It's such a simple statement, but it holds so much meaning in my life. It's our family motto, an exclamation of our top priorities. I reflect on it daily, and it keeps me gounded in our roots.

3.)My Husband and Best Friend Layne.
I don't know if it's worth attempting to explain. The man may not be perfect, but he is completely perfect for me.

4.)I love being in school... For Real.
I have really loved being a sudent, and I am so thankful for everyone's love and support. It has meant the world to Layne and I as we make these transitions in our life. We love haveing you with us on the ride...

5.)My Account Test Grade
I studied all on Thursday. Student all day Friday until 7pm Birthday dinner for Erol. Saturday- all day. 12+ hours. All worth it- got my highest grade yet on a test!

Looking forward to sharing more next Thursday...

Holland

It's been forever since I last blogged. I got caught up with the move, vacation, not having the Internet, a rush of school work, and July has passed us by. I have so much to share with you- and especially want to thank my reading for the emails, facebook messages, and phone calls telling me to get myself together.

After such a long hiatus, where do I start? Passing along something good... this is an analogy a friend shared with me. Although it is written within the context of a mother raising a disabled child, I really found that it could be applied to anyone who is dealing with the loss of a dream of their own. I was so touched, and I hope you enjoy it as well.

Welcome to Holland

by Emily Pearl Kingsly

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this...

When you're going to have a baby (fill in with personal experience here), it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip- it Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's a very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy. All my life I dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important this is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine, and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will need to meet a group of people you never would have met.

It's a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for while and you catch your breath, you look around... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills... Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy, and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special things, the very lovely things... about Holland.

It's good to be back. I've missed the blogging world. Can't wait till fill you in on what we've been up and get some summer photos on the blog!

Checking In..

Well Hello World! It feels so nice to be connected to you via the Internet. We couldn't get ours set up until July 14th, so until them I'll have to be creative and think ahead. We love the loft. We definitely need to get better organized, but it's coming along. I know we're going to like the lifestyle here. Right now I am at the public library which is RIGHT NEXT DOOR! I'm like a five year old on Christmas. I came over to do some accounting homework, and to pick up a casual read for the cruise.

New Blog Topic: I leave for a cruise. Tomorrow. I fly into New Orleans tomorrow morning and board the boat, and fly back to Dallas on Monday afternoon. It'll be a quick trip since I've got a final next week, but I'm really looking forward to it. Layne will be catching up after his trip to Boston in the big D this weekend. Don't feel bad for him though- he's hitting up Vegas in a few weeks for his cousin's bachelor party... he'll be fine.

I promise to send pictures (as soon as I find the camera). And we can't wait to have everyone over to check out the new pad. Miss you all much and hope to talk to you soon as things start to calm down!

The Walls Are Bare

It's official. As of last night, everything has come down off the walls. Layne and I wrapped and packed most of everything that was hanging, and I'm sure we'll finish the rest tonight while we're watching Game 7. Our closing appointment is set up from a week from today, and the utilities have been cancelled. We scheduled the movers to come next Friday, and Stephen has graciously offered to help us drive the U-Haul full of furniture back to Louisiana. (Thank you Steve Eaux! You're a lifesaver! I'll make it up to you.)

The house looks strange now, but Layne and I are so excited. We can't wait to get into the loft and make it our new home... and reap the benefits of downtown living. It's an exciting weekend in our lives, and between work, school, packing, a birthday celebration, and father's day.... we'll be getting the keys to our new place before we know it. Can't wait to have everyone over. Summer is here, and it's definitely time for a little Sunday Funday Pool Club!

GMAT is Done!

The average GMAT score at UNT for their MBA program was...
(drumroll, please)

510

I took the test on Monday and my score was...

(drumroll, please)

510

Right on target! I felt a huge sense of relief that it was done, and I know my score is adequate for my admissions process. I've also got my references lined out this week. Only things left are to send in my resume and a 600-700 word essay that I need to write. Deadline is July 15th. Easy, right? I'll add it to the list.

We Were Hustlin', Hustlin', Hustlin'

Things are moving on quickly this summer, and our garage sale day was finally here. Layne is the master project organizer, and this was really a breeze. We pulled everything to sell last weekend, priced some things throughout the week, and Layne was up bright and early to get things ready. I joined him outside as our first customers pulled up at 6:45am.
Layne was pretty creative with the set-up. We used Granny's kitchen table chairs and old doors from the renovations to make extra tables so we could spread things out. We had clothes, jewelry, shoes, purses, plates, serving ware, books, frames, 2 Weber Grills, TVs, and the list goes on. At noon we started packing it up, so we could be showered and on the couch for the USA vs. England soccer match. (Insert a GEAUX USA!)

And we even had a layaway department for those who needed to go pick up their paycheck or run to the ATM. It's all about moving volume, and we got a great deal ($15) for a couple sets of old sheets and a wedding shower gift we have never used.

So yes, we spent our morning hustlin'. And it really was worth every minute of our time. We made $375 off of things we really want to purge anyway, and you really can't beat that.

Quick Update

This will have to be a quick update. There is SO much to share, but NO time in the Court house this month. June is C-R-A-Z-Y.

• We found a place to live and put a deposit down! Layne and I will be moving downtown to the Interurban Building. We found a loft we love, and are downsizing from 2350-1050 square feet. We leads us to....
  
• GARAGE SALE! We decided yesterday to have one on Saturday, which is so our style. But Layne has come through big time. The man knows how to organize a project and get it done. Our front room and the garage are filled with things we will be trying to sell. It's actually kind of alarming how much we had that we don't need.
  
• I'm getting rid of books. I know, I can't believe it either. But I have three boxes in the front room that are just waiting to be sorted and tagged. There are some things... like Harry Potter... that I will never part with, but there are still some great books in there. If you're another reader and you want to chat about pulling some for you, just call. We'll put them in the truck going back to New Orleans.
  
• Yes- we'll be sending a truck back to New Orleans. Granny's table is coming back (Nan) and her bedroom set (Mom), along with the green armchair (Greg), petroleum engineer material (Lo Simoneaux) and possibly some lawn equipment (SteveEaux). We're cleaning house, so call it if you want it.
  
• I start school tomorrow! And my first textbook arrived yesterday! I'm a little intimidated, but I'm excited as well. Good things ahead...
  
• I take the GMAT next Monday. Only 8 days left, and still more prep work to do. (By blogging I'm already procrastinating.) Old habits come back quickly.
  
• And we close on our house on June 24th. There are still a couple of house projects we have to finish for the inspection (5 to be exact), but we still have time. Right?

Hope everyone is having a great weekend and that summer is kicking off well. It's made its presence known here in Texas. and everyone can feel it. :)

My Data Plan is Essential

You know, I got my first Blackberry on my very first day of work in Dallas. And for years, it was essential. It was attached at the hip, and I didn't leave work without it. Maybe work wasn't that intense all the time, but I had become so. If I didn't check my emails every hour they would get out of control, or I thought they would. My world completely changed when I lost my job though. The email pool dried up. As long as I check them once a day I'm fine. My needs for a cell phone changed. I wasn't looking at spreadsheets and PDF files anymore. My phone is strictly for personal use now, and communication is what its about. And now my data plan is essential again, but for a different reason. Technology allows me to share all kind of moments with my family and friends. Here are just a few...

The Little Things, Like Costume Changes

And Big Things Like New Holes In The Wall
Grace Sporting Our MCA Gym Shirt

Gregory Spent The Day Hiking In Arizona

Cullen's Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year

Wicked

My husband loves to spoil me, and he is so good at it. This year, for my 27th birthday, Layne bought me two great tickets to go see Wicked at Fair Park. The show was incredible. It was my fourth time to see it, and it was absolutely hands down the best cast I've seen yet. I could go on for paragraphs, but I'll bite my tongue. I'll talk your ear off about it though if you're interested.

Last night, I was really spoiled. At the shows intermission, my husband sprinted out to be the first in line. He treated me to a Wicked sweatshirt, which I love, and am wearing as I type. But this is the coolest thing Layne did all night... Infrared Hearing Devices.

You wear these with the buds in your ears and the bar hanging in front of you. It costs $2 to rent for the show, and it COMPLETELY enhances the audio experience of the show. You were able to hear the individual percussion instruments, and every word being said. There was no lag time, it was perfect. JUST perfect. If anyone is going to the theater, this is a MUST TRY.

I love this show, and it has alot of meaning to me. I have also seen it with some of the most important women in my life, and last night, I cried a happy tear when I thought of the many ways you have changed me "for good." Mom, Abby, Nan, Claire, Aunt Cindy, Megan, Aunt Ellie, Erin, Aunt Leslie, Amy, Heather, Aunt Melanie, Sabrina, and Jessica.... here's sending a hug your way.

Thanks husbie... once again you knocked it out the park.

Reece's 1st Dance Review

This past weekend was a very special event for the Court Family... it was Reece's very first dance review! Mrs. Carmen and Mr. Wayne came up from Bryan, and she cooked a great dinner or us all before we headed out to the main event. Twenty-something routines and a sno-ball later and we called it a night. And it was a good one too.

Brina Helped Reece with Hair & Makeup
And Reece let the Curlers Sit In Her Hair

Sno-balls with the Family After the Show

Na-Na and Reece