carlybish.com

This Summer...

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:03:00 +0000

My Kids.
Originally uploaded by carlybish

I mentioned before that I thought this summer might fly by and it did! It's gone already, but I'm kind of relieved... School started yesterday--my second to last semester--and I'm actually looking forward to it. More so than the last two semesters when I thought everyone was mocking me behind my back in class (so high school, I know!). But yesterday, as I walked around campus, I heard my name being called from every direction and I actually felt, well, popular? That's never really happened before... But it was cool. I like knowing people and I like people knowing me. It makes me feel like I can say, "Yeah, man, I've got connections..." and it'd be true! Or something...

However, I cannot disregard the great summer we had. George and I celebrated our one-year wedding anniversary on August 4th, spending time in Atlanta and taking a few days off from work to relax. We also got to visit friends in Franklin,Tennessee (where all the major Christian music artists live, apparently) including Evan, a friend I graduated high school with, and the Reinfeldts, who have relocated there for the Tennessee Titans, which Mike now has a contract with. The Reinfeldt kids are the ones I babysat all those years and who have overcome amazing adversity through Elise's battle with leukemia. She'll be in remission for two years in November! She looks so healthy and beautiful. She amazes me.

These upcoming months will prove fairly interesting and eventful. One of my professors approached me for an independent research study which provides core class credit I need, along with a lot of other things that look great on a resume. I'll be doing a serious photo essay about women who have suffered, or suffer, from domestic violence situations. It includes visiting shelters and safe houses and possibly a women's prison! It's going to be intense, but it's also going to be really enlightening. Not to mention, it's so close to what I actually want to do with my life--finding those amazing stories and producing some really incredible photojournalism. I'll definitely post some of the pictures I take here for you to see. As things progress, I hope to build an online portfolio of some kind and all these pictures will definitely go there.

So while I'm still dedicated to working hard at Starbucks in their management team, I'm feeling more and more confident about pursuing the field of work for which I've pursued an education! Before, I actually thought Starbucks seemed most promising, but making drinks and putting up with customers isn't exactly sounding awesome right now. God's purpose for my life is more than a glorified barista...

I'm not sure how things will play out but I'm feeling really good about this school year. And for me, that's a really great start...

What'd I tell you?!

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:11:00 +0000

George's NEW Tool Box!
Originally uploaded by carlybish

Remember when I said the next time I talked about this, I'd tell you that we'd have George's tools back and blah, blah, blah? Well!

These are George's new tools. When his original tool box--a gift from my dad last Christmas--was stolen out of my car after a visit to the mechanic, we filed a small claim and took it to court. The mechanic actually showed up to the court date and we settled for $400, which we took to Sears and used to replace all the tools George had before AND MORE! Because Sears was having a Craftsman sale!

So, like I said before... This is the second time I've mentioned this and it's just to report that we WON and we definitely learned our lesson! And please, learn from our mistake, and don't leave ANYTHING of value in your car when you leave it in a place where someone has access to the keys!

Farewell "Utah"...

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 04:36:00 +0000

Farewell to "Utah"... from Carly Chaney on Vimeo.

I've been painting...

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 05:11:00 +0000

Birds.
Originally uploaded by carlybish

I don't know what happened in the last two weeks, but I've been "in the mood" to paint lately. This is a big deal because I haven't really painted anything or felt confident enough to paint in a very long time. The other night, George asked me to play my guitar because he hasn't heard me play in eons, but when I tried to play, I quickly sensed I didn't have George's interest. Of course, he didn't mean anything negative by it, but I still took it personally and I put the guitar away. When he asked me what was wrong, I broke down a bit and told him how important things like playing the guitar and painting are to me but the last two years stole a lot of my self worth, so if I do either of those things, it's a really big deal!

It's a really big deal... So even though I haven't been playing music lately, the fact that I'm painting at all means I'm going in the right direction. The window painting pictured is the latest thing I've done, but there are a couple more posted to Flickr as well.

Quite frankly, I don't know if I'm any good. I'm not confident in my "gift" as an artist, especially when I see artwork by someone else that blows my mind. However, I do enjoy painting and I hope I'm good enough that people would actually want to buy something from me. I like using brighter colors and I use a more simplistic style, but it's my style and for the most part, I like it.

Eventually, I hope I'm inspired to pick up my guitar again, to write some new songs and to even sing a little. These things are a huge part of who I am and I refuse to give in to whatever this is I'm suffering from (most likely a lack of self esteem).

Oh yeah. And go see The Dark Knight. Heath deserves an Oscar. No doubt.

Kyle & Evan Rave.

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:54:00 +0000

Kyle & Evan Rave.On Vimeo.

Sorry the video is a little sketchy but this is, otherwise, completely brilliant.

In Boston, Presently.

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Sun, 25 May 2008 00:25:00 +0000

Sitting in the original "Cheers".
Originally uploaded by carlybish

I've been here for over a week now. It's been pretty great so far, except I got sick tonight. It must be the weather in Boston, because several others in our group have already been sick with a sore throat and I thought I'd managed to dodge it, but... Anyway, I'm spending most of my time in my youth hostel bed right now, working on homework, trying to finish it all before the trip is done. That's right, homework. May I remind you this is a trip designated by my university and therefore, does not really feel or act like a vacation.

Although, we did get to go whale watching yesterday and that was pretty cool. Unlike the experience George and I had on our honeymoon, this time it was humpback whales instead of killer whales. And they are large. Comparatively.

Just thought I'd give you all a minor update. George comes back from Ukraine on Monday, and even though I don't get back from Boston until Friday, I am looking forward to getting to talk to him on the phone--really, TALKING--for the first time in a month!

Never thought I'd say this, but I am looking forward to getting back to Tennessee. Not that I don't really like Boston, as it is a big city and you all know how much I dig big cities! But I miss being at home with my husband.

Cheesy, I know. So sue me.

This is My Husband-Face.

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Mon, 12 May 2008 03:35:00 +0000

George, after working on my car...
Originally uploaded by carlybish

George has been gone for almost one week now. It has felt much longer. I am SO. BORED.

Believe it or not, George being gone seems the least of my anxieties right now.

Summer school has provided a workload I did not expect to be so heavy and I am frantically trying to complete assignments every night after coming home from work.

The most upsetting thing I'm dealing with now ties in with this picture of George, covered in oil from working on my car...

We took my car to a mechanic, who had been referred by another auto place we'd done business with before. We simply needed a small part replaced and while George had tried for many weeks to do it himself, he simply could not find the part on the car that needed replacing. So we took it to this guy...

About four days after leaving the car with the mechanic, we called to follow up and find out if my car was ready for picking up. However, the mechanic replied that he had tried very hard to find the part we'd given him from the dealership, but he couldn't find it and would have to order another. We were a little baffled by the mechanic's inability to keep track of something that we had left on the passenger seat for him, but we were patient and told him we'd call by the end of the week.

When we finally called, we also added how George would be leaving the country very soon and we would need to get the car as soon as it was ready. The mechanic said it would be ready Tuesday, the day before George would fly away. While Tuesday would be very, very busy, we didn't have much choice in the matter and told him we would be there at 3:00 in the afternoon to pick it up.

After dropping George off at the mechanic's lot, I had to leave because I was scheduled to be at work in less than an hour. While driving to work, George called and said, "He didn't charge us anything because it took so long!" Of course, I felt like that was fair, considering he'd kept our car nearly two weeks and it was only expected to take about three or four days.

Later that night, after getting home from work, George was busily packing to leave at 5:30 in the morning, which was only a few hours away. Eventually, he had to go out to my car to look for anything he might need to pack. He was out there for quite a while...

When he came back into the apartment, I saw a look on George's face I had rarely ever seen. It was an angry expression and it even took him a while to say anything when I asked him, "What? What's wrong?!"

"They took my tools," he said.

I was stunned. George had been working on the car for weeks and had been keeping the tools locked in the back of my car instead of carrying the heavy thing back and forth to our apartment, which is upstairs. The tools were a very expensive gift from my dad, who wanted George to have these tools for doing exactly what he had been doing--fixing stuff. George had never owned anything that wasn't a hand-me-down, so for him to receive a gift worth nearly $450, he was extremely grateful and proud of what he had.

No wonder he was so angry. Later, we discovered the ashtray, which had a few stray dollars in it, was also gone. And then, it dawned on me the part we'd ordered from the dealership which the mechanic couldn't find was probably something that had been taken as well.

Because George was leaving so soon, we knew we had to file the report as quickly as possible, despite how late it was. We called the justice department and met with a police officer in their parking lot. After explaining the situation thoroughly about three times, we were finally able to return home.

Since then, I have returned to the mechanic's lot and explained to him the situation. He says the items were never in the car because he never saw them. However, he also said that he didn't enter our car until a few days after we had left it with him, so who's to say someone who worked there didn't get into it?

"That's impossible," the mechanic told me. "These boys have worked for me for more than 10 years. They couldn't do it."

"But they had access," I told him.

"They didn't do it," he was getting very defensive.

When I inquired about his insurance, he said he didn't have any. So I gave him the receipt of things that were in the toolbox, amounting to the worth of the toolbox and the tools inside, and asked him to get back to me within the week. He said nothing had ever been stolen in the 23 years he'd been running his business, but I didn't back down. I just told him to contact me by Monday.

Which is tomorrow. So this is my current predicament. I'm planning on leaving early next Saturday morning for Boston and so I'm trying to get this taken care of now, even while George isn't around to help. Either way, if I have to take the guy to small claims court, I will, because I absolutely HATE that someone there took George's tools.

I swear, stealing is one of those things that makes me most angry. You can't help feeling taken advantage of and in some way, condescended to.

I don't give up easily. Just watch. Next time I write about this, you'll see a picture of the toolbox, safely back in our possession.

Codependency 101.

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:53:00 +0000

Making out in front of the photographer...
Originally uploaded by carlybish

Since we started dating--again--in October of 2006, George and I have been inseparable. Not really in the annoying way, either. Because honestly, we spend a great majority of the day apart. But neither of us has gone away or been apart in distance since we got married last August and even before then. That said...

George leaves tomorrow morning, very early, for three weeks in the Ukraine.

Without me.

My trip to New England overlaps his trip part of the time, but not entirely. And quite honestly, I'm almost intimidated to go anywhere without him. I don't like the idea of experiencing a new place without him or vice versa.

But we have to go, so we're going. Just not together...

I'm such a co-dependent now! What happened to me?!

Robert's Party.

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Sat, 03 May 2008 07:52:00 +0000

So I'm Kind of Excited.

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Sat, 03 May 2008 00:11:00 +0000

Coy?
Originally uploaded by carlybish

I have this feeling like summer is going to fly by. What with summer school, and cross-cultural trips, and work--I really think it's going to feel like it's over before we even realize it. And that makes me excited because then, fall semester will start, and thus begins the beginning to the end of my college education. Although, I do plan on taking a class or two post graduation (to finish my writing minor), I will otherwise have my degree and won't have to bother with it anymore.

After I graduate, I'll finally be able to work more, save more, and possibly pursue the things I'm more passionate about. Like photography. I'm going to save for the widest angle lens on the market and tackle real estate photography--inspired by my sister, who is a real estate agent in Seattle--and see if I can supplement my income substantially. Eventually, when George has finished school, I hope to have saved enough for us to cover the expense of moving back to Seattle. Right now, I'm estimating it to cost somewhere around $5000 total. And that's if we move straight into an apartment instead of moving back in with my parents first. I might make $5000 the goal and still move back in with my parents, just to get on our feet first. They've acknowledge that it's a likelihood but we all know none of us want it to be for very long. I love my parents and they love me, but we like our privacy and space.

I know where we'll be moving to and I've scouted a number of Starbucks in the neighborhood, where I can eventually transfer. The location is about 15 minutes from my parents' house, about 15 minutes from Seattle, and literally down the street from the local Park&Ride bus station.

I'm just excited about it. I'm thrilled that I can start making plans now. Even though it's still a solid year and a half or more away, we're going to get the ball rolling now so by the time George has finished with school, we'll only need to tie some loose ends and then head out west.

I came out here in October of 2004 and probably won't leave until winter of 2009 or summer of 2010. I have learned a lot about myself and I was definitely meant to be here. But I'm tired and I'm hungry for something new and even though we'll be going back to Seattle, I know it has a brand new chapter to offer our lives. And for that, I am kind of excited.

Blockbuster.

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Thu, 01 May 2008 23:28:00 +0000

I'm not trying to impress anyone. This is who we are.

Torture.

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:39:00 +0000

If any of my "readership" desires to see anything in particular, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Another Ending, Some New Beginnings...

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 02:55:00 +0000

Curry Jones Wedding 013
Originally uploaded by carlybish

Christy-Anne, my best friend in Tennessee and the bridesmaid who caught the bouquet at my wedding, married Ed, who was a groomsman in my wedding and who also caught the garder! Their wedding ceremony was this last Saturday and I was in the bridal party. It was beautiful to watch and I was proud of the fact that I was the one who introduced them to each other. Coincidentally, I've known Ed longer than I've known Christy-Anne, but I knew they were perfect from the moment they got together. Even funnier is how Ed told me he wasn't the "marrying type" when I was first getting to know him. How wrong he was!

While I was totally enamored by how gorgeous Christy-Anne was on Saturday, I also felt pretty special. Simply because I wasn't self conscious about what I was wearing and I truly felt like one of the "skinny girls". I've lost more than 30 pounds now and I'm the same size as when I was in middle school. Walking down the aisle alone was not the nerve wrecking experience it would have been in the past. There wasn't a moment when I wasn't totally in tune with what was happening during the ceremony. Normally, I would have been so preoccupied with how I felt in my dress or how I looked that I would have missed everything going on around me. No one seems to really get that...

So now, the spring semester has nearly finished. My last final is on Monday. About a week after that, summer school starts and a lot of things will be taking place... Things I'm dreading and also looking forward to.

We have to take our cross-cultural trip. Originally, I had posted about a trip to London for communications majors at school. Well, the trip was too expensive, no one signed up, and it was canceled. So I had to sign up for the English majors trip to New England (Boston, Baltimore, Pittsburgh), which is cheaper and domestic but requires I take classes that benefit my degree in no way, shape or form. Regardless! I'm going. And that's that. During the same time I'll be in New England, George will be leaving the country for his education majors trip to Ukraine where he'll be teaching Ukrainian orphans how to speak English.

So, in other news, I had a dream two nights ago that I got a 12 week old puppy and then went into the hospital, found out I was pregnant, and had a baby a couple seconds later. When I woke up and told George about it, I said, "Now I kinda wish I had a puppy..." And then I noticed how I didn' t say that I wanted a baby. And I thought that was funny.

So... Here comes another hot, humid summer. At least I don't have to hesitate about wearing tank tops and shorts this summer. That's a first!

It's funny...

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 04:11:00 +0000

It's funny...
Originally uploaded by carlybish

Have you seen the new Dunkin' Donuts commercial where they indirectly mock Starbucks and the descriptions for their drinks--is it French or is it Italian? And then, the narrator says at the end, "Dunkin' Doughnuts: Order your latte in English."

But... "Latte" is an Italian word...

Meet Reagan!

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 07:02:00 +0000

Babies like to eat their own fingers for some reason...
Originally uploaded by carlybish

This is my three-month-old niece who I spent much of my time with over spring break. George and I flew to Seattle for a week and relaxed with my family for an entire week. Without school or work on our minds was a great relief and I enjoyed every minute of it.

As you can plainly see, Reagan has signature "Bishop" blue eyes and looks a lot like her aunty! But of course, she is my sister's daughter and I have no claim to passing on that beautiful gene! Isn't she gorgeous, though?!

Meanwhile, George and I have since returned "home", back to school and back to work. We weren't able to visit with everyone we would have liked to while in Seattle, but I was so glad to have all that time with my family.

It was also a delightful experience to see my parents after having lost a grand total of 27 pounds! They were thrilled with my progress and my mom even took me shopping for some new clothes. And to my surprise, I fit perfectly into a size 10 pair of jeans which I haven't done since I was about 14 years old...

So it's been a very happy last couple of weeks. I am anxious about school and dying to graduate in the here and now. I know I'll get there eventually, it just feels like an eternity.

Hope you enjoy this little update. I hope some people are still reading. I always enjoy writing here. I don't know if I'll ever really stop...

Don't Neglect the Feast of Break!

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 23:34:00 +0000

This is my typical breakfast (and I love it!)
Originally uploaded by carlybish

This is what my typical breakfast looks like. Although, sometimes it can be a bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon and artificial sweetener or other times, it's eggs and Canadian bacon.

Officially, I'm still down 23 pounds, but I feel another jump just around the corner. I just have to keep it up and I know I'll be down 24 or 25 in the next day or so. So exciting!

In other news. I am finally in the final stretch of school, getting ready to graduate, and I've run into a couple of hurdles. One, I have to have 60 hours of service (or volunteering) done by the time I'm ready to graduate. But that's the easy one. The big one is a cross-cultural trip I have to take and the only one available for my degree is a trip they offer to England.

Well, of course, who doesn't want to go to England? (Richard Bartlett, you don't count.) The problem is that it's expensive and even though financial aid can be applied toward the trip, it doesn't always cover the entire cost. So I'm going to be posting this "ChipIn" widget to try to get some support from any of my readership. The smallest donation helps, but obviously, don't feel obligated. I'm just so desperate to graduate and I have to do this in order to do so. So whatever help you can give is greatly appreciated.

So thanks again. And please keep reading. I'm going to start writing more as time goes on. The sooner I graduate, the sooner I'll have some free time to start living again! To all our benefits!

Raise money with ChipIn

What Happened to the Good Ol' Days?

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 06:53:00 +0000

I'm Dumb.
Originally uploaded by carlybish

I've got a lot of great things going for me right now. Simultaneously, those same things are what keep me busy day-in and day-out.

I'm working a lot, getting the hours I need to pay bills, which I didn't always have when I was a barista. Shift supervisors pretty much have 30 plus hours each week guaranteed, which eases financial stress. I also believe my higher-ups are satisfied with my work and I think I exceed their expectations the majority of the time--always a good thing.

Same thing at school. I've been staying on top of assignments, for the most part. Every now and then, I turn something in late, but most of my teachers know the kind of schedule I have and grant me a bit of leniency. My point is that this semester in contrast to last semester is a vast improvement in self-motivation skills. I'm pushing myself to do well all the time.

I'm also tapping back into something I love to do that I see myself doing for a living in the future. This semester has me in my degree's "practicum"--working for the school newspaper--and I'm working as a photojournalist. If you remember when I first enrolled at Lee, I volunteered as a contributing writer during my first semester and quickly discovered how much I despise deadlines! They were creativity's worst enemy and I hated the fact that getting something turned in on time was more important than piece's brilliance-factor. Everything I wrote had to be beautiful and I couldn't achieve that when I had a date hovering over my shoulder--absolutely impossible. However, in spite of this, I feel a lot differently about taking pictures and getting those turned in on time. I'm currently in a state of learning how to get the perfect shot, but in the meantime, I'm not as pressured about deadlines (even though I still have them) because I can take thousands of pictures and one of them is bound to be genius. I recently took pictures of a women's basketball game and while the white balance was totally wrong, I really felt like I was in my element, standing in the bleachers, searching for good angles, moving with the players... It just felt good. I really loved it. And it made me think of a dream I've had for a while--taking pictures for the Olympics--and I actually thought it might be possible. I haven't felt that possibilities feeling in years. It was so refreshing!

I know I've been limiting myself. I've been working for Starbucks for over two years now and people have asked what I plan on doing after I graduate...

"Uhm... Work for Starbucks?" is all I've been able to come up with.

But now, maybe I can do more. Maybe I am capable of such things, which I always thought I was a few years ago, but ever since... Well... To be honest, my self worth was shot to hell after I moved here. But maybe it's actually starting to climb back up? I really hope so. I was always confident in my talents before. I don't know why I ever stopped believing in my own abilities. But you cannot know how much psychological and emotional damage I've had to overcome in the last year. Simply unfathomable.

I've lost 23 pounds. There's a confidence-booster! I can credit this success to the South Beach Diet, but it's become such second-nature, that I don't even think about it as a diet anymore. So clich� right? "It's a lifestyle change!" But it really has been, which I find hilarious. I never would have believed it unless I did it myself, but I have and it works! And it's only been eight weeks since we started. Let me put it in real perspective for you: I haven't weighed this little since the eighth grade. I can only imagine how much I'll have lost by the time a year has passed. It's a crazy feeling when I always thought I would look a certain way. I've never been an athlete and I've never been "thin", so the fact that it even feels possible is unlike anything I've ever felt before. You can't understand if you've ever been thin and then wanted to "get back" to it because I was never "there" to begin with! I'm going somewhere I have never been! Try that one on for size!

What I really find interesting about this whole thing is how people used to say to me, "Carly, you don't need to lost weight! You look great!" And now I've lost nearly 25 pounds and I feel and look so much better and people are complimenting me. So I think to myself, Didn't need to lost weight, huh? But I think it goes back to that whole idea of never having been "there" and people have a hard time imagining you any other way than how they've always seen you. So when you show them what you're capable of, they're saying things they never said before. Good things.

I love being married to George. A lot of people simply say, "I love being married," but I have to say I love being married to George. I can hardly wait for us to graduate from school and move back to Seattle so my friends and family can get to know him even better than they could this summer. Everyone got to meet him and they all enjoyed him, but there's so much more to him than meets the eye. I could not have married a more supportive man. A guy who joins his wife in her weight-loss goals, despite the fact that he was thin to begin with! George has lost 20 plus pounds since we started South Beach. And what a listener! I can be a total basket-case and he would always say, "That makes total sense," just to make me feel better.

So yes. So many great things going for me. And I feel like I'm on the road back to "the good ol' days" but they'll be more like "good ol' NEW days" or something. I have felt stuck in this rut of work-school-homework-sleep for so long, but I'm starting to see glimpses of new experiences in the future. Opportunities--I never thought I'd see them again, I'll be honest. But I guess that's just my naivety and I had to figure that out on my own.

But I'm figuring it out. Slowly but surely.

One area that needs work (it always does) is the relationship-with-God area. He and I don't talk that much and I miss feeling close. But like everything else, I see hope for the future. I just have to trust that it will get better, just like everything else seems to be...

Wait! We're Alive!

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:36:00 +0000

IMG_3576 2
Originally uploaded by carlybish

I think it's high time I posted something, don't you?

So four months ago, George and I got married. Maybe you've already seen the photos on Flickr. If you haven't, check them out. Our photographer did an amazing job.

Since then, a lot has taken place.

Like an entire fall semester at Lee.

And I became an aunt for the first time! (Again, check out Flickr photos.)

George and I were promoted at work.

We switched to the South Beach Diet. (Random, I know!)

It's kind of a lot when you think about it all happening in the last four months. Kinda crazy.

Life has been so busy, I was quite tempted to send this place back into the blogosphere. But writing has always been a passion, even if it's just about plain, mediocre stuff. Although, I much prefer the more exciting stuff. Or funny and ridiculous stuff. Either way, I think I'll keep it around.

I take my last final of the semester today. I'm thrilled to have this semester over with. We really need the break.

Married life is wonderful. But we can't wait to graduate, so our time is not so consumed with things besides each other.

So there you go. Hope that encourages you. We're still alive and well. Just really, really, really, REALLY busy.

Okay, bye.

For now.

Whoah.

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 20:12:00 +0000

More Engagement Photos 1.
Originally uploaded by carlybish

Just two more weeks... Two more weeks and I'll be a married woman. It's a crazy feeling.

Look What He Got Me!

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 05:22:00 +0000

Carly's Ring(s).
Originally uploaded by carlybish

Two nights ago, George surprised me shortly after I got off work. The sun was going down and we pulled over to watch. Earlier that evening, he and my mom had gone out together for a Mother-In-Law-Son-In-Law date to purchase some required items for the wedding. What I didn't know was that he was also going to pick up my wedding ring! We leaned against the car, watching the last bit of color fade away from the sky, and I could feel George's heart pounding. When I asked him what was wrong, he replied "Nothing," pulled out the ring, and then asked me to marry him again!

Needless to say, I was stunned and overwhelmed by the fact that he had purchased the ring to begin with. I had settled on my white gold band and never pressed for anything more. I had expressed that having a nice wedding ring would be nice, but I never thought I'd actually have something like that.

I know I'm weird and this may sound crazy, but I never thought I was worthy of something like this. I never thought I was worth having something so nice to wear... Of course, George disagreed but I still didn't think that changed anything.

I guess it's time for me to wise up and actually believe in the things I might actually deserve. Even at the age of 23, I still struggle with my self worth. Again, that might be due to certain things from the past that I've had to heal from. Eventually, I will know what I am worth and I won't feel this way anymore.

I've never worn anything so pretty before, though. Now I understand how people must feel if they were to ever lose their ring. That would be so awful. I wish I could wear this one with a lock and key... But I need to get it resized first (notice it only fits on my pinky finger right now).

Just 21 days left. Hard to believe, eh?

Hit by the Reality Truck.

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 05:41:00 +0000

Playing Wii at Pochi's.
Originally uploaded by carlybish

I know I've already written today, but a little more never hurts...

I fully acknowledge that marriage, the wedding, and my future husband have stood at the forefront of my thoughts in the last several months. But I was thinking about things form another perspective today and everything seemed to hit me at once... I am never going to be alone again. Everything I have will be shared. The already small bathroom will feel that much smaller. Decisions will always be "joint" decisions. We will share a checking account. And the toughest of all--I will have no choice but to choose one side of the bed.

This is a HUGE deal. I really hope I'm able to cope with all these changes. I'm sure there are a lot more things to look forward to than fret over.

What really helps is knowing how others have coped with their own newlywed ambiguities. Like Seth and Arley Worley--they're just one year into their marriage and they're already expecting a baby!

Right now, I'm just worried about sharing a bed comforter!

We're Going to San Juan!

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 18:46:00 +0000

Transient Orca Spyhop 2 Mayas Whale Watch 092806
Originally uploaded by limekilnwhalewatcher

San Juan Island is located in the Puget Sound and one of my parents' clients owns a vacation home there. We asked them if it was available during the days after our wedding and it is! We'll be staying there for a week! An entire house all to ourselves! Everything has really worked out for us to have a pretty amazing wedding.

Most of the details have been worked out. There are a few minor things to be taken care of, but the major decisions have been made. The end result will be beautiful, as well as videotaped! So we'll make sure anyone who wasn't able to be at the wedding can watch it online.

We've already received a wedding present, even! From my Uncle Jerry in Texas, he bought us a really nice knife set from Crate&Barrel. It was such an exciting thing because at this point, I'm trying not to expect any gifts whatsoever. We've had so much given to us already, it would be selfish to expect any more. Nonetheless, the gift from Uncle Jerry was well-received and I know we'll be putting them to good use.

We're having a great time here. It will definitely be hard for us to leave. I almost feel as if we've had the chance to get back on our feet and remove some of the shadows that were hanging over our heads. My parents have really come to our rescue and given us a chance to make a fresh start. They love George and he loves them. It's been really good for us both to be here.

I wish I had more to write about, like I did in the "good ol' blogging days", but it's just not the same as it used to be. While I've noticed quite a few changes in my attitude since I've been here, that still doesn't change how often I'm willing to write. I think it's easier to write when I actually believe what I say is interesting. But I haven't felt that way in ages. Maybe one day, I'll think more of my opinions, but for now, I'm content to only speak or write when I feel something is worth mentioning.

It's been a lot of fun here, though. George and I have visited Pike Place Market. We've also spent some time with Ryan and Sarah Wiedmaier, who flew in a few days ago. I've had time with Stephanie and I've seen Leah. Hopefully, we'll all have more time to schedule together in a few days. I still need to get together with Amy, as well as a handful of others I haven't seen yet. We still have another five weeks, though. So I'm certain we'll make time.

I also have pictures I need to post on flickr, so keep a watchful eye. I'll be posting them as I get them.

We've Finally Arrived!

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 18:32:00 +0000

Skate Park 2.
Originally uploaded by carlybish

We are here and I am finally home. But I think it won't be long before George thinks of this place as home, too. He's really loved it so far and it's only been three days. I think he was sold when he found out there was a skate park only five minutes from my parents' house. He plans to go everyday.

I've already started at my new store and I was considerably overwhelmed. I felt so inadequate. The fact of the matter is that I have come to work in the coffee hub of the world and it appears that everyone seems to know exactly what they want. I steamed more soy milk yesterday than I have in the two years I've worked for Starbucks. No one mispronounced "carmel macchiatto" or asked for "extra cool whip" all day. Unbelievable.

So. It's different. It's a handful. I'm hoping I'll only get better at my job. I just hope it doesn't force me into a corner, wrapped up in a fetal position before the summer is over...

So Much Mush and Gush.

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Wed, 30 May 2007 14:21:00 +0000

More Engagement Photos 6.
Originally uploaded by carlybish

We had more pictures taken with Sara and I've posted them on flickr, if you care to take a look. They're a lot of fun, especially the "George-falling-off-his-skateboard" series. Sara will be doing the pictures at our wedding, which makes me very excited because her pictures are so unique and different from anyone else I've seen.

In other news, it's been very exciting the last few weeks in preparation to leave for Seattle. This last week is going to be the most exciting because we've got a couple hefty things on our "to do" list. Like moving into the upstairs apartment this Friday, packing for our trip, and leaving everything satisfactory for the friend who has offered to apartment-sit for us while we're away.

All in all, it's been very busy, but a very happy time. I would write more often if we had Internet access at the apartment, but we don't. So I have to come to school, but I can't get here everyday. When we get to Seattle, I might have more time to write. And when we fly back to Tennessee, we'll be gaining Internet access and I'll continue to write more.

George and I will both get promoted in August, after we get back--this has been highly anticipated. We've been with Starbucks nearly two years and we've paid our dues.

Ah, yes. And before I forget, several people have asked me where George and I have registered. At first, I was very resistent to the whole "registry" idea because I really dislike shopping. Some girls love to go "shopping," even when they have no intention to buy anything. If I have no money, I don't like to go "shopping" since I know I'll only be depressed about the things I can't actually afford. The idea of "gift registry" gave me the same sort of feeling. So I avoided it for quite a while. But after George finally got me to try it, my mind was completely changed. It's not the same as "shopping" when you have no money. It's "shopping" with the actual possibility that some of this stuff might actually be yours! So it ended up being a lot of fun and we've gone to quite a few different places now.

My favorites have been Bed, Bath and Beyond (registry #2892399), Target (registry #010003993250301), and Crate&Barrel (registry #1588184). But we're also registered at Kohl's, Sears, and JCPenny. We also want to go to Pier 1 Imports, Pottery Barn, and Macy's but there aren't any of those in this area. We may have to wait until we get to Seattle to actually go there. It feels so greedy, but I love it all at once.

We're so excited to leave next Tuesday. We both start working at Starbucks that following Thursday. We'll be making Seattle-rate pay (a lot more than what we make now) and we'll hopefully come back with a lot of it saved. This has been such an amazing year. I can't imagine what's to come, but I have a pretty good feeling about it.

"Something Glorious is About to Happen" (Bloc Party).

noreply@blogger.com (carlybish) — Wed, 09 May 2007 18:07:00 +0000

Engagement Photo 7.
Originally uploaded by carlybish.

Just a few more weeks, and we'll be on our way home. Every spare moment is used to plan the wedding. The pressure's on, needless to say. We've promised to send invitations out by this week, but I'm still waiting for my brother to finish designing them and I'm still frantically trying to obtain people's addresses.

If you haven't sent me your address yet, please do so immediately. Just email me. I'm doing my best to make my way to the local computer lab (as we are still without Internet at home) and trying to keep up with communication.

At this point, I just can't wait to go home, be home, and feel at home. This month could not go by quick enough.

I love you guys.