What I'm loving...

Ya'll I am loving SO many things today that I don't even know where to begin. Buttt I'll try...and I'll save our most exciting news for last!  (and before ya'll power scroll to the bottom, I'm not pregnant...nope, not even close)

I won my first ever blog giveaway from Erika at Thrifty and Fabulous!  First of all, I rarely enter blog giveaways, and even if I do, I never win anything from them. (Real talk, I never win anything in general.)  But Erika hosted a sweet giveaway on her blog in honor of her birthday (she gave something on her own birthday people), and I won an awesome little summer gift pack...which includes the 50th anniversary edition of To Kill a Mockingbird. How fitting is that?! Thank you again Erika :) I'm pumped! Ya'll go check out her blog if you don't follow already...it's awesome.

Photo courtesy of Erika...did anyone notice the color of the cute bag? Just my current obsession, no big deal.

Second, Megan's wedding is t-minus 3 days away, and I could not be more excited! Thankfully I finagled my way out of a final exam on Saturday morning and got it moved to Monday afternoon so that I can fulfill my bridesmaid duties...I really just think the registrar's office didn't want to deal with an irate southern bride and caved. Smart people, those folks.

The soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Bush!

 Third, these sandals I found at Payless last night...Payless! I never find anything at Payless! But they are having an awesome mega-clearance sale on summer shoes right now, so pop in if you have a minute this week...Ya'll know I love anything with a bow.

Yup, bought em in silver and in gold.

 Fourth, at least a full hour of my day today was spent laughing hysterically with one of my co-workers. And that folks, just really makes for a good afternoon.


Fifth, I have worked out every single day this week. Hard. Go me.

Sixth, some of ya'll have left me the sweetest comments over the past couple of weeks. You know who you are! I have no idea why you keep coming back to read my rambling, but I am so so glad that you do. 


Seventh, I have bought three Christmas presents already and am well on my way to my goal of having my shopping done by the first week of November!  We are doing "Christmas" with my family when they are here for Thanksgiving this year, so I don't want to be rushing around at the last minute! I know how frantic things get once the fall semester starts. And I have Trusts and Estates this fall...Lord help us all.


And, finally, my amazing husband...

has decided to leave his job as a Bank Examiner for the U.S. Dept. of the Treasury to take a position with KPMG, LLP in their Regulatory Risk Advisory practice.  This position will put him on the leading edge of legislative and regulatory changes that affect some of the biggest financial institutions in the country. (I just had to check with him to make sure my description was accurate. ha.)

Words on this little blog-o-mine cannot express how ridiculously excited I am for him. This change wasn't solicited; the job found him, and we decided that it was an opportunity that we just couldn't pass up. Eric hates me bragging on him, but he seriously is the smartest person and the hardest worker that I know. I am thrilled that he is taking a job that will continue to challenge him and help him reach his full potential in this industry. The salary is obviously much higher, but the thing that was the biggest unexpected perk is...da da dum...he has been told that we can move back to the Charlotte area whenever we want. This is HUGE for us because, while we love Tampa, the Carolinas are home and the place we want to raise a family. We will still be in Tampa until I graduate from law school, but this just adds so much more predictability for us as far as where I look for a job, more time to sell/rent our house here and house shop/build a house there, and what states I sit for the bar exam in. 

Eric was really happy and comfortable in his current job, so this was a hard decision for us to make. Neither of us are huge fans of sudden change. But at the end of the day (er, months. literally), we decided that this was a much better challenge and strategic move for him career wise, and that it is better to embrace an opportunity than be afraid to take a risk.

So there you have it!  While we don't feel like we always deserve the blessings that God gives us, we are incredibly grateful for them and just hope we can live up to his plan for us and our family.

Whew! Today has been one great Wednesday! Join me and link up your loves with Jamie at...

AND one last note...over the next couple of days I have got a couple of really random/funny/just plain weird stories that really must be shared with ya'll. All I have to say is, some people are CRA-CRA!  And I really want to post about how I planned/made Eric's one year anniversary gift because I know some of ya'll asked about it way back when in April. Whoops. But first I've got to get my bridesmaid on and my FL Administrative Law exam on...