Painful March

In my last post, I mentioned that I was having some health issues.  Well, I went to hopefully my final doctors appointment for a long time last night and was finally given a DIAGNOSIS!!!  The first week of March my right heel area was starting to become very sore.  I was talking to my mom about it one day and she was like why don't you call and make an appointment just to get it checked out.  So, luckily I did because that night I woke up around 3:30 in the morning to go to the bathroom.  When I got back in bed my right ankle begin to hurt & I mean like I have never been in so much pain in my life, it was a shooting pain and was going all the way up to my knee. I told Michael that we might need to make a trip to the ER.  We ended up not going, but when I got up to get ready for work my right ankle was completely swollen & I wasn't able to walk.  I called my principal and told her I wouldn't be making to work.  I had my first appointment that afternoon March 9th.  My doctor diagnosed it as an Achilles tendon problem.  He gave me a medrol pack that I was to take for 6 days & some exercises to stretch out my tendons.  So I did all of that and the problem seemed to disappear.  However, a few days after my medicine ended I started feeling the pain again.  The Wednesday of Spring Break my ankles begin to swell, the next day they were even bigger.  Thursday night my foot looked like this...

I sent those pictures to my dad & he was like ummm I hope you are going back to the doctor!!  The morning of Friday March 25th, I called and left a message at my doctors.  They called me back & set up an appointment for me to come in that afternoon.  I didn't see my doctor because he was on vacation so I saw his partner.  She x-rayed both of my ankles and then said I had some kind of soft tissue problem.  She said I needed to see an orthopedic surgeon.  I also was given more medicine.  On Saturday, my ankles looked like this...

My parents & Michael said I was not allowed to move on Sunday. I woke up, went to the living room & propped my ankles up all day long.  I went to work on Monday and my right ankle looked like this...

I sent this picture to my mom & she freaked out!! We went back to the doctor that night and he wanted to do blood work.  He was worried about rheumatoid arthritis & lupus among other things.  I didn't go to work for the rest of the week.  On Tuesday I had blood work done.  On Wednesday I went to the orthopedic..he said I perplexed him.  He tried to aspirate my right ankle...he stuck a needle into my right ankle and tried to drain fluid.  This was by far one of the most PAINFUL things I have ever had done to me!!!  He said he wanted to do an MRI.  I had that Friday morning.  On Monday I got the results for my MRI.  Basically all that was seen on my MRI was edema, which is inflammation and it was obvious that I had inflammation without doing an MRI.  I was very thankful that rheumatoid arthritis & lupus were ruled out, but frustrated because I still didn't have an answer.  I was suppose to call my regular doctor on Tuesday April 5th. I did & never heard back, so on Wednesday morning I called and just made an appointment.  This is what my ankles looked like yesterday during lunch...

I went to my appointment and my doctor gave me a DIAGNOSIS!!! He said he believes that I have Erythema Nodosum....and that is what?!?!?!  Basically it means 1 of 2 things.  1. I caught a viral infection, most likely being strep throat which is very highly likely considering what I do. Basically, this means I caught a viral virus and never showed symptoms for it and this is just how my body dealt with the virus inside of me.  2. My birth control. He said usually it is seen in the shins, that is why he didn't really think about that in the beginning.  So my first question was do I need to stop my birth control?!?! He said no. He wants me to take predisone, a stronger version of the other 2 medicines I have already taken. If it goes away then awesome, if it comes back then I will stop my birth control and we will see how it goes.  So as of this morning, I was able to walk without pain..without my tennis shoes on!!  I am so thankful to finally have this diagnosis, I am excited that I am starting to feel better.  This has been one of the most painful things that I have gone through.  I have felt guilty because I have literally not been able to do hardly anything.  Michael has been great and has been doing things for me & around the apartment.  I am hoping and praying that the medicine works and that this problem goes away quickly!!  I have a few weddings this summer and I don't think my tennis shoes will go very well with the dresses I have!!

780 Reisling

I haven't posted in awhile because I have been having some health issues that several doctors are try to figure out...PRAYING for an answer & hope you will too.  Well, in the midst of all of the health issues, Michael & I met with a Gini a very dear family friend to get pre-approved for a mortgage loan!! After that, she suggested a realtor to us and we met with her and........WE PUT AN OFFER ON A HOUSE & IT WAS ACCEPTED!!! We are THRILLED to OFFICIALLY be under CONTRACT.  The house inspection is scheduled for this Friday @ 1pm.  I will not be able to go because I was out all last week with my health issues, but Michael will for sure be there when the inspector is.  If all goes well with that then we will close on MAY 31st.  The first time we went to this house I wasn't too thrilled because it was not really one of my favorites, but as soon as our realtor opened the door and we walked in OH MY GOODNESS...I was in lOVE!! That day we went and saw a few other houses that just did not even compare we went back afterwards and I think Michael and I both knew that this was going to be our first HOME!! I told her I knew my parents would want to see it also, so last Friday we took my parents. We made our offer on Sunday afternoon and by that evening we knew the sellers answer. We had to sign another paper and then on Monday afternoon, we were officially under contract!! It is a really weird feeling, but it is an awesome feeling at the same time!! So..now for some pictures.

The front of the house..landscaping will be one of the first things we do.

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The entryway...my FAVORITE part of the house.

The living room, it's good to know Michael's TV will fit. :)

The kitchen, I lOVE the black granite and appliances.

The dining area, the floor plan is awesome because it is so open.

The master bedroom, it has 2 very LARGE closets so that is a plus.

The master bath, it has 2 sinks which was one of my top requirements!!

The first guest room, this room has a huge closet & will eventually be home for a little Ivers.

The second guest room, this will most likely be Michael's office.

The guest bathroom.

780 Reisling...HOME SWEET HOME

Please pray that the home inspection goes well for us.  Also, one of my dear friends Barbie & her husband Peter are in the middle of negotiations for their first home also, please pray that things will work out for them as they have for us!! Lastly, for my health issues and for the doctors who are trying to figure out what is wrong with me!!

Before & After

So it is my Spring Break this week...WOOHOOO!!! (sorry Michael and all of those that are not fortunate to have a Spring Break)  Since I finally have some time to do things during the day..I decided that the little guy was WAY past due for a haircut.  So I made the appoinment and we went this morning. 

This is on the way to the vet....

And....the AFTER

He looks so much better and I feel like he looks like he lost 20 pounds!!  He is loving his new haircut and I think it is perfect since the weather is warmer and he will be outside more!!

Last Weekend

This past weekend one of my very best friends came to visit. YAY Meggie!!  Meggie and I were/are ADPi sisters and we are pretty much awesome.  I met Megs my sophomore year (her junior year) at the UofA.  My first memory of her was during spirit week aka work week aka the week before the lovely game that we all like to call sorority rush!!  We were taking a break and played a game.  Well long story short a bunch of people fell on my left foot I was left lying on the ground.  My other friend Meredith rushed to me and picked me up, Meggie being the "Director of Standards and Ethics" came to help.  We ended up going to the Heath Center and getting it checked out.  I had to go to an orthopedic surgeon and was in a soft cast for about 10 weeks and a boot for about 3..let me tell you it was AWESOME.....not!!!  Anyways, Meggie and I became fabulous friends and I don't know where I would be without her in my life.  We have had some really awesome times together.  She now lives in Dallas, TX and is an assistant buyer for JC Penny's in the women's department...yay she is pretty fabulous.  So she came to visit this past weekend we had a great time catching up since the last time we saw each other was the weekend of my wedding.  Friday night when she got to town we went to a spot here in Rogers and grabbed a few drinks, went home, & stayed up way too late talking!!  On Saturday we went to Fayetteville to shop.  We went to Riffraff and then to Flying Burrito..Meg's favorite haha!!  I had never been to Riffraff but enjoy their blog and facebook page so it was good to finally go in. Megs got a super cute Razorback ring (that I am really jealous of....I think I need one) and I got a super cute ruffly scarf..I am kinda into ruffles right now!!  Then we went to the baseball game.  We picked up my brother also because Flying Burrito is one of his favorites also haha.  The game was good..the Hogs won but it was super windy.  We came home, watched the Hog Basketball game, & then went to dinner.  Sunday we got up for church and Meggie headed home.  It was so great to see her and I am excited because of all the weddings this summer I am going to get to see her again soon...YAY!! I will leave you with a few pictures........

Dinner for my Bachelorette Party

At my Rehearsal Dinner

This past weekend @ the baseball game..with Megs cool ring

A DIY Project

I had really been wanting to do a project to add some art work around our apartment. I am in "blog world" everyday and look at several DIY blogs. One day I came across a canvas project and was like hey I could do that!! I can't find the blog now..just my luck, by the girl that did this project got the idea from HGTV's Sabrina Soto. I didn't know when I was going to do this project...that was until last Saturday when I had been snowed in for DAYS!!! The temperature was rising and Michael had to go to work, so I rode with him and then dropped him off and I was FREE!!! I was driving around town running errands. I was so happy because I had been stuck inside because of the 2 feet of snow that had fallen earlier in the week. I went to Hobby Lobby not meaning to buy anything, however the paints & canvases were on sale...it was meant to be!! I grabbed a package of 2 11x14 canvases because I wasn't sure where I was going to artwork..we don't have a lot of free space here in the casa. It took me awhile to pick out paint colors, but I finally decided on a cream and a deep red. I decided that would look great with the things we have in our kitchen.

Here are all of my supplies

First I painted both with 2 coats of the cream color

Then Michael taped off the pattern (forgot to take a picture both times) and I painted 2 coats of the red color

When they were dry, I pulled the tape off and this was the final product

They weren't perfect, but we enjoy them!! Here they are above our cabinets in the kitchen.

It was a fun/easy project that I think I am going to do again soon!!  My mom is wanting to redo a bathroom at her house and I think something like this would look great on the big empty wall.

lOVE Day

Happy happy lOVE day to everyone!! Today I went back to school and we had a fun little valentine exchange/decorating cookie party with the little ones!!  It was so good to finally be back at work...but I am soooooo super tired!!  I am not really the romantic type...but I am a lover of any day that could possible get me PRESENTS type!!  Michael got me a few new movies this past week so I would have something to do during my snow days & he also gave me a gift certificate to purchase a new charm for my PANDORA bracelet.  I am kinda obsessed with Pandora these days..I have 2 bracelets and can't wait to fill them up!!  Dickson and I gave Michael a photo of the 2 of us to put in his office, some bubble gum to fill up his jar, an iTunes gift card, and I MADE HIM DINNER.......say WHAT?!?!  So Michael comes from a family where they make all these yummy dishes that Michael loves and well......my mom didn't cook a whole lot haha!!! I emailed Nina (MIL) and got the recipe for their YUMMY YUMMY Chicken Spaghetti and I was going to surprise Michael by cooking it.  Well last night laying in bed I realized oh MY oh MY I don't have $$$!!!  We combined our bank account the week before last and well I haven't gotten my new card yet.  So I ended up having to tell him that I needed his card so I could go to Walmart and buy the things I needed.  I was so upset that I wasn't going to be able to surprise him..but OH WELL because he said I PASSED the taste test!!! WOOHOOO....I was super nervous about this haha.  He did say it wasn't as spicy as he likes it, but I like it a little less spicy so he just added a little something to his.  The recipe makes a TON so we will be eating off of it for a few days..YAY!!  Since a post isn't any fun without any pictures...here are a few that I found while looking back at some old facebook albums from our cruise that we went on in 2009....

These pictures made me laugh and remember what a FABULOUS time we had on this vacation with Michael's family.

OH and here is one of the little guy.....

To all my friends and family...I lOVE you all and I hope each and every one of you has had a FABULOUS lOVE day!!

SNOW, SNOW, & more SNOW

Well....we are on snow day number 8 right now. Got the text message at 5:15 this morning from Hannah (the girl I work with), another at 5:29 from my mother, and another at 5:38 from my dad...lets just say I was not a HAPPY camper!! I finally just turned my phone on silent..well vibrate.  Michael got up and went into work..he got there around 8:45. I asked him how the roads were and he said..."I couldn't tell how the roads were because I never touched them because of the all the snow!!"  Dickson and I slept in till around 9:30 and then we went outside into the BLIZZARD!!! OMG I have never seen this much snow in ARKANSAS...I mean really I live in AR not AK!!!  Dickson usually lOVES the snow, but he just can't get around in this.  He did his business on the sidewalk...which only has a little snow on it because the crazies downstairs shoveled it after last week.  I take the little blue bag, pick up his business and head towards the dumpster.  As we head that way I realize the snow is up to my KNEES!! I feel his leash tug, turn around and realize I can only see the little guys head!! I just toss the blue bag and make my way back to him...he was whining :( I felt so bad...so on the way back to the sidewalk I made a path for him and he was able to make it back!! Now going up and down the stairs for him is usually no problem, however right now he just kind of slides up and down..it is kinda funny!!  When we finally got back inside we went out on our balcony...he liked this much better because there isn't quite as much snow there.  Here are a few pictures of the little guy.......

And here is my car....I don't think I will be going anywhere anytime soon....

This is really just CRAZY...they are having reports of snow in FEET...that never happens!!  I don't see us going back to school for the rest of the week..however this weekend it is supposed to be in the 60's so let's hope some of this MELTS!!  I mean the Walmart Home Office is closed for the FIRST time ever...that is big news here!!  I just talked to Michael and his going to be heading home at lunch time, so hopefully soon he will safely make the trek back to us!!  Stay Warm and PRAY for no MORE SNOW!!!!