the daily 7: part VI

i am so thankful...

1. we are going home to the land of milk and honey today, sokno ya know!

2. being able to talk to erin on the phone not once, not twice, but THREE times yesterday

3. sweet treats from joyous rorex

4. being so close to one person

-it is amazing what even one month of marriage will do to two people. especially to your embarrassment factor. i mean, i knew the day would come when something like i'd forget to flush or something and adam would realize it before me...but so soon? whooops!

5. by my sheer wit and genius getting our supervisor to let me off 3 hours early...awesome

6. old navy yoga pants

7. WEDDING PICTURES!!! they are not all ready yet, but our amazing photographer put up a preview on her blog. http://meggievelasco.wordpress.com/ here is one to peak your interest:

the daily 7: part five

thankfulness:

1. cancelled classes (even if i forget that the class was cancelled and go anyway)
2. books
-i went to the library today to gather some "scholarly sources" far a looming research paper and was reminded how much i love books. walking through stacks and stacks of hard backs was just so cool...the smell, the quite.
3. two more tuesday/thursday classes!!!!!
4. getting a call about working on a christmas list.
- i love the thought of presents maybe even more than what i actually get. i turned into a little kid before all of our wedding showers and i STILL can't sleep on christmas eve.
5. we are going home tomorrow!
-as much as murfreesboro has become a place of comfort, it still does not conjure the same emotions as south knoxville. (most of) our family is there, our memories are there. because we know that we won't live in murfreesboro after may, i think that our hearts haven't tried to settle here...so it will be a welcome trip to knoxville for thanksgiving
6. devon and erin
-i always look so forward to spending time with my brother and sister-in-law. they are two of the most wonderful people i know and it is so fun to hang out and laugh with them. we are going to cut down christmas trees for our house/apartment. i can't wait to spend time together as married couples!
7. mtsu's unlimited free printing in the library

the daily 7: part 4

today i'm thankful for:

1. the fact that this blog has nothing to do with school and i can miss two days of thankfulness and it not effect a grade of any sort.
2. lazy lazy saturday full of cuddling and sleeping
3. iron and wine at the ryman
-i'm pretty sure sam bean and his crew literally took us to a whole nother world. it was quite possibly the most unexpectedly energetic concert i've ever been to. heard sounds i didn't think were possible and felt emotions only music could provide
4. 4 1/2 hour naps after 8 hour work days
-adam and i both work early morning shifts (starting anywhere from 5-6:30 am) at the hospital. today was particularly hard. for adam it was the 5th workday in a week that he got up at 4 a.m. and for me, it was a case of the mondays mixed with a exhausted body and mind. it was SO good to whisper to each other half way through our shift, "hey lets go home, cuddle up, and go to sleep," and know that we could. freedom to rest is good.
5. conversations with biv
- although we don't get to talk very much, it is such a joy to finally get in touch with one of my very best friends after a battle of phone tag. her 22nd birthday was sunday and i loved hearing about the festivities that went down in celebration of her. i also love knowing that no matter how long its been...we'll never have an awkward conversation...love that.
6. one more week of school
7. sweet notes of encouragement from adam

the daily 7: part tres

thankful for things like:

1. a truck i can get into
-i absolutely loathe my automatic entry. the battery went out in it and i couldn't get in my truck for like two weeks.
2. my husbo- he's just so cool
3. new paste magazines
-chock full of culture and makes me feel like there is so much more to explore in life
4. a clean toilet
5. cold italian dressing on a lettuce salad...just lettuce
6. laughter that counts for prayer before dinner
7. holly grigsby for being the only person to continually comment on my blog...i love her for that and many other things

the daily seven: part 2

thursday's things to be thankful for:

1. old people in the hospital that tell me i'm beautiful
-note: they say this all with me wearing no make-up, dirty black pants, a grey knee-length jacket with shoulder pads so big i look like a linebacker, AND a hair net
2. karl marx
- due to enjoying his writing in sociological theory i succeeded in feeling competent for the first time all semester in my philosophy class. i never took intro to philosophy so i don't know why my advisor thought i'd be ok in a 4000-level philo class.
3. realizing i only have three more classes of philosophy
4. getting a b+ on my philosophy paper! (which was a completely awesome surprise)...suck it dr. michael principe, you will not hinder my greatness
5. we got a big fat iPod
6. gmail lets you pick pretty back ground and theme settings
7. being able to make it through a full day of classes for the first time since last thursday. adios upper respiratory virus!

7 wonders of cara's world

i completely recognize that two posts in one day is a little out of character for me, BUT i was talking to my brother today and realized that i'll get to go back to knoxville in just one week for thanksgiving. so as cliche as it may be, i think it would be sweet (and good for my defensive pessimism) to write 7 things i'm for real thankful for every day until thanksgiving. what would be even cooooler though would be if everyone who reads this (if anyone does haha!) would comment with things they are thankful for too!

drum roll....(and in no specific order)
1. getting out of a three hour night class way early
2. really good parking spots
- i drove to class today for the first time EVER at mtsu because i was sick and had go to student health services, and what do you know, there was a parking spot right next to the entrance...very awesome and very rare on any college campus.
3. new friends that make me feel at home
4. old friends that make me miss home
5. a warm husband to cuddle with on cold nights
6. having someone that never fails to remind me that i am loved to an infinite extent
7. blankets
-hand made mamaw quilts, quilts i tried to make and mamaw had to finish, blankets given to us for a wedding gift (thanks amy!!! i'm cuddling with it right now!), patterned sheets, down comforters...

speaking out

today i got to do something i've never done before...speak in front of a bunch of people. i was asked a few weeks ago by my medical sociology professor if i would be in his panel at the annual tennessee social sciences symposium. i don't think i would have ever done it if someone i respect as much as dr. hinote hadn't asked me. it was interesting and nerve wracking. the panel i sat on was entitled "sociocultural dynamics in doctor-patient communication." i spoke about gender and how it effects the way health care is delivered. although it wasn't as big of a room as i was expecting (probably a good thing), every seat was filled. i know that most of the people there only came to get extra credit, but most seemed pretty interested. we actually had some questions asked at the end, which proved that some people were diggin' what we were saying. i even had one guy come talk to me afterwards to say that he really agreed with and was inspired by what i had said...WHAT?! pretty cool. what a neat thing it was to be able to speak about something that you really feel passionate about...and get applauded for it.

what's in a name

today i woke up to breakfast in bed, thanks to my amazing husband. my next thought after "i am incredibly lucky," was, "aaaaand i'm pretty sure i have a fever." once i finished the scrumptious breakfast, i went directly back to sleep for another four hours. i woke up feeling much better and in order to not feel completely worthless i decided to do a couple things i've had on my list. one of those things included heading to the dmv to change my name and renew my license. and for all of you who are wondering...yes i changed the picture i've had since i was fifteen, learning to drive, and clearly still learning how to fix my hair.

so its official.....i am Cara Cecelia Grigsby!

the boro welcomes the best

today was landmark as it was the first time i got to have a friend from home visit me in murfreesboro! on the way to see her love to camp in jackson, becca stopped into the boro. it was so good to have her hear...if nothin else than to just talk. i miss being around my best friends who know me so well and who have seen the best and the darkest places of my heart. that kind of community is hard to find, and i was lucky enough to have that with my girlfriends.

we caught up on each others lives, but mostly we talked about weddings and marriage because becca is getting married on june 19th!!!! it was really great to talk with her about the other side of the wedding. as i've said before, i am no expert by any means, but i loved answering her questions to what i did know. i just can't wait until we are all old and married and doing whatever old married people do together. with a friend like becca, its guaranteed that we'll be together long enough to find out.

just a reminder

as adam and i were driving to get the chinese food fix i have had all day, we noticed the gas prices. and were SHOCKED! at the bp on the corner of east clark and memorial regular gas is $1.99!! i honestly think that prices haven't been that low since i graduated from high school.

i know that our first instinct is to let out a great big sigh in relief because now we can drive all we want again without the fear of going broke. once i started thinking about it, i realized that i haven't heard complaints about gas prices on the news, seen closed down pumps, or half as many people choosing alternative transportation as just over a month ago. and it scared me to death. when prices hit $5.00 per gallon i had a mixture of feelings. of course i was worried because i know the only way adam and i can see our friends and family from home is driving 2 1/2 hours, but most of all i was hopeful that america would finally understand what a crisis we are in.

we are utterly and fully dependent on oil.

not only do we drive more than every other country in the world, but we make ridiculous amounts of products from plastic. we have come to rely on the stuff and if for some reason we ran out or were cut off from supplies of oil, the country would be in much more of a panic than the one week we were running out of gas.

SOOO...all of this to say, i am praying and hoping that we as a country don't forget the fear we felt when we realized how dependent we are on the oil industry. just because gas is under $2 a gallon, we cannot afford to stop pursuing more environmentally friendly ways to live on our planet. by no means am i an expert on this...but every little bit goes a long way. here's a link with some great tips on small changes you can make that will have a big impact!http://www.worldwatch.org/resources/go_green_save_green

now go hug a tree!!

The Mystery of Marriage

its funny how when you are engaged people tell you all of these things about marriage and at some point you start to think you are an expert on it...well at least i did. when you think about it though its kinda like me saying that i'm an expert on deep sea diving even though i'm terrified to even snorkel. but its so true! i mean, all through pre-marital counseling i started to feel like, "ok, i think i'm starting to get this!" i could even talk to my friends about the spirituality and beauty of marriage and i wasn't even married!

i still believe that even now that i am a wife, i am not an expert. i am certain that i will never be an expert because marriage is not of this world. it is so holy that we cannot comprehend it, the depth of it all. however i can say that the night after our wedding i was singing the same tune as when my girl, biv, got her glasses..."i thought i was seeing everything right before, but now its so clear!" it is unbelievable the truths that the lord has enabled me to see through my husband, our marriage, and the love he has given us for each other. things such as having a new name and being able to be naked with someone speaks so clearly of what our relationship with christ involves. when we allow him to make his home in us we are given a new name. i was no longer "cara." i was "beloved." in that same way i am no longer "accardi," but i am adam's beloved and "grigsby." in christ we do not have to hide behind our sin, shame, and guilt. he lets us run free, unchained and unclothed...naked and unashamed. and with our husband or wife we are not only able to, but the lord REJOICES in us being naked and unashamed with one another. it is all so beautiful and i'm only 10 days in!

final countdown

it has begun ladies and gentlemen, five more days until i am officially a wifey! it has started setting in since adam announced that he was gonna move some stuff in. no longer will i have my own space, own life, own bed, own food, own money, own heart. But what a joy it will be to share all of those things with my love!

so if you are wondering how i'm doing now that the wedding is less than a week away...i'm actually good! we are bustin' our butts getting everything so we can be done and honeymoon in the middle of the school year (ain't no prof gonna stop us. true so kno's gonna do what we do, ya heard?). i'm just praying for stamina and trust that school, work, wedding, and marriage will go in the way of the perfect plan our lord has for us. but i cannot wait to spend time with my best friends, my family, and my soon to be family this weekend! all to celebrate adam and i getting married!! who couldn't be excited for that?

just as an update...adam and i are still losing our minds. it is the worst feeling in the world to me to look at my calender, think about the next time i'm going to be able to sleep, and truly not know an answer. for me, it is looking like the night of october 26th. i know i'm going to be fine, but i'm just exhausted and on the verge of tears often, wondering how we are going to get it all done.

and to top it off...i got assigned another paper today to turn in before we leave for the wedding/honeymoon. that equals (from today) 5 papers and 3 exams within the next sixteen days. i hate to say it, but i think adam's got it even worse than i do. his birthday is tomorrow and literally EVERY second will be spent in class, interviewing for a job, or working on projects/papers. is that not awful?

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." i think of this promise in matthew a lot. and lord do i pray for rest right now.

c'est la vie

it is officially our wedding month! as of right now we have nineteen! more days until adam and i are married! i can't believe it has gone by this fast. i remember counting up the days and it was in the 200's...i thought it would never get here. well it is, and its comin' with a blazin' fury (moment of silence to salute dolly and all of her theme park gloriousness). i have been waiting for this month for so long and now that its here i'm afraid i'm gonna lose my mind haha!

as of last thursday, our lives have officially become crazy. for the past few weeks i've been looking at my planner thinking, "ok...we are gonna make it through this," and i am in all seriousness praying that we will and that we will love each other in a way that we never could on our own. an explanation of the past weekend might give you a good idea of how my life looks...

thursday 10/2-
class 9:40-2:30
work 4:00-8:30
drive to knoxville 9:30-1 a.m. (with the time change)

friday 10/3-
meet our minister downtown to get our marriage license (YAY!!!) 12:30-2:00
drive to chattanooga w/mom and grandmother 3:00-5:00
morgan (my beautiful cousin)'s engagement party 6:00-10:00
drive everyone back to knoxville 11:00-1 a.m.

saturday 10/4-
shop for adam's and the groomsmen's ties 1:00-4:00
speed home, get ready, and go to ashley and justin hoskins' wedding 5-9:30
drive to oak ridge to stay with brother and sis-in-law

sunday 10/5-
to church and hear one of the most touching sermons in a long time 10:00-12:30
drive back to sokno for adam's birthday lunch 1:00
meet with devon about ceremony details
go visit papa grigs
drive back to murfreeboro 6:00-8:30

this all consists of 500 miles of driving and being in 4 different cities...pretty crazy. now we just have to get through this week of work, a helluvalot of school work so that we can miss a week to go on a honeymoon, going back to knoxville again, and trying to maintain some sort of relationship with each other. although all/most of it is fun stuff...its still a lot. i'm just ready to be married and done with all of this craziness. i'll just hope that it all makes the end result that much sweeter.

chronic people intrest disorder

today i woke up, once again, to the mystery noise that travels down from my upstairs neighbor's apartment and into my ears around 7:30 or 8 a.m. every morning. i have yet to figure out what it is. sometimes i'm for sure that its a sewing machine. other days i can't decide between a washing machine and her repeatedly slamming some piece of furniture on the floor right above my bed. either way, i've grown to have a pretty funny interest in her life. i've made up all sorts of stories in my mind. like what in the world she does all day. school? work? whatever she does, its done whenever i'm away because she's ALWAYS there. always on the phone on her porch. and always jamming some insanely loud music that is so bad that i can tell it sucks just from the deafening bass. i haven't figured out a name for her yet...but that will come soon.

come to think of it...i've always had a serious interest in the lives of other people, even if i'm making them up myself. i have super vivid memories of riding around with my mom in the spaceship van when i was little. if we would pull up to a red light or were on the interstate i would name everyone we passed and wonder what their story was.

i still do this, especially in classes. i think its a way of entertaining myself, and it may be weird but i usually pick a person out in each of my classes and i try to learn as much as possible about them by just listening to the way they interact with people and side comments they say. by the end of the semester i could probably tell you their whole life story. like this girl ashley in my social philosophy class. i can't figure out what her natural hair or skin color is. she kinda looks like the porcelain dolls i used to collect. she uses words i have to look up, and that really pisses me off. like "idiosyncratic." good thing i learned that word in my personality class a couple of weeks ago because this chick likes to use words like this in every day conversation. at this point in the semester i can tell you what campus organizations she's in, where she lives, her speech patterns, nervous habits, and what people thought of her in high school and how she likes for people to think of her now.

is it weird that i know so much about these people that i have no relationship with? personally, i think it comes from this really deep desire to know others. i love to know a person's story, the way they think, and what makes their heart happy or sad. it makes humanity so much more interesting.

new to this life i'm living

i've been wanting to start this little blog for a while now. i'm in a place in life where, as my brother has desribed it, "you're world has been flipped upside down....and its not gonna stop for a while." it all started with a serious conversation and i a lot of prayer, but adam and i knew that now was the time we were to get married. not after graduation. not after we settled into careers. no, we have been called to build our lives together now...and i'm SO excited! this lead to a sweet engagement, moving from UT knoxville to finish my senior year at MTSU, 7 months worth of weddings planning, and now the biggest upside down turn my life will have taken thus far is in a mere 26 days. i'll be married!

so what better time to jump into blogging when i've got my hands full with a million other things? i mean what else are college students good for then finding ways to NOT to do what they should be doing. so here it is, a way for me to organize my thought, and a way for all of you to follow the happenings of my life!

and the name of the blog....i seriously could not think of anything else...but its true, some really do call me "greg."