Here comes the bride...

Today's the big day folks... please keep Gabby and James in your prayers! =)

The thorn in my finger...?

Ahoy, mateys! Only 3 days until the big day... you know, the day where Holly cries like a baby. I'm sure you'll all be around just to see that. So, what else can I talk about besides wedding stuff? Ummm... nothing. So let's begin!

Today, all of the flowers arrived via a fat stack of cash, one arm, and the soul of my firstborn child. Ok, it wasn't that expensive, but we cut back a lot of things we wanted to order. Apparently it's more expensive to ship flowers than one would think. Anywho, after an hour or two of unpacking, trimming, watering, running to Home Depot b/c the flowers had nowhere to reside, and many many thorn stabbings, I finally finished prepping the flowers. I'm not sure if it was too early for the pink flowers because they came at a slower shipping rate and are more open than the white flowers. Oh well.

Ooo ooo-- I have a funny story from unpacking flowers-- so I ditched a kitten on my parents about a month ago that Holly brought home from behind Lenny's near Nouveau. He was very shy and veeerrrry cute, so I thought, "Hey-- my parents wouldn't mind another animal." Well, the shy stage has passed and he's now in his toddler stage. The kitten is still nameless, but I'm pushing for "Bubba Gump" or "Gumpy." For the sake of this story, we'll call him "Pablo." So, Pablo the kitten is a little terror. He has rule of the house over my 7-year-old beagle and 9-year-old cat because he has claws, sharp fangs, and some pretty good ups. He gets into EVERYTHING-- it's amazing! Today I left Pablo upstairs alone and came back to find every fake flower we'd had on the table for the wedding favors now on the floor. He became very interested the flower buckets I had in the basement, too. I was trimming some roses and putting them in an old copper tub when I saw Pablo hunker down all of the sudden and leap into the air. I thought, "Noooooooo" (in slow motion) and splash-- the lil kitty was in the tub of water! Faster than you can say "Jumpin' Jehosaphat" Pablo bounded out-- streaking water across the floor. He curled up in a chair to give himself a thorough bath and looked rather sheepish. It was pretty funny even though wet cats are not usually pleasant to be around. I will end with a picture so you can go "AWWWWW" (or so you won't go, "Wow, why did I just read all of that garbage?").

This is from the night I dropped him off-- I'm guessing he was only 4 or 5 weeks old. Soooo cute.

It's amazing what you can do with Paint...

In a week, the person who stole this picture off of my computer, edited it, and posted it as my desktop will be married and no longer living with me. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be sad about that or not.....

Kinda like Kroghetto...

I haven't blogged in forever, it seems. It's not so much that I have given up on blogging... it's more that I just haven't found anything worthy of posting for the world to read. I mean, really, no one wants their post to be deemed "subpar." Well, finally, today something happened that I had to share. I had to go to the North Broadway USPS, and it was one of the most disgusting and miserable experiences of my life. It reminded me of Kroghetto. Those of you who have ever been North-Knoxvillians know of that redneck cesspool-- the magical place where during every visit you can witness one (or all, if you come on a really good day) of these three things:

• someone who is missing a major body part (leg, arm, eye, head, etc)
• seventeen half-naked children running around barefoot through pools of a questionable liquid
• someone who doesn't know how to keep their mouth shut if they happen to find you physically attractive.

The North Broadway USPS is -- hands down -- one of the most ghetto post offices in America... and today, I think it may have one-upped Kroghetto. Avoid it if you can!!

The home stretch...

Well, we're now down to 12 days until the wedding. I keep getting asked if everything is all finished up, but I can't really tell yet! The flower stands and decor for the ceremony are all theoretical right now, so we'll have to wait and see if all these ideas work in reality. Kind of scary... I'm still nervous about how it will all go down. I can't watch any more wedding shows or read idea books this late in the planning anymore because I keep feeling like everything we do won't measure up to the things these other people have done. I have to guard my heart against designers with lots of money, apparently! Kind of weird, but true. In the end, it's one day and no one will remember after it's all said and done. Right now I'm needing some songs for the ceremony. Suggestions are welcome for a "special seating" song, things to play before the ceremony begins, and the walk down the aisle. I have some ideas, but I'd like to hear some more. So leave comments, please!

You are good... always... always...

I've just been so amazed at God's provision in just the last week alone! I'll give a few examples to help you understand:

1. I finished up classes last Friday (the 7th) and was not stressed about my exams at all. This may sound like no big deal, but I am the biggest stickler when it comes to schoolwork and always find something to fret over. I ended up with a B+ and an A in my business classes, and I'm now done forever. Huzzah!

2. I hit dead broke last Thursday when I realized I had a rent check (and a few other purchases) going through soon for $216.67. What did my account have in it? $216.97. I had $0.27 in savings and $216.70 in checking. My mom had agreed to pay my rent this summer since I couldn't get a job (I kept telling people I had 3 hours of class every morning and needed a week and a half off in July, so finding part time work just didn't seem fruitful while planning the wedding...). She transferred some money to my account, but that's not the amazing part. What is amazing is that I thought I should check up on my half.com books for sale and try to sell more books so I wouldn't have to pack and move more stuff than I wanted to. I lowered the price on a couple of books and added a 2005 Cracking the GRE book that I would never need, and lo and behold-- I sold 4 books in 2 days! It was such an act of God! How else would I sell "Economic Botany," "Economic Regulation and Antitrust," "Microbiology," and that old GRE book? Wow. So in 2 days, I made $177.57 (minus some shipping costs that I'll have tomorrow and the price of envelopes) that I should be receiving in a couple of weeks.

3. I've had 2 showers in the past 3 weeks, and I've been amazed at all of the people who have given James and me gifts! We definitely have some generous friends and family with the amount of things we've received. It's mind-boggling that anyone would even want to buy us stuff.. I was just shocked at how many people came to the shower when they could've been doing anything else with their afternoon. God's so good!

Future job plans!!

In case you hadn't noticed, my little profile picture for this blog is a little (I'm assuming British) girl who seems to be the only "Gabby Wells" and also already a trained rider. I possess no such riding skillz, unfortunately. In light of my impending graduation on Friday and lack of occupational direction, I decided to do a search for my new name to see if I could find a career by following in my namesakes' footsteps since I know I could never be as cool as that little girl is. This is what I found:

http://gabrielledalton.com/: pretty much a blank page with an e-mail address for "Gabrielle Dalton & Associates Solicitors." Solicitors? UGH!

http://www.loesjesanders.com/04/clients/dalton/dalton-pix2k6.html : Gabrielle Dalton Costume Designer. Pretty sweet.

http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/nt/content/2006/s1606129.htm : Gabrielle Dalton, a filmmaker who did some documentary called "Frontier Women" in the mid 1980s and collaborated on an autobiography for Mayse Young who died in March this year.

http://www.screenhub.com.au/index/crew_detail.asp?crewID=2913: Gabrielle Dalton, a producer of the 2006 movie, Rampage. This may be the same as the above person, but who knows.

http://imdb.com/name/nm1979886/: Producer of 2005's "Soundtrack to War" movie.

Looks like I have a lot of career options for the future now! Iif only I can obtain social security numbers and bank accounts for the people whose identity I'd like to steal... I mean...

Oh-- and here are my options for future cosmetic surgery if I'd like to look like any of my namesakes:
mm... I would look super awesome if I looked like him.





















Or maybe like her:

















So tell me which career path you think I should follow since I'm currently jobless with no prospects. Woot!

The Shipp or not the Shipp

Okay, so this may be a woman, but it looks a lot like Kevin Shipp to me. I just found it on one of those random pics that show up on mail.yahoo.com. Let me know what you think.

INFESTATION NATION!

I don't know about you guys, but it seems like the oncoming summer months only means one thing. No, no... not freedom from massive amounts of schoolwork or fun at the beach. I'm talking about bugs. EVERYWHERE. So about two weeks ago, a foul stench was wafting my way from one of our two trash cans. "What could that be?" I thought, all too curiously. Upon opening the lid, what did mine eyes see? About 30 maggots went cascading to the ground from under the lip of the lid. AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH. They all wriggled on the ground in shock and then crawled away to I don't even know where but a vent to our crawlspace was very close... Ok, so after avoiding the trash can until trash day, I had a sigh of relief when the trash men actually got the nasty infested bag out. No more maggots! Ooohhh no. Last Tuesday, my roommate Sara threw away half of a raw chicken (the breast and ribs that had the gizzard and sick stuff attached to it). I knew disaster was imminent, so I attempted to keep the lid sealed on the trash can to prevent flies from going in there. Every time I went by, though, someone would always leave it cracked open. On Thursday, Holly and I had noticed a foul smell around our front porch (very close to the trash cans). I said, "It's trash." She said, "IT'S DEAD ANIMAL AND I'M GOING TO FIND IT!" Well, maybe not that excitable.. but you know, loud. Like Holly. So she goes out to the bush by the front steps with a broom and starts jabbing around in the dirt. I go inside thinking she's a moron, and then Holly runs in to tell me it was the trash and that there were maggots eating all up in the trash bag. Uuuunnh. The trash came the next day, and sadly, not all of the maggots left with the bag, so I had to give them a little bath with our water hose and dump their foul selves into the grass. I'm hoping the robins had a feast. Anyways, I've gotta run to class now. Watch out for maggots.
The end.

Back to school... back to school... to prove to Dad I'm not a fool...

This is the God-breathed verse for the first day of summer school today:

Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.

Ecclesiastes 5:18

School will be over soon. Yayyy.

It is hot in my house right now.

The girls in my Biblical Femininity Bible study are doing a traveling necklace this summer... kind of similar to the sisterhood of the traveling pants or whatever (I never saw that movie, it looked like a wad of snotty tissue to me). Leave it to my darling friend Julie Kotynski to pick out the most obnoxiously trendy necklace known to man (well... I guess men wouldn't really know...). The sad thing is, I really like it. Today was my turn to wear the necklace, take pictures with it on, write encouragements to the other 5 girls, and journal about my life for the next 4 days. All in all, it's pretty sweet.

All of this journaling has got me really thinking about some specific struggles I'm having right now. I think when I am in a group of people where the Holy Spirit is really at work and changing lives, it seems like no one ever deals with the same sin pattern for more than a couple of weeks (well, except pride, maybe). So, needless to say, I have a tendency to feel weighed down by the same recurring sin of laziness and lack of discipline. It's frustrating... I really connect with Paul's lament over him doing the things he doesn't want to do. It kinda makes me wonder if this will be "just one of those sins" that I struggle with until I go to Heaven (the thought of which has really been blowing my mind lately). Who am I to deserve sanctification? Of course, God promises it, but who am I to put a timeline on it? I can't demand to overcome something... I can only beg God's grace and plead that the Holy Spirit will change my heart. Praise the Lord that I received an amazing, encouraging, truth-filled email from Squatty yesterday reminding me that through Christ, we have power over sin.

Dude, dude, DUDE. New Attitude. Saturday. So flippin' excited. Ahhhhhhhh.

3 small steps for mankind...

3 small victories of the week:

1. I had an interview for a very good job yesterday, and although I'm not available as much as they'd like, I may be able to petition my way out of the 2 summer school classes I need to graduate.
2. I just received $1323 in financial aid to cover the cost of tuition although they originally said I couldn't use it if I wasn't full-time.
3. I just found my deodorant that went missing yesterday... yesssssssss.

NUMA NUMA.

Gabby, James, and I have spent the last 15 minutes running around the house and dancing like this guy.

Ohhhhh man, I see this making an appearance at the wedding reception...

Exams, exams

Ok, so I'm definitely supposed to be studying right now. I've been home alone since 4:30 this afternoon, and what have I done? I took a nap from 5-6, ate dinner at 7, played on the computer every spare moment I thought about something I just "had to look up," and then started "studying" again. It's so hard to get motivated! Tomorrow is my 2nd exam, and I am just not feeling microbiology right now. I made notecards about 2 weeks ago over maybe half of the material and still haven't even read through them all once yet because I've been going so slow. No need to even mention the amount I've not committed to memory yet... I did the math and found that I only need a 76% to keep an A and that seems to be prohibiting me from focusing on what I need to do. I'm only going to have 1 more exam to study for after micro and then I'll be free (for 3 weeks that is). Summer school in June will be my last 2 courses of my college career, so I'm way too pumped about never having to study again. Haha. Anyways, I have to go back to learning what staphylococcus aureus is all about... Good night!

All about Dorkface... I mean, Holly

Yes, to combat the evil done by my roommate, I shall retaliate. Muahaha.

Too much information about Holly Louise Ritchhart:

• Holly was born on September 20th, 1985 in Memphis, TN at St. Joseph's Hospital. She, unlike a guy we met freshman year named Cooter, was not the 2nd largest baby born there and did not come out holding a sandwich or having a deal to be the next linebacker for the 49ers.
• Holly is an only child... which should explain the rest of the weird things below.
• Holly had a gap the size of the Grand Canyon between her front teeth until she got braces in 10th grade.
• Holly is just like her mother. 'Nuff said.
• Holly likes to watch my FEMALE dog hump her leg until my mom proceeds to yell at her for doing so.
• Holly enjoys potty humor so much that she recently received the "Potty Training Award" at the last Bible study get together.
• Holly once made a video of her being an evil camera-woman crushing the invading ants on her kitchen counter.
• Holly once made a Wheel of Fortune video, and she gave herself a black unibrow and facial hair with black eyeliner. It looked nothing like Pat Sajak. I don't believe there was any form of a wheel either.
• Holly was obsessed with Britney Spears for several years (I'd say from 10th grade until last year) and commonly referred to her as "Britney" and "Brit." (They were so close they were on a first name basis...)
• Holly often found various people who had screennames and blogs calling themselves famous people and became their "friends." "Britney" often e-mailed her.
• Holly has (unless it's been removed) a larger-than-life head of Justin Timberlake taped near a mirror in her room that has a homemade quote bubble stating: "Oh, Holly-- you're so fine. Will you go out with me?"
• Holly laughs at inappropriate things, like the word "duty" during Care Group.
• Holly is attempting to become less crude.
• Holly does not use soap in the shower. She thinks shampoo and conditioner do enough cleansing.
• Holly apparently has a very keen sense of smell since she can detect even the smallest amount of sulfur dispensed in the air.
• Holly is afraid of children. Not deathly, just of holding them or having to be around them for more than 10 minutes without their parents there.
• Holly once freaked out that a spider the size of a piece of sand was repelling down into an open window and proceeded to jump into my side of the car while I was driving. I had to remove the spider from the vehicle as she crawled into the back seat.
• Holly is going to be a super senior, but hopefully not a super-duper senior.
• Holly plans out elaborate stories to repeat and begins retelling them immediately after they happen to make sure to include every word spoken and every weird detail. Sometimes they're rather hilarious.
• Holly cannot do laundry until her 55 gallon-sized laundry basket is completely full and the clothes are overflowing onto the floor.
• Holly has more shoes than normal people have hairs on their head.
• Holly is only person that really gets my sense of humor.
• Holly laughs at everything except planned jokes.
• Holly can only play Dance Dance Revolution by bouncing on her toes or snapping her fingers like it's show choir.
• Holly likes coffee... a little too much.
• Holly cannot impersonate Kermit the Frog. Ask her to try to say something besides "Kermit the Frog here."
• Holly likes to brush her teeth 4-5 times a day.
• Holly hates to drink water.
• Holly recently began eating fruit and vegetables. Maybe water will be next.
• Holly spends 2+ hours a day on her phone.
• Holly spends 2+ hours a day looking at profiles on facebook and all of their pictures, their friends pictures, and your mom's pictures.
• Holly likes really ugly or weird furniture.
• Holly's room is decked in leopard spots. (See above)
• Holly can handle my extremely mean humor.

I think that's a good note to end on although there's a lot more I could elaborate on. Enjoy!

All about Gabby, Part One

Well kiddies, after reading Squatty's post about his unique traits (which was totally spurred on by a conversation he and I had the night before regarding his taste in music), I decided to dedicate this post to my BFFFLBNOEWHM (best friend for flippin' life because no one else will have me).


Gabby, this one's for you.




Interesting Things About Gabrielle Marrissa Wells

• Gabby was born in Moberly, MO on September 24, 1985.
• Gabby severely dislikes most pictures I take of her.
• Gabby worked as a vet clinic tech for a summer and had to clean up animal poop all the time.
• Gabby really enjoys toilet humor.
• When I would get grounded in high school, Gabby was the only person I was still allowed to play with.
• Gabby does not like being poked in the armpit.
• Gabby is really ticklish.
• Gabby and I have only hugged once in our 7+ years of friendship. We pretty much don't ever touch, unless it's to punch one another.
• Gabby and her fiancé James are ridiculously cute together.
• Gabby takes amazing pictures of flowers.
• When Gabby gets woken up or is extremely tired, she tends to talk like Napoleon Dynamite. For instance, a few months ago I knocked on her door and woke her up. When she opened the door I said, "Oh, were you asleep?" and she replied (a-la Nappy Dyno) "YES, what did you THINK?"
• Most of the time, Gabby laughs silently. You can only tell she's laughing by her body's convulsions.
• Gabby did not play an April Fool's Day prank on me this year, much to my suprise.
• Gabby has lived within walking distance of me ever since I have known her.
• Gabby has grown INSANE amounts in her Christian walk over the past few years (praise God!).
• Sometimes Gabby drinks coffee, but she mostly hates the stuff with a burning passion.
• Once, Gabby accidently washed her face with nail polish remover.
• Gabby can play Dance Dance Revolution like it's going out of style.
• Gabby forgets to put on deodorant... often.
• Gabby is going to graduate college with honors.
• Gabby's brain shuts off in mid-sentence sometimes.
• Gabby has started to gain a shoe fetish... I think she's got about 30 pairs now.
• One time Gabby sang a complete song in her sleep. The scary part was it was actually really good...
• Gabby really enjoys buying rip-off brands instead of name-brand items... like Dr. Thunder instead of Dr. Pepper, and Kroger Zips instead of Ritz. She's even bought generic Kool-Aid packets. I mean, really, how much money does that save you, like 3 cents?
• Gabby is one of the worst drivers I know.
• Gabby is ÜBER artistic. She can paint, draw, and photoshop things like none other. I bet when she was littler, she was the only kid in her class to color inside the lines.
• Gabby is pretty clumsy. She trips and falls off things quite a bit. Last week she completely ate it while getting off the couch.

I hope you all enjoyed this tribute to my homegirl. I know that after reading this she is going to make a post to get revenge, so check back soon.

Calling all tp rolls!

I'm working on a project and need to collect about 200 empty toilet paper or empty paper towel rolls (paper towel rolls= 2 t.p. rolls, so it'll save energy if they come in that form). I currently have 25, so I'm quite lacking. I've got 2 months, though. Anyone with lots of roomies or a toilet paper fetish willing to help collect some for me?

I think this is a better picture...

Countdown!

I just realized today that we only have 9 days until the end of classes and only 102 days till the wedding! Hooray! The last two weeks of class are a breeze for me (for once!) since all of my teachers are on schedules with 2 exams during the semester and 1 final. It's awesome. Plus one of my classes is art-- so I just have to do 3 paintings for our final project-- and one class is conditioning. It's a blessing to finally have an easy semester (now that it's my last full one!). I've got 2 economics classes in June and then I'll be done with college on July 7th! I guess the thought of "you have to go into the real world" isn't so daunting since I'll be married 22 days later and will busy out of my mind for those few weeks, but I think it'll be much better than classes. I'm going to hunt for jobs some more and study for the upcoming exams now. Wish me luck...

This is whom I live with...

That's right.... the crazy one in the back.

P.S. CCK's new website is SWEEEEEEEET.