Where Have I Been? I've been Cruising :)

Well the last couple of weeks have been pretty eventful. I was really busy at work and then Thanksgiving was here and then we left for our cruise Nov 30th. We had a blast. I decided to just relax this vacation and I was really able to do just that. We went to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel on board the Carnival Conquest. We went to Margaritaville in Jamaica. The beach there was a lot of fun. We ported in Montego Bay but went of a journey to Negril. It was really interesting. The people were so nice and funny. We then ported in Grand Cayman. It was raining that morning so we didn't get to swim with the stingrays like we had planned. We did however get to go to the Turtle Farm which was amazing, we visited the town of Hell and the Seven Mile Beach which was so beautiful. Our final day at port was in Cozumel which was a different location than the place we ported last year. It was really clean and not like Mexico at all but it was such nice weather and we had a lot of fun. Our friends Shane and Lori got engaged that night. He took her up on stage and asked her to marry her in front of a lot of people right before the show that night. It was so sweet. Good job Shane!!! I had a chest cold the entire time we were on vacation and am still fighting it off. We got back yesterday afternoon and I was ready to get back to work. Here are some photos from our week in the Caribbean.

Brittany & Jonathan's Wedding Invitation

So I finished designing my brother and future sister-in-law's wedding invitation. They really wanted something unique and I think it turned out great. I also recently designed another wedding invitation for a friend who is getting married in January as well. I'll post that later. Here are some poor quality photos of the invitation. Next thing to do is to get my Save the Date's in the mail.

Through Sickness and in Health...

So I don't really have ever talked about Brandon and my medical struggles from this past year. We both were pretty sick and were misdiagnosed and lived with being misdiagnosed for about a year each. My problems started way back in 2005 and continued to get worse until I went to see a doctor in January 2007. I had severe pain in my abdomen which I thought were female related. I went to a doctor at that time and he diagnosed me with Endometriosis. It was very painful and I missed a lot of work and could barely function at the time, but I thought at least now I have a diagnosis. He put me on birth control and told me to take Advil for pain. Because I didn't have a laparoscopy I was forced to accept that diagnosis but there was no way to say that was it 100%. I went for about another year still in pain. My job situation was crazy at the time so I was without health insurance for almost all 2007. In January 2008 I went to a different doctor Dr. Warren to get another opinion. She went through a lot of tests and an invasive ultrasound to come to the conclusion it was not Endometriosis. I was now back to square one. I then took a proactive approach and started doing research on my own. Together we concluded it was not female realted but rather bladder related. I was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis or Painful Bladder Syndrome. I was put on a treatment medication which caused the disease to go into remission for a while. I still struggle with the pain some but it's bearable now.


Ironically, as this was all going on with my body, Brandon was also having his fare share of health struggles. A year ago he began having symptoms that we thought were not normal. After a routine health screening his nurse saw his blood sugar levels as well as other levels were through the roof. We rushed to a doctor who told us he more than likely had Type 1 Diabetes. We went to the ER and they diagnosed him as Type 2. Even though he had no family history and was not over weight by any means they thought the best route to take was to put him on oral medication and to change his diet. To make a long story short, he went several months with a misdiagnosis and even thought he was cured from Diabetes for a while. No such luck. The symptoms came back worse than ever and he was the incredible shrinking man. It was very scary how much weight he lost dropping at his lowest to a shocking 126 lbs. Finally, a few months ago, he found a new doctor Dr. Bisbee, to listen to him. After more tests the original diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes was concluded. Brandon has been on insulin for a few months now and is better than ever. I know that it is going to be a challenge being married to an insulin dependent diabetic. This became so clear to me this past Saturday. We invited my mom over to watch the Tech vs Texas game and Brandon was going to cook out. He was grilling outside and my mom were inside getting ready for the game to start. Brandon had brought in the food and seemed normal but he went back outside. I really didn't think anything of this but then I got a loud knock at his garage door. I thought it was him needing help with the door. I opened it and it was a lady saying she was driving in the alley and saw him stumbling and he fell off the grass ledge on the side of the house onto the walkway. I raced over to the side of the house and to my surprise an ambulance was there with Brandon. The EMS guys asked me if he was on drugs or had been drinking. Of course not!!!! I told him he was insulin dependent diabetic. Then it all made sense to them. They checked his blood and is was at a frighteningly low 22. Brandon was sitting up but very incoherent. I think he knew something was wrong because he got out his phone to call me even though I was sitting right next to him. So scary. They gave him a glucose injection and got his blood sugar up but it wasn't until then that he came to. He doesn't even remember going outside. It all happened so fast without warning but I'm so thankful someone called 911 and I was there to tell the EMS he was diabetic. I'm also grateful it happened at home rather when he was driving or something. I never want anything like this to happen again, but I know living with a diabetic will have it's challenges. I love Brandon with all my heart and accept whatever is to come. I will say those vows officially in March, but I think we have already made that commitment to ourselves in sickness and in health. I trust God has everything under control and he will see us through this. We have already experienced so much as a couple but I think it has only made us grow stronger and has reassured us of our love for each other and how strong our commitment is to one another. I love you Brandon, and I always will.

Wreck Em Tech!!!

On Friday at work we had a Chili Cook-off to raise money for Children's Miracle Network. Each department had a different theme and dressed up to match their booth and served chili. It was a lot of fun. Our department's theme was Texas Tailgate. Our team was Bevo Brand Chili :) We decorated our table with all Texas Tech gear and served chili and beer (creme soda) and candy. There were two mishaps however. One, Krista was responsible for making the chili and decided to warm it on the stove before the event and burned the bottom of the pot. We unfortunately had a stinky booth. So we burnt the Bevo chili. The second minor mishap was Susie was suppose to get white Christmas lights to string up on our tent, but she ended up purchasing Chirstmas lights made to use outside to lay on a bush. Needless to say they don't string up very well. We put them on the table though and they looked good anyway. We didn't win any of the categories but we still had fun. Maybe next year. I would like to give a loud shout out to the Texas Tech Red Raiders for winning an awesome game over the UT Longhorns 39-33!!!! It was amazing. We're now ranked #2 that's amazing. Go Tech, Beat OSU :)

It's beautiful, It's perfect...but I can't breathe!!!!

OK, so last Friday my mom and I traveled up to Amarillo for the "umpteenth" time to see if my dress fit and to take it with us if it did. I was very excited to see it again and a little anxious as well. We got to David's Bridal around 3:30pm and were told to go to the back where alterations were. They told me to go into the first dressing room put on my shoes, slip, bra etc. and then they would come in to help me get into my dress. I did and the lady was helping me into my dress when I hear her say, "Uh oh". It was a little tight she said. A Little????????? I would say very very tight. Where the dress closes in the back is where the problem is. I took a huge deep breath in and she zipped me up. Ok I'm freaking out at this point. Well, it must have been all over my face because when I came out of the dressing room the other alterations lady who has been helping us through this whole process was there to tell me everything was fine and I looked beautiful. I'm like listen lady I might look beautiful, but if I can't breathe then how do you expect me to wear this thing? She said it was too high on my back and pulled it down a bit. It felt better but I was still not convinced it fit. The ladies did my bustle, which by the way is going to take an army to do at my wedding, and then they said OK your done. I felt weird. I felt like I wasn't given enough time to inspect the dress. We were in the store only for about 30 minutes and the whole way home I wished I had more time to examine everything. I was planning on trying on my complete look, but they really didn't give us that opportunity. It was really weird. When we got back to Lubbock and to my mom's house my mom and I decided to try on everything again. It was really difficult to get into and I still couldn't get the dress zipped up all the way. What a nightmare!!! At first we thought they forgot to put in the eye for the hook and eye, but I found that Sunday. Anyway, it will all work out and I will be a beautiful bride. I fluctuate in weight during a certain time of the month and retain a lot of water so I'm hoping that's all it was. I'm going to try it on again tonight maybe to see if I can breathe. Wish me luck. If not I guess it's back to the gym for me :(

"They Sold Their Souls for Rock n Roll"

Recently Brandon and I watched a "rockumentary" called "They Sold Their Souls for Rock n Roll". It's about the power Satan has over the lives of people in rock music and people world wide who are influenced by rock n' roll. It's a very powerful and very poignantly truthful account of the rock n' roll industry. It's extremely haunting and really makes you think and question everything. It's a lot for me to blog about but if you would like to know more visit www.goodfight.org. I encourage all Christians to watch it and take a glance into there own lives. Here is a bit of my own reflection.

After watching the DVD I was curious about my own musical influences. Since I do like several types of music, not only Christian but secular music as well, I was curious to find out how many of the people I listen to might have also fallen short and sold their "souls to Satan" at the price of fame and fortune. Here is what I discovered.

These are artists that I have in my iTunes that I believe have denounced God's teachings and have followed a different path. I don't want to proclaim that they "sold their souls", but through their lyrics and lifestyle choices one can observe that they do not proclaim biblical truths in their music.

Amy Winehouse: She gave into the temptations of drug abuse and will probably die from it. She had fame but could never quite get grip on reality.
Ashley Simpson: She was in the shadow of her older sibling for years and when she finally broke out of her shell she was praised for breaking all the rules and following a new path. This path was not God's path.
Ben Harper: His album cover for Fight For Your Mind is a depiction of himself in agony engulfed in what appears to be the fires of hell.
Panic! At The Disco in their song I write Sins Not Tragedies undermines the sanctity of marriage and also uses God's name in vain. Are we so jaded as a society that we don't even notice theses details and skip over the lies told in songs like these all for the sake of listening to a catchy tune? I think I'm somewhat guilty of falling into this trap. When your are constantly bombarded by the same lies told to you over and over again you become comfortable in hearing those lies even if you know they are lies. The reality is this: Society is way to comfortable with lying.
Taking Back Sunday: Sunday is suppose to be a day for God. To honor and worship Him. Are we really willing to say it's right to take back Sunday. The very name of this band acknowledges that it's not our day in the first place. So why is this band promoting the idea to take back something that was not given to us to do as they or we will. Do we deserve it? The world says we deserve it. The world proclaims if you earn it's yours, but the bible states what's yours comes from God. Satan has power over this if we let him. He can destroy you if you let him. He can make you believe that it is by your own power that you make you who are, but I think it is by God's grace that you are who you are. I might have stretched a little on this one to come to that conclusion, but after watching that documentary, it has really forced me to look at reality and society and what I stand for in a whole new way.

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Watch out for false prophets. They come
to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." –Matthew 7:13-15

These are only a handful of artists I decided to take a second look at. I can't testify that they did in fact "sell their souls" to the Devil, but what their lyrics and music suggest appears to to do just that. I like the saying, "If it looks like a dog, and acts like a dog it must be a dog" even it's not. I think this applies to those artists who think that even if they don't believe in the crap they are selling they still have to own up to the power it has over their fans who buy into it.

I liked this music for it's popularity and catchy tunes, but I believe I too have been a pawn in Satan's attempt to destroy and persuade people not follow God but rather follow our own rules. Forget right and wrong, you create your own destiny. This is a powerful statement that a lot of people have come to accept and use in their own lives. However, if you follow your own paths and give yourself up to this world, you will die, but God gives us hope. Jesus did not come to save the righteous. He came to save the sinners. Turn your life and eyes upon God and He will truly deliver you from Satan's grips and give you eternal life.

“Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:13-16)

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” –Philippians 2:9-11

Wedding Planning... It's so much fun!!!

Do you sense the sarcasm because it's totally there. I feel like I'm more creative than most people so I always thought I would be natural at wedding planning. Not!!!!!!! I'm so not organized. I blame it on the artist in me. I truly believe you would have to really love weddings to make a career out of planning them. I just don't think it's for me. Nonetheless, I'm still on this wild ride until March 21st. That's right people only 5 months and 20 days until I'm Mrs. Hughes. I can't believe it. Well here are the things I've done thus far and what I plan to accomplish this month. Any advise from you married women out there would be much appreciated.

Completed
Booked Church: First Baptist Lubbock
Booked Reception: Underwood Center (so cool)
Bought Wedding Dress, Undergarments, Jewelry, and Shoes
First Fitting Oct 10th
Chose Wedding Party
Ordered Bridesmaids Dresses
Booked Officiant: Brandon's oldest brother Gary Hughes
Booked Photographers: Captivated Images
Had Engagement Photos Taken, Love them :)
Started Invitation and Save-the-Date Design
Ordered and Received Paper Samples (they're perfect)
Started Guest List
Launched website: mywedding.com/jenniferholmesandbrandonhughes

Things to Do in October
Book Florist
Book DJ for Reception
Book Rentals for Ceremony
Finish the Guest List!!!!!!!
Print/mail Save-the-Date Cards
Order Paper for Invitations
Get Room Block at Hotel
We are going to be using a trolley to transport the bridal party from the church to the reception so I need to book that
Register (I'm pretty excited about this one)

Things to Do in November
Book Rehearsal Dinner (I'm about 90% positive we are going to have it out at Cagle's
Get with Brandon's brother Mark to discus our cakes mmmmmmm!!!!! (He's the bakery manager at Markestreet and has agreed to do our cakes for us)
Schedule Hair Consult
Choose and Book Men's Attire
Start selection of music for Ceremony and Reception
Book Ceremony Musicians
Purchase Ceremony Decor and Bride's Book

How's that for organization. Well it's a start. Wish me luck, I'm going to need it :0