8 For 8!!!

Well, I'm a little tired this morning thanks to Michael Phelps! I thought he was supposed to swim at 10:15 p.m. last night but no...he had to wait until 10:55 p.m. I tell you what...my Olympic viewing schedule has really taken a toll on me! :) By the time I stayed up for the medal ceremony and interviews, it was after midnight! It was worth it though. What an amazing relay! Oh, and did anyone hear Bob Costas point out that the number 8 is considered lucky in China? This would be the reason why the Olympics started on 8-08-08. Isn't it incredible then, that Phelps broke the record to win 8 gold medals???

I went to Mass this morning at St. Mary's downtown and really enjoyed it. They have a young adults group that looks pretty active that I think would be a good way to meet more people in Greenville. I also noticed that the high school youth group is taking a retreat to Camp Kahdalea next weekend! I was a JC in 1995 and a counselor in 2000 at Camp Kahdalea. Paige and David went to Camp Kahdalea/Chosatonga as well. I actually met Paige for the first time when I was 15 at camp!

I also wanted to share with anyone/everyone who checks this blog from time to time the e-card that Blair sent me the other day. Before I go on, click here to view it. It took me a couple times of listening to it to understand what the guy(?) was saying but evidently my family is cooking something up in Charleston for my 30th birthday this month. No doubt that some of you reading this right now are laughing because YOU are in on the plan and I have NO IDEA!! As always...I'm clueless! So we'll see...and if any of you want to help a sister out and fill me in on the plan...you know how to reach me! :) The suspense is killing me!

I'm a bit obsessed...

...with Michael Phelps! Actually, with the entire 2008 Beijing Olympics! When I look back on my first 2 weeks in Greenville, it will be hard to forget these games and the countless hours I've spent watching all the amazing athletes compete. If you've missed any of the first week of these games, you've really missed out! The swimming has been the best by far in my opinion. Does Michael Phelps not absolutely leave you in awe? There are times when I've questioned whether he's human! Last night, when Phelps swam the 100M Butterfly, you would have thought it was the opening game of college football...there were so many people crowded around the TV in the bar cheering him on! Will he beat Spitz's record tonight? We'll see @ 10:15 pm! Swim Michael Swim!

Sierra's New Hangout

The past couple weeks, I have been trying to get to know Greenville as much as I can. Last week, I spent a lot of time at the house unpacking. Work is pretty slow right now which is good but I was starting to have a bit of cabin fever. Sierra had been so good at not tearing up her new home or terrorizing the new neighbors. But about the middle of last week, she gave me this look that said, "Ok Mom...you've uprooted me from the only home I've ever known and made me pace the same 4 rooms for the past week...take me somewhere! I'm bored!" So I decided to try to find the dog park that I've heard about in Cleveland Park downtown. I was able to find the entrance to the park so I turned in and figured there would be signs pointing to the dog park...much to Sierra's dismay, there were no signs. So we drove around for a little while...saw plenty of playgrounds and picnic areas, but no doggies. All of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye, I see a lady walking a dog. Then I see a couple more people walking dogs. I knew we were getting close. I swear that Sierra is psychic because before the dog park was even in sight, she sprang up in the back seat and starts wailing and crying and jumping around she's so excited. And then we found it! The dog park! I could barely contain Sierra as I parked the car. People must have thought that this was the first time I've ever let the dog outside anywhere! She was that excited! Try picturing me leashing a 70 pound ball of energy flailing around in my back seat and then "walking" her to the gate. She nearly jerked my arm out socket! Watching Sierra enter a dog park is one of my favorite things to watch because she takes all of the energy that she's saved up (hard to believe that she's ever saved any) and just lets it all go as she runs from one group of dogs to the next, rolling around, sniffing butts, jumping, fetching, saying hello to people, whatever. It's hysterical! There was a 5 month old male doberman pinscher that took a liking to Sierra. Needless to say, he would not leave her alone and kept trying to "dominate" her much to his owner's embarressment. This happens all the time...every time I took her to the dog park in Charleston, all the male dogs would follow her around and try to hump her. She never fought back, never snapped at them...little hussy. Well, I discovered the other day at the dog park that I'm not the only one who has been affected by the move to Greenville. Lil' Miss Sierra has decided it's time to start standing up to those mean ol' boy dogs who try to have their way with her. Every time he tried to hump her, she would bark and snap at him and then run away. I was proud of my girl! :)

The dog park itself is really big and has swings for people to sit on. It's entirely covered in mulch which is really nice.

"I've had enough...can we go home?" Sierra says as she hides under the swing!

This statue is outside the dog park. It's called 'High Four!' Get it?

Sierra was not being cooperative during picture time. I tried to get her to sit down by the statue but this is all I could get. She was exhausted!!!

I've also taken advantage of Paris Mountain State Park. I had heard that there were lakes there where Sierra could swim. So, last Friday, I packed a lunch and my book and a ball for Sierra and headed out on just a 15 minute drive to the park. It was a really pretty day and I found a nice shaded area where I sat and ate and threw the ball for Sierra. She found the lake on her own so she got to swim. It was so nice to still be able to find a place outside where I could relax, read and play with my dog, even if it wasn't the beach!

Later on that day, I had planned on meeting Tres (cousin) for happy hour to meet some of his work friends who were around my age. He thought they'd be a good group for me to meet because they were outgoing and very friendly. Turns out the Tres had a makeup tee ball game (he is the daddy of 3 after all) that night but said his friends had invited me along despite his absence. I thought, "What else am I going to do on a Friday night besides watch the Opening Ceremonies by myself?" So, I got ready and went to On the Border to meet Tres' friends and discovered he was right...they were very outgoing and very friendly. One girl, Meredith, even invited me to dinner with her husband and other friends after happy hour. It was great meeting new people and seeing new places downtown. I even got them excited about the Olympics. Meredith's husband Matt told me that he didn't get into the Olympics but I talked it up so much that by the time we made it to a bar after dinner, all the guys were glued to the TV watching the Opening Ceremonies as if it were opening game of college football!

Last night, I met Meredith and Matt along with Jason and Caryn for dinner again at another restaurant downtown, Pomegranate. It was so good!

Next weekend, Meredith and Matt have invited me and Sierra (oh boy!) on their boat out on Lake Keowee! I'm very excited!!!

This might be the longest post ever...

...but that's what I get for procrastinating so long, right? Gosh...I can't believe I haven't blogged at all about the move. So much has happened in the past couple weeks and I've just had enough energy to sit and take it all in. So, it might take me a couple days to complete, but this post will hopefully catch everyone up with what's happened over the past couple weeks.

First off, when I told my friend Amy that I was moving to Greenville, she graciously invited me to have dinner at Cassique which is the part of the Kiawah Island Club where I worked on Saturday nights for a few years. For those of you who don't know about the Club, it is a members only, very exclusive, very expensive golf club on Kiawah Island. I loved every Saturday night I spent at the club and sometimes felt guilty for getting paid to hang out with friends! Cassique serves some of the best food I have ever had in my life...and that's truly no exaggeration! So as a thank you for all of their support over the years, I invited the two people who have influenced my taste buds and raised me to appreciate only the best...Mom and Dad! The meal was phenomenal and it was great being wined and dined by such a great group of friends!

Everything is served "family style" so we ordered as a table and passed around the food to share! This is my plate...we had hanger steak, halibut, sea beans (cross between a green bean and asparagus) corn, and pureed potatoes!

Cheers!

I was so focused on hiring movers, packing and making other arrangements, that I really hadn't thought much about the fact that I was running out of time with my friends! I guess because Greenville is so close to Charleston and I knew I'd be coming back down to Charleston a lot, I hadn't really come to the realization that I wasn't going to get to see them as often as normal. So it was really awesome when my good friend Clay offered to have a "Going Away Pot Luck Dinner" for me. I was actually very flattered that so many people showed up. It's hard to believe that all of the people in the following pictures are "new" friends. I've only known them for a couple years! But they are some of the best people I know.

This is Nick and Kelly getting ready to cut into the ice cream cake that I made!

And here is the ice cream cake! One of the easiest things I know how to make-ice cream sandwiches, whipped cream and snickers! Yum!Me and Nick

Look at all those cute girls! Betsay, Margaret Ann, Christine, Kelly and me

Me, Shawn Ray, Kelly and Clay

John and me

This picture is evidence that as the night went on and the food ran out, the drinks definitely did not! Not a bad picture of Micah, but what am I doing? Look at my neck!?!

The next day my friend (and boss) Emily came over to help me pack my kitchen! It really wasn't until I unpacked in Greenville that I realized how much she had done! We were able to pack up my kitchen and most of the living room by 2:00 that afternoon! Later on that night, Saylor, a coworker, and her husband Chris had an awesome Going Away Party for me at their house in Mt. Pleasant! It was wonderful to get together with my new work family! Nathan, who is a Clemson grad, gave me a Clemson baseball hat so I'd fit in up in "God's Country!" Saylor and Chris fixed a spread and we all enjoyed hanging out on their patio with their new patio furniture! I wish I had pictures but I forgot to bring my camera that night!

So a few days later was moving day! Mom came down on Wednesday night and the movers showed up the next morning around 9!Mom and I kept laughing at how big the truck was for just one person's stuff but the move went really smoothly! The movers quickly loaded up all the boxes first. I had spent the entire week packing boxes and moving them to the garage so all that was left in the house was my furniture, Sierra and myself! All in all, after 2 1/2 hours the truck was 1/2 full and we waved goodbye to all my worldly possessions! Mom and I spent the next couple hours scrubbing down the house. I was really proud of how clean we left it. As we drove away from Charleston to drop Sierra off in Columbia for the week and then on to Greenville, I have to say, I was still really excited about where I was headed.

Mom and I spent the next 2 nights with good family friends Bill and Jean Schmidt. The next morning we met the movers at my new house and pretty much told them where everything went. I am very grateful that my company, TE21, was so gracious in giving me a moving allowance. It was really nice to have big strong men moving boxes and furniture. Mom and I got so much done on Friday!

I didn't actually get to sleep in my own bed until the following Monday night because Mom and I headed off to Raleigh the day after I moved to Greenville for my cousin, Jim Lovelace's, wedding. It was great hanging out with the family and meeting our new cousin, Jacob. He's 9 months old and about the cutest little boy I've seen! Again...forgot my camera...no pictures...sorry!

And now I'm in Greenville full time! I'm loving it so far! I spent the first few days unpacking but have made it a point to get out and about each day...even if it is to just get a new driver's license! Greenville seems really easy to get around which is a blessing when I think back to my first week in Charleston when I spent an HOUR driving around the same 2 or 3 blocks trying to find the bridge to take me home! I was going to post some pictures of the house, my room, bathroom, etc. but all of a sudden got paranoid about putting too much personal info out for the world to see (thanks Mike)! Oh well...that just means you'll have to come and visit!

I had the perfect title for this post...

...but I forgot what it was! Oh well! I need to get one of those digital voice recorders to keep in my car because I always come up with great ideas on the road but by the time I get back home, I've lost them!

Just wanted to let all of you know that I'm now living in Greenville! I realized a few days ago that it's been quite a while since my last post so I thought I'd fill you in! Days have been a bit hazy since moving day! I'll post pictures soon! Speaking of pictures...that's pretty much the last thing I have to do before I really settled...hang pictures. I hate that part! I know this is short but I'll blog more later...promise! Because I know you are all on pins and needles waiting to here what Shropshire is up to now! Ha! Check back for a post about my last week in Charleston!

I should be packing...

...but instead I'm posting more pictures on my blog! Lucky you! :)

I just thought I'd post a few pictures from my AWESOME trip up to DC for the 4th of July! You can argue with me if you want, but you definitely won't win...Washington DC is the absolute best place to spend the 4th of July. Even if Dave Matthews is playing at the Joe in Charleston on the most gorgeous day ever! We had a great time with cousins and aunts and uncles, Abe Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, George W., Jerry Lee Lewis, Taylor Hicks and more!

It's taken about 2 days to complete this post and seeing as how it's not all that long, hopefully that will show you how crazy my life is right now. I just finished tallying up all my junk that didn't sell from the garage sale last Saturday so the Kidney Foundation can come and pick it up tomorrow. My good friend Staci, who is moving to Baltimore with her husband, and her sister Shelby, a new friend, shared the garage sale with me and also helped me tally my stuff! They will also be at my house tomorrow to meet the Kidney Foundation because I'll be at an all day meeting in Charlotte. Ahhh!

So maybe the next time I post, I'll be in Greenville! Who knows?

253 Ingleside Way

Yes...I have an address! I haven't posted in a while because things have been so busy. About 2 or 3 days after my last post I got an email from a cousin of my friends Elizabeth and Matt Maleski. Beth had sent me her cousins email because she lived in Greenville. So I emailed Kristen and asked her for advice on where to look for nice rental places in the area. She emailed me back and let me know that she had just bought a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom townhouse and was closing on July 15th and wanted to rent her 2nd bedroom. It was such an answer to prayer! Kristens new townhouse is beautiful! It's in a gated community in an area of Greenville that I think (I'm hoping) is very similar to where I live in Charleston. It seems very convenient to everything! There's plenty of green space for Sierra to run around and the pool is literally in our backyard! There are so many things that are fitting together so nicely, I can't even believe it. It really humbles me.

The answer to the question, "When are you moving?" has up until now been, "Well...I'm moving out on August 1." I knew when I was moving out of my house, but had no idea when I was moving in to anything because I really had no idea where I was moving. My search for a house/townhouse/condo/apartment/shack in the woods...wherever...was interesting if not comical. I wish I had pictures of all the places I looked at where the owners gloated over beautiful "hardwood" floors, beautiful paint colors, beautiful neighborhood, beautiful yard, beautiful appliances, beautiful everything. And all I saw was mediocre, at best. The very last place I saw 2 weekends ago was the best though. When I walked into one of the bedrooms and saw a Krispy Kreme box with a handsaw on top sitting on the bedside table...I lost it. I was beside myself with laughter....just couldn't hold it in. So, anyways...I'm very excited to know where I'm moving to and am currently starting to get estimates from movers and cleaning out all the junk that I've collected since August '05! I'm having a garage sale this Saturday! I'm trying to work my moving date around my cousin, Jim's wedding on July 28th. I'll either move a couple days before Jim ties the knot, or a couple days after.

I am planning on posting about my 4th of July trip to DC soon! But I just wanted everyone to know the update on my move! Before I know it, I'll be in Greenville!