Busy Day!

So yesterday was a pretty busy day for me. We woke up early, and I drank my glucose drink for my blood tests. I didn't eat anything before hand because I didn't want to mess up the test at all. I had to down the entire drink in 5 minutes, and found it a little hard because it was way to sweet. I was worried about keeping it down but I was successful!!! lol We got to the hospital with a few minutes to spare, and I checked in and sat down for my testing. I guess this test is very time sensitive and your blood has to be drawn exactly one hour from the time you finish the drink. So I got there on time. The nurse taking my blood of course had problems trying to find a vein that would work. I don't know why, but for some reason my veins are a pain to work with. Every time someone comes near me with a needle it is like they know....and won't cooperate. I it's getting to the point where they have to stab me in my knuckles just to get it to work. It really doesn't feel that great.

After that was all over, Chuck and I headed into his work even though he was supposed to have the day off. On the way to his shop, the 1st Sgt. called with a heads up that there would be a full honors funeral that Tuesday and so he would need to call the reservists and see who would be willing to help out. I once got to see a full honors funeral, and it was pretty neat to see how everything happens. It was interesting to see the riflemen, the bugler, and the flag detail. So we got to the shop and we hung out for a few hours while Chuck called about 80 Marine reservists and asked them if they would be willing to help out at the funeral. He got 4 who said yes, and 12 who said no, and two returned his calls. I thought it was a little rude that they didn't even bother to return his phone call. I mean if you have a job and are already working that is fine....but be respectful and return a phone call ya know!!!

So after we spent a few hours at the shop Chuck and I went to grab some lunch. I was starving since I hadn't eaten anything yet and probably ordered a little to much food. lol But I had a really great Nacho taco salad. After chow we drove to Brentwood to a dress shop I was very excited to visit. They have formal attire, and.... They have modest dresses!!Let's face it....modest dresses that don't show all of your bits are hard to find now a days. So we drove the 30 miles and arrived in late afternoon at the shop. It was a cute little shop tucked away in the middle of the block, but it was really nice inside. I have heard several nice things about this place and have wanted to go there for over a year. I told the girl what I needed and she set to work pulling dresses for me to try on. I found a beautiful red one that I pretty much fell in love with. Then she had me look through a book and pick out what dresses I liked out of that one. I looked through the book, and only found two that were okay. One I really liked and she hated it and dismissed it as an option, and the other one she started calling on it to try and order it. I wasn't very sure about it, and didn't feel comfortable ordering a dress that I wasn't sure would even look good on me. I told the woman there that they had a dress that I loved made by Eternity Gowns, and I wanted to see if they had it. She told me the dress was ugly, and that it didn't look good and dismissed it altogether. I was starting to feel like I wasn't going to find a dress here because everything I liked she would dismiss and let me know it was ugly. She then found a dress in a catalog that she liked and it came with a jacket. I was not a fan of this dress at all, and she kept pushing it and pushing it. So I asked if I could try on the dresses we had picked out in the store. I tried on the red one and just loved it. The top was a little much and would have to be altered, but the bottom was this beautiful pleated red. And it had really pretty red beading around the empire waist. I loved it. And yes I did the princess twirl in it. lol I called Chuck back to look at it, and I don't think he could see my vision on the potential of the dress. But then the woman came back and just kept putting the dress down, and it was really starting to make me feel bad. She wasn't being mean, she was being honest. But the thing is EVERYTHING that I liked and wanted she would put down as Ugly. They both told me no on the red dress. I changed back into my clothes and came out not even wanting to try on the other dresses. I am very touch when it comes to my weight, and when I have to shop for a dress that looks beautiful, and I need to look good in it next to my husband.....it tends to be a hard thing to find. I came out of the dressing room, and the woman was on the phone with the manufacturer trying to get the dress she picked out. She wanted it in Teal, I said a purple of silver. She told me I couldn't wear silver. I said I could. So she puts the phone down and gets a silver dress, hangs it around my neck and says "Oh you can wear silver. Aughhhh I was almost at the breaking point. Then she had to leave for something and went into the back and handed the info to another employee and told her " This is the dress I am trying to talk her into." As soon as she was out of sight....I said thank you and I would think about it, and got out of there. I felt bullied and ugly when we left. On the way home I put my sunglasses on and cried silently. I don't even think Chuck noticed. It shouldn't be this hard for bigger girls to find a dress and feel pretty in it. By the time we got back to Walnut Creek I asked Chuck if we could go to the really nice dress shop by his work. They have always had beautiful gowns in their windows, but we have also heard how expensive they are. When we got tot he shop we had to ring a doorbell to be let in. We were finally let in, and walked around to see the dresses, and they all looked like quincenera (spell?) dresses. So we left in just a few minutes. They were really pretty, but not the style I was needing. I was feeling hopeless. I was trying to figure out if I should attempt to sew my own dress again, or if I should just skip the ball because I can't find something to wear. We got back in the car and drove around the block to go home, and as we turned a corner I saw a bridal shop I never knew was there. I asked Chuck if we could please go....I figured it couldn't hurt to try. So we stopped in at this cute little bridal shop. We walked in and told one of the girls what I was looking for. We walked past hundreds and hundreds of beautiful gowns all different colors and styles...to a small little rack in the back that had nothing but drab dark colors, and only 3 options for my size. The lady there picked out a dress for me which I hated.....and I picked out two maybe dresses that might work. I tried on the first one that was my first pick. It was a pink hideous thing, but would do it's job if I could find a jacket to go over it. The second one I tried on and it didn't even fit. Then I tried on the third one, and it fit perfectly. This was the dress the employee had picked out for me. I was very surprised at how well it fit. I tried it on with the jacket, and the jacket was to small but it all looked good together. I was so excited. And the dress was $138 the cheapest gown I had ever bought. But the topic of alterations had not been discussed. So this cute little Asian woman came in that stood about chest height to me, and came at the jacket and dress with scissors. I was a little horrified....but hey I hadn't bought the dress....so it's not my bad. They chopped the one shoulder frilly strap off, then cut the jacket in half up the back. then ripped the bottom of the jacket all the way tot he sleeves, and then pinned it to me and the dress. I was very impressed. Chuck could tell I was running out of juice fast and so while they were doing some other things, he had them get me some cold water because I was getting way to hot in there...and then came in the dressing room and rubbed my aching back while I had to wait in the dress. The whole process took less than two hours! I know I was shocked. My body hurt from head to toe, but I had a dress!!! And of course the alterations, and jacket cost more than the dress did. Aughhhh but whatever. We spent more than we wanted to on the whole thing by like $145 but at least I have a stinking gown and can look nice next to my husband, and won't make him look like an idiot because his wife didn't show at his ball. sigh!

After we were done there, I went to get my hair washed. My hair has gotten so thick and long that it is impossible for me to wash out the shampoo and conditioner. I don't understand why it is so hard. I don't know anyone who has this much trouble. So I went to super cuts and the woman did a crap job on my hair. I asked her to take at least 2 inches off, and I could barely get her to take one off, then she is washing my hair, and taking for stinking ever....and not washing it the way I asked and with cold water like I asked. Talk about frustrating. She could barely speak any English so it was hard to communicate. But she was nice. It was a waste of money, and needs to be done again, but it's at least not nearly as bad as it was. lol

After that Chuck picked me up and we were both kinda down from a long day. Chuck asked if I wanted some ice cream, so we headed over to Yogurtland. I love how cheap it is....and super Yummo! We got some and then headed home and ate it in the driveway and talked for a bit. We then settled in bed with a good movie called Pandorum that we had never seen before. We liked it, and it turned out to be a good night.

So as you can see my day was Uber busy. I fell asleep pretty fast and hardly woke during the night.
That's all for now.

XoXo-Andrea Carla