You Had Me at Spaghetti....

The story of Mr. N and me....

This was requested... how Mr N and I met.  So here it goes. WARNING LONG STORY...
There was once a girl named Charlotte (oh that's me) and she went out for dinner with a group of friends. (a pasta place that carries GF pasta as well hence the catchy title) One of the friends moved the day before and could not find her kitchen so wanted to go out for dinner. Mr N had helped her move so he also got a dinner invite.

I was in a particular mood... as a couple of the girls and I were going to hang out and have a games night. (so like a regular person I put a deck of dutch blitz in my purse)... so we are chatting and waiting for the rest of the guys to show up....

(now here is where the story will differ depending on what side you saw.... and well if you were inside my head this is the version I am going to tell)

I am sitting at the table being ridiculous (shocker I know) and suddenly I get this tingly warm feeling from the tips of my toes to the top of my head.... (really you can't make this stuff up) Then I turn around and see Mr. N... on the outside I tried to look cool and collected but any wall I could ever think of making was crumbling before formation was possible... So when I got Charlotte... this is Nick... "Hi Nick" I some how kept the fuzzy feeling from my voice... all the while thinking "holy good looking handsome man batman!!"
Dinner came and went... and the poor boy got 100% goofy crazy Charlotte. Once dinner is over and Candy, Stephanie and I are talking about playing games at Candy's later... So I pull out the deck of cards in the resturant (lucky we are all regulars so they just laughed) I think it was the worst round of Dutch Blitz that I have ever played in my life :) (I was having trouble concentrating)
When it is time to take this show on the road Candy invites Mr N and his friend Adam (did I mention he was there?? No?? sorry Adam) over to our games night at her place...

So Candy gives out the directions  and when I get in her car we talk casually and she throws out "so what do you think of Nick??" I was surprised by my gut reaction to her question... my insides went all fuzzy and a little jealous, thinking that she might also be thinking he was charming and handsome and amazing....  So I tucked my emotions in my left sock (safest place you know) When I finally answered her I said something like " he seems nice and he is cute"

When we all finally got to Candy's I made fresh avocado salsa. Yummy and went over well... then we played cards till 5:00am (really I only made it to 4:30 before the couch called my name) Mr. N and I were on a team because we had one extra player.... because of the type of game it is we had to sit close and I kept bumping his arm... he was moving to slow :). I was trying hard not to show my interest but apparently that did not work... the girls knew... they always seem to... but I figured he would never see my as anything but the "crazy" friend. 

Then the conspirisy started.(I really should say the part I knew about).. next week there was another dinner... and games night... this time I made rice crispy squares... ummm so good... and there Nick was again... This time a different friend came to dinner and while I was away from the table I guess he leaned over said something to the effect of "so what do you think of our Charlotte? Do you like her?" yup never excuse yourself that is what i have learned... any ways I come out and the friend has the waitress say to me... "he likes you... you are good to go" I wanted to crawl in and out of my shoes at the same time. Later we are standing outside and I start to shiver.... I always seem to be cold... well my friend turns to me..."oh are you cold?" He puts his arm around me and starts to rub my arm to warm me up... then says Hey Nick you keep her warm and SHOVES me at Mr N.... I was taken off guard and if Mr N had not caught me I would have gone flying into the concreete planter... But he did catch me.... and all I could think was "Blair I am going to kill you and .... boy is Nick ever warm and smells good.

The next day after Church the girls wanted to go to the farmers market and I am always up for that... so we were going to meet another friend there... and once we were there they told me that the other friend was also going to bringing Nick.... And the rest is history... We talked on the phone for hours Monday and Tuesday then went on our first date Wednesday, and the rest as they say is history....

Long story... good story... True story..

Till next time enjoy your tomorrow

A Photo or Two...

 Here is my first attempt at putting up some photo's.... or at least one

Till Next time... enjoy your tomorrow

Rainy day music choices....

So we are all aware that rainy days will happen (or in my case are happening)... and it is a good thing you know.. or the worms would dry out and the flowers would not grow... and really who needs parched worms... poor guys...

I say let it rain... (for now but later please let the sun come on out)

For every day there are perticular songs that just seem to fit... and on rainy type days where I am feeling wonderful... I need (that is right NEED) to crank up the Great big sea most often "Ordinary Day" and dance... and enjoy the looks of those snoopy people walking down the street... really if you don't want to see me dancing "DON'T LOOK IN MY HOUSE!!" Really it is that simple.

Okay and now for the play list by song then artist
1. Ordinary Day- Great Big Sea
2. Black Horse and a Cherry Tree- KT Tunstall
3. Dreams- The Cranberries
4. 1234- Feist
5. Love Me Do- The Beatles
6. Rave On -John Mellencamp

This is just the start of my Rainy day mix if it continues to rain it will get longer...
The only way to truly create a good mix is this.... choose music you like :) Play the music that makes you smile (even if the world does not get it)

Till Next time... enjoy your tomorrow...

Photo Shoot....

So yesterday Mr. N and I had engagement photos taken. EEEpppp really as I was getting ready I was about to have a nervous break down... "pictures of me??!!??" I thought that the best idea would be to take pictures of Mr N cause he is soooOOoooOOOooooooo handsome.... and dreamy... and ..... sigh... Oh HI are you still here.. I got lost there for a moment.

There is something you need to know ( if you already don't) I am a goof... I am talking world class... nerd.  I am not ashamed but to get a picture of me not being a goof is difficult. 

One other thing you need to know I am not a fan of PDA (public displays of affection). Holding hands Okay, arm around waist... o...k... Hug?... ummmmm sure.... but Kisses!!! Yikes... so during an engagement shoot you need to be all cuddly and smoochy and really that is not just passing PDA that is permanent documented PDA... However if you are going to go out of your comfort zone... man-oh-man... what a way to go :)

Our photographer and his wife were AMAZING!! so calm and ready to have fun and get some cool shots...  All we had to do was have fun... and stand together... tough job really... standing close to the man I love... but I am up for a challenge :)

If you want to check out our photographers web page it is www.renkor.ca (shameless plug)

till next time... enjoy your PDA.... um I mean....your tomorrow :)

Complete Honesty

Hello again, and greetings

So today I thought I would be 100% up front and honest about my health issues. What they are and such... believe me as I type this... this is not a post hoping for or looking for pity... it is simply a catharsis (emotional purge) that I feel has been a long time coming.

 Warning this could be a long post..... or maybe it will come in instalments...

When I started this blog about 2 months ago I started with an update... and very casually stated that I had been off work since February with health problems. The whole truth is I have been trying to avoid the fact that my body was slowly giving up on me... and in February it said "ENOUGH"....

You may need some back ground info to make this all make sense. About 4 years ago now I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism (now I take some hormone pills and get regular blood testing and all seems well on that front) a couple of months after that I was diagnosed with seizures.
Actually what I was told was " Charlotte the results of your EEG came in and you have seizure activity in your left temporal lobe" I sat there and thought... you have the wrong Mackin... My brother has seizures... Later I found out that I have a form of seizures that usually only presents in children... I was 24!! not so much a child... so that makes it an "a" typical form.... I guess I have never been "normal" so why start now :)

We then tried some meds to help get control.... when I say that went bad I mean BAD, HORRIBLE, BAD... I was one of the small percentage of people who experience the wonderful side effect of having an increase in seizure (sz) activity.  I am not going to go into all the detail of that experience... some of you were there and you know... I am sure you remember that...

That is around the same time when I got my long list of food intolerance.... and I started teaching full time....
Between then and now I did have a year and a half sz free. I don't know why... and I really don't know why they started up again. But they did and they came back with a vengeance.

I would work all day having about 10 sz in the day (because of the form of sz I have and because I am a demonstrative person naturally my students never noticed). Then I would come home grab something quick to eat and pass out.... wake up the next day and do it all again.

Then I met the most wonderful man in the world... who has undergone a trial by fire when it comes to my health. so there was less time with the couch and more time dating :) (I am not complaining at all on that front)

My sz started lasting a long time and by long I mean 10 min plus... only stopped by emergency medication. Being a stubborn never show weakness person I trudged on and on until my body just quit... It was no longer recovering from the constant barrage of sz. I talked to my principal and the idea was to take a couple of weeks off to recover... the weeks lead to months and months has now turned into the rest of the school year.   There came a time where I was having 50 sz on a regular day with option for more and often all I did was lay on the couch have sz and lay on the couch... But I was not alone... God has surrounded me with wonderful friends and family and my soon to be family and best friend Mr. N.
 My Mom came and stayed with me... because the other option was a long term care facility. If you don't know my Mom then you really should meet her. She makes superman look like a wimp.

But I kept much of this away from others... I did not want them to worry. And by others I mean if you were not in the immediate circle of people around me. I hid it from you.... you all have busy lives and I did not want you to worry.

Thankfully I am on some medication that seems to be working I am down to 1 sz every week or so as long as I don't try to do to much. I still need more rest than I ever thought I could. All I do some days is sleep and write my silly blog.

So here are the things that I have learned....

1. No matter how tough things get God is always there. Just because bad things happen does not mean that He is on a coffee break.
2. I have wonderfully amazing friends and family... I can't thank them enough... they truly are my super hero's 
3. my brother has always made this epilepsy thing look easy... let me assure you it is not...
4. There are always reasons to have a dance party even if it is...."look today I got out of my pj's" or "woo hoo... I stayed awake for 2 hrs in a row"
5. it is okay to say "this SUCKS" because some times it really does...
6. grow in appreciation for those who love you and listen to you vent... (thanks)



This is the abbreviated version of my health but I think I caught up on the major goings on here.

Thanks for reading my rant... I think I just really needed to write it.

Till next time... enjoy your tomorrow