Dear Diary... JACKPOT!

Haha, I don't know if any of you watch Family Guy...but if you do then you get my title :)
I was thinking...if any one other than Jennie actually reads this, you may not have a clear understanding of the meaning behind all my posts because you don't know the person (that would be me...). So I'm gonna let y'all get to know me just a little bit better...

Well...first off, my name's Nicole and I grew up in the small West Texas town of Alpine. Alpine is a pretty small town of about 6,000 people and home to some of the most magical sunsets and starry nights known to man. It was a much a blessing as it was a burden growing up there. A blessing because it's small enough to walk everywhere, leave your door unlocked, and you get to know just about everyone. A burden because it hours away from the nearest "city", which are still tiny compared to places like Dallas and Austin, and you get to know just about everyone...and their business, just like they get to know about yours. But when it comes down to it, I'm glad I grew up there and hope one day, when I have kids, that they get to grow up in a place like that, too. I have two younger brothers who are as different from one another as night is from day. Although they're both over six feet tall, one is a bean pole, has shaggy hair, and plays the electric guitar and listens to heavy metal. The other is a 285 pound lineman, loves his video games, and eats, breathes, and dreams football. My parents are still married after 23 years and will probably continue to stay that way for 23 more.

After 16 years of living in Alpine, my parents were ready for a change and moved 2 hours northeast to the "city" of Midland, population 98,000 (or something pretty close). I went off to Texas Tech University for college, and was there for about 3 years. I got my degree in May 2009 in International Business, just in time to join all the other recent college grads that moved back in with their parents. Thank you 10% unemployment rate and terrible economic situation. While it's not what I dreamed of doing once I graduated, it could've been worse. So now I'm applying to as many jobs as I think I'm qualified for and praying God opens a door somewhere for me. I love my parents, but it's time for me to be a big girl and spread my wings.

Other than looking for a job, I spend a lot of my time with my friends Lindsey and Ashley. Such fun and crazy girls, I love them to death. I also spend quite a bit of time either missing my bestest friend Jennie (you can check out her blog at: jenniecarroll.blogspot.com) or driving up to Lubbock to see her. I also have two dogs...well, really one and a half. I got my first dog Schatzee before I left for college and my parents made me leave her in Midland and after that she kind of became their dog (although she magically becomes my dog again when she does something bad). And then, much to my parents demise, I got another dog while I was living in Lubbock and she has remained my dog since I got her. I love her like I would a kid, her name is Nala, she's almost two years old, and she is a mess! I'm not quite sure what breeds combined to form her (neither does the vet!), but she's absolutely wonderful. She has the best personality I could ask for, a little neurotic, but a giant love bug to everything that moves. I'm currently single, but went on my first date with a very nice, and handsome, man on Sunday. It was both exciting and nerve racking and we're going on our second date on Friday. I can't wait! But I'm not gonna say much right now, after all, it just began :)

Well that's enough for now, hopefully you'll enjoy my posts a little more now that you know me a little better :)