After meeting with 2 different banking center managers, our funds will not be returned.
We withdrew what little money we had and went to Wachovia. I know it's another corporate giant, but I grew up banking there and never had any problems. The man that opened our account was awesome, and we ended up discovering mutual friends.

In other news, I'm 20 weeks today - halfway to Ames' birth, unless he decides to change things up!

In other other news, I passed the NCLEX! I'm a freakin' Registered Nurse! It blows my mind. Been such a long time coming.

Did you know post-dated checks are not valid? I wrote a check to my midwife for a pretty handsome sum, to be cashed on June 15. She deposited it early, though, and my account overdrafted. Apparently, checks are only agreements between the payee and the payer, and the bank is not responsible for checking the date.

I accrued 13 overdraft fees in less than 12 hours. That's $455, and Bank of America wouldn't refund it to me, even when my midwife went straight to the bank and reversed the check. I also found out that BofA recently doubled the amount of overdrafted items in a 24-hour period. They used to cap it at 5. Now, with the economy doing SO well, they cap it at 10, and hold the rest until the following day and charge you for those. That's how I scored 13 of those bad boys.

That's basically my whole first paycheck at my new job, going right out the window.
I was so distraught earlier I couldn't stand up. Then I realized, hey, I can't do anything else about it.
I spoke with people on the phone, online, and face-to-face.
Apparently, if you work for a huge corporation, you have no autonomy or power whatsoever. It's sad.

We are for sure switching banks now.

That, and I took my freakin' NCLEX today. There was a last-minute appointment available and I jumped on it.
I find out Friday if I passed. I didn't even tell anyone I took it.

I started a new job yesterday... at the Charlotte Athletic Club, uptown in the BOA building.
I'll be doing member services stuff, mostly at the front desk. The cool thing is the hours. 5am-1pm.
So I'm full-time, while still having half of the day left for the kids, etc. This is huge for my family.
I also get a membership, which includes classes...this week it's yoga, spin cycling, krav maga, and pilates.

The nursing hiring freeze is still in effect. I am signing up for the NCLEX as soon as I get my confirmation email.
Hopefully, I'll be a licensed RN by the end of the month, which is an accomplishment, regardless of the job situation.
I did get an offer to be the camp nurse @ Lurecrest for a week - my old camp! So if I get licensed in time, that would rule.

We are all settled in to our new house, minus the boxes that will probably not be unpacked for years.
Nothing's on the walls, either...but bedrooms are painted, clothes are in dressers, and vegetables are growing.

I'm almost 19 weeks pregnant with AMES EMMANUEL KINCAID.
Ames is my grandfather's middle name, and Emmanuel means "God is with us."
There's an interesting story involving that name, the farmer's market, a precious black boy, Chris, and Bojangles.
The pregnancy was only a "surprise" in the sense that we didn't think it would "work" so quickly...haha.
My nausea has subsided significantly, but my belly button is starting to poke out.
His nursery is an electric avocado color, called "City Chartreuse." We're using my old crib and dresser.
My homebirth plans are coming along without a hitch. My midwife comes to my house for the prenatal visits, which is nice.

I guess that's about it! Just feeling content and ready for what the summer has to offer.

UPDATES:

1 - I'm 17 weeks pregnant with a little boy! Facebook for pictures.
2 - I graduated nursing school! Facebook for pictures.
3 - I just returned from a cruise to Bermuda with family! Facebook for pictures.

We found a house! We move May 1. It's in Regent Park (near Carowinds/Morningstar), in Fort Mill.
It's nothing like we pictured/planned...but it was a perfect opportunity, and we are thankful!

Now onto business...we're going on a cruise in May, right after my graduation.
Is anyone interested in making a little cash and staying at our house/taking care of the dogs for a week?

It'd be pretty easy, so holler if you're interested!

Chris & I are taking our money to Wachovia first thing Monday morning.
Apparently, we overdrafted multiple times throughout the week, and we were charged $35 per incidence.

1)Our online banking/statements show that we never even got close to a zero balance.
2)We were supposed to have overdraft protection.
3)We've never overdrafted before.

Despite these 3 key points, and speaking with countless representatives, our $140 worth of fees is non-negotiable, and we are supposed to learn from our "mistakes."

My parents and I always banked with Wachovia. I only switched to BOA for Chris, some referral cash, and our Panthers' check cards/checks. Back to the W it is...

just now, i told lucas & avery to get ready for bath time...

lucas asked, "may i bathe myself?"

bittersweet milestone moment.

p.s. look what christopher did to avery's stuffed dog after delilah got ahold of it...
this is my scrap fabric/buttons from my failed attempt @ fashion design school.

hey, girls...i bought a divacup and i'm pretty stoked about it.
better for your body, better for the environment, and more convenient!
check out menstrual_cups for more information.

there have been quite a few changes in the kincaid house...
so if you're into natural & environmentally-conscious living, holler at me!
i'm all about getting tips and sharing what little i've learned.

i haven't been updating because i'm too busy reading naturalfamily  and naturalliving

 

more pictures, eventually...this is all i have right now.
i took it from peter (unedited) and threw it in iphoto.
anyway, here is my new dress, and i had the best day ever wearing it!

 3 days.

i've neglected my (real) journal semi-on-purpose, because i'm so overwhelmed.
it's all swimming around in my head and my heart, but i don't know which parts to write down.
i can't believe it's finally here, after almost 4 years. goodness, gracious.

in other news, my mom is about to be an instant-grandmother.
we're trying to come up with a name for her, because the boys keep calling her "Granny B" and she hates it, haha.

- boo (she's been called this all her life)
- bird (she's been called this all her life)
- yaya (greek grandmother name...we're not greek, but it's cute)

vote and don't make fun?

tomorrow:
0900 exam
1100 exam
1200 mani/pedi with bridesmaids
1400 lunch
2000 bachelorette party

let the brown-kincaid wedding weekend begin.

 don't forget, 25% off and free shipping today on vans.com

code = THXINSTOCK08

i found a dress today! i can't believe it, i'm 3 weeks out and just now figuring out what i'm wearing.

and it looks NOTHING like my old one, or anything i've ever liked... so it feels like a whole new wedding, haha.
it made my mom cry, so i guess it looks pretty okay! i think it's really pretty.

scott noble @ noble brides in pineville gave me a great deal on a dress off-the-rack, since it's too late to order one.
he also took my mom and i to an alterations place that can have it done by the end of the week! praise God!

my dad is sending bryan a letter and invoice for the girls' deposit money and the cost of my dress.
however, we're not going to deal with it until after the wedding.

so the next 3 weeks should be an exciting and stress-free time, from here on out!

i am getting married in 22 days and i don't know what i'm wearing.

long story short:
bryan apparently won the bid for michelle obama's inauguration dress,
packed up and moved to chicago, turned off his phone, and didn't return my dress.
he has all 6 bridesmaids' dresses, as well.

everyone else seems a lot more concerned than i, but today my mom whipped me into a frenzy and took me to try on dresses.
since the first one i got was dirt cheap, we have a tiny bit more to spend if needed.
the shop owner told me to file a police report and take him to small claims court. goodness.

i just want to get married and look decent while i do it.

 

 i found this super interesting...

( if you're not sick of politics & want to read about abortion... )

due to the 70% chance of rain all over NC, SC, GA, & TN this weekend, our camping trip has been threatened.

if anyone has a mountain house or knows someone with one, i'd love to get in touch with you!
i'll pay and sign a rental contract, and half of the attending persons are pregnant... so we can't get into too much trouble!

chris worked like 12 days straight to get off for this weekend. he'll be so bummed if we can't go somewhere.