Shopping with Gift Cards is like Christmas!

Thanks to the generosity of many, Paul and I have been able to purchase many items for, essentially free. Well free to us anyways.

And let me tell you, most times I go to a store and they start ringing stuff up, the anxiety level goes up as the final price tag goes up. It's stressful sometimes to spend money.

Yesterday I went to Kohls, gift cards in hand, and began to pick up some essentials Paul and I needed. Such as tablecloths.

My favorite thing was handing the lady gift card after gift card until the final price was 0. That's right. NO MONEY! It was like Christmas!

Thank you again to all friends and family whose gifts have made our newly married lives just a little bit easier! I promise, I'll get back to working on those thank you notes here soon! Moving and honey mooning threw kind of a wrench into the middle of everything!

Yes. I am Tearing up Again

It seems being married has reduced me to tearing up every time I happen to see or hear about love.

Like. Paul and I were watching the old episode of "The Office" when Jim pops his head in and asks Pam out on a date. And.....we both teared up.

Yes. Did I mention we're married now?!?!?!

A camp friend commented on my blog, said some really great things about marriage, and I teared up.

Because. Well, I'm married and it feels really special to be married! Sometimes I think about being married, because I am married, and my eyes fill with tears! gees louise! Hopefully I'll get used to this whole married thing!

The journey feels like it's only just begun. Which is so great! It's so much better than being engaged or being a couple. It's like wrestling through life together. It's intimidating to take on the world by yourself, yet, it all seems that much more possible when there's two of you.

And. Paul and I had the "what if I got pregnant before planned" talk. haha.

Honestly, his answer was mine too....

"I'd probably freak out for a while, and then settle down and do what needs to be done"

haha. yup. me too hubby. me too.

I'm content to be cheesy and randomly tear up for now. With just the two of us.

Although, a little dog would be nice......

How Would you Like it?

You may have noticed from my last post that marriage has increased the interest factor about my life greatly.

Let me just bring you up to date...

Wedding ring lost in backyard while mowing....

Water coming up from the drain in the basement while bathing...

And a whole lot of exhaustion while moving!

So far if you asked me how I like owning a home or being married, I would say so far it's a lot of work!

Sigh.

This Monday we are off to visit the House on the Rock. Check it out here:

http://www.thehouseontherock.com/HOTR_AttractionMain.htm

It's an odd collection of random things. Apparently it takes 3 hours to see it all! We will def. be taking the camera on this trip!

Hopefully this trip will be a good break in the tediousness moving has created.

My Life just got More Interesting

I have discovered today that my life as of May 8th became suddenly more interesting. Suddenly I feel like my life has become a sitcom.

It could be me trying to drive my husband's old truck to move stuff to have Sears call to deliver the washer and dryer.

It could be that I had to turn right around and head back to the smaller town we've moved too. It could be the smoking engine on the truck as I drive into said town. It could perhaps be the fact that the said truck was still smoking as the sears truck pulled up to deliver said washer and dryer.

It could be the sears truck guy saying "looks like the truck overheated a little bit" Hm. Really? I didn't even notice the SMOKE POURING FROM THE ENGINE!

And now, I am absolutely convinced everyone in this town knows I overheated my husband's truck!

Good thing my husband loves me. Good thing he probably loves me more than his old truck!

Also in sitcom land...Last night I was trying to make homemade pizza for my dear husband. Lo and Behold, we have yet to move spatulas which are very useful for cooking sausage. I did what every wife would've done....I used the thingy for cooking spaghetti to cook sausage. You know that thing you use to stir the noodles around? Luckily, it seems sausage still cooks even without the useful spatula.

Welcome to my new life as "married person". I'm thinking the journey is going to be exciting, wearying, and pretty hilarious!

Fun Fun Fun in the Sun Sun Sun!

Welp, pretty soon the countdown will be over.

Which is awesome!

I'm very much looking forward to the beach! Sand, warm, warm sun! All-inclusive travel plans! Everything!

It's funny, weddings are great, but I think traveling and vacation is better, especially with someone you just married! Woo-Hoo!

I'm excited! And so the life journey continues. With just as many bumps and bruises as before, but perhaps with a little more.....support. Someone to hold my hand or bring me chocolate or give me a back rub when I need it the most. Ah.

I know married life isn't amazing. I suppose I think of it more like getting through life together. Getting through ups and downs and all arounds, as a couple, as a team. I don't expect the fairy tale. I expect the deep truth that the person you marry will love you despite yourself, and you will love that person in the same way. Whether you feel that or not. It's easy to look at someone else and only see their flaws, the person who loves you sees your flaws but loves you anyways. Those flaws you always were labeled or labeled yourself with suddenly don't seem to be so important.

Ah. I'm getting cheesy. Well. the next step is shortly upon me and next time I write here I'll be married! Wow. I'll let you know how I feel about it after that! ( :

Fair

Have you ever had the feeling that life's not fair?

Sometimes that overwhelming feeling makes me want to lie on the floor and pound my fists and kick my feet just like a good old two-year old tantrum.

Wedding events approaching, I couldn't be more excited. Yet only one thing makes my heart want to slow down. To say, wait. We're missing something. Wait, I can't do this.

If you know me, and most people who read this do, you perhaps know I'm talking about my mom. Every girl is supposed to have her mom at her wedding, right?

Ah. Just another season. Another season of grief. Another life event to stop and take note. Take note of her. Her impact and her absence.

Yet, the journey continues, and I have met great people along this journey. I have the family I have now. And couldn't be more thankful.

Bittersweet as always. She'll never see my kids, but perhaps I can show them pieces of her, She won't be at my wedding, but perhaps my smile, will remind others of hers. She won't ever see or stay in my house, but perhaps her picture will make it feel more full.

I am content to grieve. To know in my grief, I remember her, and to know, she wanted me to have the most fulfilling life possible, as any mother would. To know, she'd be so happy for me.

Failures in Relation to Success

Well.

Life has really picked up from average to speedy.

Plans. Houses. Dreams.

Although I am very busy right now, I also feel my future is in the palm of my hand. Together we are going to achieve our goals.

It's funny how some seasons in life everything seems to go the opposite of your way, even if you cause some of that. And other times everything seems to fall into place like a five-piece puzzle. You can see where all the pieces fit before you even start.

We found a house! A perfect house for two people starting out together. We are in the process of working toward finalizing details to acquire the house.

In other news, working with the 2-3 year olds has been, well, a lot of work lately. I love those kids, but sometimes I wish I could pass up the diaper changes and tantrums for kids just a year or so older. Another goal I am working toward.

I feel a year makes such a difference. A year ago I had no confidence about my teaching skills or relationship skills. I had no firm ideas about what I wanted from life. I felt frustrated and powerless. Yet, I know if I hadn't gone through that, I wouldn't have the drive to finally get my goals achieved now. Relationship and career goals.

I am back in school to get my Early Childhood Certificate and with 2 classes down, I already feel the pull of knowing I am supposed to teach ages 3-7, because I have knack with those little guys.

I feel life tends to straighten itself out if we give it time. I can't help but also feel God provides maturity as we fail which leads to success. Well. This is all I have time for! ( :