First Married Holiday

So this was our first married holiday. It was a headache to plan but boy was it fun! Between trying to figure out which family was where and which family we'd see and travel time and food arrangements and meeting people and emails, I really thought this weekend would have been stressful. Good news, though! It was not stressful at all. In fact, it was probably one of my favorite Thanksgivings ever!
On Tuesday, I cooked for a silent Thanksgiving dinner with the ASL class I teach. We tried really, really hard to be silent and talk in sign language. I think we did pretty good most of the night.
On Thursday, we traveled 3 hours to see my step-mom's family. We played a game called quarters that is completely and totally random. It fits the definition of gambling perfectly. Then we played Texas Hold 'em which is technically gambling but if you've got skill like me, it's definitely worth the small $5 buy-in. I would have won if my aunt hadn't given up and let her husband take over her chips. Then we traveled 3 hours back home and slept peacefully.
On Friday, we slept in late and then went to the beach to meet up with my dad's family. This is the family that I grew up with, the one's that know all my awkwardness and craziness and remember all my dumb moments and little kid cuteness, the one that I love dearly and will treasure forever. I am so very very thankful for them. We hung out playing card games most of Friday afternoon. Jason and Ethan built a fire. Friday was a small bunch. 2 aunts, an uncle, a brother, a nephew, Dad and Sharon, Jason and me. It was nice. We had hot dogs out by the fire and played Clue when it got too cold to be outside.
Saturday, more people showed up. The beach house was definitely crowded! All 4 aunts, 2 uncles, more cousins and brothers and second-cousins-twice-removed too count. We spent most of the day taking walks (not long walks. it was cold) on the beach and eating. I got to hang out with my second cousin Cora who is adorable (my previously mentioned cousin Jodi's 3 month old baby) and my newest niece Zoee (my older brother's second child) and my nephew Asher (my older brother's first child) and it definitely made me a little tiny bit baby crazy. Just a little bit though. We ended the day with another fire and a game of charades. It was a blast. We finally headed home and practically fell into bed, asleep before we hit the pillow. It was so exhausting and so much fun. I can think of countless moments that seem to be from a treasure box or a Norman Rockwell calendar or something.
Sunday, we went to church and then headed out to meet Jason's family for lunch at Luby's. It was Grandpa Frank's 89th birthday. I don't remember a single name except for the people I already knew but they all seemed to be pretty gosh golly nice. I really like his family. We didn't stay for long but we took some pictures and chatted a bunch.
Now, it's back to the regular ole life which is really anything but regular or ole. Again, like it's from a Norman Rockwell calendar. Seriously. I'll post pictures when we decorate for Christmas. Ta ta for now!

Another Update

If you read my food blog, I've already said this. I am a lazy blogger. Sorry. Please forgive me. I may do better in the future. Maybe not. We shall see. I guess I'll go ahead an update ya'll (the few people that read this!) on things. Jason and I have been married for 3 months, and 4 days. It's pretty spectacular. A good blogger would update pictures from the wedding but I don't feel like it. A good blogger would post pictures since the wedding and I just don't have that many. So here's what I'll do instead:
Every day, I love him more. I didn't know I could, but apparently that's how it works.
Every day, I choose to love him. In all practicality, people get on your nerves when you see them every day. But instead of getting irritated, I pray and then I have strength and then I love him (see above for detail)
Every day, I make him breakfast (rather, I hand him a banana or orange or apple). I make him lunch. I make him dinner. I absolutely love it!
Every day, I learn something new about him. Who doesn't love Seinfeld? My husband, that's who. I didn't know this until a friend of his was over one night and I turn on the beloved sitcom. The friend laughed and said something to the effect of "you must really be in love to watch a show you hate."
Every day, I get home from work and see the beautiful home we have and the wonderful blessings surrounding me. I am so thankful to have a hard working, honest man who takes care of me and cares for me.
Every day, I have at least one whoosh moment. Whoosh (noun) - a brief moment in time when the beauty of life completely overwhelms a person, rendering them breathless, thus causing a "whoosh" sound to exit the mouth.
Every day, I realize more and more that God is in control and has given me a dream like life.


I realize what you're thinking "Aw, the honeymoon stage! How sweet!" But I've been watching closely to the way my dad behaves towards his wife and the way Jason's dad acts towards Jason's mom. Romance is in our blood. Both couples still act like honeymooners sometimes. I hope we will be like them.

Update :)

Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I've been rather busy. Busy planning! Lol. So far, I've done pretty awesome at planning thoroughly and spending frugally. Really all that's left is putting the plan into play :) First, I've given up on the venue and we're getting hitched at our church. I've looked at a few other places but Jason doesn't wanna go outside and there's nowhere else I particularly like.
OOoo! I made all the flower arrangements! I don't have the pictures on me right now but I'm gonna make a whole nother blog post about it. I had so much fun! I also made the guest book. It's a scrapbook type book with pictures of us on every page. Rather than people writing their name tiny itty bitty on a line, I want people to write us a note, some advice, or just wish us luck. Also, I picked the bridesmaid dresses. Gator has her's and Amanda's tried it on. The picture is of me wearing it when I first saw it a few months ago. I liked it then and I like it now :)

Date Change!!

To the few people who read this:

Our wedding date has changed!!
We are now getting married on Saturday, August 14th.

Love

There are a ton of love songs. Some are about the pain it brings, some are about the magic of it, some are longing for it. I've written a few that I sing to Jason often when words aren't enough. Few songs, however, really, truly capture what love is. My dad did an excellent job teaching me about real love. He told me all the time, "Love is a choice." He showed me all the time, "Love is an action." He is constantly thinking of his wife, constantly showing her his love, constantly reminding her that they chose each other for better or for worse. It is a beautiful picture and one that I try to imitate. Jason's parents were the same. Very loving, very sweet, very romantic. Both Dad and Peter (Jason's dad) understand "Love is a choice. Love is an action." One of my favorite passages of all time is 1 Corinthians 13. I think it demonstrates the choice and the action of love in a beautiful, real way. It also reminds me that I'm not perfect. I can tell someone I love them all day long but I am not perfect. I am selfish, not selfless. Love is selfless.

Scripture is in italics. I am in bold.

1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.
I am nothing! How incredible is that? I can have faith, knowledge, gifts, and many other valuable things but all of that is worthless. I am nothing but a "clanging cymbal." What is faith and knowledge without love? What is it worth? What purpose does it serve? Better yet, what is love? Answer:
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
That's asking a lot. I am not patient or kind. I envy, I boast, I'm proud. I'm rude, I'm selfish, I'm short tempered, I hold grudges, I protect myself, I trust no one, I hope but have a backup, I give up easily. I am not love. I do not portray this love that's outlined. And it's just that: an outline. These are the guide lines to love. And I can't even follow the basics? I am a failure. I fall short of the glory of God. Yet, He sent His one and only Son so that I might believe and have everlasting life. Incredible, huh? I am not the picture of love, but He is. He is patient with my mistakes and fumbles. He is kind in His rebuking. HE KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS! Woo!! He rejoices in truth. He is constantly protecting, trusting, hoping, persevering. He had to, to die on the cross. How great is our God!!
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. Everything we value and everything we see is fleeting. It will all go away! 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
The greatest is looooove.... I can't help but sing the song. "Faith hope and love are some good things He gave us and the greatest is loooooove" All other things are small, insignificant, meaningless without love.

Valentine's Day

This morning, Jason had flowers waiting for me at the Snack Attack along with a poem. It was pretty amazing.

You may find them beautiful

And feel all warm and fuzzy inside

And as is usual

My feelings don’t hide

The sunflower, lets you know

That it’s you I adore

Through life as we go

Of this, you can be sure

The tulip, my declaration

Of love awesome^2

I send you my ovation

And love shared

The iris, my expression

Of wisdom to grow

Now my confession

I love you so

A yellow rose at the heart

With long slender stem

And now the best part

You are my best friend

After church, we made a kite and spent a while at the park. Then we went to Red Lobster and waited a while in the gorgeous weather. We stopped by Khon's for a while to kill some time. Then we went to see Wonderland at the Alley. It was pretty great. I love musicals. I love live theaters. I love Alice. It worked pretty fantastically.
I've been giving Jason a Valentine every day from February 1st. Today's was super corny. I had some conversation hearts and glued them to a piece of paper. I wrote a note to him using them. I forgot to take a picture before he took it. I got the idea from Love, Actually.

Happy Valentine's Day, Ya'll!!

Psalm 37:1-13

1 Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong;

2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.


4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,

the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.

9 For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.

11 But the meek will inherit the land

and enjoy great peace.

12 The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;

13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.

Pancakes!

After grocery shopping tonight, my tummy started rumbling. So we pulled out the buttermilk and made some pancakes! I left the kitchen to leave Jason to pancake making. I requested silver dollar pancakes. They feel more like a snack than big pancakes.
Then when I wasn't expecting it at all, Jason walks over to the table where I'm sitting and puts a plate down. I say "thank you" without really looking at it. Then I double take and realize that it said my name! How neat is that?! A heart soon followed. Then the very last was a flower. I was so blown away. It was amazing.
Afterward, I felt fat but very, very loved.

Psalm 139:13-16

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my... unformed body.All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:13-16

Fearfully is an intensifier like "very," but it also means "feeling reverence, dread, awe, fear, anxiety, timidness, or terror." To think that our Creator felt that as He knit together! How neat!
"Yare" is the Strong's translation for "fearfully" I think. It's difficult to navigate through translations sometimes. It means "A primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere."
Wonderfully is another intensifier meaning "extremely well." It means "admirable, excellent, marvelous, and astonishing."
"Palah" is Strong's translation for "wonderfully." It means "separate, set apart, sever"!!!!!
In Genesis 21, Abraham "set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock" to prove his word. In Leviticus, "the LORD your God, who has set you apart from the nations" when He promised them "a land flowing with milk and honey."
"Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call to him. " Psalm 2:3
"But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man" Galatians 1:15-16
"Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God" Romans 1:1

And this is how I am made?! WOW! I am made with reverence. I am made to be set apart. When I was knit, when I was woven, when I was in darkness, He knew me. He had already made me in awe and excellence!

I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE.

Quick Updates

First big news on the agenda. Jason and I are looking for a house! He signed all the paperwork and whatnot the other day for a house be both really like in an area we both really like. I can already picture how I'm going to paint and decorate. I can see the herb garden in the back yard and the orange tree and the tire swing. Yes, I want a tire swing. Its on a culdasac, or however you spell that.

Second thing is something that you may have already guessed. This man, in this picture, is amazing. He makes me smile like a clown. He makes my heart do double time. He puts a skip in my step that makes me feel like I could fly to the moon. He puts a sparkle in my eye that makes the stars envious. I love him an incredible amount. Every day, I make the choice to love him, because yes, love is a choice. And every day, I am delighted to see his choice to love me. And every day, I thank God that we have found each other and that the rest of our lives will be dedicated to each other.

Next is the Hungry Monster. Jason and I fight this guy just about every day. We are still working hard at eating healthy. We don't always suceed but for the most part, we're sticking to the diet. Follow our food journey at http://mywealthofhealth.blogspot.com/

Last thing, we went to antique stores the other day looking for some lanterns for the centerpieces. This was the only thing we could find. Not quite what I was looking for but if that's all we can find, I do believe I might be ok with it.

Well, I think that's all for now!