One Sweet Love

holy cow!

2009-06-16T23:27:00.004-05:00

This is Glinda. No joke. Chris found us to be extremely embarrassing but she walked right past us! We parked by the stage door by total coincidence :-) (I am my father's daughter. I've learned how to do these things)

This is me and my baby sister. Our "We're so excited we just saw Wicked and the hot leading man just walked right past us!"

in front of the theater. I'm wearing heels too. The girl is a giant.

me and my very good natured husband in front of the Orpheum.

p.s. ok. Guess the pictures can go at the top then. We went to Wicked. Oh boy. Was that ever one of my favorite things to do in the whole wide world!

Has it really been FIVE WEEKS since I've blogged? (this used to be the first line of this post until Blogger put my pictures up there. Ha. Sorry.)

Yikes. Excuse me, bloggy land friends. I have been busy losing my stinking marbles and trying to gather them all back up and shove them into my head again. That is a totally true statement.

My friend Bonnie got married. I do have a picture but not at this moment. (I'm very unorganized tonight) It was super fun! One of my old high school friends was in town and so we had a giant bonfire in his backyard, as we used to do. The whole old gang was there. Except now half of us have spouses. Super bizarre. But totally fun!

See, this is why I don't blog. Half of my pictures I wanted to post are unavailable! :-)

I went with Ingrid, Sage and Clare to a carnival here in town this week. We had lots of fun. They are like some of my favorite people ever. Ingrid is such a cool mom--and person in general. :-) And Sage and Clare are both chattering away which entertains me to no end. They do the funniest things!

My cousin Megan delivered a gigantic 9lb, 15oz, 22inches long baby boy, Ronan, on my dad's birthday June 9th. He is so adorable and sweet and perfect sized for snuggling. But seriously, isn't that huge???

Not much else is going on. We just hang out here, do school, go to work, watch movies, cook, and take the occasional jaunt to Council Bluffs for Christy Creme. I've spent alot of time with my parents the last few weeks, helping Mom with preschool and their preschool graduation, and now that school's out....mostly just hanging around. lol. Now that Dad's on vacation too, he likes to take little trips to fun coffee places or get special stuff for lunch. (My mom is saying more and more often lately that I am just like my dad. :-) I'm not gonna lie, I notice it so much too!) We like treats. :-)

Geez, what else can I tell you about the last five weeks? Seems like there's been alot in there, but I can't remember now. I was sick for a little while, but am slowly progressing and finally getting back to feeling like normal. For those of you that were around and aware, thanks for your prayers.

I started working in the nursery at our church and am trying to convince Chris to teach a VBS class with me. Did I mention my husband works really hard?? At school and at his job. We're looking at another promotion by January. (Hopefully.)

And we are very quickly coming up on a first year anniversary already!! Wow. It has gone so fast. :-)

I promise from now on, I will be a better blogger. :-)

love

Brynn

2009-05-09T15:58:00.002-05:00

I really am being terrible at this blogging thing lately.

Which is funny because I really don't have that much to do. :-)

Besides help my mom at preschool three full days a week, work five days a week, exercise, clean kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and living rooms, load and unload dishwashers, buy wedding/birthday/Mother's day/graduation gifts, go to said wedding/birthday/Mother's Day/graduation celebrations, pay bills, mop floors, do homework and run errands.

But you know. Whatever.

We got approved for a small home loan this week and looked at a couple houses today. Chris decided we should buy the first one we saw. (Both houses were unacceptable lol.) He is a little jittery, jump into this, buy the first thing we see ever. Those of you who really know him know his love of impulse buying. It's a habit we're working on. :-) It is kind of exciting. But mostly stresses me out.

Nothing new is really going on over here. We do have ALOT of activities planned for the next few weeks--May and June are pretty booked up. But I love it! The weather today is gorgeous and after I drag myself off of the computer, I'm going outside! I can't wait til I can go swimmin!

Did I mention I made some apple crisp last week, looked at it the next day and thought, "Something doesn't look right here."

I forgot to peel the apples.

:-)

OH! And T minus 12 days til we get to see WICKED. :-) So awesome.

Seriously.

2009-04-23T09:54:00.001-05:00

Seriously.

It has been a crazy couple of weeks.

I had a birthday. It was great!!! I was a little sick for quite a while, but I am progressively getting back to normal. I'm very impressed with myself everytime I overcome one of my little problems. Seriously. Like I think I should get a prize. (But then I remember, my prize is that I don't feel like I'm dying. Which I suppose is fair.)

My HSM starts Monday. Woohoo! Excitement and a little nervous.

Seriously,

My husband cleaned Tuesday. He had a half day of work and I said, "What are you doing tonight? Staying home til the boys come?"

And he said, "I'm going to take out the trash, change the lightbulbs, vacuum, pick up the living room and pick up all my clothes."

Seriously. I about fell over. He actually did it too!

Seriously, I lost at least five pounds while I was sick.

We got to watch our favorite group of kids last weekend (favorite parents, too!): Mackenzie, Bella, Joey, Kylah and sweet Deacon who takes up my entire torso when I hold him. He is the best. What is it with you Manthes and having awesome and adorable little children?!! :-)

School is school. I'll be glad to have a degree.

And seriously!

The weather is GORGEOUS here right now. I love it. I can almost TASTE summer. And summer= lots of pool time and LOTS of Christy Creme.

Seriously!

I love it.

2009-04-03T10:18:00.000-05:00

Guess whose birthday is tomorrow??????????????????????

this girl's! :-)

Stellan

2009-03-30T00:06:00.002-05:00

There is a blog I frequently follow (Chris says stalk) about a fabulously super cool Mama and her small brood of young children. I found her blog somehow, this last fall because I somehow got wind of the miracle God was working in their lives. With three small children at home, MckMama (as she is known in blogland) was pregnant with her fourth baby and he was diagnosed with a heart condition called SupraVentricular Tachycardia. Don't ask me exactly what this means because I don't know :-) It's bad, though, that I do know. She and her husband were told that the sweet baby growing in her womb would never make it to his birth, and even if he did, he would not make it far after that.

Sweet Stellan was born a completely healed and healthy baby because followers of MckMama's blog turned from hundreds to thousands and this body of Christian believers began to pray fervently for their healing of their son. The story amazed me. Completely and totally amazed me. People all over the world, most of them who don't personally know this family, got on their knees for this little boy. And let me tell you, if you'd like to see a stinkin' adorable kid, you need to go to MckMama's blog and get a look at Stellan. He's one handsome little guy.

Last week Stellan went back to the hospital because his heart has gone back into SVT. It's been about five months since he was born, I think. The poor baby has been there all week and he is pretty sick.

But you guys, let me tell you what. The prayer movement for this kid is indescribable. And the great thing about MckMama is the example she is setting; she isn't happy about this, she is honest and blunt about the fact that she is not okay. But she has given it up to the Lord so completely--you guys have got to read her blog. If you're a believer especially, this story will blow you away. It is such a huge testimony, and MckMama has given this whole thing so completely to God--she wants her son, home and healthy, but she knows that if God takes Stellan, that the glory is His.

I feel compelled tonight after reading the blog with his prayer vigil on it (and since learning MckMama has a very old connection to my immediate family) to just encourage you guys to be thinking about this family. If you read her blog, it will change you. I guarantee it. This baby is gonna have such an amazing story, you guys. When he is a man, he is going to have piles of pictures of his name EVERYWHERE. God is using this sweet, sweet baby for something huge and it is so cool.

Seriously, you guys. The power of prayer, I'll tell ya what--this is an amazing story.

www.mycharmingkids.net

2009-03-28T09:44:00.002-05:00

Monday is my parent's 25th Anniversary. Crazy, huh? My dad called me yesterday morning and had a coupon for a buy one/get one free coffee (we love coffee, especially free coffee) and wantd me to meet him at Borders during his plan period. I'd had a rough night the night before and so I figured he was going to want to talk to me about it, but I ran out there to see him. I always forget their anniversary is coming, but he bought my mom a necklace that he wanted me to see and they went up to the Lied Lodge to stay the night. (ew). :-)

Anyway, so my daddy bought me a coffee and a lemon dougnut and we walked around Borders for a few minutes and then he told me that he thought I was beautiful and that no one could be luckier than Chris.

:-) My Daddy has turned out to be quite the man lol. Our relationship was always a little tense because we have the exact same personalities, but as soon as I moved out he always was calling me just to tell me he missed me or that I could come over for dinner. The more I think about the whole me getting married at 19 thing, the more I appreciate my parents for their support and willingness to let me do it. It hasn't been easy all the time, and I can imagine it wasn't super easy for them to let me get married, but they did. I love them very much and I especially appreciated my dad's words yesterday.

love you guys. Happy Anniversary, Momma and Daddy!

Ketchup

2009-03-17T14:12:00.002-05:00

So, today is a very big day at our house: St. Patrick's Day!! We always have a big dinner and watch "The Quiet Man" and my dad does strange things like talk in an Irish brogue and play only Celtic music (and who knows what he is like at school all day). And Mom cooks the best dinner ever: corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots, soda bread, frosted sugar cookies, and probably all sorts of other things I can't remember right now. So today will be great. Right now I am listening to four sleeping kids upstairs and enjoying the quiet until they wake up and we can go outside in the 75 degree weather! Who hates Nebraska????

Really, things have been just routine. Nothing interesting to report at all. We've just been working and going to school. Chris' birthday wish was Chick-Fil-A and the closest one is about 200 miles away, so yesterday we took the day and drove out to the mall and had chicken sandwiches, as requested. I cleaned all morning today, changed sheets and did other things I basically neglected all weekend :-)

Did I mention we got Blackberry's? Also Chris' request. Him and his toys! Oh well. I hated mine at first, but I like it okay now. I still think a phone is a phone and all it needs to do is call or text. Yeesh. (But it is nice to get my email and internet...don't tell Chris lol)

So that is your ketchup for you. OH! Well, how could I forget this? Ha. I auditioned to be in a local theater's production of High School Musical and got a part, so I am pretty excited. All the leads were already cast except for two of the smaller female ones, and they offered me one of those. It took me a while to decide because I will have to give up a few things, but for now I have decided to do it and I am excited. I love musical theater and it's been sooo long since I've done a show and I loooovvveee High School Musical, so it's a win win win. :-)

Happy Birthday to Chris on Friday!!!

2009-03-14T11:35:00.002-05:00

Ok, so we're a little behind. :-)

No more Scooter's. Long story, don't really want to talk about it ever again. lol but everything is good.

Chris' 21st birthday is next week, and my 20th is in about three weeks. Yay for birthdays!

We have just been working, going to school, and today we are headed to do something outside because it is 70 degrees!! :-) I am so excited for the warmth!!

!!!

2009-02-20T13:04:00.002-06:00

I am a little frustrated about Scooter's. But that's okay. I take deep breaths and try to forget about it when I am not there and do my best when I am there. It's hard. But I try to ignore Scooter thoughts over the weekend.

Guess who only has to work about 2 hours and 45 minutes tonight at Gallup before she is done for the whole weekend?!! This girl! And she is very happy. Chris and Brynn have not had a full night at home together in a week.

Chris is a pretty nice boy. He did lots of chores this week, including unloading the dishwasher (which he did wrong) but I tried real hard not to say anything because he was SO proud of himself.

My cousin's baby shower tomorrow and then time with dear friends Hayne and Nicole again. Hurray! Still not quite sure what we want to go do, but we will think of something nifty. love you. continued prayers would be fantastic! :-)

For Christopher on Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T15:00:00.002-06:00

Dear Chris,

In September of 2006, I started working at a Starbuck's inside of a local Baker's grocery store. There was a boy that worked there, stacking fruits and veggies. I thought he was a jerk.

And then we talked all the time and became friends, and then we liked eachother, but no one would say anything and you tried to be "cool" and pretend like you didn't like me, but you weren't fooling anyone. I always knew you loved me. You took me to my senior prom, even though you were a "cool" college boy and we had so much silly fun. I met your mom and sisters and we chatted about High School Musical and our love of Zac Efron. I would later find out that they all knew after that first night that I was it for you.

We have been through alot, even in the last two and a half years. There have been parts of it that I thought I would never live through, parts of it that I never wanted to end, and so many things to look forward to. Even after being married six months, there are times when I think "Who is this crazy person that I married?" I'm sure you do, too. But I love that crazy boy more than anyone in the whole wide world. You are one of the best gifts God has given me and I am so grateful for you.

I know that I am not always the easiest person to live with. I have funny problems and do weird things and sometimes I like to go to sleep early or stay home in my sweatpants. Thank you for putting up with me and for loving me through it anyway. Thank you for washing stuff off and wearing different clothes and putting your drum bag upstairs (even if it takes a week). Thank you for cooking dinner while I work evenings, for the letters that you write me, the pictures you draw for me, and all the sweet and wonderful things that you do. You are such a hard worker for us, and such a strong man, and I love you for all that you do to protect me and provide for me. You are my conqueror, don't ever forget that. You can do anything, and together, and with God, we will be protected and provided for and we will make it through everything that comes our way, and I firmly believe that.

You are sweet and gentle and tender and goofy and ridiculous and stubborn and handsome and loving and hard working and Godly and honest and confident and I love every bit of you, even the parts that are not so nice to me sometimes. Because I have not so nice parts just like you, and you love me anyway. Just like I love you, and just like God loves both of us.

I love you, Christopher. It's been two and a half years since we met and fell in love, and I am so glad that I left Scooter's for a while to work at Starbuck's, because if I hadn't, I never would have gotten to meet you or marry you. (Or realize that I really hate Starbuck's coffee). And now there are all sorts of endless possibilities in front of us! We have so much potential, love, and so much to experience, and I am so glad that I get to experience it with you. Thank you for everything you do. I love you with all my heart!

Brynn

Half a Year Anniversary

2009-02-09T20:33:00.001-06:00

Well, in the last week I have gone from working 20 hours a week to nearly 55 and when I say I am tired, I mean it! Early morning coffee shop, preschool with Mom, and Gallup at night. All right after another.

So tonight, when I came home around 8:30 from work, on Chris' and my 6 month anniversary, I found roses on the table, a sweet note, doughnuts for breakfast in the morning and a cute showery fresh husband making dinner for me.

He is wonderful and my favorite person in the whole world. Even though we fight and he annoys me to NO END, I absolutely love him to pieces and I adore him with every fiber of my being.

Here's to MANY, MANY more months and happy anniversaries!

love you Christopher!

as time goes by

2009-01-31T13:04:00.002-06:00

It continues to amaze me how fast things go. I was just thinking this morning, looking at pictures, that it has been nearly TWO YEARS since graduation. It seems like yesterday, my high school friends and I were counting down to our last days of school and going to grad parties and tossing our caps in the air. It's ridiculous that in the last two years, some of us have proceeded to scatter all over the world, get married, or get pregnant.

Also, looking at old pictures, realizing how my babies are growing up--and they're not even mine! :-) All the kids that I have babysat since they were born are like....six and seven and eight now! It is soooo bizarre. They're huge! (and mouthy! ha) Can't imagine how fast it goes when they're your own.

AND....Chris and I will celebrate six months of marriage on February 9th. Crazy! We have successfully (almost) made it through our first winter with no significant damage. I am really excited for the weather to get nice again so that we can do more and be outside and run around. But holy cow! We were just planning a wedding!

Chris will be 21 in March and I turn 20 in April, which means I have been alive for TWO WHOLE DECADES.

It is so strange. It seems to drag on and on, but then all of a sudden, you look back and it's been weeks and months and years.

hmmm....anyway. I tried to make lemon bars last night. They taste good but they don't taste like lemon. Grrr. I followed the recipe exactly too, I swear! :-) I also used my crockpot (thanks Grandma!) the other night, I made this stuff called "hash brown soup", the recipe of a friend of mine at work. Chris calls it mush. Ha. It did kind of look like mush. But it tasted yummy, I thought. It's just hash browns, sausage gravy and bacon bits. (Mom calls it a heart attack in a bowl). I've been cleaning like a mad woman this morning (yes, Mom, actually cleaning), I cleaned the whole kitchen, unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, cleaned out the fridge, and vacuumed upstairs and down. So ha! Tonight we're going to watch Joey and Kylah and then tomorrow we're spending the day with family. Chris' Aunt Cathy is here!

p.s. My mom's birthday is Monday!

2009-01-23T11:06:00.002-06:00

Holy buckets. I've been walking with Mom on Tuesdays and Thursdays early in the morning at the Lied Center--it's a really nice hour that I get to hang out and talk with her. I even told her about our bar experience (which if you know my mom, she doesn't always take that kind of news well)* and I will explain the bar thing later. :-) Anyway, we started out walking really slow because she's all crippled now, but holy cow! The lady is getting fast! I can't even keep up with her! We started out doing like two miles but yesterday we did THREE! And I, of course, have no good tennis shoes, so I have a GIGANTIC blister right on the bottom of my foot. (I'd post a picture...but I won't ha). It hurts.

How I wish my girlfriends lived in town still....Christopher gets at least two nights a week with the boys, and I am lucky if I get once a month. Ugh. I told him having girls' nights was very vital to my mental health!

So, Chris' bank had a big holiday party last Saturday night at a hotel downtown. It was fun. They had these dueling pianos that did all sorts of funny things and audience interaction and made people dance and stuff. Pretty interesting. And we, of course, did NOT win a TV, Nintendo DS, or a Blu-Ray player. We, come to think of it, actually won nothing. Ha. Oh well. So afterwards, all the ladies from the bank want to go to this bar close to our house (connected to the restaurant that we had our rehearsal dinner at) and they want us to come hang out. (Neither of us is 21). So we're like, okay, we'll go and like sit around and hang out with you guys. NO. First of all, this place is like a hallway, and it's jam packed with people. Mostly gross people who are drunk. They have a four by four foot "dance floor" of sorts that is filled with gross drunk people dancing all on each other. I ran into another friend of mine that I used to work with, her and her husband, and here's what happened.

Bartender is walking around. "Do you guys need anything to drink? Are you doing okay?"
Friend's husband, "We're fine, she might need something, she just got here."
Bartender looks at me, "Do you need anything?" Then he stops, looks at me, and says, "And I'm gonna need your I.D."
Sweet. Now, you have to understand that for various reasons, Chris is totally against drinking and I have never had a drop in my life (ok, except for that one half sip, but I don't really count that), I have no desire at all to drink. There was no "21 and over" sign on the door, nothing like that, not to mention, I'm in a skirt and full night make-up, thinking I look pretty good, and he's basically looking at me like I'm 12. Which is fantastic. Every twenty year old married woman wants to look like she's 12. So I'm like, "I'm not 21."
Bartender: "Oh. Well, people let me drink when I wasn't 21. So you're gonna have to leave."
Bummer! plus, p.s. genius, would I have flat out told you I wasn't 21 if I was planning on trying to drink? Duh! If only he knew me, he wouldn't be worried lol. The ladies Chris' works with at the bank think I'm very up tight lol. I can't help it! Do you see who my dad is!?

Anyway, everybody (including the vp of Chris' bank, who was on her like 8th beer) told me to ignore him and stay anyway. I was worried about it, cuz he was nice about it. I didn't want him to be mad lol. But we did stay for about 45 minutes, we danced a little, but overall, the whole experience was very smoky, and everybody's minds are obviously inhibited since everybody hits on everyone and tries to get all up on everybody and nobody seems to mind. I don't really like that. I don't like it when strange, drunk, old fat women try to unbutton my husband's shirt. Hmm. All in all, yet again, a very interesting experience that I could really do without from now on.

Ha. That's all that's happening. The last few weeks have been booorrrriiinggg. Still trying to get a job during the day. Ugh. Helping Momma at school next week. etc, etc. :-)

oh geez

2009-01-11T18:27:00.003-06:00

well. it has been an interesting week. I am healing (kind of) from a chest cold that continues to kick my butt. I just started taking cough syrup today though, so hopefully that kicks in soon. (I tried very hard to avoid having to take any cuz I hate the nasty stuff).

We went ice skating with Gallup yesterday and had lots of fun, and are spending some time with family today doing laundry and just hanging out. I went with Mom and Dad to "help" Mom spend the last few hundred dollars of a gift card to World Market (she won a 1000 dollars last fall), since the three here are closing. I really didn't get much, but that's okay. I got espresso and coffee flavoring syrup (which I wanted for our espresso maker so we can make smoothies under my extended coffee expertise) and some shortbread and a giant Toblerone for Chris. Just cuz. Ha. :-) Mom and Dad got some furniture and stuff like that--there was a giant picture frame that I wanted but we were waiting to see what Mom had left over. Which was zero lol. So no picture frame. But that is okay. I am plenty happy with coffee :-)

It has snowed a whole bunch this week and it is a pain. The first night I didn't wear socks to work cuz no one told me it was supposed to snow! But I was fine. My phone broke in half which is another extra expense that we can not afford but oh, well. Still trying to find a little extra for during the day--Mom goes back to school tomorrow so she is going to need help. Maybe God is just waiting until Mom and Dad don't need me during the day to give me a job. eeeeee. I hope so. :-)

and now it's over

2008-12-29T11:53:00.009-06:00

Can we believe that Christmas FLEW by again? Whew! We had such a fun first Christmas! We got up around 8:30 and opened our stockings in bed (mine included a bunch of new make-up, a bath pillow, an eyelash curler, and some other fun things that I wanted; I put some food stuff in Chris', some magazine subscriptions, new marinades for him to try, a movie, and other things I can't remember). Then we went down and opened presents. He bought me way more than he should have, including: a gumball machine and a massive tub of gumballs, oodles of candy, a new coat (clearance at Target), 3 pairs of Target shoes, including the RED SHOES I have been ogling for months, some DVDs, etc. I had bought him a poker set, some new clothes, DVDs, etc. On his parents' first Christmas, his dad bought his mom a jewelry box, and so Chris bought me one, too. I love it! He also got me a beautiful locket that I love!! My parents bought us a new vacuum cleaner (hurray!), I got some new books and movies, and Chris got a grill apron/giant grill mitts from IKEA (which is my most favorite store that I've never been to lol). Chris' mom sent us on a scavenger hunt to find our stockings (five "grown" children, three of them in footie pajamas, tearing up and down stairs) and we got so so much stuff. Just in general, clothes, books, gift cards, tons. We are so very blessed. We were back and forth between both families all day long and then had dinner with Chris' family--his mom made chicken divan, aka Christopher meal, because it is his favorite.

So Christmas was very blessed and very fun, and it is very over already. How about that? It is funny that we got so much STUFF for Christmas, and yet I am so very stressed about how we are going to make it through the next two months. We have several large credit card bills to pay off, Chris has a ticket to pay off, I owe 200 dollars on my wedding dress still that has to be paid before February to avoid all back-interest, and the other half of my car bill to pay off. I alternate between bouts of anxiety and panic to ......well.....pretty much just anxiety and panic. I am really worried. REALLY. Did I mention, I am REALLY worried about money this month? Ahh!

Now, I don't mind so much that we don't have a lot of extra money to go out all the time or buy lots of stuff, really I don't. But last year for New Year's, we went to a super amazing downtown restaurant called M's Pub, on a gift card. It was the first time either of us had been there. It is a very cool, all wood, mellow, small place where the waitresses don't even write down your order. Now, on the $40 dollars gift card we had gotten, we were supposed to be able to have like two meals (their lunch menu is supposed to be much cheaper) but considering we were there on New Year's, there was a limited/very expensive menu. But of all the places Chris and I have ever eaten together, M's Pub has THE BEST food for the money. It was amazing. So for New Year's this year, we were going to go back to M's for dinner--I was going to get to wear my new dress and shoes, and we were going to have a super fun dress up date. Until the realization that dropping 100 dollars or so on dinner is just not possible right now. I really almost cried, I was so disappointed. Isn't that horrible of me? We are going to find something else fun to do, but I am really disappointed about it.

Now, I know this post is already way long, so feel free to leave if you want. This is mostly just for me anyway. But I wanted to document some of the things Chris and I have done/had this last year/over our relationship. So brace yourself.

1) Chris bought me my first dog, a three week old Maltese puppy named Lucy, for Christmas last year.

2) We went on a series of dress up dates, the first one at 360 (on top of the casino), the second at M's Pub for New Year's. We also attended several weddings.

3) Chris took me to my senior prom in April of 2007. I had a yellow polka dotted dress that I fell in love with.

4) One of our first dates was to see Spider-Man 3 at midnight on a weeknight my last week of high school. He brought flowers. We went to the movie, danced in the WalMart parking lot in the rain at 4am, and then I collapsed on my living room floor, slept until 7, got up and went to school.

5) He took me on a picnic the day of my baccalaureate at the base lake and we went paddle boating. Then he came to baccalaureate because he would be out of town for graduation--but even from out of town, he had flowers at my house when I got home from the ceremony.

6) We spent lots of time swimming, at local pools, lakes, and even at Mahoney on our honeymoon.

7) We took two trips to Missouri to visit Chris' extended family on the farm. Love it! We love road trips.

8) Some of my favorite dates from that first year that we dated: getting Mr. Mistys at DQ and going for walks or swinging at the park, getting fifty cent ice cream cones and going for walks, going to the park, watching a movie in Chris' car in the boonies (with the wolf), ice skating, fireworks, the massive lightning storm the night of my graduation party (after we saw a movie), all the tornadoes this summer, playing Scrabble and UNO, watching movies at his parents house, late nights at the Mosaic, early mornings at IHOP, the first night we went out after I moved out, Buffalo Wild Wings, the produce room at Baker's, laying in the grass downtown in the Old Market.

9) Buffalo Wild Wings holds lots of special meaning for us lol. First time we ever hung out, first time I met his friends, the first date we had after prom, the first time he kissed me, the first time I told him I was probably falling in love with him, etc. Now we all go hang out, married and with babies, too---I think we'll meet there forever, even when we're all dragging baby gear with us.

10) Chris proposing in the Old Market last Thanksgiving.

11) Trying to convince my parents why we should move the wedding date lol.

12) Many run ins with the police, late night "I'm on my way to the hospital" phone calls, and Chris' crazy concerts.

13) The night I thought I was dying/having an appendicitis that Chris held my hair when I threw up and mad-drove me to the emergency room at 11 pm. Then proceeded to take care of me for three days while my mystery illness helaed.

14) Visiting Chris at work when he worked overnight at Baker's. And when Chris would get off work at 6 am and bring muffins to me up the street when I opened at the coffeehouse. I loved those mornings. Especially when the milkman partook, too! :-)

15) Chris stopping several times to find me somewhere to wash my hands after TWO separate rest stops/gas stations with no soap incidents. Seriously--two different states, trips and gas stations? Refill the soap!

16) Our birthdays. And the Sara Bareilles concert I got taken to for Valentine's Day!

17) The hours up on hours we spent licking, sticking, gluing, beading, folding, stickering, stamping, addressing, printing, cutting, and sizing invitations, programs, and other wedding related paper products.

18) The wedding/honeymoon/setting up house. The new grown up jobs we got. The wedding morning brunch and all fun wedding activities.

19) My cooking endeavors. Whew. :-)

20) Learning to live with each other.

Pics from top to bottom: at the wedding, with my family at Thanksgiving this year, on our way to a wedding, in Missouri, on our dress up date, at the twins' surprise party, after he proposed, at Sara Bareilles, at my friend Chelsea's wedding, and an engagement picture.

2008-12-23T15:01:00.001-06:00

I love love love love love Christmas. :-)

I still can't believe how fast it's come this year, but already tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Yay! Tomorrow I think Chris and I and my favorite friend Megan (a bridesmaid and she is home from school for break) are taking all four of our sisters to the outdoor ice skating rink that ConAgra sponsors downtown. It's a five dollar admission, but it goes to the food bank and it's the only outdoor rink in Omaha. We love it! And we haven't had a chance to go yet this year. So that is fun.

Other than that, both my parents are now shuffling slowly around the house recovering from surgery (why they did it right now, I don't understand), so Christmas will be pretty low-key. I'm excited that it's our first married Christmas.

Okay, I'm at Mom and Dad's and I hear things falling so I'm gonna go get my mom before SHE falls down. :-)

Merry Christmas!

Update on Mommmyyyyyy Part FIVE :-)

2008-12-18T21:36:00.002-06:00

Mom came home from the hospital last night and is doing very well. I spent the day with her, relaxing, drinking blueberry tea (well she drank the tea) and watching "Cranford," a great BBC miniseries that Mom bought specifically for her recovery. It's actually a good one. I mean, they are a little hit and miss--the classics, obviously, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Wives and Daughters, Emma, are always fantastic, but then there are others that are stttuuuuuuuuupid. But this one is surprisingly hilarious--how do you go wrong with Judi Dench though?

Then I get to come home to my husband, who wants to watch Rambo and Superbad and other assorted movies that are also stuuuuuuupid. Why would you want to watch Rambo when you could watch Kate Winslet, Judi Dench, Emma Thompson and other assorted British movie stars cry over unrequited love and troll about the English countryside?

Well, Mom is doing well. We are currently in the midst of a giant ice storm (welcome to Nebraska) and I am off to make Chris some dinner and the four dozen, made from scratch sugar cookies that he needs for his work tomorrow, that he reminded me of last night. :-)

Honest Scrap

2008-12-16T12:09:00.002-06:00

My friend Katie over at www.myfirstyearasawallace.blogspot.com, is the sweetest girl ever! She's always nominating little ole me for fabulous blog awards. Now, I read the rules and I know what I'm supposed to do, however, I don't really know HOW to do all the links and stuff--plus I don't think there are even seven blogs that I follow to nominate back. But as a thank you to Katie and just for fun, I can at least give you 10 Honest Random Facts about me. :-)

1) I am a musical theater geek--love it. I've also been in several productions (The Sound of Music, Seussical the Musical, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers). I'm going to see Wicked in the spring and I am SOOOO EXCITED. :-)

2) I never did my own laundry until I moved out of my parents house as a freshman in college. (My husband was amazed)

3) I was married at the tender old age of 19--yep. Younger than even I thought :-)

4) I hate my husband's favorite kind of music.

5) But that's okay, because he hates my favorite old movies :-)

6) I would skip dinner almost anytime if there was something worthwhile for dessert. I have a tiny sweets addiction.

7) My best friend's mom and my mom's best friend died of breast cancer when I was a freshman in high school and my friend was a junior. We were on our way to Hawaii for vacation, and had to come back, and she died that night.

8) I only had two boyfriends before Chris. (I don't even know if I would count the one lol)

9) I have never lived on campus at school.

10) I hate coconut.

Update on Mom Part 4 (and other assorted tidbits)

2008-12-15T20:13:00.002-06:00

I guess Mom had another really bad day Saturday night/into Sunday. But today she was doing better. She ate a little bit and is in pretty good spirits. Plus, they are going to sit her up and move her around a little tomorrow, and she is THRILLED about that. Five days laying flat on your back will do that to ya! She will hopefully be able to go home Wednesday or Thursday. Possibly. :-)

On an even brighter note, my car decided to quit working today, which is just fantastic. Since I go to work now before Chris gets off, there's no way for me to get to work, since Mom's....you know....and Dad's at work. Hopefully, we can figure that out and get it taken care of quickly and CHEAPLY. Why does it seem like every time we get some extra money, a car breaks down or an unexpected bill comes up??

My mom says, "Welcome to adulthood."

I pick going back to their house for homemade potato soup and shortbread cookies :-)

Update on Mom Part 3

2008-12-13T21:13:00.002-06:00

As of last night, they finally found a combo of painkillers that was offering some relief, so Dad said last night she was doing much better. Chris and I stopped for about an hour and a half tonight to see her, and she was feeling and looking MUCH better. Way more alert, and in way less pain--she was joking with us and speaking clearly (lol) and just in general, more optimistic. She will have to get more tests done after she heals so that the doctor can see if there's anything else he can do about this stupid cyst. But the cyst/spinal fluid has been draining (I think) and she was feeling pretty good today. (Thank you, Valium!)

She will have to be at the hospital at least four more days, so at least until Tuesday, flat on her back. Please pray that she stays comfortable like this and can endure it until she can get home. Even then, I am pretty sure she can't sit up (or isn't supposed to anyway), but it will be really nice when she can get home. She also hasn't been allowed to eat anything except some crackers with her meds so she doesn't get nauseous.

She said they have these anti-nausea patches that are used for like seasickness, but they've found that after surgery, the patients tend to not throw up if they have the patches on, so Mom got one of those slapped behind her ear lol. (I guess alot of times, people puke when they come out of anesthesia). She thought that was pretty cool. And she was disappointed because she told the nurses, the anesthesiologist, and everyone else to make sure the surgeon saved her bone because she wanted to see it, but he didn't. So she doesn't get to see the giant piece of bone they chopped off of her tailbone. I tried to look at her incision today when they rolled her over, too, but it's covered still. :-) All in all, much better today, thank goodness. It puts all of us here much more at ease :-) Thanks for the continued prayers, we still have a ways to go!

Update on Mom Part 2

2008-12-12T21:43:00.003-06:00

Did I mention that I am pretty sure Moms have a special gene in them that enables them to handle all levels of pain and suffering with no complaining whatsoever? My mother never complains about not feeling good. EVER. And today when I went to the hospital, she was in so much pain she couldn't move anything. The morphine isn't helping, she's not getting much sleep, and she has to lay FLAT ON HER BACK until at least Monday. I felt so incredibly horribly bad for her today. I just want her to feel better.

As for whether or not the cyst draining is successful, I am still not sure how that is working, but hopefully it helps.

I was there for about two and a half hours today, she asked me if I was going to stay after my grandparents left and I said, "If you want me to" and she said, "Will you stay even if I fall asleep?" : ( Like I could say no to that! Then she started to say things that didn't make any sense (lol they gave her more morphine) and finally fell asleep, but not before checking, "Brynn, are you still here?" I felt SO GUILTY leaving while she was still asleep but I had to go back to work.

Hopefully tomorrow will be better painwise. She will still be at the hospital through the weekend, so I will be spending most of my time there (minus babysitting and a little Gallup and a couple other things). It's alot harder than I ever imagined to watch my mom in so much pain and not be able to do anything. Sheesh.

love to everybody and thanks for the prayers!

Update on Mom

2008-12-11T12:56:00.001-06:00

So, Chris and I went to the hospital this morning, and I gotta say, it's a little scary seeing my Mom like that. I was feeling a little nervous.

Dad called around 10 this morning to report that they could NOT remove her cyst because there were so many nerves wrapped around it that they couldn't have done it without severe nerve damage. She was out of surgery and being taken to a recovery room--Dad said the surgeon was going to try to drain the cyst, so hopefully that worked and it will relieve some of her pain. She will be SOOO disappointed when she wakes up and finds out that they couldn't take it out. She has been in so much pain--I just want her to feel better. So I really hope that the draining worked. I haven't heard back from Dad yet, he said he would call me later this afternoon to tell me what room she would be in for the next few days so that we can go see her.

So, good news and bad news--she's okay, but we don't know yet if the surgery was pointless or not. I love my mom.

p.s. did you know my dad is growing this beard/goatee THING on his face?? lol when we got to the surgery waiting room and told them who we were looking for, the nurse got all confused and looked around and said, "I think the husband was just sitting right there, but he started wandering around, I guess." Yep! That would be my dad! :-)Neither of us can sit still for very long--and neither of us likes it when people tell us we can't do things we want to. Good thing me and Chris did NOT go into my mom's pre-op room one at a time like the nurse said to--that is a stupid rule!

here at home, it is 1:12 am...

2008-12-10T01:12:00.002-06:00

and why, you ask, WHY IN HEAVEN'S NAME am I still awake?

I HATE THIS.

Since my bosses over at the coffeehouse sold one of their two stores, my position (and everyone else's minus the owners and 1 other person) became obsolete--which was no big deal. After all, they gave me a job when I really needed to have some sort of income. So bless them for that, and for getting me addicted to free coffee again (I soooo took it for granted. Can I go back and drink a cup EVERY DAY that I worked?) So, anyhoo, I'm no longer getting up at five and six a.m. I don't have to go to work until AT LEAST 3 p.m. So I, the Queen of Never Sleeping (when I was little), is now sleeping until AT LEAST 1o a.m. Then lounging around until work, because I have nothing to do. Cool, huh? For about two days. I feel sooooo useless and lame. Here Chris is working all day, almost six days a week to support us, and here I am, hanging out in my pajamas until the middle of the afternoon. Sweet. So, here I am again, trying to find some sort of small supplemental income and something to do during the day. :-)

So needless to say, I cannot sleep a wink until at least 2 a.m., which is great, since Chris has been snoring beside me since quarter to midnight. I was watching a movie and then the player stopped working, so guess who doesn't even know if Hannah ends up with Tom and if his plan to steal the bride succeeded???!!!!!???!!!???!!!

This is just like when Chris worked overnights at the grocery store last year around this time. Since I was only working part time, he worked 10 pm to 7 am. I would usually come over around the time he got home and have breakfast with him or whatever, and then go to work or school, or I would just sleep all day while he slept. And then at ten or eleven I would swing by the grocery store to see him. Stay awake til 2 am and sleep til noon. Healthy, huh? I've gotta say, it fee;s good to fall into bed at the end of a productive day. But it's NOT so fun to toss and turn because you can't fall asleep.

Wow, and something that's not about ME.... :-) Say a prayer for my beautiful mom on Thursday morning, as she is undergoing major spinal surgery around 7:30 am (central :-) ). Chris and I are going in the morning at least when she goes in, but since I don't have to work during the day and my dad is staying at the hospital by himself til she is out, maybe I will stay with him. :-) And tomorrow, I am going to preschool with Mom to "help" with the Christmas parties. Yes, she is still having school tomorrow, the day before surgery. *roll eyes here*. p.s. I really just want to have fun snacks and crafts at preschool :-)

most fascinating people

2008-12-03T10:23:00.002-06:00

So, I'm just hanging out here at home, making some cinnamon rolls and watching morning talk shows, namely "The View," which, by the way, I can't stand because all of the women on it are obnoxious liberals. But ANYWAY. :-)

Barbara Walters (who isn't so awful) has her "Ten Most Fascinating People of 2008" special on tomorrow night, and Will Smith is one of them. She showed a clip this morning of the interview with him, where they are talking about his marriage and divorce. And Will Smith said, "Divorce is absolutely not an option. Marriage is the hardest thing you ever, ever do, and if you go into it with the mindset of 'if it gets hard, we can always get divorced', then you absolutely will get divorced."

First off, GOOD FOR HIM. I have always liked Will Smith, but this really made me like him even more. Because, besides obvious extenuating circumstances, divorce really shouldn't be an option. I believe that any marriage (again, besides extenuating circumstances!) can not only survive, but flourish--it's not easy, it's definitely not easy. But you do it--and the women were talking about how if you eliminate that option, it does give you more of an incentive to resolve things, to find other ways to work things out. And I agree with that 100%. Marriage isn't easy--the first four months of our marriage haven't always been honeymoon-ish. :-) But, bottom line is that we love each other fiercely and divorce simply isn't an option for us. Whatever it is, we will get through it.

Just thought I would share that--good for Will Smith to make a statement like that on national television. :-)

Since Chris and I are grown-ups now, we get to go to Christmas parties, and I am super excited. :-) The next few weeks are going to be super busy, filled with Christmas and work and my favorite babies!!!!! Awesome. I love this time of year!!

2008-11-27T23:03:00.007-06:00

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY.........

Chris proposed to me after sending me on a sweet scavenger hunt of reasons he was thankful for me and after we watched them light the Christmas lights in the downtown Old Market.

These pictures are NOT doing what I want. The top picture is us this year--looking considerably FATTER, I might add, and alot less excited because we had just sat in standstill traffic for half an hour. The picture below is last year, right after he proposed, when we stopped at my parents house to show them. :-) It's been 365 DAYS since he proposed and nearly FOUR months we have been married. And we thought it would go SOOOO SLOOOWWWW. :-)

p.s. I have a picture of my family (minus my sister, who refused to be in the picture--she's sixteen) but it's good of the rest of us., that I will post tomorrow as the computer is being retarded, along with a picture of my puppy, who turned ONE last weekend (approximately). :-) Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-24T11:52:00.003-06:00

It's that time of the year again.

And I'm not talking about the beautiful, crisp cold weather, the holiday spirit, the Christmas/Thanksgiving decorations and trimmings, etc....

I'm talking about the "everyone is sick" time of the year.

Chris had a cold for a week. His tonsils are now so swollen that he can touch them together in the back of his throat and the one on the left has a hole in it. No joke. A HOLE. Is that normal?

I went to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription, and the baskets were so full of filled prescriptions that there were bags lining the counter. In additon to my prescription, I also had to buy Mucinex, Epsom salts, and cough drops, at Chris' request.

Every child I see/babysit wants to snot all over me. And most of their parents apparently don't mind if they get snot not only all over me, but everybody else as well. Which is disgusting. Wash your kids off, people. And don't let them get boogies all over things other people use!!!

Both of our families have had bouts with the flu and colds. Gross. So I am just holding my breath as so far, I have stayed healthy (probably due to the fact that I wash my hands every ten seconds--Chris rolls his eyes at me, but who's the sick one?!)

I definitely made sugar cookies yesterday that worked and taste yummy. I also proceeded to eat them pretty much all day instead of any actual real food. (I had a massive stomach ache this morning).

I also had the strongest urge to have a baby yesterday....for about five seconds. Until I remembered 1) You get fat and uncomfortable and sick and swollen when you are pregnant, 2) After being fat and uncomfortable and sick and swollen for nearly a year, you have to push that ten pound (Chris weighed 10 lbs) baby out of your you-know-where, 3) Our parents would kill us, considering we promised we would wait and get more school done, 4) We can't afford a baby at all--we can't even afford ourselves, 5) and I decided I actually don't want a baby right now. I WANT to get more school done and I WANT to have time with just Chris and I WANT to be a little older, etc, etc. Plus, I can love on other people's babies, which is so much better anyway. :-) Cuz I can go home.

Just thought I would get that all out. :-) We've had a good week around here. This morning at 6 am, I had to scrape the ice off my windshield (or die) before driving to work for the first time this winter. We're holding our breath for some snow!!!

Woohoo!

2008-11-19T12:23:00.001-06:00

So.

Gallup has actually been going really well. I am meeting lots of fun people and they are all super nice--plus there is always an abundance of snack food, which is awesome. So far, we have had two different boys buy us dinner two different nights, had brownies, cheesecake, pizza, rice krispies, and assorted candy. Tonight, I think we're getting fed AGAIN at a meeting and tomorrow is the Thanksgiving potluck. So WOOHOO for jobs that keep us poor kids well fed!

Plus, I am KILLIN' it out there--I was number 3 in the top 5 new interviewers last week (which is out of like thirty five people) so I'm pretty proud of that. Nightly, I have been doing pretty well, too, so I am having a good time. I definitely have bad nights though when people are mean and yell at me and hang up on me. So far, I haven't been cursed at, though, so...you know. That's a plus. By the way....I apologize if I ever call you. Whether it's in the middle of something or not, I feel bad because the survey takes about ten minutes. But we really DON'T sell anything and your opinions really ARE important to these businesses we're doing the research for. But I apologize for bothering you. :-)

Scooter's is good, and getting caught up on bills and making money again is good, too. Worked this morning, had me some yummy coffee, came home, cleaned up, showered, and now I'm gonna go get some Christmas presents for Christopher. :-) Then work later tonight.

You know, the thing that is really cool about this place is that they are SUPER positive. Once a month, they have a "forum"--a meeting where EVERYBODY comes in and they just talk about highlights of the month, etc, special events. Then they name three interviewers of the month, and recognize anyone else who is doing good work. They have raffles and prizes and bonus money and all sorts of good stuff. Plus, they also do this thing called "drops" where they are like rain drop shaped pieces of paper, and the point is that you write something positive on your drops and give them to people. So everyone is always telling you something nice. Which is such a cool change.

It's extremely motivating to be told constantly that you're doing a good job. So hurray for Gallup. I'm surprised other companies don't do this same concept, because everyone at Gallup loves it and is always very pleasant. I haven't met an unpleasant person yet!

p.s. We have a regular customer that comes through Scooter's, an older guy, who came through three years ago when I worked there in high school too, but the other morning when it was cold and rainy, he says to me, "It might be raining out here, but it's always SUNNY when you're in there, isn't it?" :-)

Amazing what a few kind words can do.

Don't tell my Mom!

2008-11-16T09:55:00.003-06:00

So.....last night, I officially had my first sip (and when I say sip, I mean SIP) of alcohol. One of the girls Chris works with at the bank got married in Jamaica on the first, and last night they had a big reception here, and we went. The girls at the bank think it's really hilarious that I've never drank before, so Tina (the one that got married) made a big deal about how there was an open bar and I would be able to drink. So, I did, in fact, taste a vodka and water--the girls drink like one shot of vodka in a glass of water, but they add those Crystal Light packets to it. Gotta tell ya, it tasted like Kool-Aid to me. Which I guess is the point. But then I thought....well, if it just tastes like Kool Aid, what's the point of there being alcohol in it? It was very unimpressive. Lol. Really, it's hardly worth mentioning because the tiny half of a sip I drank is barely even worthy of being called a sip lol. But, I did indeed, try it. So whoopee....is that supposed to be a big deal now? I will never again wonder what it tastes like, cuz you know what?

I don't think I really care. :-)

Seriously, though, don't tell my parents.

They had called me and so I went out of the room to call them back, and when I came back Chris had gotten us refills on our Coke (PLAIN COKE lol) but I thought mine was a funny color. "You put something in my drink, didn't you?" I asked him suspiciously.

"No!" he scoffed. "It's just Coke."

I proceed to pick up my drink, and SMELL IT, at which point I can smell the alcohol!

"Okay," he admits, laughing. "I had her put half a shot of Bacardi in it."

!!!!!

We laughed about it, though, and I didn't drink it because ewww. It smelled terrible. He said he partly just wanted to see if the bartender would card him--we didn't know if like, the open bar meant that we could just order alcohol no questions asked, or if they ask for IDs at things like that. Apparently they don't. Or maybe we just look that old.....right. Although, if I had tried to order it, they probably would have asked me.

So, anyway, there's my big experience with alcohol, the last for a long, LONG time. Cuz I really don't understand the hype.

We are getting ready to go to church, and then I have to go to work for a few hours, but after that it's home to relax again. Blockbuster is doing 99 cent rentals, which is awesome for lame-0 destitute college students like us lol. We can get a week's worth of movies for five bucks. Woohoo!

You know, after seeing all those girls drunk and crazy last night (and at the sex toy party they invited me to a few weeks ago), I decided, most definitely, that I would much rather be at home, in the arms of my husband, watching a movie and eating candy, than falling down drunk on a dance floor.

:-)

But seriously. Don't tell my parents.

Please, please don't make me work here!

2008-11-11T14:23:00.003-06:00

Ahhhh! : (. So I love Scooter's, love, love, love it. I always have loved this Scooter's, and I am loving being back. Here's what I don't love: Gallup.

Because, guess what? I have to work at least twenty hours between M-Th, and Sundays, but I can only work between the hours of 5 and 11 pm. Which sucks. (Especially since I am getting up at five and six a.m. to work at Scooters). I have to hit twenty hours a week no matter what. And I have three nights (yesterday, today, and tomorrow) of four hour long training, then I HAVE to work Thursday night and Sunday to hit twenty hours. I am soooo not excited. BOO! Why can't we be rich so I could just work at my leisure?????????? :-) ehhhh.

Today is Joey and Kylah day! :-) So far I haven't seen them (they are sleeping) but Kylah is always so happy to see me when she wakes up lol. I like it.

Not much is going on here other than that, the bank hasn't called me still and it has been cold and raining for two days straight (boo again). Although, I love love love Christmas. And we are so close!! :-) I am super excited. For Thanksgiving, too. :-)

It's the most wonderful time of the yyyyeeeeaaaarrrrrrr!!!

:-)

just an update to yesterday

2008-11-07T10:08:00.002-06:00

I stayed home from KC. And I cried like a baby when Chris left. I know, he's going a whole three hours away until early this morning, and I bawled when he left. He just rolled his eyes at me and said, "Brynn, you're overreacting." What can I say? We've only been married for three months and I hate it when he leaves! Of course, the fact that the boy doesn't carry his cell phone doesn't help--I got a phone call at ten, saying they were getting ready to leave. I get another phone call at midnight, his mom, saying she can't get ahold of him. So of course, I am panicked, and frantically try to call him, and he doesn't pick up.

At this point, I'm sure that the boys are lying dead in the middle of the road somewhere, but I called Bryce, who finally picked up, and gave Chris an earful. He said they had about an hour left to go.

Guess what time he called me to say he was home? THREE A.M.

He makes me so mad. I went to my parents' house to hang out for the night (eat my Mom's homemade chicken noodle soup) and watched a movie with my sister, and fell asleep on the couch (which was my plan. To sleep there until Chris called and then head home.) So, he said they left at TEN and they got home at THREE, from a three hour drive.........so why did it take FIVE hours? (I'm pretty sure he lied to me and told me they left before they actually did). He also said they stopped at a Waffle House. Which is awesome. While I'm frantically trying to get ahold of my husband and his friend, who I'm sure are in some horrible accident and the police won't be able to reach me because my cell is dying, the boys are enjoying breakfast. Awesome.

by the way--this is NOT the first time this happened. One time last winter, they went to KC and Chris said they'd be home at like one a.m. This time, I stayed at his parents' house (we weren't married yet) in his sisters' room--and guess what time he came upstairs to wake me up? SIX A.M. PEOPLE. They had gotten lost.

He's gonna give me a heart attack.

2008-11-06T11:07:00.002-06:00

Chris wants to drag me to Mission, Kansas tonight for a concert (Ingrid, if you read this, I know you will be laughing at me lol). He likes this crazy, screamy, hardcore music that I can't stand. And he wants me to give up my whole Thursday, miss Grey's Anatomy/Ugly Betty/The Office/30 Rock/Kath&Kim, and drive three hours with him to then pay twenty dollars to get into a concert I don't even want to see! What do we think about this???????? On one hand, I like road trips with Chris. However. 3 hours is quite a while--it's only four hours to his grandparents, so we might as well just drive out there for the day! :-) Oh, he's a funny boy. But last night we were laying in bed watching a movie and he was stroking my face and all of a sudden he said, "You are the most important thing in my life. I love you." :-) .....suffice it to say, I like him quite alot. :-)

Starting working at a coffeehouse I worked at in high school (same bosses and everything) which is great. They are giving me hours to fill in while I'm in between jobs, although I am supposed to hear back from the bank today. If I get that job, I'll go back to working two jobs! But Scooter's would only be a couple hours a week. So we'll see. Either way now, I have no health insurance until January 1st! (Unless Barack sends me some before then). :-) Plus, I am lovin my free coffee again! Hmmm....perfect time to start again, too, just in time for Pumpkin Spice and Eggnog Lattes and Peppermint Mochas. Yum!!!!

Somehow, all our bills got paid this month. I'm not sure how (well, I am--you know, Jesus and all), but thank you, Lord, the bills got paid. In fact, we even got a coupon for $100 dollars off next month's rent because my brother moved into another apartment, Chris found a $50 bill on the ground (seriously) and we found a $50 check while we were cleaning (from a relative from the wedding). It's fun how the Lord provides, isn't it? :-)

Rick and The Velveteen Rabbit

2008-11-01T12:45:00.005-05:00

Last fall, a dear friend of our family was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. An otherwise healthy, 51 year old man, father of four (two kids with cystic fibrosis), husband, and minister--this is a family mine has known for probably forty years. On Wednesday evening, October 29th, 2008, Rick went home to Jesus.

The funeral was this morning--Chris had to work, but I went with my family to the service at Calvary. His sons, Justin and Ryan (Justin is the same age as me, Ryan a year behind us and just joined the Air Force), are my dear friends and my heart breaks for them. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a parent, especially at this age. The last time I really got a chance to talk to Rick and his wife Jennifer was at our wedding, although I got to see them in passing at church. By a few weeks ago, the cancer and infection was all over his body, and the family was notified that it would be only a few days.

What interested me this morning was when the minister read a few entries from Rick's journal in the last days of his life, first on the 22nd of October: "Trying to live in one world while yearning for another and being pulled towards it by Jesus Christ." and then again, on the 28th, "It is only days now until the Lord calls me home."

Wow. Rick described to his family the things he was seeing in heaven, even before he actually died--what an amazing, scary, strange thing to experience. To be pulled towards an eternal life while still physically being in this one--and to know that you only had DAYS left until you went to Jesus. Can you imagine being able to say, with total and complete peace, "It will only be a few days until Jesus takes me home."

Chris brought home an article by Dave Letterman about the election/campaign bashing/and the country complaining about how hard things were--he pointed out all of those things that were making Americans so unhappy: like, having a job. A house. More food in the grocery store than third world countries have seen in a lifetime. Freedom. (He was obviously making the point that we have nothing to complain about). And it just continually amazes me, all the things that we have to be thankful for, whether we make millions of dollars a year or not--it's not always the most fun, but I am going to try so much harder to count my blessings.

From The Velveteen Rabbit:

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.
"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are real, you don't mind being hurt."
"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up?" the Rabbit asked. "Or bit by bit?"
"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are real, most of your hair has been rubbed off, and your eyes drop out, and you get loose in your joints, and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are real, you can never be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

Here's to a life on this earth full of ministry and witnessing, happiness and learning, and a love that rubs all your hair off--

:-)

little fabulous things that make me happy lately....

2008-10-28T15:44:00.002-05:00

1) The fact that after two weeks of absolutely no job responses, I have had exactly ELEVEN phone calls with job offers just since 9 a.m. this morning. is that ridiculous or what?

2) the fact that when I called my husband to ask him to pick up some stuff from WalMart on his way home from work (since I am babysitting) he not only agreed happily, but said, "Bye, beautiful, I love you," in front of his mom's entire eighth grade class.

3) I wake up every day, employed or not, in a safe, cozy house with a TV, a bed, and food to eat. It's amazing the way God teaches you to appreciate things.

4) that I got a skirt I have been eyeing for weeks at Target this weekend for 3 dollars.

5) that last night, we got to see some old friends and splurge on some Buffalo Wild Wings.

6) the fact that today I get to cuddle these sweet kiddos (Joey and Kylah)

7) caramel apples. Ask Chris, I've made like four batches of caramel apples now. I just keep going out and buying more supplies lol

8) the fact that I got 3 pairs of underwear on sale at Target for 75 CENTS APIECE! Seriously?!

9) That I got to hang out with my girls TWICE this last week/weekend so they're parents could have a date. (Sage says, "I have LOTS of toys! I want more birthday cake!")

10) that the reason I got to watch Sage and Clare is because their daddy was home safe for a week and got to be with them. :-)

11) that my puppy, after having to get all her fluffy white hair shaved off, does NOT look like a pink skinned rat, but more like a poodle.

12) I beat Chris ONE TIME at Ghost Recon this weekend.

13) My big brother got approved for an apartment three doors down from Chris and I after living with my parents for almost two years now. He is excited (but says, "she better not come bother me all the time"--cuz I have NOTHING else to do).

14) my GORGEOUS new dress that Chris coerced me into buying a few months ago because I was in love with it, but didn't want to spend the money. I am so excited to wear it! Anywhere!

15) sleeping in. :-)

16) the fact that Christmas is coming soon!!!!!! I love everything about Christmas.

17) Chris proposed to me last Thanksgiving, November 22nd, and it has been almost a year since he proposed and almost 3 MONTHS that we have been married.

18) When I called a family last night to set up a date to meet them to babysit, the mom is shouting, "No, you CANNOT have bomb pops for dinner! Get out of the freezer!"

19) getting to watch Live with Regis and Kelly in the mornings and Ellen Degeneres in the afternoon.

20) the bright red shoes that I'm in love with at Target, waiting for them to go on sale so I can wear them with my NEW DRESS! :-)

21) my friend Calandra and her sweet son who has the biggest grin ever and weighs 15 pounds at 3 mos! :-)

22) that I found gumballs, which I have looked everywhere for, for the last month. (Who knew it was so hard to find gumballs?)

23) mineral make-up

24) pulling out my jeans and sweaters!

25) my sweet husband who loves me, is patient as I job hunt, stops at WalMart on his way home to buy groceries, always kisses me before he leaves in the morning, buys me gumballs, and only orders 12 honey barbecue wings instead of 18. :-)

update!

2008-10-26T18:19:00.004-05:00

oh, big sighs big sighs!

The last week and a half has been nice--ish. I've got to spend alot of time with some of my friends, and a good amount of time with Chris too. :-) I spent six hours cleaning our apartment and putting all the rest of our wedding presents away, and I've learned quite a few things pertaining to the election since I've been staying at home :-) I also get to hang out with Joey and Kylah alot which is awesome and fun.

As far as the job thing goes I have applied to more jobs than I think I have applied to ever in my life! Lots of office jobs and nanny jobs and daycare jobs. I've had some interviews mostly daycares that pay minimum wage which is quite a bit of a pay cut. But....maybe God is pushing me in a different direction for a while. I would really appreciate it if God would push me towards more money lol in order to survive a little bit better, but I am doing my best to trust....but my impatience is hard. I wish I would get a good job FAST!

Other than cleaning, I attempted to make some cookies, which was the biggest cooking disaster thus far in my cooking. And they weren't gross they were just tasteless. Bummer!

Thanksgiving and Christmas is almost here! Lucy's first birthday will be right after Thanksgiving. And Christmas is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE HOLIDAY EVER! lol I can't wait to get our own little tree and decorate it ourselves and get our own stockings and stuff. It'll be so much fun!

It seems like an awful lot of prayer requests right now. Chris' grandma had bad shingles for a while and now her husband does too (he has Alzheimers and lives in a home), around his eye, they took him to the emergency room yesterday. So now we are praying that nobody else gets it. Chris' dad and I still need to find decent jobs--quickly. My mom is having surgery Dec. 11th. Several of our friends with cancer are struggling. Yuck. Did I mention though, that Chris' cousin Becca had her FIRST BABY a few weeks ago??!!!! Lydea Rayann. So beautiful and we can't wait to get down to MO!

We have spent all day with Chris' family playing games and talking. We're getting ready to play Scrabble, which Chris refuses to play because I always beat his tail! :-)

Have I mentioned how grateful I am for both of my families? I have wonderful parents who are amazing, and fabulous in-laws that love me like their own. I took my FOUR sisters and a couple of their friends to High School Musical 3 Friday night. It's fun having FOUR sisters instead of one lol. And two moms and two dads and eight grandparents....but still only ONE brother. :-) Alright, enough rambling for tonight.....

love!!!

Psalm 46:1

2008-10-16T09:06:00.002-05:00

So...I quit my job on Tuesday. Long story. Never would've done it if I didn't have the interview today. So we were a little bit worried about how the money situation was going to work itself out for the rest of this month, and for possibly longer if I couldn't find a job.

Yesterday, I went to help my mom--she teaches her own pre-kindergarten in the church we used to attend. This year she has one morning class of 10 and one afternoon class of 10, and she's having major spinal surgery in December. Needless to say, she's tired and doesn't feel good. So I figured I could do something productive and go help her for the day. And I did. At circle time, they went to practice their Bible verse for the week, and it was Psalm 46:1, "God is our refuge and strength; an ever present help in times of trouble."

Chris and I have been praying hard over the last week for wisdom about the job situation, and after Tuesday, for a quick response for me to get a job soon. And I just thought how appropriate the verse was for us lately. I have an interview tonight, but I applied for TONS of other jobs too, just in case, and I have gotten so many emails about interviews that even I am a little surprised. :-) So it's good to have some options. And I feel like I can breathe a little better knowing that at least our bills will get paid (even if I don't have medical insurance until January lol....yikes! Insurance would be helpful :-) )

The family that I lived with before the wedding is having a fabulous day today because Brent is home from his deployment for a week. I'm not sure what time he's getting in, but I talked to Ingrid a few days ago and I'll be over to watch the girls and let them have a few dates :-) I asked Ingrid if she wanted us to come over right away this morning to say hi.........she said NO. :-)

keep us in your prayers as nothing is final yet. especially pray that my "Queen of Mysterious Illness" title stays away until I can get some insurance :-)

pills and bills and PUS!

2008-10-11T11:30:00.002-05:00

Had to share this. It's kind of disgusting, so beware lol.

On Monday or Tuesday, I ripped a hangnail off the middle finger of my right hand. Now, I pick at my nails quite a bit. Usually, my finger is sore for a few days and then it's fine. This time, however, my finger swelled up and turned green-ish white where I ripped it out. So lucky me, besides a terribly sore finger, Chris decides we have to drain the pus!

I remember when I was little my parents lancing wounds, but I was a little hesitant about Chris doing it--he suggested using a knife when I pointed out we didn't have a needle! But, it had to be done. So last night we played operation.

It was very professional. Chris got some Qtips, a wash cloth, peroxide, neosporin, a band aid and a very sharp pin thing. He cleaned the needle, cleaned my finger, .......and I couldn't do it. It was probably the most dramatic performance I've ever put on in my life. I WAS SCARED! lol. It was very dramatic, and Chris just rolled his eyes at me.

So after begging Chris to let me try and poke myself first, he gives in. One poke....ouch! pulled it back out. "You have to go deeper, Brynn!" chris says. So, okay. Two pokes...ouch! Pull it out again. Then I whimper for a little while and give the pin back to him.

After a few minutes of not letting him touch me, I decide, I am an adult and I will do this myself. So I take the pin and push it into my finger. pretty sure I made a hole, so I start squeezing and I swear to you, so much crap came out of my finger I was worried! (and a little impressed). We kept squeezing and poking, but no blood ever came--Chris wanted to keep going but I was in tears and couldn't take any more pressure on my poor little finger! So we cleaned it again, put ointment on it, and put a bandaid on. This morning it's sore, a little swollen still, and I think there's some more pus in there lol. But it does feel better (it THROBBED all night last night)

so I think we're gonna have the whole episode over again. Just say a prayer that I won't have to amputate my finger! :-)

warning! you have to make life changing decisions when you're an adult!

2008-10-09T16:14:00.003-05:00

:-) I've got a few things to ponder here in the next few weeks. My current job (it's a long story) won't give me any time off for the rest of the year--not for a doc's appt, not for my mom's back surgery, not for anything--I can't make up time either. So I had a job interview next week, but there's no way for me to get to it unless I don't come to work. So...jeopardize the job I have for a job that is closer to home and pays four dollars more an hour? Or give up on that one and stay here? I don't know what to do.

I made a ham last night! (Okay, I cheated a little because it was already seasoned) but we had ham and cheddar mashed potatoes last night so I was very impressed with myself. As for tonight, I'm not sure yet. I wish I had more time to play in the kitchen! Everybody's blog is splattered with amazing pictures of yummy looking food....except mine. :-) But I'm learning.

Say some prayers for our family this week. My husband's dad is still without a job (almost six weeks now) and for both our whole families (my parents, sis and bro; chris' parents and three sisters) and for me to know what to do about this.

p.s. Today is our 2 month anniversary. :-) And yes, I will probably tell you this every single month. :-)

pills and bills

2008-10-06T10:45:00.003-05:00

Just had to share this before I get into any other news. This is the daughter of the people I lived with for a year before I got married--they are such awesome people and took such good care of me and I love them. So of course, their daughter Sage, was who I wanted as my flower girl. We were a little concerned she would have a different agenda than walking down the aisle, but she made it crisis free and happily ate her jelly beans for the rest of the ceremony (while Mom was playing the piano! Thank you, Grandma Hanson!) Anyway, people were taking pictures of her and she realized she was all on her own, so this is the picture we got. I absolutely love it! For a two and a half year old, I think she did great!!!!

well. I had to go back to the doctor this week because my anxiety level has been through the roof lately, and not only did he up my regular medication, he put me on a second one. So now, not only am I taking two pills twice a day, we also have to include a fifth pill (birth control.) So if you can imagine, I am extremely tired of taking pills. I was really hoping since I had been symptom free for so long that I could get OFF the medicine--I wasn't expecting MORE. lol, but the doc says symptoms tend to flare up around the late teens, so I felt a little bit better.

The title of this blog is from Pollyanna, when she visits a crabby old lady whose name I can't remember, who gripes, "Pills and bills! All I get is pills and bills, pills and bills!" And I'm not griping, I promise, lol, it just seems like alot of pills and bills lately. :-)

Yesterday we got some of our stuff from Chris' parents house that had been there since the wedding (ha, oops) and I finally got some stuff up on the walls, which makes me so happy. By the time we got home, it was around 8 and Chris was tired, but he was a trooper and helped me do it right. I was really excited to get some done! It's starting to look more like our house instead of a bare bachelor pad lol.

Tomorrow night Chris is going out with the boys so I am having a few girlfriends over to watch a movie and eat. I'm really excited! Most of my really close girlfriends are scattered since we graduated, but there are a few around here that have been pretty tight lately. And one of them has a baby I like to love on, so that's always a plus! :-)

We also got new neighbors this weekend--the townhouse next to ours has been empty for several months now. But they're a couple, too, young, just got married in April and they have a little baby boy too. So it'll be interesting to see how that works--Chris was so mad when we got home the other night because there were cars in his parking spot lol.

Now I just need to get to payday so I can order wedding pictures and get them up!!! I am so excited to finally have them!!!!!

Nobody told us how hard this would be.

2008-09-28T22:23:00.003-05:00

Okay, that's a lie. :-) Lots of people told us terrible things about what it would be like to be married so young. My parents wanted us to wait, but supported us anyway. lol, so I guess people did tell us how hard it would be.

But you think you understand, right? I mean, they tell you all these things and you nod and you know it will be an adjustment, you know it will be different, but you don't REALLY know because you haven't lived with this person in this context 24/7.

Now don't get me wrong. I love my husband, more than anything in the world--he is so dear to me and I thank God every day for the wonderful man that I have next to me every day. Oh, I can't imagine what life would be like without him. As much as he infuriates me, there's nobody else I would want to come home to lol.

And we're having fun, we really are. It's fun setting up house and spending time together and doing just ordinary things--but I just get so stressed, mostly about money lol. Chris is a definite spender, and I'm the saver, and with things they way they are, I am SO freaked out that we are going to run out of money and regress into Grapes of Wrath depression where we have to travel all over the country and try to find jobs picking fruit for ten cents a basket and live in tent communities with no toilets or soap!

whew. I know. Chris thinks I'm nuts. My parents think I'm nuts. I think I'm nuts. But I can't help it! I just get so freaked out! :-)

At least I know that I'm not alone. Somebody asked me if we'd been fighting and I replied with a grin, "Just about money" and he laughed and rolled his eyes, and said, "Oh, imagine that, a young married couple that fights about money."

It's interesting. I love Chris so completely and I try, try to not worry because I know that in everything God is in control. But it's so HUMAN for me to panic. :-)

how about one where we're not sucking face lol?

pretty good looking wedding party, don't you think? Wish I could post all 400, but you probably don't want to see them. :-) just a few good ones for here!

Boys and their Toys

2008-09-17T11:04:00.002-05:00

So for the last few weeks, my dear husband has been pestering me about buying a brand new TV from Nebraska Furniture Mart. They have been advertising a 30 month no interest deal and so Chris' justification was that, TECHNICALLY, we wouldn't actually be making a 600 dollar purchase. Which I guess is TECHNICALLY true. :-)

Now, I'm a saver. Chris says I am a wet blanket, mean, and that I ruin all his fun (because I don't let him buy action figures and fast food every time we leave the house) lol. He's the spender, obviously. I was a little wary of buying a new TV considering we have a perfectly good one downstairs. But, Chris says, we watch movies most of the time upstairs in our bedroom, so we might as well get a TV to go up there!

So we went to NFM last night, and the boy is like a kid in a candy store. First of all, NFM is HUGE! Plus, it's filled with big shiny things that make noise, TVs, computers, PS3s, and all sorts of other fun things he wants to push buttons on and touch all over. He played Rock Band, he played all the games that were out, he examined TVs all over, and we found one that we liked at a reasonable 25 bucks a month (a 32 inch Samsung flatscreen TV.) And then we applied for a credit card and were given a 300 dollar credit limit. lol. So, no TV. And I must say, I do feel a little bad--he really wanted a new TV. If I had 300 bucks as a down payment, I would pay half in cash and put the other half on the card. But I don't.

So no new toy for Chris : (

2008-09-14T09:52:00.002-05:00

I LOVE weekends. Who doesn't really, I know, but....it's been quite an adjustment having to work all day, every day like a normal adult lol. So the weekends are my one solace! Luckily, this weekend, we had minimal plans. Chris had to work Saturday morning for a few hours, as usual, but I got to sleep in til about 10, watched cartoons, ate some cereal. Stayed in a T-shirt almost all day! Ran to my favorite place in the world, Target, to get some frames (some of my wedding pics came in!!!), and made a cheesecake. Chris came home and we watched a movie, took a little nap, and then Chris had to go march in a parade for work. I didn't want to go, so I stayed home and cleaned--really, I am trying my best to clean up our cluttered apartment. I will be so happyy when all my wedding pictures come in so I can start putting things on the wall!! That will help.

Today, going to church and then going swimming (inside) with my whole family, some cousins included, I think. Then we need to finish our laundry--I've decided laundry is my least favorite household chore. I hate it.

We went and saw a movie last night, too, the new Robert DeNiro/Al Pacino movie, "Righteous Kill" (Chris picked, can you tell??) lol, it wasn't too bad. A few interesting lines like, "Most people respect the badge, but everyone respects the gun." Which I suppose is true. It was just another good cop/bad cop movie, pretty good but not amazing. Alot more mild actually then I expected.

So anyway, I'm gonna go get dressed for church. Just praying that the rest of today goes slowly, slowly, so that I can savor the time with my husband and family!

here comes the bride....

2008-09-10T12:50:00.009-05:00

Just some of my favorite pre-wedding pictures I thought I would throw up here. We should have the actual wedding pictures soon, so I'm really excited. :-)

Men at the Cross

2008-09-10T10:35:00.004-05:00

Chris went to a men's conference last weekend called Men at the Cross. It's a Promise Keeper's type deal that was created and is run by a man named Joe White, who owns and runs all the Kanakuk Christian Camps and all the ministries that go along with it. Chris' cousin Kara is Joe's personal assistant, and this is the first year of this event--so Kara was here all weekend along with her dad (our uncle) Randy for the conference. Chris and his dad went, and so did my dad. I heard it was a great, great weekend--lots of good speakers. Chris was really excited to try this thing called "conversational prayer," which consists of both of us sitting down together and praying together, kind of back and forth. The speaker who suggested this (I can't remember his name) challenged the men to try it with their wives every day for a month, and guaranteed they would see changes. So Chris and I are trying it.

Now, I've always been better about prayer than probably my quiet time (I know, I know!). But I am constantly talking to God, when I'm driving, sitting at work, walking around, basically all the time--and it's usually a very casual, kind of just conversational chatter. So I wasn't exactly sure how this would be different from what I already do.

But let me tell you what--it was actually really cool. Chris started out (I think the speaker said to start out with thanksgiving, and just see where it goes) by thanking God for everything the last few months, etc, and for me ( hee, hee), etc, etc. And we just went back and forth, and honestly, that could go on for a long, long time! We prayed for probably about twenty minutes, but we could have gone on for much, much longer. We had alot of things to be thankful for and just asked for God's continuous protection over us and our families and for His provision, and it was just really cool. Chris would pray, then I would pray, etc, back and forth. Thus, apparently, conversational prayer.

I'm really excited to see how we grow in the next month! I'd always been kind of embarrassed to pray in front of Chris because it's such a personal thing for me, but last night was really a good opportunity for me to feel comfortable with it. It was a really special time for us--I am so glad to have such a wonderful husband that I can have that kind of prayer time with!!

Try this, guys--it's an awesome thing. And I can't wait to see God's work as He reveals it to us more and more each day!

one month already

2008-09-09T13:15:00.002-05:00

Happy Anniversary to mmmmmeeeeee~~~ :-)

Today is Chris' and my one month anniversary. It's been a whole month already! Holy cow. And I have cooked, and everyone is still alive!!!!

:-) Here's to many, many more months.....

bleh...

2008-09-05T11:55:00.000-05:00

So I've been feeling really nauseous on and off for the last week and a half or so. It comes and goes in waves...one minute I'm fine, the next minute I want to either lay down or throw up (sometimes both). And nobody get excited, I'm NOT pregnant. At least, I took a test and it said I wasn't. I would be completely terrified.

But here's my point--I'm kind of a wuss when it comes to being sick. If I don't feel good, I just want to stay home and in bed. But now that I have a full time job that our livelihood depends on, staying home is not really an option. Plus, I'm disgusted with myself for being a wuss.

If my mother can clean houses and chase preschoolers and shuttle my siblings and cook dinner with a cyst the size of a toilet paper tube on her spine, then I can sure as crap make it through the day, right? I am determined to make it through the whole day of work today. Because my mother is right--as an adult, I have to learn to deal with things a little bit better.

adulthood.....

2008-09-03T17:59:00.000-05:00

So I was driving to work yesterday morning, and saw some kids on their way to the high school I graduated from. They were laughing, music blaring--and I was just thinking, "What I wouldn't give to be back in high school where nobody expected anything from me!" But that isn't really true.

Ha, first of all, alot was expected of me when I was in school. And I did well (minus a few math classes), and I had fun. I mean, high school was okay. Nowhere near being the best years of my life! But it was alot easier than this, day in, day out working all day long--I mean, now I have to work in order to surivive. Chris has to work two jobs to make ends meet--and it kinda sucks!

At the same time, I would never, NEVER go back to high school lol. Chris' twin sisters are freshmen this year, and his other sister is a junior. And the twins are already having ALL sorts of drama--girls calling them sluts, boys liking them and then ditching them, etc, etc--and I would never want to deal with that again. I remember the tears over boys, losing friends, and I remember that being the "good girl" in a culture where boys expect easy sex is no fun. Being the one who doesn't drink, smoke, cuss, or have sex is not exactly a popularity magnet. Chris' mom says, "If I could homeschool them and save them from all this, I would in a second!"

I kind of agree--I mean, I ended up fine. And high school wasn't highly traumatic or anything. But it scares Chris and I so much to bring kids into this world! I mean, we're not anytime soon, but with the election coming up, by the time we do, this country could be a mess. And it freaks me out so much, I worry enough just about Chris and I making it! And our families! But what about our kids?! AHH!

:-) sorry for the depression. I really am a super happy kid! Ha ha. My friend at work calls me a cartoon character because I "bounce around and make funny noises."

Chris and I are off to one of our favorite local haunts for ice cream tonight, Christy Creme in Council Bluffs. Hmm mm!! Homemade sherbert, a new flavor every day (today is blackberry!) not to mention FABULOUS pork tenderloins. YUM.

Well, here we are....

2008-08-30T18:30:00.000-05:00

Our first date, my senior prom--riding the ferris wheel at Scheel's at Village Pointe.

On our honeymoon, riding the ferris wheel at Scheel's, picture at the top, just like prom. :-)

Chris and I have been married three weeks now. I don't think anyone will read this but me, but I'd like to do it anyway. I'll probably print them out at the end of the year and put them in a book. Maybe our kids will get a kick out of them someday. :-)

So, anyway. I'm not new to writing. I love to write, journal, etc--my biggest goal (after finishing school) is to write a novel. We'll see how that goes. :-)

Chris and I met when I was a senior in high school--he was a freshman in college. We had gone to rival high schools, but didn't know each other at all until I started working at a Starbucks in a local Baker's Grocery Store. Chris worked in the produce section. They would make me walk samples around the store, and the first night, I ended up on his side with one drink left. He drank it, we talked--the rest is kind of history.

Well, that's not true at all lol. We talked for a long time, and then after that, I made a point of always happening to end up on his end with one more drink--that way it looked a little more like I was working. :-) I really liked him right away, and he liked me too, he was just a little less vocal about it. I think alot of his friends knew that I wouldn't....uh...do...certain things...lol and gave him a hard time about it. We started talking ALOT. He was a Christian, raised in a Christian home with values almost exactly the same as mine, which was rare. He had been kind of a jerk in high school, made a few mistakes, unlike me, who had been a goody-two shoes all along with a pastor for a father. Chris loved this crazy thing called "hardcore music"--wore camouflage shorts, had a mohawk sometimes. Not exactly the clean cut, preppy boy I was used to being interested in. And yet, I was. By October, I was head over heels, and I knew there was something different about him. I would close my station at eight, and head back to talk to Chris, whose section closed at 9. Next thing I knew, it'd be almost 11 p.m. We'd been talking so long, and it had felt like ten minutes.

It was a long, long road. The next eight months or so were filled with flirting, uncertainty of whether or not he liked me, and a few skeletons in the closet that hurt me so deeply I thought I would never be okay ever again. But things worked out okay, fantastic, really. Chris took me to my senior prom in April, and then the rest really was history. We had an amazing summer, spent every second together, and then in November, Thanksgiving of 2007, he proposed.

I was eighteen, he was ninteen. We didn't care. My parents loved his parents and vice versa, my family adored Chris, and his family adored me. He had three little sisters who loved High School Musical with me. We were incredibly in love--and we had had some ups and downs already. I knew that I was willing to be married to him for the rest of our lives.

We had planned a long engagement, but a few months passed and we decided, "Heck, in another year, we will still be undergrads. We will have the same amount of money, and most likely things will be pretty much the same. So we might as well be poor and married and work on everything together." And so we did.

So here we are. On August 9, 2008, Chris and I got married at the tender old ages of 19 and 20. We are having so much fun! I love him coming home at the end of the day, and waking up to him in the morning. I love how he looks at me so tenderly and loves me so completely--we are striving to keep our relationship Christ-centered, as we always have. We have no doubt that no matter what, the Lord will bless our marriage and our lives, no matter how hard life gets.

And it might get really hard. We know that. The economy in our country at this point in time is not exactly stable. We have an election coming up, and let's just say the candidates are not exactly stable, either. Chris is very interested in politics, and he is concerned that things may not get better. Money is tight--I mean, we're really young. We work full time, and we go to school full time. Things are gonna be tight for a while.

But we love each other so much, we really do. And the next sixty years or so are gonna be one heck of a ride.

We're just trusting Jesus to hold everything together, and to demonstrate His mercies and grace every day.