And the Award Goes to...

Fun on an evening walk! Look at the lily pads in the back!

First, let me start by saying that if you are married already, you know that being married comes with some disagreements. If you aren't married, you should know that marriage comes with some disagreements. This said, it is OKAY. You marry a man. He marries a woman. Flaws, mistakes, and ugly sides come out left and right and no amount of coaching will ever help you contain them and save them for the "perfect" moments. I didn't marry my husband because he was flawless. I married him because I loved him. I married him because there was no man on earth I would rather argue with and forgive than my husband. There is no man I would sooner lean on in difficult times than my husband. Sure, I knew a little of what to expect of marriage, but nothing & no one could have prepared me for the reality that is Justin and I, together, married.

Forget flowers, chocolates, forget-me-nots...I'm not that kind of girl. What kind of girl I am, I could not have told you 9 months ago. Now, I know. I know what it is I was waiting on & wanting all along. I wanted sincerity. In steps Justin, my husband. Here are just a few examples of what he has done for me.

Just two weeks into our marriage, an emergency came up at work. It was frightening and sickening, and while I moved in auto-mode for hours that day there was one person that shone above the rest for me. While I hadn't the voice to call my parents and assure them that I was alright, I knew someone who would. While my strength wavered on a tight rope that afternoon, I found my husband ready and able to do anything that was needed. When I walked in the door of our apartment, exhausted and full of emotion, I found I could walk into his arms because he had left work early to be with me. He didn't say anything. I had worried over what to say, how to say it, but he had known...somehow he had known. He walked me to our room and pulled off my shoes. Without speaking, he opened his arms to me as we laid on the bed. He asked nothing of me, letting me find my voice instead. He listened when I finally spoke, and it was with the first signs of his emotion that I broke down for the first time that day. I remember he went to pick up a pizza for us that night, but before he left I mentioned taking a shower. He insisted he wouldn't leave until I was out and dressed again. He didn't want me to be afraid, not then; not ever. I fell asleep early that afternoon & slept hours longer than usual. He didn't get upset or fuss. He only held me the next morning & smiled as I headed back out to work.

Fast forward to more recent times. Thankfully I don't live daily excitement like that one. If I did I would never leave the house. Even so, Justin has come through for me many a time. A few weekends ago as I found myself questioning if God placed Eve in a witness protection program in Heaven (the question I habitually ponder once a month), I was once again in awe of the man God gave me to. As I lay fighting tears (you know the drill) my husband's gentleness broke through my pain. Ladies, things were looking bleak for me. Experience told me I would be out for 3 days. Recent experience told me I would be OUT for 3 days. We still had not purchased a heating pad. There were no more advil in the house. It appeared peanut butter sandwiches were what may be for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that weekend. Things were bad- really bad. Without hesitating, Justin set out to the store alone. He returned with all of the survival essentials and more. There were a few frozen items for dinners, 2 Hungry Man meals for lunch, a gallon of lemonade Gatorade (my favorite), and a gallon of ice cream with blueberries! I might have jumped up to greet him, hugged him for hours, watched Transformers as a tribute to his kindness. As it were, I thanked him for the next 36 hours, was walking about as though all was well after 24 hours, and still believe he found a miracle cure with the timely advil and Gatorade refills in that one day alone. (I should do more research on this last one. We could make a fortune.)

Then there was this week. Last Thursday our world was turned a bit upside down. I was given the option to return to work for the next few months; help out where I might. It was really a no-brainer for us. The location was perfect. The money would look good in savings. I loved my former employers & this time I would be working with coworkers that had treated me like family. As perfectly wonderful as this all sounded, I was still nervous. The possibilities, the mistakes I might make, all that I did not know took away the excitement, making me queasy and quiet at the most random moments. When our trip to the mall for pillows became the search for a new shirt, & then the purchase of 2 shirts, 1 vest, 1 sweater, 1 skirt, and 1 pair of flats, my husband only smiled and reached for the bags. When Saturday became Sunday and I insisted I had to do some "Spring" cleaning in the house, Justin jumped in and helped. He even ran to the store for a few items so I wouldn't have to. As Sunday rolled to an end, he grabbed the computer to burn a cd, even grabbing a few of my favorites from the internet. All of this seemed sweet to me, but what he said that night was what touched me most. "Let's see", he had said. "We have cereal for breakfast tomorrow. New, pretty outfits so you will feel pretty. Good music to play on the way to work. The house is all nice and clean. Looks like you are set." I could have cried. All weekend I had just thought he was being sweet to be sweet, because it is him. Then, he said that and I realized he had done all of it so that I would be at peace going to work Monday, so that I wouldn't worry about the house, or how I looked, and so that I would be energized with good music. He had done everything to help me get rid of my nerves and make sure that I was happy. He is pretty good at being selfless. He is very good at it actually. It is what you are supposed to be, isn't it.

I can honestly say that marriage is not a fairytale. No fairytale I ever read matched that of my life. It's not about the roses or the material gifts. For me, my fears are dragons, my nerves are thorns, my worries are dark shadows. Justin comes through for me every time, not on a white steed with shiny armor and sword, but with a heart that I did not imagine and a love that I thank God for every day. My advice to anyone who is married, or about to be one day, or happily single- don't dismiss the kindness of those who love you. True love is a rare and hidden gift in this world. It is too easily lost in the ideas of what love ought to be. It does exist, even where and when you least expect it and if you should be blessed enough to receive it, never let it go.

What sweet things has your loved one shared with you lately? What acts of kindness of left you in awe?

4th of July Picnic!

Happy 4th of July!

I hope all of you were able to enjoy the day with your loved ones. I decided at the last minute to make a big day of it for us and thankfully Justin was up for it. We had our first picnic yesterday! I could not wait to get into the kitchen and start cooking Friday. Our menu read as follows:

BBQ Chicken

Potato Salad

Macaroni & Cheese

Baked Beans

It is a lot for two people, but it was our first 4th of July in our new home. It seemed like the perfect excuse to cook up a storm! While Justin went to fix up the yard (one too many problems Thursday= us mowing in the dark= BAD yard job) Friday morning, I set to work on the chicken. Y'all, I made this recipe by accident two weeks ago and Justin is in love with it now. It's great for me because it is SO easy.

Looks so much better!

After a little more yard work we stopped for lunch. Justin suggested hotdogs because according to him, and I quote, "You can not get anymore All-American than that". I made lunch, we ate, and then I was off to the kitchen again. If I were my mother, I could have made up the small menu all at once and probably within an hour. That said, I am her less-experienced daughter who is still finding her way in the kitchen. Nevertheless, I worked as quickly as I could for the sake of my husband, our picnic, and for the simple fact that rushing around in the kitchen fills one with a great sense of purpose. In other words, it was fun! Justin helped mashed potatoes and then took over dish washing for me. Since neither of us care for homemade mac n'cheese, we bought boxed. Also, because I keep forgetting to ask my mother for her baked beans recipe, I do not yet feel confident enough to share my method with you on that recipe either.

By 6 o'clock all was done. Justin and I had decided to dress up for our 4th of July picnic. Though we have no pool, I chose to wear my cute patriotic Esther Williams swimsuit with a pair of jeans and my blue and white polka-dotted flats. Justin hasn't a single pair of shorts (long story), but I convinced him to try on his swim shorts he bought last year for our honeymoon. I went back to the kitchen and began packing up utensils, napkins, and plastic containers of food. My dinner plates would not fit in the basket (too tall, too wide), so I grabbed the smaller ones and we agreed to eat one thing at a time.

Y'all, it was wonderful! Justin was amazed how few flies will bother you when you keep the containers covered (again, long story) and the weather was absolutely perfect!

I know any chef would comment that the plate lacks color, but, trust me, it makes up for it with flavor!

After dinner, we tried to relax and lay back on our quilt. The breeze blew every once in a while. The sun was out of sight. There were hardly any clouds, leaving nothing more than brushes of white in a cheery blue sky. I was happy laying beside him with his arm wrapped around me...in our yard...our home. We had just begun to talk of the life we might one day see in our backyard, sighing away with contentment, when "SMACK"! The mosquitos began to attack. Justin had had it by that point. Neither of us wanted to go in, so we decided to run to the store and buy mosquito repellant. You know how those trips are though. You run first to the one that can not help you and then become distracted in the next one that is filled with everything you need and more. We actually ended up catching a few fireworks and then coming home.

It was by far one of the best 4th of Julys I have ever had. I hope all of you are enjoying your weekends. Did you cook up anything special?

P.S. If you haven't checked out the Operation Christmas Card contest yet, please stop by for a minute.

Operation Christmas Card

Crazy as it may sound my thoughts are already on Christmas. It is not just the idea of our first Christmas in our new home or the fact that Christmas is nearly 5 months away. As I plan for Christmas, there is one project on my list that actually needs to be completed before fall. For the last two years I have made Christmas cards to send to Operation Gratitude. If you have not worked with them before let me tell you that it is a wonderful organization that provides many different services to our soldiers, veterans, and their families. One of these services includes sending care packages to our troops. On the lists of items that they ask for is Christmas cards. They have to have them before fall in order to send them by Christmas.

One night during the summer, I get together with friends to craft as many cards as we can. It is a great time to spend together eating, crafting, and hoping that our cards will make their way into a soldier's Christmas box this year. This year, I would like to encourage all of you to join me in creating and collecting Christmas cards for our troops. Whether you make one card or 100s, every card will help.

To add to our fun, I thought I might offer prizes in three different categories for those that are interested. The first prize will be for Cutest Card. The second prize will be for Cutest Card Party. The third (and most elaborate) prize will be for the Most Cards Collected. Here are the details:

1. Each blogger may email me to enter one or more of the contests. Participants, please, please, please share this information and promote this project on your own blogs as well. It is for a great cause!

2. Cutest Card and Cutest Party participants will need to send me photos of their submissions (as many as they would like to send). I will post these images on a separate page on my blog. Bloggers may vote in the final week to decide the winner.

3. Most Cards Collected- after you have collected all of your cards, you will need to email me your final count total.

I will continue to post each week with ideas and information about this project. You are welcome to join at any time between today and August 24th. All images and totals must be submitted no later than midnight August 24th. Voting will be open to all bloggers starting August 25th. Winners will be announced September 1st here on my blog.

Please, I encourage any of you that are interested to join. This is a great project and of course a lot of fun as well. These cards mean so much to our servicemen and women. It is just a small way to say thank you and bring a little bit of Christmas to them. Please share this information with anyone you know and talk it up on your blogs. For more information you may visit the Operation Christmas Card page above. I can not wait to hear from you! 

P.S. Care to share this post? Please do! You may copy and paste the image below.

He Says / She Says

I don't know that we are the only couple to have this happen, but...

Not long after settling into our first home in our apartment, I found that my husband and I spoke two different languages. Now I believe we can both still consider English as our first language. How we use words however was something of a shock. As often as we had spoken in the past, it was not until we were married and in our home together that I found we don't always speak the same language.

          He Says-                        I Say-

           Icebox                      Refrigerator

           Icebox                         Freezer

          Napkins                     Washcloths

     Channel Changer              Remote

          Washer                      Dishwasher

          Washer                 Washing Machine       

Icebox- what I call the "refrigerator" or the "freezer" my husband simply refers to as the "icebox". More than once I have had to explain the difference between the top and the bottom, the left and the right side of the refrigerator icebox cold, box-shaped appliance in our kitchen.

Napkins- this has only caused momentary confusion. After helping me fold a load of clothes one day, yes, I did look surprised when my husband asked me where the "napkins" went. I later found that my husband has extremely sensitive hearing and the rubbing sound made from paper napkins makes him as miserable as the rubbing sound from washcloths when you fold them. Nope, I didn't know that they made a sound either.

Channel Changer- this one is fun! I can't hand over something that I don't know he wants, right? :) "What is a channel changer?" We play about this one a lot.

Washer- this one I figure out depending on where he is standing. If he is in the kitchen, obviously it is the dishwasher he is talking about.

It's funny how many words can be used to describe the exact same thing. Anyone else find that their husband speaks a different language?

Paige

Friday Road Trip!

I know that it is Saturday and no one will see this until at least Monday, but with Justin playing his game I have to take this time to tell you about yesterday...

First, I just want to say that I married a very good man; a very good, smart, hard-working man. These last few months especially have been a little rough for him though. He has steadily been given more and more responsibility and with that has come interrupted lunch breaks, weekends, and evenings. I love watching him work & I love more that he knows so much about what he is doing. Still, anyone who works hard deserves a break from time to time. I first attempted to surprise him with an overnight trip. It was scheduled for this weekend & with a good number of points on our new card the room would cost less than a third of it's real cost. He was SO excited when I told him...and then the craziness ensued. I won't get into all of the details, I will just say that work schedules, hotel schedules, and other times would not work together for us. In the end, the reservation was promptly canceled, but we did find ourselves with a 3 day weekend nonetheless. Now aware of my original intent, and fully on board with a day's rest, Justin declared Friday, June 20th, 2014, to be Natchez, Mississippi day.


Mississippi Bridge! It's VERY tall and pretty long. I have grown up crossing it plenty of times.

We woke up at 8 (just like Justin wanted). An hour later, we were out the door and headed to Taco Bell for breakfast. Sorry, no pictures this time. I was just coming down off that morning high I find myself on when rushing to get ready for a trip. The drive was nice. It was peaceful and long and, with new music on the MP3 player in the car, we were happy!

View up the Mississippi River. You can't see it, but the water was moving really fast.

That would be the bridge we just crossed. Oh, and that is Louisiana on the other side, or as I call it HOME!

We arrived in Natchez just after 11. Justin was adamant we eat first, and with the lunch hour just around the corner I was ready to find our seats at the best burger place in town. Actually, we had looked forward to these burgers all year long and we drove 2 hours to enjoy them. Slick Ricks in downtown Natchez is definitely worth the drive. Beating the rush, we were excited to see we could eat upstairs this time. I snuck some pictures.

Even though we were the first ones there, we still had to wait about 30 minutes for our order. The burgers are amazing and the fries are hand-cut, so it is understandable. Warning: Do not sit above the kitchen! Heat rises. By the time we got our meal, we were so hot that we weren't very hungry. These burgers by the way, may look small, but they are stuffed! We plan to stick to the plan next time and just share a burger.

Justin ordered the Hawaiian Specialty (house patty, root beer glazed ham, grilled pineapples & cherries, provolone & bbq)

I ordered the Double Bacon Burger (Smoked bacon piled high topped with cheddar cheese, green onion sauce, vine ripe tomatoes and spring mix).

Afterwards, we headed out to do some walking. Y'all this is something that I love about Natchez. Justin and I can park our car facing the Mississippi River and walk back towards and all through the downtown area. It is open and clean and very nice. If, however, you are already hot, June is not a good time to attempt walking without a plan. We had no plan. We walked into a few stores & then prayed we would find another with air conditioning. At one point we walked back to the restaurant just to buy a drink. We were just about to give up when we came across this one store that had caught Justin's eye.

Justin picked the Viking duck & I picked the Victorian duck!

Y'all, look what they had! I don't know why, but I have had a secret soft spot for rubber ducks for some time. I always want to buy the really cute ones that I see, but always leave them behind. For $1.75 during a special trip, I gave in. They had every kind imaginable- Christmas themed, Pirates, Nurses, Armed Forces, Construction...the list goes on.

With our ducks in hand, we walked back out into the heat. We made the block again and sighed. It was only 1:30 and we had done all we could think to do. The stores we remembered had either moved (and we were too hot to look for them any longer) or they were closed. Now please know there are museums and homes to tour in the area, but neither of us had planned on it yesterday and we had become so hot that touring a nice home was no longer an option.

View from the river- part of the downtown area.

Walking back to the car, we stopped for nothing. We hopped inside and turned the air on full blast. Only a southerner could create such a beautiful, wonderful necessity! I am sure the police officer parked nearby was having a good laugh at us. Even we were laughing at ourselves. As soon as the air kicked in and we could both breath steadily, we got back out again. We walked along the path to snap a few pictures because, in spite of the short time that we were there, we really did visit Natchez yesterday.

Me in my new favorite shirt. Love it!

Justin was having way too much fun snapping pictures. See the eyelet tennies? I was ready for some serious walking!

Me exclaiming "OWWW!"

He even caught one of me smacking my hand on the bars after catching an ant on my arm.

I caught a few of him, too. Have to love that "Captain" pose. :)

After getting home, we decided to stay out a while longer. Yes, even with this temperature! Only in the south! :)

100 degrees at 4:30 in the afternoon!

Altogether, it was a great start to the weekend & Justin enjoyed his break! Hope y'all are having a good weekend with your loved ones as well!