Halfway to a Year!

Yesterday Daniel and I celebrated 6 happy months of marriage.

Can you believe I get to spend the rest of my life with this guy? ;)

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Most of the bloggers I follow give little updates about their children and what they are learning/doing at certain stages in their life, but Daniel & I have no desire to have children for quite some time. So... I thought I'd give you a little update of what we've learned in the first 6 months of marriage. ;)

1. We keep hearing "the first year's the hardest", so far ours has been great but we still have six months to go with school, job and housing decisions to be made.

2. It doesn't matter if the silverware is perfectly in it's drawer. It's put up and that's all that matters.

3. We're a team. Decisions are made together.

4. Husbands don't like soups. (Mine doesn't) No matter how hard I try.

5. Two sinks in your bathroom are necessary at bedtime. This is now a top priority on the house search.

6. Wives don't like when brown rugs are put with white towels on hot in the washer.

7. Husbands eat A LOT!

8. Date nights are necessary.

9. Laugh. It's not ALL romance. ;)

10. Say I love you more than you think you should.


We've learned many more things in the past 6 months but who really wants to read them all but us.

I've told Daniel a few times now that marrying him was the easiest decision I ever made. There were no doubts about if we'll make it then. And that still stands true. I know 6 months seems like nothing especially when I think about 30 years from now and where we might be, but I also know that these moments are just as special. They are the beginning to forever. They are the stepping stones to the future.

I love you Daniel. Happy 6 months!

Flippin' Flashback #1

I thought I'd start this flashback week with a post that I came across that was written almost two years ago.

I'm posting it to help remind me that simple really is the best way to go.

Almost two years later I still want all these 'simple' things :)




Simplicity : the state of being simple, uncomplicated, and uncompounded

Aww...yes... that sounds just lovely doesn't it? Uncomplicated. I love that thought, that "theory". But it's so absolutely and positively hard to do in our world today.

So I've decided, I want simple. I'm striving for simple in my life. Not exactly what you hear people today striving to get outta life is it?

Let me tell ya what kinda simple I want.

I want the simple love. The one where I love you and you love me and no one could ever get in the way of that.

I want the simple house. The small quaint old house that makes it absolutely impossible to escape family by wandering off to the entire other side of the house. I just simply want to make a house a home.

I want the simple car. I don't need to spend my entire years salary on a something that quite frankly just gets me from point A to point B.

I want simple leisure time. Gardens, picnics, family, friends, kites and swings... yep those are the things that can "simply" put a smile on your face. :)

Life, it isn't simple. It's absolutely complicated. So I'm going to simplify what I can control. I'm going to enjoy the simple things life offers me each day. You know, those things that get taken for granted by the complicated job, the complicated boy, the complicated decisions that stare you straight in the face and need an answer right away.

So step back every now and then. And enjoy the simplicity that life has to offer.

Stength

"Live the life you're proud of and if your not, have the strength to change it."


The above is a quote I came across.

And I thought, 'such truth'.

Have the stength to change it.

If there's something else you want out of life...

Get out there.

Do something about it.

Have the courage.

Make the changes.

Take chances.

Live.

How simple.

And I love simple.

:)

I Hope I'm Not Forgetting Anything...

Because I'm jumping up and down with joy!!!!!

I have nothing to do and nowhere to go this weekend and no one is coming to visit!

I have a list longer than Santa's naughty or nice list of things to do around the house that's gotten out of control.

I have not had the time to tackle much lately.

Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed every weekend the past 3 months or so. And that's how long it's been since I haven't had weekend plans. But dear Lord, I just need sometime to do things around the house that make me happy.

You know stuff like this, along with a little painting, organizing and making all kinds of of fun stuff!

Oh I just can't wait!

Please Friday, hurry up and show your pretty little face so I can enjoy a relaxing productive weekend with no one but me. :)

What Can YOU Do Wednesday?

"Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." -Lao Tzu

"We don't need to increase our goods nearly as much as we need to scale down our wants. Not wanting something is as good as possessing it." -Donald Horban

Above are a few quotes that I found today that I really enjoyed.

I saw much truth in them.

We continue to want more.

But what do we really need?

How many things are in your home that are there for the simple fact that you wanted them?

More than I can count are lingering in the closets and cabinets of my home.

These things are just sitting there wishing they were with someone who would actually use them instead of just gawking at them.

I'm tired of being this person who wants.

I'm tired of being this person who sees my wants more than I see others needs.

It must be changed.

I'm going to spend the next couple of weeks taking apart each room in my home and giving away many of my wants.

I'm not doing this to make myself feel better.

I'm doing this to help someone else.

Who NEEDS 20 jackets? 40 pairs of shoes?

So I encourage you to downsize to take a few of the things that you want and give them to someone in need.

I will try and post as I get rid of things so you can help me give these things away if you know someone in need of them :)

Happy "keep chuggin' along, you're halfway through" day!!!!!

Throwback Thursday

First semester, freshman year with Lacee Lou :)

The new semester has started.

And I have to admit I'm stuck somewhere in the middle of wanting to get out and enjoying where I'm at.

It's no secret that it's taken me a little longer to get through my schooling.

I've had some up's and down's and I'm thankful that I've had wonderful parents that stuck through them with me and still support everything I do.

I do know that it's time to move on and that's what I'm working hard to do.

But since it's the first of the semester I find myself remembering the beginning.

The first year, the first semester the first time away from home.

It became more and more clear to me when my younger cousin (who is a new freshman on campus) came over for dinner last week.

She was so excited about dorm life and her new roommate.

Things I remember being excited about, minus dorm life. I got lucky enough not to have to live in a dorm.

But mostly it reminded me of how young I was and how much happens and changes you in your short lived college years (or in my case long lived college years.;)

At 18, I new it all. I needed to get out of the house and away from parents. I needed to be on my own and making my own decisions. Decisions that I was positive were easy to make.

Now at 23, I realize that some of the choices I made were not the right ones. And some of them were just part of growing up.

I do remember my freshman year being more fun than I imagined college life would be.

It was one of the most carefree times in my life when freedom took over and self control didn't much exist.

You live....you learn.

The one thing that I wish I could tell my cousin and have her truly believe is that this person you are now, she won't exist in 5 years.

It's something you learn on your own though.

You become more aware of your choices.

More aware of who you are and who you one day hope to be and you act on it.

More aware of others and not so much yourself.

More aware of family and how much they are the center of it all.

It's so amazing how much you change in such a short span of time.

It makes me excited to see where the next 5 years take me and what my thoughts will be on my life now. :)

Happy Thursday!

I've been tagged by Ms. Erin Tobin!

Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note completing the 36 "I’ve come to realize." So fill it out, and tag away but let people know who gave this to you! Have fun!

I've come to realize that my chest size...is perfect the way it is.

I've come to realize that my job....is very rewarding and keeps me laughing.

I've come to realize that when I'm driving....I rarely use turn signals and sometimes imagine I'm a race car driver

I've come to realize that I need...to make each day count.

I've come to realize that I have lost...a great deal of my selfishness that I once had, thank goodness.

I've come to realize that I hate it when...people don't say what's on their mind.

I've come to realize that if I'm drunk...I will feel it in the morning, I'm not 18 anymore.

I've come to realize that money...can be a headache.

I've come to realize that certain people...make my life what it is and for that I'm grateful.

I've come to realize that I'll always...love my blankie and will NEVER want to share it.

I've come to realize that my sibling(s)...are nonexistent.

I've come to realize that my mom...is one of the greatest people in my life.

I've come to realize that my cell phone...doesn't have a chance.

I've come to realize that when I woke up this morning...I was comfy.

I've come to realize that before I go to sleep...I always check FOX news.

I've come to realize that right now I am thinking… how can I be tired when I lounged on the couch all day.

I've come to realize that my dad...can never be replaced, he lights up my life.

I've come to realize that when I get on Facebook...I look at the same 2 or 3 peoples profiles and then get off.

I've come to realize that today...was unproductive.

I've come to realize that tonight...I'm going to get things ready for the new week and go to bed early.

I've come to realize that tomorrow...I've got a million things to do.

I've come to realize that I really want to...see where it goes.

I've come to realize that life...is imperfect and can't be planned.

I've come to realize that this weekend...went by too fast.

I've come to realize the best music to listen to when I'm upset is...duffy or amos lee...

I've come to realize that my friends... make my heart happy.

I've come to realize that this year...has been one of the best.

I've come to realize that my ex... was never worth it.

I've come to realize that maybe I should...take more chances.

I've come to realize that I love...what you learn as you grow up.

I've come to realize that I don't understand...everything but each day I understand just a little more.

I've come to realize that parties...are much more fun when their with only your best of friends.

I've come to realize that I'm totally terrified of...losing loved ones.

I've come to realize that my life is...close to perfect...to me anyway. :)

*Update* I've been asked a few times if this post was because of something recent that had happened. I'd just like to say that it isn't. In fact, it's just me feeling comfortable enough now to talk about it and be completely passed the past. :)


If you allow someone to have every ounce of you inside and out and they abuse that, how do you recover?

Tough question.

I sat outside on the curb crying as he told me things such as, "you deserve better than me" and "I can never be the man you deserve". What a coward. What he should have said was, "I really just don't want to shape up and be the man you deserve. Oh and by the way there's someone else." At least if he would have uttered those words they would have been the truth. Afterall, if you're going to break someones heart I believe you should do it honestly. Plus, had the truth flew out of his mouth I probably would have been pissed instead of hurt and I probably would have moved on from it all much quicker. I would have at least got a good punch in before I sent him on his way.

Instead, he lied to my face, kissed me on my forehead and was on his way. Leaving me there, with my tear soaked face wondering what I had done. Had I asked too much of him? What was I lacking that he needed? Of course every little thing goes through your mind...... but the obvious thing, it wasn't you it was always him.

But it's not very uncommon for a woman to give her all to her man. We stand beside you through thick and thin. Even when our friends and family tell us he's a loser and that he'll more than likely never amount to anything more than a convenient store clerk. Somehow, you have faith in him. Faith that he'll change his life around and be the man you always wanted, needed, and deserved.

NEWS FLASH! You get what you see. Ladies, think about it.... when you go into a relationship are you thinking about how much this man is going to change you? You know how much he's going to change your control issues, your OCD, your faith, your bad habits. NO! Of course we aren't thinking about him changing us because we're perfect (or so we believe) and we don't need to be changed. He does. But if we're not willing to change why do you so badly believe your man will change and also why believe that it's going to be so easy to get him to?

So I thought I could change a man and learned the hard way that you definitely can't change the big things. I also learned that you shouldn't be with someone who you feel like you NEED to change most of the big things.

So you've put your all into this thing and then you get dumped. And I don't think it's the person that I missed so much. It's everything that I gave that I missed so much. You know that feeling, when you've given all of you and there you are a mess with nothing to give someone else. Not that you want to at that point. But you want to kick yourself for putting so much faith into a person who didn't deserve the smallest token of your devotion.

So you slowly recover from it all....

And then you promise yourself just one thing....

That it will never happen again.

And how in the world will you prevent that from happening?

Easy. Don't give a thing. Don't give your faith. Don't give your heart. Don't give anyone the ability to break inside of you and see who you really are.

I'm so guilty of this. Just yesterday I found myself sitting in front of my friend Jenna saying something like this, "Just assume nothing will work out and you won't be disappointed if it doesn't." What? I never used to say ridiculous crap like that.

Then Jenna pointed out that maybe it's better to be a little more positive than that. I thought about it....maybe.

And then I kept thinking.

Then I came up with this... I'm still letting someone else control me if I'm thinking like that, I'm letting them control my faith in people. And they don't deserve that ability. Afterall, they weren't good enough to make the cut so they sure as hell aren't good enough to control my life well after the fact.

Now do you keep your heart guarded? Absolutely. You don't want just anyone to break in. Afterall, that's part of the reason why you are who you are today. Because you allowed someone in that really didn't have any business there.

So I think it's important to find a place in the middle. Yep that big ugly word, compromise. Which if you know me is something I desperately hate to do. I want what I want and that's mainly control. But it's not realistic to think that you can control everything. And I don't think it's healthy to think that you should. You should give a little instead of always taking a lot.

So I sit here on this Sunday afternoon thinking about all the things I should be more willing to compromise on instead of control and must admit that those thoughts are all because of a broken heart and someones lack of give and total selfishness. Which I guess I should be thankful for.

Grown Up. Who Me?

The other night I sprung up from bed and gasped for air to breathe.

Nightmare.

But more of a grown up kind of nightmare.

I've had this nightmare twice in the last couple months.

What is it about?

Getting my house broken into?

Getting kidnapped? (woman-napped? is that the correct term for a female over 18?)

Never graduating?

Nope. None of the above.

The thought going through my little mind that was fast asleep in my princess bed?

"I'm a grown up!"

The whirlwind of thoughts that followed were something like this....

"Someone trusted my enough to live on my own and not die!"

"Where's my Momma and Daddy? Why don't they cook me dinner and wash my clothes anymore?"

"Do I really pay my bills on time every month without ANYONE telling me to?"

"I've been driving for almost 8 years now.. really."

Seriously, this is not the first time I've had this dream/nightmare. I had it one night a few months back and I woke up the same way gasping for air and called my Momma right away.

She exclaimed, "Umm, you've been doing it for 5 years now."

Funny how it has just hit me.

So.... while out shopping today I came across a book that caught my eye. The 10 Women You'll Be Before You're 35.

Perfect.

Because I need to know that I'm normal and that waking up gasping for air over growing up is normal.

I've started the book and will have to get back to you on how the reading goes. Hopefully it's full of lots of insight.

Seasons Of Life

World Lit.

It's awful. I hate this class. I cringe at the thought of having to go.

I literally have to pump myself up and tell myself it's crucial to stay awake before I enter this classroom.

So imagine my surprise when I learned something in it.

Well, I had something brought to my attention that I found very interesting.

Something that I knew all along and hadn't taken the time to stand back and take it all in.

Seasons of life...

I love the thought of this. I love seeing your life through different seasons.


Spring

Birth. When life begins. When you are brought into this world and you're young, fragile, innocent, clueless and ready to learn. You have your whole life ahead of you and the thought of it being over is far from your mind. After all, life has just began. Everything is new to you. Everything is exciting. Full of life. And you can't possibly wait for what tomorrow might bring.

Summer

Perfection. You are now old enough to know right from wrong. Old enough to make your own choices. It's just you. It's your time. Your time to learn about yourself and what you want out of life. You begin to realize what you stand for. And you get to have some fun along the way while doing it. You're life is still full of learning and still quite carefree. And you enjoy it as much as you can, you soak it all up. Because soon you know fall will be coming.

Fall

Fall. It's the middle. It's not cold. It's not hot. It's right there in the middle, just like life. There's now a family. There's quite a few more worries. You're not old, but you're sure not as young as you once were.

Winter

It's closer to the end of the year. Closer to the end of your life. And as you look back and reflect you begin to see what life has offered you. What opportunities you took. Which ones you should have. You wonder if there's anything else you would have done different. But you know, that you can't get that time back because winter will be over soon...


Summer, I believe that's where I am. I'm in a place where it's warm and it's fun and it's always something new. But as the days and years pass I feel more and more ready for Fall. Ready for what else life has to offer. More depth. More meaning.

There are two seasons I look forward to each year. Spring and Fall. When I look at it closer it makes sense that I wait and wait for these two seasons.

I love new life. I love children. I love the innocence and the way they are so enthusiastic about the small things, about everything. I love their need to learn new things each and everyday. Spring, I adore it.

I also love the thought of the next chapter in my life. I love dreaming and thinking about how my life will soon be. The next chapter is full of love. The next chapter is making a life with someone I deeply care for. The next chapter is children of my own. And though this will not be happening today or tomorrow or next year, it's the next big thing around the corner and I long for the day that My Fall is knocking on my front door.

Simple Is Serene.

Simplicity : the state of being simple, uncomplicated, and uncompounded

Aww...yes... that sounds just lovely doesn't it? Uncomplicated. I love that thought, that "theory". But it's so absolutely and positively hard to do in our world today.

So I've decided, I want simple. I'm striving for simple in my life. Not exactly what you hear people today striving to get outta life is it?

Let me tell ya what kinda simple I want.

I want the simple love. The one where I love you and you love me and no one could ever get in the way of that.

I want the simple house. The small quaint old house that makes it absolutely impossible to escape family by wandering off to the entire other side of the house. I just simply want to make a house a home.

I want the simple car. I don't need to spend my entire years salary on a something that quite frankly just gets me from point A to point B.

I want simple leisure time. Gardens, picnics, family, friends, kites and swings... yep those are the things that can "simply" put a smile on your face. :)

Life, it isn't simple. It's absolutely complicated. So I'm going to simplify what I can control. I'm going to enjoy the simple things life offers me each day. You know, those things that get taken for granted by the complicated job, the complicated boy, the complicated decisions that stare you straight in the face and need an answer right away.

So step back every now and then. And enjoy the simplicity that life has to offer.

Too Optimistic You Say? Nah. ;)

Just a current thought in my mind........

Who am I? Well, I am overly optimistic, with a whopping heap of faith and a side of realism. Ha. That is how I might describe myself if someone asked me about my outlook on life and how I view it.


It's true I'm optimistic. I love finding the good in everything I can. I am so determined to reach down and pull something great out of something that most people find ridiculous. Of course, there are catches to this, some things are just bad, just wrong and there's no way around that.


I can imagine that to others it can get annoying. But it's who I am, normally they annoy my with there pessimism. So we are even :)


But I believe we take out of life what we want to take. I believe that each day is a lesson in life if YOU want it to be. I love that. I love that I can learn something everyday for the rest of my life. I love that it's never ending. How great is that?

It's Called Life, Live It!

I make to-do lists weekly, daily, sometimes I make more than one to-do list a day. I love it. It's sanity. It helps me see what I need to do. It helps me feel accomplished and productive at the end of the day.

I write down EVERYTHING on my to-do lists.. anything from "Test on Wednesday" to "Game Night w/ Friends" to "Don't Forget to Look into Volunteering" are on my lists. These are all actual entries. My life is crazy some weeks. I'm going, going, going. Quite frankly my life would be an absolute mess without to-do lists wondering all about my apartment and all in my planner.

The main reason I do this, make these lists, is because I really do want to fit as much into a day as possible. I want to try to make my life as fulfilling as I can. I don't want to look back and see my days as wasted. I don't want to wake up one day, be forty years old and wonder where time went and wonder why I feel like my life was just "ok." With these lists I can get all of the small stuff done and concentrate on the bigger things.

So, I started thinking about these things that I want to do. And decided I need a "to-do" list for them. :) A to-do list for life. How much fun is it to map out some of the things you think you can't make it through life without doing. So, this is mine...

....this is my Life List.

- Take a summer trip to Europe. I really want to do this after I'm completely done with school and I have been working for a few years. I want to take this trip during that time in my life where it's still just me, no husband, no kids. Just an adventure for me, and possibly some of my closest girlfriends. (So lets start planning ladies) -

- Have a family, a big one. A family with lots of kids, lots of love, and lots of faith in Him. -

- Write down the thoughts that run through my mind screaming to become a book. -

- Continuously grow in the Lord. -

- Own a convertible. -

- Grow a garden. A beautiful one. One with fruits, vegetables, flowers and of course hummingbirds. -

- Buy an old house and fix it up, make it my families. (I really can't see myself in anything but an older house full of character) -

- Be charitable. Devote my time. -

- Nap under an old oak tree all day long. -

- Go sailing. -

- Live next to my bestie. -

- Never be too old to get on a roller coaster. -

- Take a trip with no plans, just stop anywhere that looks like fun. -

- Take guitar lessons for the guitar I own. -

- Go on Safari. -

- Laugh at life's little surprises. -

My list will continue to grow and I'm positive there are many more things on it even at this moment. I just wanted to get started on my Life List. Keep checking back, I'm sure it will be ever expanding.

Any fun ideas that are on your list for life? I like suggestions. Anything to help me live it up as much as I can, I'm all for it. ;)