"Yes" in My Marriage

I have a hard time saying "Yes."  "Yes, hon, let's go see that movie we've both been eyeing."  "Yes, let's splurge on a steak for dinner this weekend."  "Yes, let's skip class and sleep in and...ahem...spend some time together this morning."  "Yes, let's go stay in a hotel this weekend."

Actually, I have said "Yes" to all these statements at least once before, but it's always a struggle.  Usually I don't want to spend the extra money.  We can eat what's in the house!  We can watch a movie on Netflix!  We can just stay home and relax this weekend!  I really should go to class today!

But you know what?  I never once have regretted saying Yes.  It's always worth it.  We do something fun, together, special, and it's always a blessing.

Take this weekend, for example.  We've been talking for a while about spending a night at a local hotel--nothing fancy, just to get away--and I'd been balking about it.  "We really don't need to spend the extra money.  We can just stay home and have a quiet weekend."  Well, my husband knows me.  He knows that if I stay home, I'll be constantly thinking about--and trying to get done--all the things around the house that I KNOW need doing.  Like cleaning the bathroom, scrubbing the kitchen floor...you get the idea.  He also knew that if he kept asking, I would just keep saying no, and he also knows me well enough to know that I'd really love a weekend away... I'm just too frugal (read: cheap) to say so.

Friday afternoon he picked me up from work and announced, "I've booked a room for tomorrow night."  I gave him the look.  The one that says, "You stinker.  I could say a lot of things but at the same time I can't."  And I didn't say no.  I'm so glad I didn't.

It was a great weekend.  We took advantage of the hotel's pool...along with half-a-dozen toddlers and small children and their parents...we watched cable TV...we both took long, hot showers...we napped...we enjoyed the "free" breakfast...we brought our own supper and DVD because the room had a mini-fridge, microwave, and DVD player... it. was. awesome.

I'm so glad I said "YES."  (or at least, didn't say no!)

Maybe I'll start saying "yes" more often.

What about you?  When have you said "YES" in your marriage (other than when you accepted the proposal!)?

Linking with: Exceptionalistic, What Joy is Mine, The Modest Mom, The Better Mom, The Alabaster Jar, Yes They're All Ours    

Top X (10) reasons I'm excited for summer

This was my husband's idea.  X is the Roman numeral for ten.  Bingo!  A "top-ten" post!  Next week I'll do a top-ten things I've learned during the A-Z Challenge.  It's been quite a month!

Presenting-- the top X reasons I'm looking forward to this summer:

X: No homework.  I don't mind working during the day as long as I can come home and relax and not have homework hanging over my head!

IX: Summer clothes.  Hello, skirts, sundresses, tank tops and shorts!  I'm especially excited to be wearing my sundresses again.  Just pulled one out today for the first time this year!

VIII: Time to get the house clean.  No, seriously.  I was thinking up a list this morning of everything I want to get done around the house as soon as school lets out.

VII:  Summer work.  I have a JOB this summer!  Working at the campus library!  With some of the loveliest ladies ever!  Can you tell I'm a little excited about this one?

VI: Weddings.  FOUR of them, to be exact, and three of the four within eight days of each other!  In two of those three I'm a bridesmaid, and in one of those two my husband is a groomsman (we get to walk down the aisle together again)!  I can hardly wait to celebrate the marriages of some very, very dear friends--and especially my brother-in-law and future sister-in-law!

V: The farmers' market.  And the garden of one of my teacher-friends.  I am looking forward SO much to fresh produce, artisan breads, and fresh flowers.

IV: Time with family and friends.  My sister's confirmation is in just a couple weeks, we'll be in WI again at my parents' for one of the weddings, and they're coming in July (over my birthday week!).  Plus in August we're going to visit some dear friends after they move, and I get to meet one of my dear blogging friends when she and her husband visit us!  AND several of my closest girlfriends from school will be staying in town this summer to work, so I am anticipating some amazing girls' nights and thrift-shopping days!

III: Blogging projects. In addition to the eBook sale (going on next week!  don't miss this!), I have a few other plans up my sleeve for this summer.  I'll let you know more as I know more, myself!  I'm also excited to have more time for blogging in general.

II: Time to do more projects around the house and in the kitchen.  I'm hoping to find some nightstands and furniture for kitchen storage at garage sales this summer.  I also want to start making sourdough, do a better job keeping up with my kombucha, and develop a really healthy (but really yummy!) brownie recipe. :)

I: The number-one reason I'm excited for this summer?  More time with my husband!!  Life can get so crazy during the school year... I'm looking forward to quiet, restful evenings together, fun weekends, and trips to see family and friends together.  This is definitely the best thing about summers: I get to hang out with my best friend!

What are the top reasons you're looking forward to this summer?

Thankful Thursday, "V" Edition

Today I am thankful for variety.  It's said that variety is the spice of life, but I think it adds some sweetness as well.  I just started varying the way I drink coffee.  I normally don't drink it often, because coffee plus rich creamer tends to not settle well with me, but last week I tried something: mixing about half a cup of coffee, half a cup of milk, and a teaspoon of coconut oil and foaming it with my immersion blender.  Folks, I may never drink coffee any other way again.  It tastes as good as any coffeehouse drink, isn't too sweet or rich for my stomach, costs pennies, and tastes amazing.  My immersion blender is a pro at foaming up the warm milk and coffee!  I'm loving this variety in my life.

I'm thankful for the knowledge of our soon-to-come summer vacation.  Next week is our last week of classes, then we have finals, and then school is DONE for the year.  I can hardly wait.  Bubbling in my head are so many plans and ideas for the summer...when I FINALLY have free time!

On that note, I'm thankful for vocation--specifically the ones of wife, homemaker, student, daughter, sister, friend, that God has given me.  I'm excited to focus on "wife," "homemaker," and "friend" this summer, and put "student" away with the books for a few months!

I'm especially thankful--today and every day--for the victory that I have over Satan, sin, and death in Jesus Christ my Savior.  Because of his life, death, and resurrection, the battle against the devil is already won.  We, as believers in him, are victorious!!

What are you thankful for today?  Can you come up with a "V" word in your list?

Of school and cooler weather...blessings abound

The seasons are changing...schedules are changing...routines will change.  It's that time of year, and it gives me so much to thank and praise God for!  It's good to be thankful...but it's essential to know to Who those thanks and praises go.  I am thankful to God my Father, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for all the blessings He gives me every day, and in this new season of school and cooler weather.

Today's post is really late...but I am so thankful for that because it means that today is the first day of our four-day weekend. :)  Joshua has two extra days off between his summer job, and school starting on Monday.

I am thankful for cooler weather!  We've had the windows open every night.  It's so wonderful.  I'm very ready for fall!

I am thankful that my friends are coming back to campus this weekend!  It's been a quiet summer...I'm so excited to see some very special people.

I'm so thankful for work.  I LOVE the people whose houses I clean.  I enjoy working catering at school.  And I'm so excited to get back to working at the library on Monday!!!

I'm thankful for financial blessings.  The bill for our schoolbooks this year was terrifying, but thanks to financial aid it's all covered!  We were even able to help out my brother-in-law with buying books for his freshman year.

I'm thankful for family!  In the last week my parents have celebrated their anniversary and both their birthdays, and my brother's birthday is tomorrow.  Plus we spent last weekend at Joshua's parents.  Our family is amazing.  I love them so much. <3

I am so thankful for the school we go to.  We have amazing professors, and it's such a blessing to be on a Christian campus.  I get to go to chapel every day this semester, and I am looking forward to that so much.  I'm also in three classes with Joshua and three with my best girlfriend, and that is an incredible blessing!

I am thankful that I get to be in "advance" hand bells, and choir, this semester.  I love music, I love the directors, and I can't wait to be involved in our annual Christmas concert in December.  It's also one of my favorite ways to praise Jesus--through music!

I love all the new things that come with this new season.  It's a reminder of how good and great our God really is!!


Linking up to these lovely ladies:
black tag diaries; The Fontenot Four; Kate Says Stuff; First Day of My Life; Lovely Little Whimsy; Passionate and Creative Homemaking

Marriage and Family Reunions

This past weekend we went to a reunion of my dad's mom's side of the family.  This group has been getting together every other year or so since my grandma's parents died in 1998, and before that they met every year at my great-grandparents' for Christmas.  Now the families of my grandma and her three brothers take turns hosting.  We've been practically all over the Midwest in the last 13 years (the two previous reunions were a few miles from my parents' house!).

This year we met at my aunt and uncle's, and it was the first reunion where I felt like one of the adults.  Kinda.  I'm over 21 and married now, and the oldest of my generation of cousins (the youngest is just 8 months old!), but I'm also 8 years younger than the youngest of my parents' generation.  It's kind of a weird place to be in.

Then, of course, the biggest change for me was having my husband with me!  There were about 20 people he hadn't met yet, and I was SO excited to introduce him to my family.

We've been talking about this reunion for months, and I knew it was going to be really different this time.  The biggest thing I had to remember was to keep my husband as my top priority.  Yes, we were with my family and I don't see most of them often, and they have all known me since I was born (except for all the people who have recently married into the family!), but my husband knows me better than any of them.

He is the one I married and with whom I promised to spend the rest of my life.

So during the weekend, while I was flitting around talking to various relatives, I made sure to pay as much attention to Joshua as I could.  He hit it off with one of my dad's younger cousins and they spent some time visiting.  And then Joshua and I had several hours of alone time at the hotel one day, which we both really needed.

We both had a lot more fun over the weekend than we were expecting to.  The weather was much nicer than anyone had hoped, I got to cuddle all my little cousins (and second cousins), and we met for the first time the girlfriend of one of my dad's cousins, who endeared herself to us all right away.

And then we went home...and I realized how important it was for me to remember how important Joshua is, and make sure he knows how special he is to me.

Because at the end of the day (and the beginning!), he is the one who is always here.  We come home to each other, not any extended family (however much we love them!).  We are each other's family...and that's how it should be.

Linking up today:
The Alabaster Jar; lowercase letters; The Better Mom; Raising Arrows

Rest in Him

Sometimes I find it hard to really rest.  Have you ever felt like that?
My mind is constantly in motion, thinking of everything I want to do and especially everything I need to do.  Right now it's a variety of cleaning and organizing projects that I want to get done, and every time I sit down that what I'm thinking about: I could be cleaning out the cupboards right now.

My friend Sara and I were talking about this just yesterday, in anticipation of the upcoming school year.  Both of us have a bad habit of over-scheduling ourselves and then we get to busy with the things we have to do that we don't have as much time for the things we want to do--especially rest.

"Sleep is overrated," we say jokingly, but sadly enough, we often believe it.

It's one thing to rest my body, but it can be so much harder to rest my mind.  Even when I'm not doing things, I'm thinking about things, and stressing about finances, future, scheduling, meal planning!

This weekend we're going on a short getaway for our anniversary.  I know how important it is to take time to get away, to focus on our marriage and our friendship, to just spend some time out of the house.  We've done this a few times in the last year, one of them being on our Thanksgiving trip to see family.  Another time was during Christmas break, when we escaped to a cute little bed-and-breakfast just a couple blocks from home!

My sweet husband reminded me yesterday that sometimes I need to rest my mind, too--clear my head, not think about things that cause me stress, and to focus on the good things, instead.  I know that when I think about everything that God does for me, it's much harder to be worried, stressed and anxious.  Blessings cancel out stress and worry.

Ann Voskamp at A Holy Experience posted a link to this prayer today.  The sentence that hit me the hardest was this:

"Help me live this day at the pace of grace—no faster or slower."

 The pace of grace.  I love that.  I take it to mean that we should make the most of each moment, and take each moment as it comes.  We shouldn't spend so much time focusing on the past or the future, but on how God is showing his grace to us in every hour, every minute.

God is eternal.  He is past, present, and future.

We're not.

When I focus on what God is blessing me with--in every moment of every day--worry has no room to be in this busy head of mine.

I can rest in Him.

My soul finds rest in God alone,

my salvation comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;

he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Psalm 62:1-2

image found here

a few little things

blessings

Most delicious pork roast ever: rub roast with a little oil and then a mixture of herbes de Provence, garlic (I used powder) and ground pepper.  Massage it into the meat, and then sear in a hot pan until brown on all sides.    Meanwhile, rough-chop one onion, two stalks of celery, four cloves of garlic, and if desired two (large) carrots.  Place in slow-cooker.  Rest browned roast on vegetables, pour 1 1/2 cups water over all, cook on high for five hours.  Bliss.  Plus your house will smell incredible all day.


I realized something: having a clean, organized house actually does make me happier.  I am now even more motivated to finish off my big cleaning list.  I checked a few things off it yesterday: the closet is now reorganized, mostly cleaned up, and mostly decluttered.  A little bit is left for today, and I intend to leave it perfect.  I got rid of a fair bit of trash; it was fantastic.


Apparently my husband really likes it when I sit down with him when he comes home instead of when I keep working.  He actually forced me to sit down and stop cleaning last night.  Then, since we had friends over, my friend Ruth did the dishes so I didn't have to.  I realized something else: when I get into "cleaning mode," it's really hard to stop!

My maternal grandmother called last night.  I get to see her on Friday.  I'm pretty excited.

My mom called this morning.  I also get to see her on Friday.  And my dad, my siblings, and other family and friends.  Can. Not. Wait.


Hubby and I had a fantastic morning.

I am guest-posting again today!!  At a fellow young wife's blog--actually, it's Jami's at Young Wife's Guide.  She's such a lovely lady, and she and her husband just found out last week that they're pregnant with their first baby!!  I am thrilled and honored to be guest posting for her today (and tomorrow, with part 2 of the post).  Stop by Jami's blog to read my post and leave her a little love!


We are so blessed.  I'm so thankful.  God is SO very good.

Blissful relaxation

Hubby and I are in a hotel tonight, on our way to Minnesota to be with family for Thanksgiving.

I'm almost giddy.  It's great to be alone, in a place where there are no dishes to do, no cooking to accomplish, no housework to get done, no homework hanging over my head (basically).  Where I can feel perfectly justified in literally laying around and doing nothing.

It's great. :)

I think times like this are absolutely essential: in marriage, in our relationships with God, in life in general.  Times with minimal distractions, times to rest, rejuvenate, to be still and know that He is God, and He is good.

Especially at this time of year, this is a good opportunity to reflect on all that He has given us, all the blessings we have, all that we have to be thankful for: which is everything.

I might not post much in the next few days, and then, maybe I will.  But this weekend, may God open your eyes to see all the gifts He's poured out on you, and may He fill your life with peace and joy.

Thankful Thursday

I'm so tired tonight.  It's almost time for Thanksgiving break, and the semester only has about two weeks after that.  It's been a long, busy semester.  But we've been so blessed this semester.

Today I'm particularly thankful for:

-the fact that one week from RIGHT NOW we will be with my parents, siblings, grandma, aunt, uncle and cousins!!!  I can hardly wait.  I haven't seen my folks since July and the extended family since the wedding in May.  It's going to be amazing.

-only one day left of school till a week off.  My goals are to get the house completely clean (in preparation for Christmas decorating!!) and (finally) finish thank-you notes.  (I know, I know, I'm a horrible person...)

-beautiful fall weather.  It's been gorgeous.  I admit, however, I'm ready for snow now...

-new windows installed in the living room and kitchen today!!!  FINALLY!  They're beautiful, and I'm hoping they will have a positive effect on our utilities bill.  Just a few more improvements and they'll be all done.

-continued healing for Joshua's dad.  (thank you so much for your prayers!)  We'll be visiting him tomorrow and I'll post an update later.

-my amazing husband.  I know, I'm always thankful for him and I write about him all the time, but he is so encouraging, so sweet, so loving, so wise, and such a comfort to me.  I don't know where I'd be without my best friend.

-our wonderful friends and fantastic family--such amazing people are in our lives!

Ever Thankful

SO much to be thankful for this week (as always)!

1. Monday: learn I'm getting a much bigger refund from our school than I thought. Tuesday: learn our car needs repairs that will cost more than it's worth.  Wednesday: find a possible vehicle owned by a person who lives right across the street.  (On Craig's List.  Not half an hour after it was posted.)  We haven't decided for sure on this vehicle yet--it's a Ford truck--but it is within our price range and looks to be in good shape.  I am really excited to get a new car!!!

2. Tuesday morning home with my hubby.  I woke up at 6:30 not feeling good so emailed profs to tell them I wouldn't be at morning classes.  I needed it so much.  We both did.

3. Working out yesterday with BOTH my best girlfriends here!

4. A four-day week.  This weekend is "fall break."  We just get Friday off, but I can hardly wait for an extra day to sleep in, no work on Saturday, time to relax!

5. We are going camping with good friends this weekend--just a few blocks from home, actually, but I'm excited. :)

6. I love fall here.  Not quite as many colors as in Wisconsin, but it's still so beautiful.  Yesterday was one of those perfect fall days: cool but not cold, breezy but not terribly windy, sunny but with some lovely clouds too, and mysterious fog in the morning.

7. This is the most important but the one I will say the least about.  Joshua and I have had some major bonding experiences this week.  We feel much closer and know each other much better now than we did a week ago.  God is so good and constantly unifying us--making us more one with each other and more one with Him!

linking up to black tag diaries :)