The Dreaded Sickness

No, I'm not talking about small pox, or the black plague, or yellow fever.... I am talking about the most obnoxious, awful sickness out there: The common cold.

Maybe it's just me, but I think that sniffling for days on end, with a cough and sore throat is the worst. I'd rather have the stomach flu for one day and be done with it. But no, I get a nasty cold.

Yuck.

I spent yesterday in a snot filled, headachy, scratchy, hot and cold, no voice whatsoever haze. I didn't leave my bed unless it was to get more water (if my husband wasn't home), to use the bathroom or to take a hot bath. I watched several movies through half closed yes, pretty much an entire season of Scrubs and took lots of naps.

I didn't do any homework, or anything productive whatsoever. It was the worst day of a cold I have ever experienced. It was like cold+flu=misery.

Luckily, my sweet husband was there to take care of me. He made me hot chamomile tea, brought me soup, refilled my water bottle, kept people from bothering me (I am NOT a pleasant sick person, and no matter how much I love someone if they aren't my husband or my mom I don't want to see them) and did the sweetest, nicest thing ever for me last night.

Story time: I had the worst headache as I was trying to go to sleep. But I couldn't relax enough to fall asleep. I texted him that I needed him (he was in the next room, but whenever I get a cold I completely lose my voice for days. Work was real fun today... try being a receptionist who can't answer a phone.). He came into the room, and I whispered, pathetically I might add, that my head hurt and I couldn't fall asleep.

And even though he had a ton of studying to do, and his favorite show was on, he laid down next to me, pulled me into his arms and held me until I was pretty much asleep. He knows that I have a hard time falling asleep without him. Having him next to me makes it 10x easier to relax. And even though it was only for a few minutes, having him hold me made everything better. Even having the worst cold I've ever had.

Dearest friends, I married one hell of a good man.

(Linking up with: Faith Filled Friday, Friday Favorite Things, That Friday Blog Hop, Womanhood With a Purpose, Weekend Blog Hop, Feed Me Friday, It's Almost Friday Thursday Blog Hop, Black Tag Diaries, First Day Of My Life, Pretty Little Inspirations, Link and Mingle, It's Ok Thursday, Friendly Friday and Lovely Little Whimsy.)

A Dance in the Most Unlikely of Places

Sometimes life gives you perfect moments.

Well... sometimes the love of your life gives you perfect moments.

For instance, last night... If you can't tell, I've had a rather rough week and some frustrating times. Last night was an emotionally rough night. I was feeling vulnerable and scared and overwhelmed.

As I was getting ready for bed, I stood in the bathroom waiting for the water to get warm enough to wash my face. I had some nice music on to help soothe and calm my tense mind and body. I turned around and ran straight into my husband's open arms.

He wrapped his arms around me, and started to slow dance with me. In the bathroom. To the perfect song. And as he moved me slowly in a circle, arms holding me to him, the tension started to melt away. My hand, made perfectly to fit in his, found it's customary place at his neck, fingers ruffling his hair. His hand found mine, and brought it to his chest.

We were so close to each other, so lost to each other, that it didn't feel like I was dancing in a bathroom on cold tile. I was in my fairytale. My head cradled in the hollow of his shoulder. Our hearts beating out the symphony of our lives in perfect harmony. Hope quietly blossoming all around me.

But most importantly was the certainty, the knowledge and the profound truth of the love that we had for each other. Our forever love. Our in-the-face-of-whatever-life-could-through-at-us love. Our God given, heaven sent, worked for, prayed over, stretched over long distances, love.

As the song ended, he kissed me. The perfect kiss for a perfect memory. I clung to him for a moment longer, and then he left to let me finish getting ready for bed. And after I watched him go, for the first time in a long time I cried happy tears. Healing, happy, hopeful tears.

It is amazing how much one dance in the bathroom can do for a person.

Also, Happy Veterans Day!

I am so grateful for the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much for this country. I am grateful for my husband's bravery, kindness, patriotism and sacrifice. 

We live in the land of the free, because of the brave.

Photo by Stacy Marie Photography

Photo by Stacy Marie Photography

(Linking up with Monday Meet Up, Make It Pretty Monday, Mingle Monday, Hello Monday)

Holy Crap Batman, We are Going to Disneyland!

Wanna hear something awesome? I made it through this week alive. 

Yes, this constitutes as being awesome. Pretty much because it has been on interesting week. Like, going to Instacare after work and living on advil kind of interesting. ( No worries, I am fine now. Promise.) You know, mountains of homework just trying to drown you kind of week.

But, on the whole, considering the usual "without-ness" (i.e. no phone, no car, no house of my own) lots of good happened this week.

1. WE WON A TRIP TO DISNEYLAND!!!!!!!!!

I am NOT kidding. We won a trip to Disneyland from 101.9 The End . So. Freaking. Excited.

You guys don't even understand. This place makes me so happy. This is where we went on our Honeymoon. And I am just so darn grateful because Last year Stephen missed our FIRST anniversary (kind of a big deal). He was serving with the military, and he was gone. It was devastating. (He also missed by 21st birthday and Thanksgiving and Halloween. Bummer, right?)

I really feel like God blessed us with this whole trip. You see, we are going back to Disneyland for our 2 Year Anniversary. We really, really wanted to go. But we weren't sure we could make it work out financially. But thanks to that blessed radio station, we can!

I don't think this could have come at a better time. Stephen was gone for so long and he missed so much. I remember the night of our first anniversary, he was gone. I couldn't even hear his voice. I kept on pushing the arm of my bear where he had put a voice chip from Build-A-Bear telling me how much he loved me. I cried myself to sleep, with no one to comfort me but my cat. There were many times I didn't know how I was going to make it through this past year. But we did it!

And look what God gave us in the end? It isn't very often that sacrifice, bravery and service get rewarded. But I think that thanks to 101.9 The End, we will get to make up for all the memories we missed.

All I can say is thank you. Thank you to our friends and family who supported us through so much heartache. Thank you to my husband for being so brave, strong and kind. And thank you to a radio station that just thought they were doing some promotional give away. You guys gave us a truly wonderful gift.



2.

Ask anyone, I love marshmallows. These are awesome. I have a bag of them hidden in my desk and I snack on them throughout the day. Healthy? No. Delicious? Yes. WIN!

3. I got to go on an impromptu shopping trip to Target with my awesome sister in law Julianne (she is the one who makes my cute button earrings I am always wearing AND you get to hear from her next week!). Our husbands, her dad and a cousin were watching Act of Valor. Neither of us could stomach that movie (I haven't been able to watch a single war movie since Stephen joined the army. Talk about serious anxiety on my end. I get horrible nightmares just overhearing the movies). So, we went to Target to buy orange juice. Of course, she came back with orange juice and I came back with the above mentioned marshmallows, an awesome new lip color and the most adorable blue dress. (Pictures coming soon, I promise.) It was definitely better than watching a war movie!

This is the dress. It looks better on... but still, here it is. And it was on sale for $9.00!!!

4. Please don't tell anyone, but all this homework I am doing? I am actually enjoying it. If only there was a little less of it... It would be slightly easier. But I am loving the topic. I have a posts in the works about several things I have read and how it applies today. (I am studying American Women's History from 1865-1980s). I have been learning a lot about so many things! It explains the dynamics, expectations and behavior of women today. I guess knowing the past really is the best way to understand the present and predict the future.

5. And two incredible guest posts. Seriously, these guys rocked my world! If you missed them check them out here and here. You won't regret reading these wonderful stories of success, acceptance and going after your dreams.

It has been a fantastic week! I am so excited for the many adventures ahead (I have another post coming that has some pretty big news. At least, big news for me.)

One last thing to be excited about: It is DATE NIGHT! I love going on dates with my husband. Even though we kind of see a lot of each other (usually at least one of us is doing homework or working on something else) this is our one time a week where we get to focus in only on each other. And we try to not talk about stressful things. No work talk here. It is happy time! I don't know what we are doing tonight, but I am pretty excited about it. I love that guy.

(Linking up with Lauren and Carina!)

Frustration and Gratitude

I think that some days the universe decides, "Hey, you know what? That girl has had like four days of happiness and almost no stress. Let's make it rain!"

Stupid universe.

But I weathered the storm. Thanks to my husband. He really is my rock.

I don't want to go into too many details. Let's just say it involved money, money for school, school assignments, my thesis, not having a car and a huge workload at work.

Yup, that about sums it up.

Stupid universe.

I think the most frustrating thing is not having a car. Stephen's parent's have generously let us borrow their car (and live in their basement. I married into a family of awesome people), ut we usually have to be in two places at once. Like, I'm at work and Stephen has to be in school, or he is car hunting. And these two places have to be in the Northernest part of Orem and the Southernest part of Provo. (I made up those words, just go with it)

I am dropped off and picked up. I feel like a 15 year old. I kinda hate it.

But at the same time I am so, so, so grateful that we have people in our life willing to help us along when we fall on hard times.

So... try having both of those feelings at once. Frustration and gratitude. I'm really hoping gratitude wins out. It's much easier to live with. But I'm only human. And, dagnabit!, I want to drive myself to work like a big girl.

Well, Stephen had a job interview today (GO Stephen! He totally nailed it and is now a research assistant in his department. My husband pretty much rocks) and so he was late to pick me up. Like... 45 minutes late.

Shoot. Me. Now.

I was so mad that I had to hang around work after everyone else had left, yet so happy and grateful that Stephen got such an advantageous job. Again, frustration and gratitude.

Stephen fixed everything though. He calmed me down when I was hyperventilating earlier. He took me to Rubio's for dinner (I love their gourmet tacos!).

I ate all the tacos, cause they are so delicious.

And then he did the most amazing thing ever: He bought me new running shoes.

More about my shoes later!

Now, I don't want to get into the connection between my husband and my running goals. That needs it's own post.

But it totally turned my day around.

I think gratitude might have even won out. It's funny, isn't it? How two emotions can so strongly overcome us. I wish I could say I open my heart and life to more gratitude than frustration. I'm working on it. But more often than not I find myself frustrated at the little things. I get caught up in having to be dropped off and picked up, the stupid toilet at work not working or even my nail polish chipping. These things do not make up a life.

But gratitude does.

Gratitude sheds light on the smallest of miracles. On the joys of friendship. On the power of forgiveness.  Gratitude is what makes happy people, happy. I need to be more grateful. I think I will work extra hard on that tomorrow and see how my day goes.

What do you think usually overpowers the gratitude in your life? I want to know. Maybe we can help each other come a little bit closer to the grateful life, the happy life that we all deserve.

Thunderstorms

This weekend has been fraught with thunderstorms. I am not a fan. I like lightening, hate the thunder. Seriously, I hate thunder. I am a grown woman who will hide under a blanket with my teddy bear (Alex) and I just... hate it.

Stephen knows this.

Once, when we were dating, there was this Gigantic. Huge. Awful. thunderstorm. It was the worst. Windows were rattling with the wrath of this storm. And my three roommates and I were huddled in the living room, terrified.

Enter, Prince Charming.

He got into his car and drove all the way to my house in the middle of a storm. He came in and curled up with me and held me through the thunder. Told you, Prince Charming.

Well, late Friday night (or early Saturday morning) we had another thunderstorm. It wasn't as bad as the one I just told you about. But it was loud enough to wake me up. After the first roar of loud thunder, my husband immediately held open his arms and pulled me into him. I buried my head in his chest and he held me throughout the storm. With each BANG, he would hold me a little tighter. It was the most reassuring thing in the world.

It was then that I felt like I finally had him home. After all the time that he was gone (almost 9 months) I had to go through thunder alone. And once we were back together in Monterey it was... how do I put this... it was HARD. The military pretty much owned him. He was constantly tired, and not much like himself because he was so busy. But that night I knew that I had my husband back, and that he would be my Prince Charming till the end of time and beyond.

It hasn't been an easy year. September 19, 2011 marked the beginning of my year from H-E-Double-Hell (as my dad likes to say). But, we made it. Finally.

Saturday afternoon Stephen and I headed out to support our soccer team (Go RSL!) The second we set foot inside the Rio Tinto stadium the rain started pouring down. We waited in line to buy horrid looking ponchos (I love the word poncho). As soon as it was finally our turn to actually buy the darn piece of plastic, the rain stopped. Story of my life. We bought them any way though. The clouds looked threatening.

We found our seats, climbed over ten disgruntled and wet people and sat down. Two seconds later there was lightening. And the game was suspended. 5/8ths of the stadium got up and went to stand somewhere dry. Stephen just looked at me and said, "We'll just ride out the storm."

And we did! We stayed, we got wet-ish (Stephen ripped his poncho...) and after waiting for an hour in the rain and lightening and thunder (it wasn't too boring, some very drunk people provided excellent entertainment) we got to watch an awesome game. Those poor people who couldn't handle the rain really missed out!

I walked away from that thinking about the year we had just made it through. The wait was long, the time was truly horrible. But it had it's moments. Visiting Stephen and having the best weekend of my life over presidents day. Our awesome airport moment. Finally being in his arms, even if it was only for a few days.

We waited out the storm, and it was absolutely worth it. It's a nice reminder that even though sometimes life gets dark and you have to hide under the blanket to escape the thunder, waiting at the end is a breath of rain soaked sidewalk. What is better than that?

And if you are lucky enough, like me, someone will come to you in the middle of your storm, open their arms and pull you close to their heart. And you will know that is exactly where you belong.