What I Learned in November

I'm not sure if any of the following items are of lasting value, but here's what I learned this month. It's been a full November. Here's to much more learning in December!

1. The best laid plans probably won't happen.

I sat down on November 1 with all my color coded markers and pages, determined to begin my own personal business year with a bang, and in one week, that had fallen apart entirely. Traveling to speak, helping out with Ryan's mom, and life in general just got in the way. I am still working, but my grand intentions to work with finesse and impressive color-coding have mostly crashed. For now. (I still have hopes for later.)

2. I can't sleep without Ryan even if he's in the next bed.

We stayed with some friends while at the women's retreat earlier next moth. They have two twin beds in their guest room, and I'd planned to just scoot them together, but a table between them nixed my intentions. (See point #1.) So the first night we just gazed at each other across the space between the beds. But the second night, I couldn't fall asleep without him, so I told him I was coming over. And indeed, we slept in a twin bed that entire night. Isn't it romantic?

3. Ryan is an amazing son.

I mean, I knew that. But watching him care for his mom while she stayed with us was a beautiful sight to behold. I appreciated not just the practical care he gave her, but also the compassion. That doesn't come easily to some people (ahem...like to me) and he does it with such grace.

4. Air fryers can crack counter tops. 

Thankfully I did not learn this one from personal experience. One of my friends told me she was cooking turkey in her air fryer and it got so hot, it cracked her Corian countertop! It sounded like a gunshot, she said. Apparently it's a good idea to put a trivet of some kind between your fryer and your countertop.

5. Hoop dancing is a thing.

Let me be clear. I can't hula hoop to save my life. It baffles me, because when you have hips, shouldn't they know how to hula? Mine, apparently, do not. But traditional hula hooping aside, did you know that it's a whole form of dance? I had no idea. One of my friends took it up and said she loves it as a workout.

6. We love Thieves cleaner.

I've gone back and forth on whether or not to invest in a bottle of Thieves cleaner for our house. I've heard so many good things, but I'm so cheap. But this month, one of our friends came over with her bottle of concentrate and filled up our spray bottle. We loved it! It's on the shopping list now!

7. Peppermint + Stress Away Oil = a Candy Cane!

I also learned that the combo of 5 drops of peppermint oil and 3 drops of Stress Away (my favorite oil scent ever) smells just like a candy cane.

8. Holding down the 0 key on the phone gives you the degree symbol.

I learned this one on Facebook and tried it...it works! I guess I don't have a regular need to use the degree symbol, but now and then it's nice to have the option!

9. I like playing with Legos.

We went to visit Ryan's mom one night this month and our niece was upstairs building a Lego ambulance. She asked me to help her, and we probably worked on that thing for two hours. I hunted through piles of tiny pieces for the right parts (using tweezers!) and it was SO MUCH FUN. I've never played with Legos before, but I've decided I love it. Hello, overgrown child.

10. The clock/timer icon on the iPhone is an actual working clock.

How have I never noticed this before? But it's true! It reflects accurate time!




So there you go! There's what I've been learning this fine month. How about you?

Six

This Sunday, Ryan and I will celebrate our sixth wedding anniversary. I'm celebrating it on the blog today, because tomorrow you'll finally discover the fascinating things I learned in the month of November, and then of course we'll have the Saturday Six and the Shafferland Shuffle. Of all the times to have a busy blog, right? :)

So let's celebrate early, shall we!?

It's been fun to filter through my memories on Facebook this week...to see what this week looked like for me, leading up to the big day. Six years ago today I was putting all the final touches on my packing, because it was six years ago tomorrow what we packed up the car and headed to Florida for our beautiful beach wedding. There are no beaches in my foreseeable future this year. :(

But despite the lack of beaches, today I want to honor some of my favorite moments with Ryan from this sixth year together.

Our first TSO concert together...in which Ryan handled the confrontation of us being in the wrong seats SO much better than I did. I'm still turning red just thinking about it. (Major props to him also for running who knows how many blocks from the arena to the parking garage to return my camera after they wouldn't let me in the building with it.)

Not all moments are good or easy, and this next one falls into that category. Last January, we said goodbye to Ryan's Grandpa Echelbarger. Ryan served as one of the pallbearers, and even though my pictures were terrible, his sister grabbed this one, and I'm thankful she did. This was our first time to walk the grieving road together (for family, anyway) and Ryan handled that season so well.

In sickness and in health, right? We had a mostly healthy year, but I did get zapped with a nasty bug last winter, and Ryan stayed up with me all night (on a work night) and registered for an online doctor visit so I could try to get some medication to help me. This is what love looks like. This was something like three in the morning.

We spoke together for the first time this year, and I loved it. (Ended up doing it two more times before the year was out!)

And even when he wasn't speaking with me, he was right beside me at every event, taking care of more technical things than I can even explain to you, supporting me in prayer, taking pictures, and listening to stories from many who wanted to share!

And he makes the best game show host.

He's such a great blend of amazing and crazy. I would have had a broken face if I'd tried this. (And in the spirit of working out, can I just say how much I appreciate his commitment to be healthy and to help me become healthier? I sent him a picture of myself from fluffier days not long ago, and I told him I know if he hadn't come into my life, I wouldn't be where I am today. I appreciate all he's taught me and encouraged me to pursue! That said, I won't be trying THIS.)

This year we celebrated the start of his last year in his thirties. :) Go big or go home. We did both.

And of course, who can forget the surprise party of the year...century?...life? He will get points for this for the rest of his life.

Walking together in the kidney walk was so much fun! More than my face says in this picture. #caughtoffguard

We started recording the announcements for our church (occasionally). THIS is a fun project to do together. And so far, we've remembered not to wear green.

We served together at our church in the patriotic program. Most handsome singer up there? My husband. :)

We tried out the aunt and uncle thing again. We like it. :)

We took a handful of trips together throughout the year, and each one was piled full of beautiful memories. I'm so thankful for Ryan's adventurous spirit and willingness to document everything.

We tried out the great-aunt and great-uncle thing this year. We like that too. What we don't like? 850 mile separations. :(

We made a good new friend in the last year. I don't know that the two of us have ever fallen so hard and fast for something as we did for our beloved Duck Donuts.

Except maybe coffee. There was so much coffee this year. Bless.

We saw a lot of friends this year, and that is something else I love about Ryan. He values friendship and loves to spend time with the people who fill our souls. Even met some for the first time...online friendships for the win!

We've been reading our way through the Bible chronologically, learning so much, and having great conversations about the things we've discovered.

We've had a blast with the canines in our life. (Even introducing them to each other!)

Ryan has convinced me I'm capable of so much more than I realize. And he's helped me have fun in the process!

He's demonstrated how to be a great son, how to face unexpected challenges with faith and grace, and how to blend accepting reality with having hope.

And he understands that sometimes your wife needs you to bring her donuts in the closet while she cries. Life gets overwhelming. Even when he's not overwhelmed in the same ways I am, he sees my needs and meets them.

I love him for all these things and more, but oh how I love most of all, the way he pursues the Lord with all his heart and leads me to do the same:

I love you, Ryan Shaffer. You started making all my dreams come true six years ago, and you still do it in multiple ways every single day. I celebrate year six and all it has been, for better and worse. I welcome year seven and ask God to bring a level of beauty and perfection to the love we share. Let's have more adventures!!!

Christmas in Shafferland 2018

Anyone up for a house tour? Christmas style? I love seeing people's Christmas decorations; they make me so happy! So if you're a Christmas décor junkie, allow me to feed your obsession today!

Let's start in the kitchen, okay? Grab an imaginary snack on your way through. :) My kitchen theme is...food! Coffee, s'mores, gingerbread, red, white, and cozy. I really love eating meals with a Christmas tree right next to me!

And check out our latest addition to the kitchen. A friend of Ryan's gave him this:

Why, yes! That is a tree made from coffee filters!

Oh and here's the mistletoe corner. Fun fact: the mistletoe was the very first thing Ryan and I purchased after we got engaged! And that snowman picture at the bottom is one I painted last year in a canvas class with my friend Marie!

Yesterday I introduced you to Gracie, the live tree we have in our living room. But she's not the only decoration in there. We have a few other pieces gracing our space! This ornament was a gift to me from my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Bryan. This season marks its thirtieth Christmas.

 The Merrcy Hristmas sign is back for another season. :)

 My grandparents' Bible open to Luke 2.

 My new decoration this year: the art print by Brent Vernon. And...last year's official Christmas photo.

 This corner is my collection of ornaments and décor from people who have passed away. I think of them every time I look at what I inherited from them! (The monogrammed platter is hand painted and was a birthday gift from my talented friend Amber.)

 The stockings were hung by the imaginary chimney with care...

 Gracie...in case you forgot what she looked like:

 One of our new ornaments this year. We got this one during our Midwest Meandering vacation this summer.

 The ornament that summarizes our year...since we read through the Bible this year.

 Our first Christmas:

Our bedroom holds our tree with all the names of Jesus on it:

We put up a tree in the guest room, along with a few other decorations:

A tiny tree in the office, alongside my favorite nativity set.

And just a taste of the outside festivities:

So there you have it! Shafferland 2018...at Christmas! Hope you enjoyed it! :)




Sharing our tour with...
A Very Merry Christmas Tour on Little House of Four