Sweet Memories: Round 2

Last Friday I started a new mini-series that looks back at some of my favorite memories over the decade Ryan and I have shared together. This will lead up to our tenth anniversary! Today I'm focusing on some of my fondest memories and moments from our second year of marriage.

Month 13. Shopping Date

This month of marriage was our first month to do twice: December! We learned that December will always be a busy and chaotic month for us, because we'll be celebrating our anniversary and then doing all the things about Christmas, too! During month 13, we were still both commuting and the winter was off to an ominous start of bad weather. But one of my favorite memories from that month was a weekend that we set aside to date intentionally. We went out for coffee and to see the lights on the Walkway of Lights. The next day, we braved slick roads to go to Kokomo to do all our Christmas shopping in one day. It was a simple weekend close to home, but there was something beautiful about being together and establishing new traditions. I dearly loved it. 

Month 14. Starting Our County Tour Project!

You forgot all about that one, didn't you? We got derailed on this project during the pandemic and stayed derailed at WillowBridge, but we have plans to resume NEXT YEAR!  For those of you who may be new...back when I worked at WBCL, I got an idea from one of our listeners to visit every county in the state of Indiana and see what each has to offer. There are 92 counties, so it's no small project. We started it in January of 2014 and did really well until the pandemic. I believe we've done 33 or 34 counties so far. But during the pandemic, there wasn't anything to DO in any of the counties, and then we didn't really have time for it when we were at WillowBridge. But I am determined we will finish this! :) Our first county was Blackford County, which is a tiny little county with not a ton to do. We had fun, though, and we particularly loved the coffee shop we found there. We thought this couch had a good Friends nod to it. 

Month 15. Freezing at the Pentatonix Concert.

This remains one of the most memorable moments of our marriage! For our first Christmas, I gave Ryan tickets to see Pentatonix in concert in Indianapolis. We decided to take a week for a staycation, and it kicked off with this very concert. We were in the middle of a Polar Vortex winter, and it was dangerously cold outside. We arrived two hours before the concert, and the website said doors would open two hours early. The website lied. The doors opened an hour early. So we stood outside for an hour in subzero temperatures. I had literal icicles form on my eyelashes! Ryan was in a sleeveless vest. It was crazy stupid cold. But we survived and got inside only to find out the room for the concert had NO seats. We were literally going to stand for the entire concert. It was a great show, and there's no doubt about it. But we will NEVER forget this crazy night! 

Month 16. Starting Over

When Ryan and I were married (sixteen months earlier, you understand) we each owned a home. We decided to live in mine, since it was more centrally located between our jobs and put his up for sale. A family came along immediately and wanted the house, but they were newly returned from the mission field and not in a position to buy just yet. We allowed them to move in and rent while they secured financing to buy. And then a year later, they moved out, leaving the house a disaster and us in a bind. It was bitterly disappointing. This was the month we were able to list the house with a Realtor after spending weeks of our own time and money to clean up the mind-blowing messes they left behind. This was not an easy season for our faith. We had no idea it was going to get harder before it sold. But this was definitely a memorable month. (The photo is of me shampooing the carpet their dogs saturated with mud. I don't even remember how many times I had to clean that carpet before the water stayed clean.)

Month 17. Scavenger Hunt Date in the Park.

We've had so many fun dates over the years, but I remember this one as extra fun, even though it was pretty simple. On a beautiful spring night, we went to the root beer stand and got dinner to go. We took it to the park in Marion and ate at a picnic table. Then we ran around the park and did a scavenger hunt I found on Pinterest. It was so much fun!! We really loved Matter Park. It holds many special memories for us. We had some of our engagement photos taken there, we went to the Christmas lights there, we often walked on the river walk, and we had some sweet dates there - this one included! Each place we have lived has held a particular spcial location for us, and in Marion, this park was that place. It really is so very beautiful. 

Month 18. The Tulipless Tulip Time Festival.

We have made some great memories on the trips we've taken, and this one kicked off the "are you kidding me?" memories from our vacations. It was full of craziness from start to finish. We went to Holland, Michigan, for the Tulip Time Festival, and we ended up at a hotel that was so awful, we had to leave. We had to wear coats and hats on the beach (in May) because it was so cold. And worst of all? NO TULIPS! They hadn't bloomed yet! Here we are posing with a field of tulips - minus the blooms. Ahhhhh, memories. If we ever get around to do-overs from messed up vacations, this is one I want to do over! 

Month 19. Family Vacation...in the Rain.

This was the month my family went on its first ever full family vacation. My parents were celebrating 60 years of marriage and all they wanted was the whole family to be together. So we went to Shipshewana to celebrate. We had fun while we were there, but the most memorable time was when Ryan and I went on a bike ride with Lori, Jeff, and Cassie, and we got caught in a rain storm!! It was POURING, and we were pedaling back to the bike rental place. The last stretch of the ride took us off the nice little trail and onto a highway. I was trying to ride with my eyes shut (because rain and mascara were making me blind) and not get hit - or hit horse poop. And all this happened right before family pictures. Ahhhhh, memories!

Month 20. Walking the Red Carpet.

We've had some fun memories that are in the once-in-a-lifetime category, and this month held one of those! We went to a Hallmark movie premiere in Fort Wayne! The movie was called For Better or For Worse and was based on a novel written by a local author - Diann Hunt. She had recently passed away, but her friends and family wanted to celebrate her book being turned into a movie, so they threw a huge party and movie showing at a church in Fort Wayne. We dressed up, walked the red carpet, watched the movie, won prizes, and ate some delicious cake! So much fun!

Month 21. Periodontal Surgery.

Our first "big" medical event came 21 months into marriage. I had to have my periodontal surgery, and Ryan was such a gem. He took the day off work to take me to the dentist and then cared for me so well when we got home. The procedure took five hours, and I threw up in the middle of it, which was so embarrassing. (I was sedated, but of course I remember THAT, of all things.) I was so nervous about this procedure, and he was so kind and calming, which is one of the things I love so very much about him! (And he took a video of my post-anesthesia silliness. I saw it the other day. Made me laugh all over again!)

Month 22. On the Radio Together!    

Oh this was such a fun one. I was still working at WBCL, and Lynne took some vacation time. Ryan joined me on the air for an hour of BLT, and it was SO MUCH FUN!!! Jim Barron engineered for us and joined us in our banter. But I loved hosting the show and having Ryan as my co-host. We absolutely fell in love with being on air together during this hour, and that was what led us to look for radio jobs as I was leaving WBCL! The Lord did not open that door for us, but this memory is sweet. We both loved this day so much!

Month 23. Celebrating Our Engagementversary.

You know us. We celebrate all the versaries, and we always have. On this particular day, we had just put our Marion house up for sale (hoping we could move to Fort Wayne) and our Realtor held an open house. We left town for the day - attending the IWU Homecoming parade, having lunch with friends, and then spending the afternoon at an apple orchard and having an apple dumpling snack. Why was it so memorable? Well, we took this picture, which some of you might recognize as our cover photo for our eventual podcast, Spill the Beans. We had kind of a nightmarish experience at the orchard (and we probably won't go back) but the picture was a keeper!

Month 24. The Wedding Ring Tattoo.

No, I don't really have a tattoo. :) This was the month Ryan and I volunteered at the Feed My Starving Children mobile pack event that came through town. Ryan was much more of a natural at this sort of thing than I was, but we did it! I had been told jewelry was not allowed, but I actually don't believe in taking off my wedding ring. So I drew a Sharpie ring under my ring in case they made me take it off. They didn't make me (as long as I wore a glove over it) but they did make me take out my second piercings in my ears. (I had left earrings out of the main holes, but I also never remove my second piercings.) That day kind of went down in Shafferland history because of my aversion to jewelry removal. We ended up having a good time, and it was solidified that a hair net is not my best look. And we found it straight up hilarious that Ryan still had to wear a hair net. 

Hair and Happy Birthday

First up...a very happy birthday to my mom!! She is ____ years old today, and this photo was taken just a couple of days ago when she went to lunch with my sister! Happy birthday, Mom! I hope you enjoy your day! (And don't forget to open the gift we left you!) 

Next up...can we talk about hair?

I had a much needed cut and color this week. I was starting to look questionable, and I feel so much better!

But hair upgrades always make me think about random hair facts and memories, so let's talk hair today!

* My hair has a little bit of wave to it. Not enough to truly be curly, but enough that when I was little, I frequently had to have tangles cut out of my hair. I remember one bad one that Mom worked and worked on one night after my bath. I was crying, we had gone through probably half a bottle of No More Tangles (LIES!!!!!) and Mom reached for the scissors. I think the sheer amount of hair about to go in between the blades scared Dad, so he said something about trying a little longer. Mom handed him the brush and welcomed him to try. Not too much time passed before he said maybe the scissors were a good idea. ;) Anyone else ever have terrible tangles as a kiddo?

* I started going gray in my early twenties. My hair is now almost completely white, but I am too scared to actually let it go. I'm not mentally ready.

* My first bout with hair color involved a home highlight job...you know...with the little caps and pulling it through? A friend from work came over to do it for me, but we were so busy talking that we forgot to put in the highlighting powder. *FAIL!*

* I used to get my hair cut at a walk-in place. You weren't allowed to make appointments there, even if you had someone you preferred. If you had a stylist preference, you had to wait. I think my longest wait for her was about an hour and a half, but she was worth it! 

* If you're a longtime reader here, you remember when I accidentally dyed my hair orange...and then fire engine red. If you haven't been around that long, here you go! 

* Because I always had long hair growing up, I decided to chop it ALL off after I graduated from college. I can't even believe I went this short!! (Cute baby is my bonus niece, Savannah. She's all grown up now.)

* I've had it long and short. I've been red, brown, blonde, and every mixture in between. I've gone straight and curly. I've done highlights and all-over color. I've had layers and all one length. I like to keep it interesting.

* I am grateful for a husband who doesn't mind my hair experimentation.

What about you?? Any hair regrets or particular loves from your life?

What's Up Wednesday

 

It's been a while since I did a "What's Up Wednesday" post, so I thought today would be a great day for that!

WHAT WE ARE EATING:

Well, it just so happens that it is meal plan time, so I am not sure yet what is in our near future, but I can tell you about what we ate over the weekend! (We eat healthy meals almost all the time, but this past weekend was a true food vacation for us, and I was not upset about it.) As I told you a couple of days ago, we went to a county fair on a date this past Friday night, and we both ordered from the same food truck. I got a pulled pork sandwich (but didn't eat the bun) and Ryan chose brisket. It was so good! Both of us asked for a side of macaroni and cheese for that. Saturday morning, Ryan made protein pancakes, and we ate those so late in the morning that we didn't end up eating anything else until dinner time! We had some friends over for dinner, and we pitched in food together! Ryan and I made ham and cheese sliders, and they brought salads and scotcharoos! We mostly lived on leftovers the rest of the weekend, but we did throw in a little bit of pizza just for fun! And now...back to healthier choices!

WHAT WE'RE LOVING:

A few weeks ago, Ryan started doing some online classes through The Bible Project, and he is loving them! I'm usually the classroom nerd of this marriage, but he is really enjoying the format of the classes and all he's learning from them. (He's teaching me stuff I've not heard before, too, so that is a bonus!) I'm still crawling my way through Genesis with my Precept Ministries studies. I'm currently in the middle of Jacob, Rachel, Leah, and all the dramatics. It is never old or boring.

WHAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT:

So many things, really! Perhaps a bullet list is in order.

* We are in the middle of dreaming some big dreams for the future. They're exciting to think about, and we're intrigued to see how they unfold! 

* We are excited about some opportunities coming up to share with area churches and organizations about Love INC. Looking forward to meeting new people and seeing what God does with that.

* Lexi's first birthday is just a couple of months away. I am not planning a party or anything...I mean...no...well...maybe.

* Maybe I shouldn't drag Ryan into this one with me, but I'm excited about fall stuff! Corn maze, pumpkins, mums, sweatshirts, pretty leaves...

* All the milestones with the ten year anniversary that will be coming over the next couple of months!

WHAT WE'RE LISTENING TO:

You know, maybe we should update our music in our car. We have a server with the same batch of music we've had for the last ten years. Maybe it's time to update it! I'm sure it won't shock you to know the majority of what I put on there was southern gospel music. :) 

WHAT WE'RE WATCHING:

We've been binge-watching Without a Trace. We never watched it when it was on originally, so this is all new to us! We've also been watching shows on the Game Show Network while we eat dinner. (People Puzzler, Pyramid, Chain Reaction, America Says.) We are getting pretty good at them! 

WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON:

The yard. :) We are trying to get the weeds out. We have managed to conquer the smallest portion, and it looks beautiful, but we still have so much to go! I just so very seriously did not even know weeds could germinate like that. It's mind-blowing.

At Love INC, we're working on getting our new website up and running. This is going to be a lengthy process, but we are excited about it!

WHAT I'M WEARING:

Ryan probably hasn't been making Pinterest boards about his wardrobe lately, so I'll stick to mine. :) I am thoroughly enjoying the few new things I've been able to get for the wardrobe overhaul project:

* There is the black and white striped dress I told you about a few days ago.

* I also got a new pink/blush shirt that I wore for our family pictures.

* Ryan and I got new t-shirts for a fundraiser. His is gray and mine is green, and we love them!

* I got some hand-me-down clothes from my sister that I've also enjoyed wearing.

So that's what's up around here! :) You're caught up! 

Taking Time to Rest

 

We intentionally protected our Labor Day weekend, trying our very best to carve out time for true rest - body, mind, and soul. 

We had our monthiversary date on Friday, and we did have small group on Saturday. The group was very small, though! It was just us and one other family, and we had the grandest time. We made ham and cheese sliders and bought the chips the kids liked best. (I was so glad for their favorites, because they're some of mine, too!) We sat around telling stories and having fun, and it was good for our souls.

After church on Sunday, and all day Monday, the weekend was all about rest.

Naps.

Movies.

Bible study.

Reading.

Scrapbooking.

Neighborhood walks.

Staying up late.

Sleeping in late. 

I did a little bit of writing, and Ryan did a little bit of organizing...just enough to make our Type-A souls so happy. He went to the gym, and I worked out at home. We mostly survived on leftovers, water, and coffee.

We needed it so much. We needed the nothingness more than we knew.

I've talked about rest MANY times on this blog, and I am unlikely to stop. This world is crammed full of busy people, and we all need reminders to rest. TRULY rest.

I hope the Labor Day weekend was rest-filled for you. But if it wasn't, I hope you can find time to rest soon. You'll be so glad you did!

117 Months

 

Happy Labor Day, my friends! I hope you are able to enjoy an additional day of rest this weekend. I know I'm looking forward to it!

Today I wanted to tell you about our date from last Friday night! We celebrated our 117th monthiversary this past Friday. 

After work, we headed over to Ohio to check out the Van Wert County fair. 

Obligatory state sign photo:

Ryan and I love our home county's fair, but this is the first time I've ever been to another county's fair. It was kind of strange to go to a fair where you don't know anyone - or even where to get in and out! 

We walked around for a little bit to learn where things were located, but we were hungry, so we didn't wait too long to find food! Pulled pork for me and brisket for Ryan! We settled in on some bleachers where a circus act was about to begin. We listened to the end of a magic show while we ate, and I have to tell you...that was some delicious food!

The circus started after we ate, and I enjoyed it a lot more once they got away from the audience participation parts and into the fire throwing parts they had to leave to the professionals. (I want to WATCH the circus, not be IN it.)

We weren't able to stay for the whole circus performance, because we needed to tend to an emergency elsewhere (things are okay now), but we enjoyed what we were able to see! Before we hit the road, we did stop at a coffee truck for some fuel...

We did have a beautiful sunset for our entire drive back to Indiana!

The day may have taken a detour, but I still got to spend it with Ryan, and that is what matters. And as a bonus, the time I got to spend with him after we left the fair allowed me to see even more of the character of his heart. I love him with all my heart, and I am so, so thankful to spend my days by his side. 

Sunday Sentiments

 

I've blogged a handful of times this year about how I'm working this year to be more intentional in my prayer time. I'm writing down requests so I don't forget to pray for them, and I'm working hard to be more bold in my conversations with God. (When I say that, I don't mean I'm asking loudly for things...I just mean I'm working to pray with more confidence.)

But there are times when stuff happens and it can be hard to pray. You can't form coherent thoughts. Everything feels stuck. Maybe nothing comes out when you open your mouth 

Those are the times you need some warriors to stand in the gap for you. 

I had one of those times just this week. I needed to pray, but my mind was too frazzled, and nothing coherent came out. Two things were so comforting to me in that time.

First, Romans says that "The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." (8:26)

I did my best to pray and trusted the Lord knew my heart and the Spirit would intercede for me when my weakness took over.

Secondly, I counted on some friends to pray on my behalf. I knew they could think more rationally than I could in that moment, and they could pray in ways I couldn't!

Not every day is a mountaintop prayer event. I'm not a powerful prayer warrior every single time. It is my honor and privilege to pray for others when they need prayer. But it is also a privilege to have those who will pray for me when I'm in need!

I hope you have prayer warrior friends in your life. I hope you have people you can reach out to - even in the middle of the night - when you need someone.

My sentiments may be short today, but they are heartfelt. Pray with and for your friends and find those who will do the same for you! 

The Saturday Six

 

Today's Saturday Six comes to you with the following theme: things that make me drool. I was going to do my best to leave food off this list entirely, as basically all food causes drooling. But then I got to item #2 and that was over. Sorry! But food or no food...these are some really pretty things I've encountered on Pinterest this week that have left me drooling.

One.

First up, because I'm still searching for ideas we can use in a future backyard layout, I now get tons of suggestions for such things. This week this outdoor fireplace surfaced, and I about fell over in my chair. This is absolutely stunning. This is way more than we would be able to afford, but what I really like about it is that it's freestanding and feels to me like it could be achievable in any yard. I have seen a lot of outdoor fireplaces that are built into porches, and that really is way out of our league. This one is super fancy, but it feels like something that could be more attainable for the standard home than the built-in versions. So pretty.

Two.

Okay, so this one IS food, but it's mostly healthy food! Does that count? It's a beautiful fall charcuterie board that includes healthy foods. I don't know that I have ever before seen Brussels Sprouts on a board, but I'm here for it! So pretty, so fall, and so delish! 

Three.

I realize and appreciate that most people are not as over-the-top ridiculous about Christmas as I tend to be. I'm okay with that! So this might make you nervous instead of ready to drool, but I think it's a very pretty Christmas room. It is a LOT of Christmas in one space, but it makes me excited to think about decorating our house for Christmas this year. I haven't yet worked out where I'm putting my trees (specifically) but I am super excited to decorate them! (Also haven't thought through decorating with a canine assistant...)

Four.

I'm not sure which I love more: the idea of an outdoor fall table for two or the menu she suggests! Both are cozy and beautiful! We no longer have an outdoor porch table for eating, but we could set up our camping table, I suppose! And Lexi loves porch-sitting. She would probably happily sit beside us. (And whine in hopes of scraps.)

Five.

Also along the fall theme...train rides to see fall foliage! This sounds SO fun to me! (I balk at flying, but I do like riding trains. Mostly. Unless I've recently watched Dateline.) I read through the list and saw there is one in Ohio, which is not that far from us! Can you just imagine seeing the fall colors from the seats with the domed windows? SWOON!!!!

Six.

And finally...it's been a while since I nodded to my adoration of A-frame houses. But this sweet little thing is adorable to me. Definitely drool-worthy. Too bad it's a very old listing, right?

Sweet Memories: Round 1

Happy 117 months, Ryan! I love you so and hope you enjoy today's post, which seems very fitting to appear on this day. 

 You know how it stinks when you come up with a great idea and realize the timing won't fit in a pretty little package? Two days ago, I came up with the idea for a countdown to our 10th anniversary. I wanted to pick one thing from each month of marriage and celebrate that one thing each day between now and our anniversary. Problem? I don't have enough days left until our anniversary to account for each month. It doesn't feel like our anniversary is that close! But it really is! So instead, I am going to devote (most) Fridays between now and then to looking back over each of the years. I am grateful for the story God has written for us, and I want to look back at some of the sweetest memories and lessons from each year.

Today we'll throw ALL the way back to the start, with the very first year. 

Month 01. Our first Christmas tree.

Everything about our engagement was fast. From proposal to vows, we only had two days shy of two months to plan the whole wedding and travel to Florida. Then we had almost a week for our honeymoon. We came home and realized we did not have much time at all until Christmas. We hadn't decorated. We hadn't shopped. We hadn't mailed cards. All these milestones for our first Christmas together had to be rushed. As you know, I'm a tree-in-every-room sort of girl, and I had no idea how I would get it all done. My friend and co-worker, Amy, suggested we just do one tree that year. Pull a tub out of the attic, she suggested, and whatever was in that tub would be our decorating scheme. And that's exactly what we did. We spent a coveted weeknight at home, putting up our first Christmas tree together, and for the first time ever, I had a mistletoe kiss! It was the most perfectly imperfect Christmas ever. 

Month 02. Working concerts.

I was still working at WBCL during the early months of our marriage, and I had been assigned to work the Winter Jam concert. This particular Winter Jam was memorable. It took place on a Sunday evening, and the temperature and wind chill that day were beyond dangerously low. Despite that, more people came to the concert than could fit into the Coliseum. They were trying to figure out how to keep everyone safe during a multi-hour wait. It was crazy! I was so grateful that Winter Jam for us fell on a weekend that year (often it happened on a weeknight) so Ryan could go with me, do all the driving, and it could double as a date for us. Our schedule was so full in those double-commuting months that my job provided most of our dates for us. Sure, it was still work, but it was also a lot of fun on the side! 

Month 03. Going to a marriage retreat.

Our newlywed life was far more chaotic than I would ever recommend to any engaged couple. In addition to the double-commuting, we were planning for our at-home reception, trying to sell the house Ryan had owned and lived in prior to our marriage, and figuring out how to find our groove as husband and wife. One of the best gifts we gave ourselves in that season (besides weekly date nights) was a little getaway to a marriage retreat. It was in Fort Wayne, and we were able to hang out with friends, go on dates, enjoy a hotel room, and learn wisdom about our marriage. Fun fact: years later we looked into working full time at a marriage retreat center, but they didn't have openings that would work for both of us. I still think that would have been a very fun job, and who knows!? Perhaps the Lord has something similar in our future here where we are now! 

Month 04. Full circle in the prayer chapel.

I worked at Indiana Wesleyan for 11 years, and I was single for all of them. Toward the end of those years of working there, I would regularly spend my lunch hour in the prayer chapel, praying for my future husband. When Ryan and I started dating (and were serious about the future), I took him to the prayer chapel to pray there with him, and that was such a beautiful moment. I had planned to visit the prayer chapel on our wedding day for photos and prayer but getting married out of state made that impossible. SO! On our at-home reception day, we spent some time in the chapel, having pictures taken and praying together. This was a beautiful, full-circle moment that I have never forgotten. 

Month 05. The first time to celebrate the birthday boy!

Ryan had a birthday this month, and while I have loved celebrating ALL his birthdays over the last decade, this one was particularly meaningful, because it was the first. We both had to work that day, the weather was lousy, and a whole bunch of things went wrong, but we still celebrated, and this particular year is still dear to me because it was the answer to all those many years of praying that I could celebrate my husband's birthday with him! 

Month 06. Beginning to make our home...ours.

This month held so much. There was my birthday...our first annual birthday getaway...and more. But what sticks out to me the most is that this was the month we began to make our home OURS. We started by buying the pergola (we called it a pirogi, remember?) and putting it up on the slab behind the garage at our Marion house. TO THIS DAY, this yard has been my favorite of any we have ever had. Who ever would have imagined it? And I feel that way largely because of this little sanctuary spot we made and loved for so long. We spent SO many evenings out there, napping in the hammock, eating dinner at our little patio table, sitting by the fire pit, enjoying the shade of the massive maple tree, and listening to the wind rustle in the ferns. This was also the month we renovated our little galley kitchen and gave it impressive new life. (New flooring, refinished countertops, painted walls and hardware, and a new stove!) I appreciate all of these things so much more now than I did then. I look back on these memories with great fondness. And one day...one day! I hope we have a yard as inviting as that one. 

Month 07. A Gift of Love.

Yes, the pirogi is making an appearance again. My favorite memory from this month, hands down, was a sweet gift of love Ryan gave me. I was assigned to work a concert in Ohio on a Friday night. I had gotten up at 4:45 that morning, gotten ready, driven to Fort Wayne, worked a full day, ridden over to Ohio for the concert, stayed to the end, driven back to Fort Wayne to drop off the van, and then still had to drive back home. I think I got home about 1:00 in the morning on Saturday, and I was exhausted. Ryan hadn't been able to go with me to this concert, since it was a weekday and out of town. I fully expected him to be asleep when I arrived home, but he met me at the door, led me through the house, and out into the yard. While I had been gone, he had installed lights and a fan in our pirogi, so we could enjoy it even more. We danced out there in the yard in the middle of the night, and I felt so loved.

Month 08. A romantic movie date. 

This was another crazy full month. We watched fireworks on the fourth of July, went to the lake a couple of times, worked some more on home renovations, went to the fair, worked a golf scramble, participated in parades for work. I am fairly certain I had some gallbladder attacks among all those things - brought on by stress, I'm sure. but what I remember most was Ryan picking me up from a baby shower so we could go on a date. He planned the whole thing. We went to a drive-in movie (our first movie together!), and he had made this whole romantic setup in the back of our car, complete with dinner, popcorn, blankets and pillows! I have loved every date he has ever planned, but this one was extra special. 

Month 09. A private beach in Nassau!

Ryan told me from the moment we were married that one day he would take me on a cruise. And before we had been married even a year, he did just that! I had never been on a cruise before, and it was a fun and grand adventure. We made many memories (some of them pretty funny!) on that trip, but one of my favorite memories was the day we ended up on a private beach in Nassau. We still have no idea how it happened. We asked the bus to drop us off at a particular beach - can't remember the name of it now. He stopped, pointed down an alley, and told us the beach was there. I have no idea what beach it was, but no one else was there, and chances are good we shouldn't have been either! We thoroughly enjoyed the privacy and our chance to enjoy a Caribbean beach all by ourselves!

Month 10. Finding our hospitality groove.

Even though our schedules were busy, we did our best to spend time with friends and family when we could. We had a couple of cookouts during this month, eating outside, enjoying the cooler fall weather, and practicing hospitality. I think it was during this season that we realized how much we truly enjoy having people over for meals in our home! (That hasn't changed!) We worked as a team from the very beginning, collaborating on making the meals and decorating the tables. This picture was from the night we had Ryan's dad's side of the family over for chili and cornbread! 

Month 11. Fun with friends.

Because everything about our relationship had happened so fast, it took us months (into years?) to meet each other's friends. My friends Frog and Jenna live in Illinois, and they hadn't been able to come to our reception, so they still hadn't met Ryan. This was the month we took a weekend trip to see them and their two little kids. We went to an apple orchard, carved pumpkins, and had SO much fun together. One of my favorite things about our relationship is how easily we have grown to love one another's friends and how readily all of them accepted us! 

Month 12. Fun Celebrations!

It felt appropriate that the final month in our first year of marriage was also a month of culmination in so many other areas. We cleaned up our yard for the winter. We finished all the renovations projects on the house that we hoped to complete in that first year of marriage. It was a full circle moment, and that wasn't lost to us. But I think one of my favorite moments from that month was a moment that walked us into the first day of our first anniversary celebration. we went to Indianapolis for our anniversary that year and stood in the FREEZING COLD on the Circle downtown to watch the lighting of the Christmas tree. I think we stood out there for about five hours total. I couldn't feel my feet by the end. We were both shivering completely. But it made such a fun memory. We had a front row spot, we heard so much good music, we got to see pretty fireworks, and we celebrated all the good and the hard that had gone into year #1!

Goals for September 2022

 

Happy September, my friends! The month of transition from summer to fall, from green to multi-colored, and from stifling hot to (hopefully) a little cooler! I have many goals for this month in our lives and household, so let me share!

1. Schedule our fall photo shoot. 

As you might remember, we do a photo shoot every fall. Without fail, I typically forget I need to schedule it, and I find myself scrambling to find a photographer with availability! So high on my list early this month is to get our date on the calendar! I am really looking forward to this year's photo shoot, because it will mark TEN YEARS since our engagement photo shoot! (Should we redo some of those poses?) 

2. Complete my Connection Center Coordinator training for Love INC.

I started the first of these trainings earlier this week, but the Love INC National office has weekly trainings throughout the month of September for the position that I hold in the office. I am excited for what I have already learned in the first training and am looking forward to the remainder of the sessions. I want to gather as much knowledge and as many ideas as I can to help make our affiliate healthier and as productive as it can be!

3. Work on the Love INC website.

The website for our affiliate needs a complete update. Last month, a gentleman from our community spent a morning with Ryan and me, helping us set up a fresh website, but I still need to do basically all the work to get it going. A big part of me is excited for this, because it's all about writing and creating, but I'm also NOT a website creator, so another part of me is very nervous about trying to figure it all out. I know Ryan will help with it, and I'm excited to see how it looks when we get it done enough to make it live. (Websites are never really done. They're a work in progress, always.)

4. Decorate our front porch.

This is one of my "ten projects before the end of the year" list items, and I've been saving it for fall. To refresh your memory, our front porch is probably one of the smallest porches I've ever seen in my life. It's in a little cove, and there's literally room for the door and that's it. Decorating it will present a fine challenge. I am hoping to find a very small, narrow table I can place off to the side to hold a few decorations. That might be the hardest part of the whole project. But I am really looking forward to giving some life and color to that space!

5. Finish preparing for the women's retreat.

This is retreat month! I am speaking at a nearby church's women's retreat, and I am so excited to serve them. They chose my Be Still theme, and that is one of my favorites to share. My material is ready, but I want to continue spending time with it prior to the retreat so I can give it my very best. I also need to finish up my slides so they're ready to go. 

6. Make my scrapbook of our family trip.

It wasn't a super long trip, so the book shouldn't take a ton of time to put together. But I definitely want to get it assembled before the memories start to fade in my mind. I've learned that the sooner I put together books after a trip, the better my journaling is. 

7. Choose my workouts early each day.

I really enjoy the website I've been using for my workouts, and I appreciate that on the daily calendar, there are options for different workouts. It helps on days when I want to choose something longer (because I have time) or shorter (because I don't have time). But I need to start making those choices earlier in the day so I can prepare for what's ahead. I think this will also help hold me accountable when I want to do the shortest option I can find even if I do have time! 

8. Journal more thoroughly.

I've been keeping a daily journal since I was fifteen, but starting in the WillowBridge days, the entries became kind of pathetic. Some days I was too tired to write and other days I didn't really want to remember the events of the day. My daily writing prompts over the past few months have made me want to be more intentional and thorough in my regular journal entries, so that is a goal for the month of September!