In the Waiting

Anyone else sick of snow?

Anyone?  Anyone?

Back on January 5th, Ryan and I watched out the window as snow fell, bringing us Snowmageddon, 2014. Every hour, on the hour, I took pictures of our birdbath...watching as over twelve hours, we went from this:

to this:

And it was a fun day. It was a Sunday, when we could bundle up and go build a snowman and make snow angels and wrestle...

And when we got cold, we could come inside and make a pot of coffee and curl up in front of the fireplace to get warm.

That was Sunday.

Then came the week that followed.

The snow that had been so much fun to play in had to be cleared. Ryan shoveled...and shoveled...and shoveled...and dug out the car that got stuck at the end of the driveway. We crept along in our vehicle during the travel ban to get to the emergency room to see Ryan's mom when she got really sick. I left home 2 hours before work began and STILL got there late...and I had a leg cramp on top of it all.

Suddenly snow wasn't so much fun. It had become a headache...and obstacle...even an enemy. Snowmageddon went from a fun Sunday snowed in with my husband, making scrapbookable memories to the never...ending...winter...that has to be dealt with in ways that exhaust me.

Anyone with me on that?

My Facebook feed is filled with people counting down the days until spring, and I think it's something like 56...but the truth is, it doesn't matter when spring arrives on the calendar. Winter is here until it's done, and I have no idea when it will be done. Tomorrow is good with me, but it could be another month...or two...or {please, NO!} three.

I say all of this because this season of winter reminds me of another season we're going through right now. A long waiting season that has a logical end in our minds but in truth, we have no idea when or how it's going to end in our real life.

Anyone with me on that?

Waiting for direction from God? Losing steam in the season that may have seemed fun at the beginning but has gone on until it's long...and exhausting...and obstacle filled...and while the end IS out there...not knowing when it will come is...exhausting.

I say this to you while I say it to myself...spring is out there somewhere. It will come.

And until then...we persevere.

In the waiting and in the winter.

We persevere and wait for this:

Wedding Dress Nightmares

Some brides spend forever looking for the perfect dress. And by "forever," of course, I mean months and months filled with trips to every bridal store in the continental United States, trying on dozens of dresses and PRAYING to find the perfect one.

I found mine online, tried it on the store, and walked out 45 minutes later, the proud owner of a dress. And I'm so thankful it worked that way because I didn't have months and months to visit every bridal store in the US of A.

I loved my dress so much. It was exactly what I wanted, I felt beautiful in it, and it fit our beach wedding perfectly.

But, you see, after you do things like...walk along the beach at sunset, you pick up some dirt on the dress. And when you have an at-home reception three months later, you have to get it cleaned so you can make your second appearance.

And we did.

And the reception went very well:

But you see, after you do things like...parade around outside in an Indiana winter, you get your dress a little dirty, so you need to get it cleaned.

Which we forgot to do.

And so it was that when we cleaned out the home office during Snowmageddon a couple of weeks ago, we saw my beloved dress looking less than beloved, slumping from its hanger inside the garment bag...and I asked Ryan if we could take it in and get it preserved.

I'm not really sure why I wanted/needed to get it preserved, as I don't intend to ever wear it again and we don't have kids to pass it down to, but it was just my way to seal up the most special day of my life.

Ryan picked up the dress last Friday and brought it home to me, and I was so happy to see my beautiful dress all snuggly safe inside its forever home:

I posted a photo on Facebook and...oh my goodness. The stories!! I had no idea so many debacles took place over wedding dresses!

Well, first there were the non-disaster stories of what brides did with their dresses after the wedding:

Kathy said, "Mine's in a Rubbermaid. I used purple tissue to reduce yellowing. That is the most care I put into mine." {Side note: Did NOT know purple tissue would reduce yellowing!}

Jennifer said, "Mine from my first wedding stayed in the plastic zip bag and hung in the closet. I never did get it preserved. Then I did not have a wedding dress for my second wedding."

Megan said, "I had mine preserved and it is fun to get it out and show it to my girls. I doubt they will want to wear it when they are ready to get married, but it's still fun to have.

Molly said, "I didn't really have a wedding dress, but my sister did. I think she got hers preserved."

Amie said, "I didn't know that was something that needed done! Mine's been hanging in a closet for 5 1/2 years. Now that we've moved, its new home is cedar, though."

Carol said, "Mine was preserved for 50 years and then was displayed on a dress form at our 50th anniversary party." {SO COOL}

And then....oh people. Then there were the disasters.

Amy said, "I tried to have mine preserved and it was stolen from the cleaners. I was so sad to find out. I think insurance reimbursed me, but now I have four daughters and no dress or veil to show them." {Heart. Is. Breaking.}

Stephanie said, "Mine got thrown out with the trash...by accident." {WHAT!?!?!?}

Heather said "A cat had her kittens on mine just a few months after the wedding. No dry cleaners can clean the ick factor out after that." {Eyes bugging out + WHAT???!!!!}

I am speechless.

I had no idea there were so many post-wedding dress debacles!!! So I have to ask...if you're married, what did you do with your dress after the wedding? And if you have a disaster to add to the list, I HAVE to hear it. So tell me!!

{You single girls listen up! Keep your dress away from the trash, the pregnant cats, and apparently...sit with it while it's cleaned and preserved!!}

Date Night!!

Ryan and I have tried to be very committed to having a weekly date night, because we think it's a really important investment in our marriage. It's something I learned YEARS ago when I was in high school and babysat for a family that had a hard and fast commitment to date nights at least every other weekend. I thought they had one of the best marriages I'd ever seen, and I believed part of it was because despite busy schedules and 3 kids, they were firm about time away together on a regular basis. So I love it that we do this in our own marriage!

I don't want you to think we go out every week and blow tons of money on meals and each other {partly because that's not true and partly because I don't want to make this practice look like something you can't do if you don't have a lot of money!}. The first weekend in January, our "date night" was our 92 county tour day. We did it during the day on Saturday. The second weekend, we were SO POOPED that our date night was splitting a Subway $5 footlong at home on our couch and watching movies we'd recorded. See? Doesn't have to be extravagant!

And this was our date from this past weekend!

We'd had a long week, and were so looking forward to our date night! So how much did I love the text I got at work Friday afternoon that said, "Excited to take my wife out tonight!" {Melt.}

We changed clothes after work and piled into the car to drive to Anderson. We really like Anderson...for no good reason! We had a gift card to Ruby Tuesday, so that was the first stop on our trip. DINNER!!

We ended up filling up on the salad bar and bringing our actual meals home with us - but that's okay! That's what microwaves are for!

Then we headed out for a little fun shopping. We had a few things we wanted to get with our Christmas money, and I had a couple of things I needed for work...so the first stop? Target!!

I thought Ryan should get this shirt, since he says this all the time:

{He did not get the shirt.}

Since we were on a date, this seemed appropriate:

 {In case you can't see it...it says "You Complete Me."}

And then my husband bought me a bikini so teeny!!!!

Well. We didn't actually buy it. But I modeled it:

Because...yeah...that's the only kind of bikini THIS girl can wear.

In other shopping adventures, we ran across this "not to scale" model desk. Since my new desk at work has been accused of being...ahem...super size...I thought I'd see what it was like to work with something smaller:

After we finished all our shopping, we made a little zippity doo dah through the Starbucks drive-thru for a traveling home treat:

And that was date night! We had so much fun looking at crazy stuff in the stores, trying on clothes, doing some car karaoke and just being together!

And lest I fail to report all the nice things Ryan did for me on our date...he also bought me some flowers!

WHICH...


Someone took time to stop and smell:

Thanks for date night, Baby!! Had so much fun.

The Shafferland Shuffle

* Last Sunday, Ryan and I went to our first round of the new "SoulShift" curriculum at church - and we really enjoyed it! We spent the rest of the day at home, where I worked my TAIL off to finish our honeymoon scrapbook AND our 2013 scrapbook. Now I'm only...what...five books behind? :) We had a great day together - just being home living life.

* Monday was my last full, real day in my original Mid-Morning office. This transition into our new office has been in the works since last May and Lynne and I have been so eager to actually GET THERE! Last day at the old desk...sigh. Ryan and I went back to the weight room that night and then I came home and curled up with a book one of Ryan's patients gave us...to help us with our 92 county tour!

* Tuesday I packed up my desk in anticipation of our move...and while I was cleaning my office, Ross was cleaning his and found the letter I told you about...the one I wrote to him when he was the evening DJ twenty years ago! So cool! Ryan and I led a very exciting life at home on Tuesday: he and Braeya watered the ferns and I made a candy-gram card for Ross's upcoming {50th!!} birthday!

* Wednesday, we had a meeting at work, complete with a free lunch!! I love that! And after the meeting was over, Lynne and I got to start moving our books and desk supplies into our new office!! I can't work if it's not home, so my first order of business was to set up the lamp/photo of Ryan/Keurig. NOW it's home! And when we got home that night, we were so worn out, we just kicked back and watched movies all night. Loved it.

* Thursday was, for the most part, not worth remembering OR documenting. But I will. I had one of those days where every little thing that could go wrong...did. And then on top of it, we got a bit of a surprise "weather event" - complete with slick roads and a 2 hour drive home for this girl. ICK to SLICK. My one lovely part of the day was a few hours in the salon getting rid of all the grays and reading Shaunti Feldhahn's new book. And then I came home to curl up on the couch with Ryan and watch the Pacers win!!

 * Friday was MUCH better than Thursday. It started out beautifully because when I walked in our room that morning while Ryan was making the bed, one of "our songs" was on the radio, so we stopped and danced right there in our jammies!! And later that day, Ryan came home with my preserved wedding dress! Loved that. And then it was date night!! Ryan and I went out to eat at Ruby Tuesday {yay for gift cards!} and then did some fun shopping around town and ended {of course} at Starbucks.

* Ryan had to work yesterday, so I took the opportunity to grab Starbucks with my friend and former co-worker, Judy, and we spent a couple hours catching up! Then I came home and made my first ever raspberry cobbler for Ryan's sister's birthday! We ventured forth in the snowstorm {yes...snowing again...} to enjoy dinner with his family, celebrating Bre! When we got home, it appeared SOMEONE missed Ryan all day - because she wanted to sit with her paw on his hand! Darling.

The Saturday Six

One.

Source

 I am so excited that they are making Heaven is for Real into a movie. That was one of those books I read in one fell swoop and I'm excited to see what they do with the movie version. I may or may not have already cried over the trailer.

Two.

We filmed another video at work...and all I can say is, I sure work with some pretty funny guys!
Three.

Here is the Pinterest-inspired candy gram card I made for Ross {at work} this week. He turned 50, so I wanted to do something a little extra creative for his birthday! The M and M part at the end was supposed to stand for Mid-Morning.

Four.

Source

You know how I love chalkboard printables! Saw this one as I surfed through blogs - will have to print and frame it for sure!

Five.

Source

Whether or not you blog, this post by KariAnne has some FABULOUS advice on being comfortable being YOU. I needed this one this week. Signed, shivering party of one.  

Six.

Source

So you know how I love looking at houses...and rooms...and plans. And these kitchens? Sigh of joy.

So Random

Yesterday. Was. A. Day.

Ryan had to leave early for work, which left me in charge of my own departure for work. That's always an interesting thing. I did manage to make it out of the house with everything I needed. Except for half my lunch. I remembered that when I got to Fort Wayne. And then we started Mid-Morning and our music wouldn't work. And then I had a meeting I forgot about. And then we got unexpected ice. And then I thought I was going to have to cancel my hair dye palooza. I haven't had my hair dyed since August. AUGUST. I had 3 inches of white roots going on under the top layer.  A real hair dye job was the one thing I was aching to have.

So I sent Ryan a MOST unattractive photo of me, mid-meltdown at work, and his response {appropriately} was WHOA!!!!!!

Whoa indeed. So I left work early, took two full hours to drive home, and in there somewhere, had the slide of my life toward a train track bearing an oncoming train. Whew!

In the end, I got home safely AND got my hair dyed...but have no brain power to bring you anything of value today. So I'll do what I always do in these situations: USELESS SHAFFER TRIVIA!!!!

1. What is your least favorite movie?

Ryan: Probably Titanic. It's so overdramatic and annoying...and very impractical. {Side note from Bekah: I've actually never seen this movie. And I'm guessing it won't be what he chooses to watch for date night tonight.}

Bekah: Message in a Bottle. I HATE THAT MOVIE. I watched it one time, when I was in college, and I was dating my very first boyfriend ever at that time. I watched it the day he flew back to college from his home. DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE BEFORE ANYONE YOU CARE ABOUT TRAVELS. Or breathes. It was horrible. {Ryan would now like to take my answer for least favorite movie. I'm guessing for different reasons than I stated above.}

2. Ever gotten a speeding ticket?

Ryan: Perhaps I have received a few. I choose not to talk about it.

Bekah: No. I have been pulled over three times. None of them were for speeding, two of them were not even stinking WARRANTED, and all three made me cry.

3. Ever run out of gas?

Ryan: Apparently this is an area where I really shine. I've run out of gas in every vehicle I own, including others, such as dump trucks and farm equipment. I have yet to run out of gas in my newest car, however. {Bekah, interjecting: Stay tuned. That'll be the next blog post now.} {Ryan's rebuttal: In my defense....oh never mind.} {Do you like it when we banter ON THE BLOG?}

Bekah: Once. My gas gauge was broken and I didn't know it, so after I ran out of gas, it still didn't show that's what was wrong. When I called for help, and the guy asked if I was out of gas, I firmly declared I was NOT. One tow trip to the garage later...I was, in fact, out of gas.


4. Did you ever watch soap operas? 

Ryan: Oh heavens no. Why would I want to do that? I LIVE IT!!!!!! {insert hearty laughter here.}

Bekah: Well I grew up believing I would go straight to you know where if I watched them, so no, I never did. I also thought they were called "soap poppers." When I was in college, my roommate liked to watch the one with Hope. I don't even remember which one she was on. So I did see a few soap poppers in college, but I didn't really get caught up in it.

5. Are you stubborn?

Ryan: {Shaking head no.} There's just a certain way to do things. And it's normally my way. End quote.{Bekah interjection: please read that with the humor he intended.}

Bekah:  Well, let's see. After I argued - and won - with my friend Chris yesterday, he said to me, "You're a real pain sometimes, you know that?" So I'm guessing the answer is YES. It's true. I'm very stubborn. And unfortunately for me, it's usually about things that don't matter to anybody else. {Like the proper distribution of parking spots or how grocery carts should be driven down aisles.}

So there you go!! Do you feel like your life is richer for this time spent with the Shaffers?

I leave you with this:

Remember February 10, 1994?

Ahhh, you probably don't. And until two days ago, I didn't either.

Two days ago, I looked up from my desk at work to see Ross walking in the door. {If you don't listen to WBCL, you should know that he's our Executive Director.} He had a broad smile on his face and he stopped in front of my desk and said, "Sometimes it's a good thing I'm a packrat."

I gave him a puzzled look and he held an envelope out to me. "From fifteen-year-old you," he said.

I took the envelope and glanced at the silvery return address label with a kitty cat sketch on the side and in calligraphy, the words, Miss Rebekah Freelan.

I pulled out a piece of neatly folded notebook paper and read the words I wrote in handwriting much better than my script of today:

Ross,
 
My name is Rebekah Freelan, and I am fifteen years old. I'm writing to tell you how much I enjoy listening to you on "P.M. Praise" on WBCL. 

My Dad, who produced "Sounds of Joy," as you may know, is having some physical and emotional difficulties. Sometimes, because of the problems, I don't like to be with my family, so I go in my room and turn on "P.M. Praise." It really helps me calm down, and think about God.

We have a new Christian radio station in Kokomo, but they mostly play programs in the evening, and very little music. That's why I listen to WBCL instead. The music is on right when I'm in my room wanting to listen to it. I never change my dial from your station, because I'm afraid I'll never find it again.

Once again, thank you for helping me get through this difficult time in my life.

Rebekah Freelan
Greentown, Indiana

I should back up and tell you {because I don't think I've ever talked about it on the blog} but when I was fifteen, my dad was injured taking a seat out of our van before a family vacation. I had asked him to take the seat out so I had more room for all my luggage. After the injury, he took a prescription which catapulted him into one of the most severe clinical depressions I've ever seen or heard about.

I could probably write a whole blog post on that time of my life - and maybe I will - but it was very challenging. Being home was hard, because the man in our house wasn't the dad I knew, and it killed me to see him like that. Beyond that, I blamed myself for everything, since the depression was caused by the medication he took for the injury he sustained while doing something for me.

{And all of that was what I condensed to "physical and emotional problems" in my letter.}

It was both embarrassing and delightful to encounter this letter twenty years later almost to the day. That girl, holed up in her bedroom listening to PM Praise with Ross McCampbell had no idea she'd one day work for him at that station.

While I don't remember writing the letter, I remember that season of life so well and I'm thankful God allowed me to have a brush with 15 year old Rebekah...and be reminded of just how much He has done in the last 20 years...and excited for what He'll do with the next 20!

Lazy Omelets

You know those random moments from high school that never leave you...and yet you have no idea why they're significant enough to remember?

One of mine: high school Home Ec with the omelet man. Our teacher showed us a video of a very enthusaistic guy trying to teach omelet making. He would yell "TWO EGGS AND TWO TABLESPOONS OF WATER." After hearing that 83,000 times, I had the recipe down, but I could not for the life of me get the technique down. Omelet failure.

Ryan can make omelets, but usually we're in a big hurry {because, HELLO!!! Food is on the line!} so we just make these lazy omelet versions. They might also be known as deluxe scrambled eggs. :)

We have these often on Saturday mornings or whenever we do breakfast for dinner. {We do love breakfast for dinner!!}

Lazy Omelets

* 5 eggs
* 5 tablespoons of water {or milk}
* 1/4 cup onion {green onion makes it prettier!}
* 1/2 cup green pepper
* 1/2 cup chopped meat of your choice
* 1 tablespoon of your favorite seasoning {Garlic and Wine from the Melting Pot for us!}
* 1/3 cup grated cheese of your choice

Whisk together the eggs and water {or milk} and pour into skillet. Mix with spatula over medium heat until eggs begin to scramble. Add onion, green pepper and meat and continue to mix until onion/green pepper begin to soften and eggs fully cook. Mix in seasoning. Add cheese to top and wait until cheese melts. Serve hot!

A Few Tips:

* This entire dish can be a great way to clean out your refrigerator. Have red pepper instead of green? Use that! Have a few mushrooms leftover from the pizza you made? Throw those in too!

* Five eggs serve two people pretty well...add more if you have a bigger crowd! Adjust water/milk amount to match the eggs.

* The pepper/onion/meat amounts are mere suggestions. If you really really really love meat, add more than what I said - or add 2 or 3 different kinds!

* Lunch meat works well in this. We often make this when we have just little scraps of lunch meat and onion and pepper left - not enough to make a meal for two, but enough to add in to the eggs nicely.

* The seasoning you choose makes the dish YOURS. It's better than just salt and pepper and it gives it your favorite flavor. We use the garlic and wine seasoning on EVERYTHING we make, and we really like it in these.

* Serve this with whatever other breakfast food you love: pancakes, toast, whatever!

Sometimes You Go Through Your Husband's Phone...

...just to see what he takes pictures of. HEY. If you think I'm the only picture nut in this house, you're wrong. While I admit to having more of a photo taking addiction than he has, don't you for one moment think he skips out on pictures entirely.

And so today, I share with you some of the treasures found on his phone.

* Yes, this is from before we were married. And obviously, YES, I still married him. Ryan and the pastor of the church we attended when we got married used to do skits for Bible School in the summer. This was the last year he participated. That's the pastor there in the brown, and Ryan, channeling his inner Einstein hair...

* Yep, that's him!! Right up there in the sky. Also from before we were married. :) And before we were dating. He wanted to go skydiving, so he did. In case you're wondering if I'm anxious to try this myself...it's a no. :)

* What...this isn't the picture you have from YOUR mission trip?? Well then you've not been on a mission trip with Ryan!!

* Not a great photo, but this was from our first trip to the pumpkin patch and corn maze right after we got engaged. It was SO COLD that night, so I had a rather interesting accumulation of layers going. :) But still - so happy!

* From our dating days. I told him that back in high school, I'd never had a boyfriend, so consequently I never got to do the whole letter jacket/class ring thing. So he combed through the house and found both and let me wear them. Nothing like getting a dream come true 15 years later!

* Because you never know what you might see when you walk into the Meijer men's room. {Right before you walk right back out. Shiver.}

*He trained her well!! He may have as many pictures of Braeya on his phone as I have on mine!! I'm so glad he loves her. I'm almost glad she loves him more than she loves me. :)

* Because you never know when you need a picture of your wife riding a bike in Meijer.

* Sometimes we're the Shaffers...sometimes we're the Clampetts. Yes. He drove this. In public. No, I was not with him. LOL!!!!

And finally...his most recent fave of me:

This one was from church...when we had a rainy day and I wore my rain boots to church. And I had my pants tucked inside...and my purse...and my camera bag. An embarrassment to my own self. :)

Hope you got a laugh or two!!! :)

It's the Little Things

Last Friday, Lynne interviewed Shaunti Feldhahn, who {several years ago} wrote the book For Women Only. I read that book back when I was single, and I highly recommend it to single girls and married women alike. I learned so many things about the way men think and operate that have helped me as I'm married to Ryan. {Guys, she and her husband also wrote For Men Only, which is the same thing...but for guys.} Shaunti has a brand new book out now called Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages, and I absolutely devoured what she had to say about it to Lynne during the interview. Can't wait to get and read it.

During the show, I texted Ryan and said, "So according to today's guest, we have a good marriage." She listed a bunch of "little things" people do within marriage to strengthen it, and I was excited to see that we're pretty good at that!

So...I asked Ryan to help me with this post so we can each tell you our five favorite "little things" we do to make our together-life a better place to be! {These are in no particular order.}

Bekah's Favorites

1. We talk during our commutes. We started doing this when we were dating, and we never quit - and I love it. We spend the better portion of our commute to and from work on the phone with one another. Some people roll their eyes when they hear that {can't you guys EVER spend time apart?} but for us, it's a way to spend quality time together during 2 of the hours we have to be apart. And I won't lie: I feel 100 kinds of special when my phone rings and I see his name on the screen. He wants to talk to me!

2. He randomly texts me throughout the day to tell me he loves and misses me. We both have busy schedules during the day, but anytime he gets a break between patients, he'll send a quick text just to say, "Miss you" or "Love you so much." I always get an enormous smile on my face when I see one of those come through! Doesn't take him a lot of time but the result is far-reaching.

3. We hold hands during prayer. Whether we're praying over a meal or praying during church or praying together in the mornings before work, we always hold hands. And I love that. I realize there's nothing magical about it, but it always feels to me like a way to tangibly unite as we approach the Lord. And you know how I love tangible things.

4. He likes to bring home an occasional surprise. Last week at work, one of his co-workers talked about a cupcake shop where she loves to buy cupcakes. We've had them from there before, but after their conversation, he decided to surprise me by bringing home a couple for our dessert that night. He knew I'd had a long, draining week of traveling in treacherous conditions, and he wanted to bring home a little treat. I never ever expected cupcakes that night and I loved both the actual treat and {even more} the sentiment behind it.

5. He puts extra love into my morning departure. In our morning routine, I pack the lunches and he makes the breakfast. {He has less hair to straighten than I do, so he has extra time at the end that I don't.} So when I show up to walk out the door, he's prepared my little peanut butter and honey sammich, warmed up my car {which, incidentally, he always puts gas in for me. Can't even tell you the last time I pumped my own gas. YAY!}, and poured my coffee {into a travel mug that - as much as possible - coordinates with my outfit}. It not only saves me time, but it makes me feel loved.


Ryan's Favorites.

1. I love it that she makes my lunch for me every morning. It's enjoyable to know every day that lunch is taken care of and I don't have to worry about it. I also love it that she takes time to put a note in my lunch every day, telling me how much she loves me - and specific things she loves. Writing the note IS love just by itself.

2. I love it that we always go to bed at the same time - even if one of us isn't tired. I think it's important because it's a time for us to settle down, take a few minutes to talk about what's going on in our lives and our day, and helps us to connect with each other.

3. I love all the little projects she does around our house. Our house is so welcoming and fun and ever-changing {ha!}. Most of the things she does are Pinterest projects...and she always finds a way to do the them inexpensively or by shopping the house to use what we already have, so she not only makes it home - but she doesn't bankrupt us doing it!

4. I love how important it is to her to make a memory. {Bekah interjection: SEE? I TOLD YOU HE LIKES IT!!!} From scrapbooking our lives to the daily posts on the blog to the trips we go on to enjoy life together, we are always making memories and actually doing life together - and keeping track of what we've done.

5. I love the way she shows me love. Even if you've been in a situation where love has chosen to walk away, you'll hopefully still believe that aside from loving Christ, there's nothing more fulfilling in this life than having and sharing real love with a spouse. So I love the way she shows me her love with the hugs and kisses she insists upon every single time we meet up...the look in her eye that shows me there's nothing else that she wants besides being with me...the fact that she insists on doing so many things with me because she loves being with me - even if it's just going to the grocery store. No matter what we're doing, I know she'll be right there by my side to help me make decisions and to just live this life. And I never have to doubt that she'll go anywhere. Love can come easily in the beginning, but it's easy to put yourself on auto-pilot once you get into it, and she doesn't do that. She puts so much work and effort into our relationship and that shows me how dedicated she is to making our relationship last forever.

He sure summed it up perfectly. It's the effort of a lifetime of little things that make marriage amazing.

The Shafferland Shuffle

* Well you already saw all about our day last Sunday, when most of central Indiana got hit with a blizzard. Ryan and I THOROUGHLY enjoyed our day of rest at home - staying close to the fireplace, drinking lots of coffee, and playing in the snow. We loved our little snowman, Jeffrey, even though he got rather disfigured before the day was done.

* Monday was a snow day for both of us! YAY!!!! Pretty much every county in the upper 2/3 of Indiana shut down completely, so we stayed home! We slept on the living room floor for a little slumber party, spent the day cleaning our home office, and trying to shovel ourselves out just a bit. By the end of the day, we were both a bit stir crazy to go out, but we were still under a travel restriction, so we curled up for another cozy night at home.

* Tuesday, Ryan had to go back to work, and I stayed home and remoted in to my job. I spent the whole day bundled up in front of the fireplace, guzzling coffee just to stay warm, and constantly checking all the faucets to make sure they were still dripping. When Ryan came home, he exhumed my car and we curled up on the couch to rest for the rest of the night!

* Wednesday I made my back to work and my commute took 2 hours  and 15 minutes in the morning and 1 hour and 55 minutes at night. How can driving be so exhausting? But I had a productive day at work - including helping with a video shoot again! Ryan and I went back to the gym for the first time in a few weeks {our gym was closed over Christmas break} and I was so proud of my run. I haven't run in a while and I did one mile without stopping or dying - which was my goal!

* Thursday morning, it was SO HARD to get out of bed! We may or may not have added a sleeping bag to our bed {which already has fleece sheets, a blanket and a comforter} to stay warm in this mess! But we got up and had another long commute on nasty roads. It snowed a beautiful {yet betrothing} snow that day, and that night, my sweet and romantic husband surprised me by bringing home cupcakes just to make me smile. I love that man! We were so pooped, we just rested the whole night.

* Friday!! We did indeed make it to Friday!! After busy days at work, we spent date night at home on the couch, splitting a Janu-any five dollar footlong {and a treat of a cookie each with our coffee} and watching a movie, and then Ryan put together our new end tables we got for Christmas! We love them! And best of all on Friday - this crazy snow finally started to MELT, making for normal commute times and thawed shower and washer pipes. And {sniff} the demise of little Jeffrey.

* Saturday morning, Ryan worked, so I hung out at home and just enjoyed resting, and then that afternoon, we ventured forth for our grocery shopping {and of course, a trip to Lowe's, where Ryan photobombed my picture of potential office lamps}. That night we curled up at home and enjoyed the Colts game...and to celebrate the occasion, I made cheese and pepperoni stuffed crescent rolls! They. Were. So. Good.