Mrs Our Marriage Adventure |

We Got Mugged!

February 21, 2012 By Mrs Our Marriage Adventure Leave a Comment

Last night I was setting our table for dinner with all the fixings for chicken tacos when there was a knock on our door. Alex stared at me and asked me what I knocking for and I had to laugh. Once he figured it out, he headed to our front door.

Next thing I hear is “Oh God, I’ve been mugged!”

Given my husband sounded like he was more amused than freaked out I didn’t rush around the corner, in part because if it were real I figure he’s the man. He oughta handle it. After a moment I heard friendly voices and so decided it was safe to come out and see what was going on.

Turns out we were indeed mugged!

It’s a funny thing to say we judge the churches we attend, but its true. As Alex and I have searched for a church one of the criteria we’ve looked for is how open they are to new members. I.E. What do they do to welcome you? The sermon I brought up the other day is from the church that “mugged” us last night. We’ve attended three services to date so this was a nice incentive to come on back.

What has made you feel positive about a new group or church?

Filed Under: Marriage Adventures Tagged With: Alex, Stephanie, United Methodist Church

Weekend Recap

February 20, 2012 By Mrs Our Marriage Adventure 5 Comments

If you haven’t already, please vote for a possible new blog theme for me! I’m indecisive and lazy and thus need y’all to do the decision-making today.

Really creative title huh? I thought so too. (please note the sarcasm. I don’t have a sarcastic face, but I need one.)

It was a pretty good weekend despite the rain. Although, given my other option was snow based on the news I’m very grateful for the continuous drizzle we had.

Saturday I drove down to south of Atlanta where I met up with my good friend Shelly. We had lunch together, which is something I wish we could do more of, and then wandered the shops and talked. It was great to see and talk to her. Especially given the pulling back I’ve done emotionally these last few months while dealing with many personal issues. Every time we visit I’m reminded why we lived together in college – she is definitely one of those life-long friends!

Sunday was a lazy day. It was GLORIOUS! I literally sat / laid on my arse and did absolutely nothing. No laundry. No cooking. Nothing. Those days are super rare for me, so I’m glad I managed to squeeze one in this weekend. Granted part of the reason I did this was because I was exhausted. I should have known it wasn’t going to be a simple need of extra sleep.

Today I’ve been sucking on these little suckers wishing my sinuses would drop dead. I don’t know what happened or what when through work / home etc. I.E. I don’t know who to blame. But I’m OVER the runny nose thing. Although, I’m starting to develop a taste for cough drops.

Filed Under: Marriage Adventures Tagged With: friendship, Stephanie

You Vote and Tell Me

February 18, 2012 By Mrs Our Marriage Adventure 7 Comments

Y’all I have fallen in love. Well I’ve fallen in love / lust with a website that showcases pretty premium themes anyway. I keep wrestling with whether or not I want to fork out the dough to get this “premium” aspect to my blogging and a huge part of me says YES!

The part of me that knows we need baseboards, flooring, closet reorganization, and more says WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!

Fortunately, or unfortunately, the petulant side of my blogging brain is winning this war. So now I just need to narrow down which design I like best. And I want y’all to help me decide!

So here are my two favorite options. Both are StudioPress child themes, and both will be altered to fit … me.

Option 1 is a clean line theme that has just the right touch of girly. The hearts won’t be staying, but they’ll likely get replaced with something a bit more “country-fied” so y’all have to user your imagination here.

http://demo.studiopress.com/pretty/layouts/cs is where you can get a full idea of this design.

As further proof of how dang flexible these designs can be, here is a blog using this theme that doesn’t look like the preview.

http://www.thehollierogue.com/

Option 2 is a bit more whimsical in my opinion, but still has the look and feel of fun that I want. I’m loving the menu bar under the header, but I hear you can do this no matter what the theme so I guess that shouldn’t play to heavily into decisions.

http://demo.studiopress.com/familytree/page-layouts/two-column-layouts/content-sidebar is where you get the full theme preview.

To keep things fair, here is a great blog that I love to read but am also super inspired by in terms of design that utilizes this theme. Again lots of versatility in terms of personalizing. http://designerwife.com/blog/

So here is where y’all come in.

Check out the samples, check out the links and then OMG please vote! I cannot decide and I really don’t want to waiver on this decision like it’s a matter of life or death. Although we all know for a blogger the design can be considered oh so important.

Once we have a majority (hah unless I’m talking to myself and get -0- votes) on Sunday I’ll make my decision and likely spend the whole day re-vamping the look. Much to Alex’s possibly dismay.

Y’all are awesome!

Filed Under: Marriage Adventures Tagged With: blog, Stephanie

Good Mood Wednesday

February 15, 2012 By Mrs Our Marriage Adventure 6 Comments

Today I have been in a good mood all day. I’ve been smiling, dancing, and otherwise exuding such levels of cheer and joy that it might just make you a tad ill.

(The dancing has caused some strange looks in the office at work, but this gal can sure cut a chair.)

I would say that about 99% of why I’m in such a great mood is yesterday. The holiday I normally dread turned out to be FANTASTIC.

I’m still not sure how, and I don’t really care, but when I got up to go to work I noticed the most lovely bunch of flowers with a card and box sitting on our kitchen counter.

The box had a beautiful pair of heart earrings in it because Alex knows I prefer white gold and only had a pair of yellow gold ones prior to this. I’d put a picture on but I’ve yet to take them out since I opened the box and the few I’ve tried to take look bad because my ears look retarded. So no pictures YET!

THEN … at work around noon I got a text telling me to leave work on time. (I tend to stay a little late here lately.) Why? Because my sweetie MADE RESERVATIONS! Oh.My.Goodness. Y’all I teared up on the way home because I felt so special all dang day.

I’ll say this, Alex kicked my butt this year with regards to Valentine’s Day. I got all of that, and he got a painted bathroom. One he had to help me finish painting.

Clearly I need to step up my game. How was your holiday?

Filed Under: Marriage, Marriage Adventures Tagged With: Alex, Gift giving, holidays

Lesson’s I’ve Learned

February 13, 2012 By Mrs Our Marriage Adventure 6 Comments

Alex and I tried a new service this past weekend because I really liked the idea of Saturday night church AND I wanted to hear the second part to a sermon series.

The service was OK, but the important part, the sermon, really hit home for both of us. The sermon was entitled “Lesson’s I’ve learned as a Husband (and Wife)” and was shared by the associate Pastor and his wife at the church we attended.

They each shared lessons they had learned about choices you make in your marriage. Choices like not allowing simple frustrations (housework) and potential other priorities (your job) to take your focus off of each other. The truth is children, work, house, friends, family, etc should not be the center of your universe. They are not intended to be your number one anything. Based on the bible, God should be #1 and followed by that is your spouse.

The prayer “Dear Lord, help us to be the spouses you want us to be. Form us into the kind of spouse that is a JOY to our mates, honoring both them and Jesus in our WORDS, DEEDS, and LIFE…Help others, whether married or single, to see that our spouses are indeed our best friends and trusted partners in the ministry of our families.” hit home for me personally. As I sat beside Alex in service, I could tell he too was struck by the messages we were receiving.

I can’t tell you what he was thinking beyond “It all really hit home” because that’s he’s explained to me. I can say that for me the lesson about respecting your husband was reiterated.

I truly believe that the husband should be the “leader” in the relationship. He may not be the money maker, but he is the provider. He can provide by living out the ways you respect, honor, and live God’s word in his relationship with his wife and children. On the other hand, I, as a wife, need to respect my husband. That means growing in trust, growing in actions, and then living out these changes.

As Valentine’s Day comes upon us, I’m glad we were both able to hear this message. I have no doubt we each walked away with different thoughts, but in the end those differences are what brings us together as husband and wife.

Filed Under: Marriage, Marriage Adventures Tagged With: Alex, love, marriage, Stephanie, strengthening your marraige

ABC

February 9, 2012 By Mrs Our Marriage Adventure 2 Comments

ABC

Because I’m a follower, I stole this from… everyone else. I think I saw Mama Bub’s first.

A. Age: 27

B. Bed size: Queen

C. Chore that you hate: Laundry and everything it entails.

D. Dogs: Gimli! What can I say his adorable face is making me love dogs more – even if I’ll always be a cat person at heart.

E. Essential start to your day: Well its walking the dog now lest we come home to an accident.

F. Favorite color: Yellow

G. Gold or silver: White Gold

H. Height: Just a touch under 5′ 4″.

I. Instruments that you play: Clarinet, teeny bit of flute, and my own dang voice.

J. Job title: haha. Well due to a re-organization still in progress at work I’m not sure? The current HR sanctioned title is Corporate Fleet Specialist.

K. Kids: le sigh. One day.

L. Live: Georgia on my Mind.

M. Mother’s name: Kathy

N. Nicknames: Punkin, Sparkles, Pumpkin and Booger Breath (My Mom named me the last one.)

O. Overnight hospital stays: none here!

P. Pet peeves: smoking, nail-biting, nail clipping in public, lip chewing, and dirty dishes in the sink. The dishwasher ain’t that much harder to put stuff in people!

Q. Quote from a movie:

R: Right or left-handed: Right.

S: Siblings: two younger brothers.

T: Travel favorite: The beach. Any beach. Y’all just let me travel!

U. Underwear: hmm that new line of anti-wedgie underwear by Hanes is pretty awesome.

V. Vegetable(s) you hate: most of them, much to Alex’s disappointment.

W. What makes you run late: Lately me over-sleeping. I’m not falling asleep till 3 or 4 in the morning which leads to waking up and getting gone issues.

X. X-rays you’ve had: Teeth, back, and the oh so fun uterus!

Y. Yummy food that you make: Apple Pie. Mmmm apple pie!

Z. Zoo animal: Large cats and otters. Can I please oh please adopt some otters?

Filed Under: Marriage Adventures Tagged With: Stephanie

Beating at the Wall

February 8, 2012 By Mrs Our Marriage Adventure 9 Comments

Sometimes my heart hurts so much when I think about children that I literally get short of breath. Part of me hasn’t wanted to type this post, because I have friends who read this who will likely get hurt by the things I’m saying even though it’s not about them. It’s really about my feelings and emotions, but I need the outlet that this blog provides. That y’all provide me.

Post-graduation I have watched as friend after friend became a parent, and for the most part I haven’t thought of it. Then after I found out about the infertility issues, I was still positive.

HA! In fact I remember thinking (and talking about) my first thought being “You mean I could have saved HOW MUCH MONEY on birth control all these years?” I mean, y’all it’s built into my body. Boo-yah!

And then it happened, that person who triggers an avalanche of emotions that you NEVER expect announces their pregnancy. I’m sure I’ve damaged our friendship by some of my bemoaning, and by my avoidance of her. I feel bad, but when I literally cry at some of the images that come to mind I felt it best for both our sakes to just avoid it. We’ve had maybe one or two honest discussions about my feelings and hers, but for the most part I try to only talk to her when I can be 100% there for her, her husband, and their child.

Then on Facebook another announcement and another and another have followed. I’m sure the number isn’t unusual; it’s just hitting me harder and harder with each one. Alex and I have fought repeatedly about our situation. He, understandably, wants a romantic situation not a test lab. He wants a marriage that isn’t where ours is at. I get so ANGRY sometimes that even when I find myself trying to sew the gift I have, I have to walk away.

I’m not angry at anyone in particular, I’m just angry. I’m hurting. I feel so very very alone. The truth is Alex and I are getting better, but we need to not have children yet. (Yes Yet. I am EXTREMELY grateful I live in a country that allows me access to doctors and medicine that gives us the chance at a yet rather than a never. The feelings don’t stop though.) So yet again, I’m forced into a situation where sometime that I so desperately look forward too must wait because of screw-ups he made. That makes me angry.

Most of the people I talk to in person are not supportive. In fact about 95% of them don’t 1. Get why I’m so emotional about all this and 2. Don’t see why I don’t just “get over it.” Oh.Em.Gee y’all.

Y’all this doesn’t help the alone feeling OR the anger. In fact it makes it worse because then I keep it all inside my heart until it literally boils over in a massive, dangerous brew.

I wish I knew a way over this roadblock of hurt and anger and sadness, but I feel like I’m ramming my head through a brick wall. And rather than having just one person reach out and hold my hand and help me knock down the wall, people are standing on the sidelines shouting out advice. Advice that is useless when you are so busy battering to FIX the issue

Filed Under: infertility Tagged With: depression and anxiety, Mommyhood, Planning for a Child, Stephanie

Honeymoon Horrors

February 7, 2012 By Mrs Our Marriage Adventure Leave a Comment

I’m going to travel back in reflection today because its cold and just blegh out. So I’m going to tell you a honeymoon ~~horror story~~ ADVENTURE!

(It is what you make of it dagnabit. So adventure it is!)

Alex and I really wrestled with what to do for our honeymoon. We knew we wanted a week-long trip, we knew we wanted daily “adventures” because we would have been bored to tears without them, and we knew we wanted to be happy. After weighing a couple of options we opted to travel to the “happiest place on earth!”

Plus we could drive there, which meant we could splurge on a hotel room and other such extras!

Disney World is truly magical. Our hotel, The Wilderness Lodge, was so very much US that we literally spent one day wandering the hotel. (The entire hotel is modeled after Old Faithful Inn in Yosemite….AND the company I work for, helped build it….long before I worked here.) The only kicker with the hotel is, its off the beaten path. Just a tad. Which means Disney Busses anytime you want to travel with the exception of the Magic Kingdom.

Now, the bus schedule for Disney World is so kindly plastered online, in the hotels, you name it you can find the information. So I made fancy reservations in restaurants at various parks and alternate hotels using those schedules. Reservations that some of those restaurants HAVE to give up (i.e. turn you away if you are late) due to sheer demand.

So our first full day there, we deck out in our fancy clothes (i.e. not shorts and flip-flops) and head down to the bus stop. We’re sitting there with several nice people when we begin to overhear comments about those darn busses always running late.

Say What?!

30 minutes later the bus FINALLY shows up. We check the clock and figure it’s ok, we can still make it so long as we book it from the park entrance to the restaurant. No wandering, but that’s ok we’d planned another day in the park for just this possibility. Now the busses have pretty standard routes, which mean you know where they are going and how many stops they’ll make between your pick up and drop off locations.

We had one stop, no big deal. Well not this night, OH NO. Our first night in Disney, someone planted A BOMB to the underside of one of the buses. So each bus was making up new routes based on calling in at each location. Just so no one could pull off anything funny. Sadly, the never conveyed this key data to the GUESTS.

45 minutes later, and now 30 minutes late for our reservation, Alex got a map from me and took off running through EPCOT (his first time ever in the park, if I recall correctly) in an attempt to rescue our reservation. I followed as quickly as I could behind him in my heels.

By the time I caught up with him, they were telling him no they were quite sorry but they had to give our spot away. I think I burst into tears at that point. Alex now had a hungry belly, a brand new wife in tears, and I believe a pretty panicked 20-year-old working the counter. Luckily, Alex was able to find a solution by grabbing us a cancelled reservation from some other couple (Thanks Bomb Scare!) for about 20 minutes later in the evening. We ended up missing the firework show, but we did finally get to eat dinner.

Definitely set a new standard for the rest of the honeymoon! Oh and we, we learned our lesson that night. We took our own car, the boats, or the monorail ONLY from that point forward.

Filed Under: Marriage Adventures, Vacations Tagged With: Alex, Our Love Story, Stephanie, Wedding

We Got Mugged!

Weekend Recap

You Vote and Tell Me

Good Mood Wednesday

Lesson’s I’ve Learned

ABC

Beating at the Wall

Honeymoon Horrors

I'm on Twitter Y'all

Bring Our Marriage Adventure to You!

Blogs I Read

Grab My Button!

Categories

Past Posts