romance.

Here on the celebration day of our 3rd anniversary, I can't help but feeling a little sentimental so if you don't like cheese, you might want to skip this post. You were warned...

We joke all the time that I did NOT marry a romantic. Considering his exact words were "so, you wanna get married, or what?", I think it is safe to say that my Chad - though he is many things - probably should not be called romantic. However, looking back over the years, I am starting to realize that the dude might be more romantic than I ever gave him credit for. Like many things are, I guess romance is in the eye of the beholder. I have tried in the most recent past to be more acutely aware of things that Chad does for me - trying to see them from his eyes, from his priority list, and from his heart - instead of just seeing them how I would normally see them. Every Friday when the trash gets taken out, he is blessing me. Every time he unloads the dishwasher - a job he knows I hate - he blesses me. Every time he gets up earlier than me and quietly ushers the dog out and closes the door so I can sleep for another blessed 30 minutes, he blesses me. I know these things don't really seem romantic and in the most traditional sense of the word they aren't. They are just daily necessities or small thoughtful moments that looking back are reminders of a romance that is sometimes unseen and unspoken.

Most recently though, Chad has done two things that he probably thought were not a big deal but I saw them as hugely romantic and almost tearfully recieved. First, he suggested that we take a picnic out tonight and eat at the park where we got married. And he suggested that the food be Chick-fil-a. I think that is a triple romance whammy. A picnic? In the park, at the table where our families sat when we got married? And Chick-fil-a? Guy knows how to win my heart. So that is our plan for tonight - our 3rd anniversary. I am hoping for a breezy, quickly cooling evening.

Second romantic moment...I got home from work today, changed clothes, let the dog out, and went to check the mail. My mom and my sister and Frannie somehow managed to perfectly plan the delivery of sweet anniversary notes (I can't ever get mail delivered on the right day...how did you guys buy off the mailperson?!?). There was also a postcard from our trip to the Turks and Caicos, addressed to me from my husband. He could never have known that it would arrive today and probably couldn't have planned it if he had tried; I didn't even know he sent me a postcard while we were down there. But he thought of me. And he knew I would get it weeks later when I needed a reminder of a sweet, fun, memorable trip while struggling through the busy fall season at work. And he mailed me a postcard. I know - it doesn't seem like much - but those two things were so sweet, understated, perfectly CHAD that I am quickly reminded that I married the right guy for me and I am blessed every day to be his wife.

I do have a fun addition to our picnic tonight. I went by the cupcake store today and bought two cupcakes for us to share with our dinner. One that is lemon flavored - to remind us of the cupcakes my sister lovingly baked for our wedding. And the other is chocolate with peanut butter frosting - to remind us of the cake my best friend's mom baked us for our reception at my parent's house. I am loving trolling through sweet memories today and I am excited to spend the evening with my handsome, funny, smart, strong husband.

insanity.

Sorry it has been so quiet around here on the blog. This week at work was a bit crazy - I guess that is what taking a week off will get you - a pile of work to be done! I had at least 3 days where I worked 13+ hours and then also had to work Saturday. I do work on a flex schedule so essentially I can take the time off in the next two weeks but I am so busy with so much work to do that it might not exactly be possible.

Our vacation was amazing. The Turks and Caicos are an interesting little island chain made up of multiple smallish islands. The best part about them is the amazingly clear and colorful water. Varied shades of blue, turquoise, navy, and green - it was amazing. I am hoping that Chad's dad will share some of the pictures and videos that he took because I sort of took a camera hiatus. I borrowed my sister and Frannie's camera and I think I took a total of about 30 pictures. It was nice to not be the one behind the camera this time - and that means there are actually some pictures of me in there! It was also nice to turn off my cell phone for a week - I can't describe how amazing that was! No calls, no emails, no Facebook "dings" all week. Fabulous!

A few more super busy weeks at work, a baby shower for my sweet friend Jenna the last Saturday of this month (along with a trip to Columbus!) and if I can just get through September and October at work then things will start to settle down.

We processed honey yesterday and put it in jars today. We got at least 31 pounds of honey, spread over about 40 jars. We got enough to make a batch of mead (fermented honey, like a strong wine), keep some, give some as Christmas gifts, and even sell a little (and we have already had offers from the neighbors!!). It was a messy, sticky experience so thankfully it only happens once per year! Pictures to come...

going "stealth" - as they say.

My friend A talked here about going into "stealth mode" where you don't know where she is - and she likes it that way - and if she doesn't answer the phone, then she probably doesn't want to talk to you.... Well, I am going into stealth mode for the next week. I'm not quite as overt as she is - and I probably DO want to talk to you - but I will be phone and internet free for the next week (by choice!). I will have my phone on me and I will check is periodically but I will mostly be enjoying the crystal blue waters of the Turks and Caicos islands, spending time with Chad and the family, and hopefully eating my weight in good seafood.

See ya in a week!

big reveal.





These are a teenie part of the Turks and Caicos islands, located west of Cuba and southeast of the Bahamas.

 I'll say hello for you when we are there for a week in late July. 

No seriously!

Chad's parents invited us to go on a scuba diving trip with them the last week of July and we thought long and hard about it and finally said yes. It will require us to take a week off work, use most of our available vacation time, and I will have to renew my passport (to the stinky tune of $200 because I will have to expedite it) but we think that it is something that we can't pass up!  Chad is already scuba certified from taking it as a P.E. in college (why did I think of that?!?  walking for fitness just isn't the same!!) so I will need to bust my behind to get finished with that by then but it should be totally worth it.

I'm trying to not think about it too much or the next two months will be close to unbearable. I don't have any reason to think that it won't happen so I am not worried about getting my hopes up but I also don't want to not be able to focus on anything else for the next 8 weeks! 

Anyone interested in babysitting one insane dog and a cracked-out cat for a week in July? :)