moving.

Moving is stressful. I don't think there has ever been a move in my life that has been stress free. There is organizing, packing, cleaning, loading the car/van/moving truck, traveling, unpacking, more cleaning, more organizing, and finally settling into a new place. That's a lot of stuff to do in a short period of time.

Alex and I have made two big moves. One when we left California and moved to Idaho for me to finish school and the second when we left Idaho and moved back to California (southern California this time).

The first move was dicey. There was only one car and we didn't have any money for a moving truck, so we shoved and stuffed and roped and taped and compacted as much stuff into our little Jeep as we could and we drove the thousand mile journey. It was not pretty. And it was a testament to how much we were still in the honeymoon phase of our marriage (being married for all of two weeks at the time) because it was hard. But we did it! And we vowed to never do a move like that again.

The second move was hard, but easier than the first. We had a truck this time and the ability to pull our Jeep so we did not have to drive separate. The truck was spacious and had plenty of room for our stuff. We took our time loading it perfectly and it was much less stressful. Except that we then drove, for 16 hours, through the night, with an 18 month old puppy, in little cramped two-seated truck. Rex was a gem for 97% of the drive. He slept, he chewed bones, he looked out the window, he cuddled, and he stayed calm. Except for the few times he whined and moaned and made us stop earlier than we wanted and then wouldn't go to the bathroom when we needed him to. But a great majority of the time he was wonderful.

This move is just as stressful. Regardless of the fact that we are hiring a moving company to move our stuff for us (not because we are too good to move our own stuff but because it is really the cheapest option we could find), that we have most of our stuff already packed and in storage just waiting to be loaded on the truck, that packing what we do need to pack could realistically take me only 4 to 5 hours to complete, and that we still have two weeks before this all needs to happen, it's still making me into a big ball of anxiety. Which is always fun to be around.

But it is all happening like it should. We are organized, we have the money saved, we have all our paperwork completed, and Alex is still able to work through all of this. There have definitely been blessings during this time for which we are truly grateful.

But the next two weeks will be filled with final preparations, actually packing the things that need to be, organizing for the moving guys, saying goodbye to Southern California, and soaking in the last of any sunshine the sky wants to give me because who knows when the sun is going to shine in Portland!

christmas.

Christmas is one of my favorite times of year because I love to give people gifts. I actually really like trying to figure out what to give people and coming up with really unique gifts.

My husband hates it. It stresses him out and makes him really anxious. He is always trying to find the perfect thing to give someone, that is full of thoughtfulness and meaning, and will make them cry or laugh or say "this is perfect." So pretty much he is never satisfied with what he chooses.

I always try to get gifts early and be done with all my shopping early in December. I don't like to be the Christmas Eve shopper looking for anything that I can find for someone. I am sometimes the Christmas Eve wrapper because the wrapping I let get away from me.

My husband doesn't like this about me. Because I make him shop early too. I know that he is going to buy any present for me at the last minute and that is just something that I will need to learn to live with, but I can force him to shop early for everyone else on the list.

That was our day and night yesterday. We went to a few stores and picked out a few things for his mom and step-dad and then brainstormed some ideas for his brother and went home to find it online. He stresses out really easily so most of our online shopping was spent with me saying "he will love that" and "just breathe" and "oh my gosh just buy it" when he second guessed every item we put in the shopping cart.

All in all we got a bunch of really cool/cute/manly/wonderful/thoughtful/awesome gifts for his family. Like I said, my shopping is already finished, so this was all shopping for his family. I think it's important for Alex to be involved in picking out things for his family, especially his brother because just the act of him caring enough to shop for them is meaningful.

date night.

We try our best to have a date night every week. Sometimes it's all planned out like a concert in Hollywood or Santa Barbara. Sometimes it's simple like dinner at a delicious Thai restaurant. Sometimes it's casual like taking Rex to the dog park. Sometimes it's just picking something on Netflix that we both want to watch and not being on our phones or computers while we watch. Other times it just doesn't happen and I count trips to the grocery store or an outing to get soda as our date night. 

This week date night was actually planned. We planned to go to the movies and see Gone Girl. I read the book and really liked it and I've heard only good things about the movie so we made it a date night.

We are very simple people and Alex working at home and me only working part time, there are some days that we don't put on real clothes. It's sweats and tshirts or basketball shorts and tank tops. Easy, comfortable, and no hassle. So date night is a time for us to actually put on real clothes and looks like real human beings.

It's always a lot of fun to be able to plan a date night because it gives me something to look forward to during the week. But movies can be so expensive! At $12.50 a ticket, you're already paying $25 just to get in. Then another $20 or so if you want a soda and popcorn. And don't even think about candy. I'm usually a strict no concession stand kinda gal. I just can't get over the fact that I could spend half as much money and get more treats somewhere else. Which is usually what I do and then sneak them into the theater in my gigantic bag.

(Side note: when we lived in Idaho and had zero money to our names, we went to the cheap movie theatre for a special night out and I literally snuck in two 44oz sodas, a bag of candy, and a steaming Tupperware full of leftover heated up chow mein. I am professional at sneaking treats into movies. It embarrasses Alex to no end, but he still partakes.)

But for date night I relented and we got some treats at the theatre. Just sodas and a small popcorn. Like I said, don't even think about get candy. I did sneak in a bag of chocolates and caramel apples pops because I couldn't resist. 

All in all it was a successful date night. Good movie. Good company. Good treats. Gone Girl was definitely a good pick. 

marriage.

I found this quote a while ago and it really stuck with me. I fell in love with my husband the moment I saw him and I realized I was in love and not just excited that this gorgeous guy liked me probably two weeks later. It is very cheesy to admit but I fall in love with him more and more every day that we spend together. It is very cool for me, since I was always the girl who never imagined getting married.

my all-time favorite picture from our wedding.

Alex's mom did all the flowers for us and created bouquets more beautiful that I even imagined.

look at this handsome guy.

But the wedding is over. The honeymoon ended a long time ago. And we are still here over a year later. That's a big feat for both of us since before each other, each of our longest relationships was three months or less! The biggest thing that I have learned about being married is that marriage is hard.

There is nothing else to say. Responsibility was thrown on our shoulders the minute we said I do and it has stayed there and will continue to stay there for the rest of our lives. And it's hard! We took on each others passions and hobbies. Debts and money skills. Talents and faults. Strengths and weaknesses. I couldn't say "oh you like sleeping with a fan on? I'm not okay with that so you will need to stop." He couldn't say "oh you're a backseat driver (to the extreme)? I'm not okay with that so you will need to keep your mouth shut and your pointer finger in check." (Even though he has said that to me a million times…I just can't stop). We had to accept these things about each other and learn to live with them.

Something I have discovered though is that we are most successful in our marriage when we use our own strengths and talents to make up for the other persons weaknesses. Even in the small things I find we are so successful and happy. Alex is not a very good cook. He lacks confidence in himself and understanding of how to cook so he can really only make a few things. He makes a mean quesadilla and can find his way around a burrito when he needs to, but that's about it. I happen to love cooking and trying new recipes so I do most of the cooking. Alex helps me all the time and is wonderful at lending a hand when I need something in the kitchen but for the most part I make the meals. I am a terrible driver. I mean I am an awesome driver, but no one else seems to really think that, so Alex usually drives. This is best because neither of us are very good at directions but I can usually read maps better. It's all about compensating for each others lacks with our own talents. I am really good at washing clothes (most of the time!!) but really bad about putting them away, so Alex usually picks up my slack and handles it. Alex is a bit forgetful when it comes to putting things away (keys, wallets, dirty socks, etc.) and I am usually pretty good about following behind him and picking things up (maybe that's why I excel at target so much!).

But it's hard. Everyday presents a new challenge for us to overcome. Paying bills. Cleaning the house. Buying groceries. Planning for holidays. Finding a new apartment. All of these things we do together to manage our life and keep on moving into the future. It definitely hasn't been easy to get through sometimes, but there is no one I'd rather struggle next to than my guy.

husband.

I have a wonderful husband and I feel the need to tell anyone and everyone who will listen. Literally. I talk about him all the time to girls at work. They are definitely tired of hearing how great my husband is. But he really is. Presenting the best husband ever…Alex!

 

≈ our one year anniversary in August ≈ my sister's wedding in July ≈ Alex and Rex in Idaho ≈ Alex in his element ≈

I got sick on our last day in Texas. It was travel day, of course, and there I was with the start of a head cold and some bad stomach pains. Because everything that can be wrong with me at one time, will be wrong with me. But he handled it like a champ. Helping me through security, getting me a hot drink for my throat, letting me lay my head on his shoulder, making sure I always had water. He is the ultimate sweetheart.

And obviously the sick did not stop when we got home. So he made me lunch so I would not have to get out of bed, brought me tissues and medicine, filled my water bottle, washed the dishes so I would not have to. All while going back to work first thing. He kept texting me from the living room during the day to ask if I needed anything and if I was ok.

But don't get me wrong, he wasn't perfect at it. He kept getting frustrated when I couldn't make up my mind and annoyed when I would ask him to make six trips to the kitchen because I needed juice, and then napkins, and then more ice, and then tea, all within ten minutes. Or when I wouldn't take my medicine, he would offer to force feed me the pills. But he did it all!

And that is why I love him. Always willing to serve and help when I need him. But I know that he is praying that I do not get sick again anytime soon...for more reasons than just my health.