Day 210: Four People, Three Courses, and My Two Cents About It All

As I may have mentioned in previous posts, Brandon and I have been extremely busy. On top of the everyday things that life tends to bring, I am still adjusting to a relatively new job (well, entire career path, really), and we are both trying to fall into Brandon's new day-shift routine.

Since we got married, we have been trying to revive "date night," which was something we always used to make it a point to do once a week. It's been hard, though. Weekends, when we share them, are filled with catching up on whatever we couldn't get done during the week, and if we are free to do something fun, we are often too tired to bother. I know, I know, this sounds like the story of an old married couple - certainly not us newlyweds!

But I suppose this is our fate as we adjust to the changes we have encountered in our lives and move through this period of young adulthood (which, I have to admit, is not all it was cracked up to be!). And yet, we cannot give up on trying to snatch special moments here and there out of the hours upon hours we spend working. And so, tonight was date night - double-date night, in fact!

We went to Melting Pot, where the deal was, if one couple paid for a three-course meal (about $80), the other couple could get the same meal for free! So we grabbed a couple of our friends and dug into our fondue!

The really nice thing about the Melting Pot, if you are going through a phase of your life where you want to slow down, is that it forces you to do so. Your three-course meal there takes nearly two hours, and, while you wait for your chunks of chicken and beef to cook through, all you can do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the company of your husband and good friends.

So that is exactly what we did. And now, as we turn out the lights, we are not exhausted from our long days full of nonstop work, but from our long meal full of nonstop bread and meat.

Day 208: What Are You Doing Here on a Monday Night?

Today I went to work and came home, as I would on a normal Monday. But the big difference this evening was that Brandon was waiting for me when I arrived!

Last night was Brandon's last one on the night shift, at least for the next six months, and I am thrilled to have him home in the evenings, beginning with this one. I am, however, nervous about the change in routine. I'm not someone who likes it when my schedule gets thrown off, and adjusting to Brandon's new day shift (which means waking up at 4:30 am many mornings) is going to challenge me.

I am used to having Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights all to myself. It is on these nights that I catch up on chores, get my lesson-planning and grading done, write my blogs, and hang out with my girlfriends. It is on these nights that I get to control the remote, eat popcorn for dinner, and go to bed way too late. It is also on these nights that I have been missing Brandon for years.

So yes, the adjustment to a day schedule is going to be a challenge for both of us. But it is one I welcome with open arms, much the same way Brandon greeted me tonight when I walked in the door.

Day 207: The Picture

Brandon had to work today, and this allowed me a perfect opportunity go do a girls' outing. My friend Katie had put together a small group to go to a place called Sips n Strokes, where you receive an art lesson while sipping on whatever bottle(s) of wine you've chosen to bring!

I thought this sounded like a wonderful time - a bunch of girls, a bunch of wine, and a bunch of paint! Now, I have an artistic mind but not an artistic hand, meaning that, while I tend to have very creative ideas, they never seem to materialize the way I had envisioned. And I've never pretended to be good at drawing or painting, although I can color within given lines pretty well! But I wasn't too worried about the art; I have to admit, I was going for the wine and the gossip.

Still, I wanted my painting to turn out well. We were "copying" a real painting, and it wasn't easy. The art teacher took us through stroke by stroke, but I fell behind pretty quickly and became frustrated. Finally (maybe after I'd had just enough wine), I gave up on trying to copy this picture and just started doing my own thing.

It turned out all right, but it's certainly not something I can see hanging up in my home. Still, when I brought it home for Brandon to see, he was very proud of me. I couldn't tell if he really thought it was a decent picture or if he was just trying to make me feel good about it. But I don't think his true feelings matter as much as his intentions, which I believe were to support me in all of my endeavors. And that's a pretty incredible part about being married - having someone there for you at all times, for any reason, big or small.

Day 200: Alter Guild

After my wild night chaperoning the Homecoming dance, you would think that I'd let myself sleep in the following day. But I did manage to get up for church today. Not necessarily because I wanted to, but because I had a meeting with Sue, who has recently asked me to join the church's alter guild.

That's right, I am the newest member of Good Shepherd Lutheran's Alter Guild. This simply means that, during my assigned months, I set up the alter before church and take it down afterward. It's actually a fairly simple job and a good way to become involved in this community.

But it still makes me feel a little bit like an old woman.

Now, Sue specifically said that the reason she was asking me to join was because she was looking to get some young blood on the team. I certainly appreciate the sentiment, but it doesn't stop me from wondering if I am truly getting old before my time!

And then I have to wonder if this is at all connected to being married. My day-to-day life has not changed all that much since the day I said, "I do." But I certainly don't ever remember feeling old before July 1, 2010. And lately, I seem to feel that way more and more often.

There is certainly something about being married that makes me feel more mature. And the fact that people have lately gone from asking us, "Are you going to have kids?" to "Do you have kids?" makes me wonder if I am starting to look more mature as well. Maturity certainly isn't a bad thing; but I definitely don't want people thinking I'm in my 30s when I still have plenty of time left in my 20s!

And what am I supposed to think when, after I say, "No, we don't have kids yet," the response has gone from, "Well, you have plenty of time," to "Well, you have a few years!" Really??? I'm 27 years old!!!

Deep breath...I'm probably making a lot more of this than I ought to. In fact, I think in a lot of situations, I come across as younger than I am. My students were shocked to learn that I wasn't just out of college and was, in fact, five entire years, out. They could have just been looking for extra credit, but I appreciated it anyway.

And when I bring this up to anyone older than me, the thing I hear the most often is that you really are only as old as you feel! Well, some nights I do feel a lot older than 27. But usually, I still feel like a kid - in a good way! I love to have fun, I still plan crazy adventures, and my imagination still runs as wild as it did when I was in single-digits. I'll always appreciate the joy and innocence of childlike moments.

So, I guess being on the Alter Guild doesn't make me old. And being married certainly doesn't either. The fact is, I love who I am right now, at this very moment. 17, 27, 37, or 87...the number is completely irrelevant. But living in the moments you have been given (no matter how many) is not.

Day 199: Homecoming

This evening I did something I thought I'd never do. I chaperoned a Homecoming dance. Brandon and I had been invited to what sounded like an awfully fun birthday party, but he had to go without me. And, while he enjoyed his night out on the town, I burned myself melting chocolate for the chocolate fountain (which I never did get to partake in!) and went around putting balloons between couples who had gotten a little too close!

When did this become my life???

Actually, the dance was kind of fun. The chocolate fountain was a big hit, and I didn't end up having to clean it when the party was over. The kids were well-behaved, and the entertainment wasn't all bad.

What bothers me about the night was how exhausted I was when it was all over. I'd hoped to go join this birthday party crew when my duties were complete, and I still managed to drive myself to Delray Beach to meet the crowd. But by the time I got there, parked my car, and walked the several blocks to the bar, my heart wasn't in the party. I had just been on my feet too long, listening to music too loud, and must simply be getting way too old for all of this.

I was happy to see my husband and meet some of his friends, but I could barely keep my eyes open as they tried to get to know me. Finally, the ever-supportive Brandon suggested we call it a night, and I was oh-so glad. I left my half-full drink on the table, which is something I would normally never do (you just don't waste alcohol in my world!!!) and headed out to my car. We stopped at Checkers (because how could we not?) and finally got out of town.

I shut my eyes for a moment, and the next thing I knew, Brandon was pulling into our driveway. I must be getting old because I've never been this tired. And, although it's not like me to say this, the best part about Homecoming was finally coming home.

Day 192: Back To School Again?

Yes, you read that title correctly. I went back to school Monday, and then, yes, I went back to school again today.

This time, though, I am a student.

I have started working on my permanent teacher certification, which requires that I take five college courses over the next three years. It's not all that daunting of a task in theory; but it has been over five years since I walked into a college classroom, and I have to admit I was nervous.

And not just this morning as I drove onto campus - also last night, and earlier this morning as I got myself ready! But I have been excited too. I've finally figured out what I want to do with my life, and now I am getting all the credentials to do so. Yes, it is going to take up some of my precious Saturdays. But it's going to be so worth it in the end.

I tried to remind myself of these sentiments as I prepared to leave this morning, and I got myself pumped up enough that I was able to walk out the door confidently. If there's one thing I know how to do well, it's be a student!

So with this mindset I got into my car and drove to the FAU campus in Boca Raton, regretting only that I hadn't thought to take up my husband so he could take a picture of me on my first day of school! I mean, I really looked cute with my backpack on.

Now, is it the two-shoulder or one-shoulder carry that's cool?

Day 187: Back To School

Wow, was it ever hard to get out of bed this morning. I used to pride myself on the fact that I was a morning person. I would never hit the snooze button, but instead, pop right out of bed as soon as the alarm rang, ready to take on the day.

I wish that were still an accurate description of me. But oh no, that snooze button doesn't even know what hit it this morning. I kept my head on that pillow for as long as I could but finally had to acknowledge that, while my night-shift husband would sleep till two in the afternoon, it was darn near time I had to be at work and I'd better get my booty out of the bed. That was the hardest thing I've done in two weeks!

As you know, I love my job. I have found so much joy since being hired by Grandview Preparatory School. Even on my worst days, I come home feeling like I've done something productive, valuable, and rewarding.

But not today.

Obviously, we teachers all look forward to our Christmas break (or winter break, as we must call it in our non-religious environment). But after two weeks of doing nothing but drinking eggnog and increasing my Netflix count, the first day back is a cruel burst of reality - right in my tired face!

And I say this after a fairly easy day of being at school with NO STUDENTS! Yes, that's right - I get a teacher workday after two weeks of break. This is a good idea in theory (because who's going to lesson-plan over the holiday?), but I certainly didn't get any work done. What I did do was visit ever teacher in my hallway and in the one above me (that's all of our hallways, by the way), get the scoop on all of their breaks and share all about mine. I went out for lunch with a few of my colleagues, during which I stated that I absolutely HAD to get something done in the afternoon. And so, I went to my classroom and stared at my computer for the next two hours.

I still love my job, and I'll get back into the swing soon enough. But no, today was neither productive, nor valuable, nor rewarding in any way.

And the worst part of it all was this: when this non-productive, non-valuable, non-rewarding day was finally over, I had to come home to an empty house. And an evening that was therefore also non-productive, non-valuable, and non-rewarding.

As I said, I'll get back into the swing soon enough. But I'd really rather just stay on Christmas (or winter) break with my eggnog, my Netflix, and my husband forever.

Day 185: We've Made It Six Months!

We have made it to our six-month anniversary. Not that I ever doubted we would - it's just another cool milestone for us.

The past six months have been a bit of a whirlwind. First it was the wedding, then the car crash, then the first wedding reception. After all of that, we drove home to Illinois, had car trouble on the way, and eventually made it to the second wedding reception. All of this in the first month of our marriage! And in the five months between then and now, nothing has slowed down.

But today...today the world has stopped just long enough for us to reflect on all the memories we've made since that beautiful summer morning when we said, "I do." Aside from that crazy car crash, that was a pretty perfect day.

And so have been the 185 days since.

With those memories on our minds and true love in our hearts, we begin 2011 - our first full year as a married couple. I'm sure a lot will happen between now and December 31, but all I care to focus on at this moment is, in fact, this moment.