A post in which I ramble

People frequently ask me how I like married life. I generally respond with something along the lines of, "very much, we have a lot of fun together and laugh a lot." This seems like an appropriate response and it's true. One of Ben's co-workers once made the comment that she wasn't too sure marriage was all that great which just kind of seems like it would make the conversation awkward and sad. Anyway, a surprisingly number of people act surprised that I enjoy being married and that we have fun. Because you know, that's why I got married. To be miserable. These people generally laugh and say something along the lines of "just wait 5 years, you won't have fun then." And what I want to know is WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT? Why would you tell some newly married person that they are destined to be miserable? I mean even if you had a horrible marriage, shouldn't you just let that newlywed stay blissfully innocent? Do they think that this warning is going to help me? I mean shouldn't a warning like that come BEFORE you pledge the rest of your life to someone? Isn't after you say I do a little too late to be handing out that kind of advice? But I digress...

I think Ben I will have fun our whole marriage. That's our goal anyway. I mean we don't really fight. Well that's not true. We only fight when Ben goes out of his way to push my buttons. And he does. I mean why else would do things like leave all the blinds drawn when he leaves for work? BECAUSE IT DRIVES ME NUTS. That's why. But me, I am a great wife who never pushes Ben's buttons. Ben is lucky to be married to me.

We didn't fight very much when we were dating either. I can think of 3 times we fought in the 2 years we dated. And one of those times was because Ben thought I was checking out these two guys when really I was just trying to figure out if they were gay. That was a pleasant night. I am guessing that there is something frustrating about spending time with someone you might want to marry while they spend the whole night looking over at the two guys across the restaurant. But I'm just guessing there. Because of that night we can't eat at Cracker Barrel anymore, which is fine because I don't really like the food, the decor, or the store, so it really wasn't that big of a loss. Now if we had fought at Chipotle, which we both love, we would have had to work through our feelings and just sucked it up and continued to eat there. Because the Guac! And the Burritos! And the hip music! How could we give that up? But as it is we fought at Cracker Barrel and now it's dead to us. Dead.

I've taken on a new strategy for our fights. If I can say a word or a series of words (which I guess would be called a phrase), that Ben doesn't know, then I win. So far I have won three arguments this way. I'm not sure this strategy has staying power though because I am pretty sure that I've used up all the words that I know the meanings to and Ben doesn't. Ben's also taken Greek, and while I think it would be fighting dirty, he could totally trounce me in an argument with that skill. But we have an agreement not to fight dirty, so I am probably safe.

This is now probably the most rambly post ever. I should close and since there is no way to tie all those thoughts together in a closing statement, I will leave you with this. A hot picture of Ben:

Maybe...

I've started looking for a job in Kentucky. Why didn't you people tell me that this kind of stuff was exhausting? I mean really, this isn't so much fun. Part of the problem is that the jobs I've applied for I'm not really excited about. I'm qualified for them, but they would put me much further into a career path I really don't want to take and I'm not sure stabbing my eyes out with a pen is a professional move. I would like a job that excites me and that I am passionate about. Unfortunately, I'm not sure there are any jobs out there for blogging urban planning event managers. But if you know of one... send it my way.

The other problem is that we found out how much we will have pay for Ben's surgeries. Now I feel like I HAVE to find a job before we move. This hospital seems to want to be paid... and I agree that they deserve to be paid... we just don't have that much money....

This isn't how I pictured our marriage starting. This summer was supposed to be the easy months. The coasting months. The time when we were both working and could save money and pay off some school loans. We'd move to Kentucky in the fall and get settled there. We knew things would be rough... but not until after school. Ministry would be tough. We knew that. We were ok with that but this took us by surprise.

And yet, it's ok. We'll be ok. Things will work out because God's going to provide some way. I wish He would provide in a large check made out to the hospital but it's more likely that He will provide in helping us pay our bills over the coming months and years. And maybe that's what we need. Maybe being financially free now isn't what's best for us. Maybe it'll keep us on our knees. Maybe it'll keep us humble. Maybe it'll help us treasure what really matters.

Maybe this really is just one big blessing....

Fat man in a little car

My parents are pretty active in the local Miata club. My mom and I were talking about their regular meetings:

Mom: What do you think about a Drive and Hike? We can meet at some park and have a picnic.

Me: Sounds ok.

Mom: We are trying to get younger Miata drivers to join our group. I'm not sure our Drive and Dines are doing that.

Me: I think there is a Miata club in Kentucky.

Mom: Yeah, they meet at bars.

Me: Well that's how you attract younger owners. Have Drink and Drives.

Wedding celebration

I've never actually written about our wedding celebration. Oh my goodness was it fun! Like so much fun it should be illegal. We celebrated like crazy; we had a lot to celebrate. Our wedding. Ben was alive still. My mom was alive still and not only alive but walking and had hair! It was time to celebrate! And so we did. With dancing and friends and lots of laughter. I have never danced that much and meant it in my life! I loved our reception. Here are some pictures:

Bryan and Emily being all cute.

My parent's being all cute.

Ben and I being all whatever we are. In love?

My brother and sister. Bryan is quite the dancer.

More dancing.

Me watching Ben "bust a move".

Ben and I being cute. (Just be glad I left out the kissy pictures, ok?)

Oh how we had fun! God answered my prayer for a fun reception. The people who worked at the banquet hall even commented that they hadn't seen people celebrate like us before. Like I said, we had a lot to celebrate.

To end, here's a video of Ben and I cutting the cake. Ignore the fact that's it's like a baby cake, a wedding cake in training if you will. It looked bigger in the store, ok? I didn't think it would look so tiny on a mirror and a giant table.

....


And maybe not. I was going to load a video, but it didn't work out so well. Instead here's a picture of Ben and I getting out of the car at the reception hall. Much cooler and you don't get to make fun of my cupcake of a wedding cake.

On why my day was soooo productive

10:45 - Computer mouse freezes, followed by the keyboard

10:53 - Have restarted computer 2 times

10:59 - IT guy shows up with new keyboard

11:00 - Explain there is something wrong with the computer, not the keyboard

11:01 - Get blue screen of death with the phrase "fatal system error"

11:13 - Leave to run errands

11:43 - Park at 30 min meter downtown

11:51 - Get copy of marriage certificate to change name

11:53 - Decide not to feed the meter because it'll be real quick

11:54 - Joke with the security guard. They take my phone.

11:55 - Presented with 4 options to sign in at social security office: 1. Have an appointment, 2. Social Security benefits, 3. Lost card, 4. Other reasons.

11:56 - Choose option 4 and get assigned number A186

11:57 - Realize I didn't bring my birth certificate or social security card. Hope I don't need them. Try to call Ben to see if he could look it up. Realize that security has my phone.

12:01 - Ask another couple there if they think I need my social security card. They think I do and should fill out that form on that table over there.

12:06 - Number A185 is called. Rush to finish form

12:08 - Finish form as A186 is called.

12:09 - Get told that I selected the wrong option when I signed in and was waiting in the wrong line. Get re-queued. Also get told that all I need is my drivers license and marriage certificate. Not sure if I believe her.

12:12 - Parking meter runs out. Decide to go feed it.

12:13 - Explain to security that they can keep my phone - I'll be right back.

12:15 - Go through security again. This time they take my mace. Decide I don't have that much stuff and should not keep going though security.

12:17 - Get back in waiting room. Hope that they didn't call my name.

12:19 - Notice all the interesting people. Government offices bring all of us together no matter how rich or poor. How nice.

12:20 - Watch some lady get really frustrated with waiting. She sighs loudly and crumbles up her number, slams it in the trash can and storms out. The rest of us hope that means we can get to the window sooner.

12:25 - Start to worry that my meter is going to run out again. Wonder how much a parking ticket would be. Decide it is probably more than the $4 parking lot I passed up for street parking.

12:30 - Lunch break ends and 3 more office workers show up.

12:31 - The couple who suggested the form to fill out gets called.

12:33 - The couple gets frowned upon because she's not a US citizen and didn't bring the correct paperwork. They are told to wait some more.

12:36 - The lady calls 190. Then 191. Then 192. Someone gets excited until they realize that they hold A192. The lady calls 192 again, I think just to be cruel. Then 193. She then stops calling numbers for a while.

12:38 - The lady calls my name.

12:40 - My name is officially changed. There is no fanfare or cheers. It is decidedly anticlimactic.

12:42 - My meter runs out.

12:44 - Get ignored by the guard who has my cell phone

12:45 - Still get ignored by the guard. See a police officer checking the meters near my car.

12:46 - Rudely and loudly ask for my phone. Get mace as well.

12:47 - Run outside, jaywalk and get in car before the officer gets to my car.

12:48 - Leave with a new name and no ticket. Success!

How to make a long day longer

Or how to make the most frustrating skillet meal ever.

1. Start with a long day. Preferably one where you get home late and start cooking dinner after 6, you know, that time when you normally EAT dinner.

2. Start with this recipe:

Mexican Vegetarian Skillet Dinner

Serves 6

6 cups peeled and cubed russet potatoes

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

1 cup green bell pepper, seeded, de-ribbed and chopped

5 cloves garlic, pressed

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

3/4 cup frozen whole kernel corn

1/3 cup sliced Kalamata olives

3 corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips or "noodles"

3/4 cup shredded low fat Cheddar cheese

Sour Cream, for garnish-OPTIONAL

Fresh cilantro, chopped-OPTIONAL

Cook potatoes in water for about 7 minutes; drain and set aside. Potatoes should be firm, not mushy and not hard.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat; saute onion, bell pepper and garlic until onion is translucent.

Add cooked/drained potatoes to onion mixture and continue to cook until potatoes are tender. Add cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Stir for about a minute, then add tomatoes, corn, olives and tortilla "noodles"; reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, add cheese and garnish with chopped cilantro and sour cream, if desired. Serve.

3. Ignore the ingredients you don't have like corn and cheese. Also ignore the ingredients you don't know what they are, like, Kalamata Olives.

4. Peel potatoes. Ignore the fact that the recipe called for cubed potatoes and just cut them in large chunks. Drop several chunks on the floor and want to cuss.

5. Cook potatoes.

6. Chop up other veggies. Also drop some of these on the floor.


7. Forget about your new large skillet and cook veggies until the onions are clear in your smallish skillet.


8. Add cooked potatoes and cumin, salt and pepper. Realize 4 things:
1. the skillet is still way too small.
2. the recipe called for six CUPS of potatoes. Not six POTATOES.
3. the recipe called for five cloves of garlic. You added one. And one more at this point.
4. that this recipe is only spiced with cumin and salt and pepper and will probably taste like cooked butt.

9. Tell Husband that dinner probably won't turn out and he should eat out.

10. Add tomatoes (fresh not canned because...ewww), and tortilla strips.


11. Cook for 5 minutes to create the most bland Mexican dish ever. Also, have no idea how or willpower to want to spice it up.

12. Survey the small, messy kitchen.

13. Toss bland crap out.

14. Let kind husband make you a sandwich.

15. Eat on couch while watching bad T.V.

In conclusion: don't make this recipe. It's not so good.

New Couch!

Ben and I bought a new couch this weekend. Finally!!! I hate the couch we have. It's old, ugly, small and falling apart. The new couch is new, pretty, brown (yea!), comfy, big enough without being too big and not falling apart. We'll get it in 6-8 weeks (sad).

I am happy with the couch we bought. It was in our price range, as opposed to the other couches we liked that cost over $1,000. It's what I had pictured our new couch looking like. I like the couch, I do not like the sales guys we bought it from.

When I spend hundreds of dollars on something that I am going to use for years and years and years, I want to not only like the item I am buying, but also the person I am buying it from. When I was mattress shopping I knew I would not buy a mattress from Morris Furniture because of that rude sales lady. The creepy guy at Ashely furniture made up my mind about their mattresses. The friendly and informative sales guy at Original Mattress Factory not only had a good product to sell, but doing business with him was good as well. He got my sale.

I wish we could have bought a couch from the local department store. The sales guy there did a great job of explaining what to look for in a quality couch without pushing any particular model he was selling. Unfortunately, we couldn't afford the quality they provided.

We bought our couch from Chris. He wasn't very helpful, but wasn't pushy either, so I could overlook that. My buyers remorse set in after driving home and realizing that the cost of the warranty was more than what he had quoted us.

I called Chris up to see about getting the price adjusted. Not only was he not helpful, he was downright rude. The difference is only $20, and we probably would have purchased the warranty anyway, but it really frustrated me that he treated me the way he did. I ended the call by explaining I was unhappy with the situation and hung up on him. I know that was childish, but I couldn't be on the phone with him one second longer. I wasn't going to fight too hard over $20 so I considered the conversation over.

I am happy we bought the couch, I just wish we had bought it from some other sales rep. From one I would have liked. Because for the next ten years I don't want to sit on my couch and remember Chris and that $20.