Post-finals laze

 Finals have come and gone and this household could not be happier. This was a pretty intense finals period. Like, at least two major meltdowns. Like hyperventilating, I-don't-know-anything, tear-filled meltdowns.

Dan. He is the unsung hero of finals. Actually, I'll sing it right now. That man deserves an award. I reached crazy town levels of insanity this semester and he took it all in stride. He made me hot chocolate with about 2 parts hot chocolate and 1 part whipped cream (a 1/3 ratio is good for the soul). He made christmas happen and I came home to lights draped on the walls and stockings hanging from the windowsill. He made nourishing meals more times than I can count. He held me and prayed for me when I thought I had lost 1/3 of a nearly finished government contracts outline (thank God Macs are miracle machines that back documents up more than I do). He was just fantastic. Enough things cannot be said.

If I do well this semester it will in large part due to him.

I've spent the last three days sleeping, lazing about, streaming netflix and eating christmas colored m&ms (I can never pass the big bags up. All the red and green!). I've been finishing up some christmas shopping and prep and getting ready to spend the holidays, just me and Dan, in DC. We are finally getting a tree this weekend. Dan is making latkes on Satruday and we've been lighting the menorah candles each night.

The holidays are here, folks. And I am so excited to enjoy them and forget all about admin law. If no one says Chevron ever again it'll be too soon.

the yucky love stuff

I don't often get mushy on this space primarily because I don't think anyone else really cares how funny, attractive, brilliant, and caring I think Dan is. I mean, I assume they all hope I feel that way but do they really want to hear the nitty-gritty details of my love? Probably not. PDA and all that.

But this week was rough for us. It just seems like everything is coming to a head professionally and educationally and, well, when it rains it storms. We are having to deal with some frustrating realities and make difficult decisions. And, as much as that all sucks, really badly, I keep being reminded of why I'm in love with the man I married.

We've been praying together a lot and talking things through - attempting to figure out the next steps - and I am kind of amazed at how well we communicate. Dan is not a super emotional guy, which, to be honest, I'm grateful for because I'm weepy enough for the both of us, but he trusts me and he tells me what he's dealing with and how he's feeling about it.

The other night was particularly bad and we were worrying and stressing and I could tell he was getting more and more anxious. We decided to take a break and stop talking about it - I was going to get some reading done for school. He came over to kiss me before he left me alone to study.

I placed my hands on either side of his face and I looked at him and told him, "We can get through anything, didn't you know?"

He smiled at me has he walked toward the door and he said something quietly, under his breath. I didn't quite hear him.

"What?" I asked.

He turned and looked at me.

"This is what marriage is for. When you say that, I believe you."

And then my heart exploded.




I love that man so much, and we are going to get through.

He was a good one so I snatched him up

I love that I still learn new things about Dan. I mean, not everyday. I feel like constantly learning new things would be very overwhelming (and just a little scary, like, woah do I know you?). But learning new things every once in a while is endearing, folks. It just is. For instance, I learned THREE new things about Dan on our little southern adventure. 

1. Boy likes antiquing. Which may not be weird for all of you who married hipsters but this guy hates shopping. He just doesn't like it. So when he wandered into an antique shop in Savannah, and then another... I was like. Damn. That's hot. 

2. He's scared of heights. He had told me that before but I didn't really believe him (he's jumped out of a plane before!). I mean, he's a marine. Suck it up, Marine! But then we were up on the deck of a lighthouse and he was not a happy camper and all I wanted to do was hug him. So I did. After we went back inside the lighthouse. 

3. He's says really awesome feminist things like "You see, I really struggle with that because it's inherently anti-woman." And then I was like, take me. I'm yours. And I ruined all my feminist cred (which you get from simply saying you're a feminist, duh). But maybe the fact that I married a feminist makes up for it?

And that's the amazing man I married. I think it's love, guys. 

I love that he comes into kiss me every morning before he goes to work. It wakes me up, and I don't even mind. It's the best way to wake up. 

I don't think they make a 'sorry your dodgeball coach just got crushed by two tons of irony' Hallmark card

Things don't always go as planned. The best laid intentions yada yada yada. 

It's my Fall break and we had planned to go on a little romantic getaway to South Carolina. 

One night, boats on a lake, bed and breakfast... but things change. 

We adapt. 

Long story short: I got into a fender bender (my fault) on Friday. The front end of my car looks like it lost a fight. Pretty badly. 

The ironic part is (and if I am using the word ironic wrong, forgive me) is that I was on my way to pick up Daniel while his car was in the shop. He needs new tires but since my car issues became a little more pressing than his, we switched our cars out. Tires will have to wait. 

So, romantic trip got cancelled due to unforeseen expenditures. 
Unfortunately, adapting isn't my strong suit. 

But Dan is great at it and he went out of his way to make this weekend a good one and I love him for it. 

Park, steak dinner, and a camp out in the living room. 

He's the best. 

oxfords

I wore oxfords and a long skirt today. 

I felt like Anne of Green Gables. 

Not really sure why. 
But I liked it.

Also, Dan got promoted today. More on that tomorrow.

That Anne-girl

It's supposed to rain today; I will never get used to the summer downpours. I like my summers dry and 104˚ if you please. The torrents have yet to appear, but in preparation for the shower I am reading in bed -- the only proper response to this act of nature. I have been re-reading the Anne series and can't stop. Although, part of me fully believes that if Anne knew I was reading her stories on a Kindle she would say it had "Little scope for the imagination," and also, "What is a Kindle?" As I read through the series I find myself falling in love with Anne and Gilbert all over again. Not only that, but I've found that my Daniel reminds me of Gilbert. And I don't think I am imagining things either. Gilbert patiently waited for Anne to come around, Dan patiently waited for me. Their romance sprung out of friendship, and ours did as well. Dan even throws a quote in conversation when appropriate, though his tend to be less poetry and more Star Trek, which I find adorable. All we need is a walk down Lovers Lane and a view of the Lake of Shining Waters and we'll be set. For now we settle for our little turtle pond and the path around Hugh McRae Park. 

p.s. I think every guy should take some pointers from Gilbert, and that means you, 10-year old boy at the basketball clinic who hit on me today -- Anne Shirley would certainly never stand for that.