The Letdowns of BINGO

Recently, one of the things that we've enjoyed doing with friends is going out to restaurants that offer the wonderful game of BINGO. You relax, have a great food, great company, great conversation, and of course play BINGO and hopefully win a round that will pay for your tab. It's a great way to spend time with friends and catch up.

We enjoyed one such adventure not too long ago at "Lucky 13's" in Bloomington. The food was great. The place was packed and everyone was having a great time. They play a total of about 15 rounds of BINGO on Sunday afternoons. Each round, the winning BINGO receives $100. I was pretty excited because most restaurants offer a $20 prize each round, which for me is amazing! Winning $5 is amazing to me. The fact that it was a $100 prize was very, very, exciting!!

On this particular round, we were playing the "arrow" round which means your winning BINGO has to form an "arrow point" facing any direction. As each number was called it seemed like Noah and I were getting closer and closer to winning this round. I'd look over at his card. He'd look over at mine and we would nearly shriek with excitement. You know that feeling right? When you only have a few numbers left. Then finally, when you only need one number and you mention that fact to everyone that you are sitting with.
"I only need one more!!!"

As we are sitting at the table, whispering that last number that we need to our selves...."B10...B10....B10" it happens. "O77" the announcer calls. A second later, someone yells, "BINGO" and everyone else in the room lets out the "bummed out sigh" at the same time. Darn it!!!

So, we disappointedly pile our used BINGO cards on the table with their pretty, colorful dots and we imagine what we would have done with the $100 if we would have won. As we are chatting, something grabs my attention on Noah's last BINGO card and as I take a closer look at the card, I ask, "Are you kidding me??"

There it was. Noah's WINNING BINGO CARD!!!! He had the winning BINGO half way through the round and he didn't even notice it!!! Seriously, how could he have missed that? Uggghhhhh. It of course was too late for him to go up and claim his prize. Someone else had already done that. Noah just hung his head in dismay. I couldn't be frustrated with the poor guy for too long.

In the end, we of course just have to laugh at it. I had to learn to swallow my frustration (I know it's just a hundred bucks, but to me that's a lot of money), suck it up, and laugh it off. It just wasn't meant to be.

Maybe next time. If this is what we have to be most disappointed in right now...well, I'd say we are doing alright.

When You Can't Help Falling in Love

I have heard people that have been married for fifty plus years say it quite often, "I fell more in love with him/her every day that we were together". I'd think to myself, "Yea right." How could I ever be more in love with him than on the day that we share our wedding vows. How can you fall more in love with someone?

Well, I once again have been proven wrong. I am more in love with Noah today than I was the day that we got married. They were right.

To say that there have been times that I didn’t feel so in love with Noah would be an understatement. I’m sure that he would have the same to say about me. We all have our “not so loveable” moments. I’ve started to understand however, what these wise couples have meant all this time. As you start sharing your lives together, the good, the bad, the ugly, the very humble moments, you start seeing how unconditionally you are loved. When you notice the simple, little things that your spouse does to make you smile, ahhhh….my heart melts all over again.

The other night, it was nothing special. I was turning onto our street and there was Noah in the Subaru on the corner. He had a grin from ear to ear and he waved, rolled down his window and said, “I am going to go double couponing now. See you soon. Love you.”

My heart skipped a beat. Not because he was going double couponing (although that was wonderful too), but it was just his smile. When Noah smiles, it’s like looking into the kindest of souls. I fell in love even more.

As I turned the corner and pulled into the driveway, I realized that they were right. You really can fall more in love with someone. I can only imagine the love I will have for him fifty years from now.

Just Another Year?

As I reflect on the year 2011 and our first year of marriage, I have to say that this past year was not just another year. There have been years that I've looked back and have noticed that not much had changed in a year. In previous years I had been working the same job, living in the same place, etc. Two-thousand eleven however, is a year that I will always remember. It was a year packed with challenges, adventures, and great lessons learned.

In January I married my best friend; someone that I will share the wonderful and not so wonderful moments with, but will love all the same. I learned what it means to love and to truly be loved.

In February I learned to NEVER use spreadable butter to make frosting for cupcakes, but also that I can not control everything and not everything can always be perfect. Life is meant to be lived freely and when we try to control every situation, life isn't fun anymore. There are things that we can control and things that we can’t. It’s important to know the difference, allow space for change, and try not to get bent out of shape when something happens that was outside of your original plan.








In March I started learning what's it's like to share space with someone. My townhome went from being "my" house to "our" house overnight. It took me a few months to get used to things (and I'm still working on it today) but sharing space became a bit easier three months in. I even learned how to stay on my side of the bed!!!

In April I once again learned that not all things go as planned after I lost my job due to a restructuring of staff. I learned how to hold my head up high and be graceful even when I didn't necessarily feel it all the time. Noah and I learned that support and encouragement are two pieces that hold a marriage together.

In May I learned to "dance" when things are not going right and to live in the simple and joyful moments.
I also learned how to budget well and even though we were only taking in one paycheck, we were able to make things happen and not fall behind on our financial goals.

In June I loved the show Extreme Couponing and learned how to get great deals on items when they are on sale!!! No, I didn't become crazy like some of the people on the show (I don't buy 47 bottles of mustard) but I did learn how to use my coupons at the right time. Since then, Noah and I have saved nearly a hundred dollars a month on groceries!!

In July hiked to the top of Mt. Elbert at 14,447 feet. I learned how to keep going when you really just want to quit and how to encourage someone else to the top of a mountain. July was also the month that we had to say goodbye (for now) to Noah's amazing grandpa Dewey.

In August I started a new job at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Apple Valley and I've loved every minute of being there. It's a wonderful fit for Noah and I. As I look back on my first six months there, I am surprised that it has only been that long. The friendships that we have built and the encouragement that we have received makes us feel like we have been there for much, much, longer.

In September I started classes again at Luther Seminary and took on one of my heaviest loads as a graduate student working full time in ministry. It was a challenge, but I got through it. The classes stretched me on so many levels and it has been exciting learning so many new things and thinking in new ways.

In October I learned that weekend get-aways really can rejuvenate your soul and help you reconnect with your husband. We didn't have to go far...all we needed was a little wine and eachothers company. Our get-away to Red Wing was a blast and we would highly recommend the Hungry Point Inn to anyone looking for a quick romantic getaway.

In Novemeber we started brewing our own beer!!! We picked up a kit at Midwest Brewing supplies and made our first batch of Irish Red!!! It was a great thing for us to do together and being able to enjoy the beer together a month later (that is how long the entire process takes) was also a huge plus.

In December we celebrated Christmas and the New Year for the first time as husband and wife. We look back on 2011 as one of the greatest years filled with so much joy, celebrations, laughter, and tears. We both have grown so much and in ways I don't think we would ever dream of. It' been exciting though and I am so looking forward to many more adventures.

Our First Christmas

Needless to say, I have some catching up to do. After finishing up my semester at Luther Seminary, I finally had the opportunity to fully enjoy the season. The last month or so has been wonderful having the opportunity to celebrate Christmas and the New Year with friends and family. Noah and I really enjoy spending time with our families and we are blessed to live close to them. Our first Christmas it was so great to be able to spread the Christmas celebrations out for a week or so. It allowed for a less stressful holiday, and an opportunity to really be present with the people that we love.

We also made sure to think about what traditions we want to start as a family and felt that this was something important for us to do our first year together. We don't know exactly what that will look like in the future, but this year, we decided to worship together on Christmas Eve and spend Christmas morning just the two of us, cozy  in our pajamas, gazing at the tree, and opening the gifts we had for one another.

Christmas was everything is is meant to be. Here are just a few of the highlights:

 

Elaina had received a kitchen set from Santa so Noah and I thought I would be appropriate for her to have her very own chef's hat and apron. It was so much fun seeing how excited she was about it. I love the picture on the left...it looks like she is being "crowned" as a new chef!

Of course there was also lots of time for play! I can't get over the relationship between Elaina and Noah! Those two are quite the pair!

Our first Christmas did not disappoint and I am so excited for all of those yet to come!

Tonight for Dinner....

I found this recipe on Pintrest last night and just happened to have all of the ingredients so Noah and I got to work on it. If you haven't heard of Pintrest.com you need to go there right now!!! I was shown this site by a good friend over the weekend and I am seriously hooked to this site that is full of ideas. Want to find a great recipe? Check out Pintrest. Want some home decor ideas? Check out Pintrest. Want to make a gift for someone special, but need an idea? Go to Pintrest! I'm not kidding. It's awesome.
 
So I thought I'd share this recipe that we had last night for dinner. It not only looks amazing, but it also tastes amazing. Note: This is total comfort food (and this is the perfect time of year for it), but if you want to go for a bit leaner option use light sour cream and low fat cheese. You could also try using margarine, but when all is said and done margarine isn't any better for you, so I say go ahead and indulge a bit by using butter. :)
 

Chicken Enchiladas With Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce
10 soft taco shells
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz) can diced green chillies
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan
2. Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.
3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
4. Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.
5. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
6. Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.

ENJOY!!!!

Will He Still Love Me Tomorrow?

I've learned that there is a totally new sense of humility when one shares their entire life with someone. The things that you were able to "get away" with before, no longer can you get away with. For guys this may be leaving the toilet seat up or leaving the dishes in the sink. For me, well lets just say I didn't think I would EVER do this and when it did happen, I was beyond embarrassed with myself. It's taking a lot for me to put this out there and I know some may think it's crude and wonder why I'm writing about it, but I've learned a lot through this experience and because of that, I feel that I should share. I've also come to terms with the fact that it really does happen to everyone at least once in their life and if they say that it never has, they are lying to themselves. So please promise that you will not judge me or look at me differently after this post because I am really putting myself out there. Promise?

I don't know if this is something that happens after you turn 30 or if it is something that just magically happens after you are married. It's like all of a sudden your body turns against you and desires to place you in the most embarrassing moments ever. So....here it is....

I woke up last night......
                      My lower body vibrating.....
                                                    and I finally realize....
                                                                            I've just farted in my sleep...
                                                                                                                 and it's just woken me up!!

I laid there in sheer terror, wondering if this unfortunate event has also woken up my husband. Oh, the horror! He'd never look at me the same way again. I would never be considered attractive again. I now have the title "Gross and Loud Farting Wife" written on my forehead. I was relieved to find that this incident had not disturbed Noah. I fretted over this experience for quite a while, but I finally fell asleep knowing that my secret was safe. Noah would never have to know that his wife farts to the point that it wakes her from her sleep.

The next morning I was over the humiliation and realizing the humor in what had happened. It's so funny how you can hear of this happening to other people, but feel that you are so far removed from it and that it would never happen to you. When it does happen, and you find yourself in that moment of humiliation, it's priceless.

Noah could see that something was up. He has a great way of knowing when the wheels are turning inside my head. He of course asks me what I'm thinking about and I of course say, "nothing". I didn't know if I could tell him. The thought that he would for sure find me unattractive and want to leave me flashed through my mind. Finally, I mustered up the courage and shared this awful event with him. After hearing the story, the expression on his face was...a mix of joy, relief, wonder, and like he had just heard the funniest joke on the planet. He looked at me and in his expression, I knew, that he thought I was something special. Every hesitation and fear in my body that I would some how disappoint Noah by not being perfect had disappeared. I was amazed at his love for me.

Humility continues to be one of the key words in this relationship and it seems to come in the funniest of packages. As we continue to get to know one another and how this marriage thing works, we are surprised by all of the great things we are learning about one another and ourselves as a couple.

I thank God for moments like these.

Oh, and I should mention that Noah has also experienced an event much like this one, only instead of being terrified of what I may think, he has this sense of pride, as if he has accomplished something great. I have been woken up in the middle of the night, not by my own flatulence, but by the stench wafting from underneath the covers from Noah's side of the bed. I'm not kidding. It literally woke me up!

It seems we may just be the perfect couple. ;)

The Most Important Year of Our Lives

So, supposedly this whole being married thing is a big deal...or so we've heard...many, many times.

I would totally agree.

I've learned a lot in the last nine months. I have a feeling however, that there is a whole lot more to learn; about Noah, about myself, about marriage, and life in general. From the very beginning, Noah and I have known that it wasn't going to be a cake walk and we've wanted to prepare ourselves (as best as we can) for the journey that lies ahead. So....we bought a book that would tell us everything (don't we wish)!

Although this book could never fully prepare us for all that lies ahead as Noah and I travel through life together, we have found it to be insightful and challenging at times and it has brought us some great topics to discuss.

What book is it you ask?

The Most Important Year of Any Man's/Woman's Life by Susan and Mark DeVries and Bobbie and Robert Wolgemuth. It's two books in one- there's a book from the female perspective and a book from the male perspective. The two books meet in the middle with reading and an "activity" for the couple to do together once they have each read their portion. It's a book that could be read at any stage of marriage. I usually run away from any reading that may potentially tell a woman how she should be a wife and how man should be a husband however, that is not what this book is about at all. Their ideas are very open, untraditional (which is what I like), and yet still honest.

So far, it's been great and both Noah and I would highly recommend it for any couple.
It's a fun read, not boring, it gets you laughing at yourself, your significant other, and sparks some great conversation.