Anniversary re-do day

 On our anniversary three weeks ago, Andrew was the sickest he has been in years.  We had planned for an entire day together, and that was not to be.  I wasn't angry of course, it wasn't his fault.  But we decided the next available Saturday would be our re-do day, and that happened yesterday.

It was a bit different than our original plan, but probably was even better!  Our school is currently hosting an online fundraising auction, and I needed to head to Cincinnati to pick up some donated tickets.  We had actually purchased the tickets for the American Sign Museum that were donated last year, so we decided to spend some time checking it out and grab this year's donation.  It is such a fun place!  I mentioned to Andrew that my dad would have absolutely LOVED that place.  He loved old signs.   It was a great start to my day, and we plan to return again with the kids or with Andrew's mom.

We then headed to a mall area as I was hoping to do a bit of shopping.  We had a wonderful lunch/dinner at The Cheesecake Factory, found a store that sold Cincinnati bourbon, and did a bit of other shopping.  We brought cheesecake home and hung out, watching some of our favorite shows.

Overall, it was a really great day and I'm so grateful to get to spend days like that, and all days, with my amazing husband!

This was not the anniversary we had planned

This was not the anniversary we had planned, but it could certainly be much, much worse.  Andrew and I had planned a day of just hanging out.  It was a weekend that literally had nothing on our calendar, and other than Andrew needing to attend a funeral visitation for a colleague's wife this morning, we had the weekend entirely to ourselves.  So, I won't lie and say I wasn't disappointed when Andrew texted me at the end of his work day and told me he was really sick.  He had stomach issues and spike a fever.  I'm incredibly disappointed as it will be weeks at best before we can make this happen again, and today is our actual anniversary on a Saturday.  It could be so much worse though.

I realized that I neglected to write last weekend about my mom getting hit by a car.  It was really just a bump but knocked her down.  I took her to urgent care last Saturday, and everything appeared to be okay.  She has mobility issues as it is, so this certainly didn't help.

It's been a rough week at work, in the world, in our family, and for friends.  I am praying, and praying hard, for peace and healing in our lives.

An anniversary trip

I know I've been pretty quiet lately.  There has been a lot going on, and most of it is very time-consuming and somewhat emotional.  I'm sure it will all be okay though.  It's just a bit of a rough season of life, coinciding with the rough season of dreary gray January/February.

A week ago though, was our anniversary.  We won't be taking a vacation this year for a variety of reasons.  We decided that we could take a simple weekend (and maybe more than one) instead.  I had seen that the Pro Football Hall of Fame was having a Special Steelers Exhibit, so we decided a trip to Canton was in order!  I booked a very reasonable motel, and we were so excited to make the trip.  It was absolutely the perfect time to get away from the sadness and emotions that are here, and to leave the responsibilities behind, just for forty-eight (not even) hours.  We loved that we had no schedule all weekend.  We could eat when we wanted, sleep when we wanted, drink when we wanted.  The Hall of Fame only took a couple of hours to go through and that gave us time to just hang out.  It was absolutely wonderful, and the time could not have been better! 

A weekend away in Chicago

Since Andrew and I just celebrated a milestone anniversary, we decided to celebrate with a get-away.  Originally the plan was to fly to Vegas, but the budget was not "airplane friendly".  We decided Chicago was better, and our dear friends love that city and are excellent tour guides.  Forty-eightish hours away is exactly what we needed.  We shared so many laughs, and good food and lots of good drinks.  I'm so, so grateful we did this!

Our anniversary

Today my wonderful husband and I celebrated a milestone anniversary.  It's really so very hard to believe all these years have passed by.  I am so incredibly grateful to share each and every day with Andrew, and I look forward to so very many more.  Our gift to each other is a get-away over President's Day weekend to Chicago with friends.  I pointed out to Andrew as we were driving home that we know for a fact that twenty years ago today there was snow on the ground!  

I'm so grateful for the life we've built together.  Catherine and Thomas both sent us a text today, and we had a lovely dinner out.  We also volunteered our church's community meal this evening, where an announcement was made that it's our anniversary and we were given a small cake.  It was so incredibly thoughtful!

I also appreciated that today was a Wednesday which means I only work until Noon or so.  It allowed me to take a two-hour nap, but I'm still planning on going to bed early.  There is so much going on and a lot to write about, but that will be another time.  Today I just want to enjoy my special day with my amazing husband!

Fall sports season is coming to an end

I'll be honest, I'm not sad that the fall sports season is coming to an end.  Andrew has worked at least two nights each week, and many times three nights, and I've often worked at least one.  This is pretty much the end though, except for a JV football game he'll need to work next weekend.  I would love to say that it means we'll have so much more time together, although ironically I have two evening meetings next week.

Yesterday I made a trip to take some things to Thomas.  It was a beautiful drive with the leaves beginning changing, and of course it was awesome to give Thomas a hug.  He won't be home again for another two weeks, and I sure do miss having him around.  Catherine doesn't have any immediate plans for a visit either, and it sure does feel quiet around here.  It will be awesome to have everyone around at Thanksgiving.

Looking forward to a gorgeous fall weekend!

It's the best Friday evening

I worked over 38 hours this week.  Definitely a long, long week.  I loved it though.  I love being busy at work, especially when it's just busy, not chaos.  Andrew also started back to work this and had some meetings.  Thomas worked almost as many hours as I did.  Definitely a crazy week.  The heat of the week certainly didn't help things.

A cool front came through Tuesday night, and then a really cool front came through last evening.  Oh my goodness, today was one of those amazing weather days.  The temps were in the 70's and there was no humidity.  Thomas had to work late this evening, but Andrew and I were home relatively early.  He'd gone to a cookout and wasn't hungry.  We made some drinks and sat out back and enjoyed the beautiful weather.  Although we are finished being band parents, with Andrew doing stats, I couldn't help but remember that the next ten Fridays are "high school football Fridays".  It made this evening even more special.  As it began to be too chilly to be outdoors, we came in and watched a move.  When Thomas got home, we shared a few laughs with him as well.

Andrew and I discussed the future...most of our Fridays from here on out will be just the two of us.  In four days we take Thomas to college.  So many memories and emotions.

Olympics, tears, and a busy weekend

I have never been successful at watching the Olympics and not crying.  I cry and hurt when the athletes cry, and I cry tears of joy along with them when there is victory...especially unexpected victory.  Friday evening had all those emotions.  I watched Nick Baumgardner's heartbreaking interview when he failed to advance in his Olympic event.  Then I watched as he was paired with Lindsey Jacobellis and had another shot, at age 40, to win an Olympic medal.  His enthusiasm was contagious.  He made it through the qualifying, and when it came to the finals, I couldn't hardly watched.  I left the room, but when I came back only he had raced; Lindsey still needed to do her part for their medal.  I cheered and yelled throughout her race, and the end result was GOLD!  Yep, I cried again.  It was all such a wonderful story.

Our Olympic viewing was after having a lovely dinner to celebrate our anniversary.  We had some amazing food and fun cocktails.  Saturday we took the kids to Dayton and had the best fries EVER as we celebrated our family, and yesterday I visited with my grandmother.  She's doing really well and it was a very nice visit.  And of course last evening we enjoyed a really great football game, even if it didn't go the way we had hoped.  It was a busy February weekend!

Still the best decision I ever made

Today is our anniversary.  Both Andrew and I agree that choosing to spend our lives together was the best decision we ever made.  I am so grateful that I've had him to lean on all of these years.  I'm so incredibly lucky, and many days I don't feel as though I deserve him.

Unfortunately, he is working at a girls basketball game this evening.  He regrets that tremendously, but I completely understand.  Sometimes jobs happen when we'd rather be doing other things, but we are responsible human beings.  It's absolutely okay.  We'll spend some time together this evening, and then hope for a dinner this weekend.

It's been a rough afternoon.  There is a situation at work that may have been from some misinformation, but could literally cost our school tens of thousands of dollars.  Even though it has nothing to do with me,  it makes me sick to my stomach to even think about it.  I came home from work feeling that way, only to be greeted by Thomas who is nearly in tears.  He is very concerned that he won't be able to perform well in the auditions he has coming up for universities, and therefore is afraid he won't be able to get into the music ed programs.  While I understand that music teachers need to be able to play instruments, he isn't interested in performing so this seems ridiculous the level of music performance required.  He is hurting, and of course, I hurt with him.  And then shortly after having that tough conversation with him, I learned that the father of a high school friend has entered hospice care and they expect it to be just a matter of days.  My heart is so completely broken for them.  It was a very tough afternoon.

I know though, that with the exception of the passing of my friend's father, everything else we can work through.  Everything else is going to be okay in the long run.  We'll get through these things, and especially on my anniversary, I am reminded that we will get through them together.

The little things mean so much

Before the holidays, we brought home an entire box of apples from the FFA fruit sale.  They've been kept in our garage, and they are nearly gone.  But the last two weeks, Andrew has so lovingly brought in an apple and placed it on the counter for me each morning.  He is grabbing his own apple, and thoughtfully grabs one for me.  He thinks nothing of it because he keeps saying he is grabbing his own, why not grab two?  But that apple sitting on the counter each morning fills my heart more than I can say.  It's not just about not having to go out and get my own apple.  It's not even that he is being kind.  It's that he thought about me.  It seems so little, but it truly is so big, and I'm so grateful.  This is just one example of so many.

I'm grateful to be in this marriage.  My most fervent wish is that each of my children can find a partner, not just a spouse but a true partner, who loves them as I am loved.

It's been an incredible couple of days away

When Thomas was accepted to attend the Ohio Boys Buckeye State week, Andrew and I decided it was a good time to think about getting away just the two of us.  While we are occasionally able to have a night alone at home, even that is rare.  The last time we were able to go away together just the two of us was 2012.  I love my kids and I enjoy taking them with us, but we were pretty excited about it being all about us.  We confirmed Catherine could stay with the pets and made our plans.

We chose Lexington because we wanted somewhere that we could basically park the car and walk.  It meant a bar needed to be in the hotel and lots of dining nearby.  This trip has been amazing.  We've had absolutely incredible food, fabulous drinks, awesome coffee, gorgeous weather...all coming together for this trip.  We are only two hours away, so I was comfortable leaving but still close enough if there was an emergency.  I appreciated the extra sleep (yesterday I took two naps), I appreciated the forced relaxation (no laundry or chores to do!), and I appreciated the fact that we could afford to do all of this and not feel guilty.

As lovely as it has been though, I am ready to head home.  I'm ready to sleep in my own bed tonight (these pillows are not great), I'm ready to see my sweet pup, I'm ready to get some laundry done, and I'm even ready to work tomorrow.  These couple of days were exactly what I hoped they would be...and they've been fabulous!

A day date on our staycation, and some good news

I am going to start with the good news.  Thomas passed his lifeguarding classes!  We are so excited for him.  He applied to work at the university pool and the community pool and country club pool will also be open this summer so he should be able to find a job.  He even passed the "extra test" that will allow him to work at the university pool.  It was required because they have a dive well that is more deep than normal.  Definitely a good day for him!

Andrew and I have kind of been considering this week a "staycation" and haven't worried too terribly much about home responsibilities.  Andrew still had baseball and assistant athletic director responsibilities, but we have allowed ourselves to do other things.  We ate out Tuesday evening and last night, and Andrew and I treated ourselves to lunch at our favorite restaurant today.  It is soooo good!  We also spent the day doing some shopping, and even buying a new recliner (that may or may not be delivered by the end of the year...good grief)!  We really enjoyed our day together.

As always, I am a little sad that this week is coming to a close.  Catherine is coming home tomorrow though, and probably will stay for an entire week.  Looking forward to more family time!

A very lovely anniversary

Today is the date on which my husband and I chose to join our lives together.  An anniversary on a Monday doesn't seem very exciting.  Truly though, it has been very lovely evening.  I finished a major project at work over the weekend, and was able to leave work at 4 and not worry or stress about it.  When I went out to my vehicle, Andrew had snuck in at some point and put balloons and flowers in it.  It was so sweet!  He made us an amazingly fabulous dinner.  I should do the dishes, but right now we are both just crashing on the couch.  We even have a shot at a snow day tomorrow.  It is more likely for Andrew and Thomas, but we have a shot as well.

The best part of the evening has been the kids.  Catherine went back to school after being home for a few days.  My heart still catches when I get that notification that she has left home.  This morning though, I got to kiss her goodbye before I left for work, and we received a Happy Anniversary text when she got up.  Thomas bought us the most amazingly beautiful card.  I cried.  One of the things I love most about our anniversary is that it is the beginning of our family, and I am so amazingly blessed to be part of this family!

Even four day weekends pass too quickly

 The four days that I was home went so very quickly.  Of course, it isn't like we were all just home doing nothing and relaxing.  That is exactly why, during the early days of the virus shut-down, there were reasons to be grateful for the time we all had together to just relax.

Thomas had his schooling to do both days.  We also realized he was a little behind in things that were supposed to be accomplished, so he spent some additional time doing that.  Also, he was struggling with his finance class, and since I know a thing or two about that I spent some time helping.  Andrew arrived home Saturday evening.  It was so nice having him back.  Just having him home again seemed to help with Abby's health.  She was so excited, and has been improving.  She still isn't where we would like her to be, but we know she isn't suffering greatly at this point.

I also spent a significant part of the weekend trying to "get ahead".  I made sure the house was picked up.  I worked on some laundry.  I made a major trip to the grocery.  I did everything I could think of doing to try to make this week less stressful.

I did it because I can't imagine that Andrew's week could be more stressful.  As soon as he is done teaching today, he has to take Thomas to a school physical appointment.  Then he needs to get back and work an athletic event this evening.  He also has to work another one tomorrow evening, and then Wednesday and Thursday are extra hours required for conferences and/or work planning.  Friday is another athletic commitment.  It's a lot for him to think about, especially as the stress of school restarting and his dad's health are still all there.  I have meal planned to make sure I have the ingredients I need, as well as making sure they are the types of dishes that he can reheat.  He commented that he knows I am trying to help, and he appreciates it.

We make a good team, and I'm grateful for him.  We are getting very close to the days when it is just going to be he and I again.  While it makes me sad that my kids have grown up so very fast, I'm also very grateful that Andrew is the person with whom I get to share this life.

Heaviness

 I don't mean to be a drag, but our home continues to be filled with some heaviness.  Our sweet pup Abby has developed the slipped disc problem that she suffered 15 months ago.  It is heartbreaking knowing that she is suffering, but Andrew is taking her to the vet today to get some heavy-duty medication.  I have confidence that she will be okay again, but it is hard on all of us.  Many prayers have been sent up for her.

We also learned of some additional family drama yesterday.  Actually, there were a couple of cases, almost all involving extended family.  While it doesn't necessarily involve us directly or immediately, we care about all of our family and want things to work out for them.  Some of them are going to be tough, and it makes us sad.

My husband is struggling the most right now.  He is overwhelmed and feels anxiety as he has never felt before.  It is very hard on him.  I am trying to be as supportive and helpful as I can be, but he is just in tunnel vision right now.  He had to work an athletic event last night, but it was less than three hours.  The rest of the time he sat on his computer doing school work.  I understand, but it's hard to work together as a team when we aren't spending much time together.  It's just a tough phase, and I get it.  Maybe one evening next week we can figure out a date night.

I am teaching in a sixth grade classroom today.  I love math, but I don't love sixth grade.  However, I do have a partial view of gorgeous farmlands.  I find much peacefulness in the scenery!

The same Anniversary card

Today is the date upon which my husband and I were married.  It's a Saturday which is awesome, but he has to work at a hockey game this evening, and we were invited over to some friends' house after the game, so we went out to dinner last night.  Since we had a snow day, it worked out really well.  We weren't too tired from the week to enjoy ourselves, as sometimes happens on a Friday.

Today we were up early because Catherine had to be at school shortly after 8, and Andrew was supposed to have baseball practice.  That ended up being cancelled, so we just hung out until Thomas got up later morning.  It was so sweet, Catherine texted us from her bus ride when she remembered the date.  She is a fabulously thoughtful young lady.  I headed to work at the church office around Noon, and after work I ran to pick up some groceries, and I also grabbed an anniversary card. 

When I got home, I noticed a card sitting on the counter that had a very similar envelope to the card I had just purchased.  I gave Andrew his card, and he gave me mine, and we both roared when we opened them.  We had purchased the exact same card for each other!  I really thought it was a perfect card for our relationship/anniversary, and obviously he agreed!  Or maybe we have just been married too long. 😆

I am so, so, so grateful to share each and every day with my husband.  I really don't think there could be anyone more perfect to go through this crazy life with.  I am so incredibly blessed.  More than anything, I hope my kids are able to find someone who makes them as happy as I am!

Date night on the river

Last year for Christmas, Andrew gave me a gift card for a dinner cruise on a riverboat in downtown Cincinnati.  Honestly, I wasn't thrilled.  I hate cities, and I'm terrified of being on a boat in the water.  Most of the time I can handle it, but the thought of being forced to be on a boat without a life jacket for 2-1/2 hours was awful.  We made reservations though, and last evening was the date.  I appreciated Andrew's support on how hesitant I was, and he even offered to take me somewhere else.

I enjoyed the lovely city views from the river.  The first half of the trip was daylight which was cool, and then the second half it was dark so we got to see the city lights.  While that was all lovely, the rest of the experience left a little to be desired.  The food was "okay", but very few choices considering it was a buffet.  I knew alcoholic drinks wouldn't be included, but I found the prices to be exorbitant.  The bathrooms were awful, and service was also only "okay".  Overall I found the experience to be way overpriced.

However, I loved spending the evening with Andrew.  We discussed that we need to take evenings for ourselves more often.  I am so grateful to be living life with my husband!

It was so incredibly thoughtful of him

Andrew hasn't felt well all week.  He stayed home from school Monday, but went back yesterday for the teacher work day.  Today he had students and came home exhausted.  He also came home with a plate full of desserts for me.  Apparently today was a Teacher Appreciation at the high school.  I worked, but was able to leave early due to the teacher's schedule.  Andrew decided that I needed to have some desserts because I am important at the school.  He even told the principal that he was bringing a plate home to me, and the principal agreed I am part of it.  It was so thoughtful of my husband.  I am lucky to have him!

Today is another anniversary

Today, we have completed another year of marriage.  In so many ways, while not all that long ago, our wedding day does feel as though it was an entire lifetime ago.  I am very blessed to be able to share each and every day with my husband, and for now, with our kiddos.  We make a pretty good team overall.  Since it is Friday, we are heading out to dinner at a place that actually required reservations!  It's kind of a busy weekend, but I'm very grateful for all of it.

The evening of our engagement

Today is the anniversary of our engagement.  We became engaged exactly one year and one day after our first date.  We couldn't go out on the one year anniversary because that was a football game.  We went out the next evening to a lovely restaurant.  Andrew arrived late to pick me up.  Later I learned it was because he had stopped at my parents' house to ask for their permission to marry me.  My dad said Andrew needed to talk to my mother, who said it was entirely my decision.  I tease Andrew that he never actually asked me to marry him.  He simply said, "I want you to be my wife."  He maintains that since my response was, "Yes" it must have been a question!  Anyway, the ring (which he had just purchased that morning) was entirely too large, but of course I wanted to where it anyway.  After all, I had just become engaged to the man I love.  After a lovely dinner (this restaurant also catered our wedding) we stopped to buy some gas before we made the 40 minute drive home.  While at the gas station, I called my parents to let them know I had said yes, and I put my left hand down beside the seat...actually between the seat and the console.  The ring slipped off, and I remember hearing it "ping" as it hit metal.  I could feel it, but in the process of trying to retrieve it, it fell deeper.  Andrew went inside to get a flashlight to make sure it hadn't fallen on the ground, and we didn't see it anywhere.  I wasn't terribly worried as I was sure we would find it in the light of the next day.  We got back to my house and made some phone calls to tell people about our engagement, but Andrew was clearly annoyed by the ring situation.  I was completely convinced we would find it the next day.

The next day was a bright and sunny day.  We began looking for the ring...and looking for the ring...and looking some more.  My dad came over, and I was beginning to get upset.  We even took the front passenger seat out and pulled the carpeting up.  I still couldn't find it.  Andrew's irritation from the evening before began to soften as he realized how upset I was becoming.  My dad ended up taking the car home and using a shop vac with a mesh covering.  In spite of the fact that he called a mechanic who assured us there was no way the ring had fallen out, my dad was convinced we weren't getting it back.  Later in the week, we replaced the ring, and this time we had it sized before I could leave with it or wear it.  I love my engagement ring, but honestly I like the one Andrew picked out himself better.  Ultimately though, all that matters is I am married to Andrew.  Whenever we have a disagreement and I am proving my point, Andrew will say, "You lost the ring."  It's his zinger!  I am so grateful for our marriage...even if the engagement evening itself was less than ideal!