Sleep: The vivid dreams I've heard about people having when pregnant really kicked in this week! From my grandpa dying, to getting a flat tire, I keep waking up in the middle of the night and losing sleep!
Symptoms: This is probably the best week I've had the whole pregnancy. I get REALLY tired every day from 12-3, but manage to make it through work and have enough energy to be productive when I get home! It's been SO great.
Food cravings: Lemonade! I ate a big ol' turkey leg at the Eastern Idaho State Fair this week and was so proud of myself for not feeling sick after. Oh and I'm obsessed with string cheese right now. And grapes.
Food aversions: I'm having a hard time thinking of anything that repulsed me this week... Hoping I might be past this for awhile!
Gender: I want a girl so bad. And for that very reason, it's going to be a boy. So I did some major Pinteresting this week trying to find cute boy nursery ideas and I'm feeling better about it :)
What I miss: Just having the freedom to eat anything I want... like a big old hot dog. Or a club sandwich.
What I'm loving: That we are less that 2 weeks from our 2nd ultrasound and time has been passing at a good pace.
What I'm looking forward to: It's getting harder and harder not to spill the beans almost daily while talking to people! I can't wait to have this out in the open and live and speak freely about the most life changing thing of my entire life!
Best Moment this Week: We got our pictures taken!!! We used these massive 40" balloons that spelled out baby as part of the shoot and I'm really hoping they turned out good. Our sweet friend AnnAlyse Chidester took our pictures and I LOVED her as a photographer, she made me feel like we were the most photogenic people alive even though we are TOTALLY NOT! But it was a highlight to move forward with letting people know.
Words of Wisdom: Just stay busy! I've been trying to keep myself distracted as much as possible so I'm not feeling like the days are dragging. I'm just so excited to tell my mom and family! And I'm wanting to enjoy every minute as much as I can.
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Thursday, September 1, 2016
Week 12: Extendable Comfort
Sleep: Can't get enough of it! Naps are a pregnant girls best friend.
Symptoms: I'd say my biggest symptom is lack of energy and hating smells.
Food cravings: Snicker's bars :)
Food aversions: I mostly have a problems with textures and the smell of food cooking. I sort of gagged on the squash and chicken pasta Dan made the other day... can't do anything with seeds!
Gender: I had a dream this week we found out it's a boy, and I felt really disappointed when I woke up. So I'm still convinced it's a boy and trying my darndest to convince myself that boys can be just as much fun as the baby girl I've been envisioning my whole life!
What I miss: SUSHI!
What I'm loving: That I am feeling more like a normal person every day. Food is no longer the enemy, I think we're on common ground for now...
What I'm looking forward to: We're getting our pictures taken for the baby announcement next week! We need new family pictures anyway, and
Best Moment this Week: After walking around with my bra undone at least half a day, every day, and doing a little bit of research-- we went and purchased some bra extenders!!! BEST THING EVER. Dan was husband of the week while we went to a couple of stores trying to find extenders that would work with Victoria's Secret bras... turns out Kohl's is the winner! I can only imagine how funny it will be to look back on a reply of our lives and see Dan and I hiding in the corners of stores while he lifts up my shirt and checks to see if different extenders are the right size. Bless that man!
Words of Wisdom: At this point, I would say forget a maternity bra and just go with the extender! I paid too much money for good bra's before I was pregnant and no point in depriving myself of those comfy gems with a cheap maternity bra!
Symptoms: I'd say my biggest symptom is lack of energy and hating smells.
Food cravings: Snicker's bars :)
Food aversions: I mostly have a problems with textures and the smell of food cooking. I sort of gagged on the squash and chicken pasta Dan made the other day... can't do anything with seeds!
Gender: I had a dream this week we found out it's a boy, and I felt really disappointed when I woke up. So I'm still convinced it's a boy and trying my darndest to convince myself that boys can be just as much fun as the baby girl I've been envisioning my whole life!
What I miss: SUSHI!
What I'm loving: That I am feeling more like a normal person every day. Food is no longer the enemy, I think we're on common ground for now...
What I'm looking forward to: We're getting our pictures taken for the baby announcement next week! We need new family pictures anyway, and
Best Moment this Week: After walking around with my bra undone at least half a day, every day, and doing a little bit of research-- we went and purchased some bra extenders!!! BEST THING EVER. Dan was husband of the week while we went to a couple of stores trying to find extenders that would work with Victoria's Secret bras... turns out Kohl's is the winner! I can only imagine how funny it will be to look back on a reply of our lives and see Dan and I hiding in the corners of stores while he lifts up my shirt and checks to see if different extenders are the right size. Bless that man!
Words of Wisdom: At this point, I would say forget a maternity bra and just go with the extender! I paid too much money for good bra's before I was pregnant and no point in depriving myself of those comfy gems with a cheap maternity bra!
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Week 11: Fruity Goodness
Sleep: Not as great as last week. Lots of tossing and turning this week for some reason!
Symptoms: My bra no longer fits, nor the majority of shorts/pants I own. Which seems too soon for only being 11 weeks... but nonetheless, I'm hating wearing clothes right now.
Food cravings: I've never been a big fruit person until this last week! Grapes, citrus, fruit juice, lemonade, give me all the fruit!
Food aversions: BRUSSEL SPROUTS. The smell alone in a restaurant this last week almost made me walk out never eat anything ever again.
Gender: Dan and I are still at odds. He's convinced it's a girl, I have no doubt it's a boy.
What I miss: This week, it was Dr. Pepper... like I salivate at the thought of that delicious beverage.
What I'm loving: I'm feeling SO much better when it comes to nausea and heartburn. I can't believe how much better I'm feeling- night and day difference. The timing of me feeling super sick has been perfect, terrible, but perfect. I'm really hoping that with Dan starting school next week I can tolerate food and cooking so we don't starve or spend all our money eating out...
What I'm looking forward to: Only 3 more weeks until our next ultrasound!
Best Moment this Week: Dan let me take an hour nap while he made funeral potatoes for a relief society dinner for me... and then ended up staying up till 1am to finish his homework because he'd spent so long helping me! That man-- I could kiss his face all day!
Words of Wisdom: Marry a gem of a man, Dan has literally saved me these last 3-4 weeks with accommodating my ridiculous food requests and denials, letting me sleep, doing the dishes to avoid me gagging over the smell of anything/everything, the list could go on and on. I owe him big time!
Symptoms: My bra no longer fits, nor the majority of shorts/pants I own. Which seems too soon for only being 11 weeks... but nonetheless, I'm hating wearing clothes right now.
Food cravings: I've never been a big fruit person until this last week! Grapes, citrus, fruit juice, lemonade, give me all the fruit!
Food aversions: BRUSSEL SPROUTS. The smell alone in a restaurant this last week almost made me walk out never eat anything ever again.
Gender: Dan and I are still at odds. He's convinced it's a girl, I have no doubt it's a boy.
What I miss: This week, it was Dr. Pepper... like I salivate at the thought of that delicious beverage.
What I'm loving: I'm feeling SO much better when it comes to nausea and heartburn. I can't believe how much better I'm feeling- night and day difference. The timing of me feeling super sick has been perfect, terrible, but perfect. I'm really hoping that with Dan starting school next week I can tolerate food and cooking so we don't starve or spend all our money eating out...
What I'm looking forward to: Only 3 more weeks until our next ultrasound!
Best Moment this Week: Dan let me take an hour nap while he made funeral potatoes for a relief society dinner for me... and then ended up staying up till 1am to finish his homework because he'd spent so long helping me! That man-- I could kiss his face all day!
Words of Wisdom: Marry a gem of a man, Dan has literally saved me these last 3-4 weeks with accommodating my ridiculous food requests and denials, letting me sleep, doing the dishes to avoid me gagging over the smell of anything/everything, the list could go on and on. I owe him big time!
Thursday, August 18, 2016
Week 10: The Real Deal
Total weight gain/loss: Notta on either. Just hating food.
Maternity clothes: Well I had to use the rubber band trick on a pair of capri's the other week...
Sleep: Sleeping like a log, wake up feeling like one too. Even painting my toe nails sounds exhausting. Definitely lacking energy at this point.
Symptoms: HEARTBURN + NAUSEA ... Food has not been my friend for the past 3 weeks. I have been driving poor Dan CRAZY over the smell of everything, the taste of everything, and indecisiveness of what I can/want to eat for every meal. Thankfully no throwing up though :)
Food cravings: Lemonade.
Food aversions: Dairy. Which is so weird because I LOVE milk and dairy! But it makes me feel so terrible right now! And absolutely nothing spicy.
Gender: I always thought we'd have a girl first, but for some reason, every since I've been sick-- just have this feeling its going to be one handful of a little boy.
What I miss: I'm dying to eat a turkey club sandwich and a fire roasted hotdog. Oh and a tuna sandwich. Hot food is hard to eat right now, and all the cold food I like, I need lunch meat and tuna for.
What I'm loving: How absolutely patient Dan has been these last three weeks. How much I can see we are not alone in this journey of parenthood already.
What I'm looking forward to: Coming up with all the different ways to tell our family + friends in about 5 weeks
Best Moment this Week: Going to our first ultrasound and hearing the baby's heartbeat + seeing the little thing wiggle like crazy already. It was so surreal and reassuring that the little thing was there, that I wasn't miscarrying again, that I could actually start thinking about the future and getting attached to baby. I've been pretty emotionally distant from this pregnancy up till now.
Words of Wisdom: I've only ever heard about morning sickness as the worst part of pregnancy. No one has EVER mentioned heartburn... it's a real thing... and it's real awful. You've been warned!
Maternity clothes: Well I had to use the rubber band trick on a pair of capri's the other week...
Sleep: Sleeping like a log, wake up feeling like one too. Even painting my toe nails sounds exhausting. Definitely lacking energy at this point.
Symptoms: HEARTBURN + NAUSEA ... Food has not been my friend for the past 3 weeks. I have been driving poor Dan CRAZY over the smell of everything, the taste of everything, and indecisiveness of what I can/want to eat for every meal. Thankfully no throwing up though :)
Food cravings: Lemonade.
Food aversions: Dairy. Which is so weird because I LOVE milk and dairy! But it makes me feel so terrible right now! And absolutely nothing spicy.
Gender: I always thought we'd have a girl first, but for some reason, every since I've been sick-- just have this feeling its going to be one handful of a little boy.
What I miss: I'm dying to eat a turkey club sandwich and a fire roasted hotdog. Oh and a tuna sandwich. Hot food is hard to eat right now, and all the cold food I like, I need lunch meat and tuna for.
What I'm loving: How absolutely patient Dan has been these last three weeks. How much I can see we are not alone in this journey of parenthood already.
What I'm looking forward to: Coming up with all the different ways to tell our family + friends in about 5 weeks
Best Moment this Week: Going to our first ultrasound and hearing the baby's heartbeat + seeing the little thing wiggle like crazy already. It was so surreal and reassuring that the little thing was there, that I wasn't miscarrying again, that I could actually start thinking about the future and getting attached to baby. I've been pretty emotionally distant from this pregnancy up till now.
Words of Wisdom: I've only ever heard about morning sickness as the worst part of pregnancy. No one has EVER mentioned heartburn... it's a real thing... and it's real awful. You've been warned!
Monday, August 15, 2016
First Ultrasound: 10 Weeks
Monday- August 15th @ 10:00-11:45am
I was so anxious for this day. Thankfully we had spent the last two weeks getting ready/went on a family trip to Portland to make the time pass a little more quickly. I knew the drill. I knew where to check in, I knew what room they would direct me to, I knew where the ultrasound would be done. I'd been here, done it all before in April when I miscarried.
Only this time Dan was with me, and I've been feeling TERRIBLE-- so perhaps with some emotional support and more symptoms I was allowed to be more optimistic. I didn't feel like a raisin in a bag of m&m's sitting in the waiting room with giant pregnant bellies, brand new babies, and happy couples this time. This time, I could be considered a new initiation among the OBGYN waiting room club.
When the nurse brought us back and asked us the first few questions, she automatically congratulated us on our pregnancy-- and I'm 98% sure that I didn't say a word back to her because I was so annoyed that she would do that when know one even knew if there was a healthy, live baby growing in me yet. She probably thought I was the least excited new mom ever. But I was not letting myself get my hopes up too high until I saw that heartbeat and tiny human on a black and white screen.
We got through our questions, sat around waiting for the ultrasound room to be free-- then it was finally our turn! The nurse brought us back to the ultrasound room and left us in there for about 60 seconds while she grabbed our doctor. I finally let myself get emotional. Either way I was going to cry no matter what the ultrasound revealed. There was so much anticipation built up in me I wanted to burst.
The doctor came in, I got up on that table and took a deep breath as I was about to find out what was going on inside me. I think it only took 1 second before I saw what I'd seen on any ultrasound picture I've ever seen. This doctor was good, he landed right on the baby. And there the little thing was... It was real. I had a wiggly little being with arms and legs popping up on the screen. I didn't cry like I thought I would, I think I was actually in shock. We heard the fast little heartbeat, saw it moving, and it was so surreal. I felt like I was witnessing a miracle. Which is exactly what it was. Because anyone who's tried to have a kids and has to work hard at it-- knows it is the definition of a miracle to create life. I was in such awe.
Afterwards, Dan and I went to lunch for Chinese food. We talked, but both of us were in such deep thought as to what we had just seen and what it meant. Excitement, of course! Fear, of course. Gratitude, absolutely.
We (mostly me) decided that we'd wait until our 2nd ultrasound in 5 weeks to make sure again that everything was still okay-- and then we'd tell people. Sure hope these next 5 weeks go fast and that I don't show too much in that time!
I was so anxious for this day. Thankfully we had spent the last two weeks getting ready/went on a family trip to Portland to make the time pass a little more quickly. I knew the drill. I knew where to check in, I knew what room they would direct me to, I knew where the ultrasound would be done. I'd been here, done it all before in April when I miscarried.
Only this time Dan was with me, and I've been feeling TERRIBLE-- so perhaps with some emotional support and more symptoms I was allowed to be more optimistic. I didn't feel like a raisin in a bag of m&m's sitting in the waiting room with giant pregnant bellies, brand new babies, and happy couples this time. This time, I could be considered a new initiation among the OBGYN waiting room club.
When the nurse brought us back and asked us the first few questions, she automatically congratulated us on our pregnancy-- and I'm 98% sure that I didn't say a word back to her because I was so annoyed that she would do that when know one even knew if there was a healthy, live baby growing in me yet. She probably thought I was the least excited new mom ever. But I was not letting myself get my hopes up too high until I saw that heartbeat and tiny human on a black and white screen.
We got through our questions, sat around waiting for the ultrasound room to be free-- then it was finally our turn! The nurse brought us back to the ultrasound room and left us in there for about 60 seconds while she grabbed our doctor. I finally let myself get emotional. Either way I was going to cry no matter what the ultrasound revealed. There was so much anticipation built up in me I wanted to burst.
The doctor came in, I got up on that table and took a deep breath as I was about to find out what was going on inside me. I think it only took 1 second before I saw what I'd seen on any ultrasound picture I've ever seen. This doctor was good, he landed right on the baby. And there the little thing was... It was real. I had a wiggly little being with arms and legs popping up on the screen. I didn't cry like I thought I would, I think I was actually in shock. We heard the fast little heartbeat, saw it moving, and it was so surreal. I felt like I was witnessing a miracle. Which is exactly what it was. Because anyone who's tried to have a kids and has to work hard at it-- knows it is the definition of a miracle to create life. I was in such awe.
Afterwards, Dan and I went to lunch for Chinese food. We talked, but both of us were in such deep thought as to what we had just seen and what it meant. Excitement, of course! Fear, of course. Gratitude, absolutely.
We (mostly me) decided that we'd wait until our 2nd ultrasound in 5 weeks to make sure again that everything was still okay-- and then we'd tell people. Sure hope these next 5 weeks go fast and that I don't show too much in that time!
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Out with the OLD, in with the NEW!
This has been the theme thus far for 2016.
#OLDJOB --> #NEWJOB
This has by far been the best change that I didn't really know I needed. It all started when I was on my 3rd boss in 3 1/2 years. Turns out three times was NOT the charm. And I had to get out. I had never been so unhappy and miserable in all my life. I was making plans to bail out of Logan and move into my mother's basement at the second I could- I was totally desperate.
This is story is evidence to me that miracles happen and prayers are heard. When I got my old job on campus, the process from applying to hiring was THREE MONTHS. It took forever. And to be honest I've applied at other jobs on campus since and didn't even get a response that they got my application, let alone an interview. I gave myself a month to get a new job on campus, then I was bailing and moving in my mom's basement. And based on my past experience with jobs on campus, I was saving boxes to start packing.
Well, there was only one job on campus I applied for that would be in my realm of knowledge. A week later I had an interview! Which turned out to be one of the BEST interviews I've ever been in. I just felt so much peace after I left and knew that even if I didn't get the job, I was going to be okay. 3 days later, I was told they wanted to hire me! I was over the moon that the impossible had worked out. And I was making more money. And I was getting off 30 minutes earlier every day. And I could park in the same parking lot as the building I worked in. Win-Win-Win!
#GRADUATION --> #GRADSCHOOL
Dan left for New York City two days after graduating with the Business School to tour different companies and get his feet wet in the big old world of finance. He had an awesome time and I'm really thankful he was able to go. Neither of us come from families where our dad's went to college and earned a degree-- and Dan getting a degree is something that is really important to us.
Since returning, he has been studying hours and hours every day for the GRE. As luck would have it, his hard work paid off and Dan will be starting his Master's degree at Utah State this fall in Financial Economics. I am SO PROUD of him for how hard he's worked! It's truly been such a journey for both of us to get to this point. Thankfully- the program is only 1 year. He'll start August 2016 and end in August 2017. So this summer we are living it up before school becomes all consuming for the next year!!!
#OLDWARD --> #NEWWARD
We'd been in our previous ward for almost FOUR years! I love all the wonderful ward members we met, loved, and became friends with! But I'd been feeling the need for a change for months... which is really weird because if there is one thing I don't like-- it's unnecessary change. But after months and months of just not feeling quite right, we made the jump to a new ward! The first week, we were both a little nervous, but now that it's been about a month, we're feeling more at home every week.
#AGE26 --> #AGE27
So I Googled, "articles about turning 27" to see what ridiculous expectations there were, advice, etc. Turns out you can't shop at any sort of young adult clothing store, or wear nail polish with glitter once you're 27. As fate would have it, I found some killer deals on OPI glitter nail polish on the last day of my 26th year of life and got a new outfit at H&M the day of my birthday. Call me a rebel.
I'm officially in "my late twenties" which is awesome. I have loved my twenties. It's a little bit freaky to think about being on my way to the thirties- but really when I think about it, the older I get the more I am happy with the path I'm on. I like the feeling of progression. I like looking back and seeing how my life is nothing like I expected-- but that it's oh so much better.
#OLDJOB --> #NEWJOB
This has by far been the best change that I didn't really know I needed. It all started when I was on my 3rd boss in 3 1/2 years. Turns out three times was NOT the charm. And I had to get out. I had never been so unhappy and miserable in all my life. I was making plans to bail out of Logan and move into my mother's basement at the second I could- I was totally desperate.
This is story is evidence to me that miracles happen and prayers are heard. When I got my old job on campus, the process from applying to hiring was THREE MONTHS. It took forever. And to be honest I've applied at other jobs on campus since and didn't even get a response that they got my application, let alone an interview. I gave myself a month to get a new job on campus, then I was bailing and moving in my mom's basement. And based on my past experience with jobs on campus, I was saving boxes to start packing.
Well, there was only one job on campus I applied for that would be in my realm of knowledge. A week later I had an interview! Which turned out to be one of the BEST interviews I've ever been in. I just felt so much peace after I left and knew that even if I didn't get the job, I was going to be okay. 3 days later, I was told they wanted to hire me! I was over the moon that the impossible had worked out. And I was making more money. And I was getting off 30 minutes earlier every day. And I could park in the same parking lot as the building I worked in. Win-Win-Win!
#GRADUATION --> #GRADSCHOOL
Dan left for New York City two days after graduating with the Business School to tour different companies and get his feet wet in the big old world of finance. He had an awesome time and I'm really thankful he was able to go. Neither of us come from families where our dad's went to college and earned a degree-- and Dan getting a degree is something that is really important to us.
Since returning, he has been studying hours and hours every day for the GRE. As luck would have it, his hard work paid off and Dan will be starting his Master's degree at Utah State this fall in Financial Economics. I am SO PROUD of him for how hard he's worked! It's truly been such a journey for both of us to get to this point. Thankfully- the program is only 1 year. He'll start August 2016 and end in August 2017. So this summer we are living it up before school becomes all consuming for the next year!!!
#OLDWARD --> #NEWWARD
We'd been in our previous ward for almost FOUR years! I love all the wonderful ward members we met, loved, and became friends with! But I'd been feeling the need for a change for months... which is really weird because if there is one thing I don't like-- it's unnecessary change. But after months and months of just not feeling quite right, we made the jump to a new ward! The first week, we were both a little nervous, but now that it's been about a month, we're feeling more at home every week.
#AGE26 --> #AGE27
So I Googled, "articles about turning 27" to see what ridiculous expectations there were, advice, etc. Turns out you can't shop at any sort of young adult clothing store, or wear nail polish with glitter once you're 27. As fate would have it, I found some killer deals on OPI glitter nail polish on the last day of my 26th year of life and got a new outfit at H&M the day of my birthday. Call me a rebel.
I'm officially in "my late twenties" which is awesome. I have loved my twenties. It's a little bit freaky to think about being on my way to the thirties- but really when I think about it, the older I get the more I am happy with the path I'm on. I like the feeling of progression. I like looking back and seeing how my life is nothing like I expected-- but that it's oh so much better.
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
The One With The Student Wife
I was recently in a meeting where I was the youngest person in a room of ten people by at least 20 years. During this discussion one person was of the opinion that a generation of wimps have been raised. That college kids don't know how to handle failure, or challenges. That now every kid gets a trophy or an award growing up, and when adulthood hits, they can't cope with reality.
I think this person had a point. I think to often we don't talk about the hard stuff. We can easily see all the good stuff in people's lives, and feel like things come easy or are given to people. We don't know the challenges behind getting to the good stuff we post on Instagram. I'm a big believer in reality. I've considered myself a realist for several years, but in the past year especially-- I've decided it's important for me to be a positive realist. So that's how I'm going to write today when I document my experience as a student wife- with a positive reality.
Dan's graduation was easily one of the best days of my married life. I can't tell you how long I've waited for this day! For a day when I didn't feel like every night of my married life was determined by the amount of homework Dan had. For a day when I knew our savings account wouldn't be siphoned by a ghastly tuition payment every 4 months. For a day when we could move on from living like students.
I'm not going to lie, being a student wife has been hard. I remember about 2 months after we were married, Dan came home and told me that instead of Spring 2014 being his graduation date, it was now Spring 2016. I remember being completely devastated. I remember thinking my life was over. I remember being so bitter and so angry about the situation. I remember thinking I would be almost 30 before Dan graduated (talk about dramatic!)
Even though the last 3.5 years are not how I planned them to be, I can see I was learning lessons that only a life experience such as this would teach me. And boy did I need to learn them.
I decided to be kind of miserable and cranky about living in Logan and Dan being in school for the first half of our time here. I was mad. I wanted to be mad. I hated people talking about how you can choose to be happy no matter what situation you were in. Because I was choosing to be mad.
I'm trying to pin down the turning point for me in my attitude adjustment. It was a slow, painful process for me. As with every phase of my life, my friends made the huge difference and impact. However, the biggest change came due to one of my New Years Resolutions for 2015. It was to right down a miracle in my life everyday. It was through that experience that my attitude changed A LOT! I saw just how much the Lord was involved in the littlest details of my woeful, Logan life and was trying to make me happy. I realized how full and rich my life was. That we have been provided for a thousand times over. That my life just wasn't that bad, but it was just that good.
Dan and I made some of the greatest friends while being in our Married Student Ward. I think that has been one of the biggest blessings for me while Dan has been in school. You can't go to a student ward without being married to a student! And I can't imagine my life without my dear friends- you know who you are! Along with life-long friends, we've had opportunities to learn and grow in callings that we would NEVER have had in a family ward. Our callings have been HUGE blessings in our lives, in ways I never imagined.
I love our apartment. I love that within a 3 block radius we have the Logan Temple, Smiths, Instacare and our Doctor, a gas station, and the post office. I doubt will ever live this close to all of these things EVER again! I love that we live on the third floor of our apartment building. That everyday I am looking in the treetops and can see the temple. I love that I can clean our apartment in a half a day.
We live the perfect distance from our families. We are close enough to go see them a couple times a month, but far enough away that we have our own lives without interference. Logan is safe. I feel safe all the time here. That is something we may not always enjoy and I've really appreciated about living here.
All of these things will change. I've learned to enjoy the simple nature of our poor student living. Our responsibilities are minimal. We don't have a yard to take care of, we don't have kids. I already know I'll look back at our "Logan Life" and think how big of an idiot I was not to enjoy it more! I'm so thankful Dan and I have been able to spend so much time together. We have been able to lay such a good foundation in our first years together.
This was probably the most empowering lesson I've learned. That the Lord's plan for our family was not my plan. And that no matter how much I gripe and complain- my plan isn't going to change what's best for us. I've learned to be humble and flexible.
I've learned that there isn't a set timeline for every person. Ours is our own. The Lord is in charge. He knows what we need. He knows what will be best for us. Just let it be. Accept it. Be happy with it.
I'm so humbled that I married such a hard working guy. Dan has worked his booty off to get where he is, and I know it is going to pay off for our family. Hard work is a humbling thing to learn and I'm glad we're learning it early in our marriage.
I think this person had a point. I think to often we don't talk about the hard stuff. We can easily see all the good stuff in people's lives, and feel like things come easy or are given to people. We don't know the challenges behind getting to the good stuff we post on Instagram. I'm a big believer in reality. I've considered myself a realist for several years, but in the past year especially-- I've decided it's important for me to be a positive realist. So that's how I'm going to write today when I document my experience as a student wife- with a positive reality.
Dan's graduation was easily one of the best days of my married life. I can't tell you how long I've waited for this day! For a day when I didn't feel like every night of my married life was determined by the amount of homework Dan had. For a day when I knew our savings account wouldn't be siphoned by a ghastly tuition payment every 4 months. For a day when we could move on from living like students.
I'm not going to lie, being a student wife has been hard. I remember about 2 months after we were married, Dan came home and told me that instead of Spring 2014 being his graduation date, it was now Spring 2016. I remember being completely devastated. I remember thinking my life was over. I remember being so bitter and so angry about the situation. I remember thinking I would be almost 30 before Dan graduated (talk about dramatic!)
Even though the last 3.5 years are not how I planned them to be, I can see I was learning lessons that only a life experience such as this would teach me. And boy did I need to learn them.
#LESSON1: ATTITUDE
I decided to be kind of miserable and cranky about living in Logan and Dan being in school for the first half of our time here. I was mad. I wanted to be mad. I hated people talking about how you can choose to be happy no matter what situation you were in. Because I was choosing to be mad.
I'm trying to pin down the turning point for me in my attitude adjustment. It was a slow, painful process for me. As with every phase of my life, my friends made the huge difference and impact. However, the biggest change came due to one of my New Years Resolutions for 2015. It was to right down a miracle in my life everyday. It was through that experience that my attitude changed A LOT! I saw just how much the Lord was involved in the littlest details of my woeful, Logan life and was trying to make me happy. I realized how full and rich my life was. That we have been provided for a thousand times over. That my life just wasn't that bad, but it was just that good.
#LESSON2: ENJOY NOW
Dan and I made some of the greatest friends while being in our Married Student Ward. I think that has been one of the biggest blessings for me while Dan has been in school. You can't go to a student ward without being married to a student! And I can't imagine my life without my dear friends- you know who you are! Along with life-long friends, we've had opportunities to learn and grow in callings that we would NEVER have had in a family ward. Our callings have been HUGE blessings in our lives, in ways I never imagined.
I love our apartment. I love that within a 3 block radius we have the Logan Temple, Smiths, Instacare and our Doctor, a gas station, and the post office. I doubt will ever live this close to all of these things EVER again! I love that we live on the third floor of our apartment building. That everyday I am looking in the treetops and can see the temple. I love that I can clean our apartment in a half a day.
We live the perfect distance from our families. We are close enough to go see them a couple times a month, but far enough away that we have our own lives without interference. Logan is safe. I feel safe all the time here. That is something we may not always enjoy and I've really appreciated about living here.
All of these things will change. I've learned to enjoy the simple nature of our poor student living. Our responsibilities are minimal. We don't have a yard to take care of, we don't have kids. I already know I'll look back at our "Logan Life" and think how big of an idiot I was not to enjoy it more! I'm so thankful Dan and I have been able to spend so much time together. We have been able to lay such a good foundation in our first years together.
#LESSON3: HUMILITY
This was probably the most empowering lesson I've learned. That the Lord's plan for our family was not my plan. And that no matter how much I gripe and complain- my plan isn't going to change what's best for us. I've learned to be humble and flexible.
I've learned that there isn't a set timeline for every person. Ours is our own. The Lord is in charge. He knows what we need. He knows what will be best for us. Just let it be. Accept it. Be happy with it.
I'm so humbled that I married such a hard working guy. Dan has worked his booty off to get where he is, and I know it is going to pay off for our family. Hard work is a humbling thing to learn and I'm glad we're learning it early in our marriage.
#THENEXTSTEP
I'm so thankful that this chapter of Dan's schooling is over. However I think it may not be the end... and I'm pretty proud I haven't had a melt down over the idea of Dan doing more school.
So to all you wives who have been so patient and so diligent while getting your hubbys through school- we got this.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)