The Question That Gets Us Talking

We're happy but we aren't perfect.

On occasion, when Paul and I are lying in bed we ask each other a question..."Is there anything I can be doing better as your husband/wife?" This questions allows us to voice our feelings about things or behaviors that might need changing in order to make the other happiest. And that is what I truly want, happiness for us both and especially Paul. While it's nice to voice my opinion about little changes here and there that Paul could make, I cringe waiting to hear what he thinks I've fallen short of as a wife. If I could be perfect I would, but lets be honest...no one is perfect, including Paul and I. 

Last night, when we asked each other "the question" he reminded me that I've become kind of lazy. Now, he didn't say it quite like that since he is kind and careful with his words BUT in the end that is what he meant. :) And I agree. Recently, I've lost all motivation on my days off of work and often don't accomplish much of anything...including cleaning the house. Paul does a wonderful job and has picked up my slack without saying a word but he could no longer avoid talking about it once "the question" was asked. And I think that's why "the question" is important in our relationship because if he had never said anything, who knows how long it would have taken me to notice the extra responsibilities I has pushed off onto him. 

Open communication is important to any relationship and you must humble yourself to hear others opinions of a situation, even if it hurts to hear. It's impossible to grow as a person if you think there is nothing you could improve about yourself. Our answers to "the question" are always based on loving, respectful and constructive criticism. 

So today, I took Paul's advice and mustered up the motivation to clean the house, do laundry, make the bed, clean out the fridge, wash dishes, go to the grocery store and cook supper. Paul works so hard for us to live comfortably and to make me happy each and every day. I want him to feel loved and respected when he walks in the door because he deserves it. And surprisingly enough, doing these tasks that aren't especially fun became enjoyable when I remembered why I was doing it in the first place. Marriage involves teamwork and I need to remember to be a team player. And if you truly love someone, you won't mind making some simple changes to make them smile. 

Love and Happiness,

Bethany

What's Mine is His and His is Mine

The Meaning

To love is to share life together
to build special plans just for two
to work side by side
and then smile with pride
as one by one, dreams all come true.

To love is to help and encourage
with smiles and sincere words of praise
to take time to share
to listen and care
in tender, affectionate ways.

To love is to have someone special
one who you can always depend
to be there through the years
sharing laughter and tears
as a partner, a lover, a friend.

To love is to make special memories
of moments you love to recall
of all the good things
that sharing life brings
love is the greatest of all.

I've learned the full meaning
of sharing and caring
and having my dreams all come true;
I've learned the full meaning
of being in love
by being and loving with you.

- Kellie Spehn -

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've said in the past that marriage requires compromise and I continue to find this to be true.  I've also found that sharing plays a major role in a happy marriage. I realized the other day that once married, Paul and I began to "share" nearly everything. 

We Share Personal Belongings 

We share our food and drinks. We share our money. We share the remote control. We share the bathroom sink in the mornings. We've even shared a toothbrush in a travel emergency. What's mine is his and his is mine. 

We Share Dreams

We share dreams of traveling. We share dreams of having children. We share dreams of growing old together. What's mine is his and his is mine. 

We Share Our Thoughts

We share our ideas with each other even when we sometimes disagree. We share pride in each others accomplishments and we share sadness when the other is upset. We share serious conversations about uncertainty and doubt. We share a hope for our future together. What's mine is his and his is mine. 

We don't just share in the simple sense, like a toddler sharing his toys. We share on deep, loving and trusting level that brings us closer together each and every day. Most importantly, when we said "I do", we honestly agreed to share our lives together through sickness and health, richer or poorer and better or for worse. 

And unfortunately, in a life where we share everything, we were bound to share some sickness along the way. So, this entry is a reminder of all the wonderful things that we share in our marriage and an apology to Paul for sharing my cold with him. Don't worry Paul, I'll share my cough syrup with you until you feel better. :)

Love and Happiness,

Bethany

You're Gonna Miss This

To be honest, I was a little bummed about turning 22. It was my first birthday with a real job, bills to pay, and budgets to watch. You know, adult things. Adult? Where did the time go? Can't I go back to Auburn, with little to no responsibility other than to have a good time? Where my biggest concern was finding a parking spot in C-Zone and getting to class. The most important rule was to stop for pedestrians at crosswalks. Man, that was the life. Not to mention the monthly allowance that magically appeared in my bank account each month from mommy and daddy. Saturdays were full of Auburn football, War Eagles and burnt orange. Clinicals for nursing school were from 7-3 with afternoons left for pool times. And I thought life was tough? Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, Spring break and don't forget summer. What I wouldn't do now for all that time off but back then, it wasn't long enough.

I'm 22 and looking back on my college days, reminiscing on the beautiful memories I made on The Plains. Maybe I should have been a 5th year senior and soaked up the life I loved as a student. A few more war eagles, a few more football games, a few more trips to Momma G's and more importantly a few more years with little responsibility.

But if I were given the chance to take it all back and be an Auburn freshman again, I'd do it all the same and just as fast. Why, you ask? Because the life I've found as an adult is pretty awesome, too. Yes, it's a little more challenging and a little more stressful but I consider myself lucky to have what I have at such a young age.

• I've been in love with one man for nearly 7 years
• I'm a wife to a wonderful husband
• I graduated from Auburn with honors
• I'm independent from my parents and am self-sufficient
• I have a steady job doing what I love
• I have no debt
• I live comfortably
• I am healthy
• I save lives
• I am proud
• I am happy

For just being 22, I think I have a pretty blessed life. And I am blessed that I can look back on my college experience with such joy. It didn't always seem so great when I was there but hindsight is 20/20. Auburn was amazing despite the studying and the parking and the bike cops who give ridiculous tickets. And I am positive that in 2017 I will look back on these years, the years right out of school, and reminisce about how wonderful they were, too. 

You're Gonna Miss This- Trace Adkins

It's easy for me to look so far ahead that I forget to embrace each moment around me. My goal is to take everything as it comes and not rush through this beautiful life. This year, my 22nd, will be a great year. I can feel it in my soul and I can't wait to see what it holds. 

Love and Happiness,

Bethany

Paul Spoils Me Yet Again: Birthday Trip

Paul really outdid himself this year. Don't get me wrong. He always does a wonderful job making each celebration awesome but this birthday, it was spectacular. We started planning our trip a long time ago and I was anxiously counting down the days until it arrived! This trip was well worth the wait!

Our weekend started on Friday when Paul took the day off. We woke up, grabbed breakfast on the road and headed into Gatlinburg. Our first stop was a hike in the mountains. We packed a picnic lunch and hit the trail. It had beautiful scenery and the weather was perfect. The trail ran along a mountain stream with picturesque rapids and clear waters. The path runs through a historic homestead with old rock walls, cemeteries and even an old barn and house in the woods.

By the time we got back to the car, it was time to check into our cute mountain cabin. This place was the cutest thing I've ever seen. Just a studio style cabin with one open room, it was perfect for our weekend away. We even got this cabin at a great last minute deal, so we had a fireplace, kitchen and hot tub all for less than a creepy hotel room. Saving money is always a perk!

Our next adventure was one of my favorite parts of the whole trip. We got ready, dressed up and headed into town for our special, romantic birthday dinner. Paul took me to The Melting Pot and I was so, so excited. We had a wonderful time at this fondue restaurant dipping all sorts of fun items in cheese. We even cooked our own meats at the table in our fondue pot. It was such a fun experience! The best part, to me at least, was the chocolate, caramel and pecan fondue for dessert. It was delicious to say the least. And while the meal was expensive we did manage to find a coupon for these beautiful and FREE chocolate covered strawberries!!

The next morning we woke up and Paul served me breakfast in bed. Paul's homemade cheese biscuits hit the spot before we left for Dollywood. Being season pass holders, we could ride their newest roller coaster 1 hour before the park was open to everyone else. We managed to ride it a couple times with no wait before we ventured on to other rides. It had been such a long time since I'd felt that stomach dropping, wonderful sensation of a roller coaster and it made my day! We spent the entire day exhausting every ride and attraction at Dollywood, including the Spirit of the Dance performance! It was awesome, to say the least.

Sunday afternoon we headed to Clingman's Dome for some amazing views of the Smoky's. The half mile, uphill hike took it's toll on me, especially when the temperature had dropped over 20 degrees from the town. But we made it to the top at over 6,000 feet in elevation and saw some wonderful mountain views. It was a great end to our weekend. The car ride home was fun filled as we sang, poorly I'm sure, to 90's classics on the radio.(I was born in the 90's you know?) I couldn't have asked for a better weekend trip and it honestly was the best birthday I've ever had.  Here's to being 22. If it's as good as the birthday itself, I'm in for an amazing year!

Love and Happiness,
Bethany

April 6, 2012 = 22 Years Old

My birthday, like most peoples, comes just once a year. :) That doesn't mean that I celebrate just one day a year, however. My birthday typically spans about 1 week. But this year it's different. See, my birthday fell on Easter weekend and by the time I remembered to ask off for my birthday, the calendar was full with other people wanting off. Bummer. 

I did manage to get my actual birthday (Friday) off but would have to work the rest of the weekend. The week before my birthday was filled with all my favorite meals and fun times with Paul after work. On my actual birthday Paul brought home flowers and even a few gifts, which he agreed not to do but I suppose he knows me too well. Next, he took me out to lunch and then to a pool hall to play pool all afternoon. That evening he cooked me an amazing supper and baked me a birthday cake! Paul even tested out his decorating skills, which turned out quite comical. :) 

As much fun as my birthday was, I couldn't help but be disappointed that I had to work Saturday and Sunday. I reluctantly woke up Saturday morning and drug myself to the hospital. When I arrived, I was greeted by the sweetest things and friends of all time. They had gotten me a birthday cake and flowers! I didn't expect my birthday to continue into the weekend but they made me feel so special and loved. I have honestly found such wonderful friends in my co-workers and I am so very thankful for them. A special thanks to Brooke and Sarah, who went out of their way to plan my little celebration! 

The true celebrations begins THIS Friday with a weekend trip to Gatlinburg! On the agenda: a new dress, Melting Pot reservations, Dollywood all day, and a cute cabin in the mountains. I love my birthday! And I love that I have an understanding husband who satisfies my need to celebrate  for extended amounts of time. This year, it's going to be at least a 2 week event. I'm sure he's getting tired of hearing, "But, it's my birthday!" :)

Love and Happiness,

Bethany

No, We Don't Have A Lot of Money

I'm a nurse.

Paul's a construction worker. 

We're newlyweds. 

While our marriage is rich in love and blessings, our bank account isn't quite so full. Don't get me wrong, we get by. But with gas increasing close to $4 a gallon and construction jobs dwindling, we have to watch our money. We use coupons regularly and shop grocery sales every week. And even then, we sometimes are over budget. I don't believe in frivolous purchases and feel guilty to buy things that aren't necessary. Thank goodness I'm not a shopaholic or we would definitely have financial problems. In fact, I barely ever shop at all. How can I justify buying a new outfit when we are over budget on groceries? I'd rather take one for the team. 

So, when I stumbled across some ideas on Pinterest, I was excited to give them a try. They were no sew vests from large t-shirts and all I needed was a pair of scissors. Sounded easy and cheap enough for me! 

So, today I gave it a try and ended up with 2 cute vests that cost me less than 10 dollars. I can't wait to wear them once the weather warms up. 

 

Sorry for the bathroom mirror pictures. Lame, I know. But I am pleased with the way they turned out, especially for how cheap they are. 

Being poor is just a part of life, at least our lives anyways. I'd rather be poor and in love than rich and alone any day. When I hear Zac Brown Band's song "Free" I think of Paul and I. 

It's true. 

No, we don't have a lot of money. All we need is love...

Love and Happiness, 

Bethany

My Parents Are Awesome

Today I'm thankful for my wonderful parents. I was truly blessed with the best parents I could ever imagine. They are loving and supportive like most parents but they go the extra mile. They accept me for who I am and who I've become. They treat me with respect and like the adult that I am. They taught me to be open-minded and to challenge the norm. And at some point my parents became my friends. The type of friends I can laugh with, cry with and argue with. In short, my parents are awesome. 

One thing that means the most to me is how they have accepted Paul into our family. It is great to see how Paul and my parents interact with each other. They have supported and encouraged Paul in his career choices and even provide advice along the way based off of first hand experience. They show the same love and support towards him as they do to me or my brother. Once again, my parents are awesome. 

This past weekend my parents came to visit us for a few days and I was reminded of how great they are. And since we hadn't seen each other in 3 months we had a lot to catch up on. We laughed, relaxed and made a scene a Captain D's. 

I'm lucky to have such awesome parents who I have wonderful relationships with. My hope is that they feel the same way and would maybe say to their friends, "My daughter is awesome".

Love and Happiness,

Bethany