I think the Thursday Three needs a theme song. Waaa bow bow!! If only you could hear it directly as the phonetically spelled lyrics do not do it justice. Don’t ask… this is just half the crazy that’s in my head. But it is Thursday. Helloooooo (almost) weekend. You ready? Here’s the past week in review.
1. We got school spirit. That reminds me of my cheerleading days (can you believe it?) – we got spirit, yes we do, we got spirit, how ‘bout YOU? Sorry, I don’t know what’s come over me. Anyway, last Friday we put on some Carolina blue and headed to the basketball game. If you know us, you know that with the exception of the Olympics and a bit of March Madness, neither of us really follow sports (but you better believe I have my calendar already marked for opening ceremonies of the 2014 Winter Olympics). It was fun though to hit a game, catch a win and embrace the basketball culture we are surrounded with. We met up with a few former work friends and had a fun night, despite being able to touch the back wall we were so high up.
2. My dog longing was temporarily fulfilled. No, we do not have our own dog, but we did watch our neighbors’ dog, AJ, for a few days this past week. Oh, and it was so, so, so fun. We went on long walks, she destroyed a bone, we played catch, she chomped on ice cubes, we took all sorts of silly pictures of her being cute and ridiculous. Glorious. And then we picked up poop and had to lint roll our entire couch. In conclusion: I still want a dog, just one that doesn’t shed or poop. Okay, okay. Eventually, I want a dog (that doesn’t shed much), but not today. One day in the distant future.
3. We’re settled in, finally. People keep asking if we’re settled in and unpacked and I would now like to formally announce – YES. With my dad coming to stay for the weekend, we had a deadline and little choice but to finish the job. See that room up there? Well, that’s just a glimpse of it in the final cleaning stages. I seriously wish I had before and after pictures from this weekend because let me tell you, that room was completely filled with boxes. The bed was vertical up against the room because there was no space before now. It was embarrassing, but it was also a fact of life. If you managed to miss any of the blogs from the past three months I’ll fill you in—it was hectic. We were busy and exhausted so clearing out the spare bedroom just wasn’t a priority. But now, we’ve moved in. The job is done. There’s a few odds and ends but all of our rooms are fully functional and you can see the floor. It’s amazing, and we love our little house all the more.
Gee, I blog almost everyday for a month and as soon as we hit November go quiet for a week. What the heck? I’m going to partially blame studying for an exam I had earlier this week. Something about homework makes you feel like if you aren’t doing it then you shouldn’t be doing something else you enjoy. So instead you sit around procrastinating and not really accomplishing anything. But here we are, it’s Thursday. Oh blessed Thursday. Sidenote: “Bless” and all forms of the word is all sorts of Southern charm—something I’m learning to be quite a bit more cunning than we simple Midwesterners might imagine.
1. Marriage brings us together... Over the weekend our church had a marriage seminar that was very interesting to say the least. All in all it was good to go but what I liked the most was that we made no plans for rest of the Saturday night when it was over so we had plenty of time to just hang out. We were totally adorable and laid the quilt in the lawn, surrounded by leaves and the lights strung from the tree to our house, and read a magazine together page-by-page. That was followed by a family band jam session and a walk through town.
2. We’ve hit the anniversary stage with Raleigh. When we went on our walk we wound up downtown (it’s only a mile away) in the middle of a festival. It just so happened to be the same one we randomly came across a year ago when we hardly knew anyone and had no real friends to call. It was fun to reminisce and see how far we’ve come. We’re not always doing something new anymore but doing things twice, setting traditions and making memories. Before it was, “a year ago in Iowa” but now it’s, “a year ago when we were here…” Sorry if I sound like a broken record about that sometimes, but I still think it’s pretty amazing. It’s as if our relationship with Raleigh has really started to blossom and hit its stride. We’ve figured out some of the patterns and are getting into a routine together with this city.
3. I love antiquing. Sunday afternoon we stopped by Vintage Village where several shops are all in a row and perused place to place. The bounty? Two necklaces, a ring, a cast iron rooster and a snare drum. Gosh it’s just too much fun to look through old stuff (junk and treasures really). It’s so interesting and inspiring to me. Whenever I go to a place like this I feel like a part of myself is realized and unleashed. I know the antique look is a little more trendy right now, but I often think I should have been born in a different era. The drum was a great find by the hubby, and I’m fairly sure he loves this sort of stuff as much as I do. It seems to have been owned by only one family before now and had all sorts of memorabilia from the 70s inside the case. The World’s Finest Chocolate Bars were apparently the fundraising tactic way back then—same label just a different expiration date. A lot of the things we find captivate us and adorn our homes but the drum might actually prove to be a profitable pick. That is, if the hubby’s ever ready to give it up. (Who wants to take bets?)
I wanted to get to the Thursday Three, I really did. I also had a great last post for the month of October and relationships in mind, but life happened instead. As a writer, I go back and forth between wanting to write all about life and living it. Or maybe it’s just that tumblr keeps seeming to crash every time I try to do something, and I just don’t seem to have the patience for that. Oh, but I have so much to write and think about so here it goes…
1. The fair here is nice, but I still say Iowa’s is better. We spend Saturday perusing the fair during the day time this year and met up with my sister and her boyfriend. We saw some shows that ranged from clogging competitions, dogs jumping and BMX/FMX tricks. All that and it was a perfect sunny and cool fall day.
2. Too many shows, so little time. I know, I just said last week we wouldn’t have anymore shows any time soon but somehow we ended up with free tickets to Michael Buble, and it was so good. We sat about as high up and far away as possible in that big arena, but I still loved it. He is quite the singer and hilarious Canadian man.
3. Costumes aren’t really our thing. We embraced them anyway though for the weekend’s festivities. Every year the hubby is “Floyd the mechanic” thanks to a goodwill find years ago, and every year I try to be creative and end up looking kinda strange. There was a failed attempt at a costume constructed primarily out of cardboard boxes but then I was a cowgirl instead. We ended up at two very different but fun parties on Saturday night and it was good to see so many new friends.
Oh man. I mostly want to cozy up under some blankets and head to bed. It’s hardly chilly here compared to everywhere else but we’ve had the air off all week and the windows opens so it sounds like a good idea to me. Here’s the three.
1. Last weekend we hit the mountains. We stayed in the cutest little cabin and then hiked Stone Mountain. Funny enough, we managed to see someone we knew at the summit and hiked the rest of the way with him and his friends, making new friends all the way down. The joke of course being that now we can tell people we met on the top of a mountain.
2. Nashville remains a wonderful place in my heart. We hit Music City for the past few days so the hubby could attend a conference and I came along and ended up attending as well. We met some great people and visited old friends all while breathing in the Nashville fall air.
3. Tomorrow is almost here. I’ve got a big day tomorrow. More to come! This whole week has been one thing to the next so I’m afraid I missed a few blogging days because of lack of internet or simply lack of time. It’s been a full past few weeks, but I am glad for all we’ve been able to go see and do.
This week has flown. All the things I wanted to do and all the things I needed to do managed to slip away from me. How does that happen? Oh well. I will say that I have enjoyed this month of blogging every day. It’s been a good habit to be in, although some days I’m not quite sure what to say and other days I completely surprise myself with what I do say. But here we go with the weekly three.
1. I have now seen all three Back to the Future movies. The hubby and a few friends were incredulous when they found this wasn’t the case previously. So they insisted on a mini-marathon and suddenly I found myself feeling like a guest a boys slumber party in my own house. Lessons learned: 1. By 2015 we’ll all be flying around on hover boards. 2. Movie marathons are no longer a one-night ordeal. Apparently grown-ups can’t do three movies in a row without one or more people dozing off.
2. Fall is my favorite season. I know, everyone says they love fall, but I really, really do. I loved it before I knew it meant fall fashion with boots and scarves and bonfires and pumpkin-flavored everything. But let’s be real, I love all of that, too. Pumpkin bars might be my latest weakness.
3. Last night we witnessed yet another one of music’s finest. We’ve been hitting up so many shows in the last month, I can’t help but talk about it. I promise I won’t always make it part of my three, but seriously, we keep seeing some downright amazing musicians come through town. The Wood Brothers were here and although the hubby is the one who actually knows their music, I couldn’t help but dance and sing along.
You can’t tell me you thought I’d quit the Thursday Three just because I’m blogging every day of the month, did you? Let’s break it down. It’s time for Thursday Three. Although, in all fairness these cannot be fully hashed out community/relationships/connections pieces because I intend to go into greater detail at a later date.
1. The weekend under-the-weather bug hit our home. Our at least, last weekend we both had some sort of sickness whereas the week before the hubby was sick and this week I’ve been struggling. We’ve each been fighting a cold/virus of some sort and can’t quite seem to kick it. To top it off, I got sick in ways all too familiar for my little stomach. Bleh. But you know what? Being sick is just another reminder of how relationships can be contagious. Sounds corny but the impact you can have on each other can be so great and proximity always seems to help. Alright, so that’s not really where I was going with that but the blog about sickness and community is too long to explain in the three.
2. Weeknights should be celebrated. Sometimes I think we get in our routines or have obligations and chores and forget to live during the week. I’m totally guilty of this. But even though we had a very low-key weekend, I can’t even decide what I’d rather talk about because our week seemed so full and rich. We spent time with friends, shared a meal, went to yet another concert and still somehow managed to clean up the kitchen. Don’t wait to live life only on the weekends. I’m so grateful for all we did this week and it’s made a difference during the workday (although admittedly, we lacked a little more sleep).
3. Fun fact: Kids shoes are way cheaper. Also fun: Apparently I can fit in TOMS kids shoe size 4. It feels like I’ve discovered the secret to life. Or at least to shoe shopping. Tonight I snagged a new pair for half the price of a normal pair and was beyond excited. What really sweetened the deal though was making a new friend. The girl who rang me up is new to the area which led to me very bluntly ask, “Do you need friends?” Sometimes even I am shocked at my forward friending tactics. We’re hanging out next week. Yep, that’s happening.
Alas, last week I did not post a Thursday Three. I had dinner with a friend instead, so by the time I got home the night had slipped away. To keep consistency though, let’s just make this week’s a two-for-one and call it even.
1. We spent approximately 6 hours and half a paycheck at Ikea. Passed the ultimate relationship test. We’ve been before, but never with the intention of buying much more than a shelf or two. There are certainly no photos of such a hardship, but it was really fun…at least until around the time that we hit the frames section and our stamina began to fade. I think next time we might skip the showroom just to conserve energy so we can really optimize our time in the warehouse.
2. We saw two fantastic shows within the same week. We went first to see Sigur Ros, the Icelandic band that plays Hoppipolla…the same song I walked down the aisle to. Seeing the band play it live with the pretty lights and the misty rain brought a few tears to my eyes. It was beautiful. And then it started pouring. We were both pretty soaked by the end of the night but glad we got to go. Then a mere four days later we saw the band FUN. with some friends. We didn’t know all the music but they played a good show that we could all dance and sing along to. We’re so glad to live somewhere with so many amazing bands coming through on a regular basis.
3. Our weekend trip to Charlotte also meant a visit with friends. It’s funny how it all worked out really, but the hubby’s boss beat us down to North Carolina last year and ended up taking a job in Charlotte. Now we get to call them friends and stay with them when we’re in town. I wish I had a picture of their smiling faces because we were thrilled with the chance to see them and hope to return soon (and not even hit Ikea next time). I’m going to get all gushy and say what a blessing it is (and has been) to have them in our lives.
Okay, ready for this? Thursday Three all over again. Let’s review this week’s three.
1. Yesterday we celebrated three years of marriage. Three whole years. We took the night and reminisced through year three, month by month. We’ve changed jobs, moved (across town this time), traveled the coast, made life decisions and everything that goes with it. It’s hard sometimes, but I’m glad we get to be married to each other. It was great to walk across the street to the newly opened restaurant and enjoy the night together.
2. It’s fun having friends for neighbors and neighbors as friends. We spent most of the weekend just hanging out with them, running errands, throwing frisbees and sharing meals together.
3. It’s finally October. September was not easy. It was busy and stressful and full of misunderstandings and disappointments. August wasn’t much better. But October has always been a favorite month of mine, so I am grateful that it’s here and ready to welcome the crisp air (once it comes) and pumpkin flavored everything in the stores.
How the heck is it already Thursday!? I’ll admit that on Tuesday I felt it must be Thursday for sure. But since then the week has been quick. Maybe I just have too much to look forward to or maybe it’s that I have too much stuff I meant to do (and unpack? still? I know) and haven’t yet. Well, come on out weekend. Take it, three.
1. The beach was OFF THE CHAIN. Okay, so maybe I’ve seen too much Mel B in America’s Got Talent lately. But it was really amazing. I got to see some of my little loves (I wish there was a plural to niece and nephew that combined both words) and a lot of ocean. The waves were prime for boogie boarding, and we even managed to stop at a great little furniture shop and get some new pieces full of character. So what if we got locked out for several hours and when I finally did make it in, managed to shatter two glass pot lids? It’s always some sort of adventure. We also ended up eating the best crab, scallops and donuts in town. Yum.
2. Date night should be mandatory. We used to be in a great habit of taking a date night every week. Then we moved and saw way too much of only each other and felt more of a need to have “find some friends” nights. With the craziness of the past month and a nearly expired groupon, it was long overdue. We had dinner at a new (to us) restaurant and really enjoyed our time together. Let me just say loud and clear that – I love my husband. Seriously. That man has had a heck of a month and he’s handled it with such strength. I really appreciate him and am rather proud of him. He’s a good guy, and I’m blessed to have him.
3. No, we are not unpacked yet. One of these days I will show you some pictures of the INSIDE of this little yellow house, but don’t hold your breath. With a busy month and a few out of town weekends, it’s been a little less of a priority. We will get there though. Tonight I had high hopes of accomplishing a lot but instead had an impromptu dinner with a family from church and am grateful for that time well spent.
I missed Thursday and broke my streak of Thursday Threes. Next week I’ll hopefully return to my favorite night of blogging. This week has just been so inside out, upside down that I haven’t been able to keep up with anything it seems. It hasn’t exactly been the easiest week but grateful for the weekend. Here’s the three…
1. The hubby had a birthday. It was a great night of friends and food as we had people in our backyard for a “chill out, grill out”. I strung lights from the house to the tree and it was just the most adorable little thing. We had a great night soaking up time with friends and celebrating his years.
2. It’s been a really long week.There were disappointments, stressors and misunderstandings. There was also grace, forgiveness and blessings. I’m grateful for what we have and incredibly eager to move forward.
3. The beach hat is officially on, and it is time to hit some waves! We are driving out to the ocean in T-minus 5 minutes (did I say that correctly?) to spend a day and a half with the hubby’s sister, kids and husband. Looking forward to it. Hoping it will prove to be relaxing.
1. Life is busy. It just is sometimes. This week and last week and the week before is that way. Our church is moving this week and life between home and church has way too many parallels right now. Boxes left and right, Ikea furniture on the brain and lots of miscellaneous details. But in the end, it will all somehow come together and is an exciting next step in our lives.
2. Friends are good. We’ve been blessed with some really good friends. Friends who listen and support us, close by and from farther away. A lot of times we have the same stories, struggles and jokes, but they still laugh and listen and care. Thanks, friends. You make an impact and also make the days better.
3. God is in control. About a year and a half ago when we were starting to seriously consider moving and had a few details on the table that we were trying to figure out, we were a total wreck. Neither of us were sleeping well and we were just little stressballs. On a day we knew a few big things were being decided, I put a little post-it up in the bathroom. My pen was weak and I ended up making a mess of it with a marker. It’s not the prettiest looking reminder, but it was nothing but truth. I still have that note and it still applies in our life today. So although there are things I am stressing out about now, I know this to be true.
Whatever happens – it’s good. And from God. He has us taken care of.
