Our Six Month Wedding Anniversary

Six months ago on this day, I slept in late and ate cereal for breakfast. Matt and I browsed the internet together and watched a show on netflix. He drove me to a hair appointment at the mall and we picked up Taco Bell for lunch. We stopped by the florist to grab some flowers on the way to visit his parents. It was a seemingly mundane day, but I had a strange feeling that I was going to be married very, very soon.

Late on this breezy Sunday afternoon, Matthew and I found ourselves standing on a porch in the Texas country side surrounded by family and friends. We were anxiously awaiting the words that would release us from the spotlight and into the rest of our lives.

"You may now kiss the bride."

A few nights ago, I was given the opportunity to reflect on this momentous occasion when I was lucky enough to snag some girl time with a friend. When I told B, the soon (as in 10 days) to be Mrs. E, that Matt and I's six month wedding anniversary was coming up she asked, "So what does it feel like to be married for six months?" After a short pause, I responded*:

"I'm married?"

She laughed and seemed surprised. So I back tracked and tried to think of better words for my feelings.

"Ummm, well....how about - 'Who knew marriage was this easy?'"

The feeling I am trying to convey is that life with Matt now doesn't feel any more wonderful or difficult than before. We have always had a terrific, committed relationship and I am pleased that marriage hasn't messed that up! I respect and admire Matt for the things he excels at and I am smitten by the things he really sucks at.

It's not that we don't fight or stumble upon issues, but I feel that we have never been at a loss for compromise or otherwise finding common ground to stand upon together. I expect that our relationship will not always be so amiable, but I know we will always be able to work through life as a team.

This morning I asked Matt what it felt like to him to be married for six months. His first response was "I am the Dragonborn!" (Skyrim reference), which makes me think he doesn't enjoy being put on the spot for this blog. After a few nudges, Matt wrinkled his brow, frowned and said, "What's supposed to be so different from before?" And seeing how my answer wasn't any more inspired, I couldn't argue.

Matt's response might be interpreted for a variety of meanings but (I think) it boils down to the sentiment that life is good now and was good before too and there aren't any foreseen disruptions of the goodness so no worries.

I like it. I like us. Cheers to another happy six months!



*This conversation is remembered to the best of my ability, but I am sure my interpretations and memories aren't exact representations of our exchange.

Saturday Share - Why does the sun hide from me? And other life updates

I have never been more aware of the sad, sad fact that it gets dark early in the North. Last weekend was day light savings which is a time change that never much mattered to me in Texas! In Washington, the sun starts it's rise about 5:30 - 6:00am. Around 2:30pm there are looong shadows on the ground. By 3:30 the sun has officially set. By 5:00pm it is as dark as night time in the city gets which completely messes with my sense of time. And this awful scenario is a day with sunshine!

If it is cloudy all day, then the sunrise is grey, day time is light grey, and night time is extra dark because the clouds block out the moon & stars! I could have been told every single day of my childhood that this is what it was going to be like to live in WA and I never would have been able to wrap my mind around this experience without living it. Why does the sun hide from me? Is this a punishment!?

For many people, the weather directly affects their mood but when you live in a cloudy place like Seattle, you just can't be that type of person. Luckily, I don't think the weather heavily influences my moods (although the lack of sun does make me feel a little extra crazy) but I am positive that it influences my cooking and baking.

Now that the temperature is pretty regularly in the 40's I find myself craving hot foods and beverages more often that not. Baked sweets are making regular appearances in my kitchen crazes - homemade cinnamon rolls, baked apples, sweet potato muffins, banana bread. I am unsure if I am baking to warm the apartment or so that I can eat comfort foods because I am secretly upset about the lack of sunshine, but either way, it is delicious and Matt has requested that it continues!

Today at the store I bought anjou pears, pomegranates, gala apples and Wisconsin cranberries and it felt so nice to be buying seasonal produce. Hopefully we will soon become a part of the community supported agriculture movement here in the area. Maybe we could visit local farms and have farm fresh produce delivered to us! This a hope for the near future so I should probably do more research...

Anyway, work has been very work-like for both of us. We had a Veteran's Day special yesterday at Olga's so we were busy and things were hectic on my 2nd first day waiting tables. I forgot how exhausting it is to run around a restaurant but I am happy to be working! Matt's company is preparing for the Black Friday crush of patrons. Oh consumerist culture, how I dislike you yet desperately need you for my family's livelihood.

Since we only have one car for the two of us, I created a car sharing calendar to keep us organized that we have posted on our cork board wall. We both have varying weekly schedules, so I make it at the beginning of each week and plan out with Matt how to share the car. Neither of our work places are far from where we live - both are between 3 & 5 miles. The difference lies in the fact that there is a bus route directly from our apartment complex to Matt's work. Unfortunately, there isn't a bus route to my work - I would have to catch a second bus and still walk 1/2 a mile to the building.

Fairly often, I am able to drop Matt off and pick him up from work after my shift ends. Sometimes our schedules don't mix and he has to take the bus to or from work (which isn't a very cheap option - it's $2.25 a ride on the route Matt takes). Sometimes I feel guilty because I am sure one or both of us could ride our bikes to work and that would be more eco-friendly than car sharing. Call me a pansy if you like, but it is freaking cold and wet outside. I might try my bike it if it was only one or the other of those ugly weather conditions but together they make riding a no go. So far, we haven't had any glitches with this system of sharing and I hope it stays that way!
 

What we're into this week:

• Matt is playing Skyrim and enjoying most every second.
• I'm reading Dragon Haven by Robin Hobb the second in a series called the Rain Wild Chronicles. It's a pretty decent fantasy novel. Nothing to make my inner fangirl squee but I look forward to the sequel, City of Dragons, which doesn't come out until February 2012.

Well, that's what I have to share today. Keep your eyes peeled for a post celebrating our 6 month wedding anniversary soon! Much love to you all.

Wednesday Wise Up - Work & Weather

With no real topic in mind to write about this week, I have only to update y'all on the basic going-ons of life here. The Halloween holiday came and went without making much of a blip on our radar. We went out the weekend prior to a Halloween party where we dressed up as ninjas and attempted chainsaw pumpkin carving (forgot to take pictures, sorry!). On Halloween, we were planning to attend a showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show but I ended up being too sick this entire weekend to go anywhere. Instead Matt stole treats for us from the bowl of untouched candy the neighbors put outside their door and we watched movies.

What we're into this week:

• Matt is playing Dungeon Defenders on his pc and reading Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien in his spare time.
• I'm reading two books
•  The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by John Gottman in an attempt to keep my career-type knowledge and skills from rusting.
• Seductress: Women Who Ravished the World and Their Lost Art of Love by Betsy Prioleau which is mostly an anthology of mini-biographies of interesting women such as Mae West, Veronica Franco, Wallis Simpson and Catherine the Great. Very fun read!

This week I started my first of six days of training to become a server at a nearby restaurant called Olga's. Olga's isn't the establishments true name but that is how I want to refer to my place of employment on this blog in the interest of not getting fired for writing unseemly things about the patrons, my fellow team members, or the company (not that I anticipate doing so). 

Olga's is a full service restaurant (not just a bar or buffet) so tipping is the normal 15% - 18% of which I am expected to tip out 3% - 5% to bussers and bartenders. This is all very typical and similar to working in a restaurant in Texas except for the fact that even with the tips I take home, I am paid $8.67 per hour (WA minimum wage) instead of $2.15 per hour (TX minimum wage for servers). I am very pleased by this change in server minimum wage though it comes at the higher cost of living here in WA.

At present, my search for a meaningful job opportunity has halted. I have decided to take a few weeks to adjust and become excellent at the job I do have before I begin searching for a second job. This will also give Matt and I the opportunity to enjoy the downtown Seattle scene more without worrying about our dwindling savings account or the school loans I am obligated to begin repaying in December. 

As for Matt, I believe he is enjoying working full time as a geek. He has risen to an unofficial second in command role in his division which increases the stress level of his job, but will hopefully lead to advancement opportunities in the future! Matt and three of his co-workers were selected to attend a series of "Pre-Leadership" meetings with the management team that he has been enjoying and will hopefully give him an extra boost.

In other news, the weather has turned interesting here. Yesterday morning our car windows were covered in a layer of ice and today there was so much fog Matt could hardly see the road. The mornings are chilly (in the 30's) and the afternoons warm up a bit (to the 50's). This morning, we turned on our apartment heater for the first time to warm our Texan fingers and toes. My mother will be so pleased!

That's life!