It's a Real Love

Being a newlywed, I am constantly trying to improve myself as a wife, as a lifelong partner, the cream to his coffee and the band-aid to his boo boo. Everyday as a wife is new to me, just as each and every new day of being a husband is new to Rob. There are so many things that people don't tell you about marriage. Not because they forget, or they don't wish you happiness, but because they are just things that are learned and dealt with as you walk the journey of life together.

Through observation of my own marriage (man, that still makes me giddy to say) and through some conversation with other married couples, a common denominator of our marriages seems to be that of our spouse's quirkes as well as our own. When you are dating, even engaged, you seem to float high above the clouds of life on your merry way, learning about each other and just not believing that this person happened to you!! Things are so lovey-dovey, new and you laugh off or overlook the things that may bother you about the other. Again, simply through my personal observation, it seems like all the quirkes are "no big deal" before the wedding, even leading up to the wedding day. But the day after your wedding, they aren't ok anymore. Black or white....no gray. Leaving your shoes around was tolerated before we were married but the VERY moment you said "I Do" it became not ok. I let you react to certain situations a certain way before we were married, but now that we are together forever, you need to change your way of reacting. right.now. You see, I myself as well as my husband are guilty of these past couple of sentences. There are things that I do that drive Rob absolutely insane and things that he does that drive me batty. So why do we both think that we have a right to tell the person the day after we are married that it's not "ok" anymore. You see, it's not a light switch. The way we are, or our actions or reactions cannot always just be turned off and on as easy as that. It's a matter of communicating the concerns, and working first as in individual and supportive as a couple to make it all work. To create that synergy. I believe after marriage, you come down from the clouds (some hit with a louder thud than others) and come to reality. I can't even say back to reality because in all honesty- the 3 years Rob and I were together before we got married were these incredible "this can't be true and happening to me" kind of years. And our future will be full of incredible. A new incredible. It's life and it's real. I came across an amazing quote. It simply says what I have tried to put into words for a long time.

"If the purpose of marriage was simply to enjoy infatuation and make me 'happy', then I'd have to get a 'new' marriage every two or three years. But if I really wanted to see God transform me from the inside out, I'd need to concentrate on changing myself rather than on changing my spouse." - Gary Thomas, author of Sacred Marriage

How very true is that quote??? So true. I am currently reading The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. One of the first few chapters is titled "What happens to Love after the Wedding". It is discussing the very details of the quote above. The infatuation changes, the PDA changes *wink*, the lovebird-be-next-to-each-other-all-the-time changes. Does it change for the worse?? Absolutely not. It changes for the better. It grows deep. Very deep. And I yearn for that. I have struggled to ACCEPT that life and love goes through stages and motions. You aren't in the clouds 100% of the time, and that's ok- and the correct thing is to be in reality. We all come back here at some point and learn to live and love life together. I love reading that quote. Love knowing that where my love is and how it is growing and changing is completely normal. I'm not a freak, I'm simply in love and that love is blossoming in many different seasons.

"Romantic love has no elasticity to it. It can never be stretched; it simply shatters. Mature love, the kind demanded of a good marriage, must stretch, as the sinful human condition is such that all of us bear conflicting emotions." - Gary Thomas, author of Sacred Marriage

Simply Swoozie!!!

Swoozie's has been a favorite website of mine for a while now!!! And as if the day couldn't get any better simply because it's a Friday...well, it did!!! This precious blogger is hosting a giveaway with the prize being that customized from SWOOZIE!!!! Make sure you hope on over and enter!!!!

Welcome Baby Kate

Rob and I are so blessed to have Phil & Teresa (and their newest bundle) as our neighbors!!! They live across the alley, so many of our "get togethers" occur as one of us leaves or comes home and the other happens to be working on a project in the garage or coming home from shopping. I will leave you to determine which 2 work on projects, and which 2 shop =) At any rate, I can remember the EXACT day Phil and Teresa stood in our garage and told us they were 10 weeks pregnant. It was about a week after we had them over for dinner and I knew something was up when Teresa had told Phil "he can drink my wine for me". WHAT?!?!? Of course I didn't say anything, knowing they would offer up information when they wanted too. Rob and I purchased a new car that next week, and when we were standing in our garage discussing larger SUV's...that's when they told us! Anyone who knows me and my baby infatuation knows that I am so grateful for Teresa being so sweet and patient as I asked her 100 questions each time I saw her regarding her pregnancy, how she was feeling, when the next doctors appointment was and if I could come how the nursery was coming along. When Rob and I got married, Phil and Teresa had just found out the sex of their baby- and at our reception, we learned they would be having a baby girl =) Teresa was induced very early on Thursday morning, and from what I can gather at this point had a smooth and quick delivery!!!!

Sweet Baby Kate was born at 10:32 AM on Thursday, February 26th, weighing in at 7 lb. 6 oz.

She has the most precious features and sweetest little head of hair. I can't WAIT to meet her in person!!!!

Congratulations Phil & Teresa and welcome Baby Kate!!!!!

Don't Pick Your Nose...or should ya!!!

So I had to laugh when I heard about these. How many times have you gone to a party and said..where did I set my cup, and then find one and take roll call of others' cups to determine if it's really yours. Or, I've often looked at the shade of lipstick on the edge of cups to find one that properly matches the shade I'm wearing :) Well problem solved. Pick Your Nose cups. Not only does it look hilarious when you take a drink, but quite the creative way to distinguish each others cups :)

Road Trip

I decided yesterday that it's time for Rob and I to take a trip to Austin soon. I fell in love with that city when we were down there for my bachelorette party weekend!!! Such a fun, FUN city with oh so much to do. 6th street, some bars, a couple of drinks, and a definite meal at The Oasis....it all sounds fantastic!!!! So hopefully coming soon....our adventures in Austin :)

Babbling Abby

I came across this sweet blog via The Pettijohn's Blog and she is giving away many surprises this week, and the first one is so special to me! I can clearly remember reading these books to my sister as well as them being read to me while growing up. I have many friends who could use these books as they are expecting miracles of their own. I encourage you to check out Babbling Abby and enter the giveaways!!!!

Good Luck!!!!

Scalloped Potatoes Board!!!!

Who doesn't love a giveaway???? Come on people!!!! I know ya do!!! Hope on over Here to Whitney's Blog and enter her giveaway for an awesome adorably cute scalloped board!!! I'm loving this!!!!

I caved...

I'm Twittering!!! I signed up months ago. Well, 178 days ago apparently, to follow one of my most favorite women ever... MckMama. Then another friend...Lauren mentioned that she was twittering soooo...I decided what the heck. What's one more thing to do!!!! So yeah. I'm twittering. So lookie to the right of this post, in my sidebar and follow me if you would like! I can't promise to knock your socks off with my tweets...but your phone might just make a lot of noise, to make ya sound popular!!!

Monogrammed Things

I am obsessed with all things Monogrammed. My last name, Rob's name, my first name, our initials, his initials, my initials- YOUR INITIALS, HA!!!!!

These sweet bloggy blog friend is giving away a MONOGRAMMED tote via Pay It Forward!!!!

You can visit her blog and enter her giveaway HERE!!!!!

Ode to the Hubby

Along with the other 8192873 notes that are big spread around Facebook like wildfire, I did find this one and figured the hubby would enjoy reading this when he stalks the blog next time. Yes...he has informed me that he reads the blog and feels all I do is talk about weddings (hello, I'm female) and babies (hello...still female here). SOOOO, I'll make this post about HIM!!! How ya like 'dem apples!!!!!



1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?

This is a good one as it has many answers. Among Rob's Favorites one would find: 24, CSI: Miami, Law & Order SVU, House, Friday Night Lights Sports (football then baseball then nascar then golf then basketball then hockey, in that order) Man vs Wild, OCC and well, if he's feeling romantic- you might find an episode of The Bachelor or American Idol, as we watch these together occasionally!



2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?

Blue Cheese- YACK!!!!!!!!!!

3. What's one food he doesn't like?

Easy- OLIVES (and hummus, even though I swear he would like this one flavor)


4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What does he order?

Depends on where we are. Typically when out to eat his drink (non-alcoholic) will be Water. Alcoholic will be some type of beer- depends on his mood. If we are at a Mexican restaurant chances are good it will be a burrito of some sort =)

5. Where did he go to high school?

Tennessee High School


6. What size shoe does he wear?

Depends on the shoe. 10.5 or 11


7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be?

V-ROD Skins. (although we DO have an on-going debate in the house regarding his need for sunglasses. He has 6 pairs. Read and count them....6 !!!!!!!!)


8. What is his favorite type of sandwich?

Wheat Bread, Honey Ham, Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Spicy Mustard


9. What would he eat every day if he could?

Restaurant: Gloria's At Home: Hamburgers we grill w/a certain kind of beef =) On everything: BBQ Sauce

10. What is his favorite cereal?

Hmmmm Raisin Bran Crunch is a winner, but his new favorite is Maple Oatmeal Squares


11. What would he never wear?

A dress.

12. What is his favorite sports team?

UTD Comets. (totally kidding)...hhhmmm....He likes the Bengals, tolerates the Cowgirls and isn't too fond of the Eagles.

13. Who did he vote for?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. This one makes me laugh. I tell ya he would have voted for ME before he voted for Obama!


14. Who is his best friend?

Rob has a lot of friends. I don't think he really has a best friend. I'm gonna say our dog, Sadie- HA!!!!!! Seriously...they have quite the gig goin' on.

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do?

Oh this would take far too long to type all of the things. Let's just say he says almost daily that he wishes I would get my head out of my butt =(

16. What is his heritage?

Polish. Polish. Polish.



17. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake?

Chocolate cake, with chocolate frosting and chocolate sprinkles and chocolate ice cream with chocolate hot fudge. And some Chocolate on the side.


18. Did he play sports in high school?

Slightly. Football and Baseball.

19. What could he spend hours doing?

Walking around Fry's. Orrrrr riding his motorcycle.

20. What is one unique talent he has?

Being able to tolerate me. Seriously.




Alright!!! Your turn. Do it. Stop linking to another bloggy blog from mine...and DO THIS!!!! Copy and Paste about your significant other!!!!!!!

It's No Secret

how very much I love to eat. HA! And I REALLLLLLY love to eat desserts =) And I really REALLY love cupcakes. The Cupcakery opened up within walking distance to our home. So did Halo Tea and Chocolate. Let's say I haven't even ventured to Halo yet, but I should invest in Cupcakery's stock *wink*.

Cupcake giveaway going on at the blog below!!! Check it out :)




ANDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD If THAT's NOT Enough......There is ANOTHER Giveaway going on HERE HERE HERE!!!!!!!!

Just Because

I wish there were enough words to express how much I love my husband. Sometime I think I could invent NEW words, that might, just maybe get CLOSE to saying how I really truly feel. I can't find words. I tell him all the time that I'm going to spend my life trying to tell him and show him how much I love him. He deserves the best. He deserves the world, and nothing less.

Home Sweet Home

So pretty much how CUTE are those blocks?!?!? You can find the website itself here. I have this frame that I bought a while back that is rugged looking wood, and says "Home" on it, and these blocks are going to look great beside it the second I have a few extra dollars to purchase them! I LOVE THEM!!!!!! I will leave you with a another picture of blocks and feel free to visit her store HERE!!!

Baby Price!!!!

I just wanted to take a post to say a huge congratulations to our very good friends JP and Toni on their newest announcement!!! Their first bundle of joy will be making his/her grand entrance in September/October!!!! They have been trying for a few months now, and we are so thrilled for them and this journey they are going to embark on!!!! Congratulations to the Prices'!!!!!!

Hope is necessary...

Hope: Anxious Expectation.

Anxious Expectation is needed in every circumstance.

Read that again. The first line is the definition of hope. Anxious Expectation is needed in every single circumstance. Positive things, negative things, highs and lows- you must have hope. I am not sure why I have this false sense of "owed happiness". It has happened to me once before while in high school. Well once before that I can specifically remember being knocked on my knees. I felt that because I had been accepted to College, and knew what I would major in- and had a few of my years "planned out" to what I wanted, then I was guaranteed them. Well- 2 of my friends passed away my senior year of high school and those 2 friends has their lives "planned out" as well. It rocked me. Tomorrow is not promised to any of us. No matter where you are in your life, no matter what you think next week, next month, next year hold in store- NOTHING is guaranteed or promised. That incident with my friends was a rite of passage for me. I was a changed person for a very long time, and lived each day to it's fullest.

Then I became comfortable again. I took life and love for granted. I met the man of my dreams, built a house, got engaged, planned a wedding- got laid off...wait What??? Got laid off??? But this isn't in MY plans. This is supposed to happen to ME. I have a plan for the next few months. I know how these months are supposed to go, so why is this wrench being thrown in??? Pick up a load of stress and move on. Land another job...get married...have a glorious honeymoon, come home, begin newlywed life and 2 weeks later get laid off again. WHAT??? Are you kidding me??? What am I missing here, what am I not doing right? I feel like a failure in all areas. I didn't have a job, nor a degree, put our entire life on my brand new husbands shoulders..and felt worthless. After much thinking and praying and as much planning as we could do- we decided it was time for me to go back to school. I landed upon a wonderful opportunity to nanny during the day and attend class at night. The family that I nanny for is amazing, and they are truly as grateful for me as I am for them.

Class is going well...making great grades...planning out the next couple of years of our lives and then Rob is blind sided with a layoff. WHAT??? Wait...no....this wasn't in our plans. We didn't sign up for this one. And we are rocked again. We are to lean on each other and lean on Him to provide for us and make a way. I'm tired of using prayer as my spare tire. It needs to be my steering wheel. I have prayed more these last 3 or 4 days than I have in a very long time. So why does God owe me anything?? I have been blessed with an amazing family, a loving, intelligent husband, and my wonderful health. Why I feel that we shouldn't have to struggle is not a good feeling.

So I hold onto hope right now. Hope and Truth. Hope with an anxious expectation of what is to come. An anxious expectation of where we will go together. Where this life will lead us, and the plans He has in store for our life and our future family. I hope with anxious expectation that I will begin to grip life with full force and not become comfortable. That I will live all that I can live and love with all of my heart.

Things are tough, yes. Was our world turned upside down??? I think so, yes and I'm glad my husband brings me back to reality with the situation. Do I KNOW that this will work out for the better, YES. But it still makes it difficult for the mean time.

This is life, and it is full of hope.

Eureka!

I figured it out!!! I think I'm smarter than a 5th grader than I give myself credit for.

Blog Template.....Check.
New Header.....in the works
Sidebars.....in the works

I know I know...yall are refreshing my blog over and over anticipating the new changes. Don't worry--I am too, while wishing the changes would magically happen without me having to guess and check.

Extreme Blog Makeover

...bloggy blog is going to be going through some changes. Now while I try and do these on my own (for the most part) I could REALLLLLLY use some help with something. I do not like my writing staying within the borders of my headers. Like, if you look at my sidebar, as well as my posts, they all line up directly underneath the header. How do I get my writing (posts) to spread across the page more, or I guess align on the left instead of the center????

Anyone????

Soooo Precious for Expectant Mothers!!!

So a very very dear friend of mine in Canada is expecting, and she and I were chatting on MSN today, and she sent me the link to the cutest necklace ever!!!

Turns out she found it on

I love Fabulous Fun Finds site and visit it daily!!!!!!

Anyway, check out the necklace!!!!!

Can't get enough....

...of this stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Seriously...it's the best. If you haven't ever tried it--try it. I can usually find it on the peanut butter aisle...way up top. Slap it on some grapes, or bananas or strawberries or granny smith apples, and ENJOY!

The Rundown

So here's a brief update on where we're at in the Spencer household.....calm down and breathe..I know you're hyperventilating from anticipation!!

The Ski Trip was awesome!!! We had a wonderful time, laughed a lot..fell a little- and well, I suffered a small tiny concussion from a jump I tried to go off of, but hey, I'm a trooper!!! We are already planning our next Ski Trip!!

School is going. Ohhhh is it over. I have a week FULL of tests next week, so to say I will be spending the weekend studying is an understatement. And they aren't going to be any kind of "easy" exam...these are gonna be tough. Please wish me luck!!!

WeRob finished up our taxes last night. I was soooo thankful to him for doing these!!! I made sure to keep all of my paperwork for the taxes all in one place, so I'm suuuuure that saved him so much time =) Thank you hubby for filing these! I really do appreciate it!!!

I have purchased Rob's Valentines Gift and I hope he likes it =)

Rob and I are trying to determine where we are going on Spring Break. All we know is that we have to get away, ha! Stay tuned for that.

There are some placemats and napkins and napkin rings that I want desperately from Pier 1. I wonder if purchasing them is in my immediate future???

This update is really stupid and boring, but hey- I updated.

Hanky Panky

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Blue Eyed Bride is giving away a pair of Hanky Panky Panties!!!!!! These are the BEST!!!!!!

Make SURE you head on over to her blog and enter into her contest!!!!!

Click Here To Link to Her Blog!!!!

Thought I lied...but I didn't afterall!!

So I came on here to say that I kinda sorta lied when I said, yesterday, that there would be an update today. However, I AM updating---so that makes my post from yesterday true, correct??? I think so. I do have a rather great post brewing, LOL, and I'm thinking I will have time on Wednesday to post it. Today- I was studying. Yes. I am studious.

There will be an update

tomorrow. :)