Blake's Senior Pictures

Since it has already been a month, I thought I should finally share some of my recent photography adventures. I am in no way a professional photography. I just enjoy playing around with my camera, but my mom has the utmost confidence in my ability. As any good mom does. When it came time for my baby brother to have his senior pictures taken, mom asked if I would do it. So I did. And I was a bit nervous about it, since I don't really know what I'm doing. But when you have a great subject and a beautiful day, it makes it much easier.

Here are a few samples of Blake's senior pictures. I just cannot believe that he is a senior in high school. It seems like just a few years ago that we first visited at the hospital. Time really flies. I am so proud of the young man that he is and I know he will do lots of great things in the future. Love you peanut!

 

 

on finding peace

There is no hiding, or denying the fact, that I can be a bit of a control freak. When I feel stressed out or when there is a lot going on, my natural tendency is to grip tighter. Plan a little more. Make more lists. And while I think planning and lists are a great in moderation, it can be easy to fall into an exhausting trap.

I read once that excessive planning is our human reaction to trying to take control back from God and lacking faith in His goodness. And while that may not be our intent, there is some definite truth to that. But what a relief to know that God has it all under control. That regardless of what is going on in our lives, whatever mess we find ourselves in, we can find peace in knowing that God sees it all and far more than we are even capable of seeing.

So wherever your find yourself today, I hope you can find some peace in knowing that God has your back, so have a little faith.

what to do on a meatless monday

What do you do when you've got a giant zucchini, squash and extra carrots lying around on a meatless Monday? You make vegetable lasagna roll ups!

via Recipe Girl

Ok, so I haven't actually made this yet so I can't give you a full report of the recipe. However, I will be sure to provide a full report once we've tried it. But I assume when you combine any sort of pasta, cheese and roasted veggies, it's hard to imagine it not being delicious.

What are your favorite meatless Monday recipes?

five on friday: fall favorites

It's Friday. It's 65 degrees and I'm cozied up with a sweatshirt. Life is pretty good. Today I'm linking up with Christina, Darci, Liz and Natasha for Five on Friday. Since it s really starting to feel like fall, this weeks list is the five things I am looking forward to most this fall!

{ONE} Sweaters and boots season-- need I say more.

{TWO} Candy corn. I realize these are cookies with candy corn in them, but I have a minor obsession with these strange sugar candies. So anything that includes them is good in my book.

via Pinterest

{THREE} My Birthday. I'll turn the big 2-7 this October :) Birthdays are a big deal to me, so I always get excited when October rolls around.

{FOUR} Football season is here, which also means fantasy football is upon us. Last week was the first week of games and it wasn't a fabulous start to the season but that's ok. It's early.

{FIVE} Pumpkin flavored everything-- except coffee. I am not a PSL fan but I am a fan of pumpkin bread, scones, ice cream and pie. There will be lots of pumpkin cooking in our house this season.

via Pinterest

What are you looking forward to most this season?

Happy beginning of fall to you all and have a great weekend!

on slowing down

via Pinterest

We live in a society which demands a whole lot of us. We're constantly being asked to do more, to produce more, to make more money. We're addicted to busyness. And it's really easy to do. We're so connected all the time, between computers, tablets and phones. It's so easy to be always working or doing something. And frankly, I think that is one of the biggest mistakes of our generation. Don't get me wrong; I fall into the busyness trap often. Where I feel that if I am not doing something of value, something that can be measured, then I am not doing something of value. I found that especially while I was in college, that if my calendar wasn't chuck full of meetings, social events and activities then I wasn't achieving my full potential.

What would happen if we would all just slow down a little bit? I realized that can be asking a lot. But think about it for a minute. What if we sat down to dinner, around a table, at night with our family. No phones. Just people and conversation. Or what if we took a some time in the morning and picked up our Bibles or a book instead of our cell phones while we ate breakfast. Maybe, just maybe, things would slowly begin to change.

We weren't created to run ourselves dry. To be spread so thin that we don't have enough time to be in community with those around us. We were created to share in life with one another. I think if we all slowed down and disconnected ourselves a bit, that marriages would be stronger, relationships with children would grow and that community with friends and family would be more important. And I think that could make all the difference in the world.

homemade apple butter

Remember all those apples I told you about? Well, we finally got around to doing something with them this weekend. We spent Saturday afternoon peeling, slicing, cooking and canning applesauce and apple butter! To me, there is nothing better in the fall time than having homemade apple anything. Yum!

I love putting apple butter on a warm homemade buttermilk biscuit in the morning. It just warms my soul right up! Plus, it is so easy to make. It just take some time. I like the recipe from my handy dandy Betty Crocker cookbook. If you plan on canning it, you will need a solid 3 - 4 hours to time for it to cook. Other than that little detail, it is easy peasy! Start by peeling and cooring your apples. Cut them into fourths and put them in a dutch oven.

(Hint hint to Santa-- I would love an electric apple peeler. Just saying.)

 

Then come the easy part. Just dump the rest of the ingredients into the dutch oven with the apples. The full list of ingredients is below. Once all you ingredients are in your pan; heat it to boiling, stirring it occasionally. Once it has boiled, reduce the heat, cover and simmer it for one hour.

 

After an hour, mash the apples with a potato masher or large fork. I ended up using an immersion blender after I mashed it to get rid of the lumps. Then simmer it uncovered for another hour; stirring it occasionally. You want the mixture to get nice and thick. After an hour, let it cool for two hours.

This is where I altered it a bit-- I only waited about 30 minutes for it to cook because I was planning to can it and it was going to get heated back up anyway. If you don't plan on canning it, then just put it into a container and store it in the fridge for up to three weeks. And eat it as often as possible!

If you want to can it, you first need to clean and process your canning jars. It will typically tell you how to process your jars on the box or you can use this helpful guide. You will want to sterilize the lids; I boiled them in a pot of water. You will want to put another pot of water on to boil for the water bath canning. I have a big 12 qt. stock pot, which works well for me. 

Once your jars are ready to go, spoon your apple butter into the jars. Leave one inch of head room at the top of the jar. Be sure to remove any excess that may have dripped onto the rim. Carefully, remove the lids from the boiling water and place it on the jar. Screw on the metal band. When all your jars are ready and your water is boiling, place the jars in the water. Be very careful because the water may splash up and it is extremely hot! I have a strainer which came with my stock pot that is very handy, but you can also use rubber tipped tongs, which also work well. Let the cans boil for five minutes (as long as you are at sea level; if not, use the canning guide on the jar box). After five minutes, carefully remove the jars from the water and let them sit. Do not touch them for 24 hours. The jars need to seal. You will hear random popping noises, which is good, it means your jars are sealing. After 24 hours of sitting, you can store them or even open one right up and enjoy!

It really isn't too hard as long as you plan for enough time and read all the way through the directions before you start. I promise, it is well worth it when you can have homemade apple butter all season long!

Apple Butter 

via Betty Crocker Cookbook

12 medium cooking apples

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 1/4 cups apple juice

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. ground all spice

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

five on friday

Welcome to Friday again. Today, I am linking up with Christina, Darci, Liz and Natasha for Five on Friday.

I'm not going to lie, I don't have much to report today. Actually, it has been a pretty uneventful week. I spent all of yesterday curled up on the couch with a sore throat and fever. I'm pretty sure somebody on the plane sneezed on me and got me sick. Ok, probably not. It's probably just from being exhausted. I have no idea how my husband manages to work all week after traveling. He's a rock star. Anyway, here is my five for this week.

{ONE} Confession-- yesterday wasn't the only day this week I spent on the couch. The hubs surprised me on Tuesday by coming home a little early and we watched movies for the rest of they day. Much needed relaxation time together.

{TWO} We have been waiting for some final inspection information and quotes on the (hopefully) new  house. We got our final info sent off and are waiting to hear back from the sellers. Prayers and fingers crossed! 

{THREE} Even though our anniversary was last weekend, we are finally going to enjoy our one year cake tonight!!! I am super excited! We didn't save the cake from our actual wedding day because it needed to be cut, but our baker offered to make us another one on our one year anniversary. I looooove wedding cake and I can't wait to dive into this one!

 

{FOUR} My first fantasy football player played last night. Projected to get 8 pts. and he came away with 16 pts. That's a good start, I'd say. And as much as it pains me to say it, I am grateful that Peyton Manning is a good quarterback and likes to throw to Wes. Ugh...that hurt a bit.
 

{FIVE} Last week, I tried my hand at canning dill pickles. I have done a good amount of canning in the past but I've never done pickles. We tried them this week and they actually tasted like pickles!! It was a very exciting day. I've also got a five gallon bucket full of fresh, delicious smelling apples to make some applesauce and apple butter with. Needless to say, I am beyond excited!

Happy Friday to you all! Hope your weekend is filled with lots of goodness.

a complete whirlwind weekend

The past four days have been a real whirlwind. We left Friday around 4 p.m. to head to the airport. Our flight was originally supposed to leave Chicago at 8 p.m. but thanks to a nasty line of storms and serious rain we didn't end up leaving Chicago until midnight. So we spent a lot of time playing cards, getting frustrated, strolling through the airport watching other people getting frustrate and eating snacks.

 

We arrived in Austin around 2:30 a.m. greeted by my trooper of a best friend who lovingly picked us up from the airport regardless of time, even though she had to be up early the next day to be a bridesmaid in a wedding (thanks Lauren). By the time our heads hit the pillow it was almost 4 a.m. and needless to say, we were exhausted. The hubs got up early to get some golfing in while I slept spent my morning relaxing. Oh, fyi, it's hot in Texas in August, just in case you didn't know. 

The reason we were in Austin was for a college friends wedding, which was beautiful. She looked stunning and so in love. We're so very happy for the new married couple!

**Please excuse the poor quality/lighting of these iPhone photos. 

 

We spent the rest of Saturday spending time with my best friend and her boyfriend. In case you didn't know, she moved to Memphis recently and so our visits are much more limited. It was so so good to be able to spend some much needed time with them. And in honor of our anniversary, we took this picture next to a semi creepy/morbid wall mural. We thought it was relevant due to the "til death do us part" but then we later realized there was a wall of names down the street. Oh well.

Sunday was our one year anniversary. We spend our first anniversary mostly in the airport and in the air, which was fine with us. We didn't really care as long as we were together. Thankfully, we got an early flight home to Chicago and we were able to surprise our families who were all together for the Labor Day weekend/draft weekend at my in-laws.

I am very very thankful that the nice people at the Austin airport changed our flight. We were a little sad we weren't with our family when they were all together, but since we got a few extra hours in on Sunday it all worked out just right.

Monday was the family fantasy football league draft day. This is serious business. Last year was my first year in the league and I LOVED it. It made the football season that much more enjoyable because you have so many different players that you are rooting for, instead of just one team. I'm mostly pleased with how my team turned out and am excited for football season to officially begin.

We finally got back home late Monday night. We were so wiped from a complete whirlwind weekend. But when it is filled with fun activities and people you love there is always time for sleep later.

I know I've said it before but I can't believe it's September already. I am definitely ready for fall. The air has already cooled a bit here and it brings nothing but goodness for this upcoming season.

five on friday: anniversary edition

Sunday marks Jake and I's one year anniversary. I can't even believe that it has already been a whole year. It seems like it was just yesterday but also seems like so long ago, all at the same time. I am so thankful every day that I married such a wonderful man. We will be celebrating our anniversary in Austin, TX at a friend's wedding. We have never been to Austin so we're both excited to have a reason to go and to celebrate with my friend Christin on her very special day.

And since it's Friday, I am linking up with Christina, Darci, Liz and Natasha for Five on Friday. Also, in honor of our anniversary, today's five are my five most favorite things about my husband.

(1) There is never a dull moment with my husband. Whether we're starting a new project, he is rough housing with Winnie or one of our random conversations,  it is always a joy.

(2) He is a very strong worker. He is very dedicated to his work or whatever task he is doing. He doesn't do anything half way. He is a great example of how hard work pays off and I know that he blesses our family by being a person of such diligence.

(3) His faith. He is always striving to be a better person. He encourages me and guides our relationship to be one which honors God. This was one of the most important qualities I wanted in a husband and he does it well. And for that I am eternally grateful.

(4) He is tall, dark and handsome. I don't feel that I need to dwell much on this. But he's pretty easy on the eyes.

(5) He is my best friend. I never really understood what that was like until I met Jake. Life is just better with him by my side and I couldn't imagine life any other way. He brings so much goodness to my life and is a better husband than I could have ever hoped for. I am beyond blessed.

Happy One Year Anniversary J! I love you and can't wait for many more years together!

on loving well

Last night the hubs and I finished a four week book study at our church on the 5 Love Languages. I know a lot of people are familiar with the love language concept, but if you're not let me give you a brief overview. Essentially, there are five basic ways in which people give and receive love. Although the study we did was for married couples, this is not specific for marriage necessarily, so don't think that if you're not married that this doesn't apply to you. Because it does. Anyway, the five different languages are

• words of affirmation
• physical touch
• quality time
• acts of service
• gifts

People tend to have a primary love language and often a secondary. This is how one feels loved by others. The book uses the term "love tank" to use as a way of measuring how loved your feel. There isn't a right way or a wrong way to receive love. There are just different ways. And, I think, once you understand how a person feels loved, it really helps you understand them in a new way. I really could go on for awhile about this topic but I'll spare you, so if you are interested in learning more check out the website or the book. I really enjoy Gary Chapman and his books and I think this is a pretty quick and easy read.

I had read this book before I started dating J so I was very familiar with my love language: quality time. I knew that was how I best feel loved by others and often is my ideal way to spend my time with people I care about. However, reading this book now after being married a year was insightful in a new way. Even though we're relatively new to the marriage train, it is still helpful to understand how I can show my husband how that I love him.

The hubs love language is words of affirmation, which is my lowest love language. And it is pretty common for you and your spouse to not have the same primary love language. So that isn't a big surprise. What has come as a surprise to me over the past year is how poorly I am with that specific language. As soon as I learned (thanks to my mom) which was j's love language, I knew why God had brought us together. While I love to write and love to talk, I am not so good with expressing myself verbally with words of affirmation. I always thought that I was awesome at pretty much anything to do with talking because, frankly, I do it a lot. But come to find out, I stink at telling my husband (or anyone else for that matter) how I appreciate them. And when that is the primary way your husband feels loved, it can be a bit of an issue.

I have worked some at trying to improve my skills in this area. Now after taking this class, I realized that just trying a little isn't good enough. My husband deserves to know how much he is loved in a way that speaks loudest to him. And while it is uncomfortable and somewhat awkward for me to express myself this way, it is something that I must learn to do and try to do well. Thankfully, I have learned this early in our marriage and hopefully I can continue to get better at it because my husband is great. He deserves to know that each and every day.

So if this is a new concept to you, I encourage you to check it out. It could really make a big impact in all your relationships.

weekend jet-setting

This past weekend we flew south to Tampa. We left Friday and came back Monday, so it was a quick trip but well worth it. The hubs grandparents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and we had a weekend filled with family and celebration.

The hubs and I are both big fans of family. We are truly blessed with wonderful families on both sides and we love spending time with them. This past weekend was no exception. Most of our time was filled with conversation and laughter. And after the stress of last week, it was very welcome. But the primary reason we were all there was to celebration in 50 years of marriage of Jake's grandparents. The whole time we were there, I couldn't stop thinking about just how fortunate we are. All of our grandparents have been married for 50+ years and our parents for 25+years. I think that says something powerful.

I am so thankful for the examples our families have set for us. We are so blessed to be surrounded by people who understand the importance of strong marriages and who work hard at their own. I just pray that maybe someday our grandchildren may look at us with the same admiration.

I didn't take my good camera so here are a few shots from the weekend via my iPhone.

five on friday and some exciting news

It is a happy Friday in this house. There is a lot of good things going on today. To share those things with you, I am linking up with some lovely ladies for Five on Friday!

I don't have a lot of pictures for today but I think this one is pretty cute.

 

 {ONE} The hubs had a very successful week at work. Long story short. He's a stud. It was a very important and stressful week for all the staff, but they came through it with awesome results. So thankful!

{TWO} We're leaving for Florida today. We're going to celebrate the hubs grandparents 50th wedding anniversary. We are truly surrounded by wonderful examples of marriage and we are thankful for it. We're excited for a weekend away with family.

{THREE} I am not sure if I told you or not but the hubs has brewed his first batch of homemade beer. Last night we bottled it and it will be ready in a week. So we have 42 of bottles of beer on the wall-- just kidding. But I am really excited to try it!

{FOUR} We are currently doing a book study at our church on the 5 Love Languages. We're really enjoying taking this class together and to learn more about one another and how to strengthen our marriage. It's also great to meet other young couples in the area. If you haven't heard of or read the 5 Love Languages, I would encourage you to do so. It is helpful not just for marriages but with all people.

{FIVE} And the most exciting news of the day-- WE BOUGHT A HOUSE! We signed the dotted line and got ourselves a house! Well, at least we signed the counter offer and so now we're in the process of going through inspection and financing details. So, it's not officially a done deal, but we're definitely on our way. We are SO SO SO excited. There will be lots more details to come once we get the process more finalized.

It has been a very emotional/scary/exciting/stressful/joyful week. And at the end of the day, I am just so thankful for God's faithfulness and mercy. But for now, I have to get packing because we leave in a few hours and there is nothing in our bags.

Happy Friday, all!

happy birthday baby brother

It really just blows my mind that you are 18 years old today. It doesn't seem like all that long ago when we visited you for the first time at the hospital. You are such a wonderful person and too darn adorable for your own good. But I am so proud of who you have grown to be and I know you will do great things in this life.

So have a very Happy 18th Birthday!

We love you very much!

monday musings

 Anyone else having a hard time believing that is basically the middle of August already? Where did summer go, seriously?!? School is starting back up again for all my teacher friends and before we know it they'll be serving pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks. Although, fall is my favorite season, I have truly enjoyed this summer. There was nothing special about it really. No weddings or big vacations. No engagements, babies or anything of that sort. It has just been a great season of sunshine and normalcy. Not that I really know what normalcy is but if I did, I would expect that it look something like this summer.

I used to worry that I would get bored when there was nothing big to plan. However, it has been very much the opposite. I have so enjoyed this summer and the ordinary that came with it. I have realized that while I enjoy busy seasons, this one is a time of resting. And there is a time for both. This has been a time for the hubs and I to enjoy time with one another. To learn more about our new community and to explore it together. We have had weekends to do nothing and weekends with traveling. It has been such a great time. And while I look forward to exciting changes (i.e. buying a house), my heart is so content and grateful for this life. This season of resting has really allowed me to see just how blessed I am. I can't really find the right words to explain the sense of peace and fulfillment that I have. All I can say is that I am just so thankful that God's plans are always better than mine.

Also, I think it's a good time to take a look back at my summer bucket list and see what all we should try to cram in these last couple of weeks.

• take a cooking class (planned for the last week of August)
• go to the beach (maybe this weekend?)
• have a picnic in the park
• go to an amusement park
• go boating with my cousins
• have a dinner party
• take Winnie for a walk along the river
• go blueberry picking with my mom 
• take a winery tour
• find a house (working on it)
• go to an outdoor concert
• have a movie marathon with the hubs (on a rainy day)
• eat as much fro-yo as possible 
• have a bonfire

Ok, so 7 1/2 out of 14 is a little over half. For my typical bucket list evaluation, I'd say this one was definitely a success. Plus, there are a couple of opportunities for a few more to be completed. But what it tells me is that this as been a pretty great summer so far. And that is all that really matters.

i would work for a...

Happy Hump Day! Today I am linking up with Erin at Living in Yellow. If you've never read her blog, you should hop on over there and check it out. She's also an Indiana girl and she is so very funny. Anyway, she is hosted a link up about things that you would work for...as in, get paid in these things instead of money. Enough said-- here is my list!

I would work for...

A never ending cup of Starbuck's skinny peppermint mocha-- or at least unlimited number of them.

Frozen Yogurt-- preferably cookies n' cream flavored. But I'd really be happy with whatever.

via

A personal masseur-- so I could get a massage every day. That would be awesome.

Chocolate. And the ability to eat as much of it as I want-- no calorie counting here.

A brand new kitchen-- white cabinets, white back splash, an island. the works.

via

All our family to live in the same place-- no more  long distance. no more good byes.

A constant tan-- I hate being pale and I hate tan lines.

Unlimited access to a tropical location-- Fiji anyone?

via

Winnie to live forever-- or as long as me. Which she is going to anyway, right?!?

Good health for my family and friends-- although that may put some of my family members out of work. But I'll take it.

Ok, so most of them are a bit trivial and materialistic. But it's fun. What would you work for?

on house hunting

 I've been a little absent the past week. Our computer decided that it just didn't want to work very well; half of the keyboard works and half doesn't. Such a love/hate relationship with technology. But it has also been a very busy couple of weeks at work and when my schedule fills up, blogging tends to take the hit.

First off, it's August. Can anyone else not believe it? I am just stunned that summer is already almost over. As much as I am not wanting summer to be over, part of me is ready for these next couple of months. First off, we have a lot of fun traveling coming up. We're heading to Tampa in a couple weeks, Austin for Labor Day and we just found out we'll be going to Phoenix in October. So that is all very exciting! I've never been to any of these cities and I love going to new places!

But to be real honest, one of the reasons I am secretly ready for fall to get here is because it means that we are realistically closer to moving into a house. Now, mind you, we don't have a house yet, nor have we put in any offers. But I feel like I have been thinking and waiting for the time to come when we are actually ready and in a place to do so, and that time is coming quickly.

The past couple of weekends we have looked at houses, eight total so far. Last weekend was tough. The first house we looked at was, well, gorgeous. I fell in love with the kitchen instantly. I loved the white built-ins and fireplace. The backyard was huge and it had a willow tree, too. Against my better judgement, I quickly fell in love with the house. But just as quickly as I fell in love, we had to break up. We found out the owners accepted an offer the night before. Ugh. Needless to say, I was a bit heartbroken. We were finally in a house that we could really see ourselves in. But, it obviously wasn't the house for us.

The second house we visited was out of our budget. And the third house...well, we didn't even get to see it because the current owners were home and informed us that they sold the house on Wednesday. Seriously. Talk about a hope crushing house hunt. Although deep down inside, I know that God's hand is in all of this and that He has the right house for us. And these were not it. But my humanness was disappointed and sad. I am so excited about having a house of our own. I am excited to have a yard and a place where we can settle and feel like we are putting down some roots. I know it will come, but patience is hard sometimes. God's plans are always, always better than my plans, but waiting for it to unfold can be a challenge.

Thankfully, I learned to reassess my expectations a bit about the house hunt. And my wonderful, very patient and understanding husband, gently reminds me that it's just a house. It's a material item and while having one would be great, it does not define our joy. He's a smart one, I tell you. We're off again this weekend to look at some more houses and this time I'm trying to be just a little more patient.

year one: what i've learned so far

As we get closer to the one year mark, I have been thinking a lot about all that I have learned during this first year of marriage. Although in the marriage ball game we are still just rookies, this past year has been one of growth and new experiences. Not only have I learned a lot about my husband, I have learned a tremendous amount about myself. I have learned a whole lot about life and I am amazed at how marriage really teaches you so much. I have learned that no matter what I do, my husband and I will never have the same appreciate (or lack there of) for spicy food. I have also learned that I am a bed hog. It was never a problem before, but now it is a weekly conversation. But it all seriousness, I have learned a few life changing things as well.

1. marriage just makes you married

I read that line somewhere and it resonated so much within me. I believe, especially as girls, that we feel like we will have it all figured out once we get married. We will know what we want out of life, we will no longer feel insecure and that it will all be just peachy within your relationship. Well, I hate to bust your bubble, but that is most definitely not true. If anything, marriage amplifies any issues or conflicts that were already existing. You and your spouse are both broken, sinful humans and that doesn't change once you get married. Now, you are just married, broken, sinful humans trying to do life together. Now don't get me wrong, I love being married but it doesn't change who you are or who your spouse is. There are still days when I feel insecure about myself. There are times when I struggle with knowing what I want out of life. Those things don't go away once you get married, but the beautiful thing is now you have someone to share in those things with. To talk to on the most intimate level and know that they love you regardless.

2. forgiveness and grace are the best gifts ever

I never fully understood the concept of grace until I got into a good, healthy dating relationship. One of the hardest lessons I learned was how to forgive well. Come to find out, I can be quick to hold a grudge over little things, even against myself. But that doesn't go well with having a healthy, joyful heart. I have had to learn the true meaning of forgiveness and grace. Not only has this concept helped in all my relationships, but it has helped me understand God in a new way. And it blows my mind to know that God gives us that same kind of grace when we are willing to accept it. And that has been life changing in so many ways.

3. communication really is important.

Just in case you didn't know already, men and women are very different. From our physical make ups to the way we process information. And if you want to learn that first hand, just get married. Again, don't get me wrong, I am thankful that my husband is different than me. God purposefully created us that way. Plus, I would probably be very annoyed if I had to deal with someone just like me all day. Yet, I have learned that men and women also communicate differently. I had always heard that communication is the key to a good marriage but I didn't realize how crucial that was. I have always thought I was a good communicator. Turns out-- I'm really just a good talker. Real communication takes effort and energy and is so worth it. Taking the time to have genuine conversation and discussions will make the difference between a mediocre marriage and a healthy, connected one.

As we come up to our first anniversary, I am reminded everyday of how blessed I truly am. I am so thankful for the man that Jake is and for all he has brought to my life and our marriage.

And all I can really do is say thank you, thank you, thank you.