The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by John Gottman
We played the first game in Gottman's book, and we were shocked to know that we can name each other's best friends, what we want out of life, and people who annoy us but we couldn't name each other's favorite color! "Love maps" are the details you know about each other's lives. We both missed the points on the question asking us each other's social security number, too! (We know that one day, Jennifer will get the points, but Keith doesn't have the kind of personality that remembers things like that.)
9.30.2008
9.28.2008
Some images from the weekend
We're home from Birmingham, and we had a good time. Check out Jennifer's nails below! (Yep, that's really Jennifer, one of the authors of this blog!)
Jay enjoyed surprising Jennifer with the pampering at the salon. We had lunch at his restaurant on Sunday before we left town. He gave us all the royal treatment! Jay met Keith's parents, and we all loved our food. Jay brought us the "John Cole" dessert to celebrate Keith's birthday. While we were there, Keith took a picture of Jennifer and Jay.
Keith's mom said to Jay, "She thinks she's the big sister?!"
Keith's dad posed for a picture with Jennifer before we left their house. (We didn't break the camera afterall!)
We got some other pictures, too, including the one at the top of the right column on the blog.
9.27.2008
In Birmingham
We're here, and we've had a full day already.
We got to town in time for dinner, and Keith's brother, David, and his family came to join us. Jennifer had a great time getting to know them, especially Maurine.
Jennifer had lunch with Jay and his girlfriend, and they got their nails done. While she was gone, Keith raided his dad's tools.
This afternoon, Jennifer and Keith's mom are talking about the comments on this blog. We're having a great time!
Lunch with Jay tomorrow, then we're off to home for work on Monday. It's been a good birthday weekend!
We got to town in time for dinner, and Keith's brother, David, and his family came to join us. Jennifer had a great time getting to know them, especially Maurine.
Jennifer had lunch with Jay and his girlfriend, and they got their nails done. While she was gone, Keith raided his dad's tools.
This afternoon, Jennifer and Keith's mom are talking about the comments on this blog. We're having a great time!
Lunch with Jay tomorrow, then we're off to home for work on Monday. It's been a good birthday weekend!
9.26.2008
Happy Birthday, Keith!
Pat came to Macon yesterday to make dinner and a cake for Keith's birthday. He got to choose what he wanted for dinner, and he even got presents! He asked for rotisserie chicken like we had last month from Pat. Thanks, Pat, for coming up with the idea! She wanted to "give him our normal birthday celebration" which includes a visit and dinner with cake.
We're leaving today to go see Keith's parents. We'll also see Jay while we're in town, and we're hoping to eat at his table at Carrabba's so he can show off his skills as a server. He'll get to meet Keith's parents, too.
We're looking forward to a great weekend!
We're leaving today to go see Keith's parents. We'll also see Jay while we're in town, and we're hoping to eat at his table at Carrabba's so he can show off his skills as a server. He'll get to meet Keith's parents, too.
We're looking forward to a great weekend!
9.24.2008
Plumbing as a team!
A year ago, Jennifer noticed a leak at the bathroom sink. The advice she got was that the washer needed to be replaced. The faucet handle was essentially glued to the shaft (what's the right word for that thing?!), and she had to break it all to get it apart. The end result of the project was a new faucet at the sink and new pipes below, which are all working well to this day.
On Monday of this week, Jennifer noticed a leak at the bathtub. She knew the washer needed to be replaced, and she called Keith asking for help. Keith talked to his dad, who was quite helpful even by phone! When Jennifer got home, she found Keith working to get the faucet handle off, but it was glued on just like the sink faucet was a year ago. Jennifer could empathize, but she couldn't fix it. Keith's dad repeated his instructions to "tap it until it comes lose," and Keith didn't lose his patience like Jennifer did a year ago. At Lowe's we bought some special tools to reach behind the tile to turn the nut, and we bought a variety pack of washers since we weren't able to see the old one yet. We got home, removed the nut behind the tile (without breaking the tile!), removed the washer, replaced it with a match from the variety pack, and put the faucet back together. Now, there is no more drip!
Many thanks to Mike for his help by phone! Jennifer is convinced, though, that plumbing as a team is a lot more sane than plumbing alone! Keith is the hero of the day!
On Monday of this week, Jennifer noticed a leak at the bathtub. She knew the washer needed to be replaced, and she called Keith asking for help. Keith talked to his dad, who was quite helpful even by phone! When Jennifer got home, she found Keith working to get the faucet handle off, but it was glued on just like the sink faucet was a year ago. Jennifer could empathize, but she couldn't fix it. Keith's dad repeated his instructions to "tap it until it comes lose," and Keith didn't lose his patience like Jennifer did a year ago. At Lowe's we bought some special tools to reach behind the tile to turn the nut, and we bought a variety pack of washers since we weren't able to see the old one yet. We got home, removed the nut behind the tile (without breaking the tile!), removed the washer, replaced it with a match from the variety pack, and put the faucet back together. Now, there is no more drip!
Many thanks to Mike for his help by phone! Jennifer is convinced, though, that plumbing as a team is a lot more sane than plumbing alone! Keith is the hero of the day!
9.22.2008
Houses together
Keith is a minimalist, and Jennifer keeps almost everything. Separately, we live comfortable lives with the furniture and kitchen stuff that we have. We even have enough storage space in our separate places. So, what happens in April when we live together, you wonder. Well, we'll tell you what we're starting with, and then we'll tell you how it will all go together.
Jennifer is currently filling a three-bedroom house with:
one queen bed
dresser w/ mirror
entertainment center
nightstand
two twin beds
another dresser
another entertainment center
another nightstand (doesn't match the first one)
desk
file cabinets
treadmill that came with the house
futon
bookcases
end table
recliner
kitchen table
loveseat
washer and dryer
Keith is currently using:
double bed
drawing table
stand-alone shelves
couch and matching recliner
coffee table
end table
entertainment center
dining room table with six chairs
("minimalist" wasn't a joke!)
We realized pretty early that we have very little duplicate furniture. We'll have one of our beds in the master bedroom and the other in the guest room. We'll put the twin beds in the storage building. The futon goes in the study, so the treadmill has to come out (the first person to come pick up the treadmill gets it for free--it DOES work!). Keith's entertainment center will go in the study, too. His couch and matching recliner will go in the living room, and his dining room furniture will replace Jennifer's kitchen table, which will probably go in the utility room. We haven't decided about the location of Keith's drawing table yet, but we know that it'll go somewhere so he can work from home occasionally.
We're delighted that there's very little duplication of furniture--it's amazing how two people can accumulate just enough stuff to have all that they need together without much extra! We might upgrade our furniture some day, but it won't be soon because we like what we've got.
Jennifer is currently filling a three-bedroom house with:
one queen bed
dresser w/ mirror
entertainment center
nightstand
two twin beds
another dresser
another entertainment center
another nightstand (doesn't match the first one)
desk
file cabinets
treadmill that came with the house
futon
bookcases
end table
recliner
kitchen table
loveseat
washer and dryer
Keith is currently using:
double bed
drawing table
stand-alone shelves
couch and matching recliner
coffee table
end table
entertainment center
dining room table with six chairs
("minimalist" wasn't a joke!)
We realized pretty early that we have very little duplicate furniture. We'll have one of our beds in the master bedroom and the other in the guest room. We'll put the twin beds in the storage building. The futon goes in the study, so the treadmill has to come out (the first person to come pick up the treadmill gets it for free--it DOES work!). Keith's entertainment center will go in the study, too. His couch and matching recliner will go in the living room, and his dining room furniture will replace Jennifer's kitchen table, which will probably go in the utility room. We haven't decided about the location of Keith's drawing table yet, but we know that it'll go somewhere so he can work from home occasionally.
We're delighted that there's very little duplication of furniture--it's amazing how two people can accumulate just enough stuff to have all that they need together without much extra! We might upgrade our furniture some day, but it won't be soon because we like what we've got.
9.19.2008
Other wedding music
Lynne is working with five other people to put together a musical selection for our wedding.
Christian was a freshman in high school when Jennifer was a senior, but they were assigned seats next to each other in a class. Their close friendship was unlikely in some ways, but they enjoyed rich conversations. Even when they have lived in different places geographically, they always seem to be able to pick up where they left off. Christian taught Jennifer how to go "tower hunting" for radio towers, and they have done other crazy things like driving up to Pine Mountain to watch the sunrise on a random morning. Christian cooks well, plays the piano with excellence, and knows more about radio than he can tell you in one sitting. He is currently working in Washington, D.C.
Patrick has a maturity about him that exceeds his age. His grandparents went to church at St John while Alan and Jennifer worked together there, and Patrick and Jennifer met just a few days before Patrick started school at Mercer. Patrick was Jennifer's "right hand man" in logisitics work for a ministry team they worked with in college. Patrick started his work on that team with unclear eagerness, and he finished his work a few years later with mature understandings about getting the job done in a way that makes it look easy while he cares for people. Jennifer and Patrick have cooked many meals for 30+ teenagers, and they have orchestrated weekend events with the help of several other college students. They joke that there is no project they cannot pull off together, and Jennifer is grateful that Patrick is on board for the details of April 4th. Not only will Patrick work with Lynne and others in music, but he'll be the brains behind the sound system as well. Jennifer said to Patrick, "I don't know about sound systems, and I don't want to know about sound systems. I just need it to work on April 4th. Can you do that for us?" For Patrick, it's a no-brainer! Patrick holds bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from Mercer University, and he currently is using those degree in his work on Robins Air Force Base.
Ginger and Jennifer were set up to be close friends. Nikki and John told them both that they should meet each other. When Ginger was a college freshman and Jennifer was a senior, they were introduced one night at BSU, and they were together most days for the rest of that year. They knew and understood each other like few others could, and they were faithful friends during some difficult situations that year. Ginger majored in Music Education, and she focused her musical studies on the saxophone. Ginger can keep a room laughing, but she also works hard at her tasks. Ginger is now living in Macon where she teaches middle school band.
William is also part of this crowd of musicians. Jennifer first saw William in an introductory Christianity class, and William's questions for the professor, Rick, included words that Jennifer had never heard before! William is an organist, and he has worked for several Catholic churches in Macon in recent years. He is an avid reader and writer as well as a relentless thinker. He and Jennifer have spent many hours attempting to solve the problems of the world and those of our friends. In the end, they have learned one thing best: be faithful to those you love because family matters more than we ever imagined it could. William is living in Macon these days.
Justin started college as an engineering major, and he graduated four years later with a degree in Christianity. Sound familiar?! Justin is always eager to see this group of folks get together whether it means doing a project or eating dinner before a concert. He is another member of this team who is valuable when there is a project or event to pull off together. Justin is close to his brothers, including his identical twin. He is currently living in Peachtree City, Georgia. Justin's wit and insight keep us all on our toes!
This group of people has worked together in different combinations for several years. They've served each other well--much like families do--and they've done good work to help others.
There are two people who would be listed here, too, if the circumstances were slightly different.
John and Casey are certainly part of this group of friends that is more like family. They cannot be at the wedding on April 4 because they currently live in Southeast Asia where they are working to make clean water available to people who live in villages along the river. John and Casey are an integral part of this group, so we'll call them "honorary members of the musical team."
What a treat it is to know all seven of these remarkable people! They are all younger than us, but they challenge us in their love for each other, their work together, and their love for other people. Thanks, y'all, for being with us on April 4th!
Christian was a freshman in high school when Jennifer was a senior, but they were assigned seats next to each other in a class. Their close friendship was unlikely in some ways, but they enjoyed rich conversations. Even when they have lived in different places geographically, they always seem to be able to pick up where they left off. Christian taught Jennifer how to go "tower hunting" for radio towers, and they have done other crazy things like driving up to Pine Mountain to watch the sunrise on a random morning. Christian cooks well, plays the piano with excellence, and knows more about radio than he can tell you in one sitting. He is currently working in Washington, D.C.
Patrick has a maturity about him that exceeds his age. His grandparents went to church at St John while Alan and Jennifer worked together there, and Patrick and Jennifer met just a few days before Patrick started school at Mercer. Patrick was Jennifer's "right hand man" in logisitics work for a ministry team they worked with in college. Patrick started his work on that team with unclear eagerness, and he finished his work a few years later with mature understandings about getting the job done in a way that makes it look easy while he cares for people. Jennifer and Patrick have cooked many meals for 30+ teenagers, and they have orchestrated weekend events with the help of several other college students. They joke that there is no project they cannot pull off together, and Jennifer is grateful that Patrick is on board for the details of April 4th. Not only will Patrick work with Lynne and others in music, but he'll be the brains behind the sound system as well. Jennifer said to Patrick, "I don't know about sound systems, and I don't want to know about sound systems. I just need it to work on April 4th. Can you do that for us?" For Patrick, it's a no-brainer! Patrick holds bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from Mercer University, and he currently is using those degree in his work on Robins Air Force Base.
Ginger and Jennifer were set up to be close friends. Nikki and John told them both that they should meet each other. When Ginger was a college freshman and Jennifer was a senior, they were introduced one night at BSU, and they were together most days for the rest of that year. They knew and understood each other like few others could, and they were faithful friends during some difficult situations that year. Ginger majored in Music Education, and she focused her musical studies on the saxophone. Ginger can keep a room laughing, but she also works hard at her tasks. Ginger is now living in Macon where she teaches middle school band.
William is also part of this crowd of musicians. Jennifer first saw William in an introductory Christianity class, and William's questions for the professor, Rick, included words that Jennifer had never heard before! William is an organist, and he has worked for several Catholic churches in Macon in recent years. He is an avid reader and writer as well as a relentless thinker. He and Jennifer have spent many hours attempting to solve the problems of the world and those of our friends. In the end, they have learned one thing best: be faithful to those you love because family matters more than we ever imagined it could. William is living in Macon these days.
Justin started college as an engineering major, and he graduated four years later with a degree in Christianity. Sound familiar?! Justin is always eager to see this group of folks get together whether it means doing a project or eating dinner before a concert. He is another member of this team who is valuable when there is a project or event to pull off together. Justin is close to his brothers, including his identical twin. He is currently living in Peachtree City, Georgia. Justin's wit and insight keep us all on our toes!
This group of people has worked together in different combinations for several years. They've served each other well--much like families do--and they've done good work to help others.
There are two people who would be listed here, too, if the circumstances were slightly different.
John and Casey are certainly part of this group of friends that is more like family. They cannot be at the wedding on April 4 because they currently live in Southeast Asia where they are working to make clean water available to people who live in villages along the river. John and Casey are an integral part of this group, so we'll call them "honorary members of the musical team."
What a treat it is to know all seven of these remarkable people! They are all younger than us, but they challenge us in their love for each other, their work together, and their love for other people. Thanks, y'all, for being with us on April 4th!
9.18.2008
More eBay
I'm into the eBay thing right now. I've hunted all over the site for blue or white umbrellas that cost six dollars or less. So far, I've won two bids. So, we'll be prepared for a few folks who come to our wedding without an umbrella even though it rains.
Just don't go bid against me for the umbrellas. Deal?!
Just don't go bid against me for the umbrellas. Deal?!
9.17.2008
Following the numbers
We've burned through 600+ hours since the last countdown notice. Now we're under 200 days. Everybody says the time will speed up as the numbers get smaller.
We've been engaged a little over a month now. It's been more than seven months since we met.
It's funny how the counting up and counting down happens at the same time.
I guess we'll count up every day after April 4th. (Well, we'll have small countdowns along the way like paying off our house and vacations!)
We've been engaged a little over a month now. It's been more than seven months since we met.
It's funny how the counting up and counting down happens at the same time.
I guess we'll count up every day after April 4th. (Well, we'll have small countdowns along the way like paying off our house and vacations!)
9.15.2008
The Ladies of Honor
Melissa was Jennifer's last college roommate, and they have stayed in touch faithfully since graduation. They have their own traditions, which include ordering dinner delivered to the apartment after big presentations and accomplishments (they each had major projects that spanned their entire last year of college!) and eating chicken pot pie whenever they get together, to this day. They hosted other students in their apartment on multiple occasions for dinner, breakfast, or just a break between classes. Sometimes, the door felt more like a "revolving" one instead of a "swinging" one. They hoped to solve the problems of the world together, but they learned that simply being present to each other would be the best solution they could find sometimes.
Melissa surprised Jennifer by driving into town from Alabama on the night before Jennifer moved into her house. Melissa was a welcome cheerful helper, and the two ladies moved lots of furniture as well as the washer and dryer. Some of the guys were moving the even bigger stuff! Melissa will be marrying Nicholas this October, and she'll be the Matron of Honor on April 4th.
Professionally, Melissa uses her Biomedical Engineering degree in her work as a Rehabilitation Technology Specialist for the State of Alabama. She works with her clients to design accommodations that make it possible for them to work, live, and learn as independently as possible.
Lynne will be Jennifer's Maid of Honor. She and Jennifer have a long history of friendship and service together. They enjoy going to Braves games whenever possible (one buys the tickets, and the other pays for parking and the food they bring), and they keep up with each other's daily lives faithfully. They celebrate good times together, and they listen well in bad times. They have worked together on several projects including worship leadership at St John in Columbus one Sunday. After Lynne took her nursing boards in Macon one day in March, she stuck around town long enough to meet Keith. Keith and Lynne have come to enjoy the time they get to hang out. Now, Lynne is put on speaker phone when she calls Jennifer so she can talk to both Jennifer and Keith.
It is my privilege to announce that Lynne passed her nursing boards with flying colors, and she's been working as a nurse since May. Before that, she spent several years working for the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. Lynne is also working on the beginning stages of a singles' ministry in her church.
Melissa and Lynne will be two of the people who bring sanity to April 4 for us. They also know Jennifer's secrets, the ones that make her look good and the ones they only threaten to tell on her! They will represent all of Jennifer's friends who have made her a better person and a better friend.
Melissa and Lynne, I appreciate your faithfulness to me. I can't imagine this journey or our wedding day without you!
Melissa surprised Jennifer by driving into town from Alabama on the night before Jennifer moved into her house. Melissa was a welcome cheerful helper, and the two ladies moved lots of furniture as well as the washer and dryer. Some of the guys were moving the even bigger stuff! Melissa will be marrying Nicholas this October, and she'll be the Matron of Honor on April 4th.
Professionally, Melissa uses her Biomedical Engineering degree in her work as a Rehabilitation Technology Specialist for the State of Alabama. She works with her clients to design accommodations that make it possible for them to work, live, and learn as independently as possible.
Lynne will be Jennifer's Maid of Honor. She and Jennifer have a long history of friendship and service together. They enjoy going to Braves games whenever possible (one buys the tickets, and the other pays for parking and the food they bring), and they keep up with each other's daily lives faithfully. They celebrate good times together, and they listen well in bad times. They have worked together on several projects including worship leadership at St John in Columbus one Sunday. After Lynne took her nursing boards in Macon one day in March, she stuck around town long enough to meet Keith. Keith and Lynne have come to enjoy the time they get to hang out. Now, Lynne is put on speaker phone when she calls Jennifer so she can talk to both Jennifer and Keith.
It is my privilege to announce that Lynne passed her nursing boards with flying colors, and she's been working as a nurse since May. Before that, she spent several years working for the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. Lynne is also working on the beginning stages of a singles' ministry in her church.
Melissa and Lynne will be two of the people who bring sanity to April 4 for us. They also know Jennifer's secrets, the ones that make her look good and the ones they only threaten to tell on her! They will represent all of Jennifer's friends who have made her a better person and a better friend.
Melissa and Lynne, I appreciate your faithfulness to me. I can't imagine this journey or our wedding day without you!
9.13.2008
Congratulations, Patrick!
We're helping Patrick move into his first house today! It'll be fun.
If you know Patrick, you can give him your own "congrats" by leaving a comment for him here. We'll make sure he gets it.
(After moving Patrick's stuff, we're looking forward to some downtime. Life's been really busy lately.)
If you know Patrick, you can give him your own "congrats" by leaving a comment for him here. We'll make sure he gets it.
(After moving Patrick's stuff, we're looking forward to some downtime. Life's been really busy lately.)
9.12.2008
"Gas prices got us together..."
For our evening plans, we wanted to eat dinner, walk for exercise, and catch up after a busy week. We got an adventurous streak going, and we decided to walk to dinner. Jennifer remembered her odometer reading about a mile and a half one way for the trip, but that was a rough estimate.
The beginning of our walk was on roads without shoulders, so we walked through freshly mowed grass at first. Then, the not-so-recently mowed grass was next, and the rest was sidewalks except when we cut through a parking lot and crossed the street twice. On the way there, Jennifer commented that the price of gas had gone up twenty cents in two days, and we felt like our walking was doing something "green," too. Keith joked, "Gas prices got us together, and they're going to keep us together." We enjoyed our walk, and we felt like we were getting good exercise while we spent time catching up.
We got to Panera bread in thirty minutes, and we stayed there for about an hour. We saw the clouds rolling in, and it was getting darker. So, we left around sunset.
On our way down the street, Jennifer noticed the first digit in the gas price was changed to a 4. Gas had gone up. But, since the price was $3.95 on our way there and Hurricane Ike is coming through, a five-cent jump wouldn't have been shocking. Then, we walked further and saw that the second digit was not a zero but a 4! Gas went up 54 cents in an hour! Gas really is going to keep us together because we're going to walk everywhere if it stays like this!
The beginning of our walk was on roads without shoulders, so we walked through freshly mowed grass at first. Then, the not-so-recently mowed grass was next, and the rest was sidewalks except when we cut through a parking lot and crossed the street twice. On the way there, Jennifer commented that the price of gas had gone up twenty cents in two days, and we felt like our walking was doing something "green," too. Keith joked, "Gas prices got us together, and they're going to keep us together." We enjoyed our walk, and we felt like we were getting good exercise while we spent time catching up.
We got to Panera bread in thirty minutes, and we stayed there for about an hour. We saw the clouds rolling in, and it was getting darker. So, we left around sunset.
On our way down the street, Jennifer noticed the first digit in the gas price was changed to a 4. Gas had gone up. But, since the price was $3.95 on our way there and Hurricane Ike is coming through, a five-cent jump wouldn't have been shocking. Then, we walked further and saw that the second digit was not a zero but a 4! Gas went up 54 cents in an hour! Gas really is going to keep us together because we're going to walk everywhere if it stays like this!
9.11.2008
Out of the box
My wedding dress came on Monday in a box that was about a foot and a half cube. I was on the phone with my mom when I opened the box. When I looked for the dirt at the bottom of the skirt that the seller told me about, I couldn't find it. I put on the dress, which fit great, and I called Keith and MO to celebrate. MO came to see me in it.
The previous owner of my house left a large mirror in a closet, and I took it out and put it at the end of the hall so I could see the whole dress. I had to stand on five inches of books to get the skirt off the floor, so I chose the Mercer Dictionary of the Bible and the Mercer Concordance. Those books make me stand taller in more ways than one!
MO and I talked about options for altering the dress, and we decided there are three choices:
1 - cut off the bottom five inches
2 - take five inches out of the waist
3 - wear five inch platform shoes
You can cast your vote for the solution in the comments section. Click below on "hoorays" to give your two cents.
The previous owner of my house left a large mirror in a closet, and I took it out and put it at the end of the hall so I could see the whole dress. I had to stand on five inches of books to get the skirt off the floor, so I chose the Mercer Dictionary of the Bible and the Mercer Concordance. Those books make me stand taller in more ways than one!
MO and I talked about options for altering the dress, and we decided there are three choices:
1 - cut off the bottom five inches
2 - take five inches out of the waist
3 - wear five inch platform shoes
You can cast your vote for the solution in the comments section. Click below on "hoorays" to give your two cents.
9.09.2008
Six miles
Keith introduced Jennifer to the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail on Saturday. We've talked and talked about exercising together, and the Trail is a good place to do that. We walked along the Ocmulgee River and played "Name That Tree" as we went. On Saturday, after the rain subsided, we completed three miles in an hour. It did rain a little bit on us while we walked, and we decided that it was light enough that we could keep walking, and we could even get married in that amount of rain! We had a great time on our walk on Saturday!
Sunday was another chance to walk the Trail, and we decided to go for it. We walked earlier in the day, and it was hotter. We also think we walked faster on Sunday. We cut off almost a quarter of a mile on one end of the trail, but we'll still take the credit for three miles on Sunday, too.
Both of us were thrilled that our first attempt at exercising together was so successful. We're working on our "hopes and dreams" for our married life, which include staying in shape together. Eventually, we hope to get bikes that we can ride on the Trail, too. We'll also see about walking and riding around our house (but the hills make the path a LOT different!).
Sunday was another chance to walk the Trail, and we decided to go for it. We walked earlier in the day, and it was hotter. We also think we walked faster on Sunday. We cut off almost a quarter of a mile on one end of the trail, but we'll still take the credit for three miles on Sunday, too.
Both of us were thrilled that our first attempt at exercising together was so successful. We're working on our "hopes and dreams" for our married life, which include staying in shape together. Eventually, we hope to get bikes that we can ride on the Trail, too. We'll also see about walking and riding around our house (but the hills make the path a LOT different!).
9.07.2008
My BFFL!
On our first date, Keith and I went to Chili's. He had monterrey chicken, and I ate the philly cheesesteak. (He did a better job of following the "don't eat complicated food on a date" rule!)
We talked about everything, including our waiter's shaved arms. We were having a good time, and the conversation was natural. I had to take stock of what was happening at one point, and I realized that it felt like we were good friends. I remember being disappointed, but it was brief because I had to tune back in to the conversation. We shut the place down sometime after 11pm on a Wednesday night.
Later, I came back to the realization that the conversation felt like friendship to me, and I was disappointed again. I don't need more friends--I like the ones I have very much! Then, it dawned on me: I'd heard people talk about marrying their best friend, and I'd forgotten all about that. I was okay with friendship then, and I told Keith about my realization that we were becoming good friends. I skipped the part about wanting to marry my best friend, though!
When I wrote to Keith about being friends, he got concerned. For him, what I wrote gave him the impression that I was "casting him into the friend zone." I was floored! That was hardly my point! I was excited to tell him that it felt like a good friendship to me, and he was disappointed with the news. It took a while to convince him that being friends is a good thing, but I'm pretty sure he's convinced now.
It's true: Keith is a friend. I want to call him first when something happens. I value his opinion when I need to make a decision. I enjoy being with him whether we're talking or quiet.
Last summer, I spent six weeks living on the same college campus as 700 teenagers at the Georgia Governor's Honors Program. The kids are really smart, but they're also really teenagers. They reminded me of the "teen-speak" that we see on tv, and Keith and I got new nicknames because of them: BFFL. Teenagers use it very casually, but the literal translation is "best friend for life." For the first time in my life, I can use that term accurately. Keith will be my best friend for the rest of my life, and I'll be his best friend, too!
Good things happened at Chili's on that cool February night. I became friends with the love of my life!
We talked about everything, including our waiter's shaved arms. We were having a good time, and the conversation was natural. I had to take stock of what was happening at one point, and I realized that it felt like we were good friends. I remember being disappointed, but it was brief because I had to tune back in to the conversation. We shut the place down sometime after 11pm on a Wednesday night.
Later, I came back to the realization that the conversation felt like friendship to me, and I was disappointed again. I don't need more friends--I like the ones I have very much! Then, it dawned on me: I'd heard people talk about marrying their best friend, and I'd forgotten all about that. I was okay with friendship then, and I told Keith about my realization that we were becoming good friends. I skipped the part about wanting to marry my best friend, though!
When I wrote to Keith about being friends, he got concerned. For him, what I wrote gave him the impression that I was "casting him into the friend zone." I was floored! That was hardly my point! I was excited to tell him that it felt like a good friendship to me, and he was disappointed with the news. It took a while to convince him that being friends is a good thing, but I'm pretty sure he's convinced now.
It's true: Keith is a friend. I want to call him first when something happens. I value his opinion when I need to make a decision. I enjoy being with him whether we're talking or quiet.
Last summer, I spent six weeks living on the same college campus as 700 teenagers at the Georgia Governor's Honors Program. The kids are really smart, but they're also really teenagers. They reminded me of the "teen-speak" that we see on tv, and Keith and I got new nicknames because of them: BFFL. Teenagers use it very casually, but the literal translation is "best friend for life." For the first time in my life, I can use that term accurately. Keith will be my best friend for the rest of my life, and I'll be his best friend, too!
Good things happened at Chili's on that cool February night. I became friends with the love of my life!
9.05.2008
a 21st century buying experience
Jennifer has a wedding dress!
I tried on a dress in the store last week that I loved in the pictures and again when I had it on. The price was a little high for what I hoped to spend, but I had it on long enough for several of the staff, MO, and me to agree that buying it in a petite size would work just fine and might not require any alterations. The standard size would require me to take four inches or more off of the bottom.
The next day, I wanted to see what was on the internet about the styles I had on the previous day, so I asked Google about the style number that I had on first. That's when I saw the dress on eBay with a minimum bid under half of the retail price. I put a bid on the dress, and I was the only bidder. The auction closed on Tuesday night, and I counted down with Lynne. It was fun!
Yours truly bought a $400 dress for $150, and I'll get to make minor alterations that make the dress my own. Now, that's a wedding shopping experience for the 21st century!
I wonder what else I can get on eBay...!
I tried on a dress in the store last week that I loved in the pictures and again when I had it on. The price was a little high for what I hoped to spend, but I had it on long enough for several of the staff, MO, and me to agree that buying it in a petite size would work just fine and might not require any alterations. The standard size would require me to take four inches or more off of the bottom.
The next day, I wanted to see what was on the internet about the styles I had on the previous day, so I asked Google about the style number that I had on first. That's when I saw the dress on eBay with a minimum bid under half of the retail price. I put a bid on the dress, and I was the only bidder. The auction closed on Tuesday night, and I counted down with Lynne. It was fun!
Yours truly bought a $400 dress for $150, and I'll get to make minor alterations that make the dress my own. Now, that's a wedding shopping experience for the 21st century!
I wonder what else I can get on eBay...!
9.03.2008
Our weekend getaway
We visited Jennifer's friends, Shaun and Anna and their boys Ephram and Connor, this weekend in Florida. We had a great time, and Jennifer even got to go look at some dresses with Anna. The boys all stayed home and played with Legos and went to the park.
The four of us have played a game called Settlers of Catan, and we enjoyed the three times we played on Saturday and Sunday nights after the boys were in bed. Anna also taught us recipes for chicken enchiladas and brownie cheesecake! Yum!
Ephram and Connor are two of the best behaved kids we've ever seen. They are three and two years old, and they loved us! We were impressed with Connor's speaking ability and Ephram's eagerness to write and read words to us.
We got to talk with Shaun and Anna a lot about our wedding plans, and we watched their wedding video Sunday night.
Shaun will be praying in our wedding in April. He is one of the people that Jennifer worked with in Christian clubs in high school, and he has held leadership roles in several other organizations since then including the churches that they attend. Shaun is one of the smartest people we know--he has an undergraduate degree in Engineering Physics and a master's degree from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He married Anna six years ago, and they asked Jennifer to pray the invocation in their wedding. What a great family man Shaun is, and what a brilliant mind this country has working for us! Shaun, thanks for your service, and thanks to you, Anna, for the ways you are the backbone of your family as you love Shaun and the boys faithfully. Anna is quite intelligent in her own rite: she is a certified teacher, and she is currently tutoring math part time. She pulls off quite a bit in her life, wouldn't you say! Before long, they will be welcoming another member of their family when they adopt a little girl!
Along with all of her talents, Anna takes great pictures. Keith asked her to take some photos of us this weekend, and Shaun did the editing. Check out their great results!
Shaun and Anna, we had a great weekend with you all! Thanks for your hospitality. Give the boys hugs for us. We'll see you again in April!
The four of us have played a game called Settlers of Catan, and we enjoyed the three times we played on Saturday and Sunday nights after the boys were in bed. Anna also taught us recipes for chicken enchiladas and brownie cheesecake! Yum!
Ephram and Connor are two of the best behaved kids we've ever seen. They are three and two years old, and they loved us! We were impressed with Connor's speaking ability and Ephram's eagerness to write and read words to us.
We got to talk with Shaun and Anna a lot about our wedding plans, and we watched their wedding video Sunday night.
Shaun will be praying in our wedding in April. He is one of the people that Jennifer worked with in Christian clubs in high school, and he has held leadership roles in several other organizations since then including the churches that they attend. Shaun is one of the smartest people we know--he has an undergraduate degree in Engineering Physics and a master's degree from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He married Anna six years ago, and they asked Jennifer to pray the invocation in their wedding. What a great family man Shaun is, and what a brilliant mind this country has working for us! Shaun, thanks for your service, and thanks to you, Anna, for the ways you are the backbone of your family as you love Shaun and the boys faithfully. Anna is quite intelligent in her own rite: she is a certified teacher, and she is currently tutoring math part time. She pulls off quite a bit in her life, wouldn't you say! Before long, they will be welcoming another member of their family when they adopt a little girl!
Along with all of her talents, Anna takes great pictures. Keith asked her to take some photos of us this weekend, and Shaun did the editing. Check out their great results!
Shaun and Anna, we had a great weekend with you all! Thanks for your hospitality. Give the boys hugs for us. We'll see you again in April!
9.01.2008
It all started on February 11
Jennifer read Keith's profile online at OKCupid.com, and she smiled when she read the way he finished the sentence, "I spend a lot of time thinking about...." Keith said:
"I spend a lot of time thinking about how come everytime I go to buy gas for my car that it seems like barrels of crude oil are trading at a new record high the day before!"
Jennifer started it all when she wrote Keith a message just before midnight on February 11:
"I thought your comment about your suspicion of crude oil prices was funny. Your profile makes you sound like someone I might like to get to know. I guess this means you get to decide if you'll read my profile and tell me if you want to talk more."
And the rest, as they say, is history!
OK, we can do better than that.
Keith wrote back. In fact, we exchanged nearly ten messages before a week was up. By then, we had plans to meet for dinner for the first time.
Wednesday night became date night, and we met at Chili's and then twice at Joshua Cup coffee house in Macon. Between Wednesdays, we were talking on the phone every night, and we emailed some, too.
We learned that our paths had been intersecting for years, but we were never in the same place at the same time. Keith started working at Mercer in the same summer that Jennifer worked on campus. He also worked on the apartment complex landscape where Jennifer lived across town the next fall. Keith drove through Columbus when he went to his grandmother's house, and Jennifer visited Columbus a lot to see her mom. We talked about the landmarks we could see along the highway through Columbus. Since Keith's twin lives in Miami and Jennifer lived in West Palm Beach, Florida for a few years, we could talk about those paths as well.
We have lots in common, but we were learning about our differences, too. Keith doesn't use punctuation when he writes emails, but Jennifer wouldn't dream of life with no periods, commas, or capital letters! Keith can talk for hours about history, English, and plants, and Jennifer is clueless about all of those areas! Jennifer enjoyed studying math and theology, but Keith simply says he was good at math but didn't like it. Keith's parents are married, and Jennifer's parents are divorced. Keith is the youngest of the family, and Jennifer is the oldest. Keith seems to always have money, but he never keeps track of where he spends money. Meanwhile, Jennifer tracks every penny she earns and spends, and she rarely spends without weighing the decision carefully.
Even though we appear to be different in many ways, we learned that we really do start with similar commitments. Those priorities simply play out differently for us. For example, the differences in our writing styles are not as important as our commitment to be effective communicators. We want to know and be known, and we are convinced that there is power in words. We study different disciplines, but we are both deeply committed to education and other intellectual pursuits. Our friends tell us that they won't play against us in Trivial Pursuit! We are both academics in many ways, and we appreciate the knowledge that sits across the table each day. Even though our parents' marriages took different paths, we are both deeply committed to working hard in our married lives (those two dreams became one dream when we figured out that we'd be married to each other!). Our relationships with money are different, but we share the commitment to spend only money that we have with few exceptions like cars and houses.
With complementing personalities and commitments, we were free to imagine more and more days together. In future posts, you can read about our favorite dates and other big steps along the way.
"I spend a lot of time thinking about how come everytime I go to buy gas for my car that it seems like barrels of crude oil are trading at a new record high the day before!"
Jennifer started it all when she wrote Keith a message just before midnight on February 11:
"I thought your comment about your suspicion of crude oil prices was funny. Your profile makes you sound like someone I might like to get to know. I guess this means you get to decide if you'll read my profile and tell me if you want to talk more."
And the rest, as they say, is history!
OK, we can do better than that.
Keith wrote back. In fact, we exchanged nearly ten messages before a week was up. By then, we had plans to meet for dinner for the first time.
Wednesday night became date night, and we met at Chili's and then twice at Joshua Cup coffee house in Macon. Between Wednesdays, we were talking on the phone every night, and we emailed some, too.
We learned that our paths had been intersecting for years, but we were never in the same place at the same time. Keith started working at Mercer in the same summer that Jennifer worked on campus. He also worked on the apartment complex landscape where Jennifer lived across town the next fall. Keith drove through Columbus when he went to his grandmother's house, and Jennifer visited Columbus a lot to see her mom. We talked about the landmarks we could see along the highway through Columbus. Since Keith's twin lives in Miami and Jennifer lived in West Palm Beach, Florida for a few years, we could talk about those paths as well.
We have lots in common, but we were learning about our differences, too. Keith doesn't use punctuation when he writes emails, but Jennifer wouldn't dream of life with no periods, commas, or capital letters! Keith can talk for hours about history, English, and plants, and Jennifer is clueless about all of those areas! Jennifer enjoyed studying math and theology, but Keith simply says he was good at math but didn't like it. Keith's parents are married, and Jennifer's parents are divorced. Keith is the youngest of the family, and Jennifer is the oldest. Keith seems to always have money, but he never keeps track of where he spends money. Meanwhile, Jennifer tracks every penny she earns and spends, and she rarely spends without weighing the decision carefully.
Even though we appear to be different in many ways, we learned that we really do start with similar commitments. Those priorities simply play out differently for us. For example, the differences in our writing styles are not as important as our commitment to be effective communicators. We want to know and be known, and we are convinced that there is power in words. We study different disciplines, but we are both deeply committed to education and other intellectual pursuits. Our friends tell us that they won't play against us in Trivial Pursuit! We are both academics in many ways, and we appreciate the knowledge that sits across the table each day. Even though our parents' marriages took different paths, we are both deeply committed to working hard in our married lives (those two dreams became one dream when we figured out that we'd be married to each other!). Our relationships with money are different, but we share the commitment to spend only money that we have with few exceptions like cars and houses.
With complementing personalities and commitments, we were free to imagine more and more days together. In future posts, you can read about our favorite dates and other big steps along the way.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
