Tag: surprise

Today’s attitude

“How’s married life?” she asks.

Bizarre stresses, but good.
Job stuff isn’t sorted yet, but improving for both of us.
But, fortunately, we don’t have a horrible green splotch in our hallways or this terrible white section of paint in the hall bathroom anymore, and it feels Really good having them both gone.

“Haha. It’s amazing how little things like that make such a big difference”

…….

And, boy, is she right…

A friend of mine offered to help with whatever when she came to town for my wedding. I didn’t have any wedding stuff that needed help, but a last-minute panic of my man’s had us wanting to paint these two spots that have been the same for actual years. But, since his family was coming over, he suddenly cared about them… them being these two areas of painting that needed to be covered and that drove me nuts every single day… My friend has spent much of her career working in technical theatre, building and designing and painting sets. She also taught shop classes and such. I knew she could handle it and wouldn’t at all be upset at the idea. I asked, and, sure enough, she not only agreed immediately, but agreed with excitement. Just up her alley, she’d said.

So, they got fixed.

And it’s been amazing not staring at the green strip next to the updated A/C panel in the hallway or that horrible white section where the piping had been redone in the bathroom, and it was only ever painted with white, instead of the grey of the bathroom walls.

Post-a-day 2024

And Saturdays…

… And Saturdays are for sex!

I mean, yeah…

I imagine, every day is a good day for sex, given the relationship is founded for such an act. But, after resting Friday night, Saturday is a great day to be super active and to exert much effort doing things one loves, right? Right. In married life, things can get away from folks, schedules can get busy, things can be pushed aside. So, keep it simple and easy to remember. Fridays are for rest and Saturdays are for sex. Saturday’s just about always a good day for married couples to have sex, so let’s go ahead and let them rely upon it, keep it in the books, put it on the weekly schedule. 😛

I know. I’m ridiculous. Thank you for noticing. 😛

God, help us to be well and to be in your image. Help us to lead the lives you long for us to lead. Help us to confess our sins often, that we be made whole more and more frequently in life, drawing ever closer to you and to the people you call us to be, our best selves. Thank you for this life and this opportunity. Help us always to honor you. Help me, also, always to honor and respect and also to serve my husband, helping him to be his best self, who you can him to be. And thank you, especially, for him in my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2024

Reminiscing

I know most brides want to look at photos like crazy after their wedding. But I am enthralled by the videos of the music from our wedding. If we had a play count for the Ave Maria that my friend sang to start the Mass, I’d be probably close to twenty at this point. And I’ve only had the video since Tuesday night. It’s Thursday night right now. She just sang it so spectacularly and with so much love… it’s hard not to listen to it on repeat… and to play it for everyone I know. (I already played a clip of a practice recording she had sent me the other week for one of my classes… This recording is even better than that.)

I was a little worried when a lot of the photos didn’t turn out. I was very worried when the Zoom sound wasn’t set right, and I found that none of the music had registered on the computer at all, and so the recording of the Mass had no genuine music in it – just blips here and there of random sounds that make it sound like maybe music was playing somewhere in the background… or something? However, I expressed my sadness and frustration and let it go.

And then God blessed me.

My brother truly took to heart that I wanted the music recorded on my man’s phone. I only made him confirm that he would do a recording of the Ave Maria, but had expressed that I truly wanted all the music recorded, if it were at all possible and feasible. And he had made it happen. I was crying in relief watching all the videos he had done. He had basically gotten the entire service that had to do directly with us or with songs. The only one he missed was one that probably wouldn’t have turned out great anyway, as my cousin had been too far from the microphone for it in the first place. ::shrugs

But I accept happily – with immense joy, really – the videos my brother did get. And, as a special bonus blessing, he also got most of the photos I had truly wanted, too. I think my cousins got in their heads about what wedding photography was “supposed” to be, and didn’t remain present to what I had specifically requested. I’d given them a list of about twenty photographs I wanted, and they were extremely open to interpretation, but were clear and easy to make happen. But, like I said, I think they got in their heads and created a stress from pressure that didn’t actually help them do the job requested, and they missed the majority of the opportunities for the photos I had wanted. The few they did get were not of very good quality as a photo – meaning not something high enough resolution etc. that I could print for the wall… which was what I had specifically requested for these photos. So, I was saddened greatly by their photos, and also disappointed. They both do great photography usually, and this was not at their par.

However, my brother seemed to nail it on a good handful of those photos I had requested. Not just the photo framing and contents, but also the quality and resolution. I haven’t gone through them all specifically yet, but I definitely saw a handful that were just what I had hoped to get. So, we might only have five good photos, but we actually have them now, which is beautiful.

Thank you, God, for this unexpected blessing. Help me to release this depression and stress I have carried with me lately, especially around my job and finances. Help me to see clearly and to take my next step in fulfilling your will as I take care of my family. Keep us safe, happy, healthy, and holy with you. Thank you for this life and for my husband. Thank you. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2024

Not my kind of Monday

And some days seem like they’ll be fine, yet end up filled with an uncomfortable mix of great, good, tiresome, and frustrating, leaving you simply wanting to go to bed, so you can get to a fresh start tomorrow.

Today has been one of those days.

And, of course, after you notice this, it then feels all the more dreadful to want to go to bed, instead of doing something about it to make the day seem more worth it all… just upping the feeling of depression, when you know you aren’t going to do anything else about it today…

God, help me to sleep well tonight, please, that I awaken refreshed and ready for all that tomorrow holds. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2024

This man, my husband

We aren’t even on a honeymoon, and I have a high. I think, because we are having to do our everyday life already, I get so focused in on those tasks and whatnot, that my conscious mind forgets temporarily that we are married. And so, when it suddenly has something to remind it that, in fact, we are married now, I get all the more excited and delighted remembering it. I get surprised and delighted all throughout my day and night. And I love it.

Naturally, of course, my man, my husband, thinks I’m nuts for it. When I become newly present to the facet that we are married and that I am extremely grateful for this fact, I’ll often end up staring at him with ebbing tears in my eyes, and saying soppily, “We’re married,” or, “You’re my husband,” or something of the like. He chuckles and rolls his eyes most of the time, concurring that, yes, we are or yes, he is, and often telling me I’m ridiculous. Which, to be fair, I totally am. I have even jumped up and down or clapped or half-panted/grunted like an excited dog plenty of times already. I’m just super excited and grateful to be married to this man, and I show it. (!!!!!!!!!!)

And he actually knows me and still Chose me. That’s what’s just so cool about it all… opposite of my dear that people will know me and reject me, he knows me and chooses me, again and again, and chooses to do this for the rest of our lives.

And that’s awesome.

That is the love of God.

Thank you, God, for being with and within us. Please, keep us safe and together, and help us always to do your will. Show us clearly our next step always, please. And thank you for your love. In your name, we pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2024

Feeling like crap

For me, when I am going to someone’s wedding, especially a family member’s, I check in ahead of time on any extra activities that they have where I am wanted or expected to attend, separate from the actual wedding and wedding day. Before I make other plans, I confirm what all of their plans are.

It seems that almost none of my family did this, and they have almost all made other plans, to the point that some of them likely won’t even be at the rehearsal or rehearsal dinner (This includes folks who are part of the actual wedding and need to be at the rehearsal.). And some of them basically ignored what I said about plans over the weekend, and made other plans. So, I only will get to see them at the actual reception, with everyone else, even though they’re coming in from all over the place and are never in the same place at the same time anymore, which makes me miss them loads usually.

And it just feels really sh***y, and makes me not at all look forward to seeing any of them.

I feel crushed and like no one is really even coming for my or my man’s sake but for themselves and their other plans.

I had expected my wedding to be awesome and exciting and a wonderful reunion with all our loved ones…

Post-a-day 2024

Relating

It is somewhat common that people will offer to do something, and then, when it comes time for them to do it, they will back out, making some sort of excuse.

And I can’t relate to that. I just don’t do that. If I say that I will do something, I will do it. If something comes up, fine – I’ll readjust to the best my ability. But I’m still going to do it. Only something major has to come up that prevents me from doing everything else that day or whatever.

Perhaps it is that people commit to things without actually thinking through them and seeing that it actually will work for them to do them. I am often hesitant to agree to something until I confirm with all my relative family members and schedules, and, sometimes even, the weather. I actually check to see that it will work before I commit to it.

But people keep promising things, asking to do things for me, saying they’ll help by doing x. And then, at the last second, no x. Usually, with some lame and long excuse accompanying the lack of x.

And it really sucks.

And it’s a huge part of why I don’t want to allow others to help me with things a lot of the time. Even with the wedding plans, I have been very cautious handing over tasks, despite people’s offers and requests. Unfortunately, around half of those I’ve handed over have been abandoned/canceled by the other person, and I have to start again on my own. So, as with the other stuff in life, I keep a couple backup plans in place. I make sure that I will be able to pick up the slack if they fail to do what they have promised to do. I have handed off a few final yet important tasks to a few people for this next week and the following couple days. And I am fully prepared to go do each of them myself, should any individual fail to do them. And I have a way of checking that they have done them fully within enough time for me to do that.

Only one is not like that. And I have to leave that one fully up to God after this weekend. I have set it up for success. I am in charge of fulfilling the final pieces before the wedding day. And then they have to handle it themselves on the wedding day. Fortunately, I think they will be able to handle it well and will make it work, no matter what, because of what specifically it is and who they are. (But I still have a backup plan in place for that!)

I guess I’ve been burned too many times by people reneging on commitments. And I really cannot relate to them.

God, please, help me to find ease this week especially. Keep us and our home safe. Keep my grandma safe and help her to heal significantly, such that she may attend and enjoy easily and immensely our wedding and wedding celebration. Help my mom to handle her tasks efficiently and to my dream standards. Help me to look and to feel how I long to look and to feel, surrounded by and guided by your love and the love of my man. Thank you for my man and my mom, especially. Help the friends pull through and be true friends throughout the next nine days, please. Please. And please, give us good weather for our wedding morning and, especially, early evening and night. Thank you for your love and guidance. Please, continue to show me my next step clearly in following your will for my life. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2024

Wine Night

Tonight, we had our wine tasting dinner. The neighbors, one by one, ended up with a cold and couldn’t make it at all, though they still made and dropped off the planned wonderful salad. My sister-in-law was just relent not feeling up to getting out. But I managed to get my mom to come, after all, so it was still a small party of sorts with her, my brother, my man, and me. My mom and I definitely had to start spitting after a while, as, even just tasting a single small sip or two adds up like crazy when you’re tasting 18 different wines and Proseccos. And that’s excluding the five we didn’t even open. Nonetheless, we ended up having a great time testing and comparing them all together. And it was quite helpful to have two other palates and opinions to contribute to the considerations.

In the end, it seems we have selected our wines. Just need to go get them all tomorrow. Supposedly, we are doing something like 70 or 76 bottles of wine. While that is a lot, we are getting most of it at Costco, which makes they group all returnable, so long as they’re unopened. And that is a wonderful thing. Thank you, Costco. Well, same deal with the liquor store attached to Costco. Same policy and great pricing, too. Only the Prosecco we preferred seems to be cheaper at Total Wine than at Costco.

Whatever the case for all of it, I really hope folks enjoy the wines we picked. My man has an understanding of wines – because apparently you can’t not when you spend several years living in the smack middle of wine country in California, surrounded by vineyards 24/7 – and he seemed happy with the selections we made. They aren’t awesome wines, no. But they are decent wines. And they are wines that we can afford. And those two are what really matters for it all.

So, thank you, God, for this lovely evening together. Keep us all safe, please, and grant us nourishing sleep tonight. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2024

Big Brother

It seems that someone has been watching me via my security camera in my home. It was maybe a few weeks back that I had thought my man was on the camera and about to talk to me. I said hi to him, but got no response. I then called him, only to find out that he hadn’t been on the camera at all… and it has happened several times since then. I wasn’t sure what the deal was – perhaps it was merely a weird camera thing with the nighttime lighting, shifting back and forth.

But then tonight happened. While it was on – kind of like the live viewing and clicking the microphone to speak – I heard an 18-wheeler’s horn honk… through the camera.

My man was not on it. I confirmed. It spooked us both. We changed out passwords immediately. And yet, it just happened again…

I reported the issue to the company. We shall see if they are able and willing to track the recent access of the device. I know there was a massive data leak recently for just about everything, so I wouldn’t be surprised if that was what happened, that a password got into the wrong hands.

God, please, free us from this potentially dangerous and definitely inappropriate invasion of privacy. Keep us always safe and pursuing and fulfilling your will, please. In your name, we pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2023