On the eve of 2014, I can hardly believe that the weekend after next will mark our first year of marriage. So much has happened in the last year and so much is still happening! I have learned so many important lessons and grown so much and I have God and Jordan to thank for that. Here are some things I myself have learned about being a wife in 2013....
1. Trust is an amazing thing. Learning to trust the Lord to provide for us, trust my husband to do what's best for us and trust that I can let go of the little things has been quite a blessing in the past year.
2. Hobbies are important. I have re-cultivated my love for running, baking and reading and am training for a half-marathon! It is tricky to balance it all with work and grad school, but having time for just me has been really important. My health is better than ever and this half-marathon is my way of preparing myself and my diabetes to be healthy enough to have children safely at some point. Jordan has his personal hobbies too, like working out and doing projects with power tools...in our living room....
3. Honesty and tactfulness should be best friends. Nothing is better than being completely honest withy your spouse. However, an extra helping of kindness and a few hugs and kisses go a long way when it comes time to be brutally honest about something.
4. Listening is truly an art. I have learned what it means to listen to someone and to not be distracted by my phone, the mile-high pile of dirty laundry creeping into my thoughts, the list of rapid-fire questions threatening to burst forth from my very soul, etc. Of course, it is an art I am still practicing everyday (and Jordan will always be so much better at it than I am), but we are learning to use purposeful listening more often than not.
5. Couples that play together, stay together. Ha! So cliché...I had to throw at least one in there. In all seriousness though, playing board games, looking at Christmas lights, dancing in the kitchen, going to the dollar movies, playing football together, etc. have made the past year so incredibly fun. It does take work to still "date your spouse" especially with busy schedules and a grad-school budget, but that un-interrupted fun time is so refreshing.
6. Arguing is okay, but closure is crucial. After an argument, I have learned that nothing brings us back together like praying about the issue and talking about what the major "take aways" for next time are. This is Jordan's area of expertise and I have to say that stating a few concise positive "next time, I can do ____ better by..." statements and praying for guidance together really brings peace, grace and healing for everyone involved.
7. The biggest lesson I have learned, that was a piece of advice from our pastor, is to ask each other everyday "How can I serve you today?" and then make that one thing a priority. We have been consistently doing this for 6 months or so almost everyday, and I cannot even begin to express how much of a blessing it is. This simple concept helps avoid fights, hurt feelings and miscommunications. It turns "Why don't you ever help me with the dishes?" into "Today you can serve me by helping me finish all the dishes in the sink." Or "You never have time for me." Into "Today, I really just need to do something fun together after dinner." I love knowing that I am serving Jordan in the little things each day in a way that is meaningful to him and knowing he is already working on serving me takes away that nagging feeling that causes tension.
So that is the extent of my wisdom from the past year and my first year of marriage. I hope 2014 is a blessed year for everyone and I cannot wait to see what God has in store for us in year two!
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Joe Diffy, Cookies n' Cream, Raccoons and the man that makes them all a story worth telling
So we have officially moved into our new apartment that is closer to work, less expensive and much bigger! We both really like being closer to work and church and not having to battle traffic nearly as much. All in all, if we have to live in Denver, this is a good place to be for now. We have many neighbors that attend our church and get to hang out with them throughout the week which is a welcome change to living too far away from anything of interest that is happening. On the marriage front, we have now been married over 8 months and are quickly approaching our first anniversary! There is too much to say in regards to our apartment and the crazy cowboy who inhabits it with me to write it all like usual, so I have compiled two concise lists of likes and dislikes for your viewing pleasure!
Likes:
1. The friends we have made since moving here!
2.The crickets we can hear as we fall asleep
3. More space to country swing dance in the living room while listening to good old country, which we just did and Jordan is still doing back and forth from the living room to the patio while raccoon hunting...more on that later
4. A patio that faces the sunrise and the moon, perfect for eating cookies n' cream ice cream and listening to Joe Diffy (which we also just did)
5. Neighbors downstairs who don't play videogames loudly, but do pray together loudly for our city and our world on Saturday nights. We can hear them while on the patio, I really should go meet them...
6. The fireplace! Which it is very nearly fall-ish enough outside to use!
7. The amount of free time I have for cooking, grad school, running, etc. now that I can drive home after work every day!
Dislikes:
1. The massive amount of raccoons we can hear in the dumpster AFTER we fall asleep....Jordan is literally chucking pebbles at them from the deck as I am typing....."I need more ammo" is what I just heard, we are likely going to get written up or arrested....but at least not bitten by rabid raccoons! Except that he just asked me if he could go chase them down the creek bed with a paintball gun....
2. The dumpster divers that take the early morning shift after the raccoons are done and bring very not quiet diesel pick-up trucks.
3. The fact that 4 miles from work still equals 20 minutes of traffic, but it's better than 30-45 minutes.
So overall, the likes outweigh the dislikes and I would honestly say that Jordan and I are much happier than we were one apartment ago. It's strange to think that this is the 7th place I have lived that is not my parent's house...hopefully someday sooner than later, we will plant some roots of our own and stop the apartment saga. For now though, I am appreciating the little things, like fireplaces and crickets and it wouldn't be nearly as exciting without the somewhat ridiculous, yet hilarious roommate that I share all these things with....
Likes:
1. The friends we have made since moving here!
2.The crickets we can hear as we fall asleep
3. More space to country swing dance in the living room while listening to good old country, which we just did and Jordan is still doing back and forth from the living room to the patio while raccoon hunting...more on that later
4. A patio that faces the sunrise and the moon, perfect for eating cookies n' cream ice cream and listening to Joe Diffy (which we also just did)
5. Neighbors downstairs who don't play videogames loudly, but do pray together loudly for our city and our world on Saturday nights. We can hear them while on the patio, I really should go meet them...
6. The fireplace! Which it is very nearly fall-ish enough outside to use!
7. The amount of free time I have for cooking, grad school, running, etc. now that I can drive home after work every day!
Dislikes:
1. The massive amount of raccoons we can hear in the dumpster AFTER we fall asleep....Jordan is literally chucking pebbles at them from the deck as I am typing....."I need more ammo" is what I just heard, we are likely going to get written up or arrested....but at least not bitten by rabid raccoons! Except that he just asked me if he could go chase them down the creek bed with a paintball gun....
2. The dumpster divers that take the early morning shift after the raccoons are done and bring very not quiet diesel pick-up trucks.
3. The fact that 4 miles from work still equals 20 minutes of traffic, but it's better than 30-45 minutes.
So overall, the likes outweigh the dislikes and I would honestly say that Jordan and I are much happier than we were one apartment ago. It's strange to think that this is the 7th place I have lived that is not my parent's house...hopefully someday sooner than later, we will plant some roots of our own and stop the apartment saga. For now though, I am appreciating the little things, like fireplaces and crickets and it wouldn't be nearly as exciting without the somewhat ridiculous, yet hilarious roommate that I share all these things with....
Thursday, July 11, 2013
6 Months and the Sofa Stand Off
This coming weekend, Jordan and I will have been married for 6 months! It feels so much longer than that and so much shorter than that at the exact same time. We are looking forward to moving into our new apartment, much closer to work, in precisely a month. I have enjoyed the past 6 months more than any other time in my entire life and I have to say, the first year of marriage is NOT like I expected it to be. Everyone kept telling me that it was the most difficult time and the toughest year and honestly, I was nervous and prepared for conflict and frustration. However, now that the echoes of the "uphill both ways, barefoot in the snow" stories have died down, I have to say that I honestly just don't believe that it is true. Unless in the next 6 months, a cataclysmic ice age or meteor shower is going to hit, this year is not going to be the "hardest" or the "roughest." Don't get me wrong, Jordan and I do struggle with the growth and change that comes from marriage (If you don't believe me, wait until I get to the sofa....), but overall we both are loving every minute of being married. We are learning so much about each other and so much about ourselves and I can see my own selfish tendencies and God's grace more clearly than ever in our day to day routine. So enough mushy love stuff.....just know that we are happy, I am relatively healthy as usual and this whole marriage business is not only challenging, but mostly amusing, exciting and growth producing.
Now onto the topic of the sofa.....
So, Jordan and I have been discussing buying a new sofa with some of our wedding money for quite some time now. Mostly we had decided that it made sense because our new apartment is bigger, a love seat is too small for company, the gold and burgundy on the love seat were a quite frightening color scheme, etc. Okay, so that last part was my concern, not Jordan's...anyway, this past weekend we picked out the most perfect sofa in the world. I have to thank my mother-in-law for giving a little "mama wisdom" to her son and actually getting us to the furniture store because we likely would have never gotten there if she hadn't suggested we "just go look." So once we finally got to the store, it took all of about 15 minutes for us to both fall in love with the perfect soft, cushy, mocha colored sofa. So we bought it and I got a stuffed animal puppy that I named Wallace to go with it! Now that it is at home, I absolutely adore it and sit on it all the time, our apartment is starting to look like actual adults live there. My husband on the other hand, has only as of this very morning, sat on it TWICE! He said it is too pretty to sit on, so the problem of not having a couch that we can both sit on is still a problem....I am working on coaxing him over to the couch by refusing to move to the chair or the floor or anywhere else when he wants to sit by me, but let's just say it is a slow-moving process. He is convinced that he is a "messy boy" and will somehow spill on the couch, rip it or ruin it. So the moral of the story is, before you buy your first new couch as a newlywed, make sure that your husband will actually sit on it, or you will be in the exact same situation as when you didn't have a couch to begin with! I have to say that things like the sofa situation are the little quirks that I love about him though, it keeps life entertaining and I KNOW that I am probably just as strange about other things....
Now onto the topic of the sofa.....
So, Jordan and I have been discussing buying a new sofa with some of our wedding money for quite some time now. Mostly we had decided that it made sense because our new apartment is bigger, a love seat is too small for company, the gold and burgundy on the love seat were a quite frightening color scheme, etc. Okay, so that last part was my concern, not Jordan's...anyway, this past weekend we picked out the most perfect sofa in the world. I have to thank my mother-in-law for giving a little "mama wisdom" to her son and actually getting us to the furniture store because we likely would have never gotten there if she hadn't suggested we "just go look." So once we finally got to the store, it took all of about 15 minutes for us to both fall in love with the perfect soft, cushy, mocha colored sofa. So we bought it and I got a stuffed animal puppy that I named Wallace to go with it! Now that it is at home, I absolutely adore it and sit on it all the time, our apartment is starting to look like actual adults live there. My husband on the other hand, has only as of this very morning, sat on it TWICE! He said it is too pretty to sit on, so the problem of not having a couch that we can both sit on is still a problem....I am working on coaxing him over to the couch by refusing to move to the chair or the floor or anywhere else when he wants to sit by me, but let's just say it is a slow-moving process. He is convinced that he is a "messy boy" and will somehow spill on the couch, rip it or ruin it. So the moral of the story is, before you buy your first new couch as a newlywed, make sure that your husband will actually sit on it, or you will be in the exact same situation as when you didn't have a couch to begin with! I have to say that things like the sofa situation are the little quirks that I love about him though, it keeps life entertaining and I KNOW that I am probably just as strange about other things....
Monday, May 6, 2013
Tony Stark and Mac n' Cheese
We have now been married for half of a half of a year and thus far, being married only gets more fun and more entertaining as time goes on. As the weeks fly by, I am eagerly anticipating the start of my summer preschool job and the start of graduate school. I have "first day jitters" already because I just know that grad school is going to add a whole lot more to our weekly routine. Thankfully, my dear husband is extremely supportive and helpful in both calming my nerves and helping me prepare myself to begin school again. He has helped me set up my computer to be efficient for online classes, promised to help make dinners on the nights I have homework and let me vent my every apprehension over and over again.
On the topic of computers...we recently watched "Iron Man,"one of my super-hero obsessions, and Jordan quite enjoyed it. For those who have not seen it, the main character Tony Stark (Iron Man), is a billionaire genius with the ability to invent futuristic gadgets, robots, super hero suits, etc. Since watching the technological prowess of Mr. Stark on our fancy flat screen TV last Saturday evening, Jordan has taken it upon himself to "Tony Stark-ify" our little apartment. Although he likely won't outright admit it, I know for a fact that the reason we now have a "sky drive" and a computer and xbox console that respond to nearly any plausible voice command, has more than just a little to do with watching the Iron Man movie. Don't get me wrong, checking your email by simply talking to the computer from several feet away is highly entertaining; I am just not sure how I feel about the whole technology ordeal. Those of you who know me best, know that although I am writing a blog and finally caved to getting a smartphone, these are the very most of my technological endeavors. I will also admit that I was forcibly coerced into getting a Twitter account by my younger sisters, and to secretly wanting the ipad I get to use with my preschoolers every day. Other than all of that, I will have no part in the technology craze. I vow to stick to my paper books, my snail mail affinity and my hatred of glowing screens that interrupt family life, until the end of time. So I have decided that talking to the computer will be something I watch Jordan do in awe and not really participate in because it feels a little bit weird.
I am secretly thrilled however, to have a husband who is so incredibly intelligent that he can write back-up code, set up voice commands and complete any sort of math, technology or problem-solving challenge thrown at him. I just don't think that way at all. In my world of finger paints, language development and preschool social-emotional needs, I can't even begin to make my brain work the way his does. Jordan's innate problem-solving skills have worked wonders on my diabetes as well. To him, diabetes is one giant math problem waiting for a perfect equation. He has made the way we manage it so scientific that I almost always know exactly what to do in any given situation. We have spreadsheets of supply orders, emergency supply stashes and a highly organized way of dealing with my blood sugar numbers. I have to say that I am an organized person, but it took someone like Jordan to organize diabetes because I think I just didn't want to. A part of me wanted to just let it exist in chaos because it can be so emotional to try and accept the reality of it, the reality that it can often not be predicted or controlled. Getting married has literally done wonders for my health on a daily basis. Despite a few new diabetes struggles, I feel more in control of what is going on inside my body than ever before and I have Mr. Hagemeyer rather than Mr. Stark to thank for that.
So here we are, a half of a half of a year into this forever business and I couldn't be more happy. I am so excited about what the future holds for me and for us as a couple. I can't wait for a career in teaching preschool, children of our own, a house and a puppy (in no particuar order). For now, even as I dream about wrap-around porches, little league baseball and having my own classroom, I am content to just sit on the living room floor eating a bowl of Kraft mac n' cheese, talking and laughing with my best friend about nothing and everything at the same time. I am thrilled to see where the future is going to take us, anxious to know how we will get there and ready to let it be all of God's business and none of mine.
On the topic of computers...we recently watched "Iron Man,"one of my super-hero obsessions, and Jordan quite enjoyed it. For those who have not seen it, the main character Tony Stark (Iron Man), is a billionaire genius with the ability to invent futuristic gadgets, robots, super hero suits, etc. Since watching the technological prowess of Mr. Stark on our fancy flat screen TV last Saturday evening, Jordan has taken it upon himself to "Tony Stark-ify" our little apartment. Although he likely won't outright admit it, I know for a fact that the reason we now have a "sky drive" and a computer and xbox console that respond to nearly any plausible voice command, has more than just a little to do with watching the Iron Man movie. Don't get me wrong, checking your email by simply talking to the computer from several feet away is highly entertaining; I am just not sure how I feel about the whole technology ordeal. Those of you who know me best, know that although I am writing a blog and finally caved to getting a smartphone, these are the very most of my technological endeavors. I will also admit that I was forcibly coerced into getting a Twitter account by my younger sisters, and to secretly wanting the ipad I get to use with my preschoolers every day. Other than all of that, I will have no part in the technology craze. I vow to stick to my paper books, my snail mail affinity and my hatred of glowing screens that interrupt family life, until the end of time. So I have decided that talking to the computer will be something I watch Jordan do in awe and not really participate in because it feels a little bit weird.
I am secretly thrilled however, to have a husband who is so incredibly intelligent that he can write back-up code, set up voice commands and complete any sort of math, technology or problem-solving challenge thrown at him. I just don't think that way at all. In my world of finger paints, language development and preschool social-emotional needs, I can't even begin to make my brain work the way his does. Jordan's innate problem-solving skills have worked wonders on my diabetes as well. To him, diabetes is one giant math problem waiting for a perfect equation. He has made the way we manage it so scientific that I almost always know exactly what to do in any given situation. We have spreadsheets of supply orders, emergency supply stashes and a highly organized way of dealing with my blood sugar numbers. I have to say that I am an organized person, but it took someone like Jordan to organize diabetes because I think I just didn't want to. A part of me wanted to just let it exist in chaos because it can be so emotional to try and accept the reality of it, the reality that it can often not be predicted or controlled. Getting married has literally done wonders for my health on a daily basis. Despite a few new diabetes struggles, I feel more in control of what is going on inside my body than ever before and I have Mr. Hagemeyer rather than Mr. Stark to thank for that.
So here we are, a half of a half of a year into this forever business and I couldn't be more happy. I am so excited about what the future holds for me and for us as a couple. I can't wait for a career in teaching preschool, children of our own, a house and a puppy (in no particuar order). For now, even as I dream about wrap-around porches, little league baseball and having my own classroom, I am content to just sit on the living room floor eating a bowl of Kraft mac n' cheese, talking and laughing with my best friend about nothing and everything at the same time. I am thrilled to see where the future is going to take us, anxious to know how we will get there and ready to let it be all of God's business and none of mine.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Like Jesus Does...
So as of late I have been listening to a song by Eric Church on the radio called "Like Jesus Does." It has been repeatedly stuck in my head and has become one of my favorites, of course, because it combines my two favorite things: Jesus's love and country music. I just love the beautiful picture of marriage that comes through in the song (whether the author is actually married, I do not know...) that I truly appreciate and can relate to. So, in the spirit of the song that has been stuck in my head all day, I decided to write my own version. I have left the original words in red and for those of you who have never heard the song, I pasted a link below. I would like to dedicate this song to my incredibly patient, forgiving, entertaining husband and to thank him for all the ways he has supported me and has committed to support me in the future. From grad school to car shopping to diabetes, he leads me and loves me like Jesus does...
Original song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGF6c0tjAgI
Like Jesus Does
by Eric Church AND Taylor Hagemeyer
I'm a romantic heart that by determined plans is spurred,
I'm a stubborn one that might listen less than I'm heard,
But he believes in me like he believes God's word
And loves me like Jesus does.
I'm a bright n' early bird who always wakes up talking,
I dream of peaceful summer nights, my not-yet-born babies rocking,
But he stands by me when my sins come a knocking
And loves me like Jesus does.
My every shade of stress,
my broken pancreas,
Every single sugar check at 3 A.M.,
Yeah, he knows just what I'm not,
he forgives me when we've fought,
The devil, man, no, he don't stand a chance,
'Cause he loves me like Jesus does.
I always thought one day he'd have enough,
realize being part of my life was just gonna be too rough,
But I thank God each night, and twice on Sunday,
That he loves me like Jesus does.
My every shade of stress,
my broken pancreas,
Every single sugar check at 3 A.M.,
yeah, he knows just what I'm not,
He forgives me when we've fought,
And the devil, man, no, he don't have a prayer,
'Cause he loves me like Jesus does.
yeah, he knows just what I'm not,
He forgives me when we've fought,
That devil, man, he just has no power,
'Cause he loves me like Jesus does.
I'm a child's heart that by determined plans is spurred.
Original song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGF6c0tjAgI
Like Jesus Does
by Eric Church AND Taylor Hagemeyer
I'm a romantic heart that by determined plans is spurred,
I'm a stubborn one that might listen less than I'm heard,
But he believes in me like he believes God's word
And loves me like Jesus does.
I'm a bright n' early bird who always wakes up talking,
I dream of peaceful summer nights, my not-yet-born babies rocking,
But he stands by me when my sins come a knocking
And loves me like Jesus does.
My every shade of stress,
my broken pancreas,
Every single sugar check at 3 A.M.,
Yeah, he knows just what I'm not,
he forgives me when we've fought,
The devil, man, no, he don't stand a chance,
'Cause he loves me like Jesus does.
I always thought one day he'd have enough,
realize being part of my life was just gonna be too rough,
But I thank God each night, and twice on Sunday,
That he loves me like Jesus does.
My every shade of stress,
my broken pancreas,
Every single sugar check at 3 A.M.,
yeah, he knows just what I'm not,
He forgives me when we've fought,
And the devil, man, no, he don't have a prayer,
'Cause he loves me like Jesus does.
yeah, he knows just what I'm not,
He forgives me when we've fought,
That devil, man, he just has no power,
'Cause he loves me like Jesus does.
I'm a child's heart that by determined plans is spurred.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Spring Break: Cake Marathon, Oldie Moldies and Coffee Shop Bliss
This past week was filled with so many different activities that I do not even know where to start! As of right now, I am on Spring Break from work and I am enjoying lazy-pajama- coffee-mornings while catching up on some much needed housework, Pinterest musings, novel reading and TLC marathons. I have been home by myself for the past day and a half and although it is relaxing, I am greatly anticipating the trip down to Colorado Springs for Easter later on tonight. I have always been the kind of person who really does not prefer being alone, thus, getting married has been fantastic for my mental health.
This past weekend, to start off my Spring Break, we visited Haxtun as a sort of pre-Easter celebration. We got to spend more time than usual there, as my dear husband took Monday and Tuesday off for more family time and my birthday, respectively. On Saturday afternoon, I got the pleasure of attending a wedding reception complete with tie-dye cake for some good friends. This is piece one of my cake saga that has still not ended....because then on Saturday night, Jordan and I attended a town gathering called the "Chuckwagon" that was one of the most unusual and fun things I have ever done. We had a meal that included yet another piece of cake, I got to see Jordan's elementary/middle/high school all at once and we got to hear a suprisingly fantastic live band of elderly men playing oldie hits. The music included Bob Segar, Louis Armstrong, and the Temptations. I was in heaven with the music choice and walking around the school beforehand, looking at all the sports pictures of my hubby up on the wall was particularly delightful as well.
My third piece of cake for the weekend brings us to my first 23rd birthday celebration at my In-Laws house where we had the most amazing Oreo ice cream cake! The next morning, Monday, Jordan took me to the Haxtun Daily Grind, AKA the most adorable coffee shop I have ever set foot in. To my pleasant suprise, they had many choices of sugar-free coffee syrup (more than even Starbucks, actually), shelves of flavored coffee beans to scoop yourself, a small accessory boutique and ample table space. For those of you that are coffee shop connoisseurs as I am, the Daily Grind is perfect. It especially reminded me of my favorite coffee shop in Laramie.
We headed home Monday afternoon and made it home by dinner time, following which, Jordan proceeded to make my second birthday cake. During the time that Jordan was making my cake, I learned something about myself. I can now fully admit that my name is Taylor Hagemeyer, and I am a baking control-freak. I started out just watching and gradually began to just ease the rubber spatula out of Jordan's hand until I got myself banished to the living room. I tried to intervene once again when he started "scrambling" the eggs by shaking them over his head like maracas....but I was unsuccessful at my attempts to leap over the kitchen/front room dividing line. Needless to say, the cake came out perfect, with the smoothest frosting I have ever seen and a top so level, only an engineer could have made it. My birthday came on Tuesday and was filled with several doctors appointents, car shopping and a little for fun shopping too. We went out to dinner, opened presents and ate my fourth piece of cake for the week, thankfully it's not like I have a chronic disease that prevents me from cake binging or anything.....oh wait, ha. All cakes considered though, my blood sugar has been quite perfect for the past few days which is a welcome change compared to breaks from routine in the past.
Tonight brings my 5th (or possibly 7th) piece of cake this week and my 3rd birthday celebration at my parent's house. Thankfully, I will not have a cake overdose because this cake is in the form of a cherry cheese pie! I am looking forward to spending 3 days with my family and celebrating Easter, perhaps the most important holiday out of all of them. I have now successfully unpacked our bag from our last adventure and repacked it for the coming one. I must say that packing just one bag for the two of us is secretly thrilling in a sappy newlywed sort of way. I suppose that is all for now....bring on the cake!
This past weekend, to start off my Spring Break, we visited Haxtun as a sort of pre-Easter celebration. We got to spend more time than usual there, as my dear husband took Monday and Tuesday off for more family time and my birthday, respectively. On Saturday afternoon, I got the pleasure of attending a wedding reception complete with tie-dye cake for some good friends. This is piece one of my cake saga that has still not ended....because then on Saturday night, Jordan and I attended a town gathering called the "Chuckwagon" that was one of the most unusual and fun things I have ever done. We had a meal that included yet another piece of cake, I got to see Jordan's elementary/middle/high school all at once and we got to hear a suprisingly fantastic live band of elderly men playing oldie hits. The music included Bob Segar, Louis Armstrong, and the Temptations. I was in heaven with the music choice and walking around the school beforehand, looking at all the sports pictures of my hubby up on the wall was particularly delightful as well.
My third piece of cake for the weekend brings us to my first 23rd birthday celebration at my In-Laws house where we had the most amazing Oreo ice cream cake! The next morning, Monday, Jordan took me to the Haxtun Daily Grind, AKA the most adorable coffee shop I have ever set foot in. To my pleasant suprise, they had many choices of sugar-free coffee syrup (more than even Starbucks, actually), shelves of flavored coffee beans to scoop yourself, a small accessory boutique and ample table space. For those of you that are coffee shop connoisseurs as I am, the Daily Grind is perfect. It especially reminded me of my favorite coffee shop in Laramie.
We headed home Monday afternoon and made it home by dinner time, following which, Jordan proceeded to make my second birthday cake. During the time that Jordan was making my cake, I learned something about myself. I can now fully admit that my name is Taylor Hagemeyer, and I am a baking control-freak. I started out just watching and gradually began to just ease the rubber spatula out of Jordan's hand until I got myself banished to the living room. I tried to intervene once again when he started "scrambling" the eggs by shaking them over his head like maracas....but I was unsuccessful at my attempts to leap over the kitchen/front room dividing line. Needless to say, the cake came out perfect, with the smoothest frosting I have ever seen and a top so level, only an engineer could have made it. My birthday came on Tuesday and was filled with several doctors appointents, car shopping and a little for fun shopping too. We went out to dinner, opened presents and ate my fourth piece of cake for the week, thankfully it's not like I have a chronic disease that prevents me from cake binging or anything.....oh wait, ha. All cakes considered though, my blood sugar has been quite perfect for the past few days which is a welcome change compared to breaks from routine in the past.
Tonight brings my 5th (or possibly 7th) piece of cake this week and my 3rd birthday celebration at my parent's house. Thankfully, I will not have a cake overdose because this cake is in the form of a cherry cheese pie! I am looking forward to spending 3 days with my family and celebrating Easter, perhaps the most important holiday out of all of them. I have now successfully unpacked our bag from our last adventure and repacked it for the coming one. I must say that packing just one bag for the two of us is secretly thrilling in a sappy newlywed sort of way. I suppose that is all for now....bring on the cake!
Friday, March 15, 2013
Used Cars and Sonic-Boom-Sneezes
We are now entering month two of wedded bliss and with the wedding gifts proudly displayed in our small apartment and the insurance tsunami of paperwork and phone calls finally curbed, we are quite enjoying a little quality routine time. As of late we have been looking for a used car to fill the category of a someday-family-car, right now not-too-pricy-car. Looking for a car is daunting and I can honestly say that the only looking I have been doing is over the kitchen partition with my hands full of dishes, dinner making, or something or other, while Jordan does all of the research and calls me over when something particularly exciting surfaces. For this, I truly appreciate him and I truly appreciate the ease with which we have already settled into our strength roles within our marriage.
One thing I have noticed in the process of looking for a car that is completely unrelated, is a little habit that my dear husband possesses that can only be described as borderline terrifying. I am referring to the habit that I shall henceforth call the "Sonic-Boom-Sneeze." It just so happens that when Jordan is sick with a cold, as he has been lately, he tends to sneeze repeatedly with an intensity that is only comparable to a jet engine taking off or a rocket ship re-entering the earth's atmosphere. I wish I was exaggerating, but believe me, these sneezes are not only loud, they are completely startling and catch me off guard every time. I find myself repeatedly flinching at the very loud and very sudden sound that can strike at any moment. I have yet to even see a pre-sneeze face to warn me, it just seems to go from silence or conversation directly to astounding decibel sneeze levels. I don't know whether to say "bless you" or to duck onto the floor and protect myself from an overhead meteor shower. I do think that both of us are beginning to get used to many of the other person's habits; however, I fear that the Sonic-Boom-Sneeze and I will never quite acclimate.
On the topic of other habits, for example, Jordan understands with a feigned annoyance and more amusement, that I do have to leave multiple glasses of water around the house because I am often thirsty and cannot remember where I last left my glass. He has nicknamed me the "Signs girl" because of the little girl from the movie "Signs" who does the same thing and in the end saves her family from the aliens by dumping water on them. I have decided that the little quirks and habits that make us uniquely us keep life interesting and entertaining. And so what if I leave glasses of water everywhere? And so what if he can't hang up his towel or remember where he put his keys/wallet/phone even two mornings in a row? What's important is that we love each other and are figuring each other out....and if one of these times one of his ear-drum rupturing sneezes turns out to be an alien spacecraft landing on our rooftop instead, we will be armored with water glasses and ready to fight back thanks to me....
One thing I have noticed in the process of looking for a car that is completely unrelated, is a little habit that my dear husband possesses that can only be described as borderline terrifying. I am referring to the habit that I shall henceforth call the "Sonic-Boom-Sneeze." It just so happens that when Jordan is sick with a cold, as he has been lately, he tends to sneeze repeatedly with an intensity that is only comparable to a jet engine taking off or a rocket ship re-entering the earth's atmosphere. I wish I was exaggerating, but believe me, these sneezes are not only loud, they are completely startling and catch me off guard every time. I find myself repeatedly flinching at the very loud and very sudden sound that can strike at any moment. I have yet to even see a pre-sneeze face to warn me, it just seems to go from silence or conversation directly to astounding decibel sneeze levels. I don't know whether to say "bless you" or to duck onto the floor and protect myself from an overhead meteor shower. I do think that both of us are beginning to get used to many of the other person's habits; however, I fear that the Sonic-Boom-Sneeze and I will never quite acclimate.
On the topic of other habits, for example, Jordan understands with a feigned annoyance and more amusement, that I do have to leave multiple glasses of water around the house because I am often thirsty and cannot remember where I last left my glass. He has nicknamed me the "Signs girl" because of the little girl from the movie "Signs" who does the same thing and in the end saves her family from the aliens by dumping water on them. I have decided that the little quirks and habits that make us uniquely us keep life interesting and entertaining. And so what if I leave glasses of water everywhere? And so what if he can't hang up his towel or remember where he put his keys/wallet/phone even two mornings in a row? What's important is that we love each other and are figuring each other out....and if one of these times one of his ear-drum rupturing sneezes turns out to be an alien spacecraft landing on our rooftop instead, we will be armored with water glasses and ready to fight back thanks to me....
Monday, March 4, 2013
The Triumphs and Tribulations of Carpooling
Ah, marriage…..One of the best and worst things about being married is carpooling to and from work. We are blessed to work only a block from each other, so carpooling is obvious. It is the best in the
morning because we get to ride together, I can do my make-up and drink coffee while
he drives and all the while we save gas, car mileage, etc. On a side note, the
application of make-up and the drinking of coffee are my dear husband’s two
least favorite activities of mine. Throughout the duration of our
traffic-filled mornings, I am repeatedly reminded that there is no reason for
me to apply “that goop” to my face because in fact, I am beautiful and “ wasn't beat with the ugly stick” and that the “gut rot” I am drinking can only be one
step short of sheer poison. These remarks usually just make me roll my eyes,
laugh and give him points for truly caring about my self-esteem and my
well-being.
I suppose in life, and in marriage as I am always learning, you have to sometimes make sacrifices and do things that are not your favorite for the good of the “team.” So while this player on the team has to sit around and wait, the other player on the team works so hard for the money that provides for the former little grumpy player, which I guess means I should stop whining. Anyway, I’m looking out the window at the snow again and thinking Fettuccine Alfredo is in order for dinner tonight to cheer me up from my boring afternoon, and hey look, it’s already ten til five….
Okay now, back to carpooling…The mornings are great; however, it is
NOT the best in the afternoons. Why? Because although it makes perfect sense to ride
home together, since we are going to the same place, it saves gas and saves the
environment or the whales and all that, I unfortunately have the task of
waiting around from 3:30pm-5pm for Jordan to get done with work. Now don’t get
me wrong, carpooling is an excellent idea and normally, I am extremely
inventive at coming up with things to do while I wait until that magic five
o’clock hour. I go shopping at Ross across the street, I go to Starbucks and
apply for summer jobs or call my family and friends, I hang out in my
“clubhouse,” AKA the third floor break-room at J’s work or I steal his gym
key and workout on the second floor. The unfortunate thing is that when
it is in fact blizzarding outside, I have blood sugar that is much too low to run, the
internet is not working in my “clubhouse” and I have no spare change to spend on Starbucks at the moment…carpooling seems evil. Thus, I am writing about the
joys and grumbles of married life on Microsoft word as I listen to the
overly-obnoxious vending machine whir and look out at the
snow, begrudgingly wishing that I could speed up time or take a nap. I plan to
paste this into my blog when internet eventually becomes available again, or we
go home.
I suppose in life, and in marriage as I am always learning, you have to sometimes make sacrifices and do things that are not your favorite for the good of the “team.” So while this player on the team has to sit around and wait, the other player on the team works so hard for the money that provides for the former little grumpy player, which I guess means I should stop whining. Anyway, I’m looking out the window at the snow again and thinking Fettuccine Alfredo is in order for dinner tonight to cheer me up from my boring afternoon, and hey look, it’s already ten til five….
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Week 4, Complete.
We have now successfully completed four weeks of being married! The apartment is slowly starting to look more like a home.....and less like a bachelor pad...shhhhhh! On the agenda for tonight is our first dinner hosted in our home for friends! I am so excited and so fulfilled cooking in my own kitchen for other people! The menu is spicy orange chicken over rice, spinach salad and brownie sundaes for dessert! I am finally old enough and wise enough to start making dinner, dessert and side dishes all at once WITHOUT setting off the smoke alarm...which is quite a relief because as of recently, our smoke detector was replaced with some sort of crazy robot type that very loudly and very startlingly says "Attention! There is a fire!" I only know this because a few days ago (when I was less old and less wise in the kitchen), I thought it would be prudent to burn pasta sauce just to check the new alarm. I will say in my defense, it only continued to burn because I was so startled and perplexed by the automated yelling coming from the ceiling, that my reflexes were quite stinted. I am thrilled that I have conquered the cooking for company challenge for tonight though, now we are anxiously awaiting their arrival!
Jordan and I spent the day unexpectedly browsing for used cars, finishing up our gift card shopping spree at Target and fighting bustling Walmart traffic for groceries. It seems that people in Colorado never get used to the snow, every time there is a rumor of snow, grocery store lines get packed with herds of people preparing for a winter-long hibernation in a matter of mere minutes. By the time we got home, we had just enough time to clean up the apartment, take a quick nap and even slip some TV time in before I had to start cooking. Overall, it was a productive and entertaining day. We finally are falling into a routine together and I absolutely love it. Anyway, that is all for now because I believe our company will be here any minute!
Jordan and I spent the day unexpectedly browsing for used cars, finishing up our gift card shopping spree at Target and fighting bustling Walmart traffic for groceries. It seems that people in Colorado never get used to the snow, every time there is a rumor of snow, grocery store lines get packed with herds of people preparing for a winter-long hibernation in a matter of mere minutes. By the time we got home, we had just enough time to clean up the apartment, take a quick nap and even slip some TV time in before I had to start cooking. Overall, it was a productive and entertaining day. We finally are falling into a routine together and I absolutely love it. Anyway, that is all for now because I believe our company will be here any minute!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Week 3.
We have now comfortably settled into our 3rd week as newlyweds, with the luster of our Honeymoon week in the Bahamas swiftly dwindling as we start back up with work, snow, bills and real life. I am currently sitting on the floor on my computer behind Jordan, as he is at the desk on his computer looking for apartments closer to work/my graduate school (I hope). At this present time, the apartment is silent except for the thudding of the bass from our downstairs neighbor which we can ignore with mild annoyance now that we have just finished paying him back in a "duel of the thuds" with our after dinner Xbox-kinect tournament...Jordan won. The reason that it is silent is because I have learned in my increasingly numerous days of being a wife that Jordan cannot multitask when he is severely concentrating on something. So I am sitting here blogging, proud of myself for knowing with an absolute certainty that if I break the silence with anything more serious than "Do you want a snack?," his entire concentration trance will be broken, and thus, we will have to live in a van down by the river, for we will never find a new apartment....exaggeration on my part, yes, but only because we don't live even remotely near a river of any sort. Anyway, on the subject of things I have learned in almost 3 weeks of being married, I thought I would make a list.
1. Jordan likes to sleep in until the last possible second and cannot be bothered with any little peep of light, sound or even the thought of a hair dryer being turned on.
2. I seem to like to clean our bathroom with a vengeance but leave the dishes for later until they are a bit overwhelming.
3. Men have beards or whatever and have to trim them in the sink and they don't always, or possibly never, rinse the residual beard hairs down the drain.
4. Men can get ready in the morning at super-hero speed...just when I think that 7.5 minutes is not enough time to go from pajama-clad-sleepy man into super-ready-for-work man, I am always proved wrong.
5. Driving home together after work and realizing I really am HOME is the best feeling in the world.
6. We have NEVER EVER spent this much time together in all of our relationship and it is thrilling, exhausting and terrifying all at once...like a really impeccable roller-coaster.
7. I am way better at cooking than I thought, especially when I slow down and enjoy it.
8. I owe my mother an apology for ever making her do my laundry because even adding just one more person's dirty duds turns a mundane task into a loathsome afternoon.
9. I have truly married my best friend and cannot express how fun it is to stay up late talking and laughing hysterically until we cannot breathe.... needless to say I have picked up my caffeine addiction again.
10. Number 10 and clearly the most important on the list...I am the champion at xbox kinect boxing...and it makes him SO. MAD. haha
Well that is all for now, I will write again soon with any more wife wisdom I acquire in my oh-so-lengthy marriage. As for now, I am blissfully enjoying every moment of my new life with my amazing new husband. :)
1. Jordan likes to sleep in until the last possible second and cannot be bothered with any little peep of light, sound or even the thought of a hair dryer being turned on.
2. I seem to like to clean our bathroom with a vengeance but leave the dishes for later until they are a bit overwhelming.
3. Men have beards or whatever and have to trim them in the sink and they don't always, or possibly never, rinse the residual beard hairs down the drain.
4. Men can get ready in the morning at super-hero speed...just when I think that 7.5 minutes is not enough time to go from pajama-clad-sleepy man into super-ready-for-work man, I am always proved wrong.
5. Driving home together after work and realizing I really am HOME is the best feeling in the world.
6. We have NEVER EVER spent this much time together in all of our relationship and it is thrilling, exhausting and terrifying all at once...like a really impeccable roller-coaster.
7. I am way better at cooking than I thought, especially when I slow down and enjoy it.
8. I owe my mother an apology for ever making her do my laundry because even adding just one more person's dirty duds turns a mundane task into a loathsome afternoon.
9. I have truly married my best friend and cannot express how fun it is to stay up late talking and laughing hysterically until we cannot breathe.... needless to say I have picked up my caffeine addiction again.
10. Number 10 and clearly the most important on the list...I am the champion at xbox kinect boxing...and it makes him SO. MAD. haha
Well that is all for now, I will write again soon with any more wife wisdom I acquire in my oh-so-lengthy marriage. As for now, I am blissfully enjoying every moment of my new life with my amazing new husband. :)
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