Newlywed Bliss

We've been enveloped in the bliss that is being newlywed to our dream-come-true spouse! Life has not slowed down one bit, and we are busier than ever.

When we got back from our escape to Estes Park, we jumped right into the swing of daily life with both feet. Work was the same old busy story as always. Home was at-times chaos as we adjusted to having our whole family under one roof, negotiating on how best to "run the home," working on living together as a team, rather than as the individuals we had both become accustomed to being. My poor husband - he was having to move into what had been "my house" where I had already established routines and ways of doing things, picked out the furniture and placement of it, etc. We both had to keep reminding me that "compromise means BOTH people make an effort to move and change!" Not that I'm set in my ways or stubborn about how things are done, right?!? =) We're in a routine now (until the next schedule change!), and are adjusting well. I LOVE coming home to my husband at the end of my day, and I LOVE waking up to him coming home to me in the morning after a long night of work. I treasure the few moments we get together in the morning and evening before one of us winds down for bed and the other gears up for a new 'day.' I gotta admit, days-off are my favorite though, when we get a whole evening together!!

My sweet husband has been playing nurse-maid more than either of us ever imagined or wished he would have to in the couple short months he's been my spouse. Finally, at the encouragement (okay, the insistance) of family, and the realization that I was not only ruining my time but was affecting my husband, too, I went to the doctor - labs and labs and tests later, it was a simple answer of 'thyroid disorder!' Once the meds are regulated, my groom should have his energetic, healthy wife back - something we're both looking forward to!

In betwen bouts of 'thyroid attack' as I now call them, we managed to get the house in order with the joining of our lives, and thus "stuff," get some thank yous written (one of us has ours done, the other is still slowly working, but he's a busy guy, you know!!), work on Christmas projects, and start on the all-important SCRAPBOOKS! I have enjoyed working with our wedding pictures and re-living our memories of our time planning and our special day as I do the scrapbook, and can't wait to start on the honeymoon one soon. Watch out family - you better believe that over Christmas, you're all going to be subjected to looking through the massive thing!

We got to spend Thanksgiving with his family and then I got to see Valentine and Ainsworth where there was extended family! I'd never been to that part of the state before, and I loved to see where my new family grew up and had roots. We visited a cemetary that had some of the first ancesters that had come to America from Germany, and tracked down the family lineage to make the connections between generations. I am not a huge breakfast person - I always have breakfast, but it's been the same since Kindergarten, Instant Breakfast drink. However, I had the best breakfast I have ever had in my life at a little cafe on our trip - hashbrowns and steak that were out of this world. My sweet hubby ate there last summer, and raved and raved about it, and I was looking forward to trying it for myself. WOW!!! He was spot on with his review, and I think it's going to become a necessary stop any time we are out in that part of the state!!

I LOVE that my husband is so into family history and history in general!! It's so neat to hear the stories behind everyone and wonder about the missing pieces. We were in awe that someday, our great-great-great grandchildren could be standing at our graves, telling stories about the small-town cop and small-town prosecutor that met and fell in love, and begin sharing with each other the pieces of the legacy of our family lineage they've heard about from their parents and grandparents. It's a "stop you in your tracks" moment to realize that with our marriage, we have become a family that will, God-willing, lead to children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and that we are starting a story of our own - we are living history! What will we be remembered for? What will our legacy be?

Our Christmas starts TODAY!!! With work schedules and visiting family for the holidays, after tonight, we won't be home together again until the beginning/middle of January! That means - it's Christmas at our house tonight - including Christmas dinner, presents & eggnog in front of the fire (have you ever seen those DVDs with a "living fireplace" on them, including the crackle of the wood? All you're missing is the smoke/smell and the warmth! They're awesome!), and Christmas movies as we celebrate our first Christmas together as a new family! Tuesday we head to "the ranch" for immediate family Christmas, followed by a trip for extended family Christmas. (and maybe a steak & hashbrown breakfast) The following week we head to IA for my family Christmas, something we haven't had since I was probably a sophomore in college. We're hoping to sneak a visit to Lincoln in there on our IA trip, too! Two weeks of Christmas!!!! I feel like a kid again - who wouldn't be able to work today with that excitement looming ahead of them?!?

Blessings to you all as we celebrate this special time of year together and remember the reason for the joy!!