25 for 25

Instead of being down in the dumps that I am turning the dreaded 25 I am going to celebrate how wonderful my 25 years of life have been! At this point in my life, I really don’t have much to complain about and I have had a pretty good life overall!

To celebrate my birthday, I am going to list 25 things I have learned in my 25 years!

1. Parents really do know more than we do! Although I thought I knew it all from the age of probably 14-21, I finally realized that is probably in my best interest to hear what they have to say!

2. Just because you have two college degrees, doesn’t guarantee the “ideal” job!

3. But, never settle! Keep going after what you want and deserve!

4. I can never make everyone happy. If I try, I lose myself and that is the worst of it all. I can only do what I believe is best and if makes people happy; great! If it doesn’t, it isn’t the end of the world.

5. There are ALWAYS two sides to every story and it is important to hear both of them before passing judgment.

6. There is no need to push others down in order to be on top! There is certainly room for everyone and you will get there quicker if you work together!

7. Always find a reason to laugh and smile every single day!

8. Dreams are long-term goals that you have for yourself if you let them be. I daydream all the time about future trips, homes, kids, etc. Sometimes I need those dreams to get through the day!

9. “We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” Joseph Campbell. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a planner. While I have learned this quote, it is hard for me to still grasp at times. It is alright to life interject and let you live what was intended.

10. Choose your battles.

11. You are responsible for who you are. Not your parents, not your past, and not your friends. You determine who you want to be.

12. I believe any combination of chocolate and peanut butter can cure anything from a broken heart to a cold!

13. Never stop educating yourself. Even though I am out of school, I continue to educate myself through a variety of informal fashions. Whether it is through podcasts, professional associations, the news, etc. find something that makes you want to learn!

14. While I have my own home, there is nothing better than “going home.”

15. And, even though I am married, no one can replace my mom when it comes to being taken care of when sick.

16. Have the ability to find enjoyment in everything; including a rainy, gloomy day! That is when you actually do have an excuse to lay in bed all day, dozing in and out!

17. While I probably hated my brother for about the first 15 years of my life (we did have the occasional good moments), I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am happy to not have been an only child. Looking back on it, there would have been SEVERAL bored summers if we didn’t have each other!

18. My definition of “fun” has definitely evolved. What was once a great Friday night 4,5, or 6 years ago doesn’t seem so great anymore! Yes, I do enjoy getting together at local establishments once in a while, but the thought of doing that 2, 3, or 4 times a week doesn’t sound appealing whatsoever now! I am perfectly content staying at home on a Friday night making dinner with my sweets and watching a movie with a good glass of wine!

19. Try to live in the present. A friend recently posted on his Facebook, “Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday.” I am very guilty of worrying too much about the future and it causes me to miss out on the present and not remember the past.

20. Giving feels much more rewarding than getting.

21. I find it perfectly acceptable to watch a marathon of useless, trashy, drama-filled reality TV!

22. I also find it perfectly acceptable to watch the same move 20+ times because it is just “One of those movies.”

23. As messy as I was as a child and teenager, I really can’t stand clutter and messes now! In that respect, I truly am my mother’s daughter!

24. Never really know what you have until you no longer have it. I live in good ol’ Maryville for 6 years and even though it is quite a bit smaller than Rolla, I miss a lot of things about the city and the University that I never thought I would. Such as, a good grocery store is hard to come by and I was definitely spoiled by the Hy-Vee in Maryville! Why I never took advantage of the dinner theater at the Hangar before grad school is beyond me. I could go on, but I won’t!

25. I am sure the next 25 years will have its highs and lows! Bring it!

Watch out Nebraska!

That's right, we are moving to Nebraska! I was able to secure a job at the University of Nebraska-Kearney as the Assistant Director of Student Life for Greek Affairs. My start date is July 1 and I already have so many ideas for when I get there! I can't wait to start meeting with students, staff, and graduate assistants! I know that the first year in the field as a full-time professional is, undoubtedly, the hardest one, but I am ready to take on the challenge!

It has been great living in Rolla for the past year and being so close to my family, but I think it will be good for Adam and I to move away for  awhile. He will be able to go back to school full-time while I work and by the time he is done, we are hoping he will secure a job in the Kansas City area.

While Kearney is in the middle of Nebraska, there are a lot of things going for it. The city itself is about 30,000 people. There are lots of great restaurants, shopping, and outdoor activities. Kearney is about 3 hours from Omaha, 4 hours from Kansas City, and about 8 hours from Rolla. Since Kearney is located further west, I am looking forward to the travel opportunities that will be presented such as the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore (4 hours away), Denver and surrounding area (5 hours away), and the Grand Teton National Park (12 hours away).

One benefit to the position as that I am required to live on campus. The University will provide a three bedroom/two bathroom apartment for Adam and I. That's right, no rent or any type of utilities! This will also be a great way for us to save a lot of money so that when Adam is done with school, we should be ready to buy a house!

I know it will be especially hard for me being so far from my family. But like I said before, it will be good for us to be more independent and it won't be forever!

365 days

Well, ok, our anniversary is May 22 so I still have four days but I think I will still feel the same way about our first year of marriage in four days as I do right now! Plus, as I write this, I have some down time, which I won't have, come this weekend!

At this time last year, I was probably way too stressed out over floral arrangements, programs, etc. and it was probably all being taken out on Adam. Looking back, I wish I had taken the advice that my mom had given me, more seriously: Don't sweat the small stuff. Will I still be married at the end of the day? Yes. Will we still have a wonderful marriage when it is all said and done? Yes. Adam took it all and certainly didn't have to. He was my rock then, and continues to be the one person who can calm me down when I am overworked which is one of the many reasons I love him.

Here are a few pictures from our beautiful day!

Completely stressed leading up to the wedding but the day of, cool as a cucumber!

I just love him!

This epitomizes the day entirely: Sweet and beautiful love!

Isn't he the most handsome?

I had to include a picture of the cake because it was the sing most detail I was most excited about!

I have learned quite a few things about Adam, myself, life, family, and marriage in the last year. Every year is a growing experience and this year was no different as we started our life growing together. Here are some of the bigger things I have learned this year that I think will only strengthen our marriage and us, individually, for the future.

• Some of the things we have experienced this year (unemployment and overall lack of stability) have really only strengthened our relationship for the better. We have learned to depend on each other for guidance and support and have learned to trust that God will provide and has a greater plan for us. I feel that we are beginning to see the light and I know even better things will come this year.
• It is alright to have alone time and I do require this at least a couple times a week. I don't need to spend every waking minute with Adam, just because we are married. I do like to have time to myself and have my own interests. I enjoy having the time during the day where we have two completely different jobs but are still able to discuss what is going on in our work life.
• It is alright to have our own friends and spend time with them without the other. In the fall, I had a couple bachelorette parties to attend while Adam stayed at home. This Spring, Adam had the same thing where he was gone for the weekend. I don't mind it, and I actually I welcome it. Am I ready to get home or for him to get home come Sunday afternoon? Yes. But I think it makes us appreciate each other more and appreciate the relationship we have with our friends more.
• I am very grateful for the opportunity I have had being close to my family and for Adam to become closer to my family. When I first went to college, I never imagined moving back to Rolla. As I have gotten older, I have come to appreciate my family much more and in a different way. I am confident there will be a time (it may be this year, it may be in four years) that I will move away from my family once again so I truly do appreciate the time I have been able to spend with my family. It has also been wonderful seeing Adam get to know and grow closer to my family as well. I hope to have that experience with his at some point.
• I have never been more proud of Adam than I am at this very moment and I have a feeling that will continue to grow as well. Not only has Adam discovered what kind of relationship he wants God to play in his life, he has taken significant strides towards going back to school and completing his degree. I have seen him work harder this past Spring (in school and with his job) than any other time through the course of our relationship and it makes me so proud.

There are so many other points I could touch upon, but as I reflect on the past year, those were the major things that came to mind. I know we will only have one "First" Anniversary, but I would like to think that all of them will be special. Each year we will experience lots of firsts whether it is our first pet, first house, first road trip, etc. each anniversary will include its firsts. Happy Anniversary to my Adam and I can't wait to celebrate several more "Firsts" with you!

Mixed Emotions

I have mixed feelings regarding Osama Bin Laden’s death. While I watched CNN Monday evening when it was announced, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of disappointed when I saw the reactions of my fellow Americans. Am I happy that someone with such hatred towards, not just the United States but to mankind is no longer a threat; yes. Am I happy someone died? No. In addition, I am not sure if jumping for joy and having mass celebrations across the country was the best reaction as it would egg on his followers. Instead of celebrating the death of someone, what if we continued prayer for the people he inflicted harm upon?

Unlike so many that were affected by the actions of 9/11, I was stuck in Midwest bubble and could only imagine what it would have been like to experience such a tragedy through internet and TV. Yes, it was a very devastating event. Yes, it instilled a lot of fear and anger inside so many. However, I am not sure if the way we celebrated the death of an individual should have been the appropriate action. I will celebrate when terrorism has died, not when a terrorist has.

What are your thoughts on the subject? This is one of the great things about the United States; our ability to speak freely without punishment.

Easter

Hello, again! I haven’t written in a while due to the fact I haven’t had much to write about. As many of you know, this past weekend was Easter and it was particularly special this year because Adam decided to join the Catholic Church. I am not familiar with the process of joining a church for other denominations, but I have a feeling that our process is a little more structured and takes a little bit longer.

I won’t go into full details regarding the process, but it did start in September and he was confirmed and received his first Communion at the Easter Vigil mass Saturday Evening. This mass is unlike any other mass we have during the rest of the year. There is a lot of ritual and tradition that goes into it and it is a very long mass; but it is one of my favorites. The entire services was about three hours long (this is uncharacteristically long and it is typically about 2 hours) but not once during the entire mass was I bored or disinterested. It truly is a beautiful a beautiful service.

Originally, a lot of Adam’s family was planning on joining us for the service; however his grandfather had surgery that Friday in which his mom went to be with her parents in Arizona at that time and his brother’s fiancé broke her leg a few weeks prior and had surgery so she was pretty immobile. However, Adam’s dad and stepmom made the trip from Omaha and I know that it meant a lot to Adam to have his dad’s support. Overall, it was a great weekend.

For more information regarding the Easter Vigil service, I would recommend reading this link. I think it gives a pretty good synopsis of the different parts of the Mass.

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent//prep-eastervigil.html

Spaghetti Squash Experiement

I normally don't post recipes, but feel like I need to share this with everyone!

In an effort to eat a little more healthy, I stumbled upon a spaghetti squash recipe. Since I am a lover of all carbs (especially pasta) I thought I would go ahead and give this a try. I really wasn't even expecting to try this until summer since it is somewhat out of season, but I was at the local grocery store in Produce and just saw it sitting there, staring at me, saying "Buy me! You won't regret it!!!"

 I don't have step-by-step pictures, but I do have a few and I do have the recipe.

After baking the squash for 45 minutes, take a fork and shred the inside

Pretty much hollowed out at this point

The squash mixed together with the peas, chicken, tomatoes, and sauce

Serve with some parmesan cheese!

Spaghetti Squash with Grilled Chicken and Sun-dried tomatoes
Cast of Ingredients

1 whole Spaghetti Squash

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 cup Chicken Broth, Divided Use

⅓ cups Sundried Tomatoes, Chopped

2 cups Broccoli Florets

1 cup Frozen Peas

2 whole Chicken Breasts, Grilled And Sliced

¼ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 pinch Salt/pepper To Taste

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).
2. With a sharp knife, cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scrape/remove seeds with a spoon.
3. Place squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet: bake for 45 minutes. Let squash cool.
4. While squash is baking, in a large, deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic. Saute 1 minute.
5. Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth, sundried tomatoes, and broccoli and saute 5 minutes.
6. Add peas, grilled chicken, and remaining 3/4 cup of chicken broth. Shake about 1/4 cup parmesan cheese into mixture (just enough to thicken the chicken broth).
8. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover skillet and simmer for about 3 minutes.
9. 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).
2. With a sharp knife, cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scrape/remove seeds with a spoon.
3. Place squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet: bake for 45 minutes. Let squash cool.
4. Using a fork, scrape the inside of the squash with the tines to remove strands.
5. In a large, deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic. Saute 1 minute.
6. Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth, sundried tomatoes, and broccoli and saute 5 minutes.
7. Add peas, grilled chicken, and remaining 3/4 cup of chicken broth. Shake about 1/4 cup parmesan cheese into mixture (just enough to thicken the chicken broth).
8. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover skillet and simmer for about 3 minutes.
9. Once squash is done baking, shred with fork. It should be soft and easy.9. Mix squash with the chicken and pea mixture.
10. Serve with parmesan cheese

This is a great, healthy substitute to pasta. I have read that people will just top the squash with marinara sauce as it was spaghetti! If you haven't tried this wonderful veggie, do it ASAP!!!

Cross-Country Road Trip

Adam and I have been toying with the idea of taking a road trip to see his grandparents in....ARIZONA!!!! I have never been west of Colorado and, while he has, he greatly wants to visit his grandparents and spend some quality time with them!

The longest we have been in the car together was a trip to Lake Michigan from Kansas City last summer which was broken up into two days. The trip to AZ will obviously be broken up as well and I think our marriage can survive a road trip like this, but Adam is a little worried! I don't blame him, I can definitely be a back seat driver!

Whenever I think of the possibility of this trip, I get really excited for a variety of reasons! 1. To see some sites that I have never seen before, 2. Spend quality time with the hubby! 3. Spend some quality time with his grandparents!

So I am asking all 4 of my subscribed readers and whoever else takes the time to read this thing, what advice do you have for taking an affordable, fun-filled road trip? How do you budget your time, your stops, etc.? These questions are especially aimed toward Candice who, her and her hubby, have taken several road trips all over the place and always see to have a WONDERFUL time!