Newlywed Guide to Decorating A Home: Guest Post

Good Morning bloggers! I have a sweet friend guest posting today from My Something New With You. When I first stumbled upon Callie's blog I immediately thought that we could totally be sisters from another mister! She and I share many of the same common thoughts on life, love, faith, and marriage. I am ecstatic that she agreed to share a little decoration love from her newlywed world for all of you today! Enjoy and be sure to visit her awesome corner of the Internet! 
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Hi Friends! I was lucky enough to meet the Mrs. Randolph as well, don’t you just LOVE her! I couldn’t believe we had sooo much in common after I got to know this girl, ya’ll! If I would have been drinking milk when she asked me to guest post for her today, it would have totally exploded through my very nostrils, I’m excited to be here guys! So since we are so alike and all, maybe you won’t mind this girl tip toeing in for a while..??

My name is Callie and I am the girl behind the blog,  My Something New With You. I chose the name for my blog from the old saying “ my something old, my something new, my something borrowed, my something blue”. And since my named “husby” Garrett and I just recently got married in June, our marriage is “my something new” and I’ll be sharing it with YOU along the way. I love to share our stories, because I feel Newlyweds like ourselves could learn a thing or two before they make the little mistakes we have made. So today, I want to talk to ya’ll about something FUN I know you will LOVE!

A Newlyweds Guide to Decorating A Home:

Being Newlywed, the first thing I wanted to do after coming home from the Honeymoon, was pinterest up our little home, but it’s hard to decorate an empty plateau, right? Then questions arise, how are we going to get rid of the echo in this room?? Furniture is expensive, we can’t watch The Big Bang Theory on bean bags for the rest of our lives!!

It all seems impossible at first, but after eight months of marriage and some elbow grease, my home is fairly furnished and I’m pretty proud of how it has come along! It isn’t finished yet of course, they say it takes years to get a home the way you want it, and I may never be fully satisfied where this lamp or that side table should go, but it’s home. So without further ado, I have compiled a list of things that I have learned work along with pictures from my own home, and I hope I help you in some way too!

1.     Take your Time: Like I said, it takes a while to get your little nest made, don’t make the mistake I made by snatching up everything “cute” that was on the shelf! You’ll find that you either A.) Don’t even want it when you get home or B.) It doesn’t go as well as you had planned. So find pieces as you go, think before you buy, I know it’s hard but if you do, you will save a lot of pennies in the long run! If you follow this link below, it will lead you to an older post of mine, and if you want to see the “couch” we sat on back then, take a look my friend! (*Click Here*)

2.     Work With What You’ve Got!:  Our new home was actually his family home not long ago, so when this new lady came into the casa, I wanted to change everything up! New paint, New furniture, New whatnots and all.. But it’s okay to change up some of the things you already have! Dining room chairs can always be recovered and shelves can always be spray painted to yours truly!

3.     What’s Your Style?: Are you a Boho fanatic? Do you want to jam it out with some rock inspired snazz like myself? Or do you want to tone it down with a more simple, elegant look? Don’t be afraid to incorporate your individuality into your home! Don’t you want your company to see you in every detail around your home?? I do!!

4.     Find Your Color Scheme: Finding your color scheme is pretty important, because you want things to flow.. but it’s just as easy as putting together an outfit to where on the town! Compile colors that go well with one another, synch, I usually choose 3 to 4 colors that are alike, in that they compliment one another. In my kitchen, I chose yellows, burgandys, light blues, orange and browns!

5.     Set out Sentimental Items: This is another way to make your home, YOU! Wedding albums are meant to be seen! Put them where your guest have easy access to them, whether on the coffee table or chair, don’t hide them on the bookshelf collecting dust bunnies! Did you wear a broach on your wedding, sit it out for everyone to see! Anything that means something to you, set it out!

6.     Thrift Finds: Most of all of my furniture and decor have come from thrift stores! Look for old books with the same colors as the room you are decorating, they are usually cheap and chic, the more worn the better! Paint can do wonders on old buffet tables and magazine racks! Shop at your local Salvation Army store or Vendor shop, I have found many pieces from these little shops that I prize over any expensive whatnot!

So this is all I’ve got girls! I wish I could share even more tips and tricks but I’m still learning as well! I hope I helped in some way! Feel free to visit my little side of the blogosphere whenever, I would LOVE to have you around!!

                                                          
  -Callie (My Something New With You)

                                                                                                                                                                

Y'all, is Callie not fantastic?? I am in love with her decorating style and how closely we relate when it comes to making our houses homes during these first few months of marriage. As I said above, run on over and visit her blog! I can bet you will love her as much as I did! 

 If you would like to see how I am slowly progressing to make our house a home, visit this post: Design On A Dime: Six Months In. Also, I have another newlywed friend who just so happens to also be an interior designer. In the coming weeks Samantha @ Designer In Teal will be contributing on all things design too! Get excited!! More tips and tricks are on the way. You can check out all her design ideas on her blog. One current idea that drew me in was her Mood Board.

Thanks for reading today! I hope you enjoyed meeting Callie!

As always, until next time- Happy Blogging! 

Apple Dumplings Recipe

First, I would love to invite you to visit my dear friend Samantha over at her blog, Designer In Teal. I am talking about all things Wedding Wednesday and have a few tips and tricks of the trade to share on the topic of Wedding Shower Etiquette. 

Apple Dumplings. Let's talk about 'em. 

When you get married your entire life changes in many wonderful ways. Your family grows with the addition of in-laws, the holidays become busier, you travel a little more a little bit farther over the weekends, your schedule is always jam packed, and there is always a slight chance of adopting new recipes. You may even gain a few pounds, as well. 

Today I wanted to share with you all an Apple Dumpling Recipe that has been passed down through Tony's family. Recently we were home visiting his family over the weekend and his Daddy actually made this little dessert one night. Tony's grandparents passed down this recipe to his parents and his parents passed it down to us. You better believe that I have already made it a couple of times too! This recipe is one that I absolutely love because it is fairly cheap to find, quick and easy to make, and oh so delicious. 

Ingredients:

• 2 Granny Smith Apples
• 1 Can Crescent Rolls
• Cinnamon
• 3/4 Brown Sugar
• 1 Cup Water
• 3/4 Cup Sugar 
• 1 Stick of Butter

Directions: 

• Quarter apples
• Wrap apples in crescent roll
• Put in buttered dish 
• Sprinkle the top with cinnamon
• In a another bowl, mix water, brown sugar, butter, sugar
• Boil these contents then pour over dumplings
• Bake in over @ 350' for 30-40 minutes 

What are you waiting for? Get off this blog and get to the kitchen. Start cooking and enjoy!! If you like to push the buttons like me, add a little vanilla ice cream to your apple dumpling. :) 

Have you heard about new Coffee and Conversations linkup starting Monday, March 4 that I will be hosting with Lauren over at Simply Free? You should check it out! :) 

As always, until next time- Happy Blogging! 

Busy: The New Normal & A Blate

If I had to describe my life lately I would quickly settle on the words tired, rushed, busy, behind, did I say tired yet? I understand everyone is busy. Life is busy. It is part of #thestruggle. It is part of the #dailygrind. Our evenings are spent somewhere, doing something separately for school or an organization. I honestly cannot remember the last time that I was still. I cannot remember the last time that I actually cooked dinner or baked in my kitchen, simply for the fun of it. 

While it has been wonderful to join organizations and meet new people this semester, I am slowing learning that our new life in the city is taking off like a rocket. I am slowly learning that I must set boundaries for commitments as well. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to be involved in all the things that I am experiencing right now though. From classes, teaching/observation placements, organizations, and being a new wife, I am really learning a lot in a broad way. However, I am being stretched so thin that some days I do not perform as well as other days. My preparation is starting to slack, dinners are lacking enthusiasm, and I miss my husband time more so than ever. 

For the most part I am enjoying having something to do or somewhere to be. I am enjoying being social, striving for the best in my classes, attending meetings for the betterment of others, and working in the community. All of these things are great, but I am slowly beginning to think that I am allowing each to consume me. I am too busy to get the important things done at the end of the day because I am so exhausted. I miss just being still and rolling through Instagram or Twitter without falling asleep. My days have been full of me rushing around to get from place to place and this week, I am planning to change a few things up. 

On Friday I closed out the week with a little down time because I actually made the time despite what had to be accomplished. Instead of letting life overtake me, I made time to do absolutely nothing and it was beautiful. Husband and I had popcorn for dinner and watched the movie, What To Expect When You Are Expecting. If you have not see it, check out the trailer below. It was hilarious! We heard that it was not any good while it was in theaters. Well, I had to watch it for a child development class and found it to be one of the funniest movies I have seen to date! And, no- we are not expecting. Ha! Friday was such a glorious night with my sweet man. 

Also, last Saturday I made the time to meet all my Alabama blogger friends. Since I became part of the Big/Littles Blogging Network I have also had the opportunity to meet many bloggers in driving distance of me! This was a blate (blogger date) that I would have never missed regardless of the amount of homework or other obligations that were pre-planned. I already am looking forward to the next event we have planned, ladies! I am so thankful to be part of the blogging community. Despite the miles that separate us, we all share so many commonalities that will forever keep us bonded. 

We had lunch at a sweet little coffee and sandwich shop in downtown Birmingham called Urban Standard. At first, I truly felt that it may end in disaster since I had never "met" these ladies in real life. My husband feared for my life as well! I knew what each blogger looked like because I already follow their blogs and twitter accounts. But, as we all know, not everyone is who they say they are on the Internet... Manti Teo Scandal, anyone? Anyway, each of these ladies were amazing and have beautiful southern hearts. We all fit together like the pieces of a puzzle. It was such fun already knowing many things about each lady and just being comfortable enough to dive into regular everyday conversation. I cannot wait for our next blate! 

 TOP From Left to Right: Meet Lauren @ Simply Southern, Simply Lauren, Joy @ The Sowell Life, Lauren @ Simply Free, and Ashley @ Wannabe Green.

BOTTOM From Left to Right: Meet Nadine @ Life By Nadine Lynn, Kalyn (myself) @ Love.Laughter.Happily Ever After, and Heather @ From Here To There. (Heather is a MS blogger.)

From Left to Right: Clara @ Walking In The Light and Jennifer @ Unscripted. 

Lauren and Lauren were swapping Cara Box goodies as part of Wifesessionals blogger exchange

Ashley won a recent giveaway from Heather's blog too! 

Many people do not understand why I blog. Some think that is its crazy to share everything with others that I do not know. Well, blogging is actually a beautiful thing. These ladies and I share so many of the same common traits. From husbands, to blogs, to health concerns, and real life events- we are all completely normal. Yet, we just have this obsession of sharing our lives with others in a creative way. :) Plus, we all just so happen to live in driving distance of one another, which is a pure blessing! I would love to invite you check out their blogs and follow these new friends of mine on Twitter. 

Nadine- Twitter

Heather- Twitter

Clara- Twitter

Jen- Twitter

Lauren L- Twitter

Lauren E- Twitter

Ashley- Twitter

Times like these are going to have to be arranged more often in the near future. Despite my schedule, if I need to schedule down time- you can better bet it will happen. At some point, if I need to say "no" I will. No to filling up my planner for worthless, time wasters. No to that extra errand that can wait until grocery day. Just a flat "no" is not going to always kill me. Unfortunately my Father and Husband get the short end of the deal while I am busy or always on the go. But, from here on out I plan to change that! 

With a little rejuvenation from the hustle and bustle of like comes great strides of success. When I look back on my life in the coming year I hope to not see a blur. As I stated during a  post at the beginning of the year, I just wanna live. I have been failing on this little so called resolution greatly. From here on out I plan to pursue even more just being intentional. 

I want to laugh until my abs that are not there hurt. I want to smell the air outside. I want to feel the sun. I want to love my husband deeper. I want to experience all that the Lord has waiting for me. I want to shout out loud that the American dream does not consist of consuming materialistic values. I want to experience all that this life has to offer outside of a daily to-do list. In the same way that I wake up in the morning and put on deo or drink my coffee intentionally, I want to LIVE intentionally, too. I have no intention of consuming my time obsessing over what I can or cannot eat, how much time I have left in my day to exercise, where Tony and I should be running off to for dinner, what new Nicholas Sparks books are most popular, or what the hottest purse on the market is right now. I want to do something that my future self will thank me for and currently that is not happening. It's time for change, y'all. 

Thanks for reading! I hope you all have a fabulous day! 

As always, until next time- Happy Blogging! 

8 Months of Marriage & [A Video]

I know I have already posted today but I thought I would share with everyone this little video that I made as part of a class assignment due this week. It just so happens to be that I created a video on our wedding. Tony and I have been married for 8 months as of Saturday. Of course I am sure my teacher wants to see another wedding video! Ha :) 

Unfortunately I did not write a post welcoming our ninth month. If you would like, I do have this post that you can read which includes many things we have learned on how to do life together. I thought the video turned out well considering I had no clue what I was doing. I feel sorry for someone who has to work without the ease of iMovie. I kinda feel like a computer pro but I certainly have a ways to go. Thanks to all my sweet friends who helped with the new computer tutorials. I love each of you! Praise Jesus for Apple.

Happy Monday, friends. Thank you so much for reading. I love you all. I hope you are having a beautiful day. Have you seen my previous post for today on the new linkup that my sweet friend Lauren over at Simply Free and I have decided to offer? Coffee & Conversation will be a link up to share what's in our hearts, just as you would with a friend sitting in a coffee shop! I hope you will check out THIS POST and get prepared to link up with us next Monday, March 4. 

Husband, I love you. You are precious. You make my heart happy, content, and fulfilled. 

Jesus, thank you for sleep, forgiveness, mercy and rejuvenation. 

Until next time- Happy blogging! 

Coffee and Conversation: Let's Meet Up!

Coffee plays a HUGE role in my life. Aside from being obsessed with the aroma & taste of the delicious product, it has played an integral part in my social and spiritual lives over the years. I think just recently even, this has been so true. Since moving to Birmingham even, I have gone to get coffee too many times to count. I reunited with friends I haven't seen in years to catch up on life and tell of how the Lord is working in our lives. I rekindled a friendship from being a part of Alabama's Junior Miss and Alabama's Girls' State programs. I've spent the evening over a cup with my sweet husband planning out our future, even though he has yet to grasp "eating" coffee as much as I do. I have met with new acquaintances that have become great friends. I think you see where this is going. This list cold really go on for days.

There is simply something about that warm mug that enables the flow of conversation and brings people together. The point where those life changing conversations have occurred in the safety of brewed courage. As you know now, most churches have coffee set up prior to Sunday School classes. Organizations and offices have it prepared before meetings. Grocery stores offer it up for free sometimes even. It facilitates comfort and conversation. 

So what better way to share the deeper things in life, than over a cup of coffee? That's why my sweet friend Lauren over at Simply Free and I have decided to offer this link up. Coffee & Conversation will be a link up to share what's in our hearts, just as you would with a friend sitting in a coffee shop! 

Every week on Mondays we will post a broad topic geared toward showing us what's going on in your life and diving into conversation to post on for the next week so make sure to check it out so you can be ready to link up the following week!  We are so excited and can't wait to learn more about everyone through this link up! Grab a cup, start writing, grab our button, and come back Monday, March 4th for our first link up to share!

<center> <a href="http://laurenrebeccaelliott.blogspot.com"><img border="0" src=" https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-sJufFVG3_x0/USbOome3AXI/AAAAAAAACbQ/fszgGSV_DvE/s205/Coffee+%26+Conversation+button.png " alt="Coffee & Conversation" width="200" height="200" /></a></center>

NEXT WEEK'S TOPIC:

What are you most thankful for so far this year?

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! 

Until next time- Happy Blogging :) 

#TGIF: Friday Letters

Dear Friday... You are late. I am so thankful you are FINALLY here but I needed you to arrive on Tuesday. Did you get lost on your way or something? I mean really, I almost was ready to throw in the towel Wednesday night. #aintnobodygottimeforthat

Dear Tony Harper... You are phenomenal. Thank you for being so supportive, loving, caring, patient, and helpful this semester. No one will ever understand how busy we truly are during this phase of our marriage until they walk a day in our shoes. I adore those 30 minutes I get with you over dinner. I am praying school slacks within the coming months and we will have many more minutes together! If not, I am simply happy to be in your presence and not 5 hours away. You make this journey through love so worthwhile despite the mountains we are learning to climb. 

Dear blog friends and readers... I am so behind on contacting each of you who left comments on Tuesday's post. Please forgive me? Check your emails this weekend! Regardless of my lack of reply responses, thank you so much for your feedback this week. It makes my day to receive your comments! I am overwhelmed at the responses of emails I received from women who are in the same boat as me. I plan to write an additional post on the "friend" subject, how to overcome it, the different stages we go through in life, ect., at a later date. For now, just know that you are not in this battle alone. There is a reason, time, and place for everything according to the Lord. I know that He has our paths paved perfectly for His glory. We must be patient and praise Him all the days long. Right now I am sending you a big 'ole virtual air hug. Do you feel it? :) Also, for those of you who emailed me with questions about the Organize To Thrive post, I am planning to go in depth in another post regarding my planner and other options of accommodating family/business planners out there in the coming week! Y'all are amazing! I love you, am honored you read my blog, and I cannot thank you all enough for bringing such joy into my life. I hope you will stay tuned in :) 

Dear UAB... This week you have completely drained me and all of my classmates of every ounce of life we thought we had. Maybe we can try and be friends again next week? I dare someone tell me that becoming an Educator is easy as pie. I swear I just might rip you a new one. Then, I would tell you to transfer to the TEP Program at UAB. #TheStruggle has never ever never been more real until this semester. Also, can you please work on getting me home BEFORE 8:00PM next week? I would love to eat a real meal instead of alternating frozen pizza and waffles. My husband may decide to divorce me if I do not cook again until May.     

Dear Little Friends at each of my 4 placements... I love love love love love that I will be a future educator very soon. Each of you make my heart SO SO happy! You all make my 80 hours of observation so much more worth each and every single visit. Thank you for teaching me things that I would never learn in a college classroom. In the near future I hope to continue to teach you to throw up in the trash can instead of the middle of our center. Also, I hope to teach you that eating/sharing your bloggers is dirty and passes germs from one friend to the next. Oh, and lying about hurting another friend's feelings is not funny. Once we all learn those common traits, we may learn something academic. :) Who knew that being a teacher would also require you to be a Mother so early in life? Best. Birth. Control. Ever. (Sorry, TMI.)

Dear family in Louisiana... It is possible that I may sneak one of these puppies home with me while on our next visit. I am extremely dog deprived these days. I have yet to train my husband to lick my face when I walk through the door. Something about those puppy love kisses rock my world. (The first thing I would love to do once we become homeowners is adopt a pet. My family recently adopted two Chihuahuas and I have fallen head over heels in love with them!) Having a puppy is pure joy like none other. Animals truly are man's best friend!  

Dear Alabama bloggers... Since I became part of the Bigs/Littles blogging network I have been able to "meet" many amazing bloggers. Specifically, I have since learned that there are many awesome bloggers in driving distance of me! YAY! I get to meet some of the beautiful Alabama bloggers this weekend! This visit will include bloggers like Lauren @ Simply Free, Clara @ Walking In The Light, Ashley @ Wanna Be Green, and many others! I am ecstatic just thinking about it! Pictures to come soon!!! :)

Dear Jesus... I love our relationship. I am thankful for a relationship and not a religion. Thank you for grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness on my worst of days. Thank you for sending such encouraging social media friends my way this week, too. I am especially grateful for those sweet people who have recently touched my little world.  

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! I will be back Monday morning bright and early! Thanks for reading and making this space so rewarding for me. I adore your commitment and love in my little corner of the Internet. 

As always, until next time- Happy Blogging! 

PS- I also posted on "The Newlywed Game: 8 Months of Marriage" HERE.

The Newlywed Game: 8 Months of Marriage

It is time for THE NEWLYWED GAME. 

Typically I do not join these linkups just because there are SO MANY out there. If I sat down and wrote a post for all the linkups then I would be putting off A LOT of homework and other real life related things. But... last night was a different story. Since we are celebrating 8 months of marriage on Saturday I thought "go for it" and did!  

My sweet blogger friend, Veronica @ Passion, Pink, and Pearls sent me an email. I actually have been super busy during the days this week so I have not had the chance to join in on all the blog fun to meet new bloggers. So, I figured this linkup was the one for me for this particular week! You may remember Veronica from the awesome Potato Chowder recipe she shared on my blog last week. 

Veronica, as well as Karla @ Forever Newlywedded are hosting this link up. Feel free to copy and paste the questions below, follow these awesome ladies and their blogs, and join in on all the Newlywed fun. :) 

1.  Who does the laundry in your home, you or your spouse? Any good stories?

• Typically I do the majority of the laundry in our home. Every now and again Tony will help me without me having to ask him. 

• Of course I have a funny story. What is not funny about marriage in newlywed land? If you have read my blog often, you know that I preach on the topic: Marriage is not a contract. Marriage is a commitment. Should I repeat this again? Many of our family members (on both sides) see marriage as a contract and it is extremely disheartening because they do not understand why we do things the way we do/feel the way we do about marriage. You will find many similar funny stories and reasons why we believe marriage is a commitment in my Confessions [Life As A New Wife] posts. 

• Here's my semi funny story: When Tony leaves that pack of gum in his pants HE has to figure out a way to get the entire pack of gum out of our brand new dryer AND out of our clothes. Although I love him, I will not always clean up his messes because he will never learn anything. Yes, that would be a spatula he is using to scrap gum out of our dryer. Praise the Lord for Google step by step tutorials. Obviously he was not the first husband to make this mistake.Thankfully, we did not have to replace many items that were in this particular load of clothes.  
  
  

2.  If your spouse had to eat at one restaurant for the rest of their lives, what would he or she pick?

• Tony would choose to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings for every single meal if he could. Don't get me wrong, I love the place. Their mild sauce covered naked tenders and BBQ bacon sandwich are to die for amazing. the prices are even legit too. However, I do not love the place enough to eat at it every single day. Plus, it does not always love me. 

3.  Are you or your spouse better at cooking? Any good stories?

• I am definitely better at cooking than Tony. I am certainly not top chef material. I am slowly learning new tips and tricks of the trade. He barely knows how to use the oven. I will say, Tony is learning to cook a mean frozen pizza and waffles though.

• He loves when I cook but I truly think he just likes to eat it with me, not cook it with me. Dinner is one of the only times that we have to sit down together and talk so it is always nice to be together then. I am trying to teach him to enjoy being in the kitchen. Currently my efforts are hopeless. Possibly, when we have a larger kitchen he will be more prone to spending time with me learning to cook. 

4.  Which one of you is more concerned about their "fashion"?

• I definitely am more concerned about my "fashion" than Tony. Now that we have to attend big kid events more frequently he is learning that he cannot wear only jeans, a t-shirt, and Nike's. He is slowly becoming more in tune with the appropriate attire depending upon where we are going or what the event calls for. I have to dress nice pretty much every day of the week, which I do not mind at all. I must add, I love him no matter what he wears. Some of our favorite days are pajama days and sweats days. Those are such comfy, fun loving days! 

5.  Ideally, if you don't have them already, when does you spouse want to have children?

• As most of you already know, I have no plans for children in the near future. (I discussed this topic more in depth in #4 of THIS POST). Tony wants to have children earlier in life because he would like to retire young. He is two years older than me, has completed a Bachelor degree, and has no plans to obtain a Master degree. I certainly do not blame him one bit! He does not need the additional degree and believes there is no reason to waste time for something he truly does not desire. 

•  I still have to finish my Bachelor and Master degrees. I want to be able to enjoy my profession before I get lost in being a mother. I want to enjoy coming home to my husband in the evenings and cooking dinner for two, not three or four. Plus, I do not want to rush into parenthood. Being a parent takes a lot of work, time, and sacrifices. I gladly allow my husband to consume each of those areas of my life (as well as school). One day when the time is right, we will venture down the parenthood road. I believe the Lord has so much more in store for the here and now for us. 

6.  Who planned dates when you were dating? And what was one of your favorites?

• We would both plan dates when we dated. Tony and I started dating when I was in 9th grade and he was in 11th grade. He had a vehicle and could drive. At the time, I did not have a car nor could I drive. I was not allowed to "ride around" with anyone, let alone a boy until I was in 10th grade. We eventually started "dating" when he was a senior and I was a sophomore. Typically we would go to Outback for dinner and then a movie. This was the basic ritual once he went to college at The University of Alabama and even after I moved to Baton Rouge to attend LSU. Only then, our driving distance to each other was much longer. 

7.  What's been the toughest part of being a newlywed?

• Asking him for his help is a biggy. During the first few months of marriage I would get so frustrated that he simply played video games all the time. As a female, I saw things that needed to be done and so I would just go do it. He, on the other hand will let dishes sit in the sick all.week.long. It drives me insane! Tony will not do something chore-wise until he runs out whatever it is he needs (be it clean dishes, towels, etc.).

• I wish I did not have to tell him what needs to be done because I feel as though I only handicap him. I feel as though he should have learned how to make a house a home and I should not have to teach him the smallest of things all over again. But it is then though that I realize- This is his first rodeo as a Husband. Comparing this semester to last semester, I am away from home more than ever because of school, organizations, and placement obligations. He has had to take on more responsibility lately and he has done really well without me here all the time. I must say, I am so proud of him and am thankful to have such a support Husband to come home to in the evenings no matter what was done chore-wise. It is just nice that we finally live in the same zip code again. 

8. Who is the best with the finances? 

• I would have to say that this is a half and half job for us. I get the mail and make sure the bills are paid on time. Tony budgets the checkbook and makes sure there is money available for bills, groceries, entertainment, or activities. I actually just posted on how we budget, what we use to keep track of things, and other tips in this post: Organize To Thrive. Actually, I had to learn how to budget and keep track of finances fairly young in life. Tony is the math man. He is extremely smart and even minored in math in college. When you put us together, you get a super frugal and obsessive budgeting couple. We think through and research every single purchase before it is comes out of the bank account. When you have to work and pay for things on your own, you learn to buy after you have exhausted all resources. 

9.  Who is the strict one?

• When it comes to certain things, Tony can be strict. Also, I can be strict. It honestly all depends on what the topic is at the time and our present decision on the subject matter. When given any situation, I can go ahead and tell you exactly what he would think or say before asking him. He can also do the same for me. Through the past 8 years we have learned how to not push one another's buttons, yet also respect their opinion if we disagree. I know not to cross his boundaries and he knows the same for me. There should always be a happy medium, not perfection. Perfection is totally overrated.  

10.  What will you plan to do for your first anniversary? Or if you've already celebrated your first anniversary, what did you do?

• We have been discussing this new, upcoming "milestone" for a couple of months. We have a few ideas that we are playing with but we have not come to the point of a decision yet. Since I will be in school during the summer we will not have ample time away from home. We are not too excited to pay great strides for an expensive trip that will be short and fast pace. Do you have any ideas, readers? I would love to hear your thoughts. 

I hope you enjoyed reading a little snippet from our newlywed world. We are learning and growing so much these days! As I have said before, I truly believe marriage is the best blessing and challenge the Lord can bestow upon a dating couple ready to tackle the next chapter in life and love. Although Tony and I thought we knew everything about each other before starting our marriage, I can say we have learned so much about each other and about ourselves in the past few months. Living together does not change who you are or what you represent as a couple, but it does change how you work together and support each other during different situations. Every single day he is there for me in so many ways, and I cannot even begin to describe how awesome it is to be with each other day in and day out. Being married definitely beats a long distance relationship any day. 

 
I absolutely adore my Husband. He has a precious heart and is compassionate, smart, funny, and so handsome! It is truly remarkable to think of how far we have grown in the past seven or so years. However, it is even more awesome that the Lord knows Tony and me better than we know each other or ourselves. Jesus knew that Tony and I would become marriage partners even when we did not. During a devotion called Every Young Woman's Battle I began to think about dating and what would be associated. With the thoughts of dating running wild in my mind, of course marriage follows. During the devotion I also read I Kissed Dating Goodbye and And The Bride Wore White which encourages young christian girls to pray for their future spouse. From then on, my devotion leader at the time, Jaime @ Faith, Hope, and The Love's challenged me to only date guys that I could see myself marrying. I can remember making a list and praying for my future Husband every day. I even prayed for my future Husband throughout my high school relationship with Tony not knowing that he and I would make this far. It is not that I did not trust our relationship, I honestly just thought it was another spell of high school love. It is almost crazy to think about how much the Lord has impacted our relationship over time, but He has known exactly what He was doing from day one in 2003. The Lord is committed through the ups and the downs! I cannot imagine life without my precious Husband. I certainly cannot even imagine life and love without the Lord leading my path, and for that I am so thankful. From one blessing to another, the Lord continues to provide and I look forward to sharing the next 80 years with Tony Harper tackling the ups and downs of life and love.  

I thank my God every time I remember you. -Philippians 1:3

As always, until next time- Happy Blogging! 

PS- I also posted Friday Letters HERE.