A New Calendar

Yesterday was July 29th. That means the big day is less than 3 months away. Three months. Three months goes by so quickly. Three months ago, it was April 29th. I was stressing about my students' end-of-year status. My sister had just turned 14. That was, that was (sorry for the cliche)...like yesterday.

Will it ever come? I feel like the day will never come. I can't imagine myself walking down the aisle. I used to imagine it all the time, but I haven't really thought about it. All I think about now is how much the flowers will cost and what to put on our DJ list.

I think of events in terms of pre and post marriage. This Christmas I will be married. I'll have a husband. We can go find a Christmas tree together and buy an "Our First Christmas Together" Hallmark ornament. And hopefully, I'll be able to be a little bit more creative in my giving of "presents" this year...

Three months from now, I am going to be a wife. Holy cow! Does that register with you? Because it surely doesn't register with me. I feel like I am not really "getting it." I still feel like I'm playing "house" when I make dinner. When I clean the toilet or wash the dishes, I say to myself, "And this is only the beginning." Well, I would have to do that stuff even if I weren't married. But this whole adulthood/independence thing is sort of hitting at the same time as marriage.

We started our pre-marriage counseling. I like all the nice things John says about me and I feel this urge to impress, I think...to not say anything wrong to the big dogs who know their stuff (experienced married people). I don't want some married person criticizing our art. Relationships are a lot like art. John and I have a unique relationship, unique ways of communicating, etc. Is it right? Is it wrong? Do we have healthy habits? Do we have bad habits we don't know about that will explode one day?

Sigh. One can never tell. I'm thankful we have God on our side, and I'm thankful I'm marrying a man I trust, and I have faith that he can support me when I am weak, and I know I can support him when he is weak as well. I remember little things like that, and I am all of a sudden comforted. Content. At peace.

Ten Lessons I Learned by NOT Having Computer Access

1. The phone book still exists and works sometimes.

2. I can read 12 books in three weeks.

3. I like HGTV and the Discovery Channel. They are my favorite channels. I watched this show called the "Undetectibles." It's a new favorite, along with "Designer Finals" on HGTV.

4. If I can't "Google" an actor I see in a show and can't remember what I've seen them in, it's okay. I usually forget about it by the next day.

5. The Hallmark channel can be very refreshing.

6. I have a remarkable ability to clean for hours but the house is still messy. It's a mystery to me (like those mysterious things on the Travel channel).

7. I really like to play Tiger Woods golf on the Xbox. John and I both made ourselves (you can create your golfer to look like you) and play each other. It's such good bonding without the exercise. :)

8. I really can workout for an hour using my exercise ball.

9. The library actually does have useful books.

10. I have come up with some great ideas for children's books and even read a book about publishing them. New hobby? I think so!

Attention Faithful Fans...!

I apologize for the hiatus. I haven't had a computer since I left Ohio. Lucky us, both of our precious high cost computers have been completely fried. Yes, even John's 2004 laptop.

So...we have bought a new computer from Dell.com (cheap! yay!) and I will be able to write more often...soon.

Wedding Website

Okay! So I am really going to try to help everyone out with all the travel stuff. I just started a new website with some info about stuff to do in Naples due to frequent requests on fishing and everglades information. I'll be posting again soon about other things, of course. And in a month or so, I will try to send out packets to those of you who I am pretty sure are coming with coupons, brochures, maps, etc.

Please let us know if there is ANYTHING we can do to help you as you make your plans!

AND please visit the website at amandaandjohn.blogspot.com

Baking Cookies

I really love to cook. It's fun to create things you know others will enjoy...and it's highly likely that if it's really good, people will remember it. If it's really bad, it can be thrown away and no one has to eat it. On the other hand, if it's sort of bad, people may eat it but they'll forget about it before long.

So right now I'm baking cookies. The trouble with cookies is trying to make them all the same. My first batch was perfect. It always is. The second batch I made too big. The third batch I burnt. Darn it.

I'm hiding the third batch for my family to eat. They don't mind burnt cookies. Pretty much anything with butter, sugar, peanut butter, and chocolate they'll eat.

The cookies are peanut butter cookies made in the shape of little koala bear heads with Hershey Kiss noses and brown Reese's Pieces eyes. Cuties. I'll have to make these for my class when we do a unit on bears.

Rapturous!

When I decided to take my brother and sister to the pool today, I knew for certain that I absolutely must find a book to read. Without a library card and without any money, this proved to be a challenge. So, digging beneath my mother's romance novels and other books by authors who come out with a new title every other week, I caved and decided to begin the Left Behind series. Sigh.

It's not that I have anything against the Left Behind series. It's interesting and makes one think, reflect, and spurs conversation, I guess. But these books are just kind of "ehhh..." If you can understand that sound in writing.

I'm not really into Christian fiction. I'm not into it at all. I love Christian non-fiction and non-Christian fiction. Where is the next C.S. Lewis? Come on, God. Could you please give some Christians talent for fiction?

Anyway, it was pretty hot for good ol' Ohio today. After receiving a good splash by Jordan and Sara, I went back to my towel to absorb some UV rays and prayed, outloud I think, "Oh Jesus, please come back for me now. Please let the rapture be today!"

Best Meal Ever: Crusted Chicken Romano with Brancott Sauvignon Blanc and for dessert, a goblet of fresh strawberries...all at The Cheesecake Factory

Most Beautiful Bride: I'm sure it will be LINDSAY! Tomorrow! I can't believe it's here. I think I will cry my eyes out. I hope I don't lose my contacts, because I am still pretty new at this contact stuff, and I wouldn't know what to do. I guess if I cry my eyes out, I won't need contacts.

Getting Lost: Again--I did it again. I ended up in Ashland County. Sigh.

Bridal Shower: Mine! On July 9th. Come one, come all...you're all invited! It'll be at my house at 1:00. Fireworks are that night, too, so you can stay for them or, if you don't stay, leave early before all the crazies overtake the town.

Rehearsal Dinner: Tonight! I hope I don't get lost again.

My Hair: I got this new shampoo stuff at the salon and I think my hair is on its way to being normal again! Shwew. So if you're hair ever gets overtreated, get Redken Extreme.

Victoria's Secret: Semi-Annual Sale!!!! Super cute bags for 4.99! I almost passed out.

Books and Me...

When I open a novel, I am aware of the risks. I know I will probably grow to close to the characters, perhaps begin speaking like them, thinking like them, and most of all, understanding them.

Afterall, this is what I think I may do best, and I teach first graders how to do the same. What did Snow White feel when she woke up to Prince Charming's kiss? I could more than imagine. What would it feel like to watch a person die? I would cry myself to sleep at the thought. I've done things like that since I can remember.

Late nights, up with novels, reading them until they're finished--falling asleep happily or, in some cases, letting my tears roll from my cheeks until they fell off my earlobes onto my pillow, because I hadn't expected the impact of that ending.

Sometimes I relate to novels so much just by knowing my own experiences, and it makes me think or evaluate or even sometimes dig up some some pity for myself or others.

I knew this book I just finished would be sad. I knew I'd feel it too much. But perhaps somewhere in my subconscious I knew that I just needed to let myself have a good cry. And sometimes, sometimes, sometimes...it's easier to cry about fiction.

Chalk and Spot Remover and Excedrin and...

Those are the things I was buying today in preparation for Lindsay's big day!!!!!

I am so excited, I can't stop eating peanut M&Ms and I probably won't be able to fit into my dress on Friday.

So, Lindsay and I are off to the mall tonight to search for some...pajamas...? And then the bachelorette party is tomorrow night at Dave & Buster's and Veronica's! I want to mention right here how much I love and appreciate Veronica. Sometimes I think, "Why isn't she famous?" She should be.

And then Saturday I will hopefully be able to fit in some time with my family...my poor family that probably feels neglected since I haven't even seen them hardly. I did have lunch with Dad today though, and that was super.

And then Sunday is Kendra's baby shower!!! Yay!!!!!! I am just overjoyed with...joy and anticipation and RELIEF that...it's not quite my marrying time yet!

But I still wish it would come faster!

I highly suggest this book: My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Our engagement picture!
Posted by Hello

Impatient

Day Two of Bible school just ended, and here I am, wanting to pack up my stuff and live elsewhere but I can't because John is sleeping...since he works overnight and has to sleep until four o'clock. Now I'm not the kind of person that likes to drag things out, like moving. I either get it done all in one day or I stop all together. So, I'm struggling right now, because I want to move out...pronto!

Plus, right now is a really good time to move out because John's mother hasn't been here for the past few days and won't be here until tomorrow. I'd like to avoid any further criticisms, opinions, and lectures. It's not that I am avoiding conflict; I just want to cool off for a while before I'm faced with another loooong discussion about how stupid/irresponsible/lazy/inadequate I am. Which of course, I know I am none of those things. Well, sometimes I am those things, but everyone is sometimes. :)

I think I've memorized our Bible verse for the day..."Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." -1 Thessalonians something: something.

I love John. He's more than I ever dreamed of. I have everything I ever wanted, and more, and I've achieved everything I wanted to achieve. I have a wonderful family. But I was brought up a very normal way for me, and John was brought up a very normal way for him. As I grew up, I realized some slight differences in my family, some stuff that makes us weird or whatever. There were even some things that I didn't want people to find out. But I was surrounded by love and acceptance, always. Always. And I never doubted it for a second.

So I'm just wondering, is there a secret to the in-law thing? Is it possible to make in-laws love me instead of see me as a threat or a nuisance or a burden? Because I don't like feeling that way. Sure, I always just thought that being myself was enough. But NEWS FLASH. It's not.

But then at church tonight I realized something. Something I already knew and I realized before, but I just had to be reminded. I don't have to impress anyone. Not one single person. And you know what? I don't give a flying rat's poophole whether or not Cousin Jessie is upset she doesn't get free beer on tap at our wedding. And I don't care if Uncle Sid thinks we're in debt and should live in a trailer and I don't care if Grandpa thinks we should be making more money doing what HE thinks we should do.

Why? Because John and I are responsible adults, believe it or not. And yeah, we will make mistakes. But no more than any normal person has. And I don't have to impress people to make them love me. I have people that love me no matter what I do or say. So if these people want to dislike me their whole lives, that's just fine.
Because in other places, I'm accepted. I like who I am :)

It's just too bad that not every family can be as awesome as mine.

VBS

I've begun decorating my classroom for Vacation Bible School! It's one of those fun things to do that I sort of hate to do. I spent yesterday making sunflowers, a farmer girl, and a road map. My classroom's theme is...Kansas. Yay, Kansas!

Today John's sister, Anna, is helping me paint. It should be interesting...because we have to paint outside and it is HOT. Please, do not ever plan a trip to Florida in the summer. It is M-I-S-E-R-A-B-L-E. Hence the October wedding.

Wow. John and I need a lot of stuff when we move into our house. Like a mower and a microwave. Things that I know I could get from people cheap or free if we lived in Ohio. But we don't. So now we get to buy them. Yippee.

I'm going to put an ad in our church's "Needs News" though and ask for some stuff. Those Christians are pretty giving people. Thank God :)

Where's My Reward?

I think I deserve one after every "annual exam."

Let's talk about birth control. I've decided to try Orthoevra, or "the patch." It is really nifty. Don't worry, I'll keep you updated on how it goes. So far, so good.

John is funny. I guess it's the BS in him. Bachelor of Science, that is. You know, being in the "medical field." He was really fascinated by this patch and had to read all of the information. Me, I just stuck the thing on and that's that.

Well, I marked my calendar and made a schedule, too. Of course. That's me!

Tonight is John's first night on his new job as overnight manager of Target. Hmmm. I hope the boogeyman doesn't come for me.

VERY Nice Things

Wow! My surgery went splendidly and I had no trouble rubbing it in to JR...who had a terrible wisdom teeth experience not long ago. I'm a little bit spacey...it's day 3 now...I've stopped taking the hydrocodine due to its spacing out effects...I'll blame the elipses usage on that...I can't think in complete sentences right now so much. All I know is that this morning it sure felt like I was in a tunnel, where when I breathed in, I was racing backward, and when I breathed out, I was racing forward. And that was the end of my drug usage. I wonder what kind of drug might make a person feel like that...I didn't see any flashing lights or anything, so it must not have been too bad.

I seriously have experienced very little, if no pain at all. Now I am just taking Tylenol because for some reason my teeth don't hurt but my head does...I think I am going through caffeine withdrawal. I'm wondering if maybe I'm allowed to go to the movies. I'm sick of staying in bed. I feel like Charlie's grandparents on that Chocolate Factory movie. You know the one :) But maybe I shouldn't go anywhere because my head does hurt a lot sometimes.

I have been eating a lot. Just a few hours after the surgery I was eating noodles and mashed potatoes. I've been really hungry and I eat till I'm full, but it isn't taking much to fill me up...maybe because I'm not using much energy. Anyway, I've lost about 5 lbs., which I was worried about because when I don't eat for a few days, I drop weight like nothing else. So I think I'm going to eat cookie dough or something. I mean, my final fitting is July 5th, and I have to stay that size till October 29th...and staying at 110 lbs. is a little unrealistic. And hello, I am not Lindsay Lohan. If I'm going to lose weight, I'll do it healthfully, thank you very much.

I'm sorry. I'm rambling.

John and I are moving! That's right. Did I tell you this already? We got a house. Well, now it's for sure. I'll be emailing the address to all of you here in a while.

Nice Things

Sorry I haven't written. I may begin a new blog. Don't worry, I'll give you all the address! Anyway, I haven't written because I've been following that old saying that, as far as I know, came from Thumper's mom, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

But I do have nice things to say, so I will say those!

John and I will begin moving in to our new HOUSE after I recover from my surgery. Yay! It is the cutest house in the world. It's in the Everglades. Really. There's a canal out back with alligators and snakes. Lovely! John is going to have a great time mowing the lawn.

I changed the menu of our reception to something more laid back and barbecue-ish and cut out all the free alcohol. But you can pay for it if you want and hold yourself responsible if you should happen to do anything dumb :)

We ordered the guys' shirts and now we just need the guys' pants! I love the guys' shirts. They are so cool. And soft. And beachy. The guys are going to look so sexy. I am going to have the sexiest wedding party in the universe.

I found a "photographer" (a friend from my church who photographs as a hobby) and all I need now is a DJ and a cake. This wedding stuff is easy peezy Japaneezy.
It's even fun most of the time, but I'm just sick of planning! We should have gotten married over Spring Break. I am now in strong support of very short engagements.

Your Linguistic Profile:

75% General American English

10% Upper Midwestern

10% Yankee

5% Midwestern

0% Dixie

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Hum Dee Dum

Five days until oral surgery...nine days until Bible school prep. And moving just may be right around the corner...

Last Day of School

The kids' last day was today! It was sad. But I didn't cry! Can you believe it? Probably because I've been crying myself to sleep for the past three nights. :)

I'll miss my kids!

Very Important Info!

If you plan on coming to our wedding (October 29th) please consider looking at this website to book your flight: www.flyi.com. Cheapest flights we've found...you can get a round trip flight from Cleveland to Fort Myers for $258. If you find anything cheaper, let me know!