On [a newlywed's observations of how we talk about] Marriage.

That would be me trying to not cry during my vows.

I have identified three stages of general reactions people have to an impending marriage during the engagment period.

1. Initial excitement: Right when you get engaged, people congratulate you. They give high fives and tell you how excited they are for you. This is when they say, "I knew it was meant-to-be."

2. Warnings and doom: After the excitement wears off, well-meaning folks start sharing their own marriage horror stories. This is when they tell you that their husband changed on the honeymoon. Everyone seems to feel it is their duty to remind you that marriage is hard work, as if you weren't aware of the divorce rate of our parent's generation. This is when the barista at the coffee shop looks you straight in the eye and says, "Don't do it."

3. Resolve and well-wishes: Once people realize you are going to go through with the wedding, they give you positive well-wishes hoping you'll beat the odds. "Marriage is actually great," they say with a pat on the back. "We believe in you," seeps from their pursed lips. This is when they say, "Maybe it won't turn out for you the way it did for me."


Then you get married and the reactions are all the same:

YOU GOT MARRIED!!! HOW EXCITING!!!! MARRIAGE IS THE BEST THING EVERRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!! ARE YOU LOVING BEING MARRIED?!??! ISN'T IT SO ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL?!??!



I've only been married a week and two days, so of course it's not horrible and hard yet, but can we please be consistent when we talk about marriage? Can we recognize that it is hard, while still acknowledging that it is awesome and fun? Maybe we can learn from each other's experiences, without comparing and keeping score.

On [making our own] Colorful Throwing Rice.

During the wedding planning process, I stumbled upon and fell in love with an idea to throw sprinkles for the big post-reception getaway rather than rice, bird seed, bubbles, or sparklers. After reading reviews of said idea though, I became concerned about the sugary beads melting on people's hands, and clothes. I also found the bulk prices for sprinkles to be outrageous.

Then I found this post, where Stacy used food coloring and rubbing alcohol to dye rice rainbow colors for a toddler sensory bin. I don't have toddlers, but I definitely have use for colored rice!

The fun colors were what I loved about the sprinkles idea, so we decided we could make our own colored "sprinkles" for the price of rice (really cheap!).

Step 1: Measure out 2 cups of rice. (We only had white and brown rice mixed together, so we used that. White rice would probably make more vibrant colors, but our mixture actually made a fun gradient/ombre look.)

Step 2: Pour rice into a gallon size zip-lock bag. Add 4 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol and 1/2 tablespoon of desired food coloring. Zip baggie.


Step 3: Squish contents all around until color is evenly distributed.

Step 4: Pour the rice onto cookie sheets. Spread around using a spoon or spatula.

Step 5: Lay rice out in some sunshine for a few hours.

Step 6: Repeat steps 1-5 for each color you desire to include. When all rice is dry, mix all colors together in a large bowl.

Step 7: Cut squares of tulle (I got a roll of 80 yards at the Dollar Tree). Place a small handful of mixed rice in the tulle.

Step 8: Tie with a ribbon.

Expenses:

4 cups rice..............................................free (from our pantry)
Food coloring.........................................free (also in pantry)
8 T rubbing alcohol................................free (bathroom  cabinet)
One roll of tulle.......................................$1 (dollar tree)
Ribbon....................................................$2 (dollar tree)

total.........................................................$3

On [not having time for] High Five for Friday.

There was no way to fit in a High Five for Friday last week. It was overflowing and full from beginning to end, which is good since it makes the days leading up to the wedding go faster and faster.

Since we've last talked:

Saturday: we did our final walk-through at our venue.

Sunday: I drove to the coast to spend the day with Adam. After church we attended the children's theatre production of The Music Man Jr. that one of our youth group students was performing in. Then we tackled more "nesting" projects, like hanging this fabulous light fixture my mom and sister found at a Goodwill.

Adam channeled his inner-Jamie Oliver and made us a fabulous dinner spread. During the grocery shopping for this dinner, we scored petite sirloin for 3.99/lb., but failed to find any salted lemons. I'd never heard of salted lemons, but Adam and I decided they will be all the rage in the hipster cooking community in less than a year.

Our first meal together in our first little home.

On Monday and Tuesday we went to our fellowship's district council, where I saw lots of people and pastors I'd known as a kid. However, what I really must tell you is how we stumbled upon some salted lemons (imported from Egypt!!!) at a tiny mediterranean market! The man was so friendly and wanted us to stay there for hours and sample ALL THE THINGS! We needed to go, but indulged him in trying some Syrian spices and purchasing said salted lemons.

via

On Thursday, we had our weekly pre-marital counseling session in Portland, followed by DATE NIGHT! It was my turn to plan, so we ate at a food cart pavilion and then took a roller dancing class. Neither of us broke any bones, so let's consider that a success!

Friday and Saturday were filled to the brim with taking our youth group to Acquire the Fire. I've probably never felt so old in my life, especially when I could hardly stay awake playing Apples to Apples at 11:30 p.m. We introduced the students to awesome things in Eugene like Off the Waffle and Voodoo Doughnut. During one dinner break we all played Lazertag, where Adam got to see a new warrior-side of me he had never fully experienced.

Sunday I slept and slept and recovered from the crazy week, with lots of resting breaks to work on more wedding stuff, which is what the last two days have also been full of: wedding, wedding, weddddddinggggggg.

We're at 17 days to go, and I'm SO READY! The centerpieces are done, the programs are ordered, I have my dress, so LET'S DO THIS THING!