Contact your spouse sometime during the business of the day. Have no agenda other than asking how he or she is doing and if there is anything you could do for them.
"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you."
- Philippians 1:3
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Andrea's Love Dare~Day 3
This challenge was really hard for me. Tyler and I have moved twice in the last year, not just to different houses, but to different cities. I used to support us by working full time while he went to school full time. I gave up my good job here in Mesa, AZ to move up to Flagstaff so my husband could attend Northern Arizona University. We didn't know it at the time, but that 6 months ended up being one of the greatest, but most difficult times of our lives. We found out just a few weeks after moving up that I was 5 weeks pregnant, and due sometime in early 2012. We had just moved into a TINY one bedroom apartment, and were trying to figure out how we could possibly work out living there with a baby. We did not want to live anywhere else, because we had an absolutely wonderful landlord, who kept the cost of living down, and helped his tenants any way he could. Despite the fact that we had the cheapest rent in Flagstaff, it was still $125 more than we used to spend for rent in Mesa. The cost of living in Flagstaff is very high compared to many places in Arizona. So, after we got up there I started applying for dental assisting jobs like crazy! Every office I could find, I applied at. Meanwhile, my husband applied at retail stores just across the street, hoping he could get something part time. He started working odd jobs with our friend, but it was not steady work, just enough to help out a little bit (my parents started paying for our living expenses, because what we had saved went to our first month's rent, deposit, and stuff like that). I kept applying for jobs like crazy, and thought on several different occasions that I had gotten a job at a good office, with a nice dentist. But then, my so called, "morning sickness" struck, and it was horrible! I was not sick in the morning; I was sick ALL DAY LONG! And I was not only nauseous, I immediately threw up after everything I ate. I lost 15 pounds, and had virtually no energy. I could barely move, let alone try to find and interview for jobs. After several weeks of that I started feeling better, and I got a call from Oasis Dental! I just knew this was our big break. It had been a few months since we moved up, and I was so tired of not doing anything. I interviewed at the office, and got hired on full time. We calculated it, and figured, with Tyler's school grants, we would be able to put away pretty much every other paycheck until the baby came! That would give us at least a few thousand dollars to get by for a little while after she came. The job was great. I trained for two weeks, and it was a busy, fun environment. But after training the office slowed tremendously! I ended up being on an "on call" basis, and if I was lucky I got 15 hours a pay period. That was not enough to live on, let alone save. Tyler kept applying for jobs, but it's a college town, and they have thousands of people to choose from. He got a lot of calls from places, but they didn't like his schedule so he didn't get hired.
After about 4 months in Flagstaff we made a very hard decision. We decided to move back to Mesa at the end of the semester, so we could be around family. So in December of last year we moved back, and into Tyler's grandma's house, who had passed away earlier in the year. We started looking for jobs again, but I was almost 7 months pregnant at this point, and Tyler had already made his school schedule, because he was starting school just a couple of weeks after we moved down. So once again, he was trying to find a job that would work around his school schedule, instead of vise versa. I gave birth to Millie on Tyler's birthday 2/29, and that was wonderful, but taking care of her made it impossible for me to look for a job. Tyler finally got hired at a new/used sporting goods store, but he doesn't start until the week after next.
Sorry, this is like a novel, but the point of my very long story is that, we have been through A LOT in the past year, and have not been able to catch a break financially. We have virtually no money in the bank, and I try to be as frugal as possible. So anything I got was going to be a sacrifice for me. I ended up stopping and getting him a Dr. Pepper on my way home from my cousin's house. This may not seem like a big, or thoughtful gift, but he LOVES Dr. Pepper, and had been working on the yard for a few hours. I knew he would be hot and tired, and I figured he could use a little pick-me-up. He was grateful to me, for thinking of him even though I had been gone almost all day.
So that was my love dare. I'm sorry for all the history, I just kind of wanted to paint a picture of the depth of our financial hardships in the last year, so you would understand why a Dr. Pepper was a big deal! I hope your Day 3 went well also!
After about 4 months in Flagstaff we made a very hard decision. We decided to move back to Mesa at the end of the semester, so we could be around family. So in December of last year we moved back, and into Tyler's grandma's house, who had passed away earlier in the year. We started looking for jobs again, but I was almost 7 months pregnant at this point, and Tyler had already made his school schedule, because he was starting school just a couple of weeks after we moved down. So once again, he was trying to find a job that would work around his school schedule, instead of vise versa. I gave birth to Millie on Tyler's birthday 2/29, and that was wonderful, but taking care of her made it impossible for me to look for a job. Tyler finally got hired at a new/used sporting goods store, but he doesn't start until the week after next.
Sorry, this is like a novel, but the point of my very long story is that, we have been through A LOT in the past year, and have not been able to catch a break financially. We have virtually no money in the bank, and I try to be as frugal as possible. So anything I got was going to be a sacrifice for me. I ended up stopping and getting him a Dr. Pepper on my way home from my cousin's house. This may not seem like a big, or thoughtful gift, but he LOVES Dr. Pepper, and had been working on the yard for a few hours. I knew he would be hot and tired, and I figured he could use a little pick-me-up. He was grateful to me, for thinking of him even though I had been gone almost all day.
So that was my love dare. I'm sorry for all the history, I just kind of wanted to paint a picture of the depth of our financial hardships in the last year, so you would understand why a Dr. Pepper was a big deal! I hope your Day 3 went well also!
Kellsi's Love Dare - Day 3
So, today's challenge is something that can prove to be a little difficult for both Ryan and I. Not that we WANT other things to become more important than each other, but, right now, we're at a place in our life where money is a little hard to come by and we don't have any of it to spend on each other....He works hard to make what he does to that we can pay our bills and not have to worry about being late on our payments, and I am trying to save money for my cosmetology business so that I can get everything I need, advertise, and eventually make us some more income! Especially since Ryan will be returning to school in 2 1/2 weeks and will go from working 35/40 hours a week to 20 or less! That's a big deal for us considering the fact that even with him working full time it barely gives us enough to get by!
Anyway, since I spent money to get him lunch the day before yesterday, we didn't have any extra for me to go get him a gift like this dare asks us to....Instead, I decided to clean the entire house for him. Yeah, I know, big deal because I do it often, but, I know he really enjoys coming home to a clean house, keeps him (and me) from getting stressed out...Oh, AND I made him dinner (even though I'd already eaten and put Scarlet to bed, because he got home from work after 9pm)...
Tonight was nice (well, last night lol) because with our nightly scripture study, we ended up having a long discussion about different things in the church, etc. I was able to learn a lot of things from him that I not only never knew about, but, didnt realize HE did! I like that I got to pick his brain for a little while and learn something new from him...Having discussion isn't something we normally do, we usually read our scriptures, say our prayers, and then that's it for us, no discussion or anything further.
So, I think that love dare #3 was a success :)
Anyway, since I spent money to get him lunch the day before yesterday, we didn't have any extra for me to go get him a gift like this dare asks us to....Instead, I decided to clean the entire house for him. Yeah, I know, big deal because I do it often, but, I know he really enjoys coming home to a clean house, keeps him (and me) from getting stressed out...Oh, AND I made him dinner (even though I'd already eaten and put Scarlet to bed, because he got home from work after 9pm)...
Tonight was nice (well, last night lol) because with our nightly scripture study, we ended up having a long discussion about different things in the church, etc. I was able to learn a lot of things from him that I not only never knew about, but, didnt realize HE did! I like that I got to pick his brain for a little while and learn something new from him...Having discussion isn't something we normally do, we usually read our scriptures, say our prayers, and then that's it for us, no discussion or anything further.
So, I think that love dare #3 was a success :)
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Love Dare Challenge - Day 3
Whatever you put your time, energy, and money into will become more important to you. It's hard to care for something you are not investing in. Along with restraining from negative comments, buy your spouse something that says, "I was thinking of you today."
"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."
- James 3:16
"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."
- James 3:16
Kellsi's Love Dare - Day 2
Sorry, I know this post is a day late, but, instead of taking the time to get online and post last night, Ryan and I cuddled on the couch and watched Bones together (it's one of our favorite shows lol), which was nice because we don't get cuddle time that often due to the fact that he's gone almost all day every day between school (not yet) work (he's working full time right now until school and then he'll work part time) and training for the soccer season! So, he doesn't usually get home until late (yesterday he was gone from 9 to 8 so I only got about 2 hours with him because his morning hours were spent working out lol)....
But anyway, I was proud of myself yesterday because I ended up doing the 2nd love dare without even realizing that I had until I got home and found the app to read it lol. I had been going around town running errands with Scarlet and decided I'd stop by the grocery store next to Ryan's work (he works at CVS Pharmacy as a pharmacy tech) and pick him up some lunch (bbq pulled pork sandwiches and powerade? umm yes! lol)...We then went and delivered it to him and thinking about it makes me smile because the look on his face when he saw us was priceless. A big grin from ear to ear....Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside because you know those kinds of smiles are genuine!
When he got home from work and soccer last night he told me how much he appreciated that I brought him lunch and came to visit him and he said that it was the highlight of his day...
Here's something else that has already changed drastically....First of all, yesterday I had every intention of cleaning the whole house, doing all the laundry and dishes and picking up all the toys and stuff in the living room, well, due to Scarlet deciding she just wanted mommy to play with her yesterday more than she wanted to play by herself, I was only able to get the laundry done so by the time Ryan got home, the kitchen and living room were still a mess....In the past, if this same thing happened, Ryan would be a little put off to come home to an untidy house..He'd never get mad at me for not cleaning, but, he'd continue to comment on house messy our house was until either he or I finally cleaned it up...I'd end up feeling bad and like a bad wife because I wasn't able to take care of the baby AND get everything done while he was working to support us (again, he wouldn't directly come out and say "Kellsi, why didn't you clean?" or anything like that so don't think I'm saying he was putting all the blame on me lol)...Well, last night, I apologized to him for not having things done in the kitchen and living room and he just hugged me and said, "That's ok babe, I know you tried."...I can't begin to describe the feelings that gives me...I think that's one of the sweetest sentences a wife and mother could hear from her husband!
I'm so grateful that Andrea (and all of you reading this who are joining in!) and I decided to do this love dare challenge. In just two days it has brought a sort of peace in our relationship and even in our home. I've noticed myself not only being patient with my husband, but I am a LOT more patient with Scarlet (not that I'm ever impatient with her, because she's a sweet little baby, but sometimes I can get frustrated when I don't know what she needs) and especially with our dogs Suka and Ella! There has been a lot less stress for me and it's nice!
But anyway, I was proud of myself yesterday because I ended up doing the 2nd love dare without even realizing that I had until I got home and found the app to read it lol. I had been going around town running errands with Scarlet and decided I'd stop by the grocery store next to Ryan's work (he works at CVS Pharmacy as a pharmacy tech) and pick him up some lunch (bbq pulled pork sandwiches and powerade? umm yes! lol)...We then went and delivered it to him and thinking about it makes me smile because the look on his face when he saw us was priceless. A big grin from ear to ear....Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside because you know those kinds of smiles are genuine!
When he got home from work and soccer last night he told me how much he appreciated that I brought him lunch and came to visit him and he said that it was the highlight of his day...
Here's something else that has already changed drastically....First of all, yesterday I had every intention of cleaning the whole house, doing all the laundry and dishes and picking up all the toys and stuff in the living room, well, due to Scarlet deciding she just wanted mommy to play with her yesterday more than she wanted to play by herself, I was only able to get the laundry done so by the time Ryan got home, the kitchen and living room were still a mess....In the past, if this same thing happened, Ryan would be a little put off to come home to an untidy house..He'd never get mad at me for not cleaning, but, he'd continue to comment on house messy our house was until either he or I finally cleaned it up...I'd end up feeling bad and like a bad wife because I wasn't able to take care of the baby AND get everything done while he was working to support us (again, he wouldn't directly come out and say "Kellsi, why didn't you clean?" or anything like that so don't think I'm saying he was putting all the blame on me lol)...Well, last night, I apologized to him for not having things done in the kitchen and living room and he just hugged me and said, "That's ok babe, I know you tried."...I can't begin to describe the feelings that gives me...I think that's one of the sweetest sentences a wife and mother could hear from her husband!
I'm so grateful that Andrea (and all of you reading this who are joining in!) and I decided to do this love dare challenge. In just two days it has brought a sort of peace in our relationship and even in our home. I've noticed myself not only being patient with my husband, but I am a LOT more patient with Scarlet (not that I'm ever impatient with her, because she's a sweet little baby, but sometimes I can get frustrated when I don't know what she needs) and especially with our dogs Suka and Ella! There has been a lot less stress for me and it's nice!
Andrea's Love Dare ~ Day 2
Today was another good day. I made the hubby a pancake breakfast with sausage. I know he appreciated it, because he had been craving them, and asking me to make them for over a week. I spent the whole night with him, and really tried not to be negative in any way. I am enjoying this new attitude! I think I'm usually a pretty positive, optimistic person, but putting a lot of emphasis on not saying anything negative, and being patient has brought with it a new kind of happiness and joy! I can feel a better spirit in our home, and I think Tyler can too.
Alright. I'm sorry about the short post, but it's late and I better go to bed before Millie wakes up in a few hours. I hope you've enjoyed doing something nice for your spouse today as much as I did!
Alright. I'm sorry about the short post, but it's late and I better go to bed before Millie wakes up in a few hours. I hope you've enjoyed doing something nice for your spouse today as much as I did!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Love Dare Challenge - Day 2
In addition to saying nothing negative to your spouse again today, do at least one unexpected gesture as an act of kindness.
"The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar."
- Proverbs 19:22
"The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar."
- Proverbs 19:22
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