It happens in a blink

The Melting Pot entree

I am slowly finding out that blogging may not be for me. I am not too articulate and, quite frankly, I live a very uneventful life that doesn’t seem to get my creative juices flowing. I also haven’t discovered a true theme like parenting, fashion, organization, interior design or anything else for that matter to focus on.

However, I did take part in a very special day this past week.

August 15 was mine and my husband’s 2 year wedding anniversary. Now let me tell you, the second year of our marriage was mentally and emotionally difficult and required a day of celebration. You hear the comment all the time that “the first year is the hardest.” That could not have been further from the truth for us. Our first year was exceptionally blissful. I wouldn't go as far as to say we were on a “honeymoon” for the entire year but we got our groove together rather quickly, and melding our two, very different lives into one wasn’t as difficult as we expected. Our second year of marriage on the other hand was rough.  We didn’t see each other much and were emotionally being tested.

I can’t discount the milestones we hit in our second year. My husband transferred to a 4-year university from the community college and finished his first year there. We joined a young-married’s small group at church and we paid off my student-loan from grad school.

What we lacked more than anything our second year, was time – time together.  We took various small trips our first year of marriage but our second year…well, I can count all our out-of-the-apartment dates on one hand. Time was not our friend last year. So needless to say, we were happy to celebrate 2 years of marriage, but we were more excited to welcome the third year in properly.

So August 15, 2012, what did we do? We went on a date! An all-day-date. A wonderful date. A much needed date.

I didn’t plan anything…well not right up front anyway. I had given my husband complete control over our anniversary. I tried not to have any expectations; it is not very often he will plan a special occasion for us.  

We both took August 15^th off from work and got to sleep in. Sleep in on a Wednesday! That is unheard of in our home – it was marvelous (granted, sleeping in for us is 7:45a.m). We slowly woke up watching Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part II and my husband made us breakfast.  Afterwards he helped me work on a job application (that I needed to finish up and mail that day while we were out) by reviewing my answers to the supplemental questions that were required.  How sweet right!?! However, not very romantic (that’s okay, we aren’t the mushy gushy type). 

After the third or fourth review we headed to the Post Office on our way to the movie theater to watch the Bourne Legacy. I personally thought it was a good movie, granted, I am not very picky about movies. Hubbs had a different opinion.

We left the dark and cold movie theater and headed on down to CSU Sacramento to pay his fall semester’s tuition. Happy Anniversary to us – here is $4,000 state of California. However, that was off our chests and off my to-do list, so we could head out to the Aquatic Center and really enjoy ourselves.

My husband had planned that we would go stand-up paddle boarding because I have been commenting incessantly that I would like to try it. Well we get to the Sac State Aquatic Center and all the paddle boards were rented out. Bum deal. However, we don’t let it dampen our mood and we snag a tandem kayak instead. We weren’t out on the water too long but enjoyed the serenity and time with each other all the same.

We finally returned our rental, jumped in the car and headed home to get cleaned up for dinner. I was so EXCITED for dinner. Hubbs had originally planned for us to go P.F. Changs; we both enjoy the food there and don’t go very often. However, on our way to the aquatic center my husband had made the comment that he would like to try somewhere new and quickly suggested The Melting Pot, I called Verizon 411 and made us reservations for 7 pm.

Now, neither of us had ever been to The Melting Pot but have been saying for the past year that we would like to go. Well we did.  The Melting Pot may be a new favorite restaurant of ours. We got a four-course meal (priced per couple) and ate to our heart’s content. All I can say is the idea behind the Melting Pot is ingenious! The entrée and dessert were by far the best courses.

For the entrée they bring out a variety of raw meats and vegetables and various dips as well as a pot with whatever cooking oils, wines, or beers that you chose. You skewer the meat of your choice, place it in the very hot pot, full of liquid and it cooks your meat for a determined amount of time (told to you by your server).  Then, after your meat is cooked, you have 6 different dips to choose from. Delectable!

Now, by the end of our third course I was starting to feel my waistline expand, however, The Melting Pot is well known for its desserts and I wasn’t going to let a bulging belly get in my way!

Mmmmmm, mmmm! Dessert was fantastic! You choose which chocolate mix you would like melted in your pot and then the server brings out a plethora of sweet treats that would have been just fine by themselves. So as you look at the fresh strawberries, marshmallows, brownies, cheesecake, angel food cake and rice crispy treats you can’t help but start to drool.

So needless to say we went home very happy and very full and very ready for what God has in store for us this next year.

Thank you sweetheart for a wonderful two-year anniversary celebration and I look forward to many more in the future, I love you!

Worthy

Photo from: http://purelyholisticlondon.wordpress.com/2012/01/19/power-full-quote-worthiness/

I cannot rave enough about my students in this summer’s Life and Career Planning class. They were fantastic! The students exceeded my expectations. Work was done thoughtfully, effort and time were obviously taken in completing the assignments and I was sad to see them go. I have also never had such an appreciative group of students. The final day of class, as everyone was dismissed, many students stayed behind to say goodbye and thank you, give me a hug or shake my hand.

Let me tell you, as a teacher, a thank you goes a lllooonnnggg way. Us teachers like to feel appreciated and know we made an impact and getting that verbal affirmation does wonders in lifting an instructor’s spirits.  

I've been kinda down-and-out and my students, without meaning to (which is really the most awesome way anyway) encouraged me and gave me the confidence I have been lacking.

Right after the students' presentations (which really did last the entire 3 hours of our final class session!), I went home and jumped in the car with my hunny to head to church. Bayside Church is doing a special “Summer Splash” series - teaching various introductory classes revolving around large and important topics. Anyway, while my husband and I were listening to Pastor Al Soto, Co-Pastor of Bayside of Lincoln, he said something that brought tears to my eyes because I knew God was talking to me through him. Al Soto recited Ephesians 2:10. Now, I have Ephesians 2:8-9 memorized, I have since the 3^rd grade when I was in AWANAS. Even though 2:8-9 are written on my heart, I should not have stopped at verse 9. Verse 10 is what I have been desperately craving to hear, it reads: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).”

Yesterday was a day of encouragement, a day I have been needing for months and it could not have come at a better time. Why do I let forces of evil come into my mind and produce self-doubt and insecurity? I am worthy because God made me to worship him. This awe-inspiring, magnificent, mysterious and holy being chose to make me the way I am. How can I doubt my value, a value that was given to me by the creator of the universe?

So thank you to my Summer 2012 class of HCD 330: Life and Career Planning, for one of the best semesters I have ever had! And thank you Dear Jesus for reminding me through your servant, Pastor Al Soto that I am worthy!