Day 28: Our Wedding

Bryann and I were married 6 months ago today.  We had such an amazing wedding...  (Thank you, again, Mom & Dad...)  I'm so thankful we were able to have a real wedding with all of our friends and family- like with a wedding dress and a ceremony, and a reception with dinner and cake and dancing.  Weddings have become this crazy multi-billion dollar industry and what used to be a celebration with a few friends and family has turned into a completely crazy affair.  Apparently the average wedding in the US costs $27,000.  I found that extremely hard to believe before I started planning my own wedding, but with what the structure and sequence of a typical modern wedding event (catering, food/alcohol, photography, music, rentals, transportation, cake) it's not hard to spend $27,000.  

We managed to throw our wedding for less than half the national average.  We made our money stretch and threw an awesome wedding!  We didn't want for anything, and we had one of the best nights of our lives!  We both had so much fun, and we still receive compliments from friends and family friends about what a great time they had.  I'm so thankful for that day.  

Day 27: My parents

Can I mention my parents again?  :-P

They've been really helpful all weekend.  Dad has helped Bryann finish the molding on the floors and put lights up on the house.  Mom has been helping me do laundry all day.  They are awesome.  :-D

Day 26: My Grandma

My grandma is 90 years old and going strong. She's led a pretty incredible life and has some amazing stories to tell.  The periodical at her retirement community has asked her to write a few stories about life during the war as part of their segment on WWII, but she's been working on writing out her life story anyway.  I feel like every time I visit with her, I hear a new story.  I'm thankful to still have her around to tell them.

Day 25: The Handymen in my Life

Between Bryann and my Dad, I don't ever have to call a professional to fix or set up anything.  Dad fixes the car stuff, Bryann fixes the technology stuff, and they both help each other fix the house stuff!  I'm pretty lucky to have two extremely capable and fix-it savvy men in my life!

Day 24: Thanksgiving

I love this holiday.  I love getting together with family and friends and spending an entire day cooking, and eating, and enjoying the company of my loved ones.

I love hosting Thanksgiving dinner.  After Bryann and I bought our house last year, my family declared that we host Thanksgiving for the rest of time.  Mostly because I think my family is tired of hosting after all these years, but also maybe because they know how much I like hosting people at my home.

Table is all set

 Ready to eat!

 Scouring the Black Friday ads

 Adam and Mom

Grandma with her Grandpuppy, Poppy

Day 23 part 2: My Aunt Reezy

Reezy should have come first, because she's way cooler than a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer, but I wanted to save the best for last! 

Reezy is my favorite aunt, and I'm so glad to live so close to her.  She was nice enough to let me live with her twice - once during a summer in college, and once when I returned from Ecuador and didn't have a place to live yet - and it wasn't quite like living with my parents, but it wasn't crazy irresponsible like living with college friends.  Reezy is just the right mix of family and friend.  I can talk to her about anything, and have fun with her.  We have tea parties, go on movie dates, and have wreath-making parties just before Christmas.

I'm thankful to have such an awesome aunt!  Looking forward to hosting you (again) tomorrow!   

Day 23: My New Kitchenaid Stand Mixer!

Bryann and Adam got this for me for Christmas.  I'm in super love!  I got to use mom's last year at Thanksgiving and I'm pretty excited to have one of my very own! Mashed potatoes, cookies, and pies, watch out!! 

Day 22: Long Walks

Sometimes I get all worked up about silly things, and I find that a long walk always helps calm me down and sooth my mind.  The other night, I needed to go for a walk at like 9:30 at night.  Bryann bundled up and came with me, amazing husband that he is, and talked me down off my ledge.  But it's comforting to know that no matter what is troubling me, a nice long walk will always take the edge off. 

Day 21: Memory Foam

Our queen bed is on the verge of needing a replacement.  We think we want a king bed next, but we don't really have the cash right now to buy a new bed, let alone a new bed, new bed frame, new sheets, and a new comforter to fit the king bed.

So in a fit of desperation, we bought a memory foam pad from Costco to try to salvage our bed for another year or two.  It is AMAZING!  And we splurged and bought some memory foam pillows, too.  My back doesn't hurt so much in the mornings.  I can still feel the dip in the middle of the bed, but it's not so obvious.  I actually find excuses to go back into the bedroom during the afternoon and lay in bed, just to feel it's coziness surrounding me. 

Though my new-found comfort isn't helping me want to get out of bed in the mornings... 

Day 20: Fall Trees

I'm thankful for this tree in front of my house, in particular.  It takes up almost the entire view outside of my living room windows.

Isn't it beautiful? 

Day 19: Lazy Saturdays

This is my favorite kind of day - and just the type of day I need every once in awhile.  We got up around 9 this morning, I made some tea, and we had a few hours of couch time.  Then we took Sam for a walk, made waffles topped with Nutella and banana, and had a few more hours of couch time.  Then I had a classmate over to work on a take-home exam, and now I'm back for some more couch time.  

I have been in pajamas all day long, and I don't plan on putting on real clothes.   

I love lazy Saturdays.   

Day 18: My New Roommate!

John Boyer is moving in for a few weeks/months.  We're not really sure of the timeline, but we're excited to have him!  John is super fun to hang out with, is an extremely considerate person, and the extra rent money will help pay off those pesky loans!


I cleaned out the guest room, emptied the closet, took down all of the family photos, and even emptied out the 2nd bathroom so he could have a nook of his own.

I even made him an awesome sign for his new room...

Sorry mom and dad, we're putting you up on the air mattress in the office (more commonly known as Bryann's game room) when you come next week.  But I'll make sure it's JUST as comfortable as the futon bed!  :-)

Day 17: My students

I've got some awesome students at my school.  Most of the students have been at our school for more than just this year, so it's been really nice to be able to build relationships with them and watch them grow and learn and mature.  I have a few students who've been here for 3 years, plus the summer school classes I taught for two years prior to that! 

There's always a few students who are not my favorites ever, but most of the students I work with are completely awesome, and I'm thankful for them! 

Day 16: Never having been sued

As I mentioned yesterday, I was called to serve for jury duty.  I was selected for a civil case and heard a trial yesterday afternoon and this morning.  I'm thankful I have never been sued.  I'm thankful Bryann has never been sued.  I guess I have some pretty strong opinions on when it is and is not appropriate to sue someone...  Apparently it is ridiculously easy to sue someone, and I'm thankful it has not happened to me, my husband, any of my friends, or my family...

I hope it stays that way.

Day 15: Public Transportation

I was called to serve for Jury Duty today and, rather than drive downtown and pay for parking all day, I took the bus.  I walked two blocks to the bus stop, read my book for the half-hour ride, and walked two blocks to the courthouse from the final bus stop.  No transfers, no fighting traffic, or searching for a spot or garage downtown.  Just an easy, care-free ride.

Thanks Tri-Met!  And thankful again, for our home.  It's so easy to take public transportation.

Day 14: This time in my life

This one is a bit of a double edged sword.  I'm thankful to be in my late 20's.  I have my entire life ahead of me.  I am married to a great guy, I have a good job, I have great friends, and my life is pretty care-free.  I can, for the most part, pick up and go on vacation whenever I feel like it, I can go out with friends whenever I want, I can take my career in whatever direction I so choose.

On the other side, this time in my life completely terrifies me.  The Summer Day by Mary Oliver is a poem that I read a long, long time ago, and the very last two lines go "Tell me, what is it you plan to do/ with your one wild and precious life."  Am I doing enough?  Am I striving for enough?  Am I going to reach the end of my life and wish I could go back and fill it with more people?  More love?  More adventure? 

I feel like I'm at a very precarious point in my life.  I don't have any regrets so far...  The last 28 (almost 29...eek!) years have been pretty awesome.  I've traveled, I've learned, I've worked, I've loved.  I've done some things I'm not particularly proud of, but then we're back to the part where I've learned. 

What happens next?  What if we have kids too early and we regret not doing more single-people stuff?  What if we can't have kids at all?  What if I make the wrong career move and end up miserable?  What if I don't do enough to cultivate my friendships or my marriage? 

I actually had to go to therapy in college because I was completely terrified of my future and became paralyzed with indecision.  My therapist said HANDS-DOWN the most helpful thing anyone has ever said to me.  She said no matter what decisions I made, there was nothing in life I couldn't bounce back from.  No mistake was so grave that I couldn't rebound from, except for murder and heroine addiction. 

So I remain thankful for this time in my life.  I continue to ask myself, what will I do with this one wild and precious life?  I'm so young still that I can do anything.  Hopefully I will always remember to live life to its fullest, because I may not get a second chance at it. 

Day 13: Wine & Dine

My friends, the Schlyper's, hosted Wine & Dine last night and we, as always, had an amazing time.

I started the Wine & Dine club over two years ago and it is still up and running and going strong.  I imitated the club after the one my parents are in.  We all get together once a month, and sample wines and have a pot-luck style dinner party.  Sometimes it's extravagant and themed, sometimes it's just an excuse to get together and eat and drink.  But it's always a blast and I'm so thankful that my friends and fellow club-members are still keeping it going!

It's pretty much the best way to spend a Saturday night.

Day 12: My Education

This is kind of a thank-you to my parents all over again.  I was taught that education was the one thing that could never be taken away from you.  Education is the greatest tool there is - whether it's for improving oneself, or for freeing a people from an unjust ruler.

So I'm thankful that I'm an educated person.  That my parents raised me to value education, and that through education, I was given the tools to improve myself, or to improve my situation in life.

Day 11: Portland

Portland is an awesome city.  It's like baby bear.  It's not too big, it's not too small.  It fits just right.  It's a beautiful city with 3 distinct seasons - sometimes 4 if it decides to snow in the winter.  It's close to the ocean and to the mountains.  There are tons of interesting cultures and people.  Lots of things to do and see.  Places to hike, places to relax, and all the micro-brew that anyone could ever ask for!

I love living here and I'm fairly certain that we'll never leave - at least for the foreseeable future.

Day 10: Dave Ramsey

I figured that since I've been thankful for the existence of other people in my life, it's not TOO far a leap to be thankful for someone I have no relationship or contact with.  :-)

Dave Ramsey, for those who are unfamiliar with him, is a financial self-help author/radio personality/motivational speaker.  His book Total Money Makeover and his radio show have changed our lives and our financial future.  I'm thankful for the work that he is doing and the message he is sending.  Read Bryann's blog Oregon Trail to Debt Freedom to learn more about our financial adventure.

The short of it is that if my friend Jeff hadn't introduced me to Dave Ramsey's podcast, I would never have picked up his book.  If I hadn't picked up his book, I may not have realized that we didn't have to just "live with" and "deal with" our debt for the next 30 years of our lives.  And if Bryann hadn't read his book, he may not have realized that his spending habits and his attitude towards money and debt could really get us into financial trouble some day.

Now we are both on the same page.  We completely agree about money, we monitor our spending each month, we stick to a budget, and we are well on our way to becoming debt-free.

So yeah, I'm thankful for a person that I've never met and who has no knowledge of my existence.  His views and teaching about money and debt have changed our lives and have helped us pave the way for a more secure future.   

Day 9: Our Jobs

In this economy, I think it's appropriate to be thankful that we both have jobs that are fairly secure.  There were a few months last winter when I was worried about Bryann's employment.  His hours at his previous job got cut, so his health insurance got cut.  We weren't sure what we would do if something happened to him since we weren't married yet and I couldn't add him to my health insurance plan.  But he searched diligently and found a great job working as a Chemist/Marketing Rep.  

And education funding keeps getting cut, and young teachers keep getting cut so I know how cherished my job is.  It's not my DREAM job, but I'm happy working there for the most part.  I was really unhappy during my first year there, but the climate of the school has shifted, and things are a lot better now.  I am also essentially the entire Math department at the school, and I work with an almost entirely special education population, and those two things will look brilliant on a resume when I decide to move on.  

But I'm thankful that we are both gainfully employed and neither of us has cause to worry about being cut or laid off.  

Day 8: My Friends

My friends are the best.  My friends are essentially my family.  We all see each other at least once a week, and we've known each other for anywhere between a year to 10 years.  When I brought Bryann into my group of friends, they all became friends with him.  I'm thankful for those relationships that formed more than 7 years ago.  I know many people can't stand their friends' significant others (no one in my group of friends is currently in that situation, but I know it happens.)

My friends are also all amazing people, too.  They are all incredibly thoughtful, caring, and generous individuals.  We can always count on their help, whether we need a ride to the airport, or need help moving, our friends always offer helping hands.  They are there for us in times of joy and in times of sorrow.  They are true friends, and we're so lucky to have them in our lives!

Day 7: My Brother

My brother, Adam, and I are actually good friends.  I'm thankful I have that relationship with him.  I thankful I have a brother at all!  I know a lot of people don't have good relationships with their siblings, and I'm thankful my brother and I are close.

Adam is even close friends with Bryann.  He comes over several times a month and they disappear into the back room to play board games.  I'm thankful that they are friends, and have a good relationship, too.  Again, I know a lot of people don't necessarily get along with their in-laws, and I'm thankful that our respective families get along so well with each other.

Adam, you rock!

Day 6: Bryann's Mom

Bryann's mom, Cherie, also gets a big Thank You!

Bryann and I are a lot alike.  We come from very different types of families, but we were both essentially raised the same way.  Cherie did an amazing job raising Bryann.  She put him in every sport imaginable, she expected the best from him, and she raised him to be a strong, generous, and genuinely good human being.

Thanks, Cherie!  He turned out splendidly!

Day 5: My Parents

I often marvel at how my parents raised such amazing children... Not to brag or anything, but I think I turned out pretty well.  I'm responsible, educated, employed, and self-sufficient.  The most trouble I've ever been in was in 8th grade when I got caught shop lifting, and got drunk off tequila at a friends house.  Not surprisingly, both incidents were with the same friend, and we didn't stay friends for very long...

My parents encouraged me to explore the things that interested me, told me I could be anything or do anything I set my mind to.  They let me play five different sports throughout my years in school, let me try out two different instruments, and let me sing in choir.  They never MADE me do anything (except clean my room.)  They only encouraged me to pursue the activities I wanted to.

They taught me the importance of education.  They made sure I did my homework, that I could spell and use grammar correctly, that I stuck with the math until I understood.  I never even considered not trying to do well in school because education became important to me as well.  Somehow, they instilled intrinsic motivation in me.

They were strict with me and punished me appropriately when I deserved it, and they showered me with love always.  They took me on awesome vacations, and whether we were off in the motor home, camping, sailing, or skiing, we always had a great time and I wouldn't trade those memories for anything.

They've always been supportive, and they only want me to be happy.  I love hanging out with them, I look forward to visits, and I talk to them on the phone every week.  I don't think a lot of people have the same relationship with their parents, and I'm thankful that I have such amazing parents that I actually WANT to be around them.

Thanks Mom & Dad, for raising me right, for always being there for me, and for being cool people.  I love you.

Day 4: Our Paid-off Cars

Bryann's 2001 Chevy S10 Extended Cab pickup with Canopy

Today we went down to Oregon Community Credit Union in Salem to make the final payment on the truck in person.  We brought the $940 left on the loan in cash, closed the account, did a celebratory blow-up high five, and went to dinner at Mongolian Grill - one of our favorite Salem restaurants.

We bought Bryann the truck last November as an early Christmas present.  His old GMC was starting to go... the breaks sounded like a Velociraptor from Jurassic Park, and the truck wasn't worth the money it would take to fix the breaks.  We are both really happy with it - it's an extended cab so we can store stuff behind the seats, and the canopy acts as Samson's personal space.  It's also 4WD so we can take the truck to the mountain or down to Klamath Falls in the winter.

I bought my 2004 Subaru Impreza TS with cash in 2009, and now we are the proud title-holders of two paid-for cars that are in great condition and suit our needs perfectly.

Day 3: Our Home

Opening the door to our new home for the very first time!

Last summer, we bought our first home.  It comes with a little bit of back story.  In 2009, Bryann and I moved in together to an apartment and got engaged two months later.  I called around to friends and family and let them know the good news!  I got in touch with Steve, my mentor teacher from Salem, who I dog sit for occasionally. During the visit, he said that since we were getting married, now was the time to buy a house!  I laughed at the thought because we had no money and had some pretty huge student loan debt.  He said we MUST buy a house because the prices and interest rates were so low.  Maybe in a few years, I suggested.

He sent me an email a few days later saying that he'd mentioned me to one of his friends who worked as a real estate agent, and that the agent had told him that since I was a teacher, I could qualify for some special teacher loan.  I got in touch with Sue, the agent, to figure out what this special teacher loan was all about.  She explained the Good Neighbor Next Door program, which essentially offers HUD owned houses to teachers for half the price of the home.  We jumped at the opportunity, and a few months and some really awful houses later, we found an absolute gem in SE Portland.  We wouldn't have been able to afford a home at this stage in our lives if not for this program, and I'm so thankful it exists.

It isn't our DREAM home, but it is a wonderful house, exactly suited for our needs right now, and our mortgage is only $750/mo which includes homeowners insurance, PMI (since we didn't have a 20% down payment) and property taxes.  The bills are ever so slightly higher, but all things considered, we couldn't have asked for better!

We talk about things we'd like in the next house - a 2-car garage, walk-in closet, larger master bath, and a larger yard, but there isn't anything we're lacking right now.  We have all the space we need, and then some.  We are so happy (and so lucky!!) to have this house.  We have to stay for at least 3 years in order to have the silent 2nd mortgage (the other half of the cost of the house) forgiven, but we aren't in a hurry to move after the 3 years is up.  The low mortgage is allowing us to pay off a lot of debt.  Our house is an easy drive to Oregon City, where we both work, and I really like living in SE Portland.  I love the camaraderie of living in a neighborhood like this, and I get to explore parts of town that I wouldn't otherwise have visited.  I love our home and the lifestyle it has provided us.

Day 2: Our Pets

Today I'm thankful for Samson and Snickers, better known to some as Puppy Woof and Kitty Meow Meow.  They are cuddled up next to me right now, as shown above.

Bryann got Snickers for me as a Valentines present in 2009, and she is the most cuddliest ball of fluff that ever existed.  I spend a good chunk of my evenings petting her and making up songs to sing to her.  She has a lot of nicknames, as any awesome cat should.  Snicker Doodle Doo, Kitty Meow, Mrs. Purzalot, and most recently, Meowza Minnelli, just to name a few.  Snickers enjoys day naps in the closet, batting pens or pencils around on the floor, cardboard boxes, and sleeping upside down with her paw over her eyes.  She also enjoys peeing on towels, and scratching at the carpet.

We got Samson when he was 8-weeks old the summer we moved in together.  We've raised him from a puppy and he's essentially our child.  I watched a video on the science of dogs, and the relationship between dog and owner is similar to the relationship between mother and baby in that they both stimulate the release of Oxytocin, called the "love" or "bonding" hormone.  Samson enjoys playing tug, playing fetch (on land and in the water) and playing "Go find Daddy/Mommy."  He also enjoys stealing food off the counter, barking at everything that goes by the house, and eating cat litter.

 A rambunctious evening at home

 Guard Animals

 Snickers enjoying a box left on the table

Samson waiting to play fetch

A Month of Thanks-Givings

With all the stress and sorrow of re-homing Riley, October was not an easy month on me.  I started getting a really bad headache towards the end of the month, and it lasted for two weeks.  Since I never get headaches, this one was especially disconcerting to me.  I had to stay home sick from work one day because the headache was so bad, it made me nauseated.  I went to the doctor, who said it was a severe tension headache and sent me home with a drug RX and told me to get a massage.  The massage therapist asked me if anything was going on in my life that might be contributing to the headaches and tension, and I couldn't think of anything at the time.  But then I realized how traumatic it has been to be without Riley.  I hadn't thought a loss like that could give me headaches, but I guess my body expresses pain and stress through neck and shoulder tension.  Who knew?

Needless to say, I've been pretty down in the dumps lately.  And when I feel down, I find other things to feel down about.  We owe too much money on student loans, we don't have enough or our things aren't good enough, or we don't do enough.  I'm not sure who is judging the "enough" part about our lives, but I find things that other people have and get envious and unhappy with the things I have.  It's one of my greatest faults, and I think envy is the one thing that makes me unhappy.

So it's time to turn my thought patterns around.  It's not about things, it's about people and experiences.  And it's not about comparing our lives to other peoples lives.  It's about creating our world to make us happy.  When I stop to think about the things that make me happy and the things that I'm thankful for, my life seems so much better, more complete.  Some of my friends have been doing a Thanksgiving countdown on Facebook or on their blogs, listing things they're thankful for on each day of November until Thanksgiving.

First and foremost, I'm thankful for Bryann Turner.  I think in this wedding photo, you can see how much he loves me.  I've married the most generous, loving, giving man in the entire universe.  He is a phenomenal husband, and he'll be an amazing father.  I'm incredibly blessed by this man, and all of the joy he brings to my life.