back away from the Girl Scout cookies

The modern version of tying a string around your finger, my iPhone background:

this and that: Valentines and More Wedding Planning

Dan and I had a lovely first valentines day together. I have historically been pretty disenchanted with the whole valentines day thing, and I still insist that flowers not be purchased at inflated February prices on my behalf. But this year wasn't so blase'. It almost felt as though we were an old couple sharing an anniversary... lots of love in the room, but nothing to prove. We had a ordinary car ride (he picked me up from work) followed by an ordinary volleyball practice and then we shared some ordinary chinese take-out and then some ordinary hang-out time at his house. But all these ordinary things felt extraordinarily romantic because we were feeling special about it being our first valentines day. I guess it's all in your mindset.

Tonight I just had a nice little quiet evening with my mom where we went over the wedding stuff to-do list and invitee list over delicious tuna melts (which I prepared all by myself, thank you very much those of you out there who think I don't know how to cook anything).

I was mortified tonight when I went to check our registry and found that several larger items we had registered for, which were on sale when we registered for them, are now back to full price. Three hundred dollars for a pillow?? how did I miss that... I guess Macy's was having a giant sale the weekend we registered, bummer I really liked that suitcase at the clearance price... Anyhow, I was able to find comparable items for cheaper on Amazon. Gotta love internet registries.

My parents both have been dreadfully sick this past week, I've never seen my dad miserable like that. But today my dad was back and work and my mom doesn't sound as much like a frog, so I'm feeling like everything is right in the world of Cole house. On this fine Tuesday, we are 32 days out from the wedding, and I am feeling surprisingly... serene. Still lots to do but it will all get done. No word on the house yet but I was already (somewhat) mentally prepared for that. Still crossing our fingers for a contract this week so we can get the keys before the wedding!

for my valentine

These are things I love about Dan.

I’m no poet but I love my man.

How to share it was making me fret,

So I decided to use my alphabet…

The way that he truly believes in Affirmation. I know this will be a wind that carries us

some times when our wings get tired. He really loves to build others up. • How well he

knows his Bible stories. • The way that all Clothes look good on him. I love his style. I

also love how he helps me with my style. • I fall in love with him one hundred fold every

time he Dances. With me or alone, fast or slow, the way he moves exudes freedom and

confidence and expression that makes me want to be a part of it. • He has so much

Energy for life and activity. • He loves Food. He has a passion for food, eating it,

preparing it, and hopefully some day we will grow food together in a Garden of our

own. • The way that he gives Hugs, not only to me, but to everyone. He really has the

most tender embrace I’ve ever experienced, and he has plenty to go around. • All things

are Interesting to him. He’s fascinated with the way things work and why things are. •

He loves Julie. • I thought I could say kisses, but to not be unoriginal, I choose Dan’s

Knowledge for the letter K. He is so full of information and constantly impresses me.

One of the things I remember most about our first date is how stimulating the

conversation was. • He has the greatest Laugh. From the little smirk chuckle to the belly-

out mouth-open infectious explosion of “ha’s” that everybody knows so well. • Man oh

man you’re my best friend. I have this lyric stuck in my head often throughout the days.

He loves music (another M of course). • He’s genuinely Nice all the time. • He is an

eternal Optimist. His cup is always half full and he perpetuates this perspective. • He

Paints, and every one of his paintings are an expression of him at the point in his life

that he painted it. I love to secretly watch him paint in his garage, with earbuds in his

ears, turning a piece of wood into a depiction of life, wearing his dirty jeans and a slightly

sweaty t-shirt. • His Quirks. All of them, I love. • He gives Really really really really

really amazing foot rubs. • His Scent. After he shaves, with two or zero sprays of

cologne, after he plays golf or goes for a bike ride, I love the way that he smells. • Dan is

incredible to Talk to. He is gentle and smart and reflective and caring and really knows

how to listen and to contribute to meaningful dialogue. • He is Understanding of

others with a rare type of compassion. • He is my Voice of reason in times of

irrationality. • Dan’s Worldview is different from mine and he challenges me to explore

new things, new ideas. • He knows a lot of scrabble words, even odd ones that use the

letter X. • He will always be Young at heart and is amazing with kids. • His Zeal for life.

I love you Dan.

little triumphs

Yesterday our volleyball team won not one, but TWO matches, the first victories of the season. Not only did they win though, they had lots of little triumphs... several girls got their first serves over, and things we've been working on in practice are translating to what they do in games.

And, follow up to my frustration episode with the whiffle ball bat... we are one step closer to getting the house. Please cross your fingers for us that interest rates hold down.

More in little triumphs, we (finally) decided our first dance song!

A Memory Story: trying to buy a house.

A short narrative from special guest blogger Dan Griffin:

On most Wednesdays Julie and I come from volleyball and Justin from class to convene for dinner at the Coles' house. It is becoming somewhat of a tradition.  "Wednesday Dinner".

So there I am with Justin in the kitchen talking to Julie's mom, Cristy. Enters Julie, carrying a plastic bat, with a not-joking look on her face.  She proceeds through the kitchen to the back door. 

"I'm just going to blow off some steam". 

 Cristy turns to me and mouths the words "what happened? something at practice or on the way here?" 

 Back door shuts. I clarify, "No, this is about the bank. She's mad at the bank, and the situation with the house." 

She turns the corner and we can't see her anymore through the window. 

Then we hear the banging. 

 Me, Justin and my future mother-in-law. It's really quite comical, and surreal, as my fiancee takes the opportunity to let it all out on the back yard. We are talking about it and laughing and then I say sh sh sh because the banging stops and I think Julie is coming back inside. 

 Nope, more banging, some frustrated grunting. 

 Justin, intrigued, "does she do this often?" Cristy, contemplatively "no this is the first time she's ever done this." I stand up for her "She's got a lot of stress in her life right now. She's getting married. She's got two jobs. Lives in her parents basement..." 

Then Julie whirls back into the house, hair all over face... kind of embarrassed. Smiles. Trying to play it off like she DIDN'T just take a whiffleball bat to the entire back yard. She silently walks back through the kitchen and puts the bat away in the garage, returns to the kitchen where we all stand, watching, silently, waiting... No one talks about it. The only concrete evidence is the tuft of hair hanging down in front of her face.

Licensed

Dan and I went down to the superior courthouse today where we applied for and obtained our marriage license. First we had to sign a statement swearing four things: 1. Our addresses; 2. Our ages; 3. That Dan and I are not related; 4. That we are aware of educational literature that Maricopa County provides about STDs. (...?) Then we wrote a check for ninety-eight bucks. Now we're allowed to get married. The paper has a gold seal on it with Abe Lincoln's profile. Dan was excited about the Abe depiction. This spawned a very brief conversation about the real motives behind the civil war as we walked back to our cars. The weather was beautiful.

Tonight we celebrated having newly obtained our marriage license with a luxurious dinner at the finest eating establishment known to man (Outback Steakhouse).

More in wedding planning, we registered for sheets.

Thirty nine days to go!

forty day countdown theme song

Girl, To Be With You Is My Favorite Thing Uh Huh. And I Can't Wait Til I See You Again Yeah Yeah. I Want To Put On My My My My My Boogie Shoes. Just To Boogie With You, Yeah. I Want To Put On My My My My My Boogie Shoes Just To Boogie With You, Uh Huh. I Want To Do It 'til The Sun Comes Up, Uh Huh, And I Want To Do It 'til I Can't Get Enough, Yeah, Yeah. I Want To Put On My My My My My Boogie Shoes. Just To Boogie With You, Yeah. I Want To Put On My My My My My Boogie Shoes. Just To Boogie With You Uh Huh, Yeah Yeah. I Want To Put On My My My My My Boogie Shoes.
Just To Boogie, With You, Yeah. I Want To Put On My My My My My Boogie Shoes. Just To Boogie With You, Yeah.

(greatest dance song ever?)