Sunday, May 22, 2011
Ringless Finger
My left ring finger is empty. It has been this way for the the past 24 hours. No worries. My wedding band and engagement ring are in the shop being sized down from a 7 to a 6. This is what losing 40 pounds will do to your fingers. The jeweler said it should be ready by Tuesday or Wednesday. It just feels so weird to have nothing on my finger that's been adorned for nearly three years (this includes the engagement). Every time I leave the house I find myself looking down at my finger...missing the outward symbol of my commitment to Mr. A. I feel like people think I'm just a single gal, and I don't want people to think that. I love being married, and to me my wedding ring is a symbol of that to the world. I thought about buying a temporary ring from JCPenney's or Kohl's but decided not too. I want my rings, so I guess I'll be ringless for the next couple of days.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I am so sick & tired of people asking me if we're pregnant and/or when we're going to have a baby. I love my father-in-law, but if he asks me one more time when we're going to have a baby (as if he does not have any other grandchildren) I may scream. I'm tired of two people at my job telling me that as soon as I lose all the weight I want (currently on Kanye's workout plan and I'm down 27 lbs since Jan 3rd), I'm going to get pregnant. SHUT UP!!! Why is it that Jennifer Hudson can lose 80 lbs and not get pregnant afterwards, but I'm going to get pregnant as soon as I reach my ideal weight??? WTHeezy?????????????? I even had a co-workers daughter who just had a baby in December tell me that I should just go ahead and have a baby now because I'll lose the weight after the baby like she did (she lost 30 lbs that she didn't gain while pregnant-without trying-post delivery).
Mr. A and I would like to have a child or two (twins????) in the future. We are not planning to have any kids right now. If we become pregnant anytime soon so be it but it will not be because we were trying.
Mr. A and I would like to have a child or two (twins????) in the future. We are not planning to have any kids right now. If we become pregnant anytime soon so be it but it will not be because we were trying.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
What a Man Wants?
A few weeks ago, I was listening to Michael Baisden's afternoon radio show and the topic was the things a man needs from his woman. His list included four things: support, sex, food, and silence. I laughed because this is very similar to what I believe a man wants from his woman as well. However, I am only going to address two of the four: silence & support.
SILENCE: Silence does not mean that as the wife you have no voice in the relationship or the running of the house. It is actually quite the contrary. Silence means not greeting your husband with a full recap of your day, decorating ideas, weekend plans with the kids, vacation ideas, and so forth as soon as he comes in the house. What I have learned from Mr. A is that it takes a short time period after walking in the door for him to unwind. His brain and body need to rest before he can process all that I have to say. I give him that time. I don't bombard my husband with the millions of things running through my mind (the one that is always going a million miles a minute) as soon as he gets home from work. A hug & a kiss will do until he has finished deprogramming.
Silence is also important when it comes to support. Sometimes a man will present an idea to his woman and it will make absolutely no sense at all (this is because men are special). It is not a good idea to shoot the idea down by saying "that's stupid" or something of the sort. Even though these are the thoughts that may go through a woman's mind. Silence is important because it gives the man time to really think through his "grand idea" and possibly forget about it in time. It also give a woman time to think of a clever way to pull the man in the right direction without being the rooftop woman.
SUPPORT: Ever heard the saying or song "Stand by Your Man"? Out of all the things Michael Baisden mentioned, I think that support is the most important. When God created Eve from Adam's rib, he designed her as a help meet ("And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." -Genesis 2:18) for Adam. She was designed to help or support Adam. I always took it as the woman being a vehicle God created to HELP her mate MEET his full potential.
Q: How do I support Mr. A?
A: Two weeks ago Mr. A turned in his letter of resignation to the place where he had been employed for three years. Why do you ask? Mr. A has always been an entreprenuer. In his first career he was a cosmetologist--this he did right out of high school for many years. And now if I need a press or curl, he can make me and his girls look fabulous :) After he left the business of beauty he learned and mastered a trade. He worked with a little Ukranian man who taught him how to fabricate and restore natural stone. This means that Mr. A can fabricate a slab of granite into a countertop, table, vanity, fireplace hearth, cheese board, tray, pretty much anything you want it to be. He can also restore marble to its original beauty. When I met Mr. A he worked in the stone business as a contractor for various mainstream companies. But when the housing market plummeted here in Michigan, he found job security in the job he just resigned from. However, during those three grueling years of working the afternoon shift as a supervisor of crazy people, he still did his work on the side. Now, Mr. A is throwing himself into his business full time. He has a business partner; they have a building in metro Detroit, and they have been networking and working to attain clients for their business.
When Mr. A sat down with me to talk about leaving his employer and going back into his business full-time, I didn't say "oh, no" you shouldn't do that or ask him "are you sure?" No, I supported him and I told him this. I presented ideas on how to make this business the most successful. I presented him with ideas on how to organize the shop and make the time he and his partner work the most efficient. Everything that I could think of that would HELP this business be the most successful, I shared with Mr. A. I didn't doubt his ability to be an entreprenuer. I don't doubt his business mind. My job is to HELP him in making this business MEET its full potential. I have no problem doing this.
Sidenote: Sometimes women do support their man in the wrong ways too. Look at Bonnie & Clyde. She was so enthralled with him that she helped him on his crime spreee. The women of Charles Manson's flock helped him as he tried to create a race war with his Helter Skelter killings. Think about all of the women who find themselves helping their mates by smuggling drugs or committing other crimes.
SILENCE: Silence does not mean that as the wife you have no voice in the relationship or the running of the house. It is actually quite the contrary. Silence means not greeting your husband with a full recap of your day, decorating ideas, weekend plans with the kids, vacation ideas, and so forth as soon as he comes in the house. What I have learned from Mr. A is that it takes a short time period after walking in the door for him to unwind. His brain and body need to rest before he can process all that I have to say. I give him that time. I don't bombard my husband with the millions of things running through my mind (the one that is always going a million miles a minute) as soon as he gets home from work. A hug & a kiss will do until he has finished deprogramming.
Silence is also important when it comes to support. Sometimes a man will present an idea to his woman and it will make absolutely no sense at all (this is because men are special). It is not a good idea to shoot the idea down by saying "that's stupid" or something of the sort. Even though these are the thoughts that may go through a woman's mind. Silence is important because it gives the man time to really think through his "grand idea" and possibly forget about it in time. It also give a woman time to think of a clever way to pull the man in the right direction without being the rooftop woman.
SUPPORT: Ever heard the saying or song "Stand by Your Man"? Out of all the things Michael Baisden mentioned, I think that support is the most important. When God created Eve from Adam's rib, he designed her as a help meet ("And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." -Genesis 2:18) for Adam. She was designed to help or support Adam. I always took it as the woman being a vehicle God created to HELP her mate MEET his full potential.
Q: How do I support Mr. A?
A: Two weeks ago Mr. A turned in his letter of resignation to the place where he had been employed for three years. Why do you ask? Mr. A has always been an entreprenuer. In his first career he was a cosmetologist--this he did right out of high school for many years. And now if I need a press or curl, he can make me and his girls look fabulous :) After he left the business of beauty he learned and mastered a trade. He worked with a little Ukranian man who taught him how to fabricate and restore natural stone. This means that Mr. A can fabricate a slab of granite into a countertop, table, vanity, fireplace hearth, cheese board, tray, pretty much anything you want it to be. He can also restore marble to its original beauty. When I met Mr. A he worked in the stone business as a contractor for various mainstream companies. But when the housing market plummeted here in Michigan, he found job security in the job he just resigned from. However, during those three grueling years of working the afternoon shift as a supervisor of crazy people, he still did his work on the side. Now, Mr. A is throwing himself into his business full time. He has a business partner; they have a building in metro Detroit, and they have been networking and working to attain clients for their business.
When Mr. A sat down with me to talk about leaving his employer and going back into his business full-time, I didn't say "oh, no" you shouldn't do that or ask him "are you sure?" No, I supported him and I told him this. I presented ideas on how to make this business the most successful. I presented him with ideas on how to organize the shop and make the time he and his partner work the most efficient. Everything that I could think of that would HELP this business be the most successful, I shared with Mr. A. I didn't doubt his ability to be an entreprenuer. I don't doubt his business mind. My job is to HELP him in making this business MEET its full potential. I have no problem doing this.
Sidenote: Sometimes women do support their man in the wrong ways too. Look at Bonnie & Clyde. She was so enthralled with him that she helped him on his crime spreee. The women of Charles Manson's flock helped him as he tried to create a race war with his Helter Skelter killings. Think about all of the women who find themselves helping their mates by smuggling drugs or committing other crimes.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
A Fireproofed Marriage
So I watched the movie Fireproof 
with Kirk Cameron this past week. It's a movie about having a strong, fireproof marriage with Christ as the foundation. The message of the movie was great. The acting and storyline were mediocre at best. However, there are some key points that the movie should remind all of those of us who are married and believe that we're in this relationship "til death do us part."
One, marriage is work. When two people get together everything is not going to always be hunky doorey. Two people come together with their different personalities and upbringings (which I believe should not be too different, but that's another topic) to form one union. Therefore, it is inevitable that at some point the two individuals will bump heads about something. However, just like a job, we two individuals have to put in the time & effort to sustain the marriage.
Secondly, in putting in the time & effort there may come times in which both parties are not working equally. This was evident in the movie with Kirk Cameron's character. He was the one who did not give up on the relationship with his wife, and it was his consistent persistency that brought them back together. When Teddy Pendagrass sang "When Somebody Loves You Back," he talked about 50/50 love. Well, sometimes in a marriage it's not always 50/50 or better yet 100/100. Sometimes you have 80/20, 40/60, or 70/30. The question that the film posed is what do you do when the going gets rough, and you're working harder than your spouse. Do you give up on your vows or do you take your spouse for better or for worse and work harder?
with Kirk Cameron this past week. It's a movie about having a strong, fireproof marriage with Christ as the foundation. The message of the movie was great. The acting and storyline were mediocre at best. However, there are some key points that the movie should remind all of those of us who are married and believe that we're in this relationship "til death do us part."
One, marriage is work. When two people get together everything is not going to always be hunky doorey. Two people come together with their different personalities and upbringings (which I believe should not be too different, but that's another topic) to form one union. Therefore, it is inevitable that at some point the two individuals will bump heads about something. However, just like a job, we two individuals have to put in the time & effort to sustain the marriage.
Secondly, in putting in the time & effort there may come times in which both parties are not working equally. This was evident in the movie with Kirk Cameron's character. He was the one who did not give up on the relationship with his wife, and it was his consistent persistency that brought them back together. When Teddy Pendagrass sang "When Somebody Loves You Back," he talked about 50/50 love. Well, sometimes in a marriage it's not always 50/50 or better yet 100/100. Sometimes you have 80/20, 40/60, or 70/30. The question that the film posed is what do you do when the going gets rough, and you're working harder than your spouse. Do you give up on your vows or do you take your spouse for better or for worse and work harder?
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Happy Anniversary!
On November 27, 2010, I celeberated the first of many more wonderful years to come with the most wonderful husband a girl could ask for!
For our anniversary we spent the night in the most wonderful city in the State of Michigan: ANN ARBOR. For all of those who know, it is the home of one of the most elite, public universities in the nation The University of Michigan. Anywho, we checked into the hotel, exchanged gifts, and perused the mall. Traditionally, the first year anniversary gift is paper, and the modern gift is a clock. I got Mr. A an engraved business card holder and he got me a new watch. It's funny because I'm the more traditional out of the two of us. After our time walking around Briarwood Mall, we headed back to the hotel to get spiffy for dinner at the Gandy Dancer is an exquisite restaurant that is set in Ann Arbor's old train station (photo below). It was there that we enjoyed three courses of fantastic food:
For our anniversary we spent the night in the most wonderful city in the State of Michigan: ANN ARBOR. For all of those who know, it is the home of one of the most elite, public universities in the nation The University of Michigan. Anywho, we checked into the hotel, exchanged gifts, and perused the mall. Traditionally, the first year anniversary gift is paper, and the modern gift is a clock. I got Mr. A an engraved business card holder and he got me a new watch. It's funny because I'm the more traditional out of the two of us. After our time walking around Briarwood Mall, we headed back to the hotel to get spiffy for dinner at the Gandy Dancer is an exquisite restaurant that is set in Ann Arbor's old train station (photo below). It was there that we enjoyed three courses of fantastic food:
Appetizers:
Mr. A: Lobster Bisque
Me: Charleys Chowder
Entree:
Mr. A: Crab Stuffed Shrimp
Me: Salmon Rockefeller--soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good!
Dessert:
 |
| Photo Courtesy of OpenTable.com |
Carmel Apple Bread Pudding A la Mode-I really wanted to devour the whole thing, but I couldn't. Mr. A didn't have any because he didn't think this would have set well with the beer he'd drank.
During our meal we even saw the train whiz by us. The evening was perfect, and I must say we looked rather fab. Too bad we forgot to have our waiter take a picture of us. That's what happens when you're consumed with good food, wonderful company *wink*, and cocktails.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Oh Give Thanks!
Happy Thanksgiving!
We are celebrating our first Thanksgiving as husband and wife, and guess what? I'm cooking. As I type this message, my 11.5 pound young turkey (do people really buy old turkeys?) is finishing up in the oven along with the quarter ham that I glazed! I cannot believe that I'm really cooking a holiday feast. The funny thing is that Mr. A has to work today (he works at one of those places that NEVER close), and I'm headed over to my aunt's house once the turkey and ham are done.
MENU:
Turkey-I followed Emeril's Brined, Herb Turkey recipe
Ham~ I bought a quarter ham from the grocery store and glazed it. I didn't have all of the necessary ingredients for the various glazes I found online, so I called Mom and she helped me figure something out with what I already had in my pantry: fresh pineapple, brown sugar, orange juice, cayenne pepper (to cut the sweetness), honey, mustard, and cinammon. The consistency was not as thick as I would have liked it, but it turned out to be pretty decent.
Green Bean Casserole
Hashbrown Casserole
~Instead of the crushed corn flakes, I crushed the leftover fried onions from the Green Bean Casserole. I also added the world's best food EVER...BACON :)
I opted out of making macaroni and cheese for a few reasons: time-consuming & too many ingredients. However, when I do make mac & cheese, I use Patti Labelle's recipe.
Next year I may add dressing and a sweet potato dish to the menu. I may even have people over to my house...I don't know about that. Being the hostess with the mostest would make me GROWN for real!
Desserts:
Peach Pie~ My mom gave me a small collection of recipes when I first went to college. This was one of them. I'm not really sure where she thought I'd be whipping up baked goods in the dormitory, but I'm glad she gave me this recipe. It is such a delicious, quick & easy sweet treat.
Toffee Brownies~I got this recipe from Paula Deen, and they are so amazingly delicious & easy!
Pics coming soon
P.S.~ Mr. A was off yesterday and will be off tomorrow through Sunday for our anniversary!
We are celebrating our first Thanksgiving as husband and wife, and guess what? I'm cooking. As I type this message, my 11.5 pound young turkey (do people really buy old turkeys?) is finishing up in the oven along with the quarter ham that I glazed! I cannot believe that I'm really cooking a holiday feast. The funny thing is that Mr. A has to work today (he works at one of those places that NEVER close), and I'm headed over to my aunt's house once the turkey and ham are done.
MENU:
Turkey-I followed Emeril's Brined, Herb Turkey recipe
Ham~ I bought a quarter ham from the grocery store and glazed it. I didn't have all of the necessary ingredients for the various glazes I found online, so I called Mom and she helped me figure something out with what I already had in my pantry: fresh pineapple, brown sugar, orange juice, cayenne pepper (to cut the sweetness), honey, mustard, and cinammon. The consistency was not as thick as I would have liked it, but it turned out to be pretty decent.
Green Bean Casserole
Hashbrown Casserole
~Instead of the crushed corn flakes, I crushed the leftover fried onions from the Green Bean Casserole. I also added the world's best food EVER...BACON :)
I opted out of making macaroni and cheese for a few reasons: time-consuming & too many ingredients. However, when I do make mac & cheese, I use Patti Labelle's recipe.
Next year I may add dressing and a sweet potato dish to the menu. I may even have people over to my house...I don't know about that. Being the hostess with the mostest would make me GROWN for real!
Desserts:
Peach Pie~ My mom gave me a small collection of recipes when I first went to college. This was one of them. I'm not really sure where she thought I'd be whipping up baked goods in the dormitory, but I'm glad she gave me this recipe. It is such a delicious, quick & easy sweet treat.
Toffee Brownies~I got this recipe from Paula Deen, and they are so amazingly delicious & easy!
Pics coming soon
P.S.~ Mr. A was off yesterday and will be off tomorrow through Sunday for our anniversary!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Almost one year later
Well, it seems that I have neglected this blog over the last eleven months. We have been super busy with life and all that comes with it.
No, we are not pregnant yet nor are we trying to get pregnant. My father-in-law asks me if I'm pregnant every time I see him. Yes, I understand that Mr. A and I have been together for a while, but we have only been married for a little less than a year. We plan to begin trying next year; if we become pregnant before then, it will definitely be the plan of God.
House Hunters Detroit-
OMG! We have looked at soooooooooooooooooooo many houses in the city of Detroit over the last year and a half. We even put offers on three of those houses. All of the homes were either short sales or foreclosures. The last house we put an offer on was fantastic, but the closing costs were exuberant (nearly 20% of the purchase price), so we had to let it go! Currently we're waiting to see how things pan out with our current living situation; the landlord is toying with the notion of short selling the property. This is the only way we'll buy the home, so time will tell.
People think we're nuts for wanting to stay in the city of Detroit, but the qualities we want in a home we can get for an uber low price in the city. Plus, Detroit is a very neutral location for both of our jobs. I was concerned about schools, but in this current market there are so many good deals that a very low mortgage would afford us the opportunity to send our FUTURE offspring to private school.
Kiddies-As you know, when I married Mr. A. I became a mom without having to go through my own labor pains. This doesn't mean that there's no pain in step-parenting, but I'll consider them to be growing pains because I learn a lot about myself through my interactions with the girls.
The oldest moved in with us this summer when she came home from school. It's been an experience...that's all I really have to say about that.
The middle daughter has just received her drivers' license and a car. It's good to know that child support is going towards more than her mother's car note and shopping expenses.
The youngest daughter is growing up before our very eyes. She's just reached her teen years. She hasn't begun to smell herself yet, but it's clear that those years are not far behind.
I'll try to keep this blog updated; let's see if I post before our anniversary!
No, we are not pregnant yet nor are we trying to get pregnant. My father-in-law asks me if I'm pregnant every time I see him. Yes, I understand that Mr. A and I have been together for a while, but we have only been married for a little less than a year. We plan to begin trying next year; if we become pregnant before then, it will definitely be the plan of God.
House Hunters Detroit-
OMG! We have looked at soooooooooooooooooooo many houses in the city of Detroit over the last year and a half. We even put offers on three of those houses. All of the homes were either short sales or foreclosures. The last house we put an offer on was fantastic, but the closing costs were exuberant (nearly 20% of the purchase price), so we had to let it go! Currently we're waiting to see how things pan out with our current living situation; the landlord is toying with the notion of short selling the property. This is the only way we'll buy the home, so time will tell.
People think we're nuts for wanting to stay in the city of Detroit, but the qualities we want in a home we can get for an uber low price in the city. Plus, Detroit is a very neutral location for both of our jobs. I was concerned about schools, but in this current market there are so many good deals that a very low mortgage would afford us the opportunity to send our FUTURE offspring to private school.
Kiddies-As you know, when I married Mr. A. I became a mom without having to go through my own labor pains. This doesn't mean that there's no pain in step-parenting, but I'll consider them to be growing pains because I learn a lot about myself through my interactions with the girls.
The oldest moved in with us this summer when she came home from school. It's been an experience...that's all I really have to say about that.
The middle daughter has just received her drivers' license and a car. It's good to know that child support is going towards more than her mother's car note and shopping expenses.
The youngest daughter is growing up before our very eyes. She's just reached her teen years. She hasn't begun to smell herself yet, but it's clear that those years are not far behind.
I'll try to keep this blog updated; let's see if I post before our anniversary!
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