June 24, 2008
Thoughts on Marriage, 53 Days In
There are unexpected things that are different about being married (besides the obvious). For one, the fridge is always full. I feel like I'm at my mom's house, or Doug and Sarah's. I haven't had a fridge full of food like this in all my adult life, probably.
You also forget that what you think is normal is really a quirk. Who knew people could have such radically different sleep preferences? Over the weekend, Aaron and I hung white cotton curtains over the window shades in our bedroom and I said how I hoped they would block the light out better. He laughed and said, "I'm sure it's fine, Dracula." He could sleep in a fully lit room with sirens blaring. I need it dark dark dark and quiet as can be. (A problem when 3 of the 6 bodies sleeping in our room snore like crazy.)
I love many things about Aaron, but one of my favorite things about him is that he joins in with me when I'm singing crazy songs featuring the dogs. One of our favorite regulars is "Snout, snout, let it all out." We have about 3 verses. The first time he did it, he filled in the next few lines with exactly the right (wrong) words and I thought, "Wow. Is this the guy for me or what?" We were dancing around the kitchen last night, singing a song about Julie the Bulldog and in that moment I hoped everyone has moments of silly happiness like that in their lives.
My mom asked me how I was doing not having any alone time, as I'm the type who likes her solitude more often than not. I think in that regard this new job has been a blessing, because by the time I get home I've had two hours alone in the car and a full day at an office of three. I'm ready to talk and be around Aaron by 6 p.m. That is for certain.
When Aaron says grace, he always has so much to thank God for, and it's such a humbling reminder that first and foremost and every day, I should be full of gratitude. Thank you for marriage, God, he'll pray, after we've had an argument. I think, yes, God, thank you for marriage. For putting someone beside me who sees me as I am, not as who I pretend to be. It's humbling. You can't get away with faking much when you're married. I used to wonder what could have possibly gone wrong when celebrities divorced after 30 days (or something similarly ridiculous). Now I think I get it a little bit. Someone saw the truth in them, and neither party liked it very much.
I am very grateful that I had those few weeks to acclimate to the move and to being married. We had so many big changes right on top of one another that I needed a few days where I could just do some laundry and buy pillows and get used to all of this.
Minnesota is a pioneer state, and in some ways I feel like a pioneer. I'm in unchartered territory, and I'm just trying to find my way.
Posted by hannah at 02:27 PM
June 20, 2008
Notes from Minnesota
I've only done it for two weeks now, but so far the two hour roundtrip commute to my new job hasn't be horrible. I think it's because it's long due to distance and no direct route, not really traffic.
My new office has a window a/c unit and I am surprisingly fond of it. My old workplace had two temperatures: freezing and frigid. It's nice to be able to control it, or to have the windows open when it's nice. And when I'm hot, it blows delicious, cold air right over head. I love it.
There are definitely things to get used about a small office. For one, I have to remember to take my own trash out every few days. And as the office dog (yes, an office dog!) tends to be a dumpster diver, it's even more important. I've come back to my desk a few times to find her licking the inside of my tossed yogurt containers or licking her paws from the smudge of peanut butter she got off an old paper plate.
A pro of a small office? There's no one to talk to really, so I get a lot more work done. The con is that there's no one to talk to.
On a conference call yesterday, a woman joked that this must have been the time of year the state got settled. "And then all the women got pregnant and it was winter and they couldn't leave." Ha. It is stunningly beautiful here right now. I can't get over it, really. The greens are greener and the sky is just a bit bluer. I took a little walk in the park across the street during lunch and even the weeds are beautiful. Minnesota has done a really great job of incorporating green space into their city spaces. There's a park around every corner.
Still going through a bit of wedding withdrawal. We got our video last week and I've only watched it once so far. I'm pacing myself. My earrings really were killer. I'm so glad my mom found them!
Today is my husband's birthday. I hope it's a happy one.
Posted by hannah at 04:38 PM
June 14, 2008
Awesome
I sent this picture to Melissa and asked if she'd seen how awesome we are. She wrote back and said that a co-worker walked by her desk when it was up on her screen and told her that her coolness factor just went way up.
I love us.
Posted by hannah at 07:26 PM
