Oops! Did I do that?

So this weekend I tried helping Dara around the house. I admit I have my moments but this weekend was rough. Friday after work I felt bad that hadn't been doing enough around the house and after working it out with Dara we decided to get ready to go out on a date. After getting out of the shower I thought I'd clean up our spare bedroom while Dara was getting ready in the bathroom. I folded blankets and put them away and then I turned to the nice paper shredder we bought. I fed some old documents into the machine and realized that something was getting caught in the teeth. A plastic trash that had been used to catch the paper was bunched up inside and the teeth caught a hold of it and wrapping it around and around. I sat frantically trying to pick out the plastic. Dara soon discovered what I had done and it wasn't easy for her to set aside or ignore my stupidity. I still feel bad about the shredder even though it works to an extent. It is mangled.

It that wasn't enough icing on the cake, On Monday we went to see Dorthy, Trever and Chloe (Dara's Sister and Brother-in-law and their little girl)in Salt Lake City. Again while Dara was getting ready I decided against Dara's request (SO VERY FOOLISH!) to turn the vacuum on. I thought I was doing some good. The result of this disobedience caused an overload in the circuit that Dara's blow dryer was also plugged into. Now not only are three power outlets out but so is the dishwasher and the garbage disposal which apparently share that same circuit. Dara is so kind to me and she tries so hard to be patient with me. I don't blame her at all for getting a little upset. I am grateful for her forgiving nature. I wonder if I'll ever learn that rushing in to do something quick rarely ever works out according to plan. I should just listen to my wife and stop doing things that might blow up in my face. Will I ever learn? (The electrician should be coming soon to look at the problem.)I have an amazing wife who recognizes everything that I do that is right and will let me know if I'm doing it wrong. I have become a far better man than I have ever been in these last five months with Dara. She is inspiring to me and I love her so much.

I love my family and I love my friends, but most of all I love my dear husband. Lately I have been feeling stressed...okay always I am feeling stressed and Ryan is always willing to listen to me...even at 11pm when I have to be to work at 430am. I miss Ryan all day when I am at school/home and he is gone at work with the car. I need to get a project so that I will not waste away my last couple weeks in Utah. I am excited to leave Utah and go home to family, but these years of being a college student have taugh me so much! I have learned to be independent and realize that I can make things work on my own. I can get my homework done, work a job, and socialize and not be too bad off. I miss being near any family for many years, but my friends have helped me get through...and now that I am married, I have actual family near and it is fun to be together. I realized that I cannot remember (or do not understand) how I made it through life for 23 years without Ryan. I knew him for many years and always had a secret crush, but my life is so much better and happier with him in it. He is my best friend. I love his hedgehog hair and i just love him.

Inspiring

Revisiting a moment of our lives

Oh Thanksgiving Point. I had never been there until Laura invited me to go "with her and the kids"...lil lie...we DID go together, but there was my cute Ryan waiting for me and Laura was in on it! I have a great new family and I was so excited to say "yes" to Ryan. Why was I excited? Although we don't have everything figured out, we have the same goals and as we work together the Lord blesses us and we are growing happier every day. I love to see Ryan after a long day at work/school. I know that he puts up with a lot going to work for 12 hours a day, driving me to work at 430am, and seeing me when I am crabby after my 12 hour day. He loves me no matter what. When we visited Thanksgiving Point, it was beautiful with all of the flowers in bloom and the huge waterfall, but the best feeling was knowing that I said "yes" to a proposal from Ryan that has increased my happiness in life every moment of every day since Ryan and I have been more than "just" friends.




This was our bench! Ryan was sitting here when he suprised me!

The last first day of school

Seriously, it was a big day for me. This picture was taken at 415 AM and I didn't even care about my outfit. I was just thinking, get me through this day of school and I will be happy. I won't have a first day of school for a while because this is my last semester of classes before I graduate!!! Oh the many great things you can accomplish in 24 years!

My birthday was the best!

My birthday was so banging! It was my first birthday (besides one in Guatemala, which was just different all together) that I was not with my Shreffler family! I was however, with my Baird/Barnett family and it was so fun! Ryan made me breakfast and we got a yummy cake. He got me everything I wanted and held my hand all day! It was fun being with Laura and Kart and having dinner together and watching LOST. I have the coolest families everrrr!!! I felt so lucky and special this day! (However, I feel lucky and special everyday). Thank you for making my birthday so great and fun!


My breakfast in bed


Isn't it cute? All homemade with love by Ryan<3


My scrumptuous cake


Of course I blew them all out!


Oh it was banging!

I can bake

I surprise myself with my cooking skills and I surprise my family! It is fun trying new recipes and new foods!


I made this crust!!


I baked this bread homemade from scratch!

I am so lucky I am in love with my best friend!




When I came home from school today, I had a snack waiting in the fridge. Ryan prepared it this morning after he went to the store and bought some fruit. I am grateful to have a husband like Ryan who serves me so much. It makes me grateful to have someone that I can serve and appreciates it. Ryan does so much for me every day. He constantly seeks to find little things to show me that he loves me and cares for me even when I cannot see him. now that our schedules are different, we see each other about an hour every week day and then we usually have more time together on the weekend. It can be hard not seeing Ryan, but I am grateful for the hard work he does at home and at work. I am grateful that he will choose to make the house look nice because he knows it is important to me. I loved my snack today. Most of all, I love my dear Ryan and his kind heart.

PENGUINS!

This post is a tribute to Dara's love of penguins. Pop your popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the movie.