A Questionnaire From The Wife

So Kristen asked me to answer the below questions. Hopefully they give a little insight.

> 1. What is the first thing you noticed about your wife when you met?

This one is easy, it was her hair.

> 2. What is something your wife does that drives you crazy?

Probably her leaving the transformer for her hair straightener plugged in. I had to put an over-sized fuse in it so the straightener will work on a small transformer. Not the safest thing, but it works fine for short periods of time.

> 3. If money wasn't an option what is one thing you would make sure you always had done for your wife?

She'd get a professional message every day.

> 4. When do you find your wife most attractive?

She'll argue this one, but in the morning!

> 5. What does your wife do for you that you totally appreciate and would miss if it was gone?

She always takes time out of whatever she is doing to either call me, kiss me, or talk to me to tell me that she loves me.

> 6. If you had your wedding day to do over again and everything was your call, would you keep everything the same? Change something? Everything? Elope or if you eloped vice versa? (Non couples or friends can make up a different question here)

The only change I would make, although it was (understandably) impossible, was to have my brother at the wedding.

> 7. What's one beauty up keep that you wish your wife didn't do? Or what's one beauty thing you wish she did do?

Nothing, she's very well maintained, for either going out or just being casual.

> 8. If you could go or be any where in the world with your wife right now, where would that be?

Hmm... It would either have to be Paris, which was our first romantic vacation or Rome, where we got engaged.
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> 9. What is one moment you wish you could back and relive with your wife just to get to experience again? Would you change anything?

It would have to be our engagement. The part I would change would be removing the evil clown guy from the Trevi Fountain area.
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> 10. What do you love most about your wife?

How sweet and kind she is. She has a gentle soul.

Things I miss...

I have been a little homesick lately. I know, most people want to smack me because I live in Germany. But, hear me out! I miss the Midwest! I miss sitting on the front porch with my sweet tea (hot or cold, depending on the day) reading a good book, cuddling with my dog, people watching, and waving back at all of the wonderful people driving by. Here, sweet tea can only be drank if I make it (and I do), I have no porch, as my German apartment doesn't even have a balcony, my pup is with my parents because he is too old to travel here again (he was here with me for a while), and Germans do NOT randomly wave. If you attempt to perform this sort of action, they think you want to talk about your entire life and so they come over to you to do this. I think Germans as a whole are a great group of people, but meine Deutsch is nicht gut, and I feel like an idiot if I don't know what they said. Maybe I should be making more German friends?

There are other silly things that I miss as well. Going shopping on Sundays (everything is closed here). My favorite chain restaurants (Steak and Shake, Panera, etc.) because they don't have them here. And Dang it, I mis sStarbucks! The closest one is an hour away. I miss going to Half Price Books and looking for hours to find the right ones. Shoe shopping at a hundred different places (because I love shoes). My feet are so tiny that some German brands don't even make shoes small enough to fit me. Plus, I love to shop, and I don't really care for the European style. Give me a cute "T", a pair of blue jeans, and flip-flops or boots any day. I can't do the skinny jeans or the 80s fashions, which seem to be the thing here. I am finishing up my degree on base here, but it is just night school. I miss going to Indiana University, eating lunch on the quad, walking across campus to get to my classes, meeting people along the way. Here, it is just one building that people go to for class, then they leave class, and then they start over. Le, sigh.

Yes, I know that these are super petty things to miss. In reality, I absolutely love living in Europe. I have been to Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and lastly the Vatican City (yes, it is its own country, lol). I mean, wow! Who DOES that? Still to go (that I have scheduled) are Scotland, Egypt, Croatia, Greece, and Turkey. Ok, even writing this out makes me feel bad for whining. Just one of those days, I suppose. I promise I will be more upbeat next time. I truly do love my time here, and I know that after a month or so after moving back to the U.S., I will just whine to come back.

Oh, Happy Day!

This weekend the weather in Germany has been quite beautiful! It is a rare occurance to get warm, dry, comfortable weather, so whenever we do, I feel compelled to be outside. Being that our apartment doesn't even have a balcony, we take to going to the neighboring areas and just seeing what is going on. Thankfully, the Germans share in my sunny attitude (har, har) and usually have plenty going on. This weekend has been no exception. We went to this area called Offenbach and went to a little medieval festival they had going on. Joel and I are big fans of people watching, so it was pretty entertaining. We ate some yummy food and bought some nice crafts and honey wine. All in all it was a good time. Here are some pics.








We also went to a town near Kusel, Germany to visit the castle Berg Lichtenberg. It was a really nice castle, and we had a lot of fun walking around the courtyard. There was a wedding going on (lucky them!) so we weren't there for too long, but we did get some wonderful pictures.

One month!

Joel and I have officially been married for one month today! While I am loving married life, I don't really feel like there has been that much transition between dating, our engagement, and now marriage. Each one is new and exciting, and I know I will never get tired or bored with being married, but our relationship is essentially the same. We are still sickeningly cuddly with each other, polite to each other, we still go out on dates, have our respective work schedules (and my schoolwork) to keep us busy, and we still try to travel locally when the weather is good. I guess that is good, though. I think marriage should be a continuation and growth of the wonderful relationship that has already blossomed. Maybe the change is slow going and I just haven't noticed. I am still getting used to saying "my husband" but it is still something that makes me smile every time I do. Maybe little things like that are the change?

In other news, if all goes according to plan we will be moving in one year! We have no idea where yet, but I am looking forward to the adventure. I love living in Europe. I feel so blessed to have had my travels and the experiences that I will never forget, but I am just ready for something new. I hope to return back here one day, but I am looking forward to things like buying a house, getting a new puppy playmate for my dog, starting my Master's degree, etc. All of these things I can't do here in Germany. But, with the blessings the military sometimes bestows upon us (note: sarcasm) I am sure after this coming move I will be ready to root down and stay put. Maybe in 14-ish years!



And here's Pugsley, which helps complete our family!

The male's perspective

I'll be the first person to say that I'm not a “blog” person; and most guys will probably second that statement. But I do appreciate the power a blog has to convey a message and show the internal feelings of an individual. My mom would be proud of me saying this, but it's just like a song sung in a musical, it really shows what the person is going through than just seeing a few cursory words on a facebook update. So here is my perspective.

My wife put it amazingly well: We are totally married! As interestingly as she described it in a previous entry, everything went as well as we could ask for, save, Nathan, my brother, wasn't there (we are praying for you!). Especially when you consider we planned this wedding thousands of miles away in what most would consider a short amount of time. The one plan that fell through, but didn't mater in the end, was we didn't have a photographer. But Georgette and everyone else with cameras (which is everyone nowadays) came to the rescue and we got some great photos to capture that wonderful day.

I'm currently writing this entry from Montenegro. Which sadly means even though I'm newly married, work never adjusts for the worker and I have to be away from my wife for a little while. In addition to what Kristen said in her post for our travels together, I'll be at least going to Montenegro one more time, Israel, Macedonia, and probably two other countries that I don't know about yet before we head back to the states for our next home. The good thing is we are never more than a skype call, IM, or cell phone text message away from each other. Electronic communication will never replace her kiss or touch, but it reminds me of how good and strong our love really is, and it always makes me excited to return to our home, wherever that maybe through the years.

We're Married!

We are totally married! It has been three weeks, I know. Hey, don't blame me for enjoying my newlywedded bliss! I am super happy, and have just been feeling like I am walking on clouds. The weather that day was absolutely perfect. It was 80-ish, no rain, and barely a cloud in the sky. The sun was shining so bright for our 1700 start time that I thought it was God himself smiling down on us, giving us his blessing.

There were of course funny things going on. Imagine all the girls in the bathroom of the B&B getting ready and all of the men hanging around the fireplace. The minister talked so low that no one could hear him, the cork in the toasting wine did something super crazy, and my dress fit way too large on top (it was a strapless!) so I had to pull it up all evening, but in the end it was almost as perfect as I imagined and I married my best friend. He looked so handsome in his blues! Family and friends all made it, and my new mother-in-law survived her vicious fall (although her camera didn't). I felt so blessed to see some of the most important people in my life show up, including most of my new in-laws. The day was perfect!

We are now settling into a routine being back in Germany. We have just a little over a year left here, and we are trying to make the best out of the traveling time we have left. So far on the agenda is Scotland, Egypt, Greece, Croatia, and Turkey. We are in process of planning our delayed honeymoon, which I insist be somewhere with a beach and a lack of things to do. We will know for sure in July exactly when and where that will be. But, here is a recent picture of us castle hopping!

Two weeks and a day!

The time is almost here! The wedding is just a few weeks away. And my vacation starts right before that! Even more good news! Things are starting to come together. I found the place where we are eating after the wedding. It is called http://www.kingfishrestaurants.com/. It is right on the riverfront in Jeffersonville, and the menu looks excellent! I think everyone will enjoy it. I also found how I am going to do my hair. I won't post the pictures here in case Joel looks, but I am definitely giving in to his wants on my hair. I want it up and he wants it down. He said that as far as things go, that's really his only request, and he gave me that puppy dog look when he said it. So, down it will be. I hope he's happy!!! He makes me happy, so I suppose I can concede this request.

I am going to most likely be buying my dress right when I get there. I am scared of this process, but I found a great place that is willing to work with my last minute timeline. So I will be keeping my fingers crossed. I just hope everything else falls into place. As long as Joel and I get married, I am not sweating too much else.

Because Joel couldn't get my wedding ring shipped to Germany, he had it shipped to his parents in the states. He was there for a few days before his school started, so he has it in his possession. And he took this teaser picture! It was good to see him, and the ring looked beautiful. But, it will look more beautiful upon my finger!!!

A little about us...

1. What are your middle names?
Charles and Renee

2. How long have you been together?
Seven and a half months.

3. How long did you know each other before you started dating?
A few weeks…not long at all!

4. Who asked who out?
Joel said “I don’t want this to be weird, but I like you.” And I said “I kind of like you too.” So, I think Joel did the asking out. We went out on our first date a few days later. After our friends gave us the thumbs up, that is.

5. How old are each of you?
Joel will be dirty thirty in July. Kristen will be twenty-six (read OLD) in April.

6. Did you go to the same school?
Nope. We didn’t even live on the same side of the country.

7. Are you from the same home town?
See above. Absolutley not.

8. Who is the smartest?
Me,..duh. Ok, just kidding. We've got different kinds of smarts. Joel is an Engineer, so he is super brainy smart. I am a liberal arts degree-holder, so I have tons of useless knowledge that has served me well on Jeopardy.

9. Who majored in what?
Joel majored in Environmental Engineering, and I was a double-major in Political Science and History.

10. Who is the most sensitive?
Actually, we both are. I am more sensitive off the bat, but Joel is a dweller.

11. Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
The United States! From Germany, that is. We visited Joel’s parents in Oregon in December. In Europe (because we met in Germany) the farthest we have travelled together is Rome.

12. Who has the worst temper?
Me. Hands down.

13. How many children do you want?
Joel wants to have two. That’s all nice and well, but I am undecided. I like sleeping in on weekends. So, the final number is still up for discussion. But, we will most likely settle for one. MAYBE…

14. Who does the cooking?
We do our even share, but Joel probably picks up a little more kitchen duty than I do because I love his breakfast skills.

15. Who is more social?
Joel says that I am. I would like to be MORE social, but I am also a homebody. Go figure…

16. Who is the neat freak?
Joel is probably more so than me, but he would hire a maid in a heartbeat. There are certain times where I get super anal and MUST clean, but more often than not I am not a clean freak.

17. Who is the most stubborn?
I am more stubborn for sure. But Joel definitely has his moments.

18. Who wakes up earlier?
By far this is Joel! Although I love waking up to kisses, I would prefer an extra hour or four on occasion.

19. Where was your first date?
It was at a funky restaurant called the 21 Lounge, which is the tallest restaurant in Kaiserslautern. Joel made me brownies and we went back to his house (minds out of the gutter, people!) and we had dessert. It was really sweet and innocent.

20. Who has the bigger family?
Joel. He has two siblings to my one.

21. Do you get flowers often?
Pretty often. I could always use them more, but I bet I get them at least monthly, even if they are a potted plant and we have no yard.

22. How do you spend the holidays?
We live overseas right now, so we have no routine. And with a military lifestyle, we probably never will.

23. Who is more jealous?
Probably me. Joel is the guy with all of the female friends. I am not psycho jealous, but I definitely stick my nose up at his extensive female friend list.

24. How long did it take to get serious?
Umm…we said we loved each other after two weeks and we are getting married right before our ten month anniversary. So…pretty quickly. But, when you know you know! And we are very happy with our relationship.

25. Who eats more?
We both have healthy appetites.

26. What do you do for a living?
Joel is a Civil Engineer for the Air Force, and I am an Admin Officer for the Army. So we basically save the world…KIDDING!

27. Who does the laundry?
Mostly Joel does because there is an evil clown that lives in the basement. No, there seriously is.

28. Who's better with the computer?
Joel.

29. Who drives when you are together?
Joel. Unless it is a beautiful day. Then I take my convertible out for a spin.

30. What is your song?
God Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts. It speaks volumes to what our relationship means to us.

45 days...but who is counting?

Yep, that's right folks. Forty-five days until the wedding. I know..O...M...G! Not that I am freaking out about getting married. Marrying Joel is the easy part. That is the part that I don't have to think about. And I thought that getting married in a place where they do 90% of the legwork would be easy. But it's really not. I am STILL a little stressed. Let me tell you why...

The Dress - STILL don't have one. Nice places like David's bridal don't ship to APO addresses (thanks for supporting the military, ugh!). I have ordered two dresses to be shipped here, but neither one has arrived as of yet. So I have to hope that one shows up and fits, and if it doesn't, that I can get alterations done in a timely manner.

Photographer - We are getting married in a very small ceremony. I think the last headcount was 14. We don't need a big ceremony, hence we don't need an ultra fancy photographer session. But photographers hear wedding, and want a massive fee just for shooting the wedding. Boo. We just want memories of our special day.

Meeting the Parents - Joel is meeting my parents four days before the wedding. FOUR DAYS. Not that I think they won't like them (what's not to like?) but the whole issue kind of stresses me out.

And I am sure that there are more but that is depressing enough. Hopefully everything will go smoothly and we can enjoy our last week in the states as the cutesy married couple we will be.

We have a date!!!

And it is...

MAY 4, 2010!

Why the rush, you say? Well, we say...why wait? We had been trying to get stuff together to get married in Germany, and it was just too much. Joel and I are going to Indiana in May so he can meet my parents, and we both agreed it would be easier to just get married while we are there. So, the plan is this. We found an adorable B&B in Southern Indiana that takes care of most of the wedding prep for you (or in this case, us). We will be getting there just mere days beforehand, so this is relatively stress free for us. God love Joel's parents, because they are coming down from Oregon to be with us on this special day. My parents will be coming, along with my three best girlfriends and their SOs.

We are going to get married at this adorable little gazebo on the grounds. This is it not set up, but you get the point. We are going to do cake and punch at the reception area, then everyone is welcome to join us for dinner at a nearby restaurant, yet to be decided. I am so excited! It is going to be very simple, small, and intimate. I know it seems rushed, but we are both 100% sure that we are "all in" so there is no time like the present! I love Joel with all of my heart, and I can't wait to be his wife.