Wash the Windshield

Keeping the view of the road ahead clear.



Wednesday, July 11, 2012

100 Days

In 100 days, I will marry the man that changed the scope of my life.


...opened up my heart.
...gave me hope.
...and happiness.
...and made my dreams come true.


And for that, I will forever be grateful.


As a Project Manager in my day-job, I deal with alot of 'scoping'.  Asking people, "what's in scope for this project?"  "What is out of scope?"


If you would've asked me what was "in scope" for my life 18 months ago, I would've told you that I just wanted to be happy.  Just raise my kids, keep my job, finish my degree, live in the house I bought and just generally do the day-to-day stuff to keep going.


While I'd always dreamed of being married one day, at that time, it was completely 'out of scope'.




Time sure changes everything.


Here I am, 100 days from one of the best things that will happen in my life and I can barely believe it.


The closer it gets, the more planning I do, and the more real it seems.


I often think back to the first time I re-connected with Joe.  The first time I stepped out of my little Chevy Cobalt last summer to meet him for dinner at B-dubbs.  


I had spent a decade dating different people here and there but just knowing in the bottom of my heart that it wasn't meant to be.  That was not the "last stop" for me.  I wasn't sure what or whom I was searching for, but I knew the search was not over.


Until that night.  The minute I got out of the car and saw him I just knew.


...he is the reason I've spent a decade alone.


We needed a decade to go on with our lives, have our children, grow up, get established...


...and then reconnect.  


Time sure changes everything.


Here we are, months later, preparing for a day that I thought would never come; sharing it with a man that I never dreamed I'd ever have back in my life; and having the honor of some of the greatest friends in the world supporting me on this journey.


I look around at this house we have together; and it's more than just neutral colored walls with a combination of furniture from each of our past lives.


It's home.


It's a place where children laugh.
...and cry.


It's a place where we make memories as a new family.


It's a place where I take on a new role that I've never had before... a wife.
...and getting that title soon, means the world to me.


It's the place where our children will be picked up for their first dates.
... and park their first cars.


It's the place where we share secrets...
...and hopes.
...and fears.


It's home.


and I am so, so thankful to be here.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

The Color Yellow

When we first bought our house, it was perfect for us, but it was "dated".  And by "dated" i mean it looked like many of our parents houses, probably could use some decorating love and updates. 

So, we began to peel more wallpaper than I ever want to admit to, hired a painter who FINALLY this past weekend got it all done, and I couldn't be more thrilled.  I need to take before and after pictures to post together sometime bceause I think it has really changed since we first made the purchase. 

It's "ours" and i'm extremely happy for that.

In the meantime, since I had chosen all of the other colors for the house, Joe suggested that we do a contrast color on the peak walls in the kitchen.  I agreed, and we decided on a golden yellow.

After the painter left last weekend, I was very unsure about it.

Unsure to the point where, I was deciding whether i wanted to have it repainted a different more neutral color.  I went shopping for some above-the-cabinet decorations and hung them all up there the minute I got home.

Slowly but surely it's growing on me.   The decorations make it look better, but i'm still not 100% sold on it.

However, I'm exercising compromise and deciding that... if Joe likes the kitchen the color it is... then that's how it shall be! 

Oh, and if someone else comments on how crazy it looks ...

... i can blame him :)