What a Year...

It has been a wonderful first year of marriage.

We relished in our new union,

Reminisced about the start of the wedding journey,

Discovered new places together,

Threw out all the rules and made our own,

Found the beauty in nature,

Dipped our toes in the water,

Accomplished new things,

Experienced some of the best local amusement there is to offer,

Challenged each other,

Spent quality time together,

Survived three weeks with a 17 year old,

Made some last minute decisions,

Sought out some ghosts,

Figured out how to work a camera,

Paid tribute to what brought us together,

Shared our hobbies,

Shared old traditions,

Made some new bonds,

Continued our own traditions,

Celebrated the new union of friends,

(Two weeks in a row)

 

Got our first "blended" family photos,

 

Achieved personal and team bests,

 

Supported each other,

 

Made things up as we went along,

Encouraged each other to try new things,

Found peace together,

We learned a lot,

 

We got everything we ever wanted.

It was not until I met Jim that I understood how relaxing a car ride with no destination could be. How trips without an itinerary could be fun. That staying home and sitting on the couch on a weekend could be one of my favorite things. Or I could get so much joy out of something I didn't like as long as it made him happy. It isn't about loving to do all the same exact things, it is about finding the common denominator and building upon that.We are still only at the beginning and have a lot more experiences to learn and grow together from but I am so excited to be one year into that journey.

Happy Birthday Jim

Today is my loving, patient, supportive, one day shy of one year husband's Birthday. We hadn't originally planned on the two celebrations on top of each other. There was only one date available in our "ideal" time range. Jim joked that it would make remembering our anniversary years from now much easier as me getting him a birthday gift would remind him he needed to get me a gift and save him from getting in a lot of trouble. Although I don't think Jim is the type to forget an anniversary. 

So instead of spending a night out celebrating his birthday my husband spent his last birthday...

 Showing his cousins' kids around a firehouse...

Cutting flowers...

 

Rehearsing a wedding

He put up with my last minute "To do..." lists,  following a well planned itinerary, and spent his spare moments reassuring me that everything was going to be perfect. In return I promise to never plan another birthday quite so stressful.... but we both enjoyed having so many loved ones here and together for Jim's Birthday! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIM

Update

Just a little update on my sprouts... we now have 4 tomato sprouts... 

Up close

 

And my four cucumber plants...

 

And after a two day hiatus the ducky couple was back for more food...

Lazy Sunday

I am barely able to contain my excitement about my growing "garden". I am already daydreaming about picking the food and how I will use them. Today I noticed yet another sprout... I feel like they are growing so quickly when I was bracing myself with a long wait before seeing any growth.

I had originally planted 5 seeds in this particular pot and today while searching for the other two possible sprouts on the surface did find a fourth seed. I poked lightly at the dirt around it hoping to see a green stem as with the very first. Unfortunately there was no stem so I pushed it softly back into the soil hoping it is just taking it's time.

My ducky couple was back again, for both breakfast and dinner. As it is a cooler and more windy than yesterday they must be hiding somewhere sheltered as I have not noticed their usual paddling around the pond today.

 Scarlet has a great interest in our ducks as well... although I do not believe her motivation or intentions are quite as friendly as mine. Friday she got out and chased them to the edge of the pond where she waited and watched while meowing at them. Instead she grudgingly watches them from the window.

 She will remain there and watch as they finish their meal.

 I think she heard me taking pictures.

Not One But Two

This Saturday was beautiful and relaxing. Myrtle Beach has reached Spring more quickly this year than last. We are already experiencing warm almost hot days, being covered in a thick coat of yellow pollen, and budding plants! My very own container garden is moving along rather nicely. I noticed my first bit of a sprout Friday afternoon. When I went to admire the little thing Saturday morning I noticed something new.... it had a leaf too.

 When I went to water the plants in the afternoon I noticed my first sprout had a little friend... that popped up rather quickly as it was not there earlier and is now out and bigger than the first!

 Tucker likes hanging out with me outside.

 We experienced a "megamoon" last night. I thought with as bright as it was I would be able to get a good picture... unfortunately this is the best I could do with my camera.

Smile for Today

While I was wiping down the fridge yesterday (cleaning in preparation for Wii Game Night) I had to adjust two of our most valuable pieces of art. The top was done by Jim's cousin Lulu during a trip home and has been front and center since then (almost three years now). It is a penguin basking in the sunshine and she even signed her name next to it. Below it is some very tech savvy computer art created just for us by Jim's cousin (Lulu's sister) Katy. It is a beautiful portrait of our wedding by the beach that was given to us the Sunday after our wedding and has been right next to Lulu's art ever since (going on a year, hard to believe huh?). They made me smile and I wanted to share.

Jim's Input

Jim's idea of what the ducks really want.... to sell us insurance.

Little Sprout

You see that little green thing in the middle of the picture?! That is my first little sprout! I went out to water the plants this afternoon and noticed one of the seeds at the surface and went to push it back into the dirt when I looked a bit closer and realized it had a little green protruding from the side! This is the cucumber plant. 

 In my excitement to document my first sprout I didn't realize some visitors had approached. I was excited to see them both as the other day I had seen a male duck in the road just on the other side of the pond.

 They hung out while I went inside and got them bread. They even got brave enough (or were hungry enough) to venture onto our porch.

 "Got any more food?"