It’s about that time again, actually even a day late, for chapter 3 of Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. This chapter is all about learning to love and how marriage teaches us how to do so. This chapter really challenged me and hit home.
Matthew 22:34-40 tells us that the most important things we must do is to love God AND love each other. This book talked about how marriage is the perfect place for us to learn how to love everyone. Marriage puts us in such close proximity to our spouse that we see all of their flaws and we still continue to love them and live our daily lives with them. “All Christians are God’s children; by loving others, we bring enormous pleasure to our heavenly Father.” This means our spouse, too. We aren’t called to show them love when they deserve it, earn it, or are doing what we feel like they should be doing. We owe all Christians our love no matter what.
Jesse and I struggle with this A LOT. I can say that we both love each other deeply and even madly, we don’t struggle with the feelings, we struggle with the actions. We both have a hard time showing our love for each other through our words and actions when we are not happen with what the other one is doing. We are both pretty strong minded people and tend to speak most things we are thinking or feeling. On one hand, I love our honesty with each other, but on the other, I know that we should be doing so in a more nurturing and caring way. Sometimes we both come across as more critical than caring. This is not right. “Love is patient, love is kind….” We both struggle with holding each other accountable in this patient and kind manner.
“Allow your marriage relationship to stretch your love and to enlarge your capacity for love – to teach you to be a Christian.” I love this challenge and call to our Christian duty. It is not a choice for Christians to show their spouse love and kindness, it’s what we are supposed to do. I also really liked that the book talked about not only showing our spouse love through spiritual means, but also trying to please them with “earthly” pleasures. When we go out of our way to please our spouse, it pleases God. That can look so different in so many different marriages. In mine, that may mean not complaining about Jesse leaving to go hunting for the weekend, packing his lunch, or doing the “maritals” even when I’m not in the mood. ;) In doing so, I’m not only pleasing Jesse, but most importantly, I’m pleasing my Savior and Creator.
I am going to accept this chapter as a personal challenge.
Showing posts with label marriage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marriage. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Sacred Marriage: Chapter 2
I left out some details of the group that I joined up with, last time I blogged about the first chapter of Sacred Marriage. Jennifer over at Knee Keep in Munchkin Land, is hosting this book study for more than thirty of us women. We are doing a chapter every other week for 26 weeks, and sharing our insights through our blog posts. Go check out Jennifer’s site, if you’d like to find other bloggers posts dedicated to this book study.
I love that this chapter really focused on the fact that our God is a God of reconciliation. I know that I often look at myself and how often I fail miserably in bringing glory to God…and he still forgives me and reconciles with me. Shouldn’t we try to be more Christ-like in our marriages? Our Father does not keep a record of all the times we have “wronged” him, and maybe we should try our best to do the same in our marriages. This is a hard one for me, but one that I strive to be better about. When we forgive one another, we bring joy to our Father. And the purpose of marriage is more about doing that than bringing joy to ourselves or even to each other.
“In a man-centered view, we will maintain our marriage as long as our earthly comforts, desires, and expectations are met. In a God-centered view, we preserve our marriage because it brings glory to God and points a sinful world to a reconciling Creator.”
It’s also pointed out that keeping a Christian marriage together is a duty, not a choice. I get it, marriage is hard, but the number one purpose of our marriage needs to come first. We cannot call a marriage a Christian one and just hope that it’s what it turns out to be, it's got to be in the forefronts of our minds. We have to live it and it’s HARD! Jesse and I both really struggle with this. This is constantly on my mind during disagreements… I think to myself “Are my reactions and words Christ based, or Stephanie based?” Ehhh, unfortunately 90% of the time I am ashamed of the answer to my question, and then I am again humbled by God's grace and reconcilation with me.
I love that this chapter really focused on the fact that our God is a God of reconciliation. I know that I often look at myself and how often I fail miserably in bringing glory to God…and he still forgives me and reconciles with me. Shouldn’t we try to be more Christ-like in our marriages? Our Father does not keep a record of all the times we have “wronged” him, and maybe we should try our best to do the same in our marriages. This is a hard one for me, but one that I strive to be better about. When we forgive one another, we bring joy to our Father. And the purpose of marriage is more about doing that than bringing joy to ourselves or even to each other.
“In a man-centered view, we will maintain our marriage as long as our earthly comforts, desires, and expectations are met. In a God-centered view, we preserve our marriage because it brings glory to God and points a sinful world to a reconciling Creator.”
It’s also pointed out that keeping a Christian marriage together is a duty, not a choice. I get it, marriage is hard, but the number one purpose of our marriage needs to come first. We cannot call a marriage a Christian one and just hope that it’s what it turns out to be, it's got to be in the forefronts of our minds. We have to live it and it’s HARD! Jesse and I both really struggle with this. This is constantly on my mind during disagreements… I think to myself “Are my reactions and words Christ based, or Stephanie based?” Ehhh, unfortunately 90% of the time I am ashamed of the answer to my question, and then I am again humbled by God's grace and reconcilation with me.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Sacred Marriage: Chapter 1
A couple weeks ago, I joined a virtual bible study with a group of fellow bloggers. The book chosen is, Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. It’s an incredible thing, to get together with a bunch of strangers, who have a common belief and faith, and to get to know them. The group has been so active in discussion, prayer requests, and introductions.
Chapter 1:
The main idea of the book is: “What if God designed marriage to make up holy more than to make us happy?” The book states that it’s not a self help type of book that’s purpose is to offer help to get to a more pleasurable marriage, instead it’s a book that offers insight on how to accept the trials that we go through in our marriages as a way to become closer with our heavenly Father.
Marriage is tough. I have a hard time believing anyone who says differently. My experience so far, is that it is a lot harder than parenthood. It is two adults vowing to live a life in unison. We must come to the same decision on all major life choices. What other relationship in our lives do we have to do this? With our family and friends, we can just “agree to disagree” on subjects, intimate marriages don’t work like that. Are we going to “agree to disagree” on the way our children will be raised, how we are going to live out our faith, where we are going to live, what financial decisions will be made, etc. I would sure hope not! These are the things that successful marriages have to come to terms with and work together on! It’s tough, but getting to the same place with these decisions and having discussions is part of what makes marriages strong.
The chapter goes on the talk about romance and how it’s a recently developed concept. I think that the main concept of this book seems very unromantic. Aren’t good marriages supposed to be the ones where the husband and wife still look longingly into each other’s eyes and profess deep love to each other on a minutely basis? Ha! Romantic love doesn’t usually stay in a relationship forever. Sure there are probably moments of romance in every marriage, but it’s not a continuous outpouring of gushiness. If we marry simply for those romantic feelings, we would have to throw in the towel every couple of years and find a new partner, who can fulfill that need, and in turn the new partner could perhaps provide that for a few years, and then what?
We have seen several of our friends go through divorces and on the outside it just looks like they gave up when the honeymoon period ended, and they didn’t make their marriage intimate with a “deeper” love. So, they all moved on the find “new” love.
I pray that Jesse and I continue to have an intimate marriage. I want a marriage that we can admit our flaws to each other and reach out for help and accountability. One in which we can honor, cherish, and respect each other. Marriage is so hard because it involves complete honesty. Jesse and I still get offended by each other’s brutal honesty, but I would rather be offended than to have a surface level relationship that doesn’t involve knowing exactly how my partner feels or what his opinions are about me or my actions. It hurts sometimes, but I know that it brings me closer in my walk with Christ.
I really appreciated the story in this chapter when it talks about the woman “is finding out little by little that she is capable of hating her husband, who she loves faithfully. She can hate him at times as fiercely and mysteriously, indeed in terribly much the same way, as often she hated her parents, her brothers and sisters, whom she loves, when she was a child…” The book says that this is the “reality of living as sinful human beings in a radically broken world.” There are times when I feel hate towards Jesse and I want to pull my hair out when dealing with him. I’m sure he feels the same way about me just as often if not more. J It’s my own sinful nature that allows me to feel like this. I absolutely always love Jesse; I even adore him 99% of the time. And I have to admit, the times of not liking him, used to scare me. Now, I just kind of accept it as part of a marriage that will last forever. Marriage isn’t supposed to be easy or smooth; it’s supposed to be forever.
Chapter 1:
The main idea of the book is: “What if God designed marriage to make up holy more than to make us happy?” The book states that it’s not a self help type of book that’s purpose is to offer help to get to a more pleasurable marriage, instead it’s a book that offers insight on how to accept the trials that we go through in our marriages as a way to become closer with our heavenly Father.
Marriage is tough. I have a hard time believing anyone who says differently. My experience so far, is that it is a lot harder than parenthood. It is two adults vowing to live a life in unison. We must come to the same decision on all major life choices. What other relationship in our lives do we have to do this? With our family and friends, we can just “agree to disagree” on subjects, intimate marriages don’t work like that. Are we going to “agree to disagree” on the way our children will be raised, how we are going to live out our faith, where we are going to live, what financial decisions will be made, etc. I would sure hope not! These are the things that successful marriages have to come to terms with and work together on! It’s tough, but getting to the same place with these decisions and having discussions is part of what makes marriages strong.
The chapter goes on the talk about romance and how it’s a recently developed concept. I think that the main concept of this book seems very unromantic. Aren’t good marriages supposed to be the ones where the husband and wife still look longingly into each other’s eyes and profess deep love to each other on a minutely basis? Ha! Romantic love doesn’t usually stay in a relationship forever. Sure there are probably moments of romance in every marriage, but it’s not a continuous outpouring of gushiness. If we marry simply for those romantic feelings, we would have to throw in the towel every couple of years and find a new partner, who can fulfill that need, and in turn the new partner could perhaps provide that for a few years, and then what?
We have seen several of our friends go through divorces and on the outside it just looks like they gave up when the honeymoon period ended, and they didn’t make their marriage intimate with a “deeper” love. So, they all moved on the find “new” love.
I pray that Jesse and I continue to have an intimate marriage. I want a marriage that we can admit our flaws to each other and reach out for help and accountability. One in which we can honor, cherish, and respect each other. Marriage is so hard because it involves complete honesty. Jesse and I still get offended by each other’s brutal honesty, but I would rather be offended than to have a surface level relationship that doesn’t involve knowing exactly how my partner feels or what his opinions are about me or my actions. It hurts sometimes, but I know that it brings me closer in my walk with Christ.
I really appreciated the story in this chapter when it talks about the woman “is finding out little by little that she is capable of hating her husband, who she loves faithfully. She can hate him at times as fiercely and mysteriously, indeed in terribly much the same way, as often she hated her parents, her brothers and sisters, whom she loves, when she was a child…” The book says that this is the “reality of living as sinful human beings in a radically broken world.” There are times when I feel hate towards Jesse and I want to pull my hair out when dealing with him. I’m sure he feels the same way about me just as often if not more. J It’s my own sinful nature that allows me to feel like this. I absolutely always love Jesse; I even adore him 99% of the time. And I have to admit, the times of not liking him, used to scare me. Now, I just kind of accept it as part of a marriage that will last forever. Marriage isn’t supposed to be easy or smooth; it’s supposed to be forever.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Anniversary Week: The Engagement
Jesse and I moved in together at the beginning of December 2006. Things were going smoothly and our future seemed bright. We had our tickets bought to go to Minnesota and spend Christmas with his family. Little did I know that Jesse had picked out an engagement ring near his hometown, when he was there for a few days for his great-grandmother’s funeral in October.
I thought the big question was coming, I just didn’t know when, and I especially didn’t know that a ring was already picked out. We celebrated Christmas with his family and had a wonderful time. I kept waiting for Jesse to ask me to go on some romantic, private walk… but it never happened.
On December 28th, his whole extended family came over to his parent’s house to celebrate Christmas. They were doing a gift exchange (whatever you call the type where you draw numbers and steal gifts). I had drawn a middle number, but lucky Jesse had drawn the last number, which meant that he could either open the last gift, or steal anyone else’s gift. I had opened a gun cleaning kit. Yippee! (Insert sarcasm) It was just about Jesse’s turn to finalize the game and I was whispering to him that he should steal so and so’s gift that I wanted and then trade later. I even remember being slightly irritated that he wasn’t agreeing with my plan, he stole the gun cleaning kit from me. That left me with the last gift on the table.
I got up and walked to the center of the room to pick up the last gift, turned back around to get back to my seat with unopened gift. When I turned around, I found Jesse on his knee holding the ring. I was absolutely shocked. I don’t even remember him asking the question, but I remember just being speechless because I was so surprised. Of course I said yes J It was such a special day and I am so happy to of been able to have his entire family (great grandma, grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins!) there to celebrate with us. But, I must say, I would never in a million years of guessed that he would’ve done it in front of so many people!
It was such a happy day. I knew that I loved Jesse and that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. Yet, I smile now about how young we were and how little we knew about how the Lord would change our hearts and show us a love for Him and for each other that we would never have imagined.
I thought the big question was coming, I just didn’t know when, and I especially didn’t know that a ring was already picked out. We celebrated Christmas with his family and had a wonderful time. I kept waiting for Jesse to ask me to go on some romantic, private walk… but it never happened.
On December 28th, his whole extended family came over to his parent’s house to celebrate Christmas. They were doing a gift exchange (whatever you call the type where you draw numbers and steal gifts). I had drawn a middle number, but lucky Jesse had drawn the last number, which meant that he could either open the last gift, or steal anyone else’s gift. I had opened a gun cleaning kit. Yippee! (Insert sarcasm) It was just about Jesse’s turn to finalize the game and I was whispering to him that he should steal so and so’s gift that I wanted and then trade later. I even remember being slightly irritated that he wasn’t agreeing with my plan, he stole the gun cleaning kit from me. That left me with the last gift on the table.
I got up and walked to the center of the room to pick up the last gift, turned back around to get back to my seat with unopened gift. When I turned around, I found Jesse on his knee holding the ring. I was absolutely shocked. I don’t even remember him asking the question, but I remember just being speechless because I was so surprised. Of course I said yes J It was such a special day and I am so happy to of been able to have his entire family (great grandma, grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins!) there to celebrate with us. But, I must say, I would never in a million years of guessed that he would’ve done it in front of so many people!
It was such a happy day. I knew that I loved Jesse and that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. Yet, I smile now about how young we were and how little we knew about how the Lord would change our hearts and show us a love for Him and for each other that we would never have imagined.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Anniversary Week: The Deployment
After Jesse and I got back from Minnesota, I started my career at a local public accounting firm. Jesse and I settled into normal dating life. Most of our evenings involved each other, watching movies, having dinner, going to movies, or hitting up the piano bar right across the street from my new place. But unfortunately, that “normal” life didn’t last long. Jesse was scheduled to deploy at the beginning of July for four months.
Jesse’s parents wanting him to come out to Minnesota again over the 4th of July weekend, so they could see their son one more time before his first deployment. He said he wasn’t coming without me. So, we both made our way back to Minnesota for a long weekend. When we returned on the night of the 5th, I was hit with unexpected news. One of my friends from college had drowned in a lake the night before. I was devastated. Jesse was amazing and just held me through my tears, but had to leave the very next morning. It was an emotional time for me.
Jesse and I talked on the phone as often as we could while he was gone. Soon after he left, he mailed me a ring that was engraved in Hebrew writing that says, “My beloved is mine and I am His”. I wore it during the whole deployment and still where it anytime Jesse is away from me. Our conversations got more serious and we began to talk about the future. It was different than any other relationship I had ever been in. It just felt right. I was dating a man, not a college kid. Jesse was not afraid of the future or to tell me he loved me. It was a more mature love than I had experienced in the past.
The first couple of months seemed pretty effortless, but for the last month or so it became increasingly harder for me. I had only been with Jesse for a little over two months when he left, at that point he had been away for longer than we had been together. Jesse’s great grandmother passed away a few days before he was scheduled to come home. He was able to leave early to return home for his grandmother’s funeral. And a few days later, he was back to Washington.
It was great for the first few days, but then things got to feeling not so right. Jesse was home a few days before the rest of his squadron. I noticed that he kind of had an attitude, hung around my place and created messes. It just didn’t feel right. We got into a couple arguments and decided to take a break. In the couple of days we were apart, I went on a date with a guy from work and he had a post deployment briefing with the rest of his squadron. I think we both came to some realizations. For me, I realized that I had found the real deal in Jesse. Jesse realized that there are some common things that happen in relationships right after a deployment. What our arguments had stemmed around where the most common ones for military members coming home after being away for months. Before the week was up, we had sat down, talked, and resolved the issues at hand. Everything was back to normal by the beginning of November. :)
Jesse’s parents wanting him to come out to Minnesota again over the 4th of July weekend, so they could see their son one more time before his first deployment. He said he wasn’t coming without me. So, we both made our way back to Minnesota for a long weekend. When we returned on the night of the 5th, I was hit with unexpected news. One of my friends from college had drowned in a lake the night before. I was devastated. Jesse was amazing and just held me through my tears, but had to leave the very next morning. It was an emotional time for me.
Jesse and I talked on the phone as often as we could while he was gone. Soon after he left, he mailed me a ring that was engraved in Hebrew writing that says, “My beloved is mine and I am His”. I wore it during the whole deployment and still where it anytime Jesse is away from me. Our conversations got more serious and we began to talk about the future. It was different than any other relationship I had ever been in. It just felt right. I was dating a man, not a college kid. Jesse was not afraid of the future or to tell me he loved me. It was a more mature love than I had experienced in the past.
The first couple of months seemed pretty effortless, but for the last month or so it became increasingly harder for me. I had only been with Jesse for a little over two months when he left, at that point he had been away for longer than we had been together. Jesse’s great grandmother passed away a few days before he was scheduled to come home. He was able to leave early to return home for his grandmother’s funeral. And a few days later, he was back to Washington.
It was great for the first few days, but then things got to feeling not so right. Jesse was home a few days before the rest of his squadron. I noticed that he kind of had an attitude, hung around my place and created messes. It just didn’t feel right. We got into a couple arguments and decided to take a break. In the couple of days we were apart, I went on a date with a guy from work and he had a post deployment briefing with the rest of his squadron. I think we both came to some realizations. For me, I realized that I had found the real deal in Jesse. Jesse realized that there are some common things that happen in relationships right after a deployment. What our arguments had stemmed around where the most common ones for military members coming home after being away for months. Before the week was up, we had sat down, talked, and resolved the issues at hand. Everything was back to normal by the beginning of November. :)
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Anniversary Week: Dating
The night after we met, Jesse asked me out on our first date. We were going to meet at the movie theater. I drove up, went by the front of the theater before parking, and noticed a very attractive man standing in front who looked to be waiting for someone. (Remember when I told you that the night before, him and his friend were being funny and were dressed like nerdy old men??) I think I said aloud, "No way." So I parked and called his cell phone to let him know that I had just gotten there and to see if he was there already, too. Sure enough, he said he was standing right out front. It was him! I'm telling you, he was completely unrecognizable from the night before. I thought I had kissed a geek the night before, I was wrong. :)
The date went really well and then the next day he left to go to Spain for a week long mission. He called me a few times during that week to chat. By the time he got back... I had somehow gotten pink eye... in both eyes! The night he got back, I told him that he couldn't come over because I was highly contagious AND I looked like something out of a horror film. He still insisted and didn't seem the slightest bit worried about getting pink eye. I knew this guy was in it for the right reasons and could be a keeper.
Over the next week, we saw each other almost every day. I was in my last couple weeks of college and pulling all nighters studying... and making out with this cute new guy in my life. ;) Jesse had leave for the last half of May to go home to Minnesota. Before he left, I also had tickets to join him for the last week of May to Minnesota to meet his family. During the week he was gone, I managed to graduate college, finish up my internship, and get moved into a new place. Life was about to dramatically change for me. And, you got it right, within 4 weeks of meeting Jesse, I was half way across the country meeting his family!
We had a great time in Minnesota. He picked me up in Minneapolis and surprised me with a day filled with the Mall of America, a Twins vs. Mariners game, and a stay at the downtown Hilton. The rest of the week we spent the days with his family and the nights hanging out with his friends. It was so much fun.
The date went really well and then the next day he left to go to Spain for a week long mission. He called me a few times during that week to chat. By the time he got back... I had somehow gotten pink eye... in both eyes! The night he got back, I told him that he couldn't come over because I was highly contagious AND I looked like something out of a horror film. He still insisted and didn't seem the slightest bit worried about getting pink eye. I knew this guy was in it for the right reasons and could be a keeper.
Over the next week, we saw each other almost every day. I was in my last couple weeks of college and pulling all nighters studying... and making out with this cute new guy in my life. ;) Jesse had leave for the last half of May to go home to Minnesota. Before he left, I also had tickets to join him for the last week of May to Minnesota to meet his family. During the week he was gone, I managed to graduate college, finish up my internship, and get moved into a new place. Life was about to dramatically change for me. And, you got it right, within 4 weeks of meeting Jesse, I was half way across the country meeting his family!
We had a great time in Minnesota. He picked me up in Minneapolis and surprised me with a day filled with the Mall of America, a Twins vs. Mariners game, and a stay at the downtown Hilton. The rest of the week we spent the days with his family and the nights hanging out with his friends. It was so much fun.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Anniversary Week: How We Met
Jesse and my fourth anniversary is a week from today, September 1st. So, I decided to "borrow" the idea to do use this week to post our love story! Carla did this a couple weeks ago and I loved getting to know about her and her husband's story!
So let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start! When I met Jesse I was in my last semester of college at Pacific Lutheran University (Go Lutes!). I had an accounting internship at Labor Ready's headquarters in Tacoma in their tax department. At Labor Ready, I had met, Stacy, a woman with two kids, whose husband was in the Air Force and was currently deployed. She was graduating college that week and had invited me over to drink some wine with her to celebrate.
Fast forward to that Saturday, April 29th, 2006. I got to Stacy's house and it had turned out to be a get together/BBQ. She had even invited two of her husbands friends over and was playing matchmaker with me and them. Turns out it was Jesse and his best friend, Jamie. I wasn't looking to meet anyone. So, I kind of stayed clear from both of them for the first couple hours. I clung to Stacy and even her kids, anything to keep from being awkwardly "set-up" with these two guys that were dressed for their own personal theme night: 40 year old guys. Complete with sweater vests and visors.
Well, the night got later and the makings for cherry bombs were brought out. (This was my very favorite drink during college: a shot of cherry vodka dropped in a glass of red bull). Being the crazy young kid I was, I had a few cherry bombs and didn't stay such a wall flower for long. We played some poker and hung out for awhile. I immediately found myself drawn to Jesse. He was laid back, kind, and easy to talk to. He managed to make me feel like I was the only person in the room that night without seeming to be trying to hard. Like he was just genuinely interested in getting to know me.
Even later in the night, we found ourselves alone in the living room talking on the couch. He leaned over and kissed me. And that is when he had me.
So let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start! When I met Jesse I was in my last semester of college at Pacific Lutheran University (Go Lutes!). I had an accounting internship at Labor Ready's headquarters in Tacoma in their tax department. At Labor Ready, I had met, Stacy, a woman with two kids, whose husband was in the Air Force and was currently deployed. She was graduating college that week and had invited me over to drink some wine with her to celebrate.
Fast forward to that Saturday, April 29th, 2006. I got to Stacy's house and it had turned out to be a get together/BBQ. She had even invited two of her husbands friends over and was playing matchmaker with me and them. Turns out it was Jesse and his best friend, Jamie. I wasn't looking to meet anyone. So, I kind of stayed clear from both of them for the first couple hours. I clung to Stacy and even her kids, anything to keep from being awkwardly "set-up" with these two guys that were dressed for their own personal theme night: 40 year old guys. Complete with sweater vests and visors.
Well, the night got later and the makings for cherry bombs were brought out. (This was my very favorite drink during college: a shot of cherry vodka dropped in a glass of red bull). Being the crazy young kid I was, I had a few cherry bombs and didn't stay such a wall flower for long. We played some poker and hung out for awhile. I immediately found myself drawn to Jesse. He was laid back, kind, and easy to talk to. He managed to make me feel like I was the only person in the room that night without seeming to be trying to hard. Like he was just genuinely interested in getting to know me.
Even later in the night, we found ourselves alone in the living room talking on the couch. He leaned over and kissed me. And that is when he had me.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Turkey: Part 1
So, I am finally getting around to getting back to the blogging world. Let me just start by saying that I had an amazing time in Turkey. It was wonderful to have a week of alone time with Jesse after being away from him for over three months! My time there was a perfect blend of activities, relaxation, sunshine and food. Can't beat that, right?!
I finally got to Adana, Turkey two Saturday's ago. Jesse was waiting for me at the Adana airport. I loved feeling his arms around me, it had just been way to long! And very typically, Jesse tried to get overly affectionate at the airport, while I bashfully tried to keep him under control! (It's a PDA thing for me, I don't mind hugs and a quick kiss, but come on... no tongue ;), right?!?!) Save it for the hotel! Haha. Sorry, Jesse, just telling the whole story. ;P Love you!
We took the taxi back to the "alley" which is the shopping/restaurant area right off the air base. Jesse took me to the a restaurant to show me some local cuisine. Jesse had the Chicken Tava and I ordered the Adana Kebab. It was delicious!
The service at restaurants is unlike anywhere I have ever been to, they are so attentive! They knew Jesse from him going to lunch there a few times over the last months and treated him like he was an old friend who had been coming there for years and years. It was great.
Then he headed over to a "disco club" where a bunch of the people from Jesse's squadron were celebrating something or other. Once we were headed back, I asked Jesse if there was a hookah place nearby. Smoking a hookah is something from a lifetime ago for me. I'm sure the people who have only known me for the last few years are thinking, really?! Stephanie likes to smoke the hookah?! Well, actually, I do very much enjoy a hookah, once every few years. It brings back fond and foolish memories from college.
So here ya have it...
Stephanie being the craziest she has been in the last year. Such a rebel ;)
It was getting late, so we enjoyed a long walk back to the Jesse's room. It was nice to walk with Jesse in the dark and just be able to talk and enjoy each other's company.
The next day, we slept in until about noon... another thing I NEVER do! And it was ah-mazing!! We walked to the BX so I could get a swimsuit, because at that point I still was without my luggage, and I was really needing some pool time. And let me tell you, after this horrible summer in Seattle, the 95 degree heat, while laying next to a fabulous pool was glorious!!
Later in the evening, we went to the bowling alley and played two games and ate some yummy burgers.
It was a low key day for us, but it was just what we needed... :)
I finally got to Adana, Turkey two Saturday's ago. Jesse was waiting for me at the Adana airport. I loved feeling his arms around me, it had just been way to long! And very typically, Jesse tried to get overly affectionate at the airport, while I bashfully tried to keep him under control! (It's a PDA thing for me, I don't mind hugs and a quick kiss, but come on... no tongue ;), right?!?!) Save it for the hotel! Haha. Sorry, Jesse, just telling the whole story. ;P Love you!
We took the taxi back to the "alley" which is the shopping/restaurant area right off the air base. Jesse took me to the a restaurant to show me some local cuisine. Jesse had the Chicken Tava and I ordered the Adana Kebab. It was delicious!
The service at restaurants is unlike anywhere I have ever been to, they are so attentive! They knew Jesse from him going to lunch there a few times over the last months and treated him like he was an old friend who had been coming there for years and years. It was great.
Then he headed over to a "disco club" where a bunch of the people from Jesse's squadron were celebrating something or other. Once we were headed back, I asked Jesse if there was a hookah place nearby. Smoking a hookah is something from a lifetime ago for me. I'm sure the people who have only known me for the last few years are thinking, really?! Stephanie likes to smoke the hookah?! Well, actually, I do very much enjoy a hookah, once every few years. It brings back fond and foolish memories from college.
So here ya have it...
Stephanie being the craziest she has been in the last year. Such a rebel ;)
It was getting late, so we enjoyed a long walk back to the Jesse's room. It was nice to walk with Jesse in the dark and just be able to talk and enjoy each other's company.
The next day, we slept in until about noon... another thing I NEVER do! And it was ah-mazing!! We walked to the BX so I could get a swimsuit, because at that point I still was without my luggage, and I was really needing some pool time. And let me tell you, after this horrible summer in Seattle, the 95 degree heat, while laying next to a fabulous pool was glorious!!
Later in the evening, we went to the bowling alley and played two games and ate some yummy burgers.
It was a low key day for us, but it was just what we needed... :)
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