rants, raves, and ramblings.

isn't this song adorable?
it about makes my heart melt.
i found it as i am sitting here procrastinating writing our wedding thank you notes.
yes, we have been married 6 months and i haven't sent them out yet.
i am kind of a failure when it comes to things like that.
two days ago was actually exactly 6 months that we've been married.
it's so crazy how quick time flies!
it seems like yesterday i was just going on my first date.
do you remember your first date?
i went to the movie 'cars.'
when we got there, i turned around and my best friend was sitting behind me.
i. was. so. mad.
i'm pretty sure there were some not-so-nice things written in my journal that night.
then you turn the page and the first thing you read is "i'm not mad at kaitlyn anymore."
that's the epitome of our relationship.
we could never stay mad at each other for very long. {except when trying to draw magnifying glasses}
speaking of cars, did you know there's a cars 2?
sequels usually blow.
kind of like transformers 2.
i've tried watching that one 3 times and have fallen asleep every time.
i hear transformers three is pretty good though.
your thoughts?
we are going to it tomorrow night in san antonio and i'm super excited.
why are we going to san antonio just to see a movie, you ask?
we are flying to utah on saturday!!
i am so giddy about this trip.
as giddy as seeing a new puppy.
speaking of puppies, did i ever tell you that we bought one?
meet jetta:

isn't she adorable?
sad story: we bought her and sold her a week later.
i know, we're pretty pathetic.
we can't even hack having a puppy.
it was fun while it lasted though. {sort of}
kinda like "it was fun while it lasted" when my brother bought me
a puppy for christmas a few years ago.
we put it in the laundry room for the night and it had diarrhea all behind our washer and dryer.
dis-freaking-gusting.
speaking of christmas, zachary and i have talked about spending it on our own this year.
obviously it would depend on where we are at, our leave situation,
and if we could afford going home.
i'm wondering though, what was your first christmas away from home like?
was it a good or bad experience?
would you recommend it for our first christmas as a married couple?
i can't imagine not being with my family for christmas, but since i have a new family now,
it might be fun to start our own traditions and such.
speaking of traditions, i had better go carry on the tradition of writing
thank you notes for our wedding gifts.
i promise i am grateful for everyone that supported us!
i just have a hard time keeping a long enough attention span to get the job done.
peace out.

-the wife

leaky faucet, coming through.

i've never cried in a movie before...until the other day, watching p.s. i love you.

i don't know what it was, but the thought of ever losing zachary seemed so unbearably awful that i couldn't keep myself together. {cheesy, i know}
but if you look at it that way, then it was a good cry. right?
wanna know what else can make me cry?
this video:

works every time.

being married and loving someone enough to know that your whole world would be a wreck without them has turned me in to one big bawl baby.

i sure do love that husband of mine!

-the wife

every cloud has a silver lining.

picture this:

camping.
in tents.
no grass.
lots of dirt.
and wind.
105 degree weather.

that about sums up my week.

i was able to go to girl's camp with my church as the camp director.

it all sounds miserable {and to be honest, some of the time it was} but i actually had a lot of fun!

it wouldn't have been nearly as great if it weren't for these cute ladies:

{l to r: marisol, amber, kathryn, yours truly, alisa}

i've only known these girls for a short time, but they have already been such a huge example to me! i am so grateful for the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. maybe moving around so much isn't a bad thing after all...

-the wife

Abusement Parks - Zach checks in

I’ve had several requests from friends lately to give some sort of update/post/whine/whatever. “Sarah O’ my heart” does a great job at giving the day-to-day, ins-and-outs of our situation. However, I’m feeling the itch that must be scratched! … Don’t read into that too much… It’s a metaphor for: I’m feeling the need to tell people about my life!


Since D-day, that is Demolition-of-My-Career-Induced-Irrevocably-by-Barfing Day, I have been granted quite the cocktail (not that I would know) of emotions. Let me take you on a tour of these emotions.


First stop: The abusement park known as Dizzyland, not to be confused with Disneyland. Surprisingly, they do have a lot in common. You will find plenty of roller-coasters at Dizzyland; however, they aren’t the roller-coasters of fun. Instead they are roller-coasters of disappointment, inadequacy, and (let’s be honest) fear. To dream of something since I was 5, to see every single thing line up JUST right for the last 7 years to set me up for the realization of my dream, and then to see it come crashing down in a matter of a few days is, to say the least, a big roller-coaster of disappointment, inadequacy, and fear. Luckily, I only spent a few days in Dizzyland.


After Dizzyland, I visited Irony Land. Irony Land is peculiar. I didn’t even know I was there until I saw the way I was reacting each time I glanced at my flight suit that I will never wear. Before D-Day, I witnessed the attitudes that many non-pilots (not all of them of course) had toward pilots. There was this underlying tone of vehemence and jealousy in everything they said to, or did for the pilots. I thought to myself, “pilots aren’t too bad. Why can’t anyone get themselves to do more than just tolerate them?” Funny (ironic) thing is, after visiting Irony Land, I am one of those people. I find myself fighting the insistent urge to cast judgmental glares at the sea of flight suits walking around me in Irony Land. It’s not that I’m jealous in the sense that I would want to sabotage any of them or anything. More accurately, I hope they know what they have.


Brief digression: Just last week, a pilot-trainee was kicked out of the program just weeks prior to graduation for breaking a stupid-simple, but important rule. Why risk something that is so valuable to so many? For every pilot in the Air Force, I would argue that there are probably 20 people/kids/kids-at-heart that would kill to be in his/her position. So, DON’T be a dingle-berry! Appreciate what you have!


Next on this strange vacation is a place known only as ResignationLand. This is the place where all you see around you are signs of abdication: a comfortable pseudo-suede couch, a HUGE bowl of ranch popcorn, Seasons 1-6 of Lost, World of Warcraft, and zombie books. Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately) I kinda like this place. It occupies my time, takes my thoughts away from my troubles, but it sure is hard to leave. Kinda like Hotel California… *Zach hangs his head in shame knowing that Sarah will have no idea what he is referring to, but is quickly cheered knowing that Mark Christensen will, that is, if he ever reads this… he is cheered again knowing that SOMEONE will… right?* Anyways… Don’t get me wrong, I don’t spend ALL my time there… just more than I should *cough*.


When I can take myself away from ResignationLand, the other bemusement park (oh wow, I am just full of witty puns today aren’t I?) that I visit on a daily basis is Don’t-Give-Up Land. This park can be quite rewarding, if you can get through it. At least, I have to believe that as I sit at my desk at work writing this blog post. You see, I am now sitting in Don’t-Give-Up land. Though ‘at work,’ I find myself bored and yearning for the next non-bemusement Park to come my way. I have been tasked with a temporary job that the Air Force has given me where my potential isn’t seen and my skills under-harnessed. I understand why they did it. I’m getting paid, and I must do SOMETHING after all. I get that, but have you ever been given a temporary job that has no effect on your overall career or skill set? It can be difficult to take seriously. Yet, seriously I take it – because it’s not in me to do a half-hearted job.


Yes, I trudge on. If only because that’s what I have always done and it has always paid off. After all, I have a lot to be grateful for. I have a beautiful wife that has never failed to thank me after 1,000 car-door-openings. I have a roof over my head. I am healthy *Zach is transported back in time to November 2009 – the last time he was truly ill – remembering the fun times with Derek playing Mario Party for 5 days straight.* I’m $till getting paid. God is watching out for a family member and keeping him from dying in a potentially horrible car accident. I will be taking a 9 day PAID vacation in July. The Lakers met humility this NBA season. There are a lot of fun movies coming out this summer. I have a tootsie roll ready to be eaten in my pocket. AND, last but not least, I have full confidence that someday I will come across my favorite amusement park: I’m-So-Glad-God-Took-the-Pilot-Opportunity-Out-of-My-Stubborn-Fingers-to-Give-Me-My-REAL-Dream-Job Land. That place is out there somewhere, and I’m going to find it!
 
-the husband

facts and confessions.

i love cold pizza.

i have zero wisdom teeth.
and allergies.

i am a mormon.

i am so ticklish that massages almost aren't even worth it.

i sleep-talk and on occasion, sleep-walk.
just last week zachary woke up to me standing on our bed, whimpering because
i thought i saw a spider.
i don't remember a thing.

i am number four out of six children.

sour patch kids and swedish fish are my guilty pleasures.

i can be very shy at times.
i hate it.

i am addicted to biting my nails.

i want to own a truck someday.
and a dog.
that seems like the perfect combo for an ideal camping trip.

i love camping.

jealousy and grudge-holding are my biggest downfalls.

my mom used to cut my meat for me before every meal.
right up until i moved out of the house.

i wish i had stuck with playing the violin.

i am terrified of bridges.
mostly because i am terrified of drowning.

i have gone a year without candy or soda.

my favorite movie is thirteen going on thirty.
i love jennifer garner.

i am self-conscious about my body.
my legs in particular.
i've never been confident in the way i look.

when i was eight, i wrote my name with my left hand on my dresser.
just so i could blame it on my little sister.

i want to train my body to like waking up early.

i took swimming lessons when i was in 8th grade.

i'm afraid of getting a job because i'm afraid of failing.

i have had the same friends since i was ten.
so making friends is a struggle of mine.

i love doing things spontaneously.
it makes me feel free.

christmas is my favorite holiday.
i love looking at the lights and listening to the music that comes with it.
there is definitely a different feeling during the month of december.
kind of like the feeling you get at disneyland.

oh, i love disneyland.
it's magical.

i love my hair in french braid pigtails.
i want to learn to do them to myself.

i love being with level-headed people.

i want to travel the world.
winning this giveaway would be a great start.

i am so done with living in del rio.
i can't wait to visit utah and see our family in just a couple weeks!!

-the wife

weekend getaway.

zachary and i splurged a little this weekend. and by splurge, i mean we drove to san antonio and went to sea world!

i realized that most of the fun things we've done in the past couple months have to do with animals; going to the zoo, visiting the aquarium, and now this. not to mention, the animal safari in san antonio that i want to go to as well. i feel like we're five or something. i still loved it though. we were able to feed/pet dolphins:

their dolphin/whale show was pretty entertaining too. besides the fact that it smelt like throw up and the lady behind us squirted us both in the face with a water balloon, i'd say this was our favorite show.

and of course, what is sea world without shamu? honestly, this show was pretty lame. the only cool part was when shamu did a flip and soaked everyone. other than that, it was just a bunch of fluff about saving the planet. not my idea of a good time. it was still awesome to see live killer whales though!

considering we didn't have to pay to get in, {yay for military discounts!} i'd say it was worth it.

we also went to austin to visit my brother and sister-in-law. we haven't seen any of our family since march, so it was a nice little reunion! while we were there, my sister-in-law, carli, made us these delicious pumpkin pancakes for dinner. you have got to try them. i have been craving them since we left.

it was a great weekend minus all the driving! that's what we get for living in good ol' del rio i guess. we should know in the next month or two when we will be leaving this place! i'll be sure to let ya know.

-sarah

p.s. i ordered a burrito this weekend that was the size of my hand.  for the record...i have really big hands.

just thought you ought to know...