Life has been busy lately. I'm not sure why professors decide to make many things due right before Thanksgiving, but for the next week, I'll be working really hard to finish up papers, projects, and other assignments. Thankfully, Stephen's workload isn't nearly as bad as mine, so he's taken up a lot of the work around the house. I tell him he's going to spoil me if he keeps doing the dishes for me. While cooking is very fun for me, cleaning up after myself is the necessary price to pay for my hobby. But Stephen has pitched in a lot and will clean up after me, giving me nothing but enjoyment from making dinner. Maybe I'll just have to keep having a lot of homework that requires my time after dinner.
Stephen and I both now have callings in our married student ward. He was set apart a few weeks ago as the Proclaim the Gospel Chair. He is to encourage ward members to use the internet to share the gospel and work with the ward mission leaders to help less actives and nonmembers enjoy the blessings of the gospel. I was sustained and set apart on Sunday as a member of the Relief Society Activities committee. My first assignment is to help with the ward Christmas party. I'm really looking forward to it, and my personal assignment is to organize and run a photo booth. I'm going to make cute props and set up a background and take silly pictures of the ward members. I'm going to have to learn a lot, since I have little experience with photography, but I think it'll be fun.
My calling isn't the typical activities calling though--I'm not part of the committee that does the monthly Relief Society activities, and I'm not part of the ward activities. It's a new committee that doesn't really have a role yet besides planning the Christmas party. I have ideas I would like to implement starting in the new year, but we'll see if I'm able to do them or not. But still, I'm happy to be serving somehow in my ward. I had a hard time feeling like I belonged, but now that I have a calling and a job to do, I can find my niche.
I've started to make friends in my ward too. My visiting teachers are nice, and they helped me find a ride on Tuesday when I needed to get somewhere while Stephen was at work. I'm holding babies when mothers are ok with it, and it's nice to chat with the women who sometimes just need someone to ask about them rather than their baby. I'm giving rides to girls who I want to know better, and it's just really refreshing to feel like I'm making friends finally.
On a completely unrelated note, I'm grateful I have a husband who will have intellectual conversations with me. My schooling has got me thinking about a lot of things, especially my role as a woman. Even though Stephen isn't learning about the same things I am, he's very willing to talk out my homework with me. I'm grateful I can share my thoughts and my struggles with him. He does the same with me too, and I'm learning a lot more about programming because of our discussions. It's just nice to be married to someone I can respect, and who respects me. We can teach each other, and be taught by each other. I remember while we were dating how much I appreciated his ability to teach, and even then, the secret though of him teaching our children made me happy.
I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving next week. We are driving down with my brother and sister and going to my grandparent's house in Arizona. I'm looking forward to the time off of school, even if it is just for a few days. But more so, I'm looking forward to spending time with my family, and letting my family spend time with Stephen. Stephen has only been to my parent's house three times--when we got engaged, when I received my endowment, and when we got married. Needless to say, each of those times, everyone was very busy. It's will be really nice to enjoy a relaxing time together. I want to play games with my family and Stephen and not worry about planning anything.
While life is busy now, we've settled into a good routine. My health is basically fine now. I spasm a little every now and then, but it's mostly just like a restless leg syndrome now. But for all intents and purposes, I'm completely better now. Stephen goes to school Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and he goes to work Tuesday and Thursday. I have classes on Monday and Wednesday and work on homework and do other chores Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Friday night we go to the temple. Saturday we both spend time cleaning and I do laundry and grocery shopping for the upcoming week. I'll watch the football game while Stephen ignores the football game. Sundays we sleep in and get ready for church eventually. We go to meetings at 1, then come home and eat and enjoy some quite couple time, free from distraction. Normally we watch shows together. Monday morning, we start again. This schedule will be almost identical next semester, except I'll have class on Friday too.
We've been married for almost three months now. It's strange to think we've been married longer than our engagement. Our engagement felt like forever to me! I traveled a lot then, and Stephen worked 9-5 M-F. I get to see him more often nowadays. When we were discussing marriage, we talked about getting married in November or December. I'm so grateful we got married in August. It would have been so hard to do this semester and try to plan a wedding and spend time with my fiance and have health challenges. It's a lot easier that Stephen and I both live in the same place. It's good that we can share everything completely like food and finances and a last name (I'm so close to completely officially being a Rollins). He's so supportive and helpful--thus why he's doing the dishes. If I weren't married right now, I would have a lot of dirty dishes.
But life is good to us. We've found a groove and we're making it work. We're learning a lot about each other and about ourselves. I think that's the most surprising thing about marriage--how much I've learned about myself. Stephen tries to figure me out, when he asks me why I do things, sometimes I don't have a good answer for him, which gives me time to think. We've grown a lot together over the past few months, but that's what marriage is about.
No comments:
Post a Comment