Thursday, January 23, 2014

A decade of 'Eric and Jenna'

Tomorrow marks a special day in my life as it is the anniversary of Eric and my relationship - our dating anniversary. Eric and I haven't celebrated this since we got married (since clearly a wedding anniversary date is basically the mother-load of anniversaries), but we are celebrating tomorrow because it is a significant one in our lives. Tomorrow marks our 10 year dating anniversary. I've been with this guy for 10 years straight! A DECADE of 'Eric and Jenna'. That's cray cray!

Eric and I met through a mutual friend in college, Tyler. The first time meeting Eric is one of my favorite memories from our relationship and one I will never forget. I was studying with Tyler for an upcoming poli-sci test (jeez, I am so happy I never have to repeat a class like that! Sorry, I digress.) when Eric came into the room. I swear to you folks, my world stopped. There Eric stood in the doorway wearing black sandals, black socks, black basketball shorts that were a size too big, a black Roccori HS shirt that read the top ten reasons that his high school basketball team should go to the State tournament, and wearing his black backpack. My first thought was "Oh, this guy needs so much [fashion] help!", then I saw his boy next door face smiling at me. *sign* ...whoa, sorry...I was mentally back in that dorm room all over again! Ok, focus Jenna. Tyler "conveniently" needed to go do something and left us alone. Eric went over to his computer and put on his HUGE headphones (which are actually size-wise popular again now, Beats by Dre anyone?) to listen to music while I sat admiring him from behind...*cough* I mean studying, of course. Eric eventually took off his headphones and turned around to talk to me where we discovered that his cousin was a friend of mine from high school and that I was invited to his cousin and Eric's joint grad party that was at Eric's home (that I couldn't go to because of a conflicting grad party and because it was allll the way out in Cold Spring and at some kid that I didn't knows home!), and that we at numerous times had been at the same place at the same time. I believe with every ounce of my being that God had a plan for Eric and I and that all of those times that we were at the same place at the same time, we were not meant to meet yet. We were meant to meet in college on that October night in the Winona State University Prentiss-Lucas dorm. Funny thing is that I had gone into my freshman year of college swearing not get in a relationship and just have fun - guess God had a different plan and I'm glad that He did :)

It's strange to think that I met Eric when I was 18 and am now 28. The numbers make it look so much more significant, I think. Man, when the heck did I get old?! 
 
Eric and I have grown in so many ways as individuals and as a couple. Eric has been a continual source of support for me and I am blessed to have him in my life. I'm 100% certain that he's my soul mate (you had better have read that in a Kip from Napoleon Dynamite style voice). 

Here are some pictures from our journey the past 10 years:






Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Hello 2014!



Resolutions  2014 Improvements 

Adios, 2013. Hello, 2014!

I hope 2013, overall, was a good one for you!

I feel like resolutions get a bad rep. Why is it so bad that people make them at the beginning of a new year? Since when did wanting to improve or reinvent yourself for the better become a bad thing? However, I’ve seen statistics recently that only 8% of resolutions are kept. I also know that I’ve ditched or forgotten resolutions that I’ve made before. So, I’m instead titling today’s post “2014 Improvements.” At the very least, It’s my goal to remember them throughout the year!

I feel like I’ve been thinking about some of these improvements for so long that I am forgetting what they are. (Great way to start your blog post, Jenna! That’ll keep the readers biting at the bit for more!) 

Overall, my goal for 2014 is to live a healthier lifestyle. I’m sure you’ve all heard this before or said it yourself, but I’m talking about health from a larger perspective: body, mind, and soul. So here are some of the improvements I plan to make:

- Be a healthier me! How many of you have started the year saying “I’m going to eat better this year!”? Yeah, me too. But, I plan to make healthier choices in my eating habits and start working out more regularly again. I totally expect to have weeks and months that I totally fall off this grand idea train. Where my “improvement” comes in is that I plan to make it healthier year than an unhealthy year. I may need to purchase some snazzy new workout gear to get me a little more motivated, but I’m ok with that. My body is a temple dang it! ;)

- (Similar thought as above) Stop just doing cardio at the gym and start doing some weights. I am embarrassed to say that this is what I have been doing recently in an effort to get my workouts over with…ok, and because I’ve become a bit of a lazy bones. Michelle Obama’s arms and Jennifer Aniston’s legs are not just going to happen with cardio alone! Work it gurrrrl! 

- Remember that I am not in control of everything in my life. This is one area that I will always struggle with, but I need to remember this. I am a planner, and I am careful and thoughtful in my planning. So when I think I’m ready for something and God doesn’t agree…I just gotta trust that it will happen when it’s supposed to happen. 

- Have more fun! Play more! Stop taking things so seriously! Yeah, sure…I’m and adult and this is life and life is important…but man, I need to let my inner geek out more. There. That’s your warning world ;)

- Taking it easy on me. I have high expectations of myself. Often these expectations are unrealistic or I put so much focus on them that they become unhealthy for me by stressing me out. I’m going to start following the words I say every day to caregivers in my job: YOU are important – make time for YOU. Watch a freaking movie, J! Sit and read your celebrity magazines! Read a book! Shocker: It’s OK to be at home and not be productive! 

- Pray more. There is a quote that says, “Have you prayed about it as much as you’ve complained about it?” I can often answer that in one word – Nope. Gotta change that. Less complaining. More praying. And while I’m praying, I’ll pray for Michelle Obama arms and Jennifer Aniston legs… ;)

- Blog more. (I’ll wait while you have your ‘screeching-for-excitement-like-a-teenage-girl-meeting-‘Nsync’ moment…hey, you have your 90’s examples, I have mine!) I’ve really enjoyed blogging and I have found it to be a relaxing and introspective outlet in my life. I SO appreciate the support that I have received from you all. I have some topics that are on my mind or heart that I plan to blog about but will experiment with just updates of my life or week. In an effort to be easier on myself I need to remember that not every blog post is going to be super meaningful and let’s be honest, I’m not exactly saving the world here!

- Be more present in my own life. I find myself sometimes going through the motions but not really paying attention. Pay attention!!

Welp, it’s been fun but I feel I better quit while I’m ahead. I have some good 2014 Improvements here. Enough to keep me busy for a year – Ha! I have a good lucky feeling about 2014 - I hope you do too! May your 2014 be full of joy and love.

Until next year…

Coffee, Cats, and Wine and I’ll be Fine