Getting Ready for Christmas

It's our first Christmas together as husband and wife. I am so excited!

We decided we would get each other three gifts this year; one big one and two smaller. My husband's big gift is a part to his gun. He's been working on modifying his rifle for quite a few months and he needs this one part to finish it off. Since that gift is not really a surprise, nor something I can go pick out, I decided to make him something really special. I made him a huge quilt. I used this pattern called "Turning Twenty." I spent hours between my grandma's house and my mom's house borrowing everything from scissors to sewing machines. Thanks to my grandma and mom the quilt (pictured above) turned out great! I'm getting his last gift tomorrow. I have to decide between a couple of different things...so we'll see what I end up with.

My husband gave me my present a little bit early. He got me a really (I mean REALLY) nice sewing machine. I LOVE it. He gave it to me after I was almost done with his quilt, but I have already been testing it out. It is pretty much the most user-friendly machine I've seen. I'm so excited to make more quilts!!!

Making traditions that are our own is really important to me. I'm not sure that we have made any traditions this year. Maybe it will be easier to discover how to make our own family holiday traditions once we have children.

Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ...so no matter what gifts we give to others or what traditions we may or may not have, I really hope that this first Christmas we have together can be special.

Becoming the Stay-at-Apartment Wife

I married my best friend about four months ago. I was working at a job that wasn't really going anywhere for not-that-great of pay. The original plan was that I would continue working at this place while I either looked for a job in my field (I have a bachelor's degree) or went back to school. While I was on my honeymoon, my boss scheduled me for some weird hours. When I got back, I could not work most of the hours I was scheduled for...so with my husband's urging, I quit.

With the support of my husband (and entire family), I decided not to look for another job. Originally, I headed back to school for a paralegal certificate. I eventually figured out this was not the path I was meant to go down. I dropped my classes and am now a full-time stay-at-apartment wife.

It is a huge blessing to have a husband that supports me in staying home. I have so many opportunities. Sometimes I focus on baking or cooking something, other times I clean the bathroom top to bottom, read, sew, or spend time with my amazing mom. I also teach piano lessons to my younger sister and her friend. I am so thankful that I am able to stay at the apartment.

Sometimes, old friends or previous co-workers will ask, "What are you up to these days?" When I tell them I'm a stay-at-apartment wife I get responses varying from concern to disbelief. My favorite reaction was from a sarcastic former co-worker. He said, "Wow...way to be a drain on society." (Kidding of course...)

Sometimes it's a little bit intimidating to tell people that I don't have a job. I also know there are a too many times that I am not the most productive in a day...perpetuating the "sitting around eating bon-bons" stereotype. So far, my husband and I are very happy with this choice. I hope to focus on growing in my faith, cooking new and exciting things, doing sewing projects, scrapbooking, and making the apartment a welcoming place for my best friend to come home to every night.