tres anos

Happy Anniversary, Tate! You are the butter to my toast.

This year we celebrated 3 years! Hip, hip, hooray! 

A lot has happened in 3 years- We got married. We swam with sharks. Went to Hawaii, New York, LA, Colorado, Georgia, and San Francisco. We whitewater rafted. We climbed to the top of the statue of liberty. We've hiked to 12,000 ft. We saw Rev. Camden from Seventh Heaven at Bacchanalia. We got a puppy. We moved. "We" finished 2 Ironman races.  We went to grad school...we got into the Ph.D. program. We got new jobs. We moved again.We bought a house.

A lot of good has happened in 1,095 days. We celebrated that goodness by taking a trip the weekend before our anniversary to the Gaylord Texan, where we also stayed the night of our wedding. Tate made reservations and surprised me...he's so sneaky, like a fox....and also so sweet like a lamb. He's a foxy lamb. We had a great time! It was a wonderful, laid-back weekend with sleeping in and spectacular food. My kind of trip. 

For our actual anniversary, 10.17, we stayed home. We cooked one of our favorite meals- Lemon Basil Pasta with grilled chicken, Pesto Rolls and Texas Sheet Cake. You should try it! I cooked, Tate grilled, and Wrigley chewed on sticks. Everyone was happy! It was the perfect low-key night, eating dinner on our screened in patio. We later watched our wedding video, which was fun. You should watch it too. I forgot what a FUN night our wedding was! I wish we could do it all again. Thanks, Tate for putting up with my snoring, bed-hogging self for 3 whole years. You are the most selfless, tolerant person I know...and that is the truth. I love and appreciate you more today than ever! Here's to 3, no 100 more years!!

I can't wrap things up without mentioning another monumental event that coincides on this special day. As many of you know, this is also the same day my sweet Grandma Jackie went to Heaven 3 years ago. She was the strongest, most admirable woman, and we are all better for just having known her. She could remember every detail of every person's life. She got Christmas cards from people like her insurance agents and mailmen- people that you normally merely say "hello" to in passing, she could tell you how many grandkids they had and where they went to high school. She was the best of the best. She taught me a lot of things- like how to make mashed potatoes, cranberry relish, how to laugh at yourself, tell good stories, and play Rack-o. She also taught me how to smile through the pain and find value in each and every person. She now has her work cut out for her- learning everyone's story in Heaven, but I guess she's got the time and I look forward to playing Rack-o with all of her friends one day. I love you Grandma Jackie and as Dad said at our wedding toast, today, 10.17, will always be "a day to celebrate life." 

a lot of changes

Today after a stressful session teaching same/different with those pesky Venn Diagrams, I had a conversation with a particular 4th grader about having a positive attitude during speech. "We all have to do things we don't want to, but you get to choose if you will do it with a stinky attitude or a positive attitude. It's your decision." Clear enough, right? Wrong. While explaining how eye-rolling and huffing/puffing is disrespectful {and more importantly will not earn him a coveted "super straw"}, he informed me that he "is just going through a LOT of changes right now". I stopped mid-sentence, first in confusion and then hesitating before asking the next question cautiously, "What... kind... of changes?" He told me, accompanied by one of his signature eye-rolls, "Well, I'm just changing a LOT right now. You see, I am only TWO years away from becoming a teenager. That's why I am changing so much." 

Touche. 

Likewise, the Barrett household has "just been going through a LOT of changes" right now in the past 3 years. Yesterday marked the anniversary of our 3 year engagement. It was merely 3 years ago yesterday that Tate asked me to marry him. I don't know why he wanted to claim me after only 6 short months, but I'm sure glad he did! And change has been inevitable ever since... accompanied by a few eye-rolls every now and again, I'm sure. 

The other night over pesto chicken pasta {one of the many things we have learned to cook together} on our back patio {while fending off a certain, droopy-eyed golden retriever}, Tate and I played a fun game. We had to name 3 ways we had changed in the past 3 years due to one another's influence. It could be anything- personality changes, routine changes, likes/dislikes, etc. After little thought the verdict was: 

Tate: 

1. I cuss less often.

2. I am more particular about food. 

{false. very false, if you know Tate, you will agree}

After further questioning, he rephrased by saying, 

"Well, I am more particular about the finer things." 

{oooook, Mr. Fancy Pants. I've created a monster}

3. No response.
{Typical. At least we know some things haven't changed.}

Danielle:

1. I cuss more often. And by more often, I mean ever.

2. I am on time more often. 

{also false. If you know me, you will agree.} 

I quickly retracted that statement after laughter from both parties

3. I am more laid back about the little things.

Well done. Here's to three damn {that's from the post-Tate Danielle} good years together! Can't wait to see how much more changin' is to come for Mr. Fancy Pants and Mrs. Potty Mouth Barrett. I love you and appreciate you more everyday! 

Also- yesterday was Dr. Robby Barrett's birthday! Happy b-day Rob-o! I hope your day was filled with your favorite things including Long John Silver's, The Ghost of Mr. Chicken and roller coasters. 

social (in)security

So, last week I go to the Social Security office to change my name; however, in the process I decide they are the ones in need of a name change. There's nothing secure about that place. In fact, the longer I am there, the more insecure I feel. I become insecure of my safety, health, and possession of my umbrella. It's Sketchville, USA and I don't want to be a citizen any longer than necessary. As I am there, I began to pray the line moves quickly and "A104" is called next. Why?  The following are just a few of my many reasons:

1. Someone's panties are in a wad...literally. There's an abandoned pair of Hanes on the floor (see photo above).

2. Lady to my right is talking yelling at the wall. Her panties are obviously in a wad too, but in a figurative sense. I think she's angry at the government (Realization: actually I think I am the only one who isn't right now)

3. Lady comes to sit on my row, but seems to be inspecting something before sitting down. Oh, its a used band-aid. Before she sits, she flicks the used band-aid out of the chair. Just my luck-- it lands on the floor in front of me. Bonus.

4. Shortly after, a man comes over to sit between the band-aid flicker and me. After taking the pick out of his hair and laying it a little too-close-for-comfort, he spills his coffee without knowing. Oops. What is nastier than a used band-aid? A coffee soaked one. In front of you. Beside a stranger's abandoned underwear.

5. Halfway through the show, a cross-eyed, homeless man enters the building and steals someone's umbrella. Maybe it's his. I think not, he just walked through the door umbrellaless. He grabs the golf umbrella and sits down behind me.

20 minutes later...

"A104, please come to window #2" Thank you, Lord.
I stood up,
Looked down to ensure no eye contact was made with wall-talker,
Reached for my umbrella, couldn't find it!
Wait, I didn't bring an umbrella, ok I'm good.
Leaped over the coffee stained band-aid,
Side stepped the underwear,
And made a bee-line for the window #2.

The nice lady told me I should get my Social (in)Security card with my new name in 2 weeks. If not, I can come back. Yeah right. If not, I am thinking "Danielle Nicholson" always had a nice ring to it...

roommates for life

Roommates. God bless 'em. You love 'em, hate 'em, don't understand 'em, respect 'em, teach 'em, learn from 'em, annoy 'em and miss 'em.

I learned a lot about myself in college, which I attribute to my roommates (good opportunity for a shout out: Erin, Lynn, Katelyn, Lindsey, Lynley- you're the bomb.com) You go your whole life doing things a certain way. You learn a specific routine that you don't deviate from and certain habits you aren't aware of. Much of this is because while growing up, there are 3 other people in your house that do the exact same things. You think that all families keep the medicine in the hall closet, wash the toilet with a washrag, and eat fried spam and potatoes for dinner. I was blown away when I went to college and found out people clean counters with Windex! Eat macaroni out of mixing bowls! And shave everyday! Who are these people? I eventually loosened up and realized there are hundreds of right ways to do everyday things.

I thought I had become so self-enlightened facing adversity, until I got married. HELLO!

I transitioned from college roommate to a roommate for life. You don't just share the living room, kitchen and mailbox anymore. You share.....everything! The difference is when you get annoyed, you can't just go to your room and avoid the problem. You share the same room! I knew it would be a lot of togetherness and a lot of change, which I was excited about, but I thought this lesson would be a gradual one. Wrong.

I forgot my toothbrush on our honeymoon. This meant for the first week of marriage we brushed our teeth with the same toothbrush. Gross! Call it a forgetfulness or coincidence. I like to think God knew how "independent" (or stubborn) we both are and was teaching us the "togetherness thing" right of the bat. I guess it didn't take right away, or maybe it's a series, because He is still teaching the same lesson...

Whatever you want to call it: modification, change, compromise, humility. Numerous adjustments have been made on both parts. These changes may seem small, but are significantly huge when it alters the daily routine you have perfected over 24 years. I am happy to make these changes, the reward is great. However, my pride often gets in the way of my good intentions. Stupid pride. I have to remember it's the little things that go a long way. Some of these "little things" are pretty funny so I thought I would share a few on our top 10 list...

Top 10 Adjustments Post Marriage

D's Adjustments:

1. Cutting a grilled cheese into four equal squares before serving it.

2. Seeing a stuffed bird every morning when I wake up since my roommate likes to keep his mounted quail on his nightstand.

3. Holding the black olives on my shared pizza orders. 

4. Being sure to suction the shower curtain liner to the shower wall (in 4 spots) so a drop of water doesn't potentially get out.

5. Hanging up shirts with the hanger facing to the left.

6. Unplugging my straightener instead of leaving it connected to the wall all day, every day. 

7. Using dishtowels as napkins. 

8. Washing more clothes. 

9. Using florescent lighting. I like to only use lamp lighting. I think I get that from my grandparents (thanks gma Flo). My roommate likes to "see what he's eating."

10. Swimming in the pool rather than just laying out beside it.

T's Adjustments:

1. Waking up with "sore ears" due to my roommate's need for the ceiling fan on every night.

2. Lifting the toilet seat instead of it conveniently being left up from earlier use.

3. Finding humor in the fact my roommate brushes her teeth in bed.

4. Having to carefully select hangers from the closet since my roommate has her own white plastic ones she won't let anyone else use.

5. Trying anything green. So far: salad, broccoli, spinach.

6. Climbing over hair dryer and straightener cords every morning to get to the sink. 

7. Sleeping on the edge of the bed with a corner of comforter. Did I mention the fan is always on?

8. Not being able to find a clock to tell time since my roommate likes to rearrange the bookshelves on a weekly basis.

9. Getting out of the shower to step on a damp rug when my roommate showers before me. 

10. Closing the shower curtain every time I get out of the shower.

Our small group is going through a book called "Sacred Marriage" by Gary Thomas. Gary says "if you want to be free to serve Jesus, it's better not to be married, but if you want to become more like Jesus, its best to be married." I was appalled when I first read this, but realized he is saying if you want free time to serve the Lord only, more availability comes with the single life. However, self-denial and servanthood come with a Godly marriage.

We are finding this to be true everyday. Love and respect come in many forms. Today it meant drying off my feet when I got out of the shower, hanging up his shirt on a sacred plastic hanger and telling that stuffed bird "good morning"

Love!

4 pounds of tricep

Naturally when we got engaged, I expected people would tell us "Congratulations," but I never thought they would follow it up with, "After you get married, you will gain 30 pounds in the first year." Excuse me? What? It was so strange, but people would tell us that all of the time. They said that in your first year of marriage you both gain weight. First of all, who says that to someone? It's just discouraging. Secondly, it's not completely true.

6 months have come and gone and I think it's time to weigh in...

Since October, Tate has lost 12 pounds (the equivalent of a bag of flour, a bowling ball, a cat) and I have gained 4! I know, it's so unfair.

I have worked out harder and more consistently post marriage than I have in a very long time, and this is what I get in return? I knew that I didn't like the gym, but I had no idea it reciprocated my feelings. Well, at least we are both on the same page.

Granted, Tate has been training really hard for these triathlons. For all of you that don't know, his life goal is to finish an Iron Man. A full Iron Man consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a full marathon...in that order...without a break. It's kinda a big deal. I am really proud of him! He's been working really hard towards his goal, and it shows!

As for me, I've been consistently jogging and going to my kickboxing class. Classes are a good source of motivation for me, and it's an intense work out! It's good cardio and my arms are pretty tired after class. Now that I think about it, I am pretty sure I know where that newly added 4 pounds came from. It's in my tricep, 2 pounds on each arm.

A few weeks ago Tate started two-a-day workouts! Yikes! He goes to the gym at 6ish to swim, goes to work, then comes home at 5:30 to run/bike. He has way more self-discipline and determination than I do. I am not only proud of him when he gets up early to work out, but I also enjoy having the whole bed to myself for an hour. I've been doing four-a-days, but it's more like 4 Thin Mints a day rather than 4 workouts. (hmmm maybe that is where the 4 pounds come from...nah)

Side Note: Speaking of Girl Scout cookies, is anyone else troubled by the fact they changed their cookie names? Instead of "Somas" they are now "Carmel Delights" What's the deal? If anyone has any information, please let me know...

Anyway, that is the latest on our scale. Be looking for an update in another 6 months. Let's leave the 4 pounds to the triceps and hope the quads aren't looking for some new additions as well. Yikes!

our third first holiday

We celebrated our first Thanksgiving in New Braunfels, our first Christmas in New Braunfels/Allen, and most recently...our first Easter in Amarillo!

This was our first time to be in Amarillo since we've been married, so we were way overdue! Boy, was it windy! (If you need proof, check out the Canyon pic) At one point, I went outside with the intention of jogging. I turned the corner. Wind in the face! The jog turned into a slow backwards walk. To me it was unreal, but to Tate it was a welcome home sign. We were pretty excited about spending our first Easter weekend in the 806 and it went a little something like this...

Family & Friends. We got to spend 3 full days hanging out with our friends and family, which some of whom we hadn't seen in 5 months! It was nice to have time to catch up, relax and do summersalts on Robby & LaVon's bed (which I am learning is somewhat of a Barrett tradition). But don't worry about me. Since age 5, I have prided myself in my summersalting abilities, so I am fitting in just fine!

Blue Sky. We made a burger run the first day we were there. I was glad to be going! The praises of Blue Sky had been ringing in our house for weeks, especially around dinner time. Last weekend, dreams came true. This is Tate's all-time favorite restaurant. I am trying to think of an analogy that will do it justice, but the best thing I can come up with at the moment is... 

Tate : Blue Sky :: Danielle : Durning House :: Uncle Jay : Country Crock

Tank Tops. Tate tried to convince one of us that male tank tops are non heterosexual. Others in the family disagreed. You be the judge. There are so many disturbing things about this image, but I think the most troubling is the pit, women's clothing, fact that my tank top fits him!

Shopping. LaVon introduced me to all the cute boutiques around Amarillo and Canyon. There were so many good finds! Too bad every inch of our 750 sq. ft. apartment is occupied and our storage room is full. When we move into a bigger place, I am going back on a mission for antiques and handmade treasures. The boys had to come too. They acted like they weren't excited; however, I am pretty sure Tye found something in almost every store.

Naps. We averaged about a nap a day, probably due to jet lag. It was grrreat!

The Canyon. If you visit Amarillo, you have to see the Palo Duro Canyon. It's one of the hot spots! It was my kind of tour. We all drove, no hiking or climbing or walking, just drove through the thing with our windows slightly cracked to feel the breeze. It was beautiful and no one had to sweat. FYI, Palo Duro means "sturdy tree." Who knew?! You would think the Indians that first saw and named the Canyon would be more taken back by the actual canyon rather than the strength of the trees, but what do I know, I'm only 1/16 Cherokee.

Church. We went to church Friday & Sunday (don't act like you're not impressed). Friday night was the Good Friday service and Lord's Supper. It was a great time to reflect on what the weekend was genuinely about- the cross and the resurrection. This was the second time Tate and I have done the Lord's Supper together, which is one of our most special times as a family.

Egg Hunt. Yep, that's right! After church, we had an Easter egg hunt. LaVon assumed we weren't hunting eggs, but in true "mom mode" she quickly improvised. She stuffed the eggs with whatever she had, candy and money, (which worked to our advantage) and hid those eggs in the backyard. As it turns out, I am not only skilled at summersalting, but I am also a pretty good egg-finder. The Easter bunny was better to some of us than others. Hence my stack of money and Tye's handful of candy.

It was a great weekend and a very memorable third first holiday! Happy Easter!

caving in...

Ok, ok, I know... I finally caved in and created a blog. I have become one of those newly married couples I once made fun of. You know the ones that think the monotonous details of their newly married life are not only important enough to write about, but interesting enough for other people to want to read it. Well, I guess we'll see. I will just add this to the list of "married things I never thought I would do." Also on the list: eating oatmeal every morning in my "breakfast chair," following a strict 10:00 bedtime, designating Monday as "grocery shopping day" (and sometimes looking forward to it), packing for my husband and keeping a budget. Now that I think of it, those are all pretty good things. Maybe this blog will make me a better person. Ok, well let's not go that far but I do hope to keep you up to date on the life of the Barretts in H-town. My mom and the Carpenter sisters may be the only people following this little blogger, but what the hey! Jan, Kels and Kayla, this is for you! Peace and Love, Danielle