He took me out to the ball game.

Uno margarita to get the night started!

The most expensive beer ever. BUT we now have a new collection of cups.

Reminds me of my childhood...baseball was life.

Mr. D and his sunflower seeds at the game!

Beautiful, HOT day!

The boomstick!

It was terrible. No one wanted to eat it.

The lady and Mr. D

GO RANGERS. GO USA. GO LIFE.

Love,
 Nicole

Rookie Wife {I love you, you're perfect, now change}

Admittedly these thoughts have crossed my mind:
"I'm so good for him."
"I'm going to really help in _______ area of his life."
"He'll see __________ in me and will want to do better at ___________."
Don't we all love to hear, "He has changed so much since you two got together."

OR better yet:
"Once we get married _____________ will be easier."(My favorite insert here is communication.  It really makes me laugh.)
"Over time ___________ will get better."

Yes, clearly I think I'm awesome.
Thank you Lord for grace because I realize daily I'm not even close.

All of these thoughts pointed to one idea: so often we as women have the savior syndrome.  We feel like we can make things better.  Most of us hold a natural urge to nurture and an intuitive teacher spirit.  We turn into Mrs. Fix-it in the relationship department.  This is often why women stay with the wrong men too long.  We are insistent we are good for them.  If we change the circumstances things will quickly get better.  We can inspire, influence or change them.

Many brides go into marriage with a few conscious or subconscious ideas of some changes they want to see either in their grooms or in their marriage.  Of course, marriage is a growing relationship.  You will grow and learn together but expecting a quick change in character or a foundation issue will be disappointing.  It takes time.  Realistically, it may be something that will never change.

Examples?!?
"I'm going to really help in the financial area of his life."
"He'll see my love for my family and will want to do better at loving his family."
"Once we get married communication will be easier." (I'm guilty!)
"Over time the drinking will get better."

What are some character traits or issues that you have held onto in your mind expecting a change??

Is it a difference in him or your own self reflection that is most needed to make things better?! 

Have you had an issue that you expected to get better over time but didn't?

Is it an issue worth talking through with your man??

It may be an issue God is working on in his heart and you are meant to stand by his side as a supportive rookie wife. :) Just sayin'.

If it's not an issue you feel like you need to deal with in this season of your lives consider letting them go.

I have seen many amazing aspects in my husband and our relationship that have grown since being married.  Guess what?! I'm really not solely responsible for any of them. Or if I was, it was all unintentional by God's work in my own heart.  Okay, so maybe I am good for him.  Maybe some acts I do affect him, inspire him or occasionally change him.  Remember Rookie Wife's mantra. My job is to love my husband. It is God's job to make him a better man.

Mr. D!  What I wouldn't do for this man!!

We couldn't live without them, ladies!
  Nicole

Coming Soon...Rookie Wife Wednesdays!

Welcome to my new Rookie Wife posts.

Many times we feel like we are the only ones having newly wed fits, fights or times of discouragement because no one posts on facebook, "my marriage sucks today."  I'm sort of giggling to myself trying to imagine someone actually posting that so bluntly.
PLEASE, I'm not encouraging you to spill your guts on facebook and I'm not here to spill mine.  I want this to be encouraging and relatable.  Real life.  Thoughts from a real sometimes-I-don't-like-you-but-I'll-always-love-you wife. :)

I spend a lot of time thinking, praying and talking about how to become a more servant natured, bold and loving wife.  It's an intimate relationship and it's not always easy or natural to feel servant hearted, strong or loving.

This is my attempt at being real with all of you new wifeys out there.  Some ideas to make your role as a wife fun.  You can relate, think my thoughts are only for the hopeless romantic or join me in living intentionally to do your part in maintaining a joyful marriage.

Four things to keep in mind if you want to follow this Rookie Wife.

DISCLAIMER #1

I am a rookie aka novice, beginner, etc.  I've been married for a little over 2 years and this is only my experience. I do not know everything (eh hem...anything).  I welcome input from veterans along the way! :)

DISCLAIMER #2

Please allow me to change my mind!  I so often feel strongly one way and find through experience I was wrong.  I am laying my pride down now and warning you that I may come back and change my fickle mind.  Be gracious! :)

DISCLAIMER #3

I love my groom.  No family or friend should be seriously concerned! tehe
I want any woman to relate with occasional feelings of insecurity, doubt or even discouragement, newly wed or veteran!

ROOKIE WIFE MANTRA

Before I was married I heard this saying and I say it to myself once everyday.

"It is my job to love my husband. It is God's job to make him a good man."

THE CATCH

This is all pointed toward the ladies which means it's one sided.  We can only fashion ourselves. Remember the mantra?! :) Personal reflection will make marriage more enjoyable for you and by God's grace will create a more intimate union between you and your man.  We want to exaggerate the awesome woman that he fell in love with in the first place. :)

I'm excited to share thoughts, ramblings and possibly deliver some laughs. :)

See you Wednesday!

  Nicole

Good to be back!

Friends, how I have missed you!  If I would have kept up with my blogging in the past few months this is what I would have said...

In May I would have told you about how my brother graduated from the Air Force Academy and how wonderful it was to share the end of the chapter with him.  He has grown so much as man in these past few years and I felt overwhelmed with pride as he crossed the stage shaking the President's hand.  
Lesson learned:  family is forever.

A Lady and her brother, the Officer!

In June I would have bragged about my schedule and went on and on about how having my husband home during the day was a dream.  I picked up a few extra summer hobbies and took naps everyday.  Yes, everyday.  My beloved and I celebrated 2 years of marriage.  Times flies when you're... working hard. :)  Times also flies when you're having fun.  As I reflected on marriage I saw the good times and bad realizing this union takes work and no marriage is a good marriage without investment of time and intentional grace. 
Lesson learned:  Good marriages are lifetime investments and we can't ever give less than what we want out of it.

My beloved and I on our 2nd anniversary!

Here I am in July, 100 degrees and soaking in my last few weeks of this super easy summer schedule.  My newest adventure is photography.  No, I am not trying to become a photographer like everyone else in this world.  No offense, photographers! :)  I'm not that gifted.  I just want to be able to take good quality pictures to capture my memories.  I myself have a terrible memory so I told myself before I have kids I will learn the technique of a DSLR camera.  And good news, I have had a break through!!  I am shooting with a Nikon D3000 and I have made it to shooting in manual.  This is big, people!!  DSLR's can be awesome but if you don't really know the in's and out's what's the point of the fancy with all those iphone app's these days?!?!
Here are a few shots I got this weekend.  Sooooo much better than I have ever done before. 
P.S. You may be wondering why I get the credit when I was in the pictures and couldn't have shot them....I at least figured out the setting in MANUAL before giving it to the shooter.  That gives me cred, right?!
Lesson learned:  Never give up!  You can always learn new tricks!

Good to be back!
  Nicole

Lesson learned:  It's okay to take breaks every once in a while. :)