little something

I've been really antsy to post about our wedding, but it just won't be the same without pictures, so I'm trying my hardest to hold out until we get our pictures back :)

Not much to report this week...it was pretty filled with homework. I spent all day yesterday grading tests and prepping for my lesson. I gave a test last Friday (first time I'd ever written a whole test!), and gauging from the results, I think it was a success (we'll see what my students think about that...haha). I am so ready for the weekend, work cannot go by faster!

People keep asking me how married life is. And I always say that's it's great (kind of without thinking). But, you know, it really is great. the greatest, even. Jantz is the sweetest husband I could ask for. He's not one to make a huge production out of things (which I think is how most guys are, right?), but he does a million little things every day that make me realize just how lucky I am. Everyone says you should marry your best friend, and I certainly married mine :)

home sweet home

Our apartment got all put back together last Monday, and since then we've got our living room and kitchen all organized and filled with furniture. I even spent a few hours on Sunday decorating! No pictures yet, but a few vases with flowers and other decor stuff. considering I've never really decorated a house in my life, I think I did a pretty good job. haha. Jantz hasn't complained yet, and he comes from a family of the most amazing home decorators I've ever seen.

Here's how it looks now (as for before shots, just picture no carpet, bottom of the walls torn up, and pretty much no furniture haha):

the husband and his job

I just realized I never told you the good news about Jantz's work!

Since he got this job, he's been working 2 to 10 every day. Which meant we pretty much only saw each other after 10 on weekdays (since I usually have to be to school/work in the mornings). It wasn't the worst thing in the world, but it certainly made it difficult to go do anything unless it was on a Saturday.
BUT
last week they gave him a new shift! He now works 8 to 4. Which means he usually gets home before I do, and we get to spend the whole evening together! Like Tuesday, we went grocery shopping and then went home and made dinner together. Never happened when he worked until ten. I seriously feel so blessed that he works earlier now. Even though I usually have to do homework when I get home (leaving Jantz to find something to do), I love the fact that he's home.

....obviously we're newlyweds haha. We're really excited about this new change and feel so lucky. hopefully now we don't get sick of each other haha.

dislike

Last week left me feeling completely drained and defeated.

I failed at something. Not just "didn't do well", but literally failed. And it was something really important (like graduating or not graduating important). I've failed at lots of things, but never at art history. I don't really know what to think now... only that I remember why I have a sever love-hate relationship with grad school.

And (it doesn't need to be said, because it's always the case) I've been feeling totally lost in my classes - like, the dumbest one there. I guess I'm just not completely invested in school this semester...maybe it's due to the fact that I'm trying frantically to write my thesis; or maybe it's that I would rather watch a movie with the husband than think about school.

That really took the "happy" out of last week.

So you can imagine how pleasantly surprised when I came home after teaching my class on Friday to find Jantz all dressed up (in my favorite shirt of his) with surprise reservations to PF Changs (after a quick stop at a friend's birthday party). It was seriously exactly what I needed. It may have even been better than flowers (but don't tell him that haha).

Basically, this semester is proving to be the hardest. I just have to believe that somehow I'll make it through. If it wasn't for the class I'm teaching (I think I'm falling more in love with teaching by the week), I may not be able to make it through. It's nice knowing that what i want to end up doing is actually something I enjoy doing...it makes all this stress seem like it will be worth it when it's over.

Here's some more pictures of the wedding (that also happen to cheer me up). we've now passed the one month mark (woot). Jantz loves the picture of our rings:

flip flops

anyone who knows me knows that i do not wear flip flops. to me they're like the most awkward shoe creation, on and off. i've never really owned a pair. ever. because i've never been able to stand them. 

until recently.

now i keep seeing them and thinking, i really want a pair. they look so cute.

and of course this happens now that fall is starting and soon it will be too cold to wear such things...maybe that's why I want them, because I know I can't really have them.

so, flip flops, you almost won the fight this summer. maybe next summer?

some more pictures...and updates

Gosh it's been a while...things have been super busy these past couple weeks. To name a few...

Our apartment flooded (thank goodness we have two floors, we've been able to hide upstairs most of the time). We're going on a week and a half and it's in the process of being fixed, but so far the downstairs is pretty much unusable, meaning the living room (and our beautiful new couch and tv stand) and the kitchen (which equals lots of going out to eat). It's been really stressful and a huge pain, but we're trying to just take it all in tow and be excited for our new walls and carpet.

I started school and taught my first class (all by myself). I won't lie, it was scary. but really fun too. I just hope I can keep up with it... as for taking classes, I only have two this semester (and then two thesis classes next semester and then i'm all done. whoa), so I'm looking forward to a lighter load than last year. but I'm also setting a goal of one page a day (during the work week) towards my thesis. That way when December comes around, I'll have it all written out, and I'll just need to edit and revise. Our deadlines for thesis defending are like in January...meaning I need have it done by the end of this semester. yikes is all I have to say about that.

On a much happier note, Jantz found out some (possible) great news about work, all of which will hopefully pan out. It would make both of our lives a lot better :)

Here are a couple more pictures (once again by Jessica) from the wedding. Mostly set up stuff and then my dad walking me down the aisle. towards a teary-eyed future husband. precious.