Catching Up Part 3--Happy Anniversary!

Two years in, and we're just as happy as can be. Thank you, God, for blessing us with two wonderful years of being husband and wife.

I'd been craving (no, I'm not expecting) White Fence Farm fried chicken and corn fritters for months before our anniversary, so it was the logical place to go for our special date. I had grown up going to White Fence Farm on special occasions, but Dave had never been there. The place hasn't changed a bit since my last visit years ago. They still have the tiny museum and old arcade games to keep waiting patrons occupied on busy nights. Because we went on a Tuesday, we didn't have to wait in line, and we got started on their corn fritters and other side items right away! Oh my word. I had forgotten just how good their fritters are! Dave enjoyed the fried chicken, too. It was a fun dinner--even though we were the youngest in the dining room by about 30 years!

I asked Dave to take my picture in front of the chicken near the front door.

Next, Dave took over the date with some surprises he'd planned for us. The first stop was The Cheesecake Factory for dessert! This place holds very special memories for us because it's where we went for dinner the night we got engaged. Aw!

I ordered my favorite, the Kahlua cheesecake. So yummy!

Sadly, I can't remember which cheesecake Dave chose, and he isn't here to tell me, so I'll leave you with the mouth-watering picture of his slice. I could go for some cheesecake right now!

As we always do when we go to The Cheesecake Factory, we took a walk to the spot where Dave proposed. The night of our engagement, he'd spotted a bed of tulips (my favorite flower), so he walked me over and got on one knee. We made sure to get a picture at the spot for our anniversary.

Here's a fun story about the dress I wore: I'd picked it up the summer before our wedding with plans to wear it for our ceilidh at the wedding reception. I wasn't so sure about spinning around in my beautiful but weighty wedding dress. I ended up wearing my wedding dress (and smacking people with the train--oops!) for the entire reception, so this party dress stayed in the closet for the last two years, until I decided I really needed to wear it! Our anniversary date was the perfect occasion.

After our lovely walk through the outdoor mall, Dave took me to Barnes and Noble and told me I could pick out any book I'd like as my anniversary gift from him. (He knows exactly what I like!) We browsed for a while before finding books that looked good.

I can't believe it's been two years since we said "I do" to each other. We've already had our share of challenges come up in the last two years, but it's always comforting to know that we have each other for support, no matter what comes our way. I'm even crazier about this amazing man than I was the day I married him! As my mom said just yesterday, I am so blessed to have Dave in my life. I love you, chee!

Catching Up Part 2--3rd/4th of July

This year's 4th of July was extra fun because of the weird 4th of July-on-Sunday deal. We were able to celebrate the 4th of July on the 3rd of July, too! We also managed to fit in two Independence Day parades that weekend. The 4th of July may be called the Post-colonial Day of Mourning in the Gwynne household because of Dave's British roots, but we weren't crying much this year.

On Saturday we hung out with my family and attended the parade that takes place in my aunt and uncle's town. This airplane was my favorite float in the parade.

After the parade, we all went to a local BBQ joint for lunch. My pulled pork sandwich was messy but yummy!

My brother Nate and his wife Kim

From left to right: Auntie Jan, Uncle Ron, Lonnie, Tracy, Mom, and Dad

That night, Dave and I went to the Saturday service and church then out to dinner at Sweet Tomatoes before heading to our town's 3rd/4th of July celebration at a local park. We enjoyed a country cover band until the fireworks started at dusk.

As if all that celebrating wasn't enough, we decided to go to a nearby town's parade on the 4th. It was sooo hot that day, but we enjoyed the parade underneath the shade of a tree set back from the crowds. That will explain why my pictures, like this pic of a Scottish pipe band, seem so far away from the action.

This was my favorite float! The mouths of Mount Rushmore moved along with the music playing. It was part of a very creative line of floats from a local hardware store.

After the parade, we went to Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch then chilled out the rest of the day. The best part of the weekend was the fact that I also had another day off on Monday. Sweet!

Catching Up Part 1--The In-Laws Come to Visit

Oh my word. When I checked the blog today, I couldn't believe that I hadn't updated our place in cyberspace since May. I am the world's worst blogger. Will you accept a series of catch-up posts?

Yes?

Okay, then--let's get started.

Dave and I have had a great summer with a lot of fun things going on. (It's no wonder I've neglected the old blog for so long!) The first fun event was Dave's parents' coming for a visit in June. This was the third summer they were able to stay with us, and we all managed to survive the two weeks crammed into our tiny, one-bedroom apartment. One day, when Dave and I have a house, we'll be able to look back at these humble beginnings and remember the times when our guests were relegated to the hide-a-bed in the living room. Ah, the life of newlyweds. Anyway, here are some pictures from their time here.

I was able to take Fridays off during Mum and Dad's visit so we could go on day trips with them. On the first Friday, we drove up to St. Joseph to check out the cute little town and show Dave's parents the best beach on Lake Michigan.

On the way home from St. Joseph, we got caught in a horrible thunderstorm. I have never been so scared by the weather in my life! Dave parked the car under a bridge, but the road started flooding! And we were boxed in by other cars seeking refuge. I just kept praying, and finally the person in front of us moved so we could find some higher ground. This downed tree came across our path on the way home. I was never so happy to be safe and sound at home that night!

On the second Friday off, we drove out to the Illinois Railway Museum. Now, I think it could have been fun, but the place is really run down, and we had an encounter with rude people who kicked us off the one working train when we attempted to go on a ride. I don't like mean people!

As you can see, Dave and I were pretty bored that afternoon. The four of us were relieved to get back on the road after that visit!

For some reason, we kept getting severe thunderstorms when my in-laws were here. They don't have bad storms like these back home in Scotland, so I caught them looking out the window quite a bit whenever the wind, rain, and crazy lightning hit.

Overall, it was a good visit. I always feel kinda bad when they visit us in the summer, because it's so much hotter here than it is back home. Of course, it was during their visit that our air conditioner died! Now, this is a good thing considering all the trouble we've had with our a/c since I moved in back in 2008. The old unit never really cooled down the apartment, so we often kept it off to save energy. The maintenance guys were great about replacing it quickly, and we were all so excited to have chilly air once the new a/c was installed. In addition to the fun trips we got to take, I'd say sharing in the excitement of that new a/c was one of my favorite moments of their visit.

Weekend Update

After a couple of fun but packed weekends, we were ready for a weekend without any major plans. It was our time to sleep in and relax without any place to be. As I mentioned earlier, we spent Friday night with my brother and sister-in-law. Sadly, I don't have any pictures to share of that fun time. I do, however, have pictures of the things we picked up at Old Time Pottery.

Adding to my seasonal bouquet collection, I picked up some tulips for our dining room table.

On the way home Friday night, we saw a billboard for Jason's Deli. I'd heard many good things about this place but had no clue there were any locations in Chicagoland. We ended up visiting for lunch on Saturday, and oh-my-word, it was delicious!

We were so tempted to go back today, but we resisted. Jason's Deli has all their nutrition info online so you can pick out your meal based on your dietary preferences. Everything is fresh and delicious. To top it off, you get free soft-serve ice cream for dessert. Yum!

Okay, back to the Old Time Pottery finds. I installed this shepherd's hook this afternoon. It was a bit tipsy, so I secured it with wire. Now I just have to decide what to hang from it!

Last but not least is probably my favorite find from Old Time Pottery. Do you see this price tag? Do you really think we paid full price for this item? Think again!

This picture, originally marked $100, was only $19.99! It was the perfect piece to finish off our office corner at home.

I still can't believe it's already Sunday night! This has been a wonderful weekend, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to relax and gear up for the next week of work.

We Are Family

Last night after work, we set off for northwest Indiana to visit my brother and sister-in-law. We hadn't been over to their place since New Year's Day 2009, so it was about time for another visit. Because every road in Chicagoland is under construction, the trip took us 1 hour and 35 minutes, but it was worth the travel time.

After what I refer to as our year of craziness, the time in our married life where we inevitably learned that busyness and an always-on-the-go lifestyle do not work for us, we made the commitment to visit family more often. In that year, I realized how much I missed seeing my family, and I decided I didn't want other things to come in the way of my relationships with family members. This has meant that we try to see my parents at least once a month and my brother and sister-in-law more than once every three or four months. This has meant that I make plans with my aunt in Michigan to meet for lunch when I'm in town for a conference. Sometimes, these get togethers include some sacrifice, such as sitting in a car for a while or spending money on gas to make the trip, but the benefits are so worth it. My family mean the world to me, and I'm grateful for the chances I get to see them.

So last night, after the hour and 35-minute drive to my brother and sister-in-law's and the 20-minute trip to the restaurant, we had a great time eating Portillo's (oh, their chopped salads are the best!) and roaming the aisles of Old Time Pottery. I still can't believe we spent hours in that store!

I was just telling Dave that I anticipate these visits so much now that the day after always feels like the day after Christmas--with the hint of sadness that comes after looking forward to a fun event for so long. I've learned that a life without making your family a priority isn't a very fun life, so I want to do all I can to make sure that we place them high on the list.

Baskin Robbins . . . or Not

Did you know that tonight was 31-cent scoops night at Baskin Robbins? Judging from the line extending out the door, you probably knew, along with everyone else in the country. Dave and I headed over to take part as soon as he got home from his open house at school. The following is a pictorial account of our adventure.

I scrambled for some change in our change bowl, but this was the largest coin I found. Do you think they'd accept euro currency?

Alas, the line was too long and the temps a little too chilly to take part, so we headed home. I was very sad, but Dave missed the memo that you're supposed to be sad when you miss out on Baskin Robbins.

Ah, here we go. There's nothing like unity in marriage, even when it comes to sadness over missed ice cream.

All was not lost, thanks to the pudding cups we had waiting for us in the fridge. Hooray for another sweet treat!

We didn't even have to wait outside in the cold for this!

Perhaps next year, we'll have the patience and better temps to take part in the cheap ice cream night, but I'm happy with my pudding cups and another fun adventure with my husband.

So Long, Insecurity

I have been a fan of Beth Moore's Bible studies ever since I did her Daniel Bible study in the fall of 2006. I took that workbook of mine across the ocean with me when I went on my missions trip to Scotland, and my Bible study girls prayed with me about the guy I met when I was over there (who now is my husband). Now, I know that Beth Moore had nothing to do with my meeting my husband--that was all God's doing--but remembering that time in my life brings sweet memories, and her Bible study helped me get into a habit of studying God's Word and listening for His voice--a very important practice to have when one is making huge decisions like who to marry!

On Saturday, I had the privilege of attending Beth's simulcast for her book So Long, Insecurity. I had bought my mom a ticket and the book for her birthday present in March. It was a fun girls' day, but it was also a life-changing day for me and my mom. Insecurity affects women everywhere, and it's about time we fought against it! I was encouraged to know that, with God's power, I can become a confident, secure woman. My prayer is that the 300,000+ women who attended the event on Saturday will find their security in Christ and start spreading that message to everyone they know. It could have quite the impact on our world!