Tuesday, April 10, 2018

4.10.18 - So much to look forward to!

This weekend Jack and I are celebrating our 9th anniversary (4 years married). He has planned the whole thing. I don't even know what we're going to do, but I know all I have to do is help him get the kids ready and drop them off at Beth's and also dress nice. In fact last weekend I bought a new top just for the occasion. It's super cute--black and lacy with off-the-shoulder sleeves. It's the first time I've bought new non-maternity clothes in probably years, and I'm excited about wearing it. I'm also excited about spending time with Jack and seeing what he decided to plan for us. I'm also excited to not be calorie counting, haha.

Whatever we end up doing, I'm basically already happy about it because I didn't have to figure out any of the logistics or how we're paying for it. Jack charged it all to his own credit card (that I don't see on our joint statements) and worked extra shifts at Nordstrom Rack to pay it off. He also arranged for Beth to take the girls for Saturday into Sunday morning. It's very sweet.

After our mystery anniversary weekend, it's only 5 weeks until Jack's graduation! Don, Merlene, Dad, Jill, Rocket, and Neil will all be in town for it. Jack's pinning ceremony is on a Thursday and his general commencement (cap and gown pics!) is on a Saturday, and we are going for a nice steakhouse dinner (courtesy of Dad) on the Friday. Beth will take the girls again so we can just enjoy the dinner. God bless Beth.

Anyway, of all the things I'm looking forward to, Jack's graduation is probably at the top of the list. It's been quite a saga. I can hardly believe it's almost complete. I am so proud of him for how long and hard he's worked toward this degree, and I'm so looking forward to how our life will change as we enter the first time we've ever been together when neither one of us was in school. I'm sure the years will rush by and I'll barely remember what it was like when he was still in school, but for now that's all we've really known and it's thrilling to think it's almost done. Even before he gets a nursing job, I anticipate a lot of pressure relief as his schedule frees up (and whatever time is not free is because he's bringing in paychecks from Nordstrom). I am very very excited.

Then less than two weeks after Jack's graduation, we are going to Missouri to surprise Mom for her 60th birthday! Julie and Ellen are going to conspire to get Mom to celebrate her birthday the Saturday (June 2) before the actual day (June 6). I'm not sure exactly how that will work, but I keep picturing Mom having a get together at Sugar Creek and Jack, Clara, Jane, and I just walk up the driveway and show up. It's going to be awesome! I laugh every time I think about it.

We are staying in Missouri for nearly three weeks. It will be the first time I go back to Missouri in the summer since 2015, so that's also nice.

About 4 weeks after we return, Henry and I are going to North Carolina for Kale's wedding. Then we leave directly from there to Colorado for what has become the annual Snyder Field Day. I'm looking forward to it this year especially because the Givens are going to joins us, and the Maacks will come in too late for Field Day but in time to visit that Monday. Should be great.

After that trip we get home and then it's another four weeks or so befoer Jack and I go on our honeymoon. When we got married Dad offered to send us on a honeymoon as our wedding gift, but we agreed to wait a few years until after we had kids and make it a more meaningful break/vacation. I'm so glad we did it that way. Don & Merlene are going to fly out to watch the girls, and Jack and I are going to Chicago for a full week. I've already planned out basically everywhere we're going to sight see and eat. I'm so excited. And since we're staying in-country we had enough in our honeymoon budget to buy the tickets for Don & Merlene, so the trip doubles as a chance for them to visit the girls without it costing too much. Of all the things on the list this is my second favorite (after Jack's graduation).

The hope is that Jack will be able to study in between all these trips and sit for the NCLEX right before we go on the honeymoon. If he passes the honeymoon will double as our celebration that he is officially a licensed nurse. If he doesn't, I suppose it will be the most thorough comfort trip ever. Actually I don't know if he will even know the results before we go on the trip, but it would be so cool if it doubled as that celebration. And then when we return he can begin a job hunt in earnest--the next big adventure.

So yeah, it's shaping up to be an incredibly epic year.

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