Marriage is...

Marriage. 


This is a topic that has been on my mind a lot. Perhaps it has to do with my baby brother getting married in 3 days (what?!) or the fact that so many of my friends from high school and college are getting engaged. Or maybe it's simply because I love what marriage stands for. Either way, thinking about it nonstop has caused me to stop and reflect truly what marriage means to me. Usually when I see these posts I immediately get turned off because they are so sappy. But I'm joining the bandwagon today and sharing my personal and special (sappy) thoughts and I'm sending them off into the world. 

• Marriage is loving your spouse unconditionally. Honestly, I have just started to really understand what this means. Maybe I'm a slow learner, but after four years of marriage to Mr. Denver, I can honestly say I love him more than I did when we got married. Somehow, I've learned to deal with his quirks, and he has learned to deal with mine. So what if he likes to leave his dishes by his computer, or if I have books literally all over the house. Those are so trivial compared to what we have yet to share in life and eternity. 

• Marriage is not perfect. What? I thought marriage was supposed to be a breeze. You are married to the man or woman whom you love more than life itself. Shouldn't it be bliss? You both have covenanted with each other to love and support each other throughout eternity. Yes, even though marriage is covenanting with one another and God, we are not perfect. And sometimes words are said, feelings are hurt, and actions disappoint. But despite our human flaws, we need to keep in mind that the one you are married to is the one for you at this time. I found this quote today that I really feel in love with. Here it is:

“He’s not perfect. You aren’t either, and the two of you will never be perfect. But if he can make you laugh at least once, causes you to think twice, and if he admits to being human and making mistakes, hold onto him and give him the most you can. He isn’t going to quote poetry, he’s not thinking about you every moment, but he will give you a part of him that he knows you could break. Don’t hurt him, don’t change him, and don’t expect for more than he can give. Don’t analyze. Smile when he makes you happy, yell when he makes you mad, and miss him when he’s not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect guys don’t exist, but there’s always one guy that is perfect for you.” – Bob Marley 

• Marriage is what you put into it. If there is anything I could tell newly engaged couples, or newlyweds, it's this. Marriage is hard work. It is full of sweet moments, and also bitter ones. You cannot allow your marriage to grow stagnant. If you put all your effort into making your marriage work, you will see more happiness, gratitude, and love in your lives.

So I'm not an expert on anything by any stretch of the imagination. But I do share what I know. And this is what I know-I love what marriage stands for. And I am grateful to have a best friend who isn't perfect. But he is perfect for me. 

Answers to "Two Lies and a Truth"

Thanks to all who participated in the "Two Lies and a Truth" game! Here are the bare truths about me :) And congratulations to one of my best friends, Brianna for winning the game! (I will have a special gift for you when I see you Brianna! :) )

1. When I grew up, I wanted to be:
A. paleontologist
B. astronaut 
C. lawyer 
*When I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut more than anything else. Space was my passion, and I was convinced going up into space would be the coolest thing ever. I was also convinced I would be among the first to live on one of the gas planets, like Jupiter. Hey, when you're a kid, you think anything is possible.
 2. In high school, I was involved in:
A. the dance team
B. yearbook staff
C. band 
*In high school, I was on the yearbook staff. I was involved with dance, but not for the actual high school team. I was involved with band up until high school, but I convinced myself that band wasn't a "cool" thing to do in high school. Shows you how smart I was. But I really did enjoy being on the yearbook staff. I'm grateful I was part of that. 
3. As a child, I believed in what the longest:
A. the Easter Bunny
B. Santa
C. Santa's elves
*For some reason, even when I stopped believing in Santa Claus, I was convinced his elves still existed and were watching my every move. I wanted to please them, and was convinced I saw them at one point. That's why I believed in them the longest :)
4. Up until what age did I believe "sniping" was a real thing?
A. 16
B. 8
C. 20
*One time a bunch of my friends got together to go "sniping." I was super excited and was convinced my team would be the first to find one. I should have guessed the whole thing was a farce, especially when we had to wear toothpaste on our faces to attract them. But, in my naive mind, I still wanted to catch one.
 5. In college, I worked as:
A. theater janitor
B. telemarketer
C. grocery store clerk
*In college, I was a theater janitor. It was actually one of my favorite jobs. After the movies let out for the night, I would go in and clean the two theater rooms, bathrooms, lobby. I loved the job because I did it at night and I didn't have to talk to anyone. I could just listen to my music and dance and clean to my heart's content. The free movies weren't too bad either :)
6. I once had a boyfriend who:
A. drove a yellow Corvette
B. dumped me for a guy
C. worked out at the gym more than spending time with me
*Alas, this is sadly true. I was 16 or 17 and he made it a public ordeal in front of his friends. It was an emotional day for me. I mean, it's one thing to be dumped, but for a guy? Man. My self esteem shot way down after that. Then I realized how completely ridiculous the whole situation was and got over it. 
7. The only bone I have ever broken is:
A. arm
B. collarbone
C. wrist
*I was a sophomore in high school when this happened. Up until that point, I was very proud of myself for not having any broken bones. But, during a friends' birthday party, we decided to play Red Rover. The opposite team had two of my guy friends, and I knew I couldn't break through them, so I cleverly decided to dive under their arms. That's when I heard a crack in my bones, and it felt like a fire spreading through me. It was one of the scariest things because I had no idea what had happened. 
8. In high school, I once:
A. skipped one class period to cry in the bathroom
B. accidently hit a car in the parking lot, and was so terrified I drove off
C. thought my lab partner was a complete loser and told him so
*This was not one of my proudest moments, but I was a freshman in my science class. I had one of those goof offs as my partner, who didn't care about doing anything. So one day, after having enough of his antics, told him I thought he was a complete loser and that he should be ashamed of the way he acted during school. My teacher overheard and just started laughing uncontrollably. My partner started laughing too and told me he thought I was the funniest girl he had ever met. Well, that's one way to put it. 
9. The scariest thing to happen to me in school was:
A. getting a bad paper cut on my hand. When asked to go to the nurse, I refused.
B. getting caught cheating on a test
C. having a tornado warning 
*One of the great things about growing up in Nebraska were the tornado drills we had to practice during school. And even though they were drills, I was still completely terrified. I would internally freak out when that tornado siren went off. Then one day in elementary school, the tornado drill was real, and I became a complete wreck. My parents were out of town, so my grandparents were at home with my brother. I sobbed to my teacher that I was worried about my grandparents not being able to handle a tornado and to take me home to them. My teacher assured me everything would be all right, especially my grandparents and brother. I wasn't convinced, but had to calm down. 

10. In college I contemplated on this major before deciding on English:
A. philosophy
B. business
C. nursing
*Shocking huh? Most people guessed philosophy. Well I thought having a business degree would be more beneficial in the long run, and get a great job. But I failed nearly every class that semester. It was horrible. So that's when I decided I was being a complete idiot, wasting time and money. So I switched to my love of English. 

Two lies and a truth

Did you ever play that game as a kid? Having to tell a group of people two lies and a truth about yourself and see if they could guess the truth? Well I decided to bring back this childhood game so you can learn more about me. And to sweeten the deal I'm going to throw an incentive at you. Whoever guesses all the right answers first, I'll send you a little treat in the mail. If no one gets them all right, I'll do whoever has the best score. So, give it a try! What do you have to loose? :) Good luck!

1. When I grew up, I wanted to be:
A. paleontologist
B. astronaut 
C. lawyer 

2. In high school, I was involved in:
A. the dance team
B. yearbook staff
C. band 

3. As a child, I believed in what the longest:
A. the Easter Bunny
B. Santa
C. Santa's elves

4. Up until what age did I believe "sniping" was a real thing?
A. 16
B. 8
C. 20

5. In college, I worked as:
A. theater janitor
B. telemarketer
C. grocery store clerk

6. I once had a boyfriend who:
A. drove a yellow Corvette
B. dumped me for a guy
C. worked out at the gym more than spending time with me

7. The only bone I have ever broken is:
A. arm
B. collarbone
C. wrist

8. In high school, I once:
A. skipped one class period to cry in the bathroom
B. accidently hit a car in the parking lot, and was so terrified I drove off
C. thought my lab partner was a complete loser and told him so

9. The scariest thing to happen to me in school was:
A. getting a bad paper cut on my hand. When asked to go to the nurse, I refused.
B. getting caught cheating on a test
C. having a tornado warning 

10. In college I contemplated on this major before deciding on English:
A. philosophy
B. business
C. nursing

Getting to Know Bree...

So I did a post about "getting to know you" about four years ago. I sometimes don't know what to blog about, but I figured a blog is a place to write about yourself. So I found some random questions and started answering them. 

1. What time did you go to bed last night and were you alone?

I think I went to bed around 9:30? Pretty early, I know. I was alone until Denver came to bed. 
2. If you could be given ANY gift what would it be?

I would love a day at the spa. Or, maybe just a couple of hours at one. 
3. What was the last film that really moved/disturbed/thrilled you and why?

"Arranged". This was a low budget movie I found on Netflix. I don't mind low budget movies, as long as the story intrigues me. This particular story was about an Orthodox Jew woman and a Muslim woman who both worked as teachers in New York. Despite cultural stereotypes and different religions, they formed a friendship. They were also both undergoing the process of arranged marriages. I loved watching them overcome cultural stereotypes and see how they handled their trials and worries over an arranged marriage. I really liked this movie because of the universal message: Treat others with love and kindness. We are blessed to be on earth full of people from all different backgrounds and religions, and we can accept others and love them for it.
4. What is your favorite TV show of all time ie you've seen them all, can watch it over and over again and quote lines from it?

"Full House"... Classic quotes: "you got it dude!" "how rude!"
5. Whats your favorite way to wake up and whats the first thing you do?

I loved when my mom would tickle my arm in the morning. Other than that, there's not much to waking up. If there is sunshine peeking in from my window, that instantly cheers me up. The first thing I do is put in my contacts and eat breakfast.
6. What would you call yourself if you could choose your own name?

I have no idea. I like my name and that's who I am! I always thought the name Bethany was pretty. 
7. If you had to do a bushtucker challenge (you have to eat insects/grubs etc) what would be the worst thing you had to eat?

I've already eaten a worm, and that grossed me out enough. So, maybe something creepy-crawly like a centipede or something. I will never eat one though, so I'll never know!
8. Whats the worst/most embarrassing CD/Album you've ever owned and do you still have it? 
 I'm not really embarrassed by any of my CD's. I still have my Backstreet Boys CD's (yes I have four of them) and still love listening to them. Hanson too! 

9. what would be your dream vehicle (bikes, cars, boats, batcar and millenium falcon is allowed!)?

I've always thought those cars that have the doors raise open were cool! But personally, I would love a Volkswagen. A blue one.

(number 10 was a little inappropriate so I skipped it ;) )
11. What characteristics do you dislike in yourself?

Sometimes I jump to unfair judgments about people. I also have the tendency to worry about everything at once, and boy is that stressful!
12. Your favorite item of clothing and why?

A simple T-shirt and blue jeans. Just add accessories and the outfit can become anything I want. It's super comfy.
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would it be and who would it be with?

Oh goodness. Italy first of all. I would love to see the Colosseum, Pantheon and all those wonderful ancient places. Greece next so I could see the Parthenon. Jerusalem so I could see Christianity, Islam, and Jewish culture all mixed together. India for the Taj Mahal. I could make that in one trip right?
14. If you could have any animal/creature, What would be your ultimate pet be?

I've always wanted a dog, and now I have one!
15. What did you want to be when you were little and do you think you ever will be?

I wanted to be an astronaut. I love space. No, I will never be one because I'm really not that great at science and math. But I still love learning about it.
16. Whats the next planned event you're looking to in your life?

Starting a family. (Hold your horses everyone, all in good time :) )
17. What were you doing before you started this?

Deciding whether to read a book or write on my blog.
18. What was the last thing you ate that you really shouldn't of ?

Chocolate bar. Who says I can't have it though?
19. If you were an ice cream/HaagenDdaz/Ben and Jerry's flavor what would you be?

Mint chocolate chip because it's my favorite flavor.
20. Who was the last person you spoke to that you didn't want to talk to?

Probably a customer service person. They are always stressful to talk to. (no offense)
21. What was your favorite toy as a child  . . .and now?

I always loved Barbies. Obviously now I don't play with them because that would mean I have issues. Now? Nothing really.
22. When was the last time you cried laughing and why?

Ha, up at school my friend Emilee and I were getting back from a girl's night. We were in the car and tried to do that awkward hug across the seat thing and our heads went in like we were about to kiss and almost ended up kissing. It was the funniest thing and we both started laughing.
23. What is stashed under your bed/mattress?

Denver's rifle. 
24. What did you dream about last night?

I had a dream about a kid from my high school math class. Don't know why.
25. What are you really afraid of?

That people would know I wasn't being the kind of person I say I am.

Ring Out Wild Bells!

It's January 1, 2013! 

For some reason, 2013 sounds very futuristic to me. I really don't know why it seems that way, it's really not that different from last year. I have always loved New Year's Day, it is just a day filled with hope, resolutions, a chance for a clean, fresh start. A whole clean slate ready for us to write our stories on it. 

I really loved my sister in law Shannon's idea about using one word to focus on throughout the new year. I tried it last year, and it was challenging. So this year, I am determined to really apply it to my life. Maybe it's because I'm getting older (I know I'm not old, just at a stage of life I've never been in) so I really want to grab the most out of my life this year. So here is my word: immerse. 

Immerse: to plunge into something that surrounds or covers. To take in and make part of an existing whole. 

My goal for myself is to immerse myself in meaningful aspects of life, such as the gospel, personal relationships, and knowing myself. 

For my New Year's Resolution List, I always cram too many things on the list and end up angry that I didn't accomplish them all. So this year I simplified my list. Here are a few: 

• Attend at least 6 temple sessions with Denver. (This may not seem like much, but I figure if I put 6 down, we can easily reach that goal and go above and beyond)
• Plan 6 creative dates for Denver and I. (I feel that relationships are always growing, and I have found Denver and I are constantly learning new things about each other. I really want to bring our relationship to a new level)
• Monitor the things I say-more optimism, more love, more gratitude.
• President Uchtdorf said that there is always something to cherish in each day, we just have to look for it. 
• Learn something new. (I feel kind of sluggish because I'm no longer a student. This will give me a chance to dust off those cobwebs in my noggin') 

So there are some goals. I really am going to immerse myself in changing my quality of life. I feel that I have been just sitting by, watching my life go by. That is no way to spend your precious life. President Abraham Lincoln said," Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other. "

So, succeed! Happy goal setting to everyone!