Elrod's 1st Christmas

Joshua and I played Christmas by ourselves a little early. We wanted to have our own 1st Christmas alone before we went home.


Isabella (Izzy) the record player!



We got so many lovely gifts and such for our wedding that we decided not to buy each other much- just stuff to fit in a stocking and then we got each other :) a record player. We both love coming home and putting on music and it is really nice to just play a whole album. We've been finding new bands we like and don't have any of their music and records come with the mp3 download too! So it was perfect and we decided everytime one of us does something wrong we'll buy them a record- then thinking about this decided it promotes bad behavior a little bit :) and now we will buy them for something good- like at work or 6-versary!

We only have 2 so far- Architecture in Helsinki and Decemberists but we're excited to watch it grow.

 It's fun to have something that is just ours to build and listen to together PLUS how much fun is it to thumb through records at a record store- SUPER FUN!

insert "oooooohh"



cutest gift ever!






our new stockings!



We went to Pioneer Square that night and there were over 20 trees with knitted sweaters!!!! AHHH LOVE



Hubs went a little off the rules but he claims it would probably fit partially in the stocking- he got me a new tripod. He was tired of me tipping mine over and holding the stripped out screws in place to take photos! Plus he found me a clicker thing that lets me take photos while being 3 or so feet away from my computer = not blurry photos from my very unsteady hands & adjusting things and then taking photos!

But the best gift was the necklace he made me!!!He locked himself in our bedroom for a few hours and brought his drill and sauter gun! All week he'd been getting envelopes mailed to him and he kept getting excited, he said he was making me something (what a bookmark- what fits in envelopes!)

It is a necklace that has old subway/bus tokens from the 3 places I interned while we were dating- he'd always visit me and we'd run around on adventures all weekend, We still always talk about them. Plus he knows I like antiquey things! So he assembled, drilled, twisted it together for me and it is so AWESOME!!!



cookie snack on the tray Mallorie got us for Christmas!



I got him book darts- they keep a line in your books marked without falling out or being bulky, plus they are cute and nerdy! I got a vintage brown and sharpe caliper for him which is a company that is out of business but he loves their stuff and old tools. They sell for $100's on the internet but I found someone on etsy who didn't know what they had and scored it for him! Plus I found someone else selling an old brown and sharpe dovetailed wood box to put it in. He promptly placed it on the bookcase in it's spot. Lastly I got him a stainless steel flask to put on our whiskey tray. He loves metal things and I keep putting pretty glass things on the tray so I got him something manly to add. I got it engraved to say "even after the star's burn out" which he said to me once and I've always remembered it (I'll love you even after the star's burn out) It made sense at the time and in the location, OK it's cheesy but I don't care!

So the Elrod's 1st Christmas is over but we can't wait to get home!
I actually cried, CRIED on the bus on the way home last week because I miss my family so much. Joshua is doing his best but he can't shop with me the way my sister's do, or make cookies the way my mom does and this time of year it is really hard to be away, I've never been away this time of year before. So I feel really blessed that I still get to go be with them on Christmas!
But thanks to all the Seattle people who are surrounding us and making it awesome while we're here!



Elrod's first Christmas Decorations:  We have more than a tree which is big for us!!!


Anthony showing off


 

Christmas cards from lots of amazing people & families



Christmas kiss chocolates!



yeah that's right- $1 store! I even got it to bud!

6-versary! 6-versary! 6-versary!

We made it to 1/2 a year being married! We have been talking about it since 5-versary. Some people laughed when I told them what we were doing/celebrating this weekend, and no 6 months isn't that long but it is something to celebrate! We're really proud of ourselves and how we're figuring things out- even silly things like a laundry schedule and how much hubs hates crumbs (He hates them a lot!)
Being happily married is always something to celebrate, no matter how short or long it has been.
When we were eating dinner Joshua said he is really happy with his life right now and that he loves knowing I'm there. I'll celebrate that anytime...

We slept in late on Sunday

& celebrated with brunch at a place I had brought him before when he visited me in Seattle-

they have amazing food and real cream for your coffee.

Plus they have a dessert tray- which we totally gave into.

Then we decorated our sugar Christmas cookies! I was so excited that Joshua got into it. He likes doing it and he knows I miss home and that making these cookies meant a lot to me.

(I'll show photos in another post - they are adorable!!!!!)

Then we made dinner- red mashed potatoes and homeade meatballs in a mushroom gravy yummmmm

Potatoes were a little soupy but who cares it's 6-versary!

Finally we ended the night biking to the movies, getting popcorn and seeing Sherlock Holmes II! We stayed out until 1am on a work night- oh yeah!

hehe

A day to ourselves, not feeling bad about ignoring the rest of the world, was perfect before the crazy weekend ahead of going home to Cincinnati and trying to fit everything in!

Sharing.3

Being married and being a Christian is interesting. On one hand I want to delve into being married and become wrapped up in my hubs, but on the other hand (as Paul likes to point out in Corinthians) marriage can mean that you don't put God first or focus enough on others and being a light to others. I definately feel this in my life. We haven't gotten to focus at all on each other until now and it is fantastic and magical but I don't leave much of myself to be there for other people when I do only focus on our relationship and my husband. 
   In many ways Joshua has brought me a lot of strength, wisdom and insight into my and our relationship with Jesus. I wouldn't be where I am or who I am if it wasn't for him always asking me and being willing to have the conversations about how we think we are doing, what we want our focus of life to be on, and where we see God working in our lives and where we are probably ignoring him.
   I want so badly to perfectly be able to balance marriage with living my life for Christ but I think we are finding it a challenge. A challenge we are willing to fight for and really want to work through but it is intersting how we figure out how to do it together and in our own personal relationships with Christ.
   We are in a small group together for the first time and it breeds so many great conversations but we also like to cuddle up in bed in the morning and push snooze 20 times together giggling instead of getting up to read our bibles like we meant to. Then we read the Bible together but we also should do so apart.
   I know the apostle Paul has some radical views on marriage but as we read through Corinthians the other night we were discussing it and we think for us it is a reminder not to let marriage be what your life is about but make it about living for God.
   Just what has been on my mind lately and really pushing me to dive into what we are living for and how we are challenging one another...

Paul has strong opinons about marriage but I think even though I am married and I think God blesses that I can still see the root of what he means...

1 Corinthians: 32-35

³² I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. ³³ But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— ³⁴ and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. ³⁵ I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.

Other opinions/thoughts on sharing.1 and sharing.2

Please keep my Grandpa Heitfeld and family in your prayers. He's not doing well right now!

4-Versary

We've decided to go with 4-versary!
(Since we haven't been married a year yet I'm odd and decided anni wasn't right yet)

This week was our 4th month of being married and also the longest we've been in the SAME STATE since we started dating 3 years ago!

SO we were really excited and giddy all day. We couldn't wait to get home from work
We got a little dressed up and went to Thai Tom which is a thai restaurant that always has a crazy line out the door and only takes cash and only fits like 15 people.
It was so stinking tasty I'm tellin' ya. We had a blast and got so much food and thai iced teas.
We are so excited to be with each other every night and get to make our lunches together (I'll be honest he usually makes the lunches in the morning- I dawdle) and Yay for more versaries!!!

 

The restaurant was crazy and we were in the middle of it. The insanely fast cook was directly in front of us. When he was done with the food he put it in front of us and the waitress and she reached around us to get it. It was so fun and energetic. Rap music was playing in the background and it was a PERFECT night!