[ForgivenPix]

I am just getting ready to take a calc quiz. I'll do it in a minute.
Sean said he thinks having a distance relationship is hard. I guess I don't really see why. I mean, obviously it's not easy, mainly b/c i always miss him. I also do not like talking on the phone in general, though I am always happy to talk with him. But I would hardly say that the past 6 months were something that we had to "endure" like it was an awful thing, or that we have to have all this strength to "push through". It sounds so awful put like that! Well I don't know if you have ever been in a distance relationship, but even if you haven't, is my train of thought just totally off here? I bet it is. (shrug)
ok, time for the quiz!

[erikavanhuis]

I don't think you're off by thinking that. I think a lot of it comes from how you approach feeling about having a relationship like that. Some people think that distance relationships are the most difficult thing in the world, and other people think that they're great. Any relationship takes work and commitment. Granted, Mark and I didnt' do the distance relationship thing, but I think that it would probably take even more trust and commitment to have a relationship that way. I mean, you have to trust that the other person is being completely honest with you when you can't be with them all the time. I think the biggest difference is the fact that you can't see each other all the time and I can see how the hardest part is missing them. I remember there were times when Mark and I were dating that there were things we had to do that required us to go on trips and be away from each other at times for a while. I must say I missed him terribly, but looked forward to when I got to see him again and just be with him.
So, yeah I think that the way you choose to approach it has a lot to do with how you would feel about having a relationship like that. I hope that made sense.
Anyway, I should probably get to work now...lots of phone calls and database updates to do today. Oh, today is Mark's last class!! Yeah!!! It's going to be a long day though. I get to go with him tonight because they needed victims for their practical part of their final and I got volunteered. I don't mind though, I've been a victim before when my parents taught first aid classes and whatnot. Oh yeah, that extreme home makeover house got done yesterday too. The family came home to a 3,200 square foot home that was built in 5 days! The fact that something like that can be pulled off is amazing. I can't even imagine living in a house that big. I thought my parents house was big and it's around 2,000 or so. The family deserved it though...their house burned down in March and they were living in a shed with one room and no plumbing and had to use an outhouse with a sheet for a door for a bathroom. I guess their insurance didn't cover enough to rebuild, so they did what they had to do. I don't even know the people, but I'm very happy for them. I guess the show is supposed to be airing in 6-8 weeks or something like that.
Ok, now I'm going to get to work. Good luck on your quiz, Sarah. More later...

[erikavanhuis]

How I met Mark...well, it's actually sort of a funny story. He was a year ahead of me in high school, and we had a class together my sophomore year. He thought I was an annoying goody-goody and I thought he was one of the stuck up punk jocks who sat on the other side of the room...needless to say, we didn't talk to each other.
Fast forward 2 years...we hadn't seen each other at all since then and I ended up taking a theater class my senior year. His best friend was the tech director so he would come to help build sets and whatnot. In any case, I had a friend in that class that was also a friend of his and she introduced us to each other and things just sort of clicked. We didn't realize until a few months later that we were the same people that couldn't stand each other just a couple of years earlier. It's amazing how God can change your heart. Anyway, we started hanging out, and I was looking for any excuse to stay after school to help with sets and things just so I could be with him and get to know him better. I found out he was a Christian, and that was really cool because that just made me like him more. Well, we started hanging out more, and the feelings grew. We started praying together and doing Bible studies together, and then both of us felt from the Lord that we were for each other. Actually, it was one of the only times that I've actually heard the audible voice of God...it was pretty amazing. From that point on, we knew that we were supposed to be together. I think that the scariest part about that was the fact that we had only really known each other for a couple of months at that point. But, we took things slow and just kept getting to know each other. Later we made it official that we were dating (I made him talk to my dad first). A funny part about that is my mom was all for it! She knew I liked him and told me that I was 17, hadn't ever had a boyfriend and to go for it!
Anyway, after I graduated from high school, we started talking about marriage and he proposed. We decided to wait until we got through college (at least a 2 year degree), and had jobs that would be able to support us. Not only that, but I still had a lot of growing to do. 4 years later, we finally set a wedding date. It was probably the hardest 4 years of my life that I've gone through so far. Looking at it in hindsight now, I'm glad we waited as long as we did. I think our relationship is much better having waited. We were able to get to know each other better and were dating with the intent of getting married. Most of it was waiting on God's timing too. I needed to learn patience, and Mark needed a better paying job. When the timing was finally right though, things happened fast!
Now, here we are, happily (very happily) married for almost a year and a half, and I honestly wouldn't ask for things to be different. Granted, things aren't always easy...we live on the same property as my grandmother who tends to drive us nuts and sometimes can put a strain on our relationship. But, we have a house for free so we can save up to buy a bigger, better one when God provides it. For the most part though, things are great. We are very much in love with each other and with God, which I think is one of the most important things in a marriage.
Wow, that got longer than I thought it would! I tried to make it short too! I hope you liked the story. If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to share. I love telling our story...mostly because of the fact that it is such a testimony to God's faithfulness and perfection.
Sarah, I wish blessings on your relationship with Sean. Stay focused on God, and no matter what the outcome of it, whether it be marriage or if God has a different plan for you, you will both be better because of that.
I should probably get to work now...aarrgghhh.....! Oh well, at least it's only a 3 day work week! Yeah....Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I guess I'll close with a few of the things I'm thankful for since I brought that up...Mark, my family, my friends, the fact that I have a job and we don't have to live in poverty, God because He is so faithful and loving, oh, there is so much more I could go on forever, but I'll stop because I really need to get to work!
Anyway, everyone have a great day! More later...

[erikavanhuis]

Hooray for Thanksgiving, and getting time of work, and being with family that I haven't seen in a while!!! Ok, so I'm a little early, but I'm getting excited about it, especially the couple of days off work part! I'm looking forward to seeing my family too. It should be fun. Mark and I are going to pick up his grandma and then go out to my parents house for dinner. His dad is coming out too. There will be a grand total of 8 people in my parents house. Funny, I was thinking there were going to be more. It won't be too crowded then...we've done Thanksgiving with 8 people before. My mom is getting excited too. Thanksgiving is one of her favorite holidays...I think it's the getting to eat all the good food, and the fact that she doesn't have to do the dishes that night. So, anyway, we're spending the night there and then coming home sometime on Friday. I'm looking forward to seeing my sisters. I miss getting to see them all the time. It's funny to think that when we were all living together, we didn't get along very well. Now that 2 of us are out of the house, we enjoy being together and don't drive each other as nuts as we used to.
After Mark and I get home on Friday, we get to decorate our house for Christmas!!! I can't believe it's that time already. That is what excites me. I love Christmas decorating. Actually, it's an excuse to get the house really clean, and rearrange the living room. That's actually a pretty hard thing to do because we don't have much room, and way too much stuff in it. So, it will sort of be more like rearranging the mess...
In other news, I'm really getting sick of my problems with my knee. I found out that I have water on the knee, and I'm really getting tired of it. I had a swim meet this last weekend, and did terribly. I even had to scratch my breaststroke event - don't ask me why I even signed up for that in the first place with a bummed up knee...I never scratch events. It was just dang depressing. That, and I'm so out of shape anymore, it's not even funny. Anyway, while we were there, one of the parents on the team that Mark used to coach for just happens to be a doctor, so he took a look at it and gave me a couple of exercises to do and said if it gets any worse then I'd probably have to go see a physical therapist for it. I'm praying that it gets better. I feel old... Everyone else on our team did well at the swim meet though. I was very proud of them all. I feel like I let my relay team down though because I was doing the backstroke leg of it and slipped off the start and had a terrible start, so I had a lot of catching up to do. We got disqualified anyway, because the girl doing the butterfly only touched with one hand on her turn...so I don't feel too bad.
Wow, I talk entirely too much, and I'm not even done telling about the rest of the weekend...Sunday was awesome. I'll have to write more about that later though because I'm sure that after reading this much you're already bored, so I'll stop now and write more tomorrow, or some other time. Anyway, have a great day! More later...

[ForgivenPix]

Hey Erika!
I like your story!!! I love hearing those kinds of love stories! especially how people met. My parents met at a garage sale. hahaha
Oh yes, one more question: How did he propose???
I hope you have a fabulous thanksgiving! I also hope your knee gets better soon! I'll pray for that for you. Have a great day!
-Sarah

[erikavanhuis]

Haha...how he proposed...that's another funny story! I thought he was breaking up with me, the way he started it! We were at my parents house one night during the summer, sitting outside by a campfire that we had started. We just started talking, and then he got all serious on me and said those famous words "We need to talk." I went "Oh, great, what did I do?" Anyway, he went on about how much he loved me and how glad he was that we were dating and everything, and then he said "...but I'm not sure if I want to stay in a relationship like this (he inserted a very dramatic, suspensful pause here and I about started to cry)...unless I know it is going to last forever." It sort of caught me by suprise the way he did it because then he started going on about how hurt he would be and I would be if something were to happen and we broke up, and blah, blah, blah, but I really didn't hear anything after that. I was just so suprised and happy that he had asked me because we had sort of talked about it before, just not very seriously. Of course by then, we had a feeling it was going to happen anyway just because of the amounts of time in prayer we had both spent over the whole thing.
Oh, while I'm at it, the ring is a completely other story...he felt bad because he didn't have the money to get me a nice engagement ring when he proposed, but he had gotten me a promise ring earlier and I was wearing it on my right hand, so we put it on my left hand and called it good. A few months later, we were just casually looking at rings, and we found one that I absolutely fell in love with, but again he couldn't afford it at the time, so we left. Little did I know that he went back to the jewlery store after I went home that night to put a down payment on it. A couple of days later he told me that he went back to the store to see if he could work out some sort of payment plan, but he told me that he was too late and they had sold it, so we went back to look at other rings and I saw it was gone and was very dissapointed. I tried on some other rings that were pretty, but apparently my face didn't light up the way it did when I tried mine on. It was an original, one of a kind ring too. After my reaction, he knew that we had found the right one. All he had to do was wait for his income tax return check to come in so he could finish paying for it. Anyway, it finally came and he bought it and I was hanging out at his house one night, sitting on his lap, snuggling and he was playing with my ring that I had been wearing, like he usually did. Well, he took it off my finger and did a quick switch and put the new ring on. I didn't notice it at first because I thought he had just put it back on, until I sat up and looked at my hand and noticed the ring! Boy, was I elated! Then, I got mad at him because he had told me that they sold it, and then he goes, "...but I didn't say who they sold it too!" I quickly forgave him though! Looking back now, I should have expected it because he is always doing things like that to me. It's so easy for him to suprise me because I'm just that clueless most of the time! For a guy that likes to have everyone think he's gruff, he sure is a softy!!
Well, I hope you enjoyed the stories! I guess one of these days I'll have to post more pictures...maybe some wedding pictures...I know it's been almost a year and a half, but why not?! I love sharing them! I should probably go now. It's almost time for me to go home, to go to swim practice. It's my easy night tonight...doctor's orders...no back to back hard nights, and I've been doing my exercises too.
Anyway, I guess I'll update more later then... Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

[ForgivenPix]

LOVE IT!!! That is so sweet! Only I would be scared too after him saying, "...but I'm not sure if I want to stay in a relationship like this" that woud make me think the same thing.
hahaha You know, I really WOULD like to see some pics! :-)
These are fun stories! If you think of any more, just post em! haha
-Sarah

[erikavanhuis]

Ok, I'm going to try to remember how to do pictures again. Like I said before, I know it's kinda late to post these, but I love our wedding pictures...even if it was a year and a half ago!


Nevermind...I'll have to do it at work where we have DSL...sometime's I hate dialup! So, pictures will have to wait until tomorrow sometime. Besides, I have to get started cooking dinner. Mark should be home soon.
More later...

[erikavanhuis]

Ok, pictures as promised...

They may not be the greatest resolution...I had to shrink the file size way down so I could upload them. Enjoy!

[ForgivenPix]

LOVE THEM!!!
does your husband still have that gotee? haha
So pretty!!!!!

You know, I gotta hand it to you, I never would be able to figure out how to put pics on here haha

[ForgivenPix]

Oh yeah, I like the ring!!! hahaha

[erikavanhuis]

Yeah, he's still got the gotee. I've actually never seen him without it! He started growing it after his grandpa died and hasn't cut it since. That was around 7 years ago. He looks a lot younger without it anyway, like about 15 or so I've been told... He often lets his beard grow out too, but I make him shave it (or at least trim it up) for important things, like our wedding, job interviews, going to see a musical at the theater... The only bad thing about that is that by the time evening or the next morning rolls around, he gives me whisker burn!
Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
More later...

[Epaphras]

Originally Posted by erikavanhuis

Yeah, he's still got the gotee. I've actually never seen him without it! He started growing it after his grandpa died and hasn't cut it since. That was around 7 years ago. He looks a lot younger without it anyway, like about 15 or so I've been told... He often lets his beard grow out too, but I make him shave it (or at least trim it up) for important things, like our wedding, job interviews, going to see a musical at the theater... The only bad thing about that is that by the time evening or the next morning rolls around, he gives me whisker burn!
Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
More later...

How was your Thanksgiving? Mine was good.

In His love,
Sean

[ForgivenPix]

Hi Erika!
Did you have a good Thanksgiving? What did you do? Mine was great! Lots of loved ones came over, and we ate lots of turkey! haha Welp, gotta start doing some work lol have a great day!
-Sarah

[erikavanhuis]

I had a pretty good Thanksgiving. Mark and I spent most of the day driving, but it was to pick up his grandma, and then go to my parents house. It was a great time...my sisters were there and we just had a good time. We had a full house too. Mark's dad came out as well, so there were a total of 8 people there. Great food and fellowship...it was just a good night. Then, we spent the night there and on Friday we took Mark's grandma back home. We ended up spending Friday night at her house because we didn't feel like driving back home. It was good to spend time with her too. It was a hard Thanksgiving for her because it was her first major holiday without her husband. Mark's grandpa died back in April. They were married for 62 years. I can't even fathom spending that amount of time with someone...62 years...that's just amazing. Anyway, we decided to spend Friday night with her just so she'd have someone with her. We left early Saturday morning because we had a lot of stuff to get done at home. We got our house cleaned up, and rearranged the livingroom. We moved the TV! I love not having it as the center of attention. We're listening to the radio and our worship music more now because of it. We moved the furniture so that everything is facing toward the center of the room...there's only 2 chairs that you can actually have a good view of the TV from, so it's nice. Then, on Sunday after an incredible day at church (which I'll have to write about later), we came home and decorated the house. Actually, I decorated but that's okay. We put up a few lights inside and our small tree with a few ornaments on it. We don't have very many, but we are doing something cool...we decided while we were dating that it would be fun to buy one ornament for every Christmas we spend together, sort of a sentimental thing. It's fun to look at them and remember what we were doing that year, and how our relationship has grown since then. It's funny...we got our "official" first Christmas ornament last year because it was our first Christmas together being married! I made our ornament for this year.
So, yeah...it was a good weekend...a long, relaxing, good weekend and I'm ready for work now. Speaking of which, I should probably get working...I do have things to do today! Anyway, I guess I'll have to write more later. I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving weekend as well!
More later...