Girl + Engagement = Domestivity

Pre-marital counseling = complete! Second to praying together, it's been the BEST thing we've done in preparation of May 16th and the rest of forever. We completely recommend it (and our rockstar "counselors").

Tommy, counselor #1, said in one of our sessions that Chris would be amazed at how "nesting" would be in my nature. Nesting is a term for "taking care of the home" or "building a home" or "being domestic."

He's right. I never knew how right he was until this weekend. While cleaning the hardwood floors.

December 31, 2007. Chris had called, as he said he would, the day after his first call. I missed, yet again, the second call, but this time he gave me the option of calling him back. I did immediately and said to his voicemail that I had missed his call due to baking a cake, but that I wasn't domestic and I didn't want to give him false hope.

But there is hope! This weekend I had a goal. To clean our hardwood floors. My aunt Sonya had bought a hardwood floor kit for us and I was dying to try it out! (Shocking... I know. Don't blame me... It's in my nature.)

Two wonderful friends, Allison and Drew, were coming over for a hot dog dinner and some relaxing conversation. "Totally delicious!" [Side shout out to Allison: I think you're awesome! Thanks for being so open and kind.] The floors looked great already, we knew our friends wouldn't care, but again, I was determined to clean the hardwood floors.

Squirt and clean. Squirt and clean. Till all the floors are covered.

I backed my self on the rug and checked out my handy work. I was so proud! Clean floors made my heart glad! Who would have thought? It really is in my nature...

Granted, I'm still not domestic. There so much else involved that I'm not. Yet. There's lots of that other stuff, cooking/cleaning/laundry, to get better at and to figure out... Some things I know, some I don't. But I'm learning!

And Chris is encouraging. He's like water to my day:

"And, the house looks truly incredible. The floors look better than they have EVER. FYI"

Address

Letters. Cards. Sent from one heart to another. Sometimes that's exactly what we need to know we're not in this alone.

To the family of BLAISE A. OLESKI...

Paul & Theresa Oleski (his parents)
8381 East Floyd Road
Holland Patent, NY 13354-3549

Lance Cpl. Blaise Oleski

This is a hard post to write. It's a subject I've been trying to avoid thinking about, but yet, since I learned about it yesterday morning, it's been in the forefront of my mind.

Lance Corporal Blaise A. Oleski was killed in action on Thursday, April 9, 2009.

My family has known of Blaise for a while now. He and my brother became fast friends while in the Marine corps and this news hit too close to home. Ben considered Blaise one of his closest friends, if not his closest, that he has through the Marines. They were in the same company - 3/8s Weapons. Their Weapons Company had been split up and Ben hadn't talked to Blaise since he was deployed in November.

Blaise was fighting in Afghanistan when he was shot by enemy fire. Word got to my brother a day or so after it happened and my Mom actually read about it online Saturday night. When Ben called Sunday morning, he confirmed what Mom had suspected, that the man she read about was the boy we have heard about for a long time. Even on Sunday, Ben told Mom again about Blaise and what a sincerely good person he was.

How his family must be hurting! We cannot imagine what it would be like to have your worst fears realized. Please God, bless his family and give them peace in such a time of tragedy. Protect all of those who are still fighting and for the cause that Blaise Oleski gave his life for.

Chris and I found the following articles if you would like to read more about Blaise Oleski, our fallen Marine. Just last week, President Obama okayed media coverage for fallen soldiers, with their families approval of course. The Oleski's family are allowing the media into such a sensitive, emotional time for them and I am very glad. It gives us a chance to walk through this with them and a chance to honor someone who has paid the ultimate price for our country.

Even though we've never met and I never knew Blaise, my heart goes out to the family. They are not alone in their hurting.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hffZhu28b89R29R4cZgwSH_hy23AD97F9QCO0?index=0

http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story/Funeral-arrangements-for-Oneida-Co-Marine-set/u2KExEYA9kqEoAIDV362xg.cspx

http://www.wktv.com/news/local/42850887.html

http://de.truveo.com/Remembering-Lance-Corporal-Blaise-Oleski-4909/id/3029082690

http://news10now.com/content/all_news/romemohawk_valley/137298/marine-s-body-to-return-home-tuesday/Default.aspx

http://www.wktv.com/news/local/42806177.html

http://www.wktv.com/news/local/42747527.html

Wild Turkey Saved

All in a days work.

It was late for a Monday night. The road was dark. For about 20 minutes of a long stretch of highway, there are no street lights. A few cars. Dark road, lone girl.

Traveling about 55 mph. In the left hand lane. Two cars to my right. Traveling together. Up a rolling hill. Down. My lights started to tilt up the next hill and there it was. White. Standing in my lane. Cars to my right. Ditch and cars coming the opposite direction to my left. It was hit. Before I knew it. Before I could even react. I screamed. I don't know what it was, but I felt it. Solid and alive. Surely dead after that impact.

Reached for my phone. Definitely hysterical now. Crawling down the highway, in the right hand lane. Called Chris. He answered. Automatically alarmed. I couldn't hardly breathe. "Do I go back?? What if it was a dog?!" It was late. Probably 11pm. I couldn't save the animal. Or maybe it was didn't. Either way, I felt awful and sad and really sad. And now, on this dark road, late at night, I couldn't go back. Alone. I never saw it until right before I hit it and another car wouldn't be able to see me. On the phone, I settled down. Still horrified at what had happened and ashamed I couldn't go back. The drive home had to continue.

Fast forward through a few days. Rabbits, squirrels, and a bird... all had ran in front of me at some point. All lived. But there is was. On my way to work. On a curve of a country road. Laying just to the right of the yellow line. A wild turkey. I swearved barely passing him by going through the grass. I looked down. He was alive. Just hanging out. Maybe hurt. I'm not sure. Continued my drive. Couldn't help thinking about the turkey. What if he wasn't hurt? It was only a matter of time before someone would squish him.

Turned my car around. Back to the turkey. Yep. There he was. Still just where I left him. I pulled up. This time to his left. It was safer this way. A car would see me stopped from that direction.

HONK! HONK!

No movement. Rolled down my window. I yelled whatever wild turkey noises I could come up with. Still. He just looked at me. Refusing to move. I opened my car door.

I was desparate. He had to move! Or soon be roadkill before my very eyes. "TURKEY! You've got to move!" Talking to him may help. I even tried to coax him from the opposite side. Five minutes went by. He did flap his wings once. That was it. No car came. That was the Lord.

Last chance. "Arrrr! Turkey!!" Then. His wings started to spread. He was annoyed with me and made some sound. But he stood. And could walk! I headed towards him and he ran to the side of the road. He layed in the grass right beside the concrete, but thank heavens! He was out of the line of fire! I was so proud!

Wild turkey saved. My chance at redeeming myself over the other animal, I hadn't passed by. Or I did... But I turned around. The next day - I saw two wild turkeys in the field. That was a great feeling.

Engagement pictures!

Check them out! Cousin Jenny took them and we couldn't be happier!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2023569&id=141101529&l=7f5ff8b32a

Engagement - Frozen in Time - Part 1