Dear Future Child

Dear future child(ren) of mine,
I want you to know that I can't wait to feel you inside me and then hold you in my arms. To look you in your perfect eyes and kiss your flawless little cheeks. The idea of you brings tears to my eyes. Very happy tears. Your dad and I have discussed you many times and each time it has been special.  We try to guess what you'll be like.  What you'll look like. If you'll be picky like your dad or up for anything like your mom.  If you'll have his nose and my chin. Most importantly we talk about what it will be like to have you to complete our family.  You are already loved more than can be expressed in words. 

We don't care if you're male of female. And honestly we don't know when we'll be ready to have you,  but we know we are going to love you.  I can't wait to teach you everything.  To hold you in my arms, to kiss every inch of you.  To comfort you in every way. I want you to know that you may not have everything you think you want in life, but I promise we will give you everything you need. 
I promise to love you unconditionally.  I promise to have patience when it seems impossible.  I promise to protect you.  I promise to care for you and to always be there for you.  I promise to provide for you in every way possible.  I promise to cherish you and every single moment I'm with you. 

The idea of you right now is overwhelming and we're not quite ready for you yet, but know that I think of you often and really can't wait to be your mom.


Sincerely,
Your Mom

***Discloser: Cody and I are NOT expecting nor are we planning on expecting anytime soon.  I just thought I would write a letter that my future children will be able to read someday.***

January Restaurant

Cody and I have lived in Texas for 18 months.  We aren't the best at venturing out to try new things when it comes to food.  Well we made sort of a New Year's Resolution to try a new restaurant every month and that Cody had to try something new at that restaurant.  So far so good.

Our restaurant of the month for January was a  little Italian place called "Patrizio".  It's in a cute outdoor mall called The Shops at Highland Village just up the street from where we live.  We walked in and all the decor was black and white.  It looked very fancy and romantic.  We were seated right away and given menus.  They had a good list of wines, but we didn't order any.  We looked over our menus and decided since I still didn't really have an appetite, we would just share an entree. I of course let Cody pick.  He basically opened the menu read all the options, closed his eyes and pointed. He ended up ordering "Conchiglie Con Spinaci".  The description read: "Shell pasta tossed with spinach, smoke bacon, sun dried tomatoes and fresh basil in a robust alla penne sauce."  Essentially it was shell pasta with bacon, spinach in a sun dried tomato sauce.

I quite enjoyed it, not the greatest meal I've ever eaten, but it was good. It was definitely something Cody would NEVER order, but he did.  And guess what?  He ate all of it.  All of it. I asked him what he thought and he jokingly said, "It's better than your cooking." In all seriousness he didn't love it nor would he ever order it again, but he is committed to his goal of trying new things. I'm proud of him and I get to try lots of new thing in the process, which makes me a happy girl.  Overall I say we are off to a great start with our New Year's resolution.

Stay tuned for next month's restaurant of the month!!

Have you ever tried something new and discovered it to be your new favorite food?

The Flu

It feels like it's been forever since I've blogged.  I didn't feel good over New Years and it just kept getting carried over day after day.  It started with just feeling yucky like I had a cold, then I got a night time dry cough.  Then I got a cough all day and a wet night cough.  After about two weeks I decided I needed to see a doctor.  I went to see the doctor last Tuesday to get my lungs checked out since I was having a hard time breathing.  They did all the regular stuff, blood pressure, oxygen levels, temperature.  I had a fever of 103, yikes!  So automatically they check me for the flu.  I told the nurse, "but I seriously only have a  cough."  She smiled and said well let's still check.  Sure enough I had the flu.  The doctor came in told me the news and I basically said the same thing to him.  He told me how this year, that is where the flu is mainly focusing.  That he didn't think it started as the flu, but the cough did a number on my immune system.  Therefore making me an easy target for the flu. They took an x-ray just to be safe, but that looked good.  I was sent home told that I could return to work when I had gone 24 hours without a fever.  Also that it would get worse before it got better.  So I picked up my prescriptions from the pharmacy and headed home.  I was stuck in doors, basically in my bed, too sick to get up for 3 straight days. The doctor was right (as they always seem to be) it got a lot worse before it got better.  The cough, the lungs, the achy pains, but then it got better.  By Friday afternoon my fever had finally broke without medication and I could move without a cough attack.  I still took it super easy on Friday. Yesterday was the first day I ventured out of the house since Tuesday.  It was a gorgeous day. We did a little shopping and then last night we went out to dinner.  I definitely don't have my full strength back and living on the third floor is kind of a killer, but I feel tons better than I did.

An Open Letter to 2015

Dear 2015,
Welcome, welcome.  I'm eager to see what new and exciting things you bring for me.  I want to let you know that I have quite high expectations for you.  I don't want to go as far as saying I have a few New Year's resolutions, but I do have some goals.  My first and foremost goal is to finally marry Cody Myers!!! The second one is to be more healthy.  This includes physically, mentally and everything in between.  My third goal is to be more fiscally responsible.  As in paying off debt and saving more.  Another goal is to keep in touch with my family more.  Skype them regularly and call them whenever I just want to talk.  Send them birthday cards (As in they receive the card before or on their birthday not a week later) and call them on their birthdays.  Cody and I made some joint goals for you.  The first one being that we will eat at a new restaurant every single month.  Our second one going along those lines is, Cody will try something new at every restaurant.  Cody wanted to throw in goal and 2015, you will NEVER believe!!! Cody promises to go on the TALLEST roller coaster at Six Flags this year!!  Say what?!  I really just want you to be the best year yet.  And honestly I have no doubt in my mind that you will be!

Sincerely,
Your soon to be best friend,
Marissa

Year In Review

I wasn't feeling very well on New Year's Eve (or New Year's Day for that matter), so I wasn't able to post this until now.  Happy New Year!!

Dear 2014,

You have been a great and eventful year.  I've accomplished many things and been on many adventures.  It's had it's highs and it's lows, but I'm so glad I experienced every single moment.  As you know I didn't make any specific goals for you, but I think I got a lot done.  Cody and I got engaged. We've had a lot of fun times exploring D.F.W.. Road tripping through Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. Spending time with friends and family in Utah.  And enjoying each others company.  Thank you for a great year.

Love,
Marissa

HARRY FREAKING POTTER

I've been on a journey of reading the Harry Potter series in its entirety.  For the very first time mind you.  I know, I'm a decade plus behind the rest of the world.  My brother read the books growing up and he loved them.  Heck, anyone I have ever met who read the books, loved them. So why then did  I not read them way back when? I don't quite know the answer to that.  I don't know if I just didn't want to be caught up in all the craziness. Or if I just wanted to prove a point to my brother, who knows.  For a long time I thought to myself "those books can't be as great as everyone makes them out to be."  I have only seen two Harry Potter films, the first and second. To be honest I thought they were quite boring.  That can be credited to my baby sister who used to watch the first one at least once a day for months.

Now that I'm reading the books I'm so glad I didn't see all the movies.  Everything is still new and refreshing.  (Definitely not boring!!!) All the twists and turns are untouched in my mind.  I'm in love. I just finished the fifth book and all I want to do all day everyday, is read.  I dread going to bed at night and having to work all day.  I have lost tons of sleep this last month because I can't bring myself to put the books down.  I always tell myself "just one more chapter" then I end reading three or four. Cody has to constantly remind me that I have to work in the morning, early in the morning. That is the only thing that really keeps me from staying up all night finishing each book.

I can't believe the amount of detail J.K. Rowling puts in to each and every book.  The detail oozes out of each page.  You're sucked into the pages and transformed into a new magical world, a world nothing like the one you're presently living in. She takes you thousands of miles away from reality and keeps you there.  Every twist, every turn, you can't put the book down.

It amazes me that a person could not only have such an imagination, but is able to articulate it into words.  Thousands upon thousands of words. Words that form chapters, chapters that in turn turn into books, 7 of them to be specific.  Not only that, but she took the risk that people might just think that instead of being brilliant, she just might be crazy.  Well I think she is definitely not crazy and very much brilliant.  I'm pretty much getting at that, J.K. Rowling is my new hero.

If you have not read the books. Even if you've seen the movies.  I HIGHLY recommend you read the books!!  There are few books I've read that even come close to being as good as these books.  As I'm sure everyone and their dog has already told you.

I'll do a follow up post after I finish the series.

Have you read the books?  I guess the better question is, how many times have you read the books?

Merry, Merry Christmas

We didn't send out Christmas cards this year because we sent out our "Save the Dates" instead, but I still made this one for fun.  This year has been full of fun and adventures.  I'm so grateful for everyone that has been a part of our lives even from afar.  I hope you and your family have a joyous Christmas and remember the reason for the season.  Take a moment to be grateful for everything you have.  I don't get to go 'home' for Christmas this year, but I will very much be thinking of all my family and friends in Utah this Christmas season.

Merry Christmas Everyone and a Happy New Year!!!