the night that the lights went out in Georgia

[chestnutcurls]

Well, this is an interesting day so far. A big storm blew through around 10:30 this morning and knocked the power out here at work. We all sat around under the battery-powered light for an hour and a half and then decided to go somewhere else. Evan is off today, so he picked me up and took me to Memphis Pizza Cafe for lunch. He paid for me because he has been spoiling me terribly these days. :) I called work when we were done, hoping the power was still off and I could go home, but it had just come back on. So here I am! But I get to leave at 4 because we're having our engagement picture taken today.

This weekend was good. Friday night Evan and I had a date (see? Total spoilage). We had dinner at Corky's and then went to the movies. We wanted to see I Heart Huckabees, but the nearest theater showing it is in Dallas, so we saw Napoleon Dynamite instead. I know some of you (whose tastes I respect) love it, but I have to say, it was bizarre. I'm fairly sure that I'm just too old to appreciate high-school humor. Sad.

Saturday morning I drove up to Nashville, and Debs and I went shoe shopping. I found some nice mule-y Unlisted heels for $15! Such a deal. For dinner we went to Outback with a group of Debra's dorm friends. They're all nice, stable, non-boy-crazy girls, which is great because last year she didn't have girl friends like that around. On Sunday morning I went with her to New Song, where she's been attending for about a month. She loves it. Again, last year she had a hard time finding a church in town, so it's an especially good thing. She told me it was pretty charismatic, and it is, which made me skeptical since I'm not. However, I was very impressed with her pastor and the church in general. In some ways it didn't seem that different from my church. The pastor used several Brenda Sermon Bingo words, like "good theology" and "covenantal." :) I feel good knowing that she's going to a solid church. For lunch we went to Baja Fresh! Then we hung out at her dorm for a while, and then I went home. It seemed like a long drive on the way back and I felt zombieish. When I got home I zoned out with a snack and Romy and Michele's High School Reunion on TV. Then Evan came from work and we had our own reunion. Happiness.

So now that the wedding is so close (40 days tomorrow!), I'm having these scary reality attacks. :) As I was leaving Nashville yesterday, I thought, "Next time I come here, I'll be a married woman." It's a thrilling but scary thought. I mean, Evan is absolutely the one for me and I absolutely want to marry him, but I'm really realizing now what a huge identity change this is going to be. I'll be a wife! What does that mean? Even with my study and preparation, I'm sure I haven't even thought of all the little differences there will be. I feel like I haven't cherished my maidenhood enough, or something. Things won't be the same.

Oh, possible good news: Evan has a good lead on a new part-time job opening up at Ryan's company. It's a power supply company that's open during normal business hours - no weekends! Not to mention that the job itself is a million times better. Will we actually begin our marriage with compatible schedules? Stay tuned!

Comments

[aardwolf.livejournal.com]

It's a power supply company that's open during normal business hours - no weekends!

That would be awesome... As I'm sure you are aware, non-standard job hours can be totally annoying. (Plus, it would be nice if you actually saw him once in a while during the week, huh?) ;)

[krikketgirl.livejournal.com]

I'll be a wife! What does that mean? Even with my study and preparation, I'm sure I haven't even thought of all the little differences there will be. I feel like I haven't cherished my maidenhood enough, or something. Things won't be the same.

The funny thing is, though, that they will be eerily the same. Just not. I was shocked by how relatively little I changed upon becoming a wife. I thought that I would wake up the next morning feeling fundamentally different, but I didn't...sure, things changed...for one, I moved across the country and out of my parents' house, but I'm betting you'll be as surprised and weirded-out as I was to discover that you'll still be you! ; )

[anulyra.livejournal.com]

I was just saying nearly the same thing!

[krikketgirl.livejournal.com]

Jinx!

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

:) That's comforting. Thanks. See, I went through a phase (before I was even dating Evan) where I had a hard time with the submission thing, since some people interpret it as "letting your husband rule over your every move." I thought, who needs that? So Evan has had to assure me periodically that he wants to be a leader, not a dictator. I asked him last night if it was okay for me to still go visit Debra and do other things by myself once we're married, and he laughed and said of course it was. So I feel better today. :) I doubt easily. Just call me Thomas.

[anulyra.livejournal.com]

Ahh. I getcha now. I didn't think Evan was that kind of guy. :)

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

He's not. Yay!

[krikketgirl.livejournal.com]

There are a lot of different takes on "submission." To be truthful, it never even came up after Chris and I got married until I came on LJ and ran across a post talking about submission being a "fiery trial" and then it would make women better because of it and it was so very hard to do and that men were given to us so that we'd never have to make decisions...and I went, "Whoa." Because nothing in our relationship had ever been close to a fiery trial. So I went to Chris about it, thinking that maybe if it wasn't unpleasant, I wasn't doing it right...and he was stunned. We talked about it for, like, an hour or more...and I was relieved to learn that as far as he was concerned, everything was dandy in the submission department.

Being married and being in submission in no way means that you can never think for yourself again. For instance, Chris never worries about household stuff because it is all in my care. If I say the kids need new clothes, they get new clothes. I get $180 a week to spend for groceries and household stuff and anything else I want...no questions asked. I have never had to make an accounting for where I spent what. It is totally up to me.

In the almost ten years that Chris and I have been married, there has never come up anything in which he and I disagreed and he made the final decision as the head of the household. Technically, if such a thing came up, he would, but it simply hasn't.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

I went to Chris about it, thinking that maybe if it wasn't unpleasant, I wasn't doing it right

I so relate to that. I had a moment like that, too. Thanks for sharing your story- I think we'll be a lot like you guys. :)

[krikketgirl.livejournal.com]

I think we'll be a lot like you guys.

You poor, poor dear. *shakes head sympathetically*

: D

[anulyra.livejournal.com]

Brens darling... don't worry to much about the transition from girlfriend to wife and from unmarried to married. IMO there is no such thing as "feeling married". It's not an emotion, it's just a relationship-status adjective. You won't feel any different when you get back from the honeymoon - except for extra smooey.

Jason keeps asking me if I feel pregnant now. I don't know. What does pregnant feel like? I feel sick and fat lol!! I don't feel married, I feel secure and committed - much like you do right now. It just gets better with age, like wine. (too bad I don't like wine) ;)

It won't feel different. Just better. :)

[ruthieroo.livejournal.com]

It won't feel different. Just better. :)

Awww!!! Jen, you should write Hallmark cards.;-) I like that description. It's true.

[anulyra.livejournal.com]

LOL! Not quite.

Hey Ruth, wouldn't you agree? It's like a birthday. You know you're a year older but you feel the same? That's what it was like for me.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

:) *hugs*

My response to Kat was for you too!

[rawee1.livejournal.com]

Napoleon Dynamite is for a certain group of people, I think. Not complete dweebs, but also not popular people- just those in betweeners who know what it's like to live in mediocrity.

It's so simple- I guess if you're an indie film lover in that group it's great, if not, it's not. John didn't like it, but Cathy and I just fall out of our seats!

I'm going to be Napoleon Dynamite for Halloween and Cathy's going to be Pedro, so at least you'll get our costumes now when you come to the party! Can't wait. xo

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

That's funny! Are you getting a Vote For Pedro t-shirt? :)

I'm thinking of being a butterfly. It's a practically free costume.

[rawee1.livejournal.com]

Yes I do have a vote for pedro t-shirt! I bought it after I Saw the movie for the second time. Butterfly sounds so cute- what are you going to think of for Evan? (You do realize that men can't dress themselves once they have a wedding band... you get to pick out all of his clothes!)

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

LOL. He has an idea, but I can't remember what it was. It was typical Evan, though- he manages to evade real costumes by coming up with clever things. :)

[prncsssevo.livejournal.com]

Glad you had a good weekend! Sounds like it was fun! I'm sorry I haven't been responding to many of your posts lately! I try to keep up with reading them though!

Good luck with Evan's job prospect!! And with the last minute wedding plans!

*hugs*

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

It's okay Sara- I know you're busy! :) *hugs*

[prncsssevo.livejournal.com]

True...but still. I wish I had more time to keep up with everyone! :-)

*hugs*

[angelic-1.livejournal.com]

I don't know what it will be like for you but when I got married it wasn't really that much of a culture shock. It was strange getting used to someone sharing my bed but other than that life didn't seem much different, I just got to see Geoff every day but I was / am still very much the same person. Now children - that is the TRUE culture shock!

[dirtbird.livejournal.com]

:)

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Yeah- I can see that! I definitely don't feel ready for that for a while. *hides* :)

[angelic-1.livejournal.com]

no one is ever ready, even when it comes. It is not something you can really prepare for.

[mzspearz.livejournal.com]

WARNING: Selfish Comment Ahead!

Soooo....does that mean you will visit Nashville after I move over there & I will get to visit with you?

Where does Debra live anyway? If she's anything like you I'd love to meet her :) Maybe she can help show me around my new city!


& for the not-so-selfish part...
*YAY* for 40 more days. Gosh, it seems like I was reading just yesterday about the whole crush...now it's marriage! I bet it's flying by just as fast for you (but I know there are days that still seem to drag on)!
& I will keep Evan's job in my prayers <3 I hope it works out!

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I definitely hope to visit with you! Why do you think I was so excited about you going there? :)

Thanks for your prayers and nice words.

[mzspearz.livejournal.com]

Aww, thanks!

Of course! <333

New Song

[kati-riehl.livejournal.com]

Is that the New Song church with Dale Evrist as pastor? If it is, then no wonder you liked it, he's great! He was a regular speaker at Youth With A Mission-Nashville when I was there. Love him. And, I love Baja Fresh (possibly more than Dale Evrist). Don't you wish so much they would open one here? Don't you think I'm in a question-y mood today? Do I think so too? Yes?

Re: New Song

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Yes, it is! I really liked him. :) I totally wish they'd open a Baja Fresh here. I meant to go to one when I was visiting CA, but we forgot, so I was excited to go this weekend.

i liked napoleon dynamite (i'm 25)...i guess it caters to the teen in me

[ex-temporal111.livejournal.com]

i love reading your entries. i'm excited for your upcoming wedding, even though you're a very new lj friend. ~_~