Tis' the Season

Ready for a random Christmasy post?

Robbie and I absolutely love this time of year, and we are so thankful we get to spend it with each other. This will be our first Christmas as a married couple, and it  will be very different from last year's Christmas. We were both kind of on the fence about our relationship last year, and I spent the break thinking about if I should break up with him or not. Boy am I glad those days are over. This year will be much more relaxing and comfortable.

We received a gift card to Lowe's from our wedding, so we decided to put it towards a cute little Christmas tree. We bought pine cones, ribbon, and a few ornaments to decorate our tree. His mom also gave him the ornaments he received every year growing up, which was super cool. My family has a tradition of wassail and donuts while we decorate, so Robbie was kind enough to humor me. He was put in charge of the cider, which was pretty impressive (who knew that apple juice + cinnamon = really good knock off brand cider?). We jammed to some Christmas music and had a lovely night.

I didn't realize how difficult it would be to surprise your spouse with Christmas presents when you both share the same bank account. The fact that Robbie does most of his shopping online (#amazonforlife) makes it even trickier. Well, we came up with a "genius" idea to both purchase gifts from Robbie's Amazon account, and Robbie would just delete any texts or emails he got from Amazon notifying him of purchases. Supposedly he would do it before opening the email/text. Well.......let's just say he already knows what two of his presents are. Our plan failed miserably, haha. We learned our lesson, though, and won't be doing that again next year! Thankfully, I've found some gifts from other sources, so he'll have some surprises :)

My mom had this song growing up she would sing to us during Christmas time that went a little something like this:

Don't ask questions before Christmas, or you will be sorry-o.

I can't even explain the tune, but I've been singing it and teaching it to Robbie. He thinks I'm so weird. I love it.

As I think about past Christmases, my mind goes back to one when I was a teenager. My dad had recently lost his job, so my parents informed us that Christmas would be a bit lighter that year. We were all in good spirits, though, and loved our Christmas stories around the tree, cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies, singing around the piano, and other family traditions. It was this year that a family (we still don't know for sure who it was) decided to do the 12 Days of Christmas to our family. For almost two weeks, they doorbell ditched a gift to us every night. It was such an amazing service for our family. We were in need, this family saw that need, and did what they could to help. I remember one of the gifts was a big, hardcover Book of Mormon. We loved that gift and read from it frequently. It seemed that every night we were given something that our family truly needed. It was so meaningful to us, and such a sweet service. I will forever remember that.

This year, Robbie and I have been pondering ways to give more meaningful gifts. President Monson said, 

"In our day the spirit of giving gifts plays a large role in commemorating the Christmas season. I wonder if we might profit by asking ourselves, What gifts would the Lord have me give to Him or to others at this precious season of the year? May I suggest that our Heavenly Father would want each of us to render to Him and to His Son the gift of obedience. I also feel that He would ask us to give of ourselves and not be selfish or greedy or quarrelsome."

What can you give the Savior this year?

Check out the newest Mormon Message: What Shall We Give?

Merry Christmas!!!

Mac 'n Cheese Quest

If you don't already know this about Robbie, it's time you knew.

Robbie loves mac 'n cheese.

His favorite is good ol' Kraft. Like he would eat it multiple times a week if I let him (yikes). I enjoy it as a comfort food once in a while, but I cringe every time I think of how unhealthy boxed mac 'n cheese is. Being the health nerd I am, I always have to eat a ginormous salad with it. So, Robbie and I decided we were going to find the best tasting homemade mac 'n cheese. The good news is that it only took us two different recipes to find one we loved.

The first recipe we tried was in the crock pot, and a couple of the ingredients included pepper jack cheese and cayenne pepper. Oh my lanta it was spicy!! Our throats were burning and our nasal passages got a good cleaning from the spiciness. It wasn't a very enjoyable dinner experience.

I did some more research, and found another recipe from Six Sisters' Stuff (love their recipes!). Guys, it was delicious. Robbie loved it and said we could stop our quest with this recipe. It's a winner! It's definitely not super healthy, but I'm convinced it must be healthier than boxed mac 'n cheese. And hey. Some things are just healthy for the soul. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Creamy Macaroni and CheeseIngredients:2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Boil the macaroni in water for six minutes and drain. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Heat over medium high heat and stir until the cheese melts. Spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Combine cheese mixture, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper in your slow cooker. Add the drained macaroni and stir again. Cook on low for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally (I cooked mine for about 2 hours and stirred it twice and it was perfect).

I Finally Get It

I was 18 years old and my mom and I were out running a few errands. I was sassily telling her about a friend's latest posts on her blog about how her husband was gone on a trip. She wrote every day for like three days in a row how much she missed him. I thought it was way too dramatic. "Blah, blah, blah. I don't get it, mom. Why doesn't she just pretend like her life is back to before she was with him? Then she wouldn't be so dramatic." My mom, being the wise woman she is, just smiled and said, "Honey, someday you'll understand."

Well, folks, that day has come. I finally get it.

Robbie left yesterday for a business trip to Chicago, and is coming back tomorrow evening. I'm so glad he could go be with the men in the family and have this experience, but to say I miss him would be an understatement. There is no way on earth I could just pretend like my life was back to before I knew him. NO WAY. Bear with me as I get a little mushy (I love having excuses to be mushy. #newlywedsforlife), but I have to say that there is no going back when love has affected you as deeply as it has both of us. We are different people than before we knew each other, and thank goodness we only move forward from here!

It's fun to miss each other this much, because you know what that means? It means we're both completely in love!

So to you 18 year-old girls out there who think I'm just being dramatic (well, I guess Todd is the only one out there that is reading this and is closest to that age...and he already knows I'm crazy), someday you will fall in love with a wonderful man that will leave you surprise videos on your phone when he leaves out of town, and prepare a 13-step treasure hunt for you to do around your cozy apartment while he's away, and then you'll get it.

#comehomealready

Robbie in Chicago! Haha, this guy. He's the best.

Happy Two Months of Marriage To Us!

Yesterday, Robbie and I celebrated two months of being married! Hooray! It's been a wonderful two months and we love each other so much. Marriage isn't the easiest thing we've ever done, but we're working at it. Robbie is such an amazing man.

I was feeling pretty under the weather yesterday, which wasn't fun. I actually ended up taking a half day today (it is the best feeling to leave school in the middle of the day). Anyways, I was just finishing up dinner last night and Robbie came home (cue favorite part of the day). He gave me a big hug and kiss, and then pulled out two roses for me. "Happy two months, babe! Now, you're probably wondering why I didn't get you one for our one month anniversary." He then proceeded to pull third rose out from right outside the door. It was seriously the best and totally made my day. He took such good care of me the rest of the night. He wrapped me up so I'd stay warm, confined me to the couch so he could do dishes (an every day occurrence), put me in bed early while he finished homework, and just did all he could to make sure all my needs were met and I was happy. I am so grateful for Robbie!!!

What a good man!

Confined to the couch all bundled up.

Happy two months!

Happy and grateful wife.

We are so blessed to have each other. I can't wait to see what happens when we've been married for like 213 months. Good luck with that one, babe. Baha.

Oh, the Irony

Let me tell you a little about myself:

1. I have a hard time being up in front of people. It's definitely not where I am most comfortable. I would much rather be in the crowds.
2. I feel more comfortable following, rather than leading.
3. I get stressed very easily when I have a lot of things to accomplish. I don't do very well under pressure.
4. I don't see myself as a very creative person. I am much more comfortable using other people's ideas.
5. I am a little bit of a pushover and it's hard for me to put my foot down. I just feel for people, alright?

Now, let me tell you about the job of a teacher:

• You are up in front of 25-30 kids (and sometimes an adult) 5 days every week.
• You are expected to be an influential leader that changes lives.
• The stress and pressure levels you feel are incredibly high.
• You are expected to teach to the high kids and the low kids and the kids in the middle. You are also expected to make lessons fun and engaging. Creativity is a must.
• You deal with discipline issues every day, and if you aren't firm you get completely stepped on.

And to think I chose to be a teacher? Yikes.

I remember the first time I really disciplined a child last year. We have something at our school called "Think Time" where they are sent to another class to fill out a paper and essentially think about their bad behavior. I didn't send someone to Think Time until after Christmas Break. No, I did not have an angel class. I was just nervous to do it! What if they started crying (and knowing me, I'd start right along with them)? What if I couldn't stay firm and told them they could have another chance? But I tell ya, it was liberating! And after I sent one kid, the other kids knew I meant business and it changed things. It was awesome, even though I felt bad for the little sweetie for like two seconds. 

Nowadays? I don't hesitate to send someone to Think Time. If they deserve it, then they're outta here! Firm, but kind. Firm, but kind.

I have learned and grown so much the past year and a half as I've jumped into the whole teaching thing with two feet. It is HARD stuff. I can't tell you how man times I've cried on a Sunday night because I couldn't think of facing another week of teaching. I am just thankful that the people I have to be up in front of every day are sweet, kind (most of the time) children that are non-judgmental and full of love. I can handle that, and it has made getting up in front of adults a ton easier. I am thankful that I can be a leader in quiet ways. Those kids look to me as an example, and I can influence their lives in a small, positive ways. I am grateful that teaching has given me an opportunity to learn how to better deal with stress and pressure. I've learned to focus on doing my best, and then letting that be enough. I've learned to take deep breaths and keep an eternal perspective. I've learned to rely on God, family members, friends, and fellow faculty members to help me deal with the stress. Oh, and about the creativity? The beauty of that is that teachers all borrow from each other! This means that I don't have to come up with 15 cute ways on how to teach your vs. you're. Other teachers have already done that for me, and often those resources are free! Lastly, disciplining has been easier than I thought it would be. It was just that initial "Okay, that's it, Adam! Grab a paper and go to Think Time" that was hard. Once I was past that, it became easier and easier. 

I'm not gonna lie. I have called myself crazy for thinking I was cut out of teaching and had the personality that could handle it. But I know teaching is what I am supposed to be doing right now in my life. And when you know something is right, somehow it all works out. I've tried to focus on how my strengths help me as a teacher, and that has been super helpful. Kindness, sensitivity, laughter, and patience sure come in handy as a teacher.

Most of the time, teaching really is a beautiful thing. It's not my favorite thing in the whole world and I don't love it, but I sure do love how it has helped me to stretch myself and grow. I am a much better person than I was a year and half ago before I started teaching.

One more thing. Let me tell you a few more things about the job of a teacher:

• The kids greet you every day with a big smile and a, "Hey, Mrs. Simons!" as they tell you about a dream they had last night or about their lizard or their new hamster.
• They write you sweet notes and draw you pictures about the most random things.
• They count on you to be a mother figure when they get hurt playing at recess, or when their feelings get hurt. 
• They say the funniest things and keep you laughing all day (better to laugh than cry, right?).
• They just want to please you and make you happy.
• They teach you lessons and remind you of what is most important in life. It is amazing to watch them comfort one another and serve one another. Children are so sweet and selfless.

The hard and the rewarding both make teaching absolutely worth it. 

Cornbelly's, Yo.

Boy, do we love our Fridays! For our date night last Friday, Robbie and I went to Cornbelly's! I don't do scary, so I figured a nice corn maze with my my hubby would be the perfect Halloween activity. Michelle and Justin Smith gave us two free passes to get in for our wedding gift, which was a perfect gift. It included all of the attractions there, plus hot chocolate and kettle corn. We felt spoiled.

As we were walking in, we were talking about two of our favorite people from our last ward, Brittany Hill and Vanessa Storey. We talked about how cool it would be to see them there! Well, about an hour later, we hear, "Rachel! Robbie!" and here comes Brittany running towards us. It was the best surprise. We seriously love her and loved catching up on her life. She was there with a few other people we knew. It's always great to run into our friends that we don't get to see much anymore.

We went through the corn maze quickly (thanks to Robbie's mad maze skills), watched some great little plastic duck racing, got some hot chocolate, and stood in line for the Creature with Brittany and her group. I knew it wouldn't be crazy scary and evil and gross, so I just held on to Robbie the whole way through and tried not to be that one girl they know is scared so they trigger you. Yikes. Thankfully, we had a whole group of 12-year-olds behind us that did enough screaming to take all of the attention. We definitely heard them ask for one of the worker's phone numbers. Let's just say I am grateful to be past that age.

We finished the maze!

Robbie's mad skills.

Until next year!

He's Mine

As part of our wedding festivities, we had an advice dinner with both of our immediate families. It honestly was one of my very favorite things we did all weekend. As much as I love just laughing and taking it easy with those I love, I crave opportunities to share and listen to what's in our hearts. We don't get to do that enough. I love being real with people and sharing who I really am. Anyways, my sister-in-law (Emily, how I love her!) shared some advice with us that I've been thinking about this week. She gave us the advice to cherish one another and to just be grateful that we have each other, that we have someone that we love and that loves us. I don't think a lot about my life before I married Robbie. It's not that is was an awful time of life or anything (I LOVED so many aspects of college life), I am just so happy to be where I am at and to move forward as a married couple. However, I do remember how hard it was (at times) to be single, to not have anybody. I wasn't the girl that had boyfriend after boyfriend (in fact, Robbie was my first real boyfriend). I learned how to be independent and make my own happy, but I remember the times when I felt so sad and lonely. I remember wondering why I wasn't dating anyone, why I wasn't married yet, and doubting the possibility of it ever happening. Not the best of times.

But, hey. The point is that I remember what it felt like to be single, and I never want to take advantage of the fact that I am married to a wonderful man that was well worth the wait. I will always cherish the fact that I am his and he is mine. God is in the details of our lives, my friends. He has an amazing plan for us all!

Our "Perfect" Wedding Day - 9/13/13

For years and years I've heard from girls how "perfect" their wedding day was, how nothing went wrong, and how it fulfilled all of their dreams from when they were like 3 years old. Of course, you hear the horror stories of every possible thing going wrong (bless those girls), but I tried to not dwell on those so much. Well, before I got engaged, I hadn't done a lot of my own dreaming of what my "perfect" day should include. I just knew I wanted a few things:

-A reception in my backyard.
-To throw the bouquet from my balcony.
-To kiss at our luncheon when people dinged the glass with their utensils.
-To have a dance party at the reception.

I wasn't asking for much, right? Well, guess what. I didn't get any of those things. It rained the week leading up to our wedding, so we made a decision Thursday night that we would move everything to the cultural hall up the road. That was really hard for me. I remember making that decision with my parents in the car. It was pretty dramatic--tears were running down my face as I looked out the window and watched the pouring rain drop down the side of the car. My "perfect" wedding seemed shot (I know I know, a little dramatic). Well, good news is that it ended up being okay. In fact, it was a whole lot better than okay. Heavenly Father has a wonderful way of teaching us life lessons, and I know that this was a lesson for me about remembering what matters most in life. I had my cry and then I had to embrace the situation and make the most of it. I prayed a lot and reminded myself of what my mom had told me time and time again, leading up to the wedding: "Rachel, the sealing is what matters most. The rest is just a party!" And a party it was!

Well, my mother, like always, was right. The whole temple sealing experience was more beautiful than I can put words to. There is nothing like being in the temple with your family, the people you love most. It truly was a piece of heaven. Robbie and I made sacred covenants with each other and I was completely overcome with the Spirit. We were promised eternal blessings as a result of our faithfulness. God is so good. Being sealed to Robbie is something that I will never forget.

Our luncheon was amazing, and any expectations I had for the luncheon were washed away as we all huddled in the Simons' basement to get away from the rain outside. It was such a wonderful, intimate setting. The people we loved the most were all in one place, and the food hit the spot for everyone. Seriously, so delicious. We got to hear our wise fathers speak, and introduce our loved ones to everybody. It was perfect.

My aunts and mother are total rockstars and pulled together the most fabulous cultural hall reception I'd ever been to. I was overwhelmed with how perfect it was. Why did I ever stress a minute about my reception turning out okay? When you put those Ray sisters in charge, you know the outcome will be fabulous. The sound system in the cultural hall ended up being pretty quiet, which made our rockin' fast dance song a little harder to dance to and get people involved with, but it didn't even matter. I had my man on my right, my bridesmaids breaking it down, and of course, Todd. What more did I need? I just keep telling myself that it was a nice reflection of my quiet, sweet personality...right? Right?

Did I mention that the bustle on my dress got ripped off just seconds before were exited the temple from being sealed? Hahaha, that was funny. Robbie accidentally stepped on it and it snagged. "Sorry I broke your dress!" It's okay babe, I still love you. Thank goodness for mothers that carry safety pins. It was a quick fix, though a little dramatic in the moment. Makes for a great story!

Oh, and I forgot to bring my veil to the temple. That gave us quite the laugh!

What a glorious day it was. I often ponder the events of our wedding weekend, and each time I do I am overcome with gratitude for my Heavenly Father, for Robbie, for our families, for ward members that stepped in to help with the reception, and for friends that showed support in a myriad of ways. If a wedding isn't evidence that God loves His children, then I don't know what is. I had the opportunity to be sealed to the love of my life, and I got to spend the day with those that I love. And THAT is what matters most.

Our wedding day was perfect, not in the "nothing went wrong" kind of way, but in the "we were sealed together FOREVER" kind of way. Life doesn't get more perfect than that, my friends.

A few wedding photos taken by the Simons family (we will get all of our pictures back from our photographer in a few weeks! Yea!):

And So it Begins...

Robbie and I are married, living the dream. But really, it's a dream come true and we are experiencing a level of happiness that just amazes us.

Obviously, before we got married I didn't finish all 30 reasons why I absolutely adore Robbie. The craziness of two weeks before a wedding ensued, and I just couldn't get it finished. But I love him, even more than I did two weeks ago, even more than I did yesterday. Here are the rest of the reasons I would have written about. How I love this man.

14. He dances with me in the kitchen.
13. He makes me want to be better.
12. He fits right in with my four lovely brothers.
11. He is such a family man, and is so dedicated to being a good husband and father.
10. He is the world's cutest uncle to his little nephew, Wyatt.
9. He welcomes opportunities for growth.
8. He has a strong testimony and continues to grow it.
7. He wants to have a beautiful yard and garden someday. So hot.
6. He is intelligent and works hard in school.
5. He loves helping others, whether it's fixing something, or helping with homework. You name it, he loves helping.
4. He works not only to make his dreams come true, but mine as well.
3. He humors me by eating healthy when I ask him too or give him something to eat that's healthy :)
2. He supports me as a homemaker and understands his role in the home. He willing helps me with dishes, dinner, etc.
1. He is worthy to take me to the temple.

That last one means more to me than any of the others. Going through the temple together the week before our wedding, and then being sealed on our wedding day are memories that are so special to us, and will forever be imprinted in our minds and hearts. A wedding day post is a post for another day, but I can't wait to share some memories from that day.

I love that I still learn things about Robbie. I feel like we got to know each other really well before we were married, but I still learn things about him! One thing about Robbie that I've noticed more than ever before is how hopeful he is. It really is one of his greatest strengths. I've seen it time and time again since we've been married. It was hard to come back to work and school after the honeymoon. It was hard to come home to an apartment with no furniture. For the wife in me, it still is hard to not have an apartment all put together. But through all of the hard, Robbie has been positive and so hopeful for our future. He is such a strength to me, and his hope has been a huge inspiration to me.

And so it begins...

P.S. How adorable is that we are R&R? I just can't handle it. Aaaaaand we both have the same initials now: R.B.S.
Fate, I tell you.

Day 15

Reason #15
Okay, so I have a confession to make. Because of my perfect pitch, I would have a really hard time if my husband was tone deaf. Of course I always told myself that I could handle it and make it work if that turned out to be the case, but I'm so grateful Robbie can sing. He is actually really good at carrying a tune and is such a good sport singing opening songs for FHE with me. I love singing next to him in church on Sundays, I love hearing him sing along in the car, and I can't wait to hear him sing in the shower :)

What a hunk.

Day 16

Reason #16
As we approach our wedding and continue to make to-do list after to-do list, I am reminded of how hard Robbie can work. This boy knows how to work and get stuff done! I love that his parents helped instill that in him. I've seen him work day after day at his job, and then come home and work night after night at the apartments he manages. He does manual labor like a champ, but he is also so committed to putting the work into our relationship. He'll work hard for anything that's worth it, and I'm glad our relationship is worth it to him :)

I love this boy!

Day 17

Reason #17
Robbie is a TON of fun and I'm pretty sure the level of fun in my life has increased exponentially since we met. Robbie's adventurous, care-free (in a good way) and witty attitude make living life with him a total blast. Back in September, I invited him to a fall party my roommates and I were having. I remember one point where everyone there spent like 30 minutes listening to Robbie make prank calls. He was hilarious and very entertaining. Robbie is so fun to be around and I can always count on having a good time when I'm with my him.

I am one blessed girl.

See what I mean?

Day 18

Reason #18
When life gets crazy busy (as in right now), it's easy to let stress affect you negatively. Something I love about Robbie is that he able to maintain a positive attitude. No one is perfect at this, but Robbie does such a good job. He helps me get excited about today and the days ahead, always looking for reasons for us to stay positive. One of his trademark phrases is, "It's all good!" He inspired me to see all of the good this life has to offer.

I am so blessed.

My  positive, happy fiance!

Day 19

Reason #19
Back in February or March, Robbie and I were driving home from Salt Lake City. We were chatting in Robbie's truck and were just enjoying being with each other. We had mentioned marriage maybe once or twice before, but I wasn't in a position (okay, I was terrified) to talk more about it. However, Robbie spent the rest of the drive home doing something that he does so often and is so dang attractive to me. He dreamed. Out loud. He talked about his dreams for his future (I came up here or there, haha) and expressed his excitement for wonderful things to come. I don't know if he was planning to use this tactic to woo me, but it certainly worked! This is now one of our favorite things to do together. We dream out loud about our future as husband and wife, as parents, as grandparents. We love it!

What a hunk.

Day 20

Our original moving plans were for me to move in with my cousin's family in south Provo, and for Robbie to move into our new apartment. Well, I spent two nights at my home in Lindon and felt SO good about being there. Originally we thought that the extra commute to my work and the extra commute to see each other would just make things too hard, but we realized that the benefit of me feeling so good emotionally was totally worth it. Staying at my home would make it lots easier to plan with my mom these last few weeks before the wedding, plus my stress levels went way down once I was home. It's amazing what being at home can do for your soul. I love it and it's the best moving decision we made :)

Reason #20
Robbie has learned a lot from his great parents, Bob and Dayna. One thing I'm extremely grateful to them for is teaching Robbie how important callings in the Church are. When Robbie receives a calling, he completely dedicates himself to that calling. He understands the growth that can come from having a calling, so he gives it his all. I love that he is respectful to those he is called to serve with, and then goes and serves with all of his heart. I can't wait to serve in the Church with him.

What a hunk.

Day 21--Moving Day

Reason #21
Today is moving day...kind of dreadful, right? Not when you get to move to the same place your fiance is moving to! Holla! I'm so excited :) Robbie was such a help today. We parted ways at 2:00 a.m. after spending the night cleaning, packing, and taking loads over to our new place. It worked out perfectly for me to do a lot of the cleaning while he carried everything out to his truck. Guys, he is super strong and I love that. I love that he can carry me so easily. Sometimes he'll just throw me around and we see what cool dancing moves we can do. So fun! One day he might be as strong as I am ;) Sometimes we like to see how far I can carry him on my back. Hahaha now that's funny.

What a hunk.

Day 22

Reason #22

When I started liking Robbie, I did all I could to be with him. On one particular occasion, I had heard that he was a handy man. I wanted to hang a large picture of Christ in my room, but I didn't have a hammer or a nail. Ding! I could call Robbie! So I did :) He brought over his hammer, nails, manliness, and pounded those suckers into the wall. I was impressed and grateful and liked him even more after that. There have been a myriad of occasions when he has come to the rescue to fix, install, or put together something.

I love that Robbie is such a handy man. He is incredibly knowledgeable in how things work and how to put things together. I sure am lucky!

What a hunk.

Day 23

Reason #23
I bet you didn't know Robbie is a chef. Well, he is. There is NO one else I know that has mac 'n cheese mastered like he does. Literally, he has it down to an art and I love when we occasionally make it and he just takes over. He also made me really delicious black bean enchiladas a few months ago. Once in a while, he'll say that he is going to make me dinner, and then surprises me with delicious things! Just last week, he said he wanted to take care of dinner. He ended up serving a salad bar, which is pretty amazing if you know him. Robbie isn't a huge fan of salad...or celery...or tomatoes...or a lot of other vegetables. But he knew that I love salad and wanted to make me happy. Seriously, he is amazing. He happily ate salad with me (his was mostly chicken with some lettuce on top, haha) and I loved every second of it!!

What a hunk.

Day 24

I think that one reason I was super nervous for school to start was because I didn't know if I knew how to teach anymore. Silly, I know, but I really wondered. I questioned my abilities and if I had learned what I needed to learn as a first-year teacher last year. I expressed these concerns to Robbie and he did all he could to boost my confidence. Well, the first day of school came (yesterday), the bell rang, and the minute I stepped outside my door to greet my kids I automatically switched to teacher mode. What a relief!

Reason #24

This whole question of my capabilities happens probably too often, but each time it does Robbie tunes right in and does just what needs to be done to boost my confidence. I love that Robbie gives me confidence and believes in me and all I'm trying to do (especially as a teacher). It's amazing the power he has over me...in a good way of course. His faith in me goes such a long way and helps me be a better person.

What a hunk.

Day 25

Well, I survived the first day of school! Such a relief. I woke up multiple times during the night and finally rolled about of bed at 5:30. I showered, got ready, made my lunch, and left at 6:45. As I was walking down the stairs, I heard the beep of my car code to get in in the door. Robbie! I debated whether to pretend that I hadn't heard him, or keep going and get to see him before I left. I chose the latter and caught him in the act of putting a note inside my car. I gave him a big hug, kiss, and he sent me on my way. Being able to see Robbie was seriously the best way I could have started out my day. I cannot wait until we are married and I get to see him every morning. I got to school and read the note before I headed inside. It was super sweet and probably one of the best he's written (and he's written a lot!). His words gave me hope for the day and increased my confidence level so much. I love him and was so grateful for that extra boost that I really needed.

Reason #25
Robbie has written me more notes than I can count. Now, these are not just little notes. They are one page (sometimes two) double-sided notes with small handwriting. Boy does he know how to woo through his writing! He'll leave me notes in my car, on my windshield, in my scriptures, etc. His notes brighten my day! Robbie is definitely inspired because his notes always come on days when I need them. I am so so lucky.

What a hunk.

Day 26

School starts tomorrow and, to be honest, I was a complete wreck tonight. I felt like my fun life was completely ending, and that starting tomorrow I was going to be cooped up doing something I didn't even like. I feared I had forgotten how to teach and wouldn't be able to handle the kids. It was bad and at about 9:30 I couldn't hold the tears in any longer.

Bless Robbie. He was so sweet about everything and just held me and said just the right things. He wiped my tears away, rubbed my back, gave me a blessing, and even stayed until I was all ready for bed. I literally survived last night because of him. I felt so strengthened after he left, and he made me promise that if I had another crying spell I'd call him (thankfully, I haven't...yet).

This all ties into Reason #26. Robbie has such a kind heart and blesses so many lives because of it. He wants to help others be happy, and he is really good at knowing what to do to help people get there. He gives the BEST pep talks and is so generous in his encouragement. I am marrying such a kind man.

What a hunk.

Day 27

Today begins the first of four bridal showers. Can you believe that? People are so incredibly generous. Robbie and I are so blessed to know and love so many wonderful people.
Tonight is basically my last night of Summer, which totally boggles my mind. Honestly, the thought makes me totally panic, but things are going to be just fine. Robbie reminds me of that every day, and I am very thankful for that. Deep breaths.

Reason #27
One of the first things that attracted me to Robbie was his sense of humor. When I first spent time with him at his cabin, he made me laugh like I hadn't in a long time. For me, humor just adds a level of comfort to any situation, so instantly I was comfortable around Robbie. He felt like an instant friend. Today, he continues to make me laugh every single day. He makes jokes and I laugh at all of his jokes, so obviously we make a perfect couple. I can always count on Robbie to make me giggle like a little girl. Man, he makes me smile.

What a hunk.

There you have it. This is us every single day.

Day 28

Oh, Friday. We LOVE Fridays! Robbie has a short work day, and when I'm in school Fridays are early out days. We also both love staying up late, so Fridays are fun because we don't have to be as strict with our bedtime. I'm so excited to be with him tonight.

Reason #28
Let me tell you a little something about myself. I get stressed easily and I let that stress affect my overall mood. I am aspiring to be one of those people that just lets things in life roll of their backs. Robbie has helped me a lot with that goal. He is extremely good at calming me down and helping me see the bigger picture. He'll encourage me to tell him everything I'm feeling, and then he'll just hold me and listen to me. After a bit, he'll tell me that everything is going to be fine and gives me reasons why :) Sometimes all I need is someone to remind me that everything is going to be okay, that all will work out. I love that he will just stop me mid freak-out and help me calm down and not be unrealistic. Every girl needs some of that.
To sum it up, Robbie is amazing at reminding me of the bigger picture. How I adore him!

What a hunk.

Day 29

Well, we've reached the point of no return. Tonight is Back to School Night at the good ol' C.S. Lewis Academy. It's been a pretty busy day today getting our classrooms all set up, modifying parent volunteer forms, printing out supply lists, etc. Gotta make those parents happy! :) Robbie has been working super hard at Specialized as well. Man, I'm so grateful for him and all of his hard work.

Reason #29
One day a couple years ago, I was talking to my cousin Jenica about her relationship with her husband, Josh. She told me that expressing gratitude for every little thing your spouse does helps the relationship leaps and bounds. Her thought has always stuck with me and I began to notice that trait (whether it was there or not) in the people I dated. I got pretty lucky.
Robbie is very good at expressing his gratitude to me. He finds lots of reasons to say, "Rachel, thank you." I appreciate that so much! He is aware of my efforts and he inspires me to reciprocate and show gratitude to him every chance I get.

What a hunk.

Day 30--It's the Final Countdown!

Robbie and I are getting married 30 days from this very day. Ah! We are extremely excited, stressed, emotional (well, just me), and busy. I'm starting school on Monday and we are finishing last-month stuff for our wedding. I am staying sane because of Robbie, conference talks, prayer, goldfish crackers, thoughtful family and friends, rockin' music, and did I mention Robbie already? He is a total rockstar and keeps me anchored. These next 30 days of counting down are dedicated to me doing a quick update on our fun-filled and busy lives, as well as going into depth a little bit more about why I love Robbie.

Reason #30 (we're going backwards here, folks)
Robbie's family and friends are his #1. He will do ANYTHING for them. Since I am his bestie friend and will soon be part of his eternal family (can I get a "holla"?), I am the beneficiary of so many kind and thoughtful acts. He has dedicated his life to my happiness and tells me over and over that he is going to do everything possible to make sure I that am happy. Here are just a few of the little things he does to ensure my happiness.
1. He gives me piggy-back rides home from his apartment when I'm tired.
2. He rubs my back every time I mention something about it not feeling the best.
3. He makes me sit on the couch and relax while he does the dishes by himself.
4. He texts me all the time and asks, "Are you happy?"
5. He leaves me little notes on my car.

The list goes on and on.

Robbie has this incredible ability. He can tell whenever I am not at my happiest. He observes my body language, the words I say, how I look at him, etc. Whenever he senses something is up, he will stop whatever we're doing and say, "I can tell something is up. Can we talk about it?" It is truly amazing. I love him so much for that.

What a hunk.