Opposition in All Things

I have to write a post about this because I've been thinking about it a lot lately and I feel like I'd almost be ungrateful if I didn't get these thoughts out somehow.

Ever since I got married, I've really started to notice the truth in the "opposition in all things" scriptures. I say scriptures, because I can't decide which one to post. There are too many good ones! For any of you that don't know what I'm talking about, though, this one probably sums it up the best:

And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves; for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet— (Doctrine and Covenants 29:39)

(Only, I'm not just talking about temptation. There are some other really great scriptures that get into dealing with everyday challenges, or super-difficult-I-hope-that's-never-me challenges (like Doctrine and Covenants 122:5-9. Those are some incredible verses.), and of course, there are other great scriptures talking about opposition (2 Nephi 2:11, Job 2:10, Moses 6:55). I couldn't not mention those because they're all so good.)

So, now I feel like I need to explain what I mean by noticing opposition in all things. Because it's not like things have been bad. My life is pretty fantastic right now, and I really feel like I shouldn't complain about anything. But there have been moments of everyday challenges, because (let's face it) life doesn't get easy after you get married.

The first one that stands out to me happened on our honeymoon. As some of you might remember, I got sick on the second day of our honeymoon. And it really wasn't so bad. I just stayed in bed all day and we watched movies and Kam made me food and bought me medicine and ice cream and stuff. And I didn't have any responsibilities to worry about, so I just got to rest and I got better pretty quickly. But in the moment, I was so whiney! I felt like, "This is my only honeymoon, and it's Kam's only honeymoon, and I can't believe I'm wasting time being sick, and what did I do wrong to deserve to get sick today of all days?" And I'm not particularly proud of that.

But I'm still glad that all happened. Because being put in that situation gave me the experience, very early on in our marriage, of actually seeing Kam react to me at my worst. I knew when I married him that he would love me no matter what and that he would take care of me when I needed him, so I can't say I learned those things from being sick. But there's something to be said of actually seeing it happen. And it's nice to be able to look back on those memories now and remember how much I know he loves  me.

What made me think to write this blog just now? The other day I woke up crying and sweaty because I'd had a bad dream (not especially uncommon for me) and Kam reached over and pulled me to his side of the bed and cuddled with me a little longer than he usually would before getting ready for work. And I thought to myself, if I never had bad dreams, I would never know what it's like to have Kam comfort me after a bad dream.

So I'd like to say I'm grateful for my trials. But I don't want to lie. (I used to know someone who always said, "I don't pray for trials, because I know I'm going to get them either way." and I like her logic.) I don't like having bad dreams or being sick. But I am grateful for the experiences. And I'm most grateful for the good things that happen with the bad. And for Kam who works so hard to make those things happen. And for my Heavenly Father, who knows best how to present me with opportunities to choose to see the good. And I know this isn't something I'm great at right now, but I hope to get better at it and not be so whiney. :)

15th Result

We're getting famous, you guys! Or at least, I feel pretty famous. Ready for a long story?

K, go.

So, today Kam and I decided to swing by Target to look at curtains. It's something I've been talking about for a little while now, so Kam's jumped on board. But we ended up deciding we needed to do a little more planning before we could buy anything. Because there are a few drawbacks to Wymount apartments. And specifically (in this case) the window.

This isn't our window, but it is a Wymount window. So you can sorta see the problem. Only this is only one half of it. Pretend you can tell it just goes on and on and on in << that direction.

a. You can't nail, drill, or screw anything into the wall.
b. There are really ugly blinds installed inside the edges of the window (so you can't hang curtains on a tension rod to cover them up).
c. The window is very wide on the wall but not very tall. so it would take at least three (Can you even do three? Is that allowed?) window panels to cover the window (we think).

And window panels are sold in sets of one! Doesn't everyone know you want two window panels?! What a rip off!

So we decided to go back home and take some measurements (Bleh). We're hoping we're going to be able to hang a regular curtain rod with command hook tape. But, unfortunately, no curtains as of yet.

By this time you're probably asking yourself, "What does this have to do with you being famous?" I'm getting there.

I'm at work. And I work at the BYU library. Which is the best job ever. but even at the best job ever, you sometimes get bored. So I started browsing through my Relief Society sisters' blogs, because we all live in Wymount apartments together. Maybe one of them has come up with some super creative and cute ways to decorate her Wymount apartment. Like, how to hang curtains. But at least from my shallow browsing, I came up dry. :(

So I thought, Google's my friend. Maybe Google knows. I searched for "decorating in Wymount" because, you know, there's a wikihow on everything these days, right? But still. No luck. I found the Wymount decorating policies, a few blogs that allll said something along the lines of "I'm so glad we moved out of Wymount, because now I can decorate!" and then....

Guess what the 15th result on that search is? (at least when I search. I know google's search engine is a little more complex than it used to be)

My blog!

So, we're famous. Yep. And I think I've probably used the words decorating and Wymount enough times now to perhaps boost us up one more slot in those search results.

That was my first conclusion. My second conclusion was that I'm trying to do something that's never been done before! (Ok, I know that's not true. A lot of people have cute Wymount apartments. But if you don't document it and put it on google, it doesn't count, right? Because google knows everything. Right?) And everyone that knows me well knows I do not consider myself a decorator. At all. So this is quite the challenge! But Google-searching Wymountians everywhere are depending on me. Think of what I'm doing for future generations of prospective Wymountians! So consider this the first post of many to come on how to decorate those "awful" Wymount apartments. Challenge accepted.

How to spoil your wife.

This all started on Thursday when I said, "I know we talked about making salmon for dinner, but I really want Bombay House tonight." So we went to Bombay House. Now I feel completely spoiled and it hasn't even been a week yet.

Friday: Take her on a date like this: Let her play with the new laptop for four hours and excuse her when she realizes she forgot all about dinner. Then take her to Winger's where she'll eat everything covered in the sauce you don't like. And forgive her again when she falls asleep during the movie you spent all night picking out together.

Saturday: Send her an email like this while she's at work:

Kameron

It's so weird, but the kitchen looks...different. Can you see it?

Kam

Sunday: When she complains about wanting barbecue chicken and chocolate cake right now in front of your home teaching companion, just laugh and say, "Ok," and look for that leftover chicken "right now."

Monday: Make her steak for dinner because she "just wants to bite into it and rip it up with [her] teeth." And then, on top of all that, buy her a cupcake and watch a movie with Hugh Jackman in it.

Is this real life?

Seriously, have I done anything all week? I'm starting to wonder. I'd better go clean something.

(Note: If you think you're starting to notice a particular pattern, it's not what you think. Trust me.)

The Chronicles of Matridom Part 3

It's what you've all been waiting for...

The Chronicles of Matridom
Part 3 - The Wedding

To all of you who missed our wedding (or any of you who were in attendance but not entirely present (Me!)) thanks to my wonderful photographer, Marie Long (We're on her blog! We're famous!), you can all enjoy the evening vicariously through her camera. Let us begin!

I showed this picture to Kam and he said, "Oh, I guess I should have thought of that when I did that."

I told him I liked it.

I love this picture of two of my boys.

Thanks for standing out in the cold with us, everyone!

I asked Kam if he wanted to take my engagement ring off first, and he was just like, "Nope." Ha ha.

Every time I see this picture I think, "Score!"

I didn't realize how beautiful the cake and all the decorations were until I saw these pictures! I was so busy all night, I missed it!

Savannah got all dressed up for our wedding! We could barely recognize her, but she looks great!

TJ quoted a very sweet poem that was originally included in his parents' service. (Tari and Jim are very good friends of ours, so that meant a lot to us.)

Tianna hardly ever cries. I, on the other hand... Well.

We didn't get a picture of my dad in time. But his toast was very short and sweet.

"Hi, my name's Chloe... I'm the bride..."

I remember a lot of really great toasts. Kam was really sweet and surprised me by having everyone toast to "my awesomeness."

I remember walking over to the cake and Kam and I whispering to each other, "What do you think? Want to stick it in each other's faces or not? I dunno, what do you think? I dunno, I was kind of thinking not. Ok, let's do that."

Our song was "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole.

Kam surprised me and sang me a song. It was "Sweet Pea" by Amos Lee. He and I were listening to it in my favorite cupcake shop when he decided he wanted to surprise me on our wedding day.

I wish we had more pictures of this, because this made for one of the funniest stories from the reception. In between verses, he came over to me and took my hand and wanted to dance with me. I was so excited/surprised/in love with my husband that I just started kissing him, and after a minute he had to tell me to wait so he could finish the song.

One thing I told Kam long before we started planning our wedding was that I wanted there to be lots of dancing.

When we first saw Gangnam Style, I dared Kam to learn the dance and do it at our wedding. He was happy to take me up on that.

I had told my bridesmaids to stack the bouquet throw in favor of one friend of ours. Obviously, I forgot to tell my sisters about that plan. (Celia here is only 13 years old. Little early, I'd say. :) )

One of my favorite awkward memories from the evening was Kam and I sneaking up to the 5th floor girl's bathroom, so he could help me put my garter on. I had two, so it took a minute for us to decide which one to use. "I don't know what to do with it. I've never done this before..."

Kam kept surprising me with his victory poses. :)

I remember being a little bit worried someone was going to set me on fire. But now that I'm looking at these pictures, I kind of wish I'd gotten to play with one! But not really that much. We were ready to go.

So, that was our beautiful wedding day! Absolutely everything went according to plan and there were no stresses or problems whatsoever! (Ha ha. Not.) But when I look back on it, that's how I feel about it. So maybe someday I'll tell those funny stories (which I'm actually glad happened, because I love funny stories!), but really everything did go according to plan, because we love each other, and we were sealed in the temple under God, never to be put asunder, and now we're living happily ever after. :)