Numbers & things

I thought you might enjoy some numbers... I do find them interesting....

Austin and I have have been together (as a couple) for 153 weeks.
We have been married for 48 weeks. 
In just 4 short weeks, we will celebrate our one year anniversary of marriage.
We have not lived together for the past 8 weeks. 
But of those 56 days living apart, we have been able to see each other for about 18 days (give or take).


It's different to take a look at our time together that way. To really break it all down. I'm not sure why I decided to figure this out, but I was hit with the realization earlier this week that I was going on week 4 on being out of my office and on the road for work. That in itself has been very exhausting and hard to get any real work done that is quickly piling up on my desk! 


When I totaled the number of weeks AJ and I have been living apart, I was honestly surprised it had already been 8 weeks! I'm not sure what I expected. It does feel like we've been apart for so long, but maybe being able to see each other every weekend still has been more helpful than we know. Or maybe I was shocked by the number because I've also had so much going on at work. Whatever the reason, it has still been a long 8 weeks. And I think it's starting to affect AJ and I more now. 

The last weekend I was in Council Bluffs for example, AJ really wanted to go out to eat or just get out of the apartment! I however, just wanted to relax, cuddle on the couch with AJ and watch Grey's all weekend! It's probably because I have been on the road so much for work and poor AJ is only ever in the apartment or at school. We did compromise though and AJ convinced me to go out for breakfast on Sunday morning before church. I think he really appreciated that as well. 


We also finally made it to a church service over in Council Bluffs that week (as briefly stated). We had been meaning to try and get to a service but it just wasn't happening. We had actually received a recommendation from a couple in the church choir at Zion. Their daughter goes to a church in Council Bluffs so they passed along the information. The neat thing was that I had already looked up a list of the churches in CB and the one they gave us information for was on my list to go and check out! :) The church is Saint John Lutheran Church. It is a beautiful church very close to downtown Council Bluffs - and close to the library!! (another one of the first places I Googled!) It was a really great service too - it was at 11am, which AJ and I both appreciated! ;-) And they had two pastors, one of which had just been ordained this past June. She was actually the one to give the sermon and she did a great job. We also heard the Choir sing! The senior pastor, Jon, came up and talked to us after the service and was so friendly! He made us feel very welcomed and made us excited to go back! AJ also connected with the choir director and the organist, who both said they were willing to help accompany for his high school and middle school choirs. And of course they invited him to join the choir which he plans on doing. 


It was nice to finally make a service over there. It feels like another step in becoming more apart of that community. It also sounds like we have a lot of chances to get involved. The church is actually relocating temporarily while they do some remodeling at their current building. So we'll have to see what happens and how AJ and will get involved. 


And finally, this past week also had another big step for AJ and I - but especially AJ. He received his first paycheck from Riverside!! It was very exciting! And also very cute as he woke me up early on Saturday morning to tell me the check had been deposited! :) For the first time in our married life (48 weeks!) we have a dual income. Even better yet was today was my payday! 

AJ and I have had a number of talks about our finances and bills and budgets. And we're so excited about what it will mean to us to have dual incomes. We are both firmly committed to putting as much 'extra' money into savings as possible. We did this with the money AJ had from his long-term sub job at Marion and those savings were what saved us during our transition from Waterloo to Council Bluffs and into AJ's new job. And as I typed that I realized the connection - SAVINGS can SAVE you in tough times! :) 


Well I think that's about it for this week. AJ and I are meeting in Des Moines tonight and spending the night in a hotel. I'm pretty excited because the hotel stay is free with the Marriott Reward Points I have gotten through work in all my travel and setting up other meetings! It should be a pretty nice hotel too! Then tomorrow I'm staying in Des Moines for Amber's bridal shower and bachelorette party which will no doubt be a great time! And finally, on Sunday, I'm meeting Amanda for pedicures and lunch. Should be a great weekend! I think AJ is still figuring out his plans for the rest of the weekend, but hopefully he'll have as much fun as I'm guaranteed to have! :)