Concerts :: The Swell Season

I love date nights. And when my husband includes a thoughtful surprise in our date night, I love it even more! He bought the tickets and didn’t tell me where we were going til we got there! [pause] Ok, that’s not entirely true. I discovered what the surprise was 3 days before the show. But not intentionally! It just…happened.

I was first introduced to The Swell Season by the movie Once that they starred in. It’s a great rainy Sunday afternoon movie. Their music is out of this world. I’m not kidding. I was so very excited to go see them.

We got there around 6:30pm and waited in line for the doors to open at 7pm. How we got a front row spot, I have no idea, since there were a bazillion people in front of us in line. Ok, not really, but it felt like it.

Nick looks extremely excited in this picture but really his ADD and/or selective hearing was kicking in high gear with all the people and  food smells around us. paha.

So the show started at 8pm and I thought The Swell Season was coming out first, but since I haven’t been to a concert in like 6 years and I’m outta touch with the music world, I was highly disappointed when some dude came out with a guitar and a harmonica holder around his neck to sing a few ditties. While I think Nick thought he was the coolest thing since sliced bread (I judge this by the amount of swaying and humming he did), I wasn’t a huge fan. But cool for him that he got to open for The Swell Season.

Finally at around 9:15pm they came out. It was amazing. We were right next to the speakers, so we heard everything really well and obviously could see everything on stage.  The drummer was super awesome. I think he looked like a mixture of an Amish guy and a Jew.

Eh? (wait that’s Canadian…drat!) nevermind

I wear glasses. Yes, I do.

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are awesome musicians. In Nick’s words, “That was the best concert I have ever been to.” I have to agree. Glen just rocks it out on stage in a way that took my breath away. I’m passionate about music and when I see someone else doing what I L.O.V.E. to do, and in the most moving way, it gives me chills.

And so, the concert ended after 11pm. For those of you paying attention, that means we were on our feet in a crowded mass of sweaty people for almost 5 hours. Gross. Yuck. I was glad to get out of that throng. (And if I were honest I would tell you that I complained to Nick about my feet hurting only every 10 minutes. But I don’t want to be honest. I didn’t complain the whole night.)

It was a really fun date. Probably outshining a lot of our dates recently (which consists of coffee shops and books. Wait, that sounds like a blast. Who am I kidding?) It was a different kind of date and we needed that. Here are a few videos of the concert. Sorry the recording isn’t that great. When you’re right next to the speakers you get lots of feedback. Boo.

Falling Slowly

Say it to Me Now

When Your Mind’s Made Up

I think Nick and I are going to try to go to more concerts. In August we’re going to see  The Civil Wars and that should be fun. But the Swell Season is better. Jus sayin’.

My Friday is my Saturday

I love today. My boss gave me the day off and I didn’t even have to ask for it. So far, it has been one of the most relaxing days of the summer.

My day started off with this

When doesn’t it?

I moved onto doing the dishes

my entire LIFE feels clean when these are done. I’m not kidding.

I cleaned out the fridge and freezer. It was about to give me a heart attack every time I opened the door to this beast. It was so full of leftovers. I hate leftovers.

Everything is now back to the way it should be in there. It’s all labeled so I don’t know why it doesn’t stay this way.

see? drinks only on top and everything else has its respective place. you laugh now, but just wait til you look in your fridge next time. You will WISH that you had some scotch tape and a sharpie.

This little kitten is part of everything

I’ve also discovered that he can do a PERFECT impersonation of this guy

it makes me sick how much he gets away with things using this face on me every. single. time.

I’m going to end my day with this and I couldn’t be more excited about it!

Oh yes. This Friday is turning out so much better than I imagined.

The OTHER side of my husband

It has been the most insane month. Ever. Probably not ever. I like to use absolute statements all the time.  (see? I can’t stop) It’s not the type of busy to write about either. Just busy. Ugh. The worst kind.

So, I told Nick I wasn’t sure what to blog about today or if I would even have time. He told me to blog about him. I’m positive this isn’t what he meant when he said that, but I’m not normal and this is what I thought of first.  I made these at 2am the other night when sleep so allusive it was depressing. I’m sure my iPhone is a curse, because as I was making these pictures, I was laughing so hard I had to bury my face in my pillow to keep from waking Nick. It didn’t help me feel sleepy one bit!

sigh

I give you…my husband. Sort of.

that is a really big forehead you got there, honey.

These last two are my favorite. They make me go over the edge. To the dark side.

Ok, really, they just make my sides hurt from laughing.

Why, Nick, you look so good with an afro!

This is priceless! The glasses, the hair, the… dark circles under the eyes? Hmm…either way, love, you look faaabulous.

Thanks for letting us laugh at your expense, Nick. I do love you!  So does everyone else. Don’t we guys?

Marley Moments

I’ve been lax in showing off my kitten to you. That’s right. Showing off. I dare.

this was the first picture of him. he’s so tiny!

after his first bath, which, did i mention, did not go over well? no. it didn’t.

marley loves to help me with the laundry. his duties include: sleeping on the clothes, clawing at them, ripping them from my hands, and pushing over the folded piles. of course.

taking a nap

passed out during a movie. it’s a hard-knock life for this cat

nope, not dead.

so, i’m pretty sure he’s decided he’s the king of this house…

affirmative

He’s adorable, obviously. However, I won’t mention the fact that he kept me up all night long trying to get all comfy ON me and UNDER me and AROUND me. As if all the other parts of the bed weren’t good enough.  And then licking my eyes, biting my nose, batting my face…..(yes, this me not mentioning it)

You should come see him. He LOVES new victims…’scuse me…visitors. heh.

Red Lobster Dinner Celebration

When our home study was finalized I mentioned that I was going to go to Red Lobster to celebrate. I didn’t waste time in getting there!

I’ve been really excited for some time to go because I noticed that they had re-done the outside of the building!

doesn’t it look lovely?

Naturally, I assumed that if they did the outside they had to have done the inside. I was not disappointed. Instead of all that grody fish net and decades old fabric on the seat cushions, it’s now decorated with lighthouses! Blues, blacks, reds and whites are the new color scheme.

Ahem. I digress (can you tell this place just jazzes me?!)

20 people came to support us in our celebration dinner! Our waitress put us in our own room in the back (which was wonderful for the kids!) They also had 3 different servers wait on us through out the evening. We felt pretty special.

Of course, I couldn’t really talk to the people at the opposite end of the table, and I felt bad. (sorry!) All in all it was a really fun night. I wonder if anyone who wasn’t there can guess what I got for dinner? Hmm?

Oh, remember those biscuits I was talking about? Feast your eyes on this! You may drool if you so choose. I’ll wait…

……………………………………….

Done? Mmkay, moving on.

I know there were more people who wanted to celebrate with us. I wish you could too! Maybe you could kinda do a little jig or something wherever you are right now. If you sent me a video of you doing that, you would go down in my hall of “most likely to be my friend forever.” That’s a great accomplishment.

Really though, thanks for all of the support, prayers and encouragement as Nick and I go through this process. We love you! (Well, I can’t speak for him…so…I love you at least)

Cheers

Top 3 Reasons Why I Blog

1. I love to write. I would rather write than talk any day. My thoughts and feelings spill out so much better and I feel invigorated and sophisticated.

2. I want to keep my friends and family updated on my life here in Minneapolis. So if you are my parents, brothers, Bekah, from North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florida, or wherever, I am doing this for YOU. (And it gives me an excuse to write. See how this all works out?)

3. I want to meet new people! I love when random people I have never met comment on my blog. I feel like I am doing something right. It makes my day when you all read this.  You’re not stalking– unless you want to be stalking and…that’s just weird. You should get that checked out.

S0, if you’ve never commented before, or want to humor me by telling me you are here, shouldn’t today be your first day?

Dinner with the Mellings

Sunday night we had the privilege of eating dinner with the Mellings and meeting the newest addition to their family, Oliver James!

We ate homemade pizza made by my own husband, salad and ice cream with hot fudge!

Oliver and daddy

We talked about family, life, work, adoption, and church. It was such a fun time. I’m glad we were able to spend the evening with them! Peter and Jessica are going to be great parents.

Oliver slept through our entire after dinner conversation.

Of course, it WAS all about him and his birth story, and I’m sure he’s heard it before! Speaking of which, it is one heck of a story. I think my mouth was gaping open the entire time.

We are so excited you are here Oliver!

Spiritually Dry

The past 2 years have been the hardest for me in my spiritual life. More so than any other time I can think of.

dryness, apathy, disinterest

And yet, so many wonderfully glorious things have been bestowed upon me. I am undeservedly blessed. More so than I can even imagine. My heart cries when I think about the way I have acted & felt and how my God has had compassion,

mercy,

and grace

on my life.

I deserve none of this. I take no credit for any of it. In fact, I’ve rejected it so many hours, days, and months. I need to be renewed; in my mind, my body and my life.

Lately, this song has been sweet water over my soul. When this song comes on, I can do nothing else but praise Jesus. I would challenge you to stop whatever it is you are doing and for five minutes just listen. Close your eyes and breathe in the Savior. I promise you will not be disappointed.

What in the World is a Home Study and Why is it SO Important?

I don’t claim to be completely knowledgeable about this topic, but I have had more people ask me what this is than almost any other question I’ve received on adoption. So here is my humble attempt at answering it for all of you (and those of you who know about this more than me, PLEASE correct me in the comments for all to see!):

1. Nothing can be done in our adoption without paperwork. Our Home Study is TONS of paperwork

2. It consists of lots of biographical questions about Nick and I. e.g,:

• Where have you lived?
• What religion are you?
• How will you discipline? How did you parents discipline you?
• How do you feel about adopting a child of another race?
• Where is the nearest bus stop?
• What do you and your spouse do for fun?
• Where do you work?
• Who will watch your child if you choose to go back to work?
• What traditions will you start as a family?
• Do you have a fire extinguisher in your home?

3. Background check

4. Fingerprints

5. References from friends and co-workers

6. Approval from our doctor that we are in good health

7. Training or seminars we have attended on adoption

8. Income statement

9. Home visit from social worker (she checks out our home and checks out us!)

10. Copies of marriage license, drivers license, bank statement, birth certificate, social security card,.

11. Our paperwork has to be reviewed by the government and then notarized.

Nothing can be done further in our adoption until we have this paperwork. If we want to apply for loans, we have to have a finished home study. If we want to start making our profile for birth moms to look at, we have to have a finished home study and $5,000.

I’m pretty sure there are more steps and/or things we had to do, but I probably blocked them out of my mind! Here is a source that tells you more about it.

Now do you see why I am SO excited that our paperwork is finalized? :)

Our Home Study is Finalized!

Nick and I have known all week that our home study was almost finished but we wanted to keep our little secret to ourselves until it was finalized. I thought they would be emailing us to tell us that it was done and that they’d send it soon, so as Jenny dropped me off from going with her to Ikea, I saw this in the mailbox and almost fell over. I rushed inside and threw down my purse and just freaked out to Nick. I ripped it open (my hands were clammy and shaking so it took all my best efforts to not drop the package), and there it was in all it’s glory.

*Hallelujah!*

I was trying not to cry, and then I hugged Nick. I just couldn’t take it. All the waiting and the anxiety had been killing me for the past 4 months. Now, I know, I know that this is only the 1st step in the process, so please don’t kill my joy by “reminding” me that we have several steps ahead of us. Believe me, I KNOW.

BUT

I WILL sob to my husband that our home study is finished,

I WILL continue to tell everyone I know that we can move onto the next step,

And I WILL go out to celebrate at Red Lobster, because they have the best biscuits ever.

Celebrate with me, mmkay? :)

*next post will be on WHAT in the WORLD is a home study and why is it SO important?? stay tuned…