so i am starting it off with this. what does this have to do with the cruise? well everything for me? nate & i have not been getting a long so good lately. and i was struggling pretty hard with our marriage and what to do to make things better. i have a few friends who have read this book, and one that lives by it like the bible and recommends it to anyone and everyone. i have just avoided it for some time, i guess because of what the title suggests. well i got over that and dived in at the airport, finished before landing, then picked it up again and used it like a bible complete with my own personal markings in the end reading it 3 times in 5 days. suddenly my world of marriage makes sense. i had like a trillion aha moments. it occured to me that i had a perfect opportunity to put some of these practices to test on a cruise, low pressure, no kids, few responsibilities ... a good place to break me in. i have never had a more pleasant and loving vacation with nate in my life. i feel like we just got 10 years of marriage counseling in one book. i feel like a new wife. i hope and pray it lasts. good thing the book is at my bed side with many markings and my journal full of weekly goals, i realize now what i must do to get what i want from him. i have already found it to be a bit of a challenge to practice in the intensity of home but i see the rewards as i at the very least put efforts forth. i see nate differently too and thats whats most important. i am so in love. so now that you have read that all i will give you the fun stuff, like how i put that up front?
upon arrival into burbank and before departure out of san pedro, my dad picked us up and we went to see his aunt (my great aunt) becky in the rest home she resides in long beach. her husband garland passed away a few months ago and she is very lonely and sad. it was very overwhelmingly sad for me, kind of like it is for those with healthy kids to enter primary childrens, its just a sad place. it was a good visit, however i was disappointed that she is not being visited by members of the church in her area. the best thing of all ... was my hub! he felt very profoundly that he should offer becky a priesthood blessing and that she needed one. of course she was pleased by his suggestion and i was overcome with so many emotions ... concern about my father and his feelings about this (quickly vanished by his sweet tears) being so grateful that nate holds the priesthood and is so in tune, and just so so happy that he is my husband. service is an amazing thing, i am pretty sure we were blessed more by that experience than becky was!
we arrived in san pedro to a chill and overcast skies that were forcasted to linger all week. our only hope was sun further down the coast. this was our ship second time around "monarch of the seas" royal carribean owned.
i was really nervous about who we might be dining with since nate and i were only a party of two. it wasnt too bad in the end, at the very least very entertaining! meet Nick & Joan, and Ricky & Candy
lets start with Ricky & Candy, they own a car dealership in a small suburb of chicago. candy reminded both nate and i a lot of his sister nichole, mostly in the way she acted and a few other attributes too. she was not happy even one night with her food (not a charicteristic of nichole) and didnt seem to like her hub much (also not like nichole) and he drank a lot! they thought that being LDS meant having an STD! well this was a first for us and i think we will laugh that one to our graves. next onto Nick & Joan, joan is a quiet women with lots and lots of dark makeup circuling her eyes ... not sure who taught her that but i have the feeling she has done it for years ... poor woman. Nick on the other hand, may love to hear himself talk more than anyone i have ever met in my life. He is a retired DA doe LA and prior to that was premed, he also is a ref for JR pro tennis among some other side occupations. he loves trivia, scuba diving, and so many other things. i feel like i have known him all my life, and not in a good way! i am not sure i liked him. he likes to argue thats for sure! i am positive he was a great lawyer. none the less meeting new people and actually spending time with them is always a great missionary opportunity! we were able to clarify what LDS means among many other things.
second day we were in san diego, yet again a very cold gloomy day. we headed to the next berth and toured the USS Midway a retired naval aircraft carrier.
it was fascinating. we spent almost 4 hours on this thing and walked miles and miles it seemed. we both loved it!
early evening i talked nate in to doing a spin class with me at the gym on board! that was a treat. my bones and spin bike seats dont get a long! it was formal night too and though i was happy with the way i looked full body shot the best pic of nate and i that night was at the table and since they are so $$$ thats what we bought!
isnt nate such a hotty! the highlight escargo ... but nate didnt indulge so i indulged for him and got 2! love those snails!
the next day was in catalina ... no off the boat here. no beuno it was chilly and rainy and we stayed in doors! luckily we had seen catalina before. this time around we got the cheap inside cabin. as it turns out i liked it best. i fight a tad bit of sea sickness (even with a perscription patch) but when i can actually see the boat moving its worse, so i loved the inside cabin. it was a bit bigger this time around as well and oh so dark. we took long naps everyday!
the next day was ensenada. a little more sunny but for the most part really cold. we got off the boat for about 2 hours, got the girls cute little mexican dresses, stock a hammock, and some perscription drugs ... no narcotics! just synthroid and amoxacillan. we finally laid out by the pool, in warm clothes, hoodies, pants and still put pool towels over us to stay warm.
in the end, good times, good talks, good food, good love, good almost everything but weather. below is a pic of how pretty the blossoms are in cali right now, obe of my most fav time of year there, or anywhere for that matter, as long as i have allergy meds!
oh yeah and what would a cruise be without funny little towell animals? i swear one night we had a vagina animal ... wasnt sure what it was?
7 comments:
I love it! Too much to say about this post. K, first, you were so right. I was laughing so hard when I saw the pic! Looks like you had quite the dinner table. I bet you looked forward to it everynight! Second, you are a brave woman for eating those escargots! You and Aaron both! I'm sum up the novel, but I think you look SO pretty and I'm so glad you finally let someone take your picture and post it! You're a hotty! And that's really neat about the book. I'm really impressed by you how you always strive to change things instead of just deal. Love your guts!
Love that Dr. Laura book! Should be required reading for every wife for shizzle. And, girl, you looked hot on that there cruise!
I am glad you made it down to see Aunt Becky again. It breaks my heart how lonely and sad she is. The Wimmers just saw her too, and Parker cried when they left. Even little ones can sense the sadness. Thanks Nate for giving her a blessing!
HAHAH! Sounds like so much fun. I am so glad you liked the book. It's not always fun or easy but it works.
Hey! Thats the same cruise Jay and I went on for our honeymoon! Can't believe it's already been 10 years!You look so pretty with your hair dark like that.We'll all have to get together this summer when we come visit!!
Audrey I love your hair, I think those are some of the best pics I have ever seen of you. It makes you look really young. You and Nate look great.
Audrey I love your hair I think it's my favorite look you have ever had.
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