Old Georgia

Throughout history Georgia was always getting attacked.  It is the original Christian nation in the land of other religions.  Georgia emerged as a major trading hub in the ancient world, since it was an ideal spot between Asia/Middle East and Western Europe.  Our cousins (and hosts) like to inform us that Georgia hasn't ever gone one hundred years without a major war.

This is the reason Georgia has many fortresses among its mountains and rivers.  These structures protected the churches and the people.  We've spent the past two days touring these remarkable towns.  For me, this experience really puts life (and time) into perspective: Last weekend we were visiting Independence Hall in Philadelphia.  This week we walked in a cave city that was built almost 3,000 years ago.  All the sudden the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 feel like a current event.

With Honors

Our household now has two undergraduate degrees and two graduate degrees!  The words "with high honors" and "with honors" are on two of the four pieces of paper, and my name is on two of the four pieces of paper; however, my name and the word "honors" does not appear on the same sheet of paper.

This past weekend my husband, his parents, his aunt and uncle, and my parents celebrated my husband's MBA graduation!  We had a great time on the streets of Philadelphia and then we took the train to New York City where the crew will spend the next few days.  My mother informed me that the last time she was in New York City she was pregnant with me!

My husband and I are currently in route to spend a week with our cousins in Georgia (the country, not the state).   It's an encore trip for us, and while there are many interesting places to visit on earth I cannot get my fill of Georgia - the people, the food, the beauty!

It's nice to spend 24/7 with my Einstein.

Point of View

Our friend Del teaches acting workshops, and often he'll talk about how he coaches his actors to deliver lines with a point of view.  Recently I ran into a situation where a point of view changed the entire meaning of a phrase.

In a few days we're headed to Europe.  It's a post MBA celebration for us.  Detour: my husband isn't the only one in our marriage with an Ivy League graduate degree.  My husband presented me a "Masters in Understanding" from Wharton, which I thought was really sweet.

Although, my husband didn't make that big of deal about it, which makes me think he had one of his people procure this "diploma" for me, and he had very little to do with it.  His class coordinator is named Amy, she's a fellow homo and she loves us.  I had to ask my husband if Amy had this created for me?  He didn't answer.  So I have a new layer to our marriage: "Did my husband do this for me?  Or did one of his people?"

Back to the story: We're headed back to Georgia (the country, not the state) and then we'll spend 24 hours in Paris.  We have to catch multiple flights to get to Georgia.  I asked my husband what class are we flying, and my husband looked at me and said: "Your ass will not touch coach."

This line was delivered with a very specific point of view; my husband delivered this phrase: "Your ass will not touch coach" and his point of view implied: I know how you hate to fly coach, I know you'd rather not fly than fly in coach, I know you like to travel like a king...your so high maintenance.  (All true points.) 

However, that same phrase: "your ass will not touch coach" could have been delivered with the point of view that celebrated the billion frequent flier miles we cashed in, that celebrated our achievements, that rewarded me for the two years of having a husband gone every other weekend and all I have to show for it is a "masters in understanding" from Amy!

Eight Years

Eight years later...we're still going strong!  On May 13, 2006 in Austin Texas we were surrounded by our closest family and friends when we proclaimed our love and commitment for each other.

It's been magical.  It's been glorious.

I love my husband.

Black Tie Optional

Saturday was my brother's birthday.  My brother and my father are two of the funniest people I know.  My brother is always joking.  It makes our life fun.  While my brother was informing my husband that he wanted to eat at a Hibachi restaurant in the parking lot of Best Buy to celebrate the occasion, my brother mentioned that the dress code was black tie optional.  (He was being funny.)

But my husband put on his tuxedo and we headed out to the 'burbs.  He knew it would make my brother laugh if he showed up to the dinner in black tie, and it was my brother's birthday.  Before we arrived at our 5:30 dinner reservation, we had to stop at Nordstrom to pick up a birthday gift, and everyone was looking at us the entire time- my husband in his tux and I in my jeans.  We arrived to the suburbs 30 minutes early, and my husband was disappointed when I refused to go to Costco with him wearing his tuxedo.  It makes me uncomfortable to have all eyes on us.

The bit was worth it because as soon as my brother saw us in the parking lot he was cracking up at my husband.  My husband played it cool: "What?  You said it was a black tie optional?"

We had a lovely dinner together.

I love that my brother and my husband are BFF's.  I also love that my husband wore his tuxedo to make my brother laugh.  I would never do something like that, which is what I think is so spectacular.

Happy Birthday Fatty!

QOTD

"Michael Sam became the first openly gay football player to be drafted by a National Football League team Saturday when the St. Louis Rams picked him in the seventh round of the league’s draft.

"Sam was the 249th pick out of 256 players total, the Associated Press reports. A defensive end, Sam won the Southeastern Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year Award while playing for the University of Missouri last year."

-Time

Return Flight

My husband has been banned from flying helicopters or quadcopters in the house, since the 2011 incident where he destroyed one of my pretty things with his erratic flight.  Remember?

However, earlier this year when we were about to start negotiations for this house I told my husband: if you get me a two story house, then I'll let you fly helicopters in the house again.  My husband (with his new MBA intelligence) told me that's what you call incentive alignment.    I achieve a childhood dream of living in a two-story house, and he achieves a 2011 dream of once again flying helicopters in the house.  Win/win.

Of course, I forgot I made this statement.  My husband didn't.  Oh no.  Earlier this week I came home and the helicopters where charging.  My husband then informed me that he could fly loops around the second story cat walk. He proved it.  It was impressive.  My husband is impressive.

Trigger switched from wanting to attack the helicopter to being scared of the helicopter.  Can you find him in the corner of this photo...

Philly Art Tour

The weekend before last, I spent most of the day touring Philadelphia Museum of Art while my husband was taking his last final exam.  My husband likes it when I visit museums, because he says I can't try to buy anything in a museum...of course after this move/remodel I can't try to buy anything because we have cleaned out our checking account!

It was my second time to tour the Philly art museum, and it might be one of my favorites.  On that day, here are the pieces of art that spoke to me!

I'm always a fan of a realistic portrait and the narratives they represent...

An artist's use of light in paintings is always captivating to me...

This painting is huge, and made me smile for a long while.  Love it:

These paintings are so simple, yet so beautiful...

And these flowers are spectacular...

I love art.

QOTD

Black Stripes

We purchased this 1994-time capsule house, and before we moved in we added wood floors downstairs and painted all rooms upstairs and three rooms downstairs.  Also, we had to do significant electrical wiring and my husband added speakers in every room.  We maxed out our budget for this first round.  But in the the future we plan to update bathrooms and eventually we want to completely rework the kitchen.  For now, we were lucky enough to have enough cash to add the wood floors and paint.  Those two things brought this house to life.

Here's what the dinning room looked like before:

Here's what the dinning room looks like after:

And yes, did you see Dooley likes to watch the children play in the 'sac.

We Did It

I need to write an epic post to catch this blog up on our incredible life in the past ten days.  And yet, I'm meeting with new clients today - so I don't have much time to write, but here's the key points.

Friday, April 25 - I flew out to meet my husband in Philadelphia for his final class weekend.  (The next time we're in Philly it will be for graduation!)  On Saturday his class held an MBA gala, which I liked to call MBA prom.  We wore our tuxedos.  While we were away the contractors were working at our house, all weekend.

Sunday, April 27 - We arrived back in Dallas.  We franticly finished packing up Sunnyland.  The key word being: franticly.

Monday, April 28 - I left for work (it was my last week on my 15-month client) with my husband managing 5 movers and 6 contractors.  Good luck.

Tuesday, April 29 through Friday, May 2 - we finished unpacking (after work) while the contractors finished painting.  My husband's parents came down twice to help us whip the house into shape.  It was insane.

Saturday, May 3 - Approximately 40 people came to the house for a couple's shower (that was planned long before we knew we were switching houses.) and when the last guest left at around midnight...I could relax for the first time in a month.

Yesterday, Sunday, May 4, I wanted to stay in bed...but my husband made me work to take down the party lanterns...