traditions

We have breakfast for dinner on Sunday nights. Tonight we had link sausage and eggs and I made pancakes for Mark. He told me to make them "reeeally reeeally light brown." That's how he likes them. I am not really sure how this tradition started, but we have been doing it since we first got married.

We also have hamburgers every Saturday night. This tradition goes all the way back to when Mark's dad was growing up. They had them every Saturday when he was little, and then he continued the tradition on to his family and then Mark and I have continued it also. I know it's kind of weird to have your weekend meals planned out like that, but it really does make for a more relaxing weekend.

Another tradition we have is that we have date night every Friday (that is when we are in town). I wonder if this will continue when we have kids? I hope!

One fun Schinzler tradition is that on the first or second weekend in August a whole bunch of us go down to Rockport for the weekend. We fish and go to the beach and swim and EAT. Tons of fun. The first time I went Mark and I had been married for three weeks and we slept in a twin bed together!

A fun tradition that we had when I was growing up is that the night before Easter, my brother and I would go in the backyard and pick a whole bunch of grass and bring it in to make a nest for the Easter bunny. Mark and I still do this too!

And alas, Mrs. Hinojosa, if you read this, you will be happy to know that we have followed in y'alls footsteps and make sure to keep our tradition of Sunday "naps" :-)

What are your traditions?

And those 3 or 4 of you, (you know who you are) who tell me all the time that you read my blog, time for you to give some input! I want to hear your traditions too :-)

just life...

A solid two months since I have blogged...I feel as though that some sort of indication of how my life has been lately. I have had no time. No time to journal, or gather my thoughts. No time to do what I want to do. No time to just sit. I am truly not trying to be a complainer but I feel very overwhelmed lately by the feeling that my life is being dictated by a clock and a calendar. There is always some where to be or something that needs to be done. I am struggling to be a good student, good wife, good church member, good servant, good family member, and good friend. And I feel like between all of these, I am being pulled in so many directions. My weekdays start at 5a.m. and my weeknights and even weekends are completely devoted to studying. Mark and I have tried to reserve Fridays for date night, which has worked pretty well up until we had to be out of town every weekend in March. And my inability to say No has turned my Saturdays into major chaos because on top of having to study, I commit myself to other things whether it be friends, church or family. Then my Saturdays end up being non-stop because I am squeezing so much into one day. And Sundays....well of course are church, then lunch, then nap then study. So those days are pretty much routinely full. All of this and I don't even have kids! Jesus help me! What will I do when those little munchkins come along? I know that I am in a season right now and that in 22 days when school is over, that will be a major time constraint that will be lifted. But for now, I'm tired. Drained. In every way. These past two months have been quite a whirlwind. I have had a Grandfather have major back surgery, a Grandmother in ICU, a mother have two hospital visits, a step-aunt commit suicide and a family dealing with the effects of it, a husband have a "scare" with some health issues, and did I mention that I am trying to make it through 4 more weeks of nursing school? I guess I just feel like I have a lot on me right now, and maybe a little frustrated because I feel like some people in my life don't understand the load I am carrying. It might not sound like a lot to some people, and maybe I'm a whiner. Maybe I am just a big fat wimp. Maybe I am being selfish. Maybe I just need to seek my Lord and the greater purpose in all of this. Life has been crazy, scary, hard, heavy, tricky, challenging, demanding, testy, tough. Help me Lord to find joy in the journey.

On a positive note, there was some fun in the month of March. My beautiful, dear, red-headed, life long friend Brooke got married and I was honored to stand with her on that day. Then two weeks later I got to go to Indiana to see my precious and sweet and pregnant friend Barbie. We shared in her baby shower with her and I am so grateful that we got to do that. It was nice to be able to get away for the weekend and to spend some much needed time with her.

Thank you Lord that even though I don't always see it, you have given me an abundant life!