adventures of newlyweds

We are moving! Reason #1- please see above picture. Although there are other reasons, I feel the above pic gives enough justice. We will still be in the same complex but we will be in a smaller apartment on a higher floor.
We have had so much going on and it has been a blast getting through it all! We have been busy making decisions...like how and what to eat on a newlywed budget...

Hey 3 bucks for 30 meals is pretty good. pretty unhealthy, but pretty good.
We have also been deciding whether to go back to school or not, to move, and to switch jobs or not. It is wonderful to have someone by your side to make these decisions.
We went to the park on Saturday and had a picnic, started planning our lesson for Sunday, slept, and played frisbee. It was a lazy day but very needed in our crazy schedule. Lack of money can be a cause of stress on a marriage but I say it can also be a means of strengthening a marriage- if you'll let it. During these years when money is limited we learn how to be creative and how to work together. We try to have a date night every week and we each take turns planning them. Sometimes we just go for a bike/longboard ride and come home and watch a movie. One time we gathered a bunch of our food storage and had a competition to see who could make the best meal. Jonathan's meal- scrambled egg, corn, plain pasta, and cheddar cheese. I made bread sticks which turned out but the pasta salad not so much. These things don't cost money and experiences like this will turn into fond memories in later years. I'm sure we will also be able to look back at our first apartment and the mold, abnormally large spiders, ants, and water problems and laugh. I love what Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin said about finding humor in life: "every life has peaks and shadows and times when it seems that the birds don’t sing and bells don’t ring. Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result...The next time you’re tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable."
(I will put the link to a video with an excerpt of his talk on the picture of us in the top left of the blog). I know that things happen that are not easy to laugh about and there are certainly times when it is even reasonable to cry, but there are also times when its okay to laugh and yet we react with feelings of anger, sadness, or being annoyed. If we view these experiences more "lightheartedly" then there would be less friction and tension between those we are around and more happiness and humor in our lives. Let's enjoy the journey!