tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27245955505766413362011-12-06T00:59:39.168-08:00Sarah shares her experiences as a Catholic newlywed.Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.comBlogger1211100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-83859340900020731132011-01-28T07:27:00.000-08:002011-01-28T07:30:59.936-08:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-35129693020296008482011-01-21T07:03:00.000-08:002011-01-28T07:25:46.666-08:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-78407252755361432842011-01-14T10:11:00.000-08:002011-01-14T10:13:22.647-08:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-39400993725718682972011-01-07T07:13:00.000-08:002011-01-07T07:17:56.732-08:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-68248334631033693252010-12-30T11:29:00.000-08:002010-12-30T11:31:19.960-08:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-87541532896632110582010-12-20T11:14:00.001-08:002010-12-20T11:35:33.659-08:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-23532306643503732162010-12-13T08:15:00.000-08:002010-12-13T08:17:46.357-08:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-75693636262107981942010-12-03T06:13:00.001-08:002010-12-03T06:13:50.154-08:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-43920715474782140432010-11-19T06:22:00.000-08:002010-11-19T06:24:10.533-08:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-92008976627257339332010-11-16T07:06:00.000-08:002010-11-16T07:07:49.483-08:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-5878017763026082802010-11-05T08:02:00.000-07:002010-11-05T08:03:57.112-07:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-22361356807352378782010-10-29T09:43:00.000-07:002010-10-29T09:45:44.407-07:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-80913819565516450592010-10-22T06:56:00.000-07:002010-10-22T06:59:22.503-07:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-55582057054189541392010-10-15T07:18:00.001-07:002010-10-15T07:18:43.200-07:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-91354668021774467462010-10-01T12:38:00.000-07:002010-10-01T12:40:04.183-07:00

Sunday was a perfectly lovely day, with Charlie baptized during noon mass at our parish by the same priest that officiated at our wedding (which we didn’t know about beforehand, so it was a nice surprise) and a reception with our family and close friends in the church social hall afterwards. Charlie was very well-behaved for all of mass, which we had been a little worried about since we would be

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-60986729730964845752010-09-23T12:58:00.000-07:002010-09-23T13:00:24.072-07:00

Last week Daniel and I were asked to be the pro-life chaircouple for our parish’s Knights of Columbus council, and we accepted the position. Obviously Daniel is the one who is a Knight, not me, but they usually choose a couple for this particular chair position, and the fact that we are young and have a baby made us appealing to the Grand Knight. Anyway, I’m really excited about this because

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-38112991163128881462010-09-17T07:27:00.001-07:002010-09-17T07:27:38.151-07:00

I was that lady this week, for the first time ever. The lady with the crying baby and a gazillion coupons in the grocery store checkout line.Thankfully it was around one o’clock on a Wednesday afternoon, so the store was almost empty, and I didn’t receive any of the dirty looks that I have heard other women complain of in the past. In fact, the woman behind me in line was jingling her keys in

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-43350908582483016272010-09-10T06:28:00.001-07:002010-09-10T06:28:49.981-07:00

Well, almost. I’m so very glad that it seems to finally be cooling down at least. I’ve had enough of 100 degree weather. Last Friday I was pleasantly surprised by scrambled eggs, a strawberry banana smoothie, coffee, and chocolate cheerios (yum!) in bed. Okay, part of that was a lie. It was my birthday, so I was actually expecting it…but that didn’t make it any less pleasant! The only

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-50671236156525136122010-09-08T06:53:00.000-07:002010-09-08T06:55:24.398-07:00

My Wednesday to-do list (which can be found on a 8×12 framed dry erase board that Daniel recently bought for me to make my lists on, since he was getting tired of finding dozens of little scraps of paper with different kinds of lists scattered all around the house—a fair compromise I think):- Make bed- Put away clean dishes- Wash last night’s dinner dishes-

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-7637401470351616852010-08-27T06:08:00.000-07:002010-08-27T06:09:12.847-07:00

Charlie had his first babysitter on Sunday. Well, almost. Last month when our hot water heater was broken and we were staying at my parents’ house because of the mold, we left him with my sister Jane for a half an hour while we went home to pack up what we would need and bring it back. And that same week sister Rose watched him for an hour while I took Jane to a cross country clinic thing.

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-43450883745574276432010-08-19T13:15:00.000-07:002010-08-20T08:34:50.612-07:00

It’s official: Two skinny people can have a very large baby. Charlie had his two month check-up this week; he measured in at 24 inches long and 16 pounds 3 ounces, which means that he has gained seven pounds and one ounce in exactly nine weeks. He is exclusively breastfed and usually only nurses on one side at a time for less than 15 minutes...obviously he is just a very efficient eater!We are

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-50572335415800294352010-08-13T06:24:00.000-07:002010-08-13T06:25:12.116-07:00

Daniel and I were talking a little bit earlier this week about how often, in movies and television shows, we hear parent characters talking about how all they really want is for their children to be happy. “Happy.” That’s it. As though there isn’t much more to life than temporal happiness—if that’s not on the road to hedonism, it’s pretty darn close. Is that what we want? Of course we want

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-14375131358869516202010-08-06T08:22:00.000-07:002010-08-06T08:23:46.300-07:00

I really don’t know what to write about this week. There has been a lot going on here, though. Daniel started his new job on Wednesday, which is exciting because it pays better and will allow him the option of working from home part of the time after six months. It also is getting him into more of the business side of the psychology field, which will hopefully open up additional doors for him

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-8474651696621885662010-07-29T11:26:00.000-07:002010-07-29T11:27:09.094-07:00

I love babies; I always have. I love how perfectly peaceful they look when they sleep. I love the dozens of faces they make while they’re dreaming. I love wondering what they could possibly be dreaming about at such a young age. I love their tiny noses, fingers, and eyelashes. I love their chubby cheeks and their gummy smiles. I love their little coos and gurgles and the way they wave their

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-16423178144272693982010-07-27T06:33:00.001-07:002010-07-27T06:33:20.111-07:00

I recently came across the following quote from C.S. Lewis that I had never seen before:“When I have learnt to love God better than my earthly dearest, I shall love my earthly dearest better than I do now. In so far as I learn to love my earthly dearest at the expense of God and instead of God, I shall be moving toward the state in which I shall not love my earthly dearest at all. When first

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-39594381847656588872010-07-19T07:39:00.001-07:002010-07-19T07:39:51.670-07:00

Charlie is one month old today-- I can't believe it! We had his one month checkup this morning, and the doctor says he is perfect. He has already grown an inch and a half and is three and a half pounds heavier than his birth weight. And for the last two nights he has given us a four to five hour stretch of sleep at night, which has made Daniel and me very happy.For the past week, my little

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-57953293324987067762010-07-06T11:26:00.000-07:002010-07-06T11:28:54.255-07:00

…there was a land where people went to bed at night, slept for a while, and then woke up in the morning. I know this to be true because I spent many happy years calling this land home—now I am beginning to wonder whether I will ever be able to return. Daniel’s time off has come to an end. He went back to work today and I am embarking on that journey I have so long dreamed about but never quite

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-69113644988716084532010-06-29T11:21:00.000-07:002010-06-29T11:25:12.380-07:00

Our son Charlie will be 13 days old tonight, and 13 days have never lasted so long. I hardly know where to begin! I also have hardly had the time to begin (or the ability to sit comfortably in our computer chair to write a blog entry for that matter) but things are beginning to settle down… at least somewhat.This is just a brief entry to let you know that all is well; Charles Edward is a calm,

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-25841279224422369842010-06-18T07:54:00.000-07:002010-06-18T07:58:01.457-07:00

BOY!Charles Edward Hammond (Charlie) was born at 11:23 PM on June 16. 9 pounds, 2 ounces. Congratulations, Sarah and Daniel!

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-48416171810732688392010-06-11T10:45:00.001-07:002010-06-11T10:45:56.321-07:00

Any day now, I hope, since my official due date is tomorrow. The hospital bag is packed (except for some clothing for Daniel and me that is currently dirty—I need to do laundry today). The house is clean (enough). The pantry and freezer are stocked. The nursery is ready, except for hanging some artwork, which will be done today. The cradle beside our bed has been emptied of the clothing I

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-20470237661085846622010-06-04T06:57:00.001-07:002010-06-04T06:57:39.800-07:00

We’re getting so close now. I once heard someone say that God must have made the end of pregnancy so uncomfortable and tiring so that women wouldn’t dread labor and delivery so much by the time it came, just to get it over with. I think that could very well be the case. In fact, I would be wishing to go into labor right now, except for a couple of things. One is that our house is still not

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-89971785736987638982010-05-28T10:14:00.000-07:002010-05-28T10:17:17.244-07:00

A couple of months ago, I read an article in a baby magazine that included quotes from a handful of different women on what it is like to be nine months pregnant. I don’t remember any of them but one: “You know you’re nine months pregnant when you drop something on the kitchen floor and you ask yourself, ‘Do I really need that?’” I laughed at this at the time, although at seven months I was

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-44812700742294194702010-05-21T06:39:00.000-07:002010-05-21T06:40:34.631-07:00

One more day, and I will be full term. Things are actually coming together pretty well. The nursery is finally being put together; my parents came over last weekend to bring the furniture and help assemble the crib. We decided on a layout for the room, but have yet to put everything in its place. That should happen this weekend. Of course, we have plenty of other stuff still going on. We (

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-17708965898776921312010-05-14T08:56:00.000-07:002010-05-14T08:58:03.030-07:00

This past year has been the fastest of my life so far. On Sunday, Daniel and I will celebrate our first wedding anniversary. Last night we flipped through the professional photos that I finally had printed just last week, looking back on our wedding day; it’s hard to believe that a whole twelve months, a whole four seasons, a whole year has passed since then.I can’t even say that we have yet

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-29770803453357642442010-05-07T05:14:00.000-07:002010-05-07T05:16:26.939-07:00

Sorry for the lack of a creative title, but I sat here for ten minutes hoping one would come to me and it never happened! Childbirth classes are off to a great start—really informative and helpful, I think. And it’s nice to be in a room with so many other first-time expectant parents, although it certainly makes for a long line in the ladies’ room during breaks. And even the fact that there is

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-6635542201848157702010-04-30T07:00:00.000-07:002010-04-30T07:02:06.287-07:00

This Saturday, Daniel and I are starting our childbirth classes through the hospital--three Saturday mornings, plus the following Saturday morning for a breastfeeding class. The lady in charge called me last night to remind us to bring a pillow and blankets, I guess for practicing relaxation, and snacks. I’m sure over four hours snacks will definitely come in handy.I’m so excited for us to get

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-51664142305600625882010-04-26T06:42:00.000-07:002010-04-26T06:43:33.595-07:00

My dear readers, I apologize for another delayed entry. I really have no excuse, other than to (truthfully!) claim that although last week was my first full week without going to work, it was still surprisingly busy.Since you last heard from me, I have done about as much driving as I would have done driving all the way to work two days a week, if not more; outside of the house I visited my

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-87037144152052886482010-04-16T06:38:00.000-07:002010-04-16T06:39:35.448-07:00

Is it just me, or has “comfortable” has gotten a bad rap these days? I happen to be a big fan of teen country singing sensation Taylor Swift, but in the song “The Way I Loved You” on her most recent CD, the fact that she uses “comfortable” as a bad thing bugs me, even if it is one of my favorite songs on the CD to sing along with. Okay, maybe she doesn’t use it as a bad thing, but she at least

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-25793598891719439152010-04-09T10:58:00.001-07:002010-04-09T10:58:55.137-07:00

Next week is my last week of work for the foreseeable future. As it is, I have only been working one or two days a week for the last few months, but being completely done with employment altogether is different—and crazy! Although I will miss the people that I work with, the fact that next Friday is my last day is a really good thing for multiple reasons:For starters, I am out of professional

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-71297259674753675902010-04-06T13:34:00.000-07:002010-04-06T13:37:02.276-07:00

Having been married almost eleven months now, Daniel and I have now reached the milestone of our last first holiday together and have entered the liturgical season in which we were married last year. So crazy! Daniel had his spring break from work this past week, which was shortened because of all the snow days the county used this year. If it hadn’t been cut down, we could have gotten a lot

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-19780421669155627372010-03-25T12:06:00.000-07:002010-03-25T12:07:02.375-07:00

I am 29 weeks pregnant and I am definitely doing what a lot of people would call “nesting.” I don’t know whether it’s “instinct” exactly, but just like anyone wants to straighten their home before visitors arrive, I want to be ready for a guest that’s going to be arriving late this spring, taking up all of my time and attention, and staying for a couple of decades.It’s a matter of knowing that

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-80713238819094920512010-03-18T12:59:00.000-07:002010-03-18T13:01:09.599-07:00

The glucose test wasn’t so terrible after all. The orange drink, while it wouldn’t be my beverage of choice, really wasn’t bad. The doctor suspected this to be because I have a sweet tooth, which is in fact very true. And the blood test hurt just like any other blood test, which I knew it would so I was not worried about it to begin with. The rest of my appointment went well, too, and my next

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-84170871534795963122010-03-12T06:48:00.000-08:002010-03-12T07:21:55.833-08:00

So, we made it home from Alabama safely and without any further damage, thank God! Of course, I guess we would have to be extremely unlucky to have a problem on both legs of the trip (or be extremely bad drivers).At the rehearsal dinner last Friday, Daniel and his cousin Michael dressed up as Lloyd and Harry from the movie “Dumb and Dumber,” which they all love. Daniel was in the orange tuxedo

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-75847287131532459102010-03-05T06:50:00.000-08:002010-03-05T06:54:11.181-08:00

Right now, Daniel and I are in Birmingham, Alabama for the first of five weddings we will be attending this year. Daniel's brother John is getting married on Saturday. He was best man in our wedding last year, and now Daniel is best man in his.We had a hard time getting out the door on Wednesday for our first married road trip, and our goal of leaving home at 3 p.m. turned into 4:30 p.m.

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-81047126157307915042010-02-26T06:30:00.000-08:002010-02-26T06:32:32.694-08:00

This week, I thought I’d share with you some words from Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, as quoted in a beautiful book I was given by a friend at work called "Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine-Month Novena for Mothers to Be" by Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle. (I highly recommend it!)“What was the Good News that Christ had come to give? That God is love. That God loves you. God loves me. That God

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-50296281908771780832010-02-19T10:10:00.000-08:002010-02-19T10:12:40.612-08:00

I have been thinking a lot this week about how happy I am. Seriously. I am very, very happy. I have to admit that sometimes when I think about it too much I worry that I’m too happy, that I have it too good, that I haven’t struggled quite enough. I don’t know quite what to do about that worry except attempt to dismiss it with a prayer (any suggestions on that?). But what I do know is that

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-69912102599364301512010-02-16T06:29:00.000-08:002010-02-16T06:30:58.585-08:00

Daniel and I have spent a good part of the past week and a half at home, with our cars buried in the driveway. We have gotten nearly four feet of snow between two major snowstorms/blizzards only three days apart, and it took a while for a county plow to even make it to our road. Thankfully our power never went out, which is what I had been most worried about; I even added a fleece blanket under

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-950005899343682322010-02-05T06:21:00.000-08:002010-02-05T06:22:58.458-08:00

As a pregnant woman, I am finding that it can be easy to fall into thinking that my husband should be taking care of me by shouldering more than his “fair share” of household work. Of course, I believe that a man should show his love for his pregnant wife by understanding that she is more tired than usual, etc. and helping her where he can. Daniel is doing an excellent job of this, yet there

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-76100873377070516332010-01-29T06:20:00.000-08:002010-01-29T06:23:19.266-08:00

Just when you thought I couldn’t possibly have any more wedding-related news, at eight months out, I finally put the last batch of thank you cards in the mail this week! I’m terrible, I know. What remained of them after the first half was finished had been stashed in a grocery bag and moved around several times over the last few months. But they were never exactly “lost”—I knew that I wouldn’t

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-50659430455257912512010-01-21T13:13:00.000-08:002010-01-21T13:17:18.289-08:00

Throughout my life, there has always some particular thing that I was sure would be able to improve my life. For example, “If only I had bell bottom pants, everything would be better” (grade 6); “If only I had a better hair straightener” (grades 8-12); “If only I could find pants that fit me perfectly and I can afford” (middle school-college—my legs have always been too long); “If only I had a

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-74059237505946062962010-01-15T10:23:00.000-08:002010-01-15T10:29:09.105-08:00

Yesterday afternoon, Daniel and I went to the doctor for another sonogram, so we got to see our baby again! We could have found out then whether it was a girl or a boy, but we decided to keep it a surprise for June.Since it was the anatomy scan, the ultrasound technician had to check and measure a whole list of things, so it took a little while. She wasn’t able to check everything on her list,

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-60515370082042801382010-01-07T12:35:00.000-08:002010-01-07T12:38:51.757-08:00

I regret to inform you that this past week has not held much in the way of new and exciting things to write about. 2010 has arrived. This is the year that our first child will be born—which really is quite perfect, Daniel and I concluded the other day. Being born at the beginning of a new decade will always make it easy for this baby’s age to be quickly calculated.Speaking of the baby, one of

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-71276170716860335792009-12-31T10:34:00.000-08:002009-12-31T10:36:47.961-08:00

Merry, Merry Christmas to you all! Although there was quite a bit of running around on our part, Daniel and I had a wonderful first married Christmas together. Christmas Eve was spent rushing around wrapping presents and completing other last-minute pre-Christmas tasks. For me this included finishing sewing the stockings that I was stubbornly intent on finishing in time for Daniel and me to

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-78791904123058531132009-12-18T06:55:00.000-08:002009-12-18T06:57:49.967-08:00

(Like many little girls, this is how I always began my daily entry in the little pink book with the flap that locked it closed, marked “Diary” in gold letters.)It is 7:30 p.m., and Daniel and I are at home. We are sitting on our couch, I finishing a slice of pizza that is my dinner and reading a Grace Livingston Hill novel collection, and Daniel typing away on his laptop, working on a paper for

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-2935239258959276402009-12-10T13:50:00.000-08:002009-12-10T13:52:13.184-08:00

My switch to working part-time finally came! This is my first week of commuting into D.C. only one day, and I love it. I am feeling well-rested and way less stressed, both of which help with the “morning sickness” that still seems to be hanging on for dear life. Although I can never accomplish quite as much as my ambitious to-do lists say I should, the house looks so much better than it did

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-60219159743121094422009-12-03T10:32:00.000-08:002009-12-03T10:33:48.673-08:00

I hope that you all had wonderful Thanksgiving celebrations with you families! Daniel and I certainly did. It turned out that I was able to eat pretty much every dish, despite my worries about feeling sick beforehand. Apparently it’s just chicken that bothers me—turkey’s great! This was a discovery I was very relieved to make.As is the tradition, my aunt, uncle, and eight cousins from Ohio

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-80922477686019034762009-11-23T06:35:00.000-08:002009-11-23T06:36:15.373-08:00

I have an exciting announcement for you all this week, one that I have been just dying to write about for weeks because it is all I can think about: Daniel and I are parents! I’m having a baby!!I must admit that I’m really not enjoying this first trimester of pregnancy, but that’s just not that important—obviously, Daniel and I are both ridiculously excited and happy. I am overwhelmed by the

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-53932341348123141892009-11-17T12:43:00.000-08:002009-11-18T07:38:27.998-08:00

What is marriage, really? This week, the bishops of the United States voted to approve the release of their new pastoral letter on marriage called “Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan.” This message from the bishops is so important today because of all the challenges and or threats to the institution of marriage. In their own words, “Our pastoral letter is an invitation to discover, or

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-56917618765129094682009-11-06T07:38:00.000-08:002009-11-06T07:40:01.433-08:00

I’ve talked before about my love of song lyrics and have used a few in my entries in the past year. Another thing that I love, which I don’t think I’ve really used here before, is my love of quotes! As a writer, I am enthralled with the power and beauty of words and the way they work together to create meaning. Poetry, like the lyrics of a song, expresses human emotion on all levels

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-66381788106883976612009-10-29T13:31:00.000-07:002009-10-29T13:32:56.844-07:00

This week I’m reminded of something Bilbo Baggins once told his nephew Frodo—that he felt “like a pat of butter spread over too much bread.” That’s a good description of how I feel right now. I don’t have too much to write about this week. Between working overtime and then spending four plus hours in the car every day, I haven’t had time for much else. Leave when it’s dark, get home when it’s

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-90750617262455704812009-10-23T06:15:00.000-07:002009-10-23T06:16:34.939-07:00

I’ve never lived alone. But for the first time, Daniel and I now live “alone” together.Last Saturday we helped our good friend and roommate Caroline move into her new apartment, and were left with an empty and echoey (not quite sure how to spell that one since it’s not a real word) extra bedroom. Although the acoustics are wonderful (I put on a concert for myself while sweeping the floor), we

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-20799440189233640222009-10-16T06:23:00.000-07:002009-10-16T06:28:40.119-07:00

Even before I knew it by name, I have always believed chivalry to be very important. When I was a teenager, it was on my list of characteristics and qualities that I found particularly appealing in boys. This might sound crazy to you but yes, I really did have this list, and I really did go over it with a pencil and check it off whenever a cute new boy caught my attention. This list included

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-10899263350899329362009-10-09T06:21:00.000-07:002009-10-09T06:23:06.825-07:00

I heard a homily this week that used the old James Dean film, Rebel without a Cause, which I have never seen, to illustrate that without God in one’s worldview, one’s life has no real meaning. In fact, in a world without God, there would be no purpose for anything at all.Not too long ago, in the course of a conversation on this subject with a friend, Daniel once said something along the lines of:

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-60918547838286771802009-10-01T11:28:00.000-07:002009-10-01T11:37:18.838-07:00

Does anyone else find it really upsetting when you hear that the artist who sings one of your favorite, most genuine-sounding love songs has broken up with their boyfriend/girlfriend or separated from their husband/wife?When Chuck Wicks released his song “Stealing Cinderella” and I heard it for the first time on country radio in 2007, I cried. This isn’t extremely unusual, since songs make me cry

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-63284191770782383792009-09-24T11:18:00.000-07:002009-09-25T10:51:53.514-07:00

It’s so true! An example that my friend Caroline likes to use is this one: “On June 6, 1944 soldiers stormed the beaches of Normandy.” Without a comma after 1944, the sentence loses its correct meaning and can cause confusion. There are other examples, too. By the end of this entry, you will understand the perhaps corny-seeming connection that I made in my mind. But you know me well enough by now

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-25340909612718163482009-09-18T07:01:00.000-07:002009-09-18T07:03:16.686-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, someone posted a comment asking me what some of the struggles of marriage are. “Obviously, blending two lives into one cannot be easy at times,” she wrote. “Marriage is an amazing sacrament, and I hope to one day be called to mirror Christ's love in the world through the sacrament of marriage. However, I think us single gals out there need to know some of the areas you

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-83260489239469884432009-09-10T12:47:00.000-07:002009-09-10T12:49:39.459-07:00

To those of you who posted comments last week, thank you so much for the birthday wishes! I had a wonderful evening with my husband. I know that Thursday wasn’t really a part of this particular long weekend, but it still felt like a weekend to me, so I’m including it.Daniel and I went out for dinner at a nearby restaurant that we had never tried before or even heard much about, and I’m not sure

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-67576183149230736892009-09-03T13:22:00.000-07:002009-09-03T13:24:17.687-07:00

When Daniel and I are making decisions, we find ourselves saying pretty often: “We can’t afford that.” Really, most of the time we know this not to be quite true. What we really should be saying is, “That doesn’t fit in with how we’ve decided we want to be spending our money.”As a couple, we know that we are considerably better off than most of the world. We are comfortable. God has blessed

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-74569115261628752102009-08-28T06:19:00.000-07:002009-08-28T06:20:56.235-07:00

About a month after our wedding, Daniel and I officially registered as parishioners at the church near our home, the same church that I have attended with my family for the past ten years. The staff there knows me by face and by family, but did not necessarily know Daniel’s name. After filling out the form as “Daniel and Sarah H,” I felt the need to clarify in the comments section at the bottom

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-18561378651377960162009-08-21T08:59:00.001-07:002009-08-22T10:22:17.364-07:00

I am no longer a student, but I still feel the excitement of fresh beginnings with the start of a new school year. Having attended Catholic grade school and a Catholic college, I have always operated in three different “years,” all going at once. There’s the Church’s Liturgical year, beginning with the first Sunday of Advent; the calendar year, beginning on January 1st; and finally the school

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-91756219019989421042009-08-13T11:20:00.000-07:002009-08-13T11:30:59.329-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, one reader commented that I haven’t been focusing enough on the joys of marriage in my blog. So, I decided to come up with a list of some of the joys of my marriage to Daniel. I love easy tasks, and this certainly was one! In no particular order, here you go:-- Being able to see each other every single day of every single week-- Having my best friend around all the time,

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-50275175751120499972009-08-07T07:15:00.000-07:002009-08-20T07:10:11.940-07:00

This week's entry is written by Daniel. Let me begin by saying that I am not as eloquent as my wife. To give you proper perspective, Sarah worked at the writing center when we were in college and I was a frequent user of the writing center. That said, I would like to focus on a few things in this post through an all-encompassing story. I hope to address my faith, conflicts within marriage, and my

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-82721450281396143782009-07-31T06:47:00.000-07:002009-07-31T06:48:50.376-07:00

Don’t worry—this week, I’m cooling it with the heavy theological/philosophical stuff. Daniel’s birthday was this week, and I was all excited about being able to wake up and bring him breakfast in bed now that we live together, but I didn’t wake up in time, which upset me greatly. After work, Daniel helped load a truck for someone who was moving, so he didn’t get home until around 8:00. We went

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-70369123182371584212009-07-24T06:52:00.000-07:002009-07-24T06:54:13.412-07:00

Daniel and I dedicated a good chunk of both Friday night and Saturday to battling our seemingly inescapable enemy: clutter. We pulled all kinds of books, old paperwork, and memorabilia/trinkets of various shapes and sizes out of their hiding places and piled them all in the living room to be gone through. Over the course of the weekend, we actually made a pretty good dent—lots of paper went out

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-56376009666732120622009-07-17T06:08:00.000-07:002009-07-17T06:10:46.656-07:00

I wonder how Cinderella felt after she and Prince Charming had been married for two months. That’s how long it’s been for Daniel and me now—two whole months. I guess you could say we are still in the honeymoon phase of our marriage, even though our honeymoon trip only lasted one week.That’s not to say that we are perfectly “happy” all the time; even our very young marriage has its share of

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-85401147452680486382009-07-10T06:19:00.000-07:002009-07-10T06:22:31.633-07:00

I am really looking forward to this weekend. The past couple of weekends have been pretty busy for Daniel and me—two weekends ago we stayed with my younger cousins while my uncle and aunt went on a trip to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary. We had a lot of fun there, first of all because my cousins (ages six, twelve, fourteen, and sixteen) are a lot of fun to hang out with and we love

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-81163692929059453812009-07-02T07:51:00.000-07:002009-07-02T07:58:39.421-07:00

Now it’s time to catch you up on the last month and a half, the first month and a half of Daniel’s and my married life together (since it’s taken me that long just to tell you about the wedding weekend!). I absolutely love being married. I love getting to see Daniel every single day no matter what—waking up to his kisses every morning, coming home to him every day after work, and cuddling up to

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-65132198929358823732009-06-26T06:33:00.000-07:002009-06-26T06:36:39.023-07:00

Being introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Hammond to a room full of everyone we love was an amazing experience. The deejay played instrumental music that made it sound like we had just won a game show or something, but in a good way. We walked through the door, grinning brightly. The room looked even more beautiful than I had imagined it. Everyone cheered, lots of people standing up from their

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-13889832384866508322009-06-19T07:35:00.000-07:002009-06-19T07:40:24.947-07:00

Our wedding Mass was beautiful. My nervousness didn’t entirely disappear, but it definitely got easier as soon as I took Daniel’s hand to walk to our seats. I had been worried that I would be too anxious to pay attention and pray during the liturgy, but that didn’t end up being a problem at all. I was able to stay focused and prayerful the entire time. And I remember every detail of the

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-37030850435089959612009-06-12T10:47:00.000-07:002009-06-12T11:15:09.664-07:00

When the alarm on my cell phone went off at 6:10 on Saturday morning, I sat up immediately and swung my feet to the floor. I didn’t hit snooze at all, which was a surprise to both me and my friends even though it was my wedding day.I showered, brushed my teeth, and put on capris, flip-flops, and a button-up shirt that I would be able to change out of without ruining my up-do. With a Quaker

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-87885896511487138402009-06-05T06:38:00.000-07:002009-06-05T06:41:47.612-07:00

Just to let you know since some of you are wondering, there is going to be a wedding photo album posted on here very soon—I think by this time next week. Daniel and I are anxiously awaiting the photographer’s pictures ourselves! As for today, I hope none of you are bored by the fact that this entry is mainly going to be a list of events, but I’m picking up where I left off.Caroline, Nicole,

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-74860385238541845842009-05-28T13:06:00.000-07:002009-05-28T13:15:33.809-07:00

I know, I know, that’s really dorky—but since I thought of it I just had to use it!First of all, I would like to thank Caroline and Leanna for the beautiful entry they wrote last week while I was away—I’ve read it myself at least five times through. I love hearing about the day from the perspective of others who were there. As for Daniel and me, people really mean it when they say your wedding

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-3390719940911112672009-05-21T13:09:00.000-07:002009-05-22T07:55:02.004-07:00

While Sarah and Daniel are on their honeymoon, this blog entry is co-written by Caroline, Sarah’s roommate/friend/coworker, and Leeanna, Sarah’s friend/coworker. Most of this entry is written from their joint perspective, with individual observations as noted. Sarah and Daniel’s wedding day was absolutely beautiful, and even the weather held up when it needed to. Every piece of the ceremony made

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-67385057093927729232009-05-15T06:18:00.000-07:002009-05-15T06:20:08.560-07:00

I'm getting married tomorrow! And I don't have much time to write this, so pardon my brevity (honestly, I'm rather surprised that I just used a word like "brevity" at a time like this). I am so excited, but so nervous right now, which I'm sure you could have figured if you have been reading my blog for the last several months.A friend who was recently married (in December) told me that her prayer

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-63001194573303540802009-05-08T06:00:00.000-07:002009-05-08T06:00:00.823-07:00

I am getting married in a week and one day. And I am insanely happy. I’m also a little bit sad, but only a little bit—mainly in a sentimental, nostalgic kind of way. I will only be Sarah B for one more week. Still, I’m mostly happy. But tell me to cry, right now, and I will. I have too much to do, I’m stressed, I’m anxious, I’m antsy, I can’t sit still, I can’t focus. In one week and one

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-59395094364635430192009-05-01T06:00:00.000-07:002009-05-01T06:00:00.871-07:00

I’m getting married this month! Everything is coming together fairly well, but of course there is still plenty to do in the next two weekends.Our problem right now is our honeymoon… which we booked a few months ago for an all-inclusive resort along the Riviera Maya in Mexico. And of course you all know why that would be a problem. Of all the places a soon-to-be-officially-declared worldwide

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-75571124139919236592009-04-24T06:00:00.000-07:002009-04-24T06:00:00.397-07:00

“She appears to have taken leave of her senses.”The above phrase would typically be taken to mean that “she,” whoever she might be, has gone crazy or is displaying irrational behavior in some way or another. However, it could also take on a rather different meaning. It seems to be a common expectation that when a woman gets married she seems to “take leave of” her own five senses for an entire

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-57621772406750048452009-04-17T06:16:00.000-07:002009-04-17T06:20:39.663-07:00

As I am writing this on Thursday, there is exactly one month left until the wedding. Thirty days. Four weeks and one day, plus about twenty hours. Daniel and I got engaged on April 20, 2007. That was 108 weeks, one day, and about eighteen hours before our wedding.Of course, we didn’t know that then—we didn’t decide on a date until about a month after the engagement. But I can remember

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-41914197090676059442009-04-13T06:41:00.000-07:002009-04-13T06:43:00.740-07:00

The response cards are coming in, filling my parents’ mailbox, and I have been diligently marking people off on my invitation address spreadsheet as they come. And there are only five weeks left!Our friends’ wedding last weekend really made me all the more excited for mine. The whole evening was lovely, and the bride and groom were absolutely glowing. I wouldn’t be surprised if the muscles in

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-63830528666117987582009-04-03T06:00:00.000-07:002009-04-03T06:00:02.658-07:00

The invitations are out! Daniel and I joked as we drove away from the post office that we really have to get married now. Everyone’s going to show up—it’s official. I spent all of my free time last week printing, punching out, and assembling invitations, response cards, and reception cards, as well as searching for addresses I had not yet found and addressing all of the envelopes in

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-46466544449081480802009-03-27T06:18:00.001-07:002009-03-27T06:27:53.244-07:00

I had been reassured countless times by my family and friends that “you’ll be fine,” and “you’re going to have so much fun.” Nonetheless, I arrived at my bridal shower last Saturday feeling extremely tense, having allowed my nervousness to slowly build in the week leading up to the day itself.Marie, my maid of honor, and my bridesmaids had planned an afternoon tea party for me, to be held at my

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-70823777797900419592009-03-20T06:00:00.000-07:002009-03-20T06:00:01.490-07:00

“Time is making fools of us again.” To those who are Harry Potter fans like myself, you may know that I quote that incredibly wise old wizard, Albus Dumbledore. I tend to be quite impressed with the words that J.K. Rowling puts in this particular character’s mouth. In any event, I find this quote coming to mind quite often lately.Time does, indeed, seem to be making a fool of me. It’s this crazy

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-7356753708759360642009-03-13T06:00:00.000-07:002009-03-13T06:00:00.531-07:00

This Saturday is going to be all wedding planning all day. Daniel and I will be driving up to look at the chapel and reception site with my mom and my sisters Rose and Jane. This is so that we can start thinking more about what we need in the way of decorations for both places.While we are up that direction, we are also going to go shopping at the outlets to look for “bridesmaiden” dresses for

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-33495260733090728152009-03-06T07:09:00.000-08:002009-03-06T07:12:18.487-08:00

I, Sarah, take you, Daniel, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.Come to think of it, when the Rite of Marriage says “I, N., take you, N., to be…” it could be that we are supposed to insert full names (first, middle, and last) where it says “N.” I’ll have to look into that.

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-25634329904190410232009-02-27T06:00:00.000-08:002009-02-27T06:00:00.431-08:00

Lent has begun. This is the time of year that I really try to put some extra effort into growing in faith and conforming my life to Christ. This Lent, Daniel and I are both giving up all television. I’m also planning on saying a daily Rosary, and Daniel and I are going to add Night Prayer (of the Liturgy of the Hours, which neither of us has ever done before) to our evening prayer time

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-36073412784228087802009-02-20T06:00:00.000-08:002009-02-20T06:00:00.273-08:00

I’ve got a serious case of wedding-on-the-brain… and it seems to be getting worse by the day. No matter where I am or what I’m doing, I’ve got my to-do list running through my head like the credits on the screen at the end of a movie. Talk about distracting! It seems as though I have completely lost my ability to focus. And there are still almost three months left for me to be like this! I do

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-29191352679522441352009-02-13T06:00:00.000-08:002009-02-13T06:00:00.831-08:00

Who is your best friend? If you are married, engaged, or even just “engaged to be engaged,” I hope that you would say that the reason you want to spend the rest of your life with this person is because he is your best friend (or she, I’m just speaking from the woman’s perspective here).I personally have quite a few “best friends,” colloquially speaking. I still have my “best friend from

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-32397996979616033662009-02-06T06:00:00.000-08:002009-02-06T06:00:00.818-08:00

I was just looking at the “Do you operate in different marital time zones?” quiz on foryourmarriage.org, and it got me thinking, although not exactly about the content of the quiz itself. My thoughts took a different direction.Here we go: I get grumpy when Daniel falls asleep when we are “supposed to be” spending time together; this grumpiness ranges from annoyance to full-out anger, depending

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-49741430968157449742009-01-30T06:00:00.000-08:002009-01-30T06:00:01.235-08:00

I had a little bit of a panic attack last night. This is because I suddenly realized that this week is the end of January. May 16 keeps getting closer and closer, and my list of things to do doesn’t seem to be getting any smaller.Daniel’s winter break from classes is now over, and he now has another semester’s full schedule of classes to add to his work schedule. For our last three and a half

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2724595550576641336.post-22547800039537995562009-01-23T05:37:00.000-08:002009-01-23T05:39:07.776-08:00

A lot of people today try to make the argument that a couple should live together before they get married, as a sort of compatibility “trial run.” They claim that this would reduce the risk of heartache and general unhappiness in marriage, and ultimately lower the possibility of divorce. I don’t buy into any of this myself—in fact, studies show that cohabitation before marriage can actually

Sarah and Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16437951593381163459noreply@blogger.com1