Luck o' the Irish

Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day.... While most people I know went downtown or elsewhere to enjoy some green beer drinking, my day was a horse of a different color. Tim has been busy with his new trainee and I have been busy trying to balance crazy, mixed-up schedules at school and compile some grades and we have both really felt it---the exhaustion, the boredom of the same thing again and again, and the lack of energy/time for each other.  We have both said over the course of the last week or two how we would love to do something new that we haven't done together before. I thought it was a pretty tall order since I've been here my whole life and he has been here for about five years. To my delight, surprise, wonder.... Tim told me Friday night that he had a "little date" planned for us on Saturday.

Guys--don't ever forget to plan dates for your girlfriends or wives. Just the words alone that you have "planned something" will send her heart into a frenzy and her imagination into overdrive. Tim could have taken me to a landfill for all I cared, I was just so happy that I was going to get to spend time with him and have it be called a date!! He ended up telling me Friday night before bed that we were going to Lake Townsend (about ten minutes from our house) and we were going to get a rowboat and have a picnic on the lake. He had even gone and talked to the workers to confirms prices, times, and all that jazz so that there wouldn't be a single glitch in the day.

Now, to some of you, you may be thinking "Aww, that's nice." The end. Well, for me these words were practically magic and sent me into a tizzy as I wiggled and bounced and exclaimed how very excited I was. I think he was pleased, but didn't really get it.... until the next day when I got up to get ready for our hot date. I ran around yelling "I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready!" and singing "I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it...." He may as well have told me that we were going on a secret mission to Atlantis. He looked at me at one point and he looked at me as though I had antlers growing out of my head. I also spent the morning calling him things like "land lover" and "laddie".... my mixture of what I considered very sophisticated sea lingo and St. Patty's Day lingo. Bless him..... he didn't even get overwhelmed by my wired energy, he just said he was so glad I was excited and proceeded to pack us our fancy picnic.

Errr.... then we got there, got to pick our boat, and .... huh..... how about that, I actually had to get in the darn thing. Tim was very patient, but all my quips about the sea and my sea jargon went out the window as I got in--I looked how our dog looks when I try to get him into the bathtub. Tense, stiff-legged, and nervous. Every miniscule wave sent a screech into my throat. Eventually we were in and ready to go.

With the temperature hovering in the mid 70's and the sky slightly overcast, it was the perfect temperature to be out on the water. I got more and more comfortable and the life jacket eventually came off for awhile.... we rowed, we sat and talked, we enjoy the sun (Tim started to fry in the sun...).... it was terrific. 

We also ate our delicious picnic....what was it? PB & J, string cheese, goldfish, and a cookie. We are so classy!! Tim rowed alllll the way to the other side (I took a turn here or there, too), and found an old broken up dock (or so we think? it didn't lead anywhere...) and tied us up while we ate so we would have a little shade. He is so thoughtful and I am the luckiest girl in the world.

It looks way more overcast than it really was! The sky was mostly a pretty blue.

Eventually we had to head back to land (mostly because of the sun and how we didn't bring any sunscreen) and head home. It was a SMASHING success in my book!!

When we went home, Tim put the finishing touches on his corned beef and cabbage, potatoes and carrots and bread with Irish butter (been cooking since about 6:30 in the morning) while I straightened up and then my parents came and joined us for an Irish dinner. I even ate some of the corned beef---those of you who know me know that this is a big deal. It was all pretty good to me, and delicious to them.

We rounded off St. Patty's Day with a little lounging on the TV with the door open to we could hear the rain and thunder that rolled in late evening. All in all, I'd say the luck of the Irish was with us yesterday. =]

Today I plan on getting a few decorations for our big gender reveal party that is coming up on Friday. Only 3.5 more days until Tim and I head to the doctor and (hopefully, hopefully) find out what we are having!!! AHHH!!!

Please, when you have a moment this week, pray for a healthy baby. I've heard some sad stories lately where babies couldn't make it anymore or where they found out some sad news at their gender ultrasounds. Keep us in your thoughts, pray for a strong, healthy, growing babe..... and that baby is not at all shy on Wednesday!!! Thank you, thank you.

[Side note: I have officially lost the chargers to both my wonderful cameras, so I have to use my phone for all the pictures I upload here...sorry if they are a little fuzzy sometimes.]