more details on the payment system and computer coming soon!
In the meantime please email
{brandon.curtis@gmail.com} and/or
{sarah.f.mcpherson@gmail.com}
Have a great weekend!
-Mrs. M
Kyle Computer Fund
Posted on: Friday, October 7, 2011
We're going to send Kyle a new computer in Iraq. Want to help?
Click here for more information!
or
email:
{brandon.curtis@gmail.com}
{sarah.f.mcpherson@gmail.com}
Once things get rolling, I will even create one of those thermometer goal tracking dealios.
So you know it is legit.
: )
- Mrs. M
P.S- Happy 7 Month Anniversary, husband!
Want to Do Something Nice for Kyle?
Posted on: Thursday, October 6, 2011
Calling all friends and fans of Kyle!
Kyle has had some access to internet in the last couple days, making me a very happy wife. His laptop is five years old, and in technology years, that's retirement age. He has had trouble with his computer, and while it is not completely kaput, it is certainly on its way out. Our friend Brandon emailed me with a great idea this afternoon. We are, with your help, going to get him a new one and have it sent straight (well as straight as Army mail travels) to him in Iraq! We think this will make him a very happy soldier, and improve his means of communication and entertainment.
To contribute, any little bit, please email Brandon Curtis at brandon.curtis@gmail.com. Or email me {sarah.f.mcpherson@gmail.com} and I will pass it along. I am also putting a package of other things together to send him, and some accessories for his new laptop, once we figure out which one to get him. Brandon is going to be in touch with Kyle to pick a computer, and I will keep you updated on our progress! Kyle will be touched to know friends are thinking of him.
Dear husband,
Surprise! We all love you very much. : )
Thanks everyone!
Sarah
Kyle has had some access to internet in the last couple days, making me a very happy wife. His laptop is five years old, and in technology years, that's retirement age. He has had trouble with his computer, and while it is not completely kaput, it is certainly on its way out. Our friend Brandon emailed me with a great idea this afternoon. We are, with your help, going to get him a new one and have it sent straight (well as straight as Army mail travels) to him in Iraq! We think this will make him a very happy soldier, and improve his means of communication and entertainment.
To contribute, any little bit, please email Brandon Curtis at brandon.curtis@gmail.com. Or email me {sarah.f.mcpherson@gmail.com} and I will pass it along. I am also putting a package of other things together to send him, and some accessories for his new laptop, once we figure out which one to get him. Brandon is going to be in touch with Kyle to pick a computer, and I will keep you updated on our progress! Kyle will be touched to know friends are thinking of him.
Dear husband,
Surprise! We all love you very much. : )
Thanks everyone!
Sarah
Wednesday Wedding: Dress
Posted on: Wednesday, October 5, 2011
"me" as bride via theknot.com
Have any dress shopping advice?
- From the desk of Mrs. M
Married with Miles
Posted on: Tuesday, October 4, 2011
I figured it was a good time for the sequel to my Dating with Distance post, nearly six months later and going on five months of deployment. Last time I wrote a lot about how we've really had to communicate a lot and learned to get really good at it. Kyle and I have always been good at talking to one another; how else can you fall in love when you live in different states? But now we have no communication. No contact. No email, no letters. Living in different states sounds simply wonderful in comparison.
It is not fun, it can be miserable, it some days seems horrible, but so far it is not unbearable. I mean, what can you do but live each day and press on when it gets bad? You can't do much. You can cry as much as you want, it won't change things. I try to stay positive; that doesn't mean I haven't collapsed crying on the floor.
Deployment is hard for more than the obvious reasons: being apart, him being a soldier at war, the unknown and the worry. I've noticed that the longer he is gone, the more it becomes a psychological challenge, rather than a more basic and gut emotional response. I cry and mope less than I did during basic training/AIT, but I feel it more, it hurts more. It's hard because being apart becomes the normal, against everything you want it to be. It is hard working out the guilt of being the one still at home, the one who has TV and a car and friends and days that aren't sweltering hot. It is hard to remember to remind yourself that he would want you to have fun and see friends and not work all the time. I have a habit of doing this: when Kyle left for basic I maintained three jobs and five classes for a few months, until I realized that was a stupid plan. I also wrote him over 300 pages worth of letters during those few months; many days that was the only social communication I had. It's hard when people thank you. It's hard worrying if things will be different once he gets back. It's hard in the morning, afternoon, and especially hard in the evening. It's hard not having a reason to be excited in the morning or a reason to stay up late at night. It's hard feeling like you're forgetting things and not making new memories.
Being married, though, is a comfort. I like having his name. I love being his wife. I like getting his Verizon bills in the mail (even though his phone is off and the bills are $0). I like knowing that he's thinking about me as much as I'm thinking about him. I like thinking about when I will get to see him next. I like writing him little love notes every day.
What good can come from being apart? We are both doing good things individually, but I think to keep a relationship strong when there is no being together, you have to still feel that somehow your relationship is going to benefit. This is by far our biggest challenge to date, but I do believe that we will be nearly invincible by the end of it. I know that we are a very strong couple already, something I am very thankful for and so proud of. We didn't rush into getting married, even though our engagement was short and planning a bit chaotic. We have been learning about each other for eight years. I don't remember the first time I told him I love him because we've been saying it for eight years, the meaning has just gradually shifted. I have a keychain that he found and gave to me in high school (during my "omgaustralia" phase). I only noticed last fall that I've had that keychain keeping my keys together ever since, in State College, Finland, in DC, in Pittsburgh, and of course now. It wasn't intentional, it just happened that it was the one thing I always had with me wherever I went. It made me smile, realizing that, because likewise, Kyle and I have stayed together since we met in tenth grade. We dated other people, we went to different schools, different countries. We were not headed in the same direction, but somehow being apart brought us even closer, and we've worked hard since we realized what we wanted and what was inevitable; a good relationship doesn't just happen by chance and fate alone. I know that this has already made us stronger, and love and appreciate each other more. Being married means being in it together, whether you wake up next to each other or thousands of miles apart, whether you have each others hands to hold or a keychain to hang on to.
- From the desk of Mrs. M
It is not fun, it can be miserable, it some days seems horrible, but so far it is not unbearable. I mean, what can you do but live each day and press on when it gets bad? You can't do much. You can cry as much as you want, it won't change things. I try to stay positive; that doesn't mean I haven't collapsed crying on the floor.
Deployment is hard for more than the obvious reasons: being apart, him being a soldier at war, the unknown and the worry. I've noticed that the longer he is gone, the more it becomes a psychological challenge, rather than a more basic and gut emotional response. I cry and mope less than I did during basic training/AIT, but I feel it more, it hurts more. It's hard because being apart becomes the normal, against everything you want it to be. It is hard working out the guilt of being the one still at home, the one who has TV and a car and friends and days that aren't sweltering hot. It is hard to remember to remind yourself that he would want you to have fun and see friends and not work all the time. I have a habit of doing this: when Kyle left for basic I maintained three jobs and five classes for a few months, until I realized that was a stupid plan. I also wrote him over 300 pages worth of letters during those few months; many days that was the only social communication I had. It's hard when people thank you. It's hard worrying if things will be different once he gets back. It's hard in the morning, afternoon, and especially hard in the evening. It's hard not having a reason to be excited in the morning or a reason to stay up late at night. It's hard feeling like you're forgetting things and not making new memories.
Being married, though, is a comfort. I like having his name. I love being his wife. I like getting his Verizon bills in the mail (even though his phone is off and the bills are $0). I like knowing that he's thinking about me as much as I'm thinking about him. I like thinking about when I will get to see him next. I like writing him little love notes every day.
What good can come from being apart? We are both doing good things individually, but I think to keep a relationship strong when there is no being together, you have to still feel that somehow your relationship is going to benefit. This is by far our biggest challenge to date, but I do believe that we will be nearly invincible by the end of it. I know that we are a very strong couple already, something I am very thankful for and so proud of. We didn't rush into getting married, even though our engagement was short and planning a bit chaotic. We have been learning about each other for eight years. I don't remember the first time I told him I love him because we've been saying it for eight years, the meaning has just gradually shifted. I have a keychain that he found and gave to me in high school (during my "omgaustralia" phase). I only noticed last fall that I've had that keychain keeping my keys together ever since, in State College, Finland, in DC, in Pittsburgh, and of course now. It wasn't intentional, it just happened that it was the one thing I always had with me wherever I went. It made me smile, realizing that, because likewise, Kyle and I have stayed together since we met in tenth grade. We dated other people, we went to different schools, different countries. We were not headed in the same direction, but somehow being apart brought us even closer, and we've worked hard since we realized what we wanted and what was inevitable; a good relationship doesn't just happen by chance and fate alone. I know that this has already made us stronger, and love and appreciate each other more. Being married means being in it together, whether you wake up next to each other or thousands of miles apart, whether you have each others hands to hold or a keychain to hang on to.
- From the desk of Mrs. M
Happy List
Posted on: Monday, October 3, 2011
I was going to do a post on what I miss about Kyle (barf, I know. Plus it would read "um...everything.") but instead I'm going to do a happy list, because a) when in doubt, make a list, and b) thinking of happy things is always a good choice in pastime.
1. Arrested Development is back, baby!
2. I enjoyed the Dexter season premiere; it felt more like Dexter of the good old days (seasons one through four). I loved seeing such giddy excitement out of him at the prospect of a new serial killer challenge.
3. It sounds like there is maybe kind of a chance that Kyle will actually be back in January, maybe? You never know, but the news I've been getting has sounded a little more promising and official. We'll see...I am not getting my hopes up (too much), but keep your fingers crossed for us!
4. TV shows probably shouldn't be the topic of three things making me happy, but I've been really enjoying Parks & Recreation, The Office, and Happy Endings for some funny times.
5. Tracy and Christy and Emma coming to visit this weekend, and making sure I feel pretty for dress shopping.
6. Hockey.
7. My work at PATH.
8. Tapping my nails on tables n' things.
9. When random memories of Kyle pop into my head and make me smile.
10. Mornings off work.
What makes you happy lately? Feel free to share!
- From the desk of Mrs. M
1. Arrested Development is back, baby!
2. I enjoyed the Dexter season premiere; it felt more like Dexter of the good old days (seasons one through four). I loved seeing such giddy excitement out of him at the prospect of a new serial killer challenge.
3. It sounds like there is maybe kind of a chance that Kyle will actually be back in January, maybe? You never know, but the news I've been getting has sounded a little more promising and official. We'll see...I am not getting my hopes up (too much), but keep your fingers crossed for us!
4. TV shows probably shouldn't be the topic of three things making me happy, but I've been really enjoying Parks & Recreation, The Office, and Happy Endings for some funny times.
5. Tracy and Christy and Emma coming to visit this weekend, and making sure I feel pretty for dress shopping.
6. Hockey.
7. My work at PATH.
8. Tapping my nails on tables n' things.
9. When random memories of Kyle pop into my head and make me smile.
10. Mornings off work.
What makes you happy lately? Feel free to share!
- From the desk of Mrs. M
In Which I Ramble About the Gift Registry
I've slowly started adding things to our myregistry.com list! You can add things from any store/site online and it keeps track of them all on the one site, including money gifts (and that his/hers/ours decanter set I mentioned earlier). I haven't gone much outside of the kitchen in my selections so far; I'm not entirely sure what all you're supposed to ask for, aside from a mixer, and I've got that picked.
{I think I will go with pistachio.}
You wouldn't think shopping for things that other people will for buy you would be hard, but it is kind of stressful because I have to decide on all gifts for the both of us. I hope Kyle likes the things I pick. I shouldn't worry too much; I don't imagine he would be too picky about kitchen appliances and bake ware, but still; I will certainly get some raised eyebrows if my choices are too wacky or impractical. We didn't get a chance to discuss colors or styles or anything for our future home, and I do wish he could tell me what knife set to get and other things he is more knowledgeable about. I'm trying to find some things he would particularly like in our future home; he likes to cook and entertain too, though I will be safe getting anything beer and alcohol related to appease him. I had considered that we should just ask for money, because a) less to haul down to Texas and b) we could shop for things together which would be fun, but I know some guests would prefer getting gifts, and it will be fun to have things in pretty paper to open (fun fact about me: I have a slight fear of opening gifts). Depending on when he gets back, though, and if we move together down to Texas sooner than wedding times, we might already have more of the usual house things (a toaster).
{crate & barrel has Marimekko! (Finnish design)}
BUT ALSO the wedding isn't for 8 months so nobody should be gift shopping anyway and I don't know why a registry needs to be done so far in advance and if he comes back in January as the Army keeps on hinting there is a good chance of, there will be lots of time to get his input.
I really really miss him. Very much.
In conclusion, all of this makes me very excited with the realization that finally, two years after we were supposed to move in together, we will be living not only in the same country/state/city/time zone, but in the same home that we will be making together. (Don't ask me where this home is, or how we're going to find it, because that will stress me out to no end right now.)
All I know is it's gonna be wonderful!
{and maybe these cute bowls will help in making it so}
- From the desk of Mrs. M
Bits and Pieces
Posted on: Sunday, October 2, 2011
1 & 2 - new headband I love
3 - pumpkin pie blizzard. stomach ache
4 - candle time
5 - save the dates arrived
6 - cute little bottle from Annapolis
7 - bringing out the scarves
8 - new little booties
9 - Netflix not for much longer
10 - pursuing for wedding registry ideas
11 - little notes I'm collecting for Kyle
It's nice finishing work while it is still light out!
bits + pieces via bleubird
- From the desk of Mrs. M
Smells like October
Posted on: Saturday, October 1, 2011
After work today mom and I did a little shopping (it was almost Christmas-time busy at the mall, but without the mall Santa and *NSYNC Christmas album playing in the background) . Look at all the pumpkin spice smells I found! Maybe I went a little overboard, and I'm not sure candles are very possible with the kittens around (maybe when they sleep), but on this rainy cold day I was very excited to return to the apartment and make it smell wonderful and cozy inside.
And yes, I gave in and got a coffee maker. I'd been thinking about it for a while, due to many hours of work and few hours of sleep, and so I didn't have to drive to get a cup if I wanted one, but I just made the decision on the spot. I feel like becoming a coffee drinker changes a person, but once I found DD Cafe pumpkin spice in the coffee aisle, I knew it was the right decision. I don't think I will become addicted or dependent...famous last words? There was a moment of panic when I wasn't sure if I had any mugs that weren't holding odds and ends or pencils and pens, but then I remembered to look in the other cupboard.
- From the desk of Mrs. M
And yes, I gave in and got a coffee maker. I'd been thinking about it for a while, due to many hours of work and few hours of sleep, and so I didn't have to drive to get a cup if I wanted one, but I just made the decision on the spot. I feel like becoming a coffee drinker changes a person, but once I found DD Cafe pumpkin spice in the coffee aisle, I knew it was the right decision. I don't think I will become addicted or dependent...famous last words? There was a moment of panic when I wasn't sure if I had any mugs that weren't holding odds and ends or pencils and pens, but then I remembered to look in the other cupboard.
Yum. I'm glad a lot of other people seem to really like October too (data from facebook)! :)
- From the desk of Mrs. M
October Kittens
om nom nom
Happy First day of October! Looks like it's going to start off pretty cold. I work 6:30-2:30 both days this weekend, which I am OK with as it leaves me the rest of the afternoon and evening to get some things done, relax a little, and maybe just maybe finally watch The King's Speech which has been sitting next to the TV for about two weeks now. Have a good weekend friends!
- Mrs. M
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