Now, this is the story all about how…

Just kidding. But I do know every single word to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song. It’s gotten me a long way in life, as you can probably tell.

This is something I’ve been meaning to write for a long time. It is “The Story of How I Met My Husband, Long-Form.” I’m pretty sure most people know the short version — went to school, hung out for a few years, met this dude who was a senior in high school when I was in 8th grade, got married.

I was blogging the entire time we were dating, but I never ever talked about our relationship. It may amaze you that I managed that sort of restraint, however, it never occurred to me that writing about it while it was happening would be appropriate. In reality, I’m very talented at freaking people out and the last thing I wanted to do was scare this fairly normal, upstanding, Christian guy away.

Ours is an interesting story. I hear all the time from people who knew us both before we dated that they never would have pictured us together — and I get that. Neither would I. But together? It’s like when you find a good contrasting color to paint one wall in a room, one that by itself maybe doesn’t look like it will belong with the main color, but then you put them together and stand back to take it all in and say, “Huh. It works somehow.”

I’ve established the TV and movies that I feel represent our relationship the best. It’s sorta like Son-In-Law in the situation (only that Kevin is nothing like Pauly Shore and I didn’t come home from my first year of college donning fish-nets and brassy bottle-blond hair…but you know, other than that); like My Big Fat Greek Wedding in that…well, have you met my family? We’re not Greek, but I think if you threw an accent on us all and encouraged us to break china you wouldn’t be able to see much difference. And at this stage in our lives it’s something like Green Acres, only reverse. I’m definitely the one who wants to move (back) to the country and farm. And Kevin tells me I’m responsible for the feeding of the goat and chickens because he wants no part of it.

There’s a little bit of Big Valley thrown in, but lest anyone start thinking I want my husband dead and the responsibility of running a whole ranch on my hands, I’m going to leave that one out for now.

Only here’s the deal — I’ve got no idea what to call this little series of mine. I’m working on a name and I’ve got a few possibilities floating around in my head, but I’m going to let you, the reader, tell me which one you prefer. That post will be later today or tomorrow, but right now I want to open it up to your suggestions.

What do you think would be a good name for the series about how I met my husband?

Okay, so it’s actually Pink Lemonade flavored Emergen-C. But I’ve got a mean recipe for lemonade that’ll make you slap your grandma.

Uhh.

I didn’t know I knew that phrase until I typed it. And then I looked it up to make sure that was the appropriate use. Never second guess a country mind.

• Can’t wait to take part in Offering Hospitality’s Recipe Swap next week! The theme this time: POTLUCKS! And trust me, this girl (the one that wanted a potluck wedding reception…oh hush up.) has got plenty to share.
• Zen Habits: a brief guide to life
• I know all the lyrics to “California Love,” but that’s pretty much unrelated to this link (except for the whole Tupac thing). Unrelated and not nearly as fabulous.
• OMSH’s schoolroom makes me want my four bonnet-wearing children RIGHT NOW so that I can start with all this homeschooling. And I’m pretty much kidding about the bonnets. Pretty much.
• We’re finally watching the LOST epilogue tonight! That means I can read JOpinionated’s analysis of it right after! And I’m linking it before I’ve read it because I already know it will be great.
• And to bring the subject back around to my wedding again — The Beauty of a Mason Jar. I really wanted to incorporate these into the decor at the reception, and we did, but things didn’t get quite as rustic as I wanted them. Oh well. Too late to start complaining.

1. I have a standing offer to join the Witness Protection Program that I don’t take as seriously as I should.
2. My mother gave up a life as a trapeze artist to marry my father.
3. My husband was the first person I ever kissed (and I was 22 when it happened).

This is a part of The Real Housewives of Oklahoma’s McLinky Monday. Go on over there and join in on the fun, but don’t forget to guess which one of these is my tall tale.

(Explanation on the two truths to follow, if you’re interested.)

• I got married and got a longer name. It never even occurred to me, mostly because my new name has the letter “L” in it and a lowercase “L” is pretty skinny. But what was already a long name is now one letter longer. I’ve got a post to write about this name writing business.
• This review covers my EXACT feelings on Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love. In short — I don’t think it’s a masterpiece, it didn’t change my life, I don’t believe full devotion to God and devotion to carnal pleasure can occur at the same time, and YES, if you hole up in an apartment having sex for a month you will get a UTI. Ahem. Interesting, but I don’t find Ms. Gilbert’s work to be authentic. If you paid me to go on a trip and “find myself and God”, consume all the carbs I want, and practice yoga all day (I am a practitioner) I’m sure I could wax epiphanic as well.
• Today Ronnica is asking a question over at The Ignorant Historian: What’s your favorite school supply to shop for?
• Waiting Without Worrying
• The reports mentioned here do not make me feel good about the well-being of children in Oklahoma
• Walgreen’s “Friends and Family” coupon!
• “The remarkable offspring of Jasper and Alice” — Mama, make it go away!
• Things You Might Be Mistaken For In This Hoodie
• Huxley was right: “Amusing Ourselves to Death“
• Hand it over and everyone will be safe. (I may have a problem.)

Back when I first posted about this topic, one of my dear readers, Laura, asked:

“What do you think is worth having the final say over, and what should you just let someone else decide for you? (In terms of flowers, food, decoration, stuff like that)”

Great question. It’s one that’s good to be thinking about ahead of time, but the answer is something you may not be sure of until you are in the middle of things.

Quick answer: It’s different for everyone. Not all brides put the same value or importance on different aspects for their wedding. You have to decide what is important to you. I covered this a little before, but I’m going to talk about some details here to help you get a better idea.

What is probably worth having the final say about

• The dress
• The venue
• The officiant
• The attendants
• The vows

I think we can all agree on The Dress. If it is as important to you as it is to most brides, this is something you’ll be heavily involved in choosing and make the final decisions on. Personally, I couldn’t imagine doing it any other way. However, I know that women exist in this world who care very little about clothing, their wedding gown included, and can toss this responsibility over to someone who does. And not bat an eye. I know they are out there. I’ve just never met one. 

Then there’s the whole “posse” method of choosing a dress. I had one with me, but they were trusted individuals who knew my taste, style, and helped me to look at the dress with the whole wedding in mind. (My mom, my dad’s mom, and Heather) A lot of wedding planners and stylists advise against bringing people along with you, but I can’t agree with that. A huge posse is a very, very bad idea. But close people that you trust and who won’t forget this is your dress? Not a problem.

When decisions are made for you

A few years back a friend of mine was getting married and I was in the wedding party. I showed up at her house one day to help her with preparations and she hurriedly rushed me back into one of the bedrooms and shut the door. I started to ask her what was going on, but before the words made it out of my mouth she opened the closet.

And there it was.

Lace, frills, puffy sleeves, a tall neck, and appliqued rose buds. I’m sure it was gorgeous in 1990, but now?

“Uh…ohhh. Is that your dress?”

“Are you kidding me?! I’d never wear that!”

Well, I had hoped not…

“My mom went shopping yesterday and came home with…this.”

She eventually told her mom that she wouldn’t wear the dress and I admired her for standing up like that. I know her mom was trying to be helpful, it was just something I couldn’t relate to.

Unless you want to count that Christmas season when I finally told my mom to stop buying me clothes that I didn’t specifically ask for.

Rude? Ungrateful, you say? Leave your address and I’ll ship you all my appliqued cat sweaters from the mid- to late-90s.

Prioritize and communicate

All that to say every situation is different. You never know what’s going to be thrown at you or what, in the middle of wedding planning, you suddenly care about. Or stop caring about completely. Think about the things that matter to you. The list above includes things that are pretty reasonable to want one way or another.

• The venue was important to me (I wanted to get married where the majority of my family would be able to attend; the groom is from out-of-state anyway so his family had to travel wherever we got married in Oklahoma).
• The officiants were important to both of us (He wanted his college mentor/pastor/friend to do the vows and I wanted to include the minister that married my parents and dedicated me, as well as the minister at the church my parents attend — where the ceremony was held).
• The attendants were important to both of us (He went ahead and had the larger number of attendants after some of my bridesmaids dropped out; I didn’t buckle under pressure to include family members who are not and have never been close).
• The vows were important to both of us (We both share a disgust for personal vows that are a little TMI/gushy/mushy/save-it-for-the-honeymoon, and wanted something that fit our personalities and presented our commitment toward each other in a joyous way that also conveyed the solemnity of the moment).

Don’t be afraid to let go of things that don’t really matter. At the end of the day — you will be married! That’s the important thing.

If you have any particular questions you’d like answered, feel free to leave them in the comments or email me at liz @ misswisabus.com

It’s a strong cup of French roast this morning. I have never tasted a light roast that I enjoy. Very few mediums. Any coffee drinkers out there have suggestions for me?

• We have a dehumidifier now! It’s as close as I’ll ever get to living in Arizona and I’ll take it. Feels great.
• I wish I was this good with a welder. Or, you know, that I knew how to use one PERIOD.
• On second though, it’s probably best that I stay away from the metal arts. Did you see that she mentioned setting the pasture on fire?
• Does blogging make you feel small? Don’t let it.
• How to Make a Gift Bag from Sofia’s World. I think even I could do this. And I’d rather make a gift bag than wrap a gift any day.
• I find this story terrifying. It’s about breastfeeding and one of the “on the job” hazards. Which means my brothers and my husband need to avoid this link altogether.
• Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. – Mother Teresa
• I really can’t begin to explain my love for dips, sauces, condiments, etc. So I’m just going to leave you with this link to a bazillion yummy “Cold Dips for Warm Evenings.”

Now I’m going to go scrub baseboards or something and live in complete denial that I go back to work the day after tomorrow.

Before we get started, would you care to see William Shatner scared to death by a dancing ape creature? Thought so.

This was one of my favorite shows to watch when I was a little kid and I enjoy it even more now. Kevin and I have been going through the collections disc by disc on Netflix and I’ve gathered a pretty good group of favorites. Do you have any?

I can’t really say much about the episodes, because you know how The Twilight Zone goes. Lots of twists and revelations toward the end of an episode that would really ruin it if you knew ahead of time!

13. On Thursday We Leave For Home
Classic episode starring James Whitmore. There’s some religious commentary in this one and a really great story about a leader, change, and fear of the unknown.

12. Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?
Like aliens? This one is for you. It’s a bit of a mystery with a funny little twist at the end. Love it!

11. A Hundred Yards Over the Rim
This episode combines two of my favorite things — the Old West and time travel.

10. Two
In spite of the fact that I really, really don’t like Charles Bronson, this is a good one. It also stars Elizabeth Montgomery as they portray the last two humans left on earth.

9. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
Simply because it’s also one of my favorite stories by one of my favorite writers, Ambrose Bierce. Also, I think you can gain a lot of insight about LOST from this.

8. Little Girl Lost
Little girl falls through a portal to another dimension in her bedroom. What more do I need to say?

7. Nothing in the Dark
I love the premise here. An elderly woman thinks that Death is waiting outside her door. Only the man she thinks is Death is a young Robert Redford. And he delivers one of the best lines in the entire series — “You see. No shock. No engulfment. No tearing asunder. What you feared would come like an explosion is like a whisper. What you thought was the end is the beginning.”

6. Stopover in a Quiet Town
A couple wakes up and has no idea where they are. Looks like a pretty terrible bender, but just you wait…

5. The Obsolete Man
Such a good episode. Some commentary on socialism and what appears to be the direction Rod Serling may have assumed our country was going. In his closing monologue there is another wonderful quote — “Any state, any entity, any ideology that fails to recognize the worth, the dignity, the rights of man, that state is obsolete.”

4. It’s a Good Life
There’s just something about a crazy psychokinetic child that I can’t resist.

3. Nick of Time
There’s a creepy little fortune-telling machine in this one. And there’s William Shatner. One that I actually find chilling.

2. The Invaders
Little aliens! Cah-reeeep-y! I recommend watching all of this one. There is a signature crazy twist at the end.

1. The Hitch Hiker
This one really scares me a little bit. You know me and my fear of highway deviance (à la Breakdown). This fits the bill.

I have no idea how many ounces this thing is, but it’s too much, too late at night.

Pretty sure the rules of blogging say that 10:38 on a Tuesday night is the worst time to publish a post, but I’m doing this for the people. Not for whoever makes up those rules.

• How much do you spend on groceries each week? One Week of Food could put that into perspective for you.
• Very interesting essay on the manipulation and reuse of images in culture.
• The Calorie Police (Do you think the ACLU would defend my right to consume calories in whatever form I please? Just asking.) There’s a double standard here, folks.
• Micah’s post discussing “slow parenting” was eye-opening for me. It’s exactly what I hope to do someday. My parents raised us that way, to a certain extent. While it was not always on purpose (I know that much), I do appreciate that we were allowed to pursue our interests within reason and that we weren’t on the road every night of the week.
• Mango Slaw with Cashews & Mint (This is a recipe for you, Heather)
• Chagrin chagrin chagrin. Chagrin? Chagrin. CHAGRIN. Chagrin. (thanks, Rammi )
• I’m linking this post because Misti is talking about guys named Make Time and Cob.
• “Because I think the world knows just how much NBC, home of Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, among others, has been in the tank for George W. Bush for lo these many years. Their relentless cheerleading for the former president, his domestic initiatives and his foreign policy has made them a laughing-stock among serious news organizations and a network no serious-minded person would admit watching.” – The Friar

Oh, and Clare got a haircut!

Oh, hi, Matt. And Tim.

. . .

My one word for Season 3: Transition. I’ve been told all along Season 3 is where the series really starts to get … confusing, if you will. I was content with the first two seasons. Sure, there were a few more questions raised in Season 2, but compared to Season 3, most of them seem … unimportant. I don’t want to say irrelevant because the smallest occurrence could have a significant impact on future events. Plus, the questions posed by this season seem … deeper. Like there’s more to them. It’s hard to put into words. Though I’ll certainly do my best… (more…)

Back home with my coffee. But I haven’t been to the grocery store yet so we don’t have any cream *pout*

• Have you seen Juvenile Justice starring Annabel?
• Honestly, I’m not sure that I think it’s too far out of line to threaten to kill someone with an ax for playing the vuvuzela. Just sayin’. I mean, I could see myself doing that. Threatening that, not actually going through with it. So far in my life, empty threats have been enough.
• How To Tell When Meat Is Done (Brilliant!)
• Brownies! Bars! …Battlestar Galactica!
• Number 11. Read #11 and try not to cry. (And then read The Bwue Neckwace for a good giggle)
• A Royal Seal of Approval (h/t @jennifrwhite)
• Need a Peace Retreat? from True Woman
• Stories like this make me realize why I never would have made it in the armed forces. I would have fallen in love with my commander (à la the video to “The Heart Won’t Lie” by Reba McEntire & Vince Gill, see below) and then he would have made me cry.

• Edward Mariohands

Rose tagged me to answer a few questions so I thought I would include them here.

1. If you had to wear one color every day for the rest of your life, which would you choose and why? Green. It’s visually pleasing and I own a lot of it, so I wouldn’t have to do too much shopping.
2. What’s your favorite not-for-profit? Autism Speaks
3. You’re at the Farmer’s Market. Which veggies are you most excited about? Squash, tomatoes, and potatoes.
4. Share the city you most want to visit and why. I don’t like cities. I would prefer to visit the highlands of Scotland.
5. I’m a HUGE cheater! Read this entry of mine. What are some of the things you’d take with you if you moved across the world? Hmm…shall we have a list?
   • MacBook – There’s no way I’m leaving this behind.
   • Roku Player – We don’t watch a lot of TV that we keep up with on a regular basis, so having the Roku has been nice for watching what we want, when we want to. I get my BBC serial comedy and period drama fix this way!
   • Blanket – Enough said.
   • My parallel Bible
   • Pillow mist - I use a few different scents depending on how the day went and they really help me fall asleep. It would be nice if I could have the same scent to go to sleep with half a world away.
   • Calphalon cookware – It’s too good to give up.
   • My library – You know I can’t part with my books.