Two New Years and One Valentine's Day

One of the things that make a long distance relationship difficult is a holiday.  People want to spend the holidays with their loved ones, whether it's Thanksgiving, Christmas, or in this case, New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day.

New Year's Eve is when couples share their first kiss of the year.  Vernon and I had an amazing 2013 by getting married and introducing him to my extended family who welcomed him with open arms.  We are excited for 2014 because this is going to be a great year for the both of us.  Our kids are becoming adults and we are enjoying calling each other husband and wife.  We celebrated 2013 and watched the fireworks over Big Ben and the London Eye.  Vernon turned the computer around so I could see and he sat on the floor.  We were in a silly mood, and had a toast at Midnight Greenwich Mean Time/ 6pm Central Standard Time.  We both had a root beer.

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Then... 6 hours later at Midnight Central Standard Time we had another toast! I was just planning on going to bed after talking to Vern earlier and he says, "I'll set my alarm early tomorrow and we can see in your New Year".  I wasn't even going to ask him to get up early so I was happy that he wanted to do this.  We had a second toast, root beer for me again and I think he had coffee. I had fallen asleep from 11 to 11:30 so I was not as silly as I was earlier. He caught me dozing too as he tried calling me and I didn't pick up right away. He knows me too well. 

Vernon has not missed one Valentine's Day.  He is always so thoughtful and gets me something wonderful every year.  The packages arrived a week early and I was anxious to open them.  A small box from Amazon and a bigger box from Barnes and Noble cried my name every day... "Kimberly! Open Me!" No matter how much I begged, he would not let me open them.  Then finally, February 13, late at night I got to Google Hangout with Vernon while he got ready for work and I got to open my presents! They were perfect!

Leave a comment below and let me know how you celebrate New Year's Eve or Valentine's Day with your loved ones.  I'm curious to see what will happen on Valentine's Day if we ever spend one together. 

"Do you want a slow dance or not"

Fourteen years. We have been together for fourteen years.  Sometimes I just can't believe it has been that long, and yet I can't seem to remember a time when I didn't know Vernon.  It's as if he's been with me my entire life.  Vernon's been working on a project going through our old emails, trying to get them organized. He found a very important one, one I really don't remember typing, yet I remember those feelings like it was yesterday.  I sent him an email after 2 1/2 months of exchanging letters, emails and what I think was one phone call where I paced up and down the living room holding note cards with things to talk about because I didn't want him to think I was a moron. I was shocked to see the date of this email, because like I said, I remember the feelings, it's everything else that's a bit of a blur.  This email defines our relationship now.  This email really expresses our connection to each other at such an early point in our friendship.  I've omitted the babbling and boring bits.

 To:  VERNON PHILLIPS
Date:  8 December 1999, 00:48
I hate this!  I really hate this!  Vernon, aren't we supposed to be JUST
pen pals?  I am having a bad week.  This is going to be unlike any email
you have ever gotten from me.  I am having a bad week.  I am lonely.  I
am very lonely.  It has been a really REALLY long time since I felt
loved, secure and happy.  Then you had to say you wanted to dance with
me, "slow".  My stomach took a jump when I read that.  No one ever said
that to me before.  Not even my husband.  I don't want to fall for you
but you are not making it easy for me.   You are too damn nice and
really funny and easy to talk to.  I don't even know what you look like
and I don't care.  I was really sad this past weekend when you didn't
call.  Really sad.  I'm crying now.  I am also getting the impression
that you are falling for me.  I hope not.  It would be impossible, just
impossible.  We are too far apart and we both have kids that really
can't leave the country.  Sometimes I find myself daydreaming and it's
of me and you and i am in your arms and we are dancing so close and so
slow... Also, if you are falling for me, guys are different than
girls, you may not like the way I look.  I'm not skinny.

 ....You are so wonderful to me Vern, I really
like you.  I guess I just have to get out and meet some friends up here
in Michigan.  Then maybe I wouldn't feel so lonely.  I love your emails,
you are so sweet.   

....I think you are very special and I
think of you all the time... all the time.  I just felt like spilling my
guts to you tonight.  I miss you and hope you write soon.
Thinking of you...
Kimberly xxoo

Now this is Vernon's response to my gut spilling email.

To: Kimberly Jimenez
Date: 9 December 1999, 20:00
Our relationship, being what it is, prevents either of us from falling
too far. I do think about you a lot, and it's clear from reading your
letter that your thoughts have echoed mine, with regards to the
impossibility of our relationship ever going beyond a certain point.
We both have our own lives, our own families, children etc. I would
love to think that we could meet one day in the not so distant future,
but I don't want you to think that I am messing with your mind. I'm
sorry that you are lonely, I know that feeling all too well. 

 ....As usual I am unable to spend the right amount
of time on this letter, and for that I apologise. You deserve a better
effort from me, but before I write again I have to ask, would you
rather I was JUST a pen pal. Your friendship is important to me, and I
don't want it to end, but I don't want to become a problem for you, so
I suppose it's a question of "Do you want a slow dance or not" :-)
Until the next time,
-Vern.

Well, you all know the answer to that question.

Teeny Tiny Penises and CUPCAKES!

I had been busy planning the wedding and the closer it got to the big day the more stressed I became.  My friend Heather asked if she could throw me a bridal shower and bachelorette party.  I immediately said no, it just wasn't necessary.  I felt I was too old, I don't have any bridesmaids to help out and I didn't want my friend to take on this burden alone.  She insisted and convinced me to have these gatherings.  Boy am I glad I listened to her!  What fun they were. My girlfriend put together the nicest parties I could have asked for.  I also really needed the "me" time because I hadn't done anything for myself in months.

The bachelorette party was pretty low key, at my request.  We had my favorite...pizza! There was a game of pin the kiss on the shirtless guy and penis shaped swizzle sticks, (because she couldn't find penis shaped straws at the last minute).  We did have fun with the penis shaped swizzle sticks.

Another wonderful day was my bridal shower.  I couldn't have asked for a nicer time.  Heather and her girls really went all out.  The food was amazing and she came up with such clever games.  Everyone there had a great time.  There was only one slight mishap.... we had to search for safety pins in a bowl of rice, blindfolded.  When it was my daughter Heidi's turn we placed a frosted cupcake in front of her instead of the rice... let's just say I ended up with cupcake all over my dress from a hostile shower guest.  It was great! At the wedding expo I signed up to register at Presents of Mine and I'm so glad I did. I got a lot of really beautiful items for our future home together. 

I felt so blessed and so loved after this amazing weekend of a girls night out and then an afternoon of great food and laughs.  I don't feel I could ever thank Heather enough for everything she has done for me.  What a wonderful start to the wedding I've been waiting a long time for.

We Watched a Movie Together!

Vernon and I don't get to do normal traditional every day things that normal married couples get to do, like cooking, eat breakfast together, or watch a movie on the weekend.  Vern suggested we watch a movie together. We tried to do it before at my request and I felt like Vern really wasn't into it and we never were able to get it together.  The idea was just forgotten.  Then last week Vern suggested we watch a movie together, he seemed excited about the idea, told me to get a list of movies together and he'd check what he had for streaming.  I rented the movie Fargo. I have never seen this movie and neither has Vern.  It's a classic, won a bunch of awards, it's time I see this one! Wow was it good! He and I really enjoyed it! How did we do this you ask?  This is what we did....

We were on a Google hangout, as always. I had a dvd, he has a streaming subscription to Love Films and Now and maybe Netflix too.  He found this film and we pressed play at the same time.  It was awful! They were several second out of sync, I couldn't understand my TV because Vernon's TV was so loud (due to his hearing problem).  I then had the idea to mute my TV, but it was out of sync and kind of annoying.  After several quick pauses and short FF I got it synced PERFECTLY! It was about 10 minutes into the film but it was great! We could talk to each other during the movie, laughing and commenting on it to each other, and I really felt like we were together.  Vernon was amused by the way they spoke.  Yes it was a bit exaggerated but VERY similar to the way they talk up here in Da U.P. Eh. and the way they go about their lives and how they are so laid back and easy going. Yup, that's us in the Midwest! It was so much fun.  Vernon was amused by the scene I posted in the clip below. If you haven't seen Fargo I suggest you do very soon. It's great!

Missing Him Terribly

We got married!  The wedding was small and beautiful; and the reception was a fantastic celebration where he could meet my extended family and friends.  I promise I will post details, photos and video later.  I regretfully got away from blogging and I do miss it very much.  Things have been crazy and my mood hasn't been the best. Today's post will be a short one, but an important one.

One day last week a song came on the radio as I was pulling into the parking lot at work.  I had to sit in the lot for a while because this song made me cry.  It made me think of Vernon and I miss him so much.  Every time this song is on the radio I cry.  I absolutely love that it is by the Goo Goo Dolls, I have always loved their music.

He went back home to the UK just a couple days after the reception. It was a very sad day for the both of us and by far the most difficult goodbye we've had to do. Since then it's been back to the usual, chatting for a short time every day and video hangouts on the weekends. I cry a lot more because it's been 14 years and we are finally married but still apart. There are many factors both obvious and personal as to why we are not together, but one day we hope that will change.

One of many terrible jokes I have to put up with all the time.

My niece had to have her adenoids out so I thought I'd send her a little gift to keep her busy while she was stuck in bed.  I was simply telling Vernon that this gift would be from the four of us and this is what I get in return.

 me: ... I sent her a coloring book, stickers, crayons and a lap desk from you, me, heidi and yaz she'll get it on thurs.

the stickers and coloring book are of animals

 Vernon:  Cool

 Sent at 10:50 AM on Tuesday

 me:  from now on i'm signing cards/gifts, etc from the both of us or all 4 of us

 Vernon:  Are they in a packet? Don't open if the seal is broken

 me:  huh?

 Vernon:  Lol

 me:  i don't get it

 Vernon:  Animal stickers

 me:  still don't get it

 Vernon:  Remind me when we're bored in bed one day

 me:  NO

tell me now

i wont remember this conversation

why do animal stickers have to be sealed?

OH... Seal is an animal

is that it?

 Vernon:  Lol

 me:  Is that it? did I get it?

LOL

 Vernon:  Yes!

 me:  sometimes I REALLY hate your jokes

 Vernon:   :)   

Shopping Day with Mom

I have been wedding planning like a maniac and because of this I have neglected this blog terribly!  I wanted to blog about my wedding planning especially for Vernon and his family to see but I just haven't had it in me to sit down and type.

This is a blog post I had started about a shopping trip with my mom. It was a fun day.

[March 2013] During my wedding planning adventures I had a list of things I wanted to get so I thought I'd go into Escanaba and do some shopping.  I had a coupon for JoAnn Fabrics and I still needed to get a handful of items for the wedding so I thought mom and I could make a day of it.  Sadly, JoAnn didn't have everything that I was looking for, but I did manage to pick up the floating candles needed for my centerpieces.  I did see a cake service set on sale and this was not something I really wanted to buy. It was simple and inexpensive so I went ahead and grabbed it then my mother immediately pipes up... "No! Don't get that! It's ugly!" I just looked at her, "What?" She said it again, "Don't get that, it's ugly!" She was so animated and determined that I didn't buy the cake service set.  It didn't take long for me to figure it out... she's buying us a cake service set. Ha ha ha.Normally I would have blown her off and got it anyway, but I didn't want to spoil her fun so I put it back.

Next stop was GFS.   This is a pretty cool store. My dad is like a kid in a candy shop in this store. They are a supplier to restaurants and businesses but they are also open to the public.  Mom and I just wanted to see what they had as far as party supplies and food.  I don't think we picked anything up here.

Of course I can't go into a town without stopping at St Vinnies and Goodwill as I am still looking for teapots and teacups.  I also found a "collector" type shop in downtown Escanaba and totally scored on teacups and a teapot!

To complete a rather nice day out with my mom we stopped at Hereford and Hops for lunch. It was great! There mom confessed to buying me a, you guessed it, Cake Service Set! She wants to give it to me for my birthday.  She wanted it to be a surprise but I told her if it is wedding related she needs to tell me otherwise I'm getting it myself.

This was a fun day.  Shopping for the wedding and spending time with my mom. It was perfect.