Day Three...First Love...REALLY???

This one could go in so many directions for me, ugh! I have actually been thinking about what I was going to write on here for the last few days and it has kinda got me stressed out. Oh well guess I will just dive right in.

So when I first started thinking about this I was like, so my first love would have been in elementary school, and it was TJ Wickman. I know I know for those of you Midway folks but yes it was him....and then the week changed and there was someone new on the playground to chase :) So the first, chase me on the playground, write all over my notebook kinda of love was TJ.

Then jr high and high school came and I really didn't date anyone. I would like someone for a while and then we would start talking and then I was over it. Nothing lasted more than a few months until my crush was someone new. Looking back on it now, I hate the fact that I would do that. I just thought that the next guy would be the one that I would REALLY like and the one that I would want to spend more time with but it never happened. I was never content so I never really had a first love in high school.

Once college came I did meet someone and I did fall in love with him. He was my first love...or so I thought. The love I had for him was just on the surface, and didn't go much further than that. We rushed into a lot of things and because of that things ended in heart break. We did care a lot about each other and there was love there but now I see the difference.

Which brings us to now, my first and last love. My husband is the man that I can truly say is my first true love. He is the man that comforts me when I am sad, he laughs with me, cries with me, listens to me complain about stupid crap and more. The love I have for him is not even comparable to any other love I have had in my life and because of that I know that this is love. I know it might be cheesy for me to say he is my first true love but its how I feel. He has it all...I would chase him on the playground if we were kids, I would want him to be the guy I found in high school that stuck around after a few months, and he is the guy I found after college that I love on a much deeper level than I ever thought possible. Its the type of love that no matter what is going on in my life he is my rock, my comfort, my voice and more. That to me is my first love, the love that last no matter what, the type of love that makes me want to be a better person.

My First Love

Day 2...Blog Name

Well I am totally boring and just came up with The Schafer's...well because that is who we are. When I first began my blog it was "Soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Schafer" but now it's just "The Schafer's". I have thought many times about changing the name but I can't seem to come up with anything creative! Maybe I should ask the hubby for suggestions because he can be pretty witty and come up with some great names...so stay tuned maybe for an update :)

On a side note there is something else I think I should talk about in this blog that will be happening in 2011 and no I don't mean babies...I will be running my first half marathon! I am super excited and ready for the challenge. It is 1 of the things I have put on my bucket list...which is very small at the time but I think a bucket list should be an ever revolving thing, right? So anyways, I am in "training" right now and have been doing pretty well so far. I will be sure to keep you updated on my progress!

Day One...a little late

So I was not around a computer at all yesterday except when we were at our friends house and I didn't want to take time away from them to blog, so I am starting the 30 day blogging today!

My name is Rachel and I live in Kansas with my wonderful husband and our 3 crazy pets, Scout, Tiffany, and Rocky. I work at Kansas State University and Matt works at Dalcan Concrete...or something like that. I think it has more than 1 name and I always get it wrong ;)

Recent pic of The Schafers...minus Rocky.

I have been trying to figure out 15 facts I would put on here for days and I think I might have them so here it goes...

1. I am a Christian, and I can't wait to get settled and find out home church here.
2. I am a daughter to the most amazing parents, who are celebrating their 24th year of marriage today!
3. I am a sister to the craziest group of siblings out there...Jason-the weird older brother (haha love you), Lea-the oldest sister and she thinks she is the funniest of all of us...i beg to differ, Joe'l the other older sister who dad says was mine and Lea's interpreter growing up because she was brunette and we were blonde...she did a pretty good job of explaining things to us :)
4. I am an Aunt to 1 goofy nephew and 3 adorable nieces.
5. I am an Aggie to the core! I love Texas A&M and everything that it represents.
6. I have my Master's degree in Counseling and Student Development from Kansas State, where I met my husband, and am now contemplating a PhD....CRAZY!!!
7. I am training to run a half marathon by April of this year and then have the Chicago full marathon on the calendar for 2012.
8. I married my best friend on April 11, 2009 and have never been happier.
9. We will be buying our first house in the next few months and I am very excited!
10. Some people would say that I am a bit obsessed with my dog Scout but they don't really know the full story.
11. My favorite food is steak and potatoes and would love it if I could eat them everyday.
12. I am a beer girl and have tried very hard to like wine I just can't....oh well beer is cheaper anyway.
13. I really love my job and I am making great friends there.
14. My favorite color is MAROON! haha go figure
15. I am extremely hard on myself and don't think I am ever good at anything or good enough for things...maybe I should have left that fact in my head!

I am starting over...

So I have really not blogged much this year and would really like to make an attempt to be a better blogger in 2011. So with the help of my friend Adrienne, I am going to blog 30 days straight. It will help me be more accountable and help you get to know me better, if you don't already. So keep me accountable and be ready because come January 1, it all begins!

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name

Day 3-Your first love

Day 4-Your parents

Day 5-Your favorite recipes

Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy

Day 7-Favorite movies

Day 8-A place you've traveled to

Day 9-A picture of your friends

Day 10-Something you're afraid of

Day 11-Favorite TV shows

Day 12-What you believe

Day 13-Goals

Day 14-A picture you love

Day 15-Bible verse

Day 16-Dream house

Day 17-Something you're looking forward to

Day 18-Something you regret

Day 19-Something you miss

Day 20-Nicknames

Day 21-Picture of yourself

Day 22-What's in your makeup bag

Day 23-Favorite vacation

Day 24-Something you've learned

Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs

Day 26-Picture of your family

Day 27-Pets

Day 28-Something that stresses you out

Day 29-3 Wishes

Day 30-a picture

WHOOP! What A Weekend

This past weekend was great! The TEXAS A&M AGGIES beat the No. 11 Oklahoma Sooners 33-19. It was such an amazing feeling for me even though I was unable to attend the game. I was still there in spirit, yelling for them the whole time! Ryan Tannehill has made a tremendous difference in the team the last few games and I am so happy he is our starting quarterback!

Also the KANSAS STATE WILDCATS kicked the tu longhorns butts also on Saturday night! Not only was it a victory for the Cats it was also a loss for the longhorns and anytime they lose is a good night for this Aggie! We were able to watch the game on tv so it was great to watch the loss happen.

Not only did we enjoy some football over the weekend, we enjoyed family and friends, food and beer! Our friends Erin and Corey came up for a visit and some work. Corey got a HUGE smoker for his graduation present and Matt and Pat were dying to see it and try it out, so graciously Corey hauled it up from Emporia so that the boys could bond over the smoking of ribs and pork butt! They spent all day Saturday around that smoker. I guess they thought it was going to do something more than just smoke meat! The food turned out AMAZING though. The ribs were so tender they fell straight off the bone. And well the beer is always good :)

Matt went duck hunting on saturday morning and saw NOTHING! He was so disappointed but he had a feeling it was not going to be a good day to hunt. But by Sunday he was happy because he shot himself an 8pt buck! He was so happy about it and I was such a proud wife...or at least I was trying to be. He took me up to where the deer was and I put on my brave face. I think I did good! Hunting isn't for me but it is something Matt loves so I am embracing it.

A little blurry for some reason, but here is Matt with his buck and the bow he shot it with!

Pat has a new 4wheeler that he has spruced up like any man would do and I had the joy of getting to ride it on my own Saturday...well not entirely on my own, Scout came along and he LOVED it. His ears were blowing in the breeze and he was sitting in front of me with his back legs straddling the seat and his front paws on the front of the 4wheeler. It was AWESOME! I think I have created a monster though because now all he does is sit by the 4wheeler and anytime anyone gets on he hops right up to the seat also.

Scout and I on the 4wheeler after our ride!

Sunday was pretty relaxing. We spent some time in the morning with Erin, who is the photographer for MILES PHOTOGRAPHY, taking family photos. As soon as I get them from her I will post them to my blog. She did a great job on the ones I have seen so far. The dogs were great even though they were incredibly distracted, but what do you expect with animals.

All in all it was a great weekend! I get to go home in a week and a half! Can't wait!!

I am sick...homesick that is

So I have been in Kansas now for about a month and the homesickness has hit me pretty hard this week. It is such a bad place to be because I know that it hurts my husband when I talk about it, but I can't help that I don't feel like this is home right now. I hope that one day I will feel this way but a part of me doesn't think I ever will.

Other than being homesick, things are going good. I really like my job and all the people that I work with. My boss is great! He really knows how to keep the office fun and full of life. He is a great person to work for and I am truly blessed for the opportunity that I have been given here. The DCE team and Kansas State has really made me feel at ease and also made the "homesickness" not be as hard.

The house hunt is on hold for now because we need to get the down payment together, so until then we are living at Matt's parents. It has been a true adjustment, but so far it hasn't been too bad.

I have about 2 weeks until I am back home and can't wait. I miss my family so much and can't wait to see them! I am going to end this with some pics of the last time I was home.

Emma loves "the boys" at the gig'em aggie games

Daddy and his girls

The only picture I took at my 10 year reunion, but it is with one of my favorite people in this world!

And the bad blogger award goes to...

ME!!!!

I have been so busy the last few weeks, I have not had time to blog. I know, I know, I say that everytime, but this time I REALLY have been busy.

Matt and I have moved back to Kansas! I know it might be a shock to some, but we made the move for us and for the future family we will have. I was miserable at my job and was having no luck finding anything new, until I was offered a job at Kansas State. I am now working as the Academic Advisor for the Bachelor Degree Completion program, and so far so good.

I am very happy to be out of my old position. My boss was a nightmare and I just could not continue to work for her, and for something that I did not believe in. I truly miss all the students that I worked with, and a few others in the office :) but I am happy now, and for now that is what counts.

Matt found a job and so far it is working out, but we are hoping that he either moves up fast with this company or is offered a salaried position with another company. But it's a job and it pays the bills.

Other than this big move, we really aren't doing much. We are looking for a place to live, but the process has been slower than I had hoped. It will work out how it is supposed to I guess, but I really hope we find something soon. Saving money for a house is harder than it sounds!