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Ted & I got married two-and-a-half weeks ago on October 22, 2010. Our wedding weekend was in Door County, WI and after a year of living 1500 miles apart, working and completing graduate school, and planning a completely DIY, uniquely-autumn wedding weekend, we both agree the whole shindig was a smashing success. The weather and scenery were stunningly cooperative, the winery tour-Sweets & Sips welcome party-Peninsula State Park-“Guys & Does”-pizza and gelato picnic-and friends & family night activities were fun and relaxing, our many guests who traveled so far to celebrate with us were brimming with love and support, the rehearsal dinner was a delicious and gorgeous lake-front, fish-boil dream, and our 9-piece Big Band & bonfire reception was the talk of the town among our family and friends. Three days after our wedding weekend extravaganza we packed up and moved from Green Bay, WI (I had moved from Texas to Green Bay only two weeks prior) to Ohio where Ted had a new job waiting for him and a rental house we had found and signed the lease on. Our honeymoon will have to wait until next year when we have some vacation time saved up. We are enjoying finally living in the same city (and household!) and adjusting to life as newlyweds in Cincinnati.

All these changes are refreshing and every day seems to bring new challenges, adventures and joys – a definite learning experience – but the process of moving, unpacking, cleaning, fixing up a house, yard work, adjusting to a new city, looking for employment, and staying home all day while Ted works is definitely more work than I anticipated. We have a newly remodeled, spacious kitchen but very little storage space. So we find ourselves in need of a kitchen island cart, a kitchen table and chairs, and a wine rack or two to house the 25 leftover bottles of wine from our wedding – enter Ikea stage left. The hardwood floors I adored when we leased the house are, I am learning, a mixed blessing. Sure they’re pretty, but they keep the house less than cozy in the winter. And what’s left of the weather-stripping from the 1930s on the doors isn’t helping keep us warm either. So new weather-stripping it is. I didn’t even know what weather-stripping was three weeks ago. Oh, and all those fabulous trees in this nice big yard I fell in love with? I may not love them quite so much now that I realize that raking those suckers isn’t as fun or easy as it looks in comic strips. I don’t ever remember raking leaves in Texas. Our very first brand-spanking new front-loading washer and dryer should arrive on Thursday. In the meantime we are adding carpet to the basement to make it look more like a part of the home and less like a dragon-infested dungeon. Not that a dragon wouldn’t be helpful occasionally. He might help keep us warm with his fire-breathing talents. ;-)

During the day while Ted works hard at UC-CCM, I unpack boxes, find homes for things, try to organize out living space, go grocery and home-goods shopping, stare at the leaves in disgust before finally convincing myself to stop being a pansy and go out and rake them, and I got a library card at the Anderson Township Library so I borrow books and movies to keep my mind going and allow me to see the world when I can’t physically do so right now.  See, I like working. I like having a job and co-workers. Granted, my jobs are fun since I work in theatre and the arts – there’s never a dull moment and that’s what allows me to enjoy my jobs and look forward to going to work. I love the creativity and I love sharing dance and music and art and stories with others. It’s fun, exciting, and something different every single day – and the people who work in the arts are generally a bundle of fun and laughs, and I miss that. There’s nothing wrong with staying home and working at home. It takes all types to make the world go around. This past week I have been schooled and I learned that house work in and of itself is a full time job. But it’s not for me, at least not permanently. For now, it’s okay. It’s nice to set up a new home and relax a little and make meals and be waiting for Ted when he gets home and try out a different kind of job, but I’m looking forward to doing this for another few weeks and then finding a job I love (hopefully!).

So stay tuned while we figure out this whole wife & husband, newlyweds, house, job, Cincinnati thing together. After all, this is just the beginning!