4 years = flowers & fruit...

  

Andy and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary while we were in Minnesota this summer and I just now am having the time to sit and reflect on the last four years.  Actually, the truth is, I have been struggling with what to write and how to express what the year brought for the Groettums.  Here goes nothing...  

We decided at our first anniversary that we would celebrate each year with the traditional anniversary gifts for each other.  You can find a list online with a simple google search and it is also joined with a list of modern gifts.  It has been pretty fun as we have had to be creative and sometimes it makes it easier to have a focus for gift buying (at least for us).  We have done pretty well with the traditional gifts, but this year was a little boring  difficult.  Since we were disappointed in the year four's gift of flowers and fruit,  I'll try my best to look back on the last year while doing justice to the 4th year theme...

I would love to say that the last year has all been sweet and full of beauty like these plumeria flowers (which are some of my favorites).  But, the truth is there was much of it that was quite challenging for the two of us and parts of it were filled with much sadness.  I will get to that in a bit, but let me start at the beginning. 


Fortunately, the year started out like these adventurous durian fruits.  

We returned to Denver after a 2 1/2 week trip to Europe where we spent time in Scandinavia.  We started the trip visiting friends in Helsinki, Finland where we instantly felt at home.  Any Minnesotan would feel the same because of the Finish friendliness, the ease of getting around, and all of the green trees and surrounding water.  From there, we took a ferry over to Tallinn, Estonia, which is a little medieval haven.  It has tons of charm and history, which is right up our alley.  We made our way to our last stop via an overnight cruise liner and ended our trip in Stockholm, Sweden.  This was our favorite!  Water in every direction, walking and riding bikes to see the sites, and feeling like we were a character in the Millennium series as we strolled around the island where the stories all took place.

From the durian fruit, we made our way to the rose as we toured around our nation's capitol for the first time, Washington D.C.  It is amazing that we didn't get to this historical locale until we were both 30, but I guess it is better late than never.  We were SUPER impressed and feel like we need to go back at least five more times to take in all this fabulous city has to offer (next time we will make the trip in the fall as the summer is way.too.hot)!

   

As August rolled around, a new school year was upon us and although it can be exciting, sometimes it feels as sour as these lemons, especially with the realization that summer is coming to a close.  




I found myself in my third year of teaching while Andy was on number eight!  I finally felt like I was getting the hang of this career choice and Andy was an old hat, of course.  We settled into our routine and looked forward to some Minnesota trips in the fall.  



Unfortunately, life had some different ideas for us and October left a bitter taste in our mouths like when you eat a kiwi before it is ripe. 




I wrote about our first miscarriage back here.  Needless to say, we felt a sadness and our year was starting to spoil. 

I didn't even know that things could get worse, but next up in December was these stinky flowers.  Did you even know that there was such a thing out there?  I didn't either until we went through what came next.  



These flowers look beautiful from the outside, but when you get close, they smell real bad.  That explains how December, January, and February went for us after our second miscarriage.  We tried to keep up appearances on the outside, but inside we felt real stinky and our house was filled with sadness.  Being the optimistic people we are, we tried our best to come out of the cloudy existence we had created for ourselves and started to live again by planning outings with friends and even looking forward to a future trip.  

Somebody was looking out for us because March was the month that turned things around.  Things smelled as fresh as these daisies blowing in the wind against a beautiful cerulean sky.  



I wrote more about this joyous event back here.  Ecstatic, happy, elated...none of those words even begin to describe how we felt in March.  We were pregnant!  Something about this pregnancy felt different and we were hopeful.  


The rest of our fourth year together has been filled with the aromatic smells and simple beauty like this babies breath.  



Each milestone of little boy Groettum has made us feel like the luckiest two people on earth.  We are so thankful every day for this blessing.  I won't lie to you and say that pregnancy is easy because it definitely has had its own challenges that we weren't expecting...for both of us.  But, when the end goal is a beautiful baby in our arms, we will move forward into our fifth year as a married couple and our mantra will still ring true and help us through any challenge that comes our way...Team First!

That's right.  When I reflect on all that Andy and I have been through in the last four years, whether it was hard or seemed too easy, we made it through all of it together.  We have come out on the other end better than when we entered.  

I can't imagine feeling more love for someone than I feel for my husband.  

Here's hoping our fifth year will bring much happiness and, above all, we will continue on this journey that is life with a united front.  Let Year 5 be like the daffodil and guide us with hope for all things that are to come.  




I am not sure of many things, but one thing that I never lose doubt on is that there isn't anything the Groettums can't face together and that, my friends, is no little thing.  

champions...

We LOVE our softball team! Like, A LOT! You may remember them from a post I wrote back here.

This season has been like none other as we have so many things to celebrate.

3 pregnancies (1 of the babes already born!),

2 weddings,

1 engagement,

and a new house for these two!

If that wasn't enough, last week our team won the championship for our summer league! We didn't even have to win our last game in order to clench the title.

 

We feel so lucky to know these folks and always look forward to Wednesdays in order to get a little bit of quality time with them.

Go Fur Traders!!

 

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27 weeks...

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boot camp: daddy style...

Andy has been really involved in every aspect of this pregnancy. He has read books, been to appointments, worked on the nursery, and acts as a photographer each week when I have the new fruit to show off our baby boy's size.

He knew from the beginning that he wanted to take a new dad class in order to feel more prepared about what to expect. He lucked out that so many of our friends are going through the same journey and didn't have to take the class on his own! He signed up for Boot Camp for New Dads with two fellow new dads by his side (one just as excited as Andy and one who was sort of forced into signing up by his mother-in-law) and the rest is history...

The night came for the daddies to get their learning on. I was feeling super jealous and wished I could be a fly on the wall to view their experience. During the class, I got numerous text updates, many of which made me laugh out loud. What a relief that it was going so well!

By the end of class, they had gained a wealth of knowledge about what is to come and a book to read up on more helpful information. Andy made a crying baby fall asleep and him and Jeremy were asked to come back and teach the class once their babies are born!

I have been bragging about this class to anyone who will listen! I feel so proud of my partner in this journey and somehow I know that together we will be able to navigate through all of the unknown that is in front of us. This reassuring thought is a little thing that I can come back to as we enter into the last trimester of pregnancy. Whenever I get scared or stressed, I can find solace in my teammate's success at daddy boot camp!

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preseason BRONCS!...

This past weekend was our first game as season ticket holders for the Denver Broncos. We were super excited and took the experience very seriously...

The first decision we made was to take the light rail from our house to the stadium. We both love public transportation and are kind of geeky about it (I desperately wanted to take pictures, but refrained for Andy's sake).

We bought some snacks on the long walk in and soaked up everything along the way.

Our first stop upon entering the stadium was the team store. We both REALLY wanted to buy some new Broncs gear, but were disappointed when we left empty handed.

We continued on, our new goal being to scope out the food situation. With plenty of options to choose from, we changed gears and made a stop at a gear shop where I scored a hoodie that fits over my growing belly!

I was out of breath by the time we got to our seats from all of the walking and climbing of the stairs. But as we settled in, I couldn't wait to open the Gameday program and check out our friend Lori's hard work. Here's a snapshot of her debut program!

{Note her name as the designer}

Sitting in my proud state, I continued to take in our surroundings when I was rudely interrupted by an uncomfortable feeling in my nose. I looked at Andy and our conversation went something like this...

Me: "I think my nose is bleeding." (as I touch my nose)

Andy: "I know. They aren't the greatest seats, but it's our first year. Each year we will get a little closer and..."

Me: "No. I really have a nose bleed."

We had a good laugh about the irony of the conversation and moved on with our NLF season ticket holder experience.

At half time, we decided to meet up with some friends who were also at the game. To be honest, this was way more my style, especially since the game wasn't too exciting and the Broncos were losing.

On our way out, we decided to use another form of transportation. Every time we pass this trolley at REI, I have wanted to take a ride and tonight was my lucky night! I think Mike is just as excited as I am!

Overall, our first game of the season was a huge success and we can't wait to do it again this weekend. We definitely learned some little things in this first experience that we will remember for future Brinco football excursions...

1) Bring in your own food. Even though there are tons of choices, each one we tried was no good.

2) Public transportation is the way to go!

3) Pack tissues for potential nose bleeds!

4) When taking pictures, make sure the field is in the background instead of the random people sitting behind you.

5) ALWAYS wear your Broncos gear and it is even a good idea to pack layers for when it cools down in the evening.

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true little things...

Today I really needed some little things in my life...

First up was this smiling face and wagging tail.

He always makes me smile!

After dropping my stuff down, I needed a minute of quiet and calm and sat down outside. At that moment, baby boy decided to let me know that he was there for me and that everything was going to be OK. He is not even here yet and he is already taking care of his mama. What a sweet little boy!

Next up was the delivery of our stroller/car seat travel system (thanks, mom!) I spent some time decompressing by puting the system together. Surprisingly, this made me feel great even though there were points of frustration while reading the instructions and trying to figure out which parts were which. I couldn't wait to show Andy when he got home (read further for the proof of my handiwork)...

Then, my amazing husband showed up with these.

{side note: I need to give a shout out to my girl, Oprah, for teaching me to break up store bought flowers to have multiple bouquets}

Wow! He always makes me feel so special and the big hug he had for me was even better. I love him so much!

Back to the stroller...we just HAD to take it for a spin and try out all of its features (almost took it around the park, but thought that move would scare away any future potential friends we could make who have kids in the neighborhood, so decided to stay in our backyard instead). We both can't wait to push around our little boy and share all of our adventures with him!

Today was a great reminder that a few little things can change a day from bad to good. Let us all remember to make an effort to find the little things in our world each day.

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twin cities time...

The last leg of our Minnesota trip brought us to the big city, Minneapolis.  We stayed with our gracious hosts, Martha, Mike, and Riley (and Henry too) out in Blaine and spend the majority of our time with family who were in town from Milwaukee.  

Martha and I enjoyed having a fellow preggers person around and even found ourselves dressing alike...

We both couldn't get enough of little Riley...

We also got a chance for a short visit with the Novaks (Kalli, Mike, and Miles).  We were able to see their house, which is in a cute neighborhood and they have done such a cute job decorating.  Chewy was able to terrorize their cat, we watched Miles splash around to cool off from the heat, and I even scored some maternity clothes courtesy of Kalli!

Our last night, we stayed with our friends, Ana, Matt, and Lila in St. Paul.  After a little hanging out time at their adorable house, we decided to go to a baseball game and I was thrilled to experience Target Field for the first time after hearing so much about it.  We even got to see a win!

This was our last trip back to Minnesota before our little bundle of joy makes his debut.  Sometimes that makes me a little sad, but when I look back at the wonderful pictures and memories of this trip I can't help but smile.  It's no little thing to have so many people in one place that care about us so much and it is fun to think that the next time we are in the Land of the Lakes, we will have our little guy to show off and he will be able to feel the same love that we feel each time we visit.  

bump update...

The bump has definitely grown this summer. I think we may be growing a big boy!!

It's definitely not a little thing any more...

showering, more like spoiling...

While we were in Minnesota, my friends and family decided to take advantage and throw me a couple baby showers.  I jumped on the opportunity to hang out with more family and friends (and a chance to get spoiled a little bit)!

The first shower was thrown by my mother in Detroit Lakes at a local restaurant/bar near Lake Eunice, Pit 611.  It was a great spot and we were perched on their outdoor enclosed patio with a cool breeze blowing through.  The guests ranged from lake friends to family to high school buddies.  It was a great mix of women who already love our little boy and made me laugh the entire time!

They definitely spoiled us rotten...

After that wonderful event, I couldn't believe that I was lucky enough to look forward to another one in Minneapolis.  This was was thrown by my sister-in-law, Martha, with the help of other family members Nancy (Andy's grandma), Anne (Andy's aunt), and Deb.  

From the minute I walked in, I was in love with all of the decorations and attention to details.  

Once the guests starting showing up, I never wanted the event to end.  From my dear college friends to family members from Andy's and my side, many females that are important to me from all different parts of my life were in attendance.  

I feel so lucky to have so many people that want to welcome me into the club of "motherhood".  There are so many things that I don't know, but am learning from the amazing women that surround me both in Minnesota and Colorado.  The ritual of a baby shower is a little thing that every woman looks forward to and I am no different.  Both of these showers were beyond my expectations and left me feeling incredibly loved.  Not only am I supported and loved, but our little boy is so lucky to have all of these amazing women in his life looking out for him.  


Do you want to know the great part?  We have one more round of baby shower fun coming up in Denver...this time it will be couple style, so Andy will get to partake!

3 years of teaching and counting...

It's amazing that I have already been in the profession of teaching for three years.  It seems like just yesterday that I was making the scary career move and learning on the job.  Let me bring you back through my journey to become a teacher...

I have known that I wanted to work with kids since I was in college.  I started working at a summer camp through the JCC in St. Paul, MN (shout out to Camp Butwin) and loved every second of it.  I started out as a Horse Specialist, where I was teaching kids how to care for and ride horses.  This sounds really fun, but it was a TON of work!  It was super enjoyable though and eventually I moved on to being a counselor.  This role was more up my alley because I was able to get to know a group of kids REALLY well because I was with them all day long and on some overnight trips.  

Working at the camp lead to a part-time job while I was still in college during the rest of the year in the JCC Teen Center.  This was not too challenging, but it gave me a chance to hang out with kids and talk to them about life.  We would play pool, have snacks, watch TV, or just talk about what was going on with them.  One of the things I gained during this experience was a true mentor, April  McHugh (now Riordan).  I looked up to April and basically wanted to be her and have her job.  Since she wasn't moving on in the time frame I needed, I was forced to look for something that was like her job.  

That all came around the time that I decided to move to Colorado.  I was moving in the summertime, so I looked for, what else, a JCC that had a summer camp.  I found a perfect one and worked there as a Counselor in Training Director.  This was awesome!  I got to work with and mold high school students to one day work at the camp.  They were an amazing bunch of young adults and I couldn't believe that this was my job.  Sadly, it had to end when August rolled around and I had to look for something more permanent.  

I promise I taught them something, but we also had lots of fun! (That's me in the middle with pig tails)

This lead me to the City of Aurora with the Office of Youth Development.  It was my first job after college that resembled a grown-up position!  I really enjoyed it...at first.  After a few years, I got the hang of it and it started to be way too easy.  It was hard for me to find challenge in what I was doing, even if I tried to create it for myself.  I stopped enjoying going to work and was driving Andy crazy by overcompensating in our social life.  I planned things for us every night and realized I was doing that because I wasn't getting what I needed from work.  

It was time for a change and it took me awhile (over a year) to figure out what that change should be.  I had ideas including things like a wedding planner and travel agent....these weren't so stable of options.  I thought I finally had it figured out and decided I would go back to school for my Master's and become a school counselor.  


Andy had a few things to say about this and we battled it out for a few rounds, but in the end he was right.  If I was looking for something stable, counseling was probably not the right path.  Instead, I went into Special Education.  Now when I think back, this was the best decision I have ever made (besides moving to Denver and marrying Andy of course).  It immediately changed my outlook on my career and my worth in this world.  


As I begin my fourth year of teaching, I am reminded of the journey it took me to get here.  It hasn't always been easy, but there are things that make it worth any hardship their may be.  


First, my sense of self is the strongest it has ever been.  I now have a purpose every day when I go to work and that makes me feel like a million bucks.  This is true even when I have the worst day and everything goes wrong.  


Second, I have amazing co-workers.  I can't even imagine if I worked somewhere where I didn't have this.  They are there for me when I need to vent and when I need to celebrate an accomplishment.  I am surrounded every day by smart, caring, and passionate individuals that make me feel welcome in the work place.  


Lastly (but actually should be first), I LOVE the students I get to work with each day.  They are sweet and challenging (maybe in the same day).  They all have interesting stories to share.  For some reason, they seem to learn something from me and in the end, we end up forming a relationship that benefits both of us.


Teaching is definitely not a little thing, it is a HUGE thing that makes up the person that I am.  And, I am so thankful to have found the school where I work.  Every end of the year they celebrate teachers' milestones and new journeys.  For teachers finishing their third year, they give us a beautiful glass apple that is personalized to us.  This is the little thing that symbolizes my journey and helps me look forward to another year of teaching.  When I look at it, it is a small reminder of where I have been, where I am now, and where I want to go in the future.