Happily Ever After..?

Along the road, from cradle to grave, many of us get married. Our wedding day can be one of the most emotional and significant days of our lives. There are tears of happiness, joy and laughter all experienced with family, close friends and, of course, the love of your life. It is of utmost importance to share this day with not only a man that you love, but also a man that you are willing to dedicate the rest of your life to. The rest of your life, that's a long time; one must be certain they have chosen the right one. This is why as little girls many of us would dream up all the characteristics we aspire in a man and bring them to life through our Ken doll, and oh how Barbie loves her husband. After watching Titanic this weekend I found myself dreaming of characteristics I'd look for in an ideal companion.

Ken is a tall man of athletic stature. He has dark brown hair perfectly complementing his radiant skin and gorgeous blue eyes. Health and fitness are important to him, while he does not obsess over it. He values his education and in return values his career. Ken is not cocky, but is confident in his abilities. He is by no means rich, but has enough to support us with plenty of room for travel/vacation. Ken is very goal oriented and has dreams and aspirations for not only himself but also the ones he loves. Family is extremely important to ken. He shares the dream with me to have a family ourselves, and is excited to keep up with family holiday traditions. Ken is no Shakespeare that writes me love poems, but he does have a romantic and passionate side that he isn't afraid to reveal to me. Ken wakes up and sees each day as an opportunity; he has a positive attitude that encourages those around him to see the best in every situation.

Ken is Barbie's lover and best friend. He knows what makes her happy and knows all the little things he can do to cheer her up when life hands her lemons. He knows what makes her tick, and is happy when she has triumphs. I believe in order to love somebody you must truly know who they are first. Barbie never has to worry about dishonesty because Ken is always loyal and trustworthy. Without trust you cannot have an honest relationship. It is important to feel comfortable with your spouse. To know your deepest secrets are kept in confidence and not judged upon. When Ken goes up hunting, Barbie can always trust that's where he is. She doesn't have to worry that Ken is fooling around with the doll down the street because he has respect for himself as well as their relationship.

In everything he does, Ken has passion. Whether it's for their relationship, or his love of dirt bikes, Ken always gives 110%. Ken and Barbie do not live to get by, they live to love and make the most of everything and every opportunity. A relationship cannot be stable if the partners are unwilling to cooperate. In order to build upon their relationship, Barbie and Ken will split up certain responsibilities and help each other to accomplish them. Their incredible cooperation helps their marriage run smoothly. Ken and Barbie understand that they are a team. Most importantly, they share each other's hopes and fill each other's dreams- because after all, isn't that what relationships are all about.

The Sense of Fall

What is it about fall that brings back so many memories? It seems to me that in fall, more than any other season, that every single sense is being used. Sensing these changes is almost like reaching back into my memory and allowing me, for only a moment, to go back to my childhood. The usual scenery is changing to a beautiful landscape, like a painting with vibrant and rustic colors emerging everywhere you turn. The leaves on the trees change from the steady greens to an alluring array of reds, oranges and yellows. It makes me thing about the long car rides to my cabin up north. I remember the peaceful feeling that came over me as I watched the colorful leaves along the highway and wooded hills in the distance; it helped make the long drive pass much more quickly.

The smell of carving pumkins, baking the seeds and pumkin pie are among my favorite scents. Everytime I catch a whiff I can't help but get that cozy and heart-warming feeling inside. My mom would make the BEST pumpkin seeds ever. My brother, sister and I would carve our pumpkins and sort out the seeds from the goo; the mess and time did pay off though..we knew we had a treat coming our way. She'd take those seeds and flavor them up with spices: sometimes the seeds would be nutty, sometimes salty, sometimes cinnamon-y, and sometimes even cajun (my dads favorite). Nothing beats the memories that pour in when I smell that fall air.

Here's one I know that we all can relate to: the sound and feeling of the crunching leaves beneath our feet and leaves rustling in the wind. Now if that doesn't bring back some type of memory I don't know what does. I mostly think about being so excited to rake up the leaves and make the biggest leaf pile on the block, always competing with neighborhood kids. Who's was bigger and taller and who could keep they're pile the longest before they're parents brushed them into the street. One funny memory that comes back when I think about playing in the leaves is one from when I stayed the night at my grandmothers house. I was in about the 3rd grade and my little brother helped me to rake a rather large leaf pile. My grandmother told us she was going to get a pizza delivered to the house and when it came it was time to come in for the night. My brother and I decided to make the most of our fun, so we hid in this leaf pile until the pizza deliver boy came to the front porch. As he was walking up we jumped out and scared him, nearly causing him to drop our pizza! We thought we were so funny.

Every year when fall rolls around, I know that I will have the opportinty to temporarily go back into my memory and see those memories one more time. All senses are full engaged, and must be fully engaged to challenge what fall has in for us..more memories to be built. I can't wait until I start a family of my own to help create and share memories that fall has created for me.