We all need a Colby Scott

Oh hey.  Sorry it's been a hot minute since I last typed out my current stream of thoughts.  Since we last spoke I started graduate school and it is truly the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.  I have full confidence that I would not have survived "trauma block"(the first/most intense month of PA school) without my husband.

There are some people in my class who are having to live separately from their spouses to come to school at Wake Forest.  Ya'll, I cannot even imagine.  And ya know what?  I couldn't do it.  

Since Colby and I moved away from our hometown, I have become solely dependent on him.  As it should be.  But right after we got married, dependency on both of our parents was still very much prevalent.  It wasn't bad by any means, but in our hearts we so desperately needed each other to depend on each other, solely.  

So in a sense, moving was one of the best things we could have done for our marriage.  

Simple example: One day, I was having car trouble and instead of immediately calling my dad, like I always have, I called Colby.  Colby said, "well babe, I don't know.  What did your dad say?"  When I told him I called him first, I could all but see the joy in his heart. 

I need him.  He needs me.  We both constantly need to feel that weight of dependency we get from one another.

Colby has made the first month of PA school bearable.  I knew it would be hard.  My parents knew it would be hard.  When Colby asked for my hand in marriage, my parents warned him that PA school was going something he would have to go through too if we got married when he suggested.   Obviously, I don't know the exact words that were said, but essentially Colby replied with, "bring. it. on." (Shew, somebody turn on the fan.  It is getting hot in here! ;) )

 
Today, I officially start my second month of PA school.  The trauma block is over and for that, let's all take a second to the praise the Lord.  Thank you, Jesus. 

I'm a wife first, student second.  And some of those sleep-lacking, stressful days, I fell short on that.   But I have a husband who carries out the gospel better than anyone I know.   His side of the yoke got heavier and he didn't think a thing of it.  He picked up the weight I couldn't carry and still asked what else he could do for me.

I am so overwhelmingly thankful I am on this man's team.  When I graduate from PA school, Team Scott will graduate.  Colby is investing just as much as I am in this journey.  But for real, he has played with my new medical equipment more than me.  He knows why I now shape my hamburger patties like red blood cells and at one point he learned all the bones of the hand so he could quiz me on them.  We all need a Colby Scott, y'all.

Anniversary pictures taken by Tyler and Ashley Lucas

To you, Mr Scott

Sending a little love out for the husband today!

I am so incredibly proud of Colby.  He started his new job today.  He worked for this company back when I was in college, but quit to join the family business - just before we got married.  A couple months of getting into the swing of things back at home, his old boss gave him a call and wanted to know if he would like to come back.  

For my homebody husband, moving was a huge deal.  For my family man husband, leaving the family business was a huge deal.  But Colby felt the Lord moving in our situation.  So we decided to pack up as a family and move so he could pursue a different career path.  

I am so incredibly encouraged by his boldness and willingness to surrender his own plans.  We prayed this over Colby this morning, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do". (Ephesians 2:10)  And we rest in the fact that The Lord has planned and prepared us for this.

Oh happy day, Samuel Colby.  I am so proud of you.  A gorgeous steak supper awaits your arrival!

Six Months of Marriage

Colby and I are celebrating 6 months of marriage today.  We don't celebrate "month anniversaries" usually.  However, today when I was talking to Colby, we were both in shock that we have already been married for 6 months.  It seems like 3 months MAX!  

Tonight we celebrated by simply living life together.  I cooked supper and we sat at the dining room table, decked out with turkey salt & pepper shakers, and mustard yellow candles.  We did our high's & low's of our days and then cleaned the kitchen together.   Now we are sitting in our freshly cleaned living room, folding laundry together in front of the warm fire that Colby built for me.  

Oh my, my.  There is joy in laundry, folks.  

 

Taste buds, I still love you.

So rumor has it that the word "sacrifice" is suppose to bounce around in our thought process often in the journey of marriage.  Apparently there is suppose to be a lot of give and take?  Is that right?  

Well let me tell you.. my taste buds have felt (tasted rather?) the largest consequences of this "sacrifice" stuff.  My sweet, precious, hardworking, loving, etc., etc. husband has the pallet of a five year old.  Grilled chicken, steak and spaghetti are some of the few things that satisfies those little bumps on his tongue.  And then there is me, the cook, the starving wife, who dreams of bacon wrapped scallops, creamy risotto and basil pesto on anything.  

Growing up, my parent fixed mushrooms with most of their meals.  They put it in the entrees, they seasoned them and boiled them, they sauteed them.  Mushrooms were present often.  But I hated them.  Then one night during college, my boyfriend decided to take me to the Cheesecake Factory where I had this giant plate of deliciousness.  Including mushrooms.  I hate every bite.  Including the mushrooms.  It was like that meal was all it took for me to flip a switch.  From that point on, I have adored mushrooms.  I seriously would consider giving up all meats (maybe except seafood.. its just too good :) ) for mushrooms.  I love them and try to incorporate them in every meal.. just like my parents.

I guess I have this huge hope in thinking if I fix a meal with something Colby doesn't like and mix it with things he does.. his switch will flip too.  And I wouldn't be limited to a meal of grilled chicken, macaroni and cheese, a can of sweet peas and a can of corn and a croissant... for the third time this week. 

So I told Colby I was going to challenge us in trying 5 new recipes before the end of the month.  I know that doesn't seem like a lot.. but its enough to get me inspired to cook more things, learn more and get Colby to venture out a little more. 

I made two new recipes tonight.. they are currently baking in the oven.  Colby has told me how bad it the garlic stinks about hmm, 8 times now.  He has proceeded to opening the kitchen window and the dining room window and he has lit three (STRONG) scented candles.  I am already considering this a fail.   So I gonna whip up a batch of macaroni and cheese as back up.  You can never be too prepared, ya know?  

I will let you know how each five of my recipes go and what the recipe is if it is good at the end of my little challenge!  Stay posted, friends!

The Greatest Role I've Ever Have

 

This could be one my favorite pictures of all times.  This was easily the sweetest moment of my life.  I just knew my heart was going to explode any second.  I am so thankful Joey caught this moment because I really don’t know if any moment in my life is going to be able to trump it.  It was just a moment of “Yes!  It’s official.  He is mine.  All mine.  No one in the world gets to kiss him, hold him, love him like me.  No one.  I am HIS.  I am his bride today and forever.  No one in the world gets to kiss me, hold me, love me like him.  No one!”  But seriously, my heart was seconds away from exploding.

 

Since become Colby’s wife, my life has been filled with precious moments.  The honeymoon, cooking supper together, accepting a freshly brewed cup of coffee from my sleepy-eyed husband, doing housework, going to an elementary playground, you name it.  My life has been rocked by this diamond band on my left hand (pun much?)

I am now living in the greatest role I will ever have.  So it is important for me to start strong and stay strong in my wonderful role of being a wife, Colby’s wife.  A friend of mine sent me a blog post about being a Godly wife and I absolutely loved it.  Therefore, I wanted to share it with you.. but with a personalized touch.

God is first.  Colby is second.

Before I can seek Colby and his heart, I have to first seek the man who created him and who created me and who created us to be together.  Keeping God first is simply getting in the word daily and living out the word daily.  Colby comes second.  Not me.  Not my job or school.  Not my parents.  Not our future kids.  Colby always, always, always comes second.

Understand the covenant.

Marriage is not what society tells us it is.  During our premarital counseling, Colby and I read “The Meaning of Marriage” by Tim Keller.  PHENOMENAL.  I would recommend to anyone in a relationship, married or not.  While reading this book and scripture I understood that marriage is not a promise.  Promises can be broken.   Marriage is not a contract.  Contracts can be breached.  Marriage is a covenant.  It cannot be destroyed.  God created marriage; therefore it is so precious to him.  He created Colby for me.  It is so important for me to recognize that gift.  He created a human being with certain qualities and skills and personality traits and strengths and weakness FOR ME and no one else.  And vice versa.

Submit.

God knew what he was doing when he created marriage.  He did not create me to be the leader of our home.  Colby is the leader of the home, by design.  Colby’s ultimate job in our home is to stand at the doorway and keep the enemy out.  Therefore, my ultimate job is to be inside the home, supporting Colby and praying for him.  1 Peter 3 is a gorgeous reminder of submission.  Verses 1-4 say “Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.  Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”  So in other words, I have a power in a quiet and gentle submission TO Colby that God is going to use FOR Colby.

Speak edifying words only.

Never will it be acceptable for me to talk negatively about Colby.  Like never ever.  I am to build Colby up and praise Colby for the things he does, doesn’t do, loves, disapproves of, whatever it may be.  I should never tear Colby down to his face or others.

Live out Proverbs 31.

This is scripture every woman should be familiar with.  It is something to strive towards as women.  Verse 11, “Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, no harm all the days of her life.”  Verse 17, “she sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong her tasks.”  It’s such a beautiful goal to have, to be a Proverbs 31 woman.

 

Do it anyway.

This is huge and smacked me right in the face when I read it.  DO IT ANYWAY.  It so easy to do things for Colby when he is being sweet or when he offers to help or when he does something special for me.  But its harder, when he doesn’t do those things.  Nonetheless, I must DO IT ANYWAY.  Colby may not be fulfilling his role but here’s the catch, that’s between him and God.  (Woah!)  It is not my job to discipline him.  I have to do things for Colby because he is my husband.  Not because of the things he is or isn’t doing for me.  I must DO IT ANYWAY because in the whole scheme of things, I am seeking to please the Lord.  Period.

 

Communicate.

I learned so much about this from Eric and Kristin during premarital counseling.  Kristin point blank said. “Courtney, Colby cannot read your mind nor will he ever.”  Therefore, I must tell him.  I have to talk to Colby.  I have to listen to Colby.  I think Kristin would agree that I cannot read Colby’s mind either nor will I ever be able to.

Choose to focus on Colby’s strengths.

There really is no explanation needed for this.  Colby has a million strengths.  Why would I even want to focus on anything else?  He is strong, sensible, creative, hardworking, caring, a self-starter, never ever lazy, a soon to be grill master, friendly, sweet, content, athletic, smart and a million of things.  I’m telling you, I am the luckiest gal in the world.

 

Strive to please Colby.

Being ready to cook spaghetti at the drop of a hat, talking about coyote calls and fishing lures, having sweet tea in the fridge at all times, go kayaking or doing yard work with him, know how he likes his coffee, watching The Office.  Love him.  Be creative.  Exercise.  Eat healthy.  Dress up.  All for Colby.

Cover Colby in prayer.

Prayer is what makes Colby strong.  So I need to be in prayer for Colby all day, every day.  He is the leader of our home.  He is the one fighting the enemy in our home.  So Colby needs my prayers in order for him to be strong enough to fight at the doorway.

I am so new at this wife thing.  Therefore, I am seeking tips and advice from all willing sources.  When I read this woman’sblog post, I loved it.  And those values and promises sounded great so I decided to execute them for myself.  I have found that they speak hard truth but result in sweet reward.  So, I decided to opt out of doing laundry this afternoon and share these truths with you.

Happy Thursday, ya'll.