And Don't You Forget It

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

Nick had a super difficult exam yesterday, and another one this morning. He's hardly gotten any sleep and is nervous and stressed about what his test scores will be. Being the amazing girlfriend that I am, I spent the day cleaning the apartment, washing clothes, and doing dishes. Not to mention, I made these amazing strawberry cheesecake cupcakes from Duncan Hines. Because I lack an electric mixer, the frosting didn't turn out quite as it was supposed to. We don't mind, though. They're still super yummy. And obviously, it was such an easy way to brighten my baby's mood.

 

Baking goodies is always an easy way to show your guy some love. Like they always say, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Whoever said that obviously forgot to account for the man's penis...but either way, you can't go wrong with cupcakes.

Bri

A Moment That Defined Forever

It doesn't feel like it was very long ago when I was sitting in Nick's apartment, cuddled up in his fuzzy red blanket on his bed, watching him play his guitar. Every night was the same. We would have so much fun together, staying up most of the night. Streaming movies online, listening to new music, doing homework together; no matter what we did, the connection between us was unlike any I had ever had with another person. 
We would meet up a few times during the day. For coffee, for lunch, or just for a few minutes to say hi in passing. We would go to parties together at night. And, of course, the best part- we would have big kid sleepovers every single night. Sleepovers full of cuddling, sex, and very little sleep. The very best kind. I was comfortable with what we had. I loved every minute of it. However, I believed that it would never be anything more than that. We loved each other all along, we shared so many feelings, not to mention how great our physical relationship had been from the very beginning. I thought that was all it was, though. I was under the impression that Nick would never be ready to call me his girlfriend. I thought we would never end up dating; that we would only hang out and hang out some more until he eventually got tired of that and we fizzled out.
That is why it's an understatement to say he caught me off guard when he finally asked me out. It was February 21st, 2012. Roughly three in the morning. We had just gotten done having sex. His body pressed against mine as he laid on top of me. Two sweaty bodies breathing in unison, staring into one another's eyes, in the darkness. Just enough moonlight sneaking in from the window to see each other's faces. This was nothing special. But then, all of a sudden, he kissed my face and whispered through the blackness of the room, "Be with me."
Just like that. He never gave me a choice, not that I even had one to make. It hadn't been my choice from the first moment I laid eyes on him six months earlier. Not only was I already with him, but I was his. Completely.
That must have been why I didn't answer. This was the moment I was waiting for, for what felt like forever. It's not that I didn't want to answer. I wanted to more than anything I've ever wanted. Up until that moment, though, I never knew what it meant to truly be speechless. Right then, I was speechless. I physically couldn't get a word out; they were sticking in my throat. As soon as he said those three words, it felt like my heart stopped and my throat closed up. I could hardly believe it. It felt so surreal. How long I was actually silent, I don't know. I just stared at him, though, for what felt like an hour. Finally I wiggled my arms out from under him, and gently wrapped my fingers around his warm, smooth neck. I kissed him hard, but softly at the same time. "Yes," I finally mustered. "I will. I want to."
I wanted to cry. This was the happiest I could ever remember being. He pulled me in, holding me so close to his heart, and if I wasn't sure about what we had before this, I certainly was now. I knew then that nothing would ever be able to break what we had. This was meant to be. This was real. It was true love.

Have any of you ever had a moment like this?
XoXo,
Bri

How To Date a Country Boy

My baby is an outdoorsman. Fishing, hunting, talking about fishing and hunting, buying fishing and hunting gear, walking in the woods, taking pictures in the woods, wearing camo, buying camo, watching shows about fishing and hunting, etc. This is what he loves. For me, growing up in bumfuck, nowhere, I get it. I know why people love this stuff, but I never really did. Sure, I'll do it, but not very often. 
Where I live, everyone that I know has either done these things once or does them all the time. It is simply just the way it goes, and there's nothing wrong with that. The lifestyles people favor are different everywhere. Dating a country boy like Nick, I have found myself with a real appreciation for these sorts of hobbies. No, I don't love them, and probably never will. However, I do love the way he feels about them.
I love his passion for the outdoors. When he is happy, I am too, and when he's doing any of those things, he is most definitely happy. It makes me smile, watching how serious he is about what he loves. He gets so excited for fishing and hunting season. I really don't have anything that I love the way he loves being outdoors, doing all of those manly things. He is dedicated and devoted to always being better and having the best equipment. I don't have that same burning desire for anything. It is beautiful to watch. I love the joy it brings him.

When your man loves something, don't try to stop him from loving it. You may not always like his hobby, whatever it may be, but if he is passionate about something, don't ever take that away from him. If you don't complain about what he loves to do, he won't complain about your favorite things either. If he wants to take you with him to do what he loves, don't underestimate the importance of that. That's huge! He wants you to be a part of the biggest part of his life. You might not ever enjoy the same things he does, but learn to appreciate them. Appreciate what he does and why he does them. Respect him for that. Guys aren't hard to take care of. Don't try to change them. You want to do the things you want and so do they. Once you learn to acknowledge and take pride in the things he loves to do, you'll both be a whole lot happier.

Bri

Don't Be Afraid To Open Your Heart

Often times, there are things on my mind that I don't say. I have so many emotions that I don't share with Nick simply because it's easier that way. I have a lot of feelings. I'm a girl. We're like that sometimes. He always knows when I'm silencing myself, and he does his best to get it out of me. Eventually, I come around and tell him whats bugging me. I shouldn't be afraid to tell him from the beginning, though. I should just lay it on the table. We all should. It's okay to be emotional and to say what's on our mind. I recently came across this amazing Zooey Deschanel quote that sums this up perfectly:

“Being tender and open is beautiful. As a woman, I feel continually shhh’ed. Too sensitive. Too mushy. Too wishy washy. Blah blah. Don’t let someone steal your tenderness. Don’t allow the coldness and fear of others to tarnish your perfectly vulnerable beating heart. Nothing is more powerful than allowing yourself to truly be affected by things.”

This is beautiful. Keep this in mind. Don't ever let anyone or anything stop you from displaying your emotions.

Bri 

Sharing Views

On a day like today, I felt the subject of sharing views would only be appropriate. Twelve years ago today was one of the most painful days in our nation's history. We were blindsided by our enemies, hit hard and hit close to home. We lost an unfathomable number of our brothers and sisters. Personally, I was very young on the date of the September 11th attacks, but I remember the events of the day vividly. I remember learning about solar eclipses in my third grade classroom. I remember the way our studies were interrupted, the way the teachers gathered together, the discomfort that hung in the air over their whispers, and the looks on their faces. As soon as I was buckled into the backseat of my mother's car, I can still picture her trying with all her might to keep her composure as she tried to explain what happened to our young, innocent little minds. She broke down. She did her best to break the news, but it came out muffled between gasps and tears.
I was young- only a child. I hadn't known anyone whose soul had been stolen by these terrorists. I couldn't understand why something like this would happen. Even so, I was terrified for years. Just like every other American, I did not feel safe in my own home. This broke our country.  We fell together, and rose from the ashes as a nation. We have tried our bests to rebuild, but what happened that day, will never be forgotten. Those that lost their lives shall live on forever in the hearts of every American. We will not forget.
Today, I spent the day in the nation's capitol, Washington, D.C. I rode on the back of my daddy's Harley into the city with hundreds of thousands of other bikers as a memorial service for all those lost and all those still fighting for our freedom, as well as a reminder to never forgot what it takes to be free.

Waiting to start the ride.

Taking over the Beltway, riding into downtown D.C.

Stopped in front of the Washington Monument.

Today, I felt so much pride for my country. I grew up in a conservative family in which I learned to value our constitutional rights. You're probably starting to wonder how any of this fits into my blog about love and relationships. The answer to that is that today, I was not only proud, but also grateful. I was grateful for all the people that share my beliefs, in particular, my wonderful Nick. Nick and I have the same views on most political subjects, and that is truly a blessing.

People form relationships with people who have different beliefs, values, and morals all the time. No, it's not unheard of or impossible, but I can tell you from firsthand experience, that it feels so much better to have someone that you can talk to about your opinions. When the person you love is willing to back you on anything and everything, when they support all that you do, and fight alongside you in your battles, you are nothing short of fortunate. Matters of our nation's government are important to me. Nick accepts that, and agrees with the way that I feel. Knowing that is a godsend. It gives me faith and hope.

It doesn't matter what you believe or don't believe. It doesn't matter if you care about politics or religion, or if you just don't care about anything at all. What matters is having someone to stand beside you and feel what you feel. Sharing the same views is not necessary, but it is convenient. Find someone who you can have a meaningful discussion about major issues with, and you will undoubtedly find yourself attracted to that person. If this person happens to be your one true love, then it's your lucky day!

Until next time, Bri

I'm All Yours, If You're All Mine

Hi guys,
So, every couple has their song, right? Well, I don't know if Nick and I have officially decided on a song, but I know the closest thing to it, and I want to share it with you. We listen to this song when we're driving in the sun, or laying in bed holding each other, and sometimes we listen to it on our own. I have always felt that it was made specifically for the two of us. The soft, romantic melody is the perfect love song. It describes the relationship between us better than anything else. Whenever we are having a hard time, I listen to "I Don't Mind" by Defeater, and I remember that we are going to do everything in our power to be together forever. True love struggles with trials and obstacles. We have to jump hurdles and surpass every difficulty thrown our way. In time, though, everything will be right. Life is not always perfect, but as long as I have my baby's hand to hold, I know that he and I can make it through anything. I hope you all enjoy this song as much as I do. What is your favorite love song??

XOXO, Bri

The Day We Met: A Story of Fate

I remember meeting him perfectly. It was during my first week of my freshman year of college. A friend and I had decided to try out one of the local bars. Waiting in line to get in, we found ourselves talking to some older guys. After a few minutes of conversation, I learned that the men we had met were male strippers. For some girls, this may have been great news, but for me, it was a cue to leave. I was not interested in the one that was trying to steal my heart- or vagina, for that matter- from the beginning, but the news of his lousy occupation pushed me over the edge. Despite this, they had promised to buy us drinks once we were inside, so, naturally, we stuck around. Of course, they were expecting us to dance with them. Instead, after collecting our drinks, we excused ourselves to the restroom, where we downed the drinks, tossed them in the trash, and scurried out the back door, before they ever had a chance to say goodbye. Typical girl move, I know, but it was all part of the path that led me to the love of my life. 
My friend and I weren't sure where to take the rest of our night, so we stopped at a vendor on the sidewalk to grab some hot dogs. While we sat and ate, a trio of Australian boys introduced themselves. Now these ones, we liked, if only for the accents. We talked with them for quite some time. I stood up to throw my garbage in to the nearest trash bin when I saw another group of boys. As they walked past us, one of them stood out to me. He wore a maroon hoodie, ripped jeans, skater shoes, and he topped it all off with a backwards RVCA hat. Saying he was my type would be an understatement. He looked good, and maybe it was only because I had a few drinks in me, but for some reason I felt he deserved to know. So, I shouted. "Hey, you look good," I said in his direction. What?! Why would I say that? I could have chose to be a normal member of the female population and gone up to politely introduce myself, but I shouted. No, not even. I catcalled. I catcalled a guy. Talk about reverse gender roles. Well, he nodded and smiled, and that was that.
I went back and joined my friend and the Aussies. About ten minutes later, mid-conversation with the three boys, I hear a whisper in my ear. "The one in the grey is faking. He's not from Australia." Startled, I whipped my head around. And, what do you know? There he was. The sexy boy in the RVCA hat. 
To be continued, my loves.....
Bri