Cinderella Liberty

In a marriage, you learn to compromise for one another and communicate. However, it’s not always that simple or easy...

 

We enjoy being a part of our community. We attend several bike events and benefit runs which usually include us being at local bars, VFWs, Legions, etc. Early on in our relationship, we realized that a lot of times, one of us would want to go home and the other was having the time of their life and didn’t want the party to end. This would go back and forth; one night I would want to stay out longer and another night he would want to stay out longer, usually depending on the company or event. We both enjoy socializing but had a hard time communicating when it was the appropriate time to leave at that moment.

My husband and I often sit and reflect on how we can grow together as a couple. We came to the agreement that we needed to set our boundaries ahead of time. We decided when going out, we would always say our goodbyes around 9 and be home no later than 9:30/10 depending on our location. We also agreed if this was going to be broken it had to be discussed ahead of time for a special occasion, like a wedding, vacation, etc.

I am proud to say we have both kept this boundary in place. It has kept us from fighting, having too much to drink, and from evening bar drama. Let’s face it nothing good for our relationship is happening at a bar after 9:30. I love that we both set this Curfew for our relationship; I like to call it Cinderella liberty 😉 and we both stand by it.

We have been open about our set curfew with our friends as they know why we are leaving by 9:00 and no longer try to convince us to stay out. It has been so beneficial for us, that some of our couple friends are implementing the same curfew! One just told me it’s what she and her husband decided to do as a positive change for the new year. My husband and I love to see that our openness in regards to us as a couple setting these boundaries to better support our relationship, has not only helped us but is helping other couples too!

No matter the relationship everyone is growing and changing. My husband and I are always learning how to resolve issues before they become massive problems. We try and talk about things once the dust has settled and find ways to work together to change the baseline. As he says “always seek self-improvement”. We both want to be our best selves and want to see one another succeed. Sometimes a conversation on how to prevent the issue rather than arguing about the issue is the key to the problem. Love is a powerful thing and when you work together as a couple you can be unstoppable. ❤️

Written By: Savanna B. Veteran Caregiver / HTH Representative

Memories > possessions

Our stories have no expiration date

As the years go on, we learn valuable lessons in life that help shape who we are and who we want to become. Some lessons we learn from our own experiences and sometimes from witnessing others.

My uncle passed away last year and my husband and I were tasked with going to Oklahoma for a month to clean out and flip his house. We were aware he had mental and physical illnesses that made his hoarding unimaginable. Knowing we were taking on a big task, we were aware it would be a change in pace and a journey to later become memories with quite a few stories. (You may have read the blog of us coming home with the Uhaul ;)

On this unexpected journey to Oklahoma, we knew the month would be a long one. Over two weeks, we removed eight, 30-yard dumpster worth of trash & items from the house. After completion of cleaning out the house, we then spent 2 weeks completing the remodeling of the home.

Although the month was long and quite a challenge, my husband and I learned a lot. Taking on such a project together, especially after being married for only two months was taxing on us both physically and mentally. However, we learned so much that I don’t regret it one bit.

The most valuable lesson we learned was that physical items and possessions become clutter in your life. With my uncle's passing and us throwing away eight dumpsters worth of things, I came to realize we don’t take anything with us when we pass on. Out of all the stuff he had, there were only a couple of items that had sentimental value to us as his family, and the rest was just thrown away.

Once we got home, I realized that I had a hard time shopping on Amazon and buying things to just sit in our home. The lesson of realizing that possessions won’t carry on our legacy made me decide that from here on out we will be spending our money on memories instead of items.

This new lesson we learned as a couple has sparked an adventurous attitude for 2023. We have created two jars with ideas in them. One is for local adventures bi-weekly and the other is for short vacations/trips we are hoping to do once a month. Learning that we cherish our memories together way more than spending money on physical items has not only brought us closer together but has us excited for the future and the stories we will make that will last a lifetime!

Written By: Veteran Caregiver / HTH Representative Savanna B.

Honeymoon to the Bahamas

                                               

In July I said “I Do” to the love of my life. Following our wedding, we booked our honeymoon after having to reschedule three times due to a death in the family and hurricanes. We finally were set and packed when I realized I made a huge mistake. I booked our flights to Nassau and our hotel in the Grand Bahamas. Realizing this less than 48 hours before arrival, I had to inform my husband of the massive mistake I had made. I tried calling to see if we could change our tickets or take a boat as we are in Florida. Neither was an option for our hotel dates. I franticly looked at hotels in Nassau and amazingly found exactly what we wanted at the same price. I immediately called and made our reservation. Crisis averted! With a very frustrated husband, I tried to keep the spirits up as we adjusted to the changes.

Once we landed in Nassau, Bahamas it was perfect. We stayed at an all-inclusive resort on the beach. Our resort was adults only and very quiet - perfect for my veteran as we try and minimize prolonged exposure to crowds. A massive resort was next door with a casino and lavish grounds, so we would walk down the beach and enjoy some of the things they had to offer then stroll back to our hotel for food and drinks. 

We did just about everything. On day 1 we explored our hotel, beach, and the resort next door, getting the lay of the land.

On day 2 we went on an 8-hour excursion by boat to the Exumas. We went to 7 different Cays, each with a different experience. We swam with and fed wild pigs, Fed the Iguanas, Snorkeled Pablo Escobar's sunken airplane, swam with the nurse sharks, snorkeled a protected natural aquarium, ate lunch, and jumped off the dock, and ended the adventure on a private sand bar to relax. This was by far one of the best experiences of our lives; especially since we love nature and wildlife.

On day 3 we took a glass bottom boat to snorkel the reef on Cable beach. We got lucky and only had one other couple on the big boat so we got to see and do what we wanted. My husband jumped in a got to even swim with a sea turtle! Later that evening we met a veteran couple that we had dinner with, and then went to the casino together. I got to share with them my love for working for Coalition and may have even added a new member to our Coalition family!

On day 4 we shopped, drank, and lounged pool/beach side. We found out we could walk to the small straw market which was perfect to avoid cabs/buses and the cruise ship port with large crowds. We came back with so many cool signs for our pool! I was stunned at how amazing and affordable our souvenirs were.

On day 5 we went to the resort next door and explored their Aquarium with a Touch Tank. We enjoyed walking the grounds and came back later that evening to gamble in the casino. I am proud to say we made money gambling the 2 nights we were there so that was a bonus.

Day 6 We got to walk with Flamingos and interact with them on the lawn. They had a few 4-month-old flamingos that were just the cutest things! We also rented the Jetski and explored some of the islands around our beach.

On day 7 we were sad to be heading home.
Luckily we had a direct flight to Orlando, so it was only a 1-hour flight home. 

Our Honeymoon to Nassau was out of a storybook. I still keep scrolling through my phone looking at the photos! I can't wait to continue our travels and adventures as husband and wife. Nassau was a beautiful island and the locals were extremely nice. Not once did my husband or I feel stressed or uncomfortable being in a “foreign country”, we honestly felt like we were home in the states and felt very safe the entire trip. We will be returning, I’ll just make sure I pick the correct Island next time. 😉

Written By: Savanna Burrell

Veteran Caregiver