To Tiffany: 2022

Monday, December 26, 2022

Beauty in the Little Things

Every day things I find beautiful:

-your smile (the reason I call you sonrisa)

-your patience with Gavin, Noah, and me

-the kids laughing uncontrollably when you tickle them

-eating at breakfast restaurants with you on our breakfast dates

-the small "squeak" sound you make when you're falling asleep

"Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them."

(Marcus Aurelius)

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

I interpreted for you on the 6th floor of Clarkson Tower at UNMC/Nebraska Medicine. We found out we had a lot in common and that day became "Facebook friends" and started chatting more. I am beyond grateful that God helped bring us together 10 years ago!

Sunday, November 13, 2022

Looking Up

T-

I figure after 9 years of writing to you on this blog I will remind us (myself + you) again why this blog is called "Looking up" (Tiffany and Nick looking up). We love each other but our eyes are fixed up, towards Jesus. I love you so much and can tend to look towards you to be my everything but we need constant reminder that we both are looking in the same direction - not at each other but at God. I love you so much. Thank you for helping to keep my eyes looking towards God.

-Husband.

Saturday, October 15, 2022

Austin, TX Trip / ACL Fest October 2022

The boys stayed in Grand Island for the weekend while we went to Austin City Limits festival! October 13-15, 2022 so you could see P!nk for your 38th Birthday next month!

Morning bike ride

Our hotel in the background - The Element downtown Austin

Waiting for a bands to start (The Chicks?)

Texas State Capitol

Matt's El Rancho restaurant. Their sign says "The best Mexican in the World"

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

9 Year Wedding Anniversary

Nine years ago today you and I said "I do" and got married.

The boys were so excited to see you in your wedding dress. You look so beautiful! We watched our wedding video and ate popcorn to celebrate our nine years :-)

I love you so much, in sickness and health, for richer or poorer, til death do us part!

Gavin and Noah loved seeing you put on your dress on our 9th anniversary

Thursday, September 1, 2022

Dates Over the Last Year (2021-2022)

Dates Over the Last Year (2021-2022)

2022

September 2022

September 1 - Breakfast date at Harold's Koffee House on 30th street in Florence! We ate outside and reminisced over past dates we've had by reading this blog's posts from 2015-2018! We also talked a bit about our relationship and parenting - meeting each other's expectations, and sometimes exceeding them!

Harold's Koffee in Florence

August 2022

August 31 - While the kids were at Awana, we went to the park in Ralston and read the Bible :-)

August 24 - Wednesday morning coffee shop date :-) We went to Zen Coffee and got coffee and a pastry. We read the Bible - keeping up with our two year Bible reading plan that started January 2, 2021!

August 13 - My 20 year high school reunion at Corkscrew! We talked to quite a few people - Derek Wheatley, Matt Lee, John Rasmussen, Chris Munroe, Derek Hassler, Ben Mangiamelli, Mike Vamosi...

July 2022

July 29 - Impromptu "date run" together. Only the 2nd time we have ever run together. We ran 3 miles from home to Sunset Hills, got on the trail, & ran the trail North towards Trader Joes area. 3 miles, Average about 10.5 minute mile. I love you!

July 21 - "Mouth of the South" restaurant out near Lakeside for supper. After we went to a new-fish bakery place called Crumbl where we got some big cookies! (The Wilkins (Ryan and Jenny Wilkins) watched our kids - we did a kid swap where we watched Nina and Poppy and they watched our kids so we could go on a date)

"Crumbl"

July 16 - "Dynamite" Restaurant on 13th and Farnam. Very pricey place!! Then we walked across the street through the brand new (just renovated) Gene Leahy mall. Later we went out to "Stories" coffee shop on 114 and Dodge where they had live music :-)

Newly renovated Gene Leady mall downtown

June 2022

June 29 - We went to the movie "Top Gun 2" at Marcus Theatres

Colorado (Beaver Creek) family vacation. We didn't really go on any dates here - we went for a fast afternoon coffee one day but we had to make it quick.

May 2022

May 11 - Impromptu lunch date at "Good Evans" - I got the breakfast food (biscuits and gravy of course) and you got lunch. Plus their homemade pop tart of course (brown sugar).

May 5 - Breakfast date at "Cafe Diem" while the kids were at school. It's a new cafe near 96th and Giles/portal road (under the new Lux96 apartments). We also got some river rock for the backyard landscaping by the sun porch and some spring things at Menards :-)

April 2022

April 30 - We went to see the musical "Come From Away" in Lincoln at the Lied Center. Gavin and Noah got to play at grandma and grandpa's house while we were there. After we got dinner with Mandy and Matt and baby Gema.

April 2 - we went out for Megan's birthday (with Mandy, Chris, Jeff, and their friends Kelly & Mike & Jo) at Blue Sushi downtown

March 2022

March 31 - coffee morning date at the Village Grinder

March 26 - DSA gala

March 19 - Copal Restaurant with my coworkers from Children's (our postponed Christmas/holiday party)

March 17 - we picked up Zen coffee (monkey bread) and brought it home and pulled questions from a hat (Would you want to be famous? [we both said no] What was your favorite family tradition? [you said Christmas Eve having soup, then looking at Christmas lights & you'd fall asleep in the backseat on your grandparents lap]

March 16 - we dropped the kids off at Awana then we went to Seymour Smith park and walked around the trail together

Feb 2022

February 26 - "family date night" - we went to the UNO hockey game with the DADS group tickets

January 2022

January 1 - The musical "Dear Evan Hanson" in the afternoon, then dinner after at "Stokes" downtown. It was a 0 degree day with lots of wind and about an inch of snow coming down! Gavin & Noah played at grandma & grandpa's with Evan.

January 6 - Out to breakfast at SunnySide Restaurant (35th and Center). I tried the breakfast sandwich, you had the breakfast burrito. We planned our trip to San Francisco this coming April (2022) and also afterwards, read the Bible (2 year bible reading plan was starting last year, now we are in year two!)

December 2021

December 2 - We went on a morning date to Great Harvest Bread in Rockbrook Village. We got some sweet treats and were able to spend quality time together :-)

December 10 - "Hot Sardines" Holiday Stomp concert at the Holland Center. Dinner before at ___ (Mula)

November 2021

November 20 - Your 37th birthday! I dropped the boys off at my parents and then we drove down to Lauritzen Gardens for their Christmas decorations thing. After we tried going to a boutique downtown but it was closed. So we drove out to westroads to show instead :-)

November 18 - We went out for breakfast at Soujerner Cafe in Ralston! You had a breakfast sandwich and I had the biscuits and gravy. Pretty good small local place that we liked!

October 2021

October 1 - Went out to Stokes restaurant to celebrate our 8th anniversary! Your mom was in town for the night so she watched the boys. Benson First Fridays after

October 21 - Lo Sole Mid Restaurant, then to the Lauren Daigle concert!

September 2021

September 19 - Your sister Mandy's baby diaper keg in Lincoln. We went to "The Bar" (brought diapers) for about an hour and a half. After we walked around UNL campus for 30-45 minutes and took in all the memories from 17 years ago when we were on campus! (Sept 2003 you were a freshman, I was a sophomore). Then we ate at "Cielito Lindo" mexican food. We had a great conversation there (stopped by my old college duplex where me, Craig Sitzman, Ryan Stigge, and John Swedlund/Josh Reeks/Jason McCloud used to live on W 23rd street) and on the drive home to Omaha.

September 25 - Kirsten (Hanson) & Brandon wedding (at Larry & Cathy Hanson's house)

Some concerts we've been to together:

Dirty Heads

AJR/Ingrid Michaelson

New Found Glory

Lauren Daigle

(coming in October 2022: Austin City Limits Festival in Austin, TX!)

Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Valleys & Mountaintops

Sometimes looking at social media (or an old-school blog like this one) you can get the impression that life is perfect. Right? We only post the vacation photos! And the fun things we do together.

Of course we don't post about the moments when we are in a bad mood, when the kids are loud [and dare I say annoying? :-) ] or when we are in the trenches doing dishes and giving showers and just trying to stay above water.

But that's what makes life beautiful. We can't have the good without the bad. We can't have the mountaintop without the valleys (or there would be no such thing as a mountaintop if there were no valleys). I know it's hard raising kids while being a passionate couple who still has time to deeply talk and date and love each other. I committed from the very beginning to always pursue you.

And although we can go weeks now without a "date night" (sometimes a month!) I love you so much and love doing life with you. I still want to pursue you and plan dates for you and look at you just like I did when we were first married.

I love you, Tiffany. Life isn't just about the high moments but also about every thing in between, and I am so glad we get to do life together.

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Mother's Day 2022

Something I wrote to you on Mother's Day that I want you to always remember:

"You are truly an amazing mother. I admire you and am proud that Gavin and Noah get to have YOU as a mom. We appreciate you. Thank you for loving us so much, despite all our flaws and shortcomings."

Thursday, April 28, 2022

Eyes

Hi my love,

I love your beautiful, radiant eyes. Through them I get to see a glimpse of your inner beauty. I love they shine outwardly to reflect what shines within you - your love for Gavin and Noah, your love for me, your love for family and for others.

I love you.

-Nick