Yesterday morning, I came across an article that totally bummed me out. While reading it, and researching further (before I believe anything I read online, I research and read multiple sources), I came to the sad conclusion that Instagram's founders are truly leaving Instagram (and Facebook)—for good. Here are the articles I read, in the order I read them:
It's no secret that I'm not a fan of Fakebook (feel free to read my post, "Just Do It! Dump Facebook! :)"). Thus, when changes began happening to Instagram over the past couple of years that felt veryFacebook-ey to me, I became concerned. In March, 2018, I even looked to quit Instagram altogether and join Vero. Yet after signing up, my brother-in-law shared the information he'd researched about Vero's owners and I immediately deleted my newly-created accounts—they were worse than Fakebook! Since my happy Instagram world was so coldly disrupted yesterday morning by Facebook 😢, I've tried to rationalize how I could maintain my Instagram accounts and remain true to who I am and what I believe. While researching other Instagram-related articles, I came across an article (below) that reminded me that Facebook and its leaders are NOT our friends. When it really comes down to it, they are all about making money, and that will never change.
The quote "If you're not paying for it, you are the product" fully and completely applies to Facebook and all of its products, which sadly includes Instagram. Furthermore, the fact that Instagram's founders are willingly leaving their high-paying, cushy Instagram/Facebook positions tells me they can't live with themselves under the fake-umbrella-of-happiness, either! Their choice to leave Facebook shows they are remaining true to who they are—regardless of the money—and I applaud them for it. (Okay, I'm reaching there, but it's totally plausible they resigned for that reason!) *Yet in the same breath, I counter that with, "Why did you sell-out to Fakebook in the first place?! Why would you choose money over your loyal users' beautiful Instagram experiences?!" So sad, right?! Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom claim they will keep their Instagram accounts, but I wonder how long they'll actually stay active on it? Instagram was their creation, so maybe they can't bear to part with their baby? I don't blame them if they continue using Instagram, but I'll be surprised if they remain on it long-term. So, what am I to do now with this frustrating information? (I know I may be in the minority with my strong feelings, but I don't care. I can write whatever I want on my blog! 😁) Here are the thoughts I've had over the past several hours—I might change, delete, or update these points as more information about Instagram becomes available:
Unlike many Instagram users, I've never made money because of my participation there. Even though I genuinely love my Instagram world I've created (so much!), I was also hoping that my IG contributions would translate into readers of my blog—which would then translate into advertising revenue. If you've read my previous blog post, you'll know that advertisements on my blog most definitely haven't paid off.
I've not received nor retained the amount of Instagram followers I thought possible. I wasn't expecting to gain thousands of followers, by any means, but I topped out at 250 followers, and that number always regressed if I didn't follow back said followers. And I most definitely did not follow back people just for the sake of following back. I followed Instagram accounts because I really wanted to see their content, I don't give fake or hollow follows anywhere. Also, if I didn't post at least weekly on IG, I would lose even more followers, which was annoying because I wanted to post whenever I felt like it, not because I needed to retain followers.
Now that I've removed advertisements from my blog, the point of gaining new readers for advertising dollars doesn't even matter. While I'm truly super happy if people find my blog helpful (I love helping readers!), I blog for myself because I genuinely love it! Thus, with these most recent Instagram developments, I don't feel the need to post to my public Instagram account and link it back to my blog anymore. If people find Enthusiastic Fantastic while searching the Internet, that's great! But the loss of time I spent posting to my public Instagram account definitely outweighed any benefits of gaining new followers/readers.
I'm not willing to self-promote and/or collaborate to the lengths needed to succeed monetarily speaking on Instagram. My posts never have been and never will be about making money or jumping on the popular train. The same applies here on my blog.
There are way too many advertisements on Instagram! I can't say for sure, but it feels like my public Instagram feed is 40% sponsored posts! This is not how Instagram used to be when I first began using it in 2014 (private account) and 2015 (public account). I honestly remember scrolling through both of my feeds and not seeing one single advertisement for such a long time! When advertisements began coming through my public feed, I sort of expected and understood it—as the Instagram algorithm determined I was a "business" account. Yet when advertisements began showing up on my private feed, I was like, "Nooooo!!! You can't do this to me!" But I put up with them because I loved my happy Instaland so very much!
Instagram's new algorithm (created by Facebook) doesn't show posts in the way I enjoy. I want to see every post from every account I follow, in the order they were posted! I don't want to see posts and advertisements that the algorithm determines I would rather look at! I mean, why is that so freaking hard for Facebook to understand?! We users chose to stay with Instagram because that's how it started: posts were shown in chronological order, regardless of potential advertising revenue! Yet Fakebook ruined that, too. Rest assured, Facebook's leaders fully know exactly what they're doing. They are consciously choosing to put advertisers' dollars ahead of users' experiences. And I have a major problem with that.
I've wasted a lot of time on Instagram. About a week-and-a-half ago, I realized that I needed to stop leisurely scrolling away my valuable minutes on my public Instagram feed. I finally recognized that Instagram has basically become a digital magazine for me—with fun, helpful, interesting, or beautiful information squeezed in between advertisements. Let me explain: back when I was a newer mom, I subscribed to several life/style/improvement magazines. I not only loved reading those magazines, I felt the need to read them cover-to-cover because I paid for them. I didn't want to be throwing away magazines (before we had the option of curbside recycling) without having read them, or it felt like a huge waste of money. But after several months of that behavior, I realized what a tremendous waste of time my magazine-reading habit was. I saw that I was missing out on precious time with my babies, and I wasn't quite as productive as I could have been for our family's improved happiness and well-being. Thus, I determined that I needed to cancel all of my magazine subscriptions, and I did exactly that! Let me tell you, it was a wonderfully freeing feeling and I never looked back! Thus, with this latest Instagram revelation of who will really be controlling the content we consume, i.e., The Big Bad Facebook, I've decided it's time to cancel my public "subscription"!
I will keep my private Instagram "subscription" and follow only my family members, friends, and Church leaders. *This may seem like a cop-out to the points I've just made, but I can't reconcile losing my connection to the most important people in my life—especially since I'm not on Fakebook anymore! Thus, until a better alternative becomes available, I'm stuck with my private Instagram account—stupid advertisements, algorithm, and all. Thankfully, the amount of people I follow privately is relatively small, so it will be easy to keep up on their posts—unlike my public IG account where I follow 300+ people/organizations. When I just looked at how many public accounts I follow, I'm even more motivated to be done with the commercial side of Instagram!
I love the posts I created on my public Instagram account and I don't want to lose them! Thus, I will keep my public Instagram account as-is until I transfer all of my non-blog posts over here to Enthusiastic Fantastic. That will be a labor of love and will take quite a while to finish, but it's totally worth it!
I will keep my public Instagram account open indefinitely as a way for people to find me and my blog—plus, I don't want to give away my awesome @enthusiasticfantastic username(!) 😆—but I'll stop my time-consuming habit of posting there and scrolling through that feed asap.
Eventually, I'll compose a final post on my public Instagram page, detailing where to find me at Enthusiastic Fantastic! Of course, that's assuming anyone actually wants to find me! Ha ha. It will be such a sad day for my Instaland-happy heart 😢, but I know deep down it's what I really want to do. I'm looking forward to the outcome of this big decision because, overall, I know my life will improve!
I'm actually really excited about the fact that I don't have to use a photo in order to post here on my blog! Instagram was so much fun to be a part of, but sometimes I didn't like that I always had to include a new photo, or a screenshot of text, or a typographic design if I wanted to post anything there. I can't wait to just typety-type-type and click "Publish" to Enthusiastic Fantastic!
I'm completely thrilled that there are no character limits here on my blog! I can write as many words as I like, and—unlike Instagram—Blogger never tells me to stop writing! 😄 For this wordy girl, that is an unbelievably happy feeling! Yes, that was another way I wasted time on Instagram: I was always trying to figure out ways to compose my posts without going over their 2,200 character limit. With my focus returning to blogging, I won't have that stumbling block to worry about anymore! Praise be and hallelujah!
All of that shared, now I have the ginormous job of retraining my brain to come to my computer to compose posts on my blog instead of continuing to go to the easy default of my smartphone and posting on Instagram. It will take some time, but I know I can do it! Again, I am just not okay with Facebook ruling Instagram! If Instagram's founders would have stayed and continued running Instaland as they saw fit, I most definitely would have remained an Instagrammer forever! But The Big Bad Facebook has trampled Kevin and Mike, and I refuse to just fall in line! As I round out my thoughts of yesterday's social media news, I've come to the surprising conclusion that I want to buy a Chromebook! I think it will help having another way to post to my blog whenever and wherever I want. 😊 Wish me luck in my new endeavors! *Update: 09/26/18* After publishing my post very early this morning, I've now read two more articles about Instagram and Facebook that I feel are completely worth sharing. They both illustrate that Instagram is now doomed under Facebook's unsupervised/unchallenged rule. I also read a bombshell of an interview with WhatsApp cofounder, Brian Acton. His experience of dealing with Facebook's executives is mind blowing! And not in a good way. These three articles reiterate that Facebook cannot ever be trusted to put its users first—no matter what kind of image its leaders try to create through feel-good commercials and personal posts. Yes, I am soooo over and done with Facebook and its greedy executives!
I actually have a smidgen of a bit of time to blog today! Yay! But because I don't have as much time to blog as I want, we're going to have to keep this short. Sorry, but that's the way my life is going for the next three weeks—and the way my life has been for the past month. Yes, I live in Busytown, USA!
As you might have guessed from this post's title, I've gone up, over, and I'm heading straight down the dreaded I-40 hill. That's code for "I'm 40 years old now!" 😂 Ha ha. I've never thought I would ever share my age on Enthusiastic Fantastic, but now that I'm closer to death than birth (according to who, I don't know—but that's what's been said for years!), I don't really care about my age anymore.
Anyone who knew me 10 years ago would probably be shocked by my previous sentence, but it's true! When I turned 30, I reallystruggled. I don't know what it was about turning "The Big 3.0." that freaked me out so much, but I was not happy to see my 30th birthday come. Don't worry, I was so happy to be alive, but I would have been happier to stay 25-years-young forever! 😀 Yet now that I'm 40, I'm like, "Woohoo! I'm 40 years old! And I don't even care! Life is so awesome!" 😁
I've learned so many things in the four decades I've been alive. I feel so much more at peace now than I ever did before. Also? The past 10 years of my life have been the hardest years e.v.e.r., so the fact that I survived them and I'm thriving, well I feel like the Champion of Living! #yayme! 😉 In all seriousness, the fact that I endured 2007–2017 so well nearly blows my mind. If I can survive that decade, I can literally do anything! (No, I'm not trying to jinx myself!)
I didn't have a big blow-out birthday bash this year because I wasn't feeling particularly partyish. In other words, everything I wanted to do for my birthday included being physically active and being able to participate in said active activities. Because of Fankle's incomplete healing (I'm in month five+ of my recovery), I decided to keep my birthday simple this year. But have no fear, I was well-cared-for and felt very loved by my family and friends! 🎁💐💌
That said, I'm predicting that year 41 will be a huge celebration! Of course, that idea is so fun!for me because I'm assuming that Fankle will be fully healed in less than one year. 🤞! Yet I'm under no delusions that I'll finish Fankle's Run with a perfect recovery; I'm painfully aware that I might not ever be able to physically do everything that I used to do before Fankle joined my life. 😔 But I have hope that I'll be able to enjoy many of the activities (pretty please?!) that I used to before June 7th, 2016.
What I'm really grateful for (among so many things) after 40 years on this precious, beautiful earth, is that I've had so much FUN in my life! Yes, there have been moments of extreme sadness, stark loneliness, a little regret, some wincing, a few grimaces, a lot of eye rolls, multiple face squinches, dreary tears, and frustrations galore, but I've spent the vast majority of my life's minutes having fun and being happy! 🎆🎈🎉
As my time for blogging is now up 😞, I'll leave you with these fantastic photos that my brother-in-law edited for me. I'm so grateful he shared his artistic time with me! I told him it was the best 40th birthday present he could have given me! He really is so talented!
I'm so happy my brother-in-law jumped on the Meitu Instagram bandwagon because I wasn't brave enough to do it! Supposedly, the Meitu app is dangerous because China is spying on us through our phones when we download it. As much as I assume and hope China isn't trying to make my life miserable by gathering my data and photos, I'm definitely a "Don't spy on me!" kind of girl. I mean, I know my life isn't that interesting, but I still want to keep my privacy on my terms! 😎 I.e., I'll share what I want to share with the world! Don't steal from me!
Actually, I didn't know about Meitu until my brother-in-law told us about it, but it's definitely trending on Insta! If you click on the above link, be aware that there are a few spam hashtaggers who want to ride the Meitu popularity wave. Be sure to page down to see the app's real photos.
I'm pretty happy with the way my photos turned out! Yes, they're totally "out there" and I look like a cartoon character, but one of the greatest things we get to enjoy in this life is having fun!, and these photos are a pretty great start to my 41st year! (You know, because I've completed 40 years already. Ha ha.)
Now, I want all of you to promise yourselves that you'll do something FUN today because we only live once and we must enjoy every minute! 😊
This one makes me laugh because the filter makes everyone chubby!
P.S. I just realized this is my 150th post published on Enthusiastic Fantastic! That is most definitely a cause for celebration! 😁🎆🎊🎈🎉
Today is a special day for my husband and me! 19 years ago, today, at 10:20 a.m., Greg and I were married and sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple!
It's amazing for me to think back on our life together. From our precious time dating, to our endless waiting while he was a missionary in Japan, to our thrilling engagement, and finally our sacred marriage and eternal sealing, my heart is overwhelmed with happiness! Has life been perfect for Greg and me? No, absolutely not. Yet because we have each other, we are perfectly happy together!
This morning as I walked awkwardly down the stairs in my big boot with a laundry basket, Greg was standing at the bottom of the stairs with a big smile on his handsome face. :) His combed, shiny black hair and glasses totally reminded me of Clark Kent! He was wearing his black and white "H" shirt in honor of his Harvard distance class that he'll be participating in tonight.
Smiling Greg took my laundry basket, smiled even brighter, got down on one knee, pulled a little, tan, textured box out of his pocket, opened it, presented it to me and said, "Will you marry me again? Because I would marry you again and again and again!" I excitedly said, "YES! I will marry you a million times!" Then I hugged and kissed and huggedhim! Greg pushed the ring box toward me and said, "Well?! Aren't you going to put it on?! You've been so patient!"
Oh, my darling Gregor knows me so well! He knows how much I love beautiful jewelry, and indeed how difficult it was for me to wait so patiently for my amazing Jose Hess ring! You see, I've been eyeing this designer ring for just over two years! Yet it was just never the right time for us to buy this ring because it was too pricey for our family's budget.
So when I randomly stumbled across "my" ring during an internet search (Remember, I've had a lot of down time due to Fankle!) and saw that it was 55% off, well, I just had to have it! I totally love that I "conveniently" found out about my ring right before our 19th wedding anniversary! Yes, I have a delightful shopping angel for sure! Ha ha.
Here is a collage of my happiest ring:
I took three of the photos from JTV, and obviously, my copyright doesn't apply to those. :)
The reasons I love my new ring so much are:
It's sterling silver. From the research I've done, sterling silver is the best metal for your skin—it's the least toxic.
It has cubic zirconia stones. Even though diamonds are the traditional stone for anniversary bands, and they're much harder, I have issues with the way diamonds have messed up the lives and economies of the people and countries who mine them. Plus, cubic zirconia stones are only one-and-a-half steps down from diamonds on the Mohs Hardness Scale; they're also only a half-step away from rubies, sapphires and emeralds!
It's in the shape of a braid. I've done research in the past to see the history of wedding rings. Apparently back in the day (thousands of years ago), couples in love exchanged rings made out of braided or woven rushes/grasses to show their love and commitment to each other. I like that this ring reminds me of the longevity of the wonderful institution of traditional marriage—I love feeling connected to the past love stories of our world! :)
I've always had a thing for long, beautiful, leafy vines—this ring reminds me of the kind I used to doodle as a teenager. :)
I love the fact that I waited just over two years for my ring, which is the exact amount of time I had to wait for Greg to return from his mission in Japan!
It reminds me of a laurel wreath which represents victory. Yes, Greg and I have absolutely been victorious in our marriage for the past 19 years! :)
My darling, wonderful, sweet, and oh-so-charismatic husband presented it to me in the best way possible! I never imagined he would do something so romantic! Be still my heart! :)
Now, maybe some of you are thinking, "Well, the way Greg presented the ring to her wasn't that romantic...", and you might be right. But for me—Adrie Peterson, eternal wife of Gregory Peterson—the way I was presented my lovely anniversary ring was exactly perfect and utterly romantic to the max!
You see, when a married couple has been through as much as Greg and I have (especially recently), our happiest little encounter at the bottom of our stairs this morning couldn't have been more perfect! Heart sigh. :) Besides, time was of the essence: Greg had to get on a business call and I had many loads of laundry to fold—still do! Ha ha.
Yes, romantic moments can be fully had when we least expect them. Romance comes in all sorts of ways—we just need to be ready and willing to participate when those moments are available! And we shouldn't ever try to force romance into a box (pardon the pun!), for there isn't just one right way to be romantic! We must forever cherish whatever romantic moments we're given—with our whole hearts and souls!
I'm so grateful for the smiles Greg has given to me for the past 22 years! (I'm including the time since we met each other.) No amount of money or possessions will ever compare to the spiritual connection, physical love, and eternal dedication that Greg and I share. When all is said and done in this crazy world, there will still be Greg and Adrie for eternity! P.S. This is exactly how I feel about my Gregor! :)
Hello! Today I'm sharing how I've combined the P90X and INSANITY workout programs. This is my fifth post in my Exercise Prosperity series. As I've said previously, no one has asked me to write this, nor am I being compensated in any way for my words—I simply love sharing what makes me happy and healthy!
Last year, after I finished trying out my new Insanity videos, I was ready to combine them with P90X. I sat down on my exercise mat and spread out my P90X and Insanity DVDs. Previously, I put them in their own separate cases because I didn't like the cardboard flip DVD cases they came in—they seemed to scratch them. I used a big box of blank/empty DVD cases that I bought at Sam's Club years ago. I wrote the DVD titles on large note cards as cutely/nicely as I could and slid them in the front of the cases.
After thinking deeply about each P90X and Insanity video, I decided what category they fell into, and alternated the two programs' videos. I spent about 45 minutes arranging and rearranging my videos according to which body areas each video focused on. I really wanted my body to be exercised well, but not the same areas on subsequent days. I knew my tired body parts would need a rest the next day and wanted to focus on other areas that weren't sore. After I was satisfied with my arrangement, I wrote down my workout schedule on notebook paper and put the videos on our bookshelf next to the TV.
I went through my initial P90X/Insanity schedule twice. My third time through, I decided to take notes on how I felt after doing each video because I felt there were some tweaks in my combinations that needed to be made—and I was right! After my third session, I spent another 25 minutes on my happy exercise mat rearranging my DVDs and felt really good about my changes. Yet after my fourth run-through, I realized there was one more modification that needed to be made to my schedule. Thus, I'm very happy to say that I'm finally satisfied with that fourth arrangement, and I'm on my third time through it! :)
By the by, I've combined the P90X and Insanity videos differently than any of the other hybrid schedules out there. From what I quickly researched online, no one else has combined P90X and Insanity like this before—I'm such an innovator! Ha ha. Sorry if it seems like I'm bragging because I'm not. I'm just thrilled that I've worked hard enough and long enough to have something significant to contribute to our fitness world! :)
When I first began using P90X and Insanity together, I was still only doing the videos three times per week. Yet one night when I was on Instagram (October 23rd, 2015), I saw a post by one of my favorite exercise gurus, Michael Vazquez. He said,
"If you have any questions about fitness I love to open a q&a right now and help answer any!! Ask away don't be shy. 👊🏾💥 #PerformixDriven"
I enthusiastically typed to Mr. Vazquez, "How many days per week of exercising do you recommend? Do you alternate strength and cardio or do both every day? Also, even though I exercise consistently, my "mommy tummy" seems to want to stay put no matter what exercises I try. It has definitely diminished (yay!), but I'd love to get it more toned—what do you recommend?"
I honestly didn't expect a response from such a famous Instagrammer, but here's what Mr. Vazquez replied,
"@enthusiasticfantastic no less than 4 days a week. I personally do it all in one day of training I'll start with lifting/strength training and end it with explosive circuits or body weight training. Everyone is different. This works for me."
Yeah, I was beside myself that a man with 337,000 Instagram followers actually replied to me! :) But again, that's what makes me continue following him on Instagram. Yes, he makes his living and supports his family off of his Instagram sponsors—so his followers matter in that regard, but I truly believe he does what he does for the sheer love of it and because he genuinely wants to help others become their best selves.
I replied back, "Thank you so much for your advice @michaelcvazquez! I've been exercising three days per week, so I'm going to commit to four days and work it into my schedule! #hereigo! :)"
Yes, after that Instagram encounter, I was absolutely committed to exercising four days per week—there was no going back. I even used the cute little purple sneaker icon for each of my exercising calendar items on my smart phone so I wouldn't forget or let something else get in my way! :)
I did a great job of exercising to my P90X/Insanity lineup for four days per week, for about two months. Yet in late December, 2015, I decided I wanted to do even better and committed to exercising five days per week! You see, I wanted to be completely physically prepared for my ward's (church) Young Women winter camp—where I learned how to snowboard!!! Let me tell you, that was a tough schedule bump up.
I did really great at the beginning of my new effort, but then I struggled for a couple of weeks to keep up my five-days-per-week streak because I felt like I simply didn't have enough time to do everything that needed to be done. Oh, how I wished for just three more hours per day! But after really and fully internalizing that working out five days per week is absolutely what I want and need in my life, my quest became easier and it hasn't been an issue since. Yay!
Call me crazy, but recently, I've even been feeling that I'd like to workout six days per week simply because I feel SO GOOD on the days I exercise! There's a notable difference in my mood and productivity when I exercise vs. when I don't. :)
Last night, I read this article on Medium, "Exercise Habits of Ultra-Successful People," by Andrew Merle. It definitely made me further ponder my exercise six days per week idea—in a positive way. While I can't guarantee that I'll be able to keep up with my "exercise six days per week" goal—because I have three precious children and a wonderful husband who legitimately need me (and all that goes into running a household); plus I have a very time-demanding calling in my church; and I teach piano lessons every week—I'm going to try my darnedest! Even if I slip back to exercising five days per week once in a while, I'll still feel good about my efforts—anything on top of that is just gravy! :)
*Interesting side note: my husband's current Harvard instructor (female) used to play pickup basketball with President Obama when they were both enrolled at Harvard! (See the photo on the exercise article listed above—obviously, it's a different person playing with Obama.) Wow, it really is such a small world! Yes, I refer to that connection as the "Two Degrees of Greg Peterson"—even though he has three university degrees! Ha ha.
The reason I shared all of that is because I know that increasing the amount of days I exercise has made all the difference in my body's continually improving physical capabilities. Not to mention what it's done for the way my clothes fit! Yes, even though my weight hasn't fluctuated more than about two to four pounds this entire time I've been exercising (I still love chocolate!), I absolutely see a difference in my muscle definition and reduced body fat. Remember, muscle weighs more than fat! :) Again, my clothes fit even better now and I love it!
Truly, the best part of exercising that frequently is the fact that my body can basically do any physical challenge I put in its way! *Disclaimer: I don't want my previous sentence to be misleading. I'm not perfect and I'm most definitely notat Michael Vazquez's fitness level. I doubt I'd ever get to that point in my exercising simply because I'm not willing to workout for hours upon hours every day. However, if I were given the option of getting paid thousands of dollars just to workout, I'd probably rethink my stance!
I believe the combination of P90X and Insanity are a match made in exercise heaven! P90X and Insanity are amazing all by themselves for so many reasons (read my previous posts, "Exercise Prosperity: My Review of P90X" and "Exercise Prosperity: My Review of INSANITY), but when you combine them together, the benefits are immeasurable!
Yes, because of my awesome video arrangement and increased workout days, my body is progressing by leaps and bounds every week! I was shocked a few weeks ago to discover that my 12-pound weights are starting to feel light during some P90X exercises. I can't believe I need to buy 15-pound weights because I never thought I'd get to that point! To some people that weight may seem so light, but for me—who started out with eight pounds feeling heavy, it's quite a positive and weighty progression! :)
Without further ado, here is my schedule of P90X and Insanity videos. Of course, anyone can put these DVDs in any order they want, but for me, this is the arrangement I like the very best. I like alternating Tony with Shaun T. every other day; I like alternating strength and cardio every other day. The only problem I had is that Insanity could have used one more video because I end up having two P90X videos two days in a row. (No, I didn't want to include Insanity's "Fit Test" because it's just not as fun for me—and I'm all about fun!) That said, it doesn't bother me because one of the P90X videos is strength, while the next one is cardio—it's all good.
Day 1: P90X Plyometrics—58:37
Day 2: Insanity Cardio Recovery—33:02
Day 3: P90X Back and Biceps—51:36; Ab Ripper X—16:08
Day 4: Insanity Max Interval Circuit—59:50
Day 5: P90X Yoga X—1:32:25
Day 6: Insanity Cardio Power and Resistance—39:19
Day 7: P90X Legs and Back—58:55; Ab Ripper X—16:08
Day 8: Insanity Pure Cardio—38:17; Cardio Abs—16:45
Day 9: P90X Chest, Shoulders and Triceps—55:45; Ab Ripper X—16:08
Day 10: P90X Cardio X—43:18
Day 11: Insanity Max Interval Plyo—55:11
Day 12: P90X Core Synergistics—57:26
Day 13: Insanity Plyometric Cardio Circuit—41:47
Day 14: P90X Chest and Back—52:50; Ab Ripper X—16:08
Day 15: Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning—47:41; Cardio Abs—16:45
Day 16: P90X Kenpo X—58:45
Day 17: Insanity Max Recovery—47:16
Day 18: P90X Shoulders and Arms—59:54; Ab Ripper X—16:08
Day 19: Insanity Core Cardio and Balance—37:19
Looking at that list of exercise videos is so exciting to me! First of all, I love that it takes 19 days of exercising to get through my schedule. Also, unlike the rest of the hybrid programs out there, I love having a new video each day I exercise! I really don't like doing the same videos on the same days of the week, for weeks in a row. Yes, I'm all about variety, and my P90X and INSANITY Workout Schedule accomplishes exactly that!
I just love thinking about the endless hard work I've done over the past 21+ months. I can't help but delight in the physical and mental benefits I've received by doing P90X and Insanity together—I could shout my happiness to the world from a megaphone in a hot air balloon! ;) But since I'm not a wizard, feel free to share my Exercise Prosperity posts with anyone you like! I would absolutely love it if my exercise experiences were beneficial to others! :)
P.S. In case you were wondering, the order of the DVDs in my photo go left-to-right, top-to-bottom. Also, the P90X strength videos already have Ab Ripper X on each video, I just didn't have enough room to write it on the note cards. :)
Lately, I've been happily reminiscing about all of the love songs I've associated with my husband, Greg. I'm amazed to realize that I've been collecting these love songs for the past 21years! (As of today, Greg and I have been married for 18 years and three+ months! Yes, I'm still counting!)
The songs listed below might help you catch a glimpse of the way my heart bursts with love for the man I have for eternity! I've listed the name of the song, artist, and when I was most enamored with the song—even though I still love listening to them all! :) I've included tidbits about many of my songs, but for time's sake, I left some without a description—but that doesn't mean I don't like them as much as the other songs! :)
Several of "my" songs might not seem like love songs to some people, but I associate all of them with Greg so they mean love to me!
I don't have my love songs arranged in the best order, as I looked on two different iPods to find them all. I have the majority of my songs on CDs, but I've purchased several on iTunes. I haven't purchased three of the songs on my list, but I plan to shortly! :)
There is no way for me to estimate how many times I've listened to these lovely songs because they are literally the soundtrack of my life! :) Without further ado, let's dive into another realm in my happiness kingdom! ;)
"Can You Feel The Love Tonight"– Elton John; The Lion King soundtrack: Teenager
*This song captured my heart when Greg and I went on our very first date, and it's still tightly hanging on! We asked my mom to sing it at our wedding breakfast, and my grandma played the piano for her. It was a lovely performance!
"Head Over Feet"– Alanis Morissette; Teenager
*Oh, this song instantly takes me back to the time my aching heart was missing Greg on his mission (in Fukuoka, Japan). When I first heard it, I had one of those moments where you think, "She wrote that song just for me!" It perfectly described the way Greg swept me off my feet! I listened to it a ton after I bought the CD. It is still one of my absolute favorite "Greg Love Songs"!
"You've already won me over in spite of me
And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet
And don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are
I couldn't help it
It's all your fault"
"Song For You"– Alexi Murdoch; Colorado
*My sister introduced me to this song and it just really stuck with me. I especially loved listening to it when Greg was working and living in Utah while the kids and I were in Colorado waiting for our house to sell. It was a rough three months for all of us!
"When You Say Nothing At All"– Allison Krauss; Newlywed
"Take My Breath Away"– Berlin; Top Gun soundtrack; Newlywed
*Greg and I loved watching Top Gun as newlyweds! I think we secretly saw ourselves as the hot Maverick and Charlie! Ha ha.
"Tennessee Waltz"– Bresh/Jones; Colorado
*This simple and beautiful song makes me feel so peaceful, happy and I just want to dance with my Gregor in the kitchen! The link I shared above isn't the group I listed, but their version makes me blissfully happy!
"Hey Baby"– Bruce Channel; Dirty Dancing soundtrack; Newlywed
*This classic needs no explaining!
"Secret Garden"– Bruce Springsteen; Jerry Maguire soundtrack; Fiancee/Newlywed
*The first time I heard this song as an unattached woman, I became totally attached! Ha ha. In all seriousness, I couldn't think of anyone or anything else but Greg whenever I listened to Secret Garden!
"Lovefool"– The Cardigans; Romeo and Juliet soundtrack; Teenager/Fiancee
*I loved dancing to this song! I daydreamed about Greg every time I heard it! He was working in Las Vegas at the time, thus I missed him tremendously and this song felt very appropriate! :)
"The Power Of Love"– Celine Dion; Newlywed
*This mesmerizing love song perfectly described my feelings for my Gregor!
"When I Fall In Love"– Celine Dion; also the original Nat King Cole version; Teenager/Fiancee
*This song captured the way I view falling in love and eternal marriage!
"Because You Loved Me"– Celine Dion; Teenager
*This song makes me emotional to this day. The words are exactly what happened with Greg and me—well, except for losing my faith because I would never do that. Greg was and is everything to me!
"Seduces Me"– Celine Dion; Newlywed
"If That's What It Takes"– Celine Dion; Teenager
*This song describes my complete, utter and wholehearted dedication to my Gregor!
"My Heart Will Go On"– Celine Dion; Titanic soundtrack; Newlywed
*Yeah, I cried the first time I heard this song in the theater after watching Titanic for the first time with Greg. I couldn't help but think how brokenhearted I'd be if I ever lost Greg. The "I'll never let go!" moment was heart wrenching. I held Greg's hand throughout the entire movie! I don't cry when I hear the song now, but it definitely takes me back to our blessed newlywed years! This is yet another reason I'm so grateful for my eternal marriage—because Greg and I will never have to let go of each other!
"Clair De Lune"– Claude Debussy; Anytime! :)
*While it's not a love song, so-to-speak, I've played it (imperfectly) on the piano many times for my Gregor over the years. In my mind's eye, I see Greg laying on our couch with his eyes closed, listening to me play. And no, he's not sleeping! Ha ha. I have such happiness knowing Greg loves Clair De Lune as much as I do!
"Theme from Ice Castles"– David Glenn Hatch; Young Mother
*I adored this song when I was a little girl. Thus, I was thrilled when I found such a beautiful piano version of it on Mr. Hatch's album. While the words from the original version by Melissa Manchester aren't in this version, I memorized the words, so they automatically enter my mind whenever I hear it: they totally match the way I feel about Greg! :) "Knowing you're beside me, I'm all right."
"Theme From Somewhere In Time"– David Glenn Hatch; Anytime! :)
*I was given the Somewhere In Time video before I was married. Greg and I loved watching it together before we had children, so anytime I hear this song, I think of him!
"Somewhere Over The Rainbow"– Israel Kamakawiwo'ole; Utah, after Colorado
*This gorgeous version kept me going when Greg was looking for a new job after he knew he was going to be laid off. I don't know what it was about IZ's rendition, but it made me feel utterly happy, peaceful and sooo in love with my husband!
"Kissing You"– Des'ree; Romeo and Juliet soundtrack; Teenager
*I listened to this soulful and beautiful song when I was missing Greg while he was serving his mission in Japan. Of course it didn't help me in any way, it just made me miss him even more! Ha ha.
"I Love You Always Forever"– Donna Lewis; Teenager
*I still remember the first time I heard this song in my car when I lived in Michigan as a nanny. The afternoon sun was pouring through my window and I suddenly felt magical—like I was instantly connected to my Gregor, despite being 6,229 miles and an entire ocean away! This is where you'd hear me sigh... :)
"Danger High Voltage"– Electric Six; Colorado
*This song was played at my cousin's wedding (she's since divorced), I had such fun dancing to it with my extended family. My awesome sister put it on a mix CD for me! I love singing it with Greg—we still laugh saying that that song is about us because of our electric love! Ha ha.
"Wonderful Tonight"– Eric Clapton; Newlywed
*This song reminds me of Greg because he was always so kind every time I asked him what he thought of my outfit/hair/makeup. You laugh, but in the beginning of our marriage—and all of the uncertainty that goes with an entirely new life—Greg's unconditional love and complete adoration of me meant (and still means) everything!! I feel like a queen knowing Greg is unashamed to be attached to me for eternity! :)
"They Can't Take That Away From Me"– Frank Sinatra; Colorado
*I discovered Frank Sinatra in Colorado and quickly fell in love with his classic songs. This one describes how I feel about Greg and all of his fun habits/mannerisms. Of course, the way he's changed my life, no, nobody can take my happiness away from me! :)
"Baby's Got Sauce"– G. Love & Special Sauce; Teenager through today!
*I laughed out loud the first time I heard this song! You see, Greg has always loved how unpredictable, sassy, random, silly, outspoken, energetic and loving I am. Thus, "My baby's got sauce. Your baby ain't sweet like mine!" is the perfect description for Greg and me! :)
"A Wink And A Smile"– Harry Conick Jr.; Sleepless in Seattle soundtrack; Anytime! ;)
*There isn't much more to say other than Greg and I absolutely go together like a wink and a smile! Yes, these lyrics describe us perfectly!
"Now my heart is music, such a simple song
Sing it again, the notes never end
This is where I belong"
"London Rain"– Heather Nova; Newlywed
*I always felt attached to this song because Greg and I went through such amazing and big changes after we married. We were both so busy! I was working full-time; he was going to school full-time and working part-time. Heather's words are exactly how I felt about Greg!
"And when somebody knows you well
Well there's no comfort like that
And when somebody needs you
Well there's no drug Iike that
So keep me, keep me
In your bed all day, all day Nothing heals me like you do"
"Isn't It Romantic"– Jack Jones; Newlywed
*I listened to this song a lot, as it was on a romantic CD I bought. It made me think endlessly about Greg! It's a really sweet, classic song. :)
"ABC"– The Jackson 5; Newlywed
*This happy song makes me dance, and I danced to it a lot when I first got the CD! Greg frequently laughed at me when I got my groove on to "ABC," but it was always done with complete kindness and adoration. :)
"Something In The Way She Moves"– James Taylor; Teenager
*I changed the pronouns in this song to be "Something in the way he moves..." because I literally felt so much better when Greg was around me! Whether Greg sent me a letter (while he was on his mission), or called me on the phone, or took me on a date, these words "I feel fine anytime [he's] around me now, [he's] around me now almost all the time. And if I'm well you can tell [he's] been with me now." were totally applicable. Yep, that's me!
"You've Got A Friend"– James Taylor; Teenager/Fiancee/Newlywed
*This song brings such happy little tears to my eyes because Greg is exactly this song to me. He was there for me when we were dating before he left on his mission; he was there for me when he was on his mission; he was there for me after he came home from Las Vegas. Yes, Vegas was a rough time for me because he was so busy working. And Greg has always been there for me since we've been married. We're not perfect, but our love for each other makes up for our imperfections!
"Gotta Find You"– Joe Jonas; Camp Rock soundtrack; Utah, after Colorado
*Even though this song is from a Disney movie, I instantly associated it with my Gregor, for we are each other's "missing pieces." We must be together in order to be complete!#cheesefest! ;)
"Hello Beautiful"– Jonas Brothers; Utah, after Colorado
*Change the location of the song and it fits Greg and I perfectly! I didn't discover "Hello Beautiful" until after we moved from Colorado to Utah, but oh, I could've really used this song while I was apart from my Gregor!
"Stay"– Lisa Loeb; Teenager
*This might seem like a strange love song, but I listened to it a lot when Greg was on his mission and I missed him so dearly! "Stay" simply reminds me of my love. :)
"A Kiss To Build A Dream On"– Louis Armstrong; Sleepless in Seattle soundtrack; Teenager
*Oh, I had many daydreams of Greg when I listened to this song! "Weavin' romances...makin' believe they're true..." Yes, that was me playin' make-believe while Greg was on his mission! Ha ha.
"I'll Remember"– Madonna; Teenager
*This is another one of those "I miss Greg so much!" songs. It portrayed how I felt about remembering Greg and his love for me. "I'll remember the way that you changed me." If I really stop and think about it, it's utterly amazing to think about how Greg has changed me for the better!
"Always Be My Baby"– Mariah Carey; Teenager
*I identified with this song when it was released because Greg was on his mission and I had great hope that we would end up together when he came home! Gee, I love it when I'm right! ;) "Our love will never die...oooh, darlin' 'cause you'll always be my baby." E.x.a.c.t.l.y. :)
"You Are Not Alone"– Michael Jackson; Teenager
*Of course, I immediately thought of Greg whenever I heard this song because he was in Japan when it was released. I probably sound silly, but I imagined my Gregor singing it to me! :)
"For You I Will"– Monica; Space Jam soundtrack; Fiancee
*This song was released before Greg came home from Las Vegas and before he proposed to me. I closely identified with its lyrics because I had (and have!) complete commitment and adoration for my Gregor—exactly like the song describes! :) I even mailed a care package to Greg in Las Vegas that included the Space Jam soundtrack CD. I wrote a card to go with it because I wanted Greg to know that I felt exactly about him as Monica sings in the song!
"Stardust"– Nat King Cole; Sleepless in Seattle soundtrack; Teenager
*Even though I saw Sleepless in Seattle before I met Greg, I bought the soundtrack, loved it, and listened to it all the time. Thus, when Greg left on his mission, I immediately attached "Stardust" to my missing him. :)
"Buon Giorno Princeipessa"– Nicola Piovani; Life is Beautiful soundtrack; Newlywed
*Greg and I saw this movie together and I cried my eyes out! Greg, on the other hand, didn't really like the movie! Ha ha. That said, I absolutely loved the music and just had to have the soundtrack. What I loved most about this song is the fact that they played it in the movie (or a version of the melody) every time the main character was showing love to his wife. And I felt so very loved by my Gregor—still do! :)
"Come What May"– Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor; Moulin Rouge! soundtrack; Young Mother
*One thing I enjoy about my Gregor is that he has always thought I resemble Nicole Kidman—wow, I love his compliment! Thus, we had to see Moulin Rouge! together! While I didn't necessarily connect to the movie's story (I was deeply disturbed by the fact that Nicole's character died from tuberculosis—love stories that end with someone dying suck! Ha ha.), I love "Come What May" because Greg and I feel exactly that way about each other!
"Never knew I could feel like this
Like I've never seen the sky before
Want to vanish inside your kiss Everyday I love you more and more
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sings
Telling me to give you everything"
Yes, even though I'm writing about the love songs I associate with Greg, I know he feels 100% the same way about me! :) The only words I would change in this song are: "I will love you throughout eternity!"
"Wonderwall"– Oasis; the Ryan Adams cover, too; Fiancee through today!
*This is one of Greg's favorite songs, thus, every time I hear it, I think of Greg. :)
"Canon In D"– Pachelbel; Newlywed
*Per my request, my brother played this at Greg's and my wedding breakfast! I can't help but think of our amazing and lovely wedding day whenever I hear this song!
"The Rain Tree"– Peter Breinholt: Colorado; Utah, Texas
*This hauntingly beautiful song might not seem like an obvious love song, but I associated it to Greg's and my love. We were "hanging on for dear life" when we lived in Texas—doing our very best to live our lives well, but wondering what was going on and how our lives would resolve? (I was definitely worse off than Greg in this area, he took all of our struggles in great stride.) Thus, to me, "The Rain Tree" represented the possibility that our lives would somehow be fixed and put in their proper place again: much like, "...that old rain tree is waiting so still." My explanation probably doesn't make sense to anyone else but me! Ha ha. Here is "The Rain Tree" so you can experience its loveliness!
"Let My Love Open The Door"– Pete Townsend; Newlywed
"Come Rain Or Come Shine"– Ray Charles; Young Mother
*This song meant so much to me when Greg and I were new parents. Life was so busy and chaotic when we were raising our little darlings—we had three children by the time our oldest son was four years and two months old! Yes, birthing and caring for three babies in four years was quite tiring and challenging! Thus, this song spoke to my soul because of course Greg and I continually and unconditionally loved each other without question! This was my favorite line to describe our love:
I'm with you always...I'm with you rain, or shine!
"Unchained Melody"– The Righteous Brothers; Newlywed
"Ice Cream"– Sarah McLachlan; Teenager/Fiancee
"I Love You"– Sarah McLachlan; Fiancee
*There was a time when Greg and I were engaged when I went through a bit of a hard time. I felt like I was "losing" myself because I was trying so hard to do everything within my power to make Greg happy—even at the expense of my own feelings or opinions. After feeling frustrated at the path I had chosen, I realized that I had to take a step back and remember who I was and what I wanted out of life. I was terrified to tell Greg of my issues because of what I thought that might mean for the future of our relationship. Yet I knew that Greg adored me, I knew he wanted to know every bit of my heart! While I was debating what to do, this song played in my mind quite a bit. The good news is, I finally became brave enough to tell Greg everything I was feeling. I said something to the effect of, "I don't know what this means for us...I just know I need to express my feelings more. I need to do what I want to do, instead of always deferring to you, or asking what you want to do." Greg took it all so well, and frankly, I think he was totally surprised that I was feeling "lost." He lovingly said something like, "I love you, Adrie! I totally support you! Do whatever it is that you need to do! You have nothing to worry about." And that was the end of it. Greg never questioned me, never made me feel less-than, or insecure. This experience made me realize that I could trust Greg with literally everything in my life—and withmy very life! :)
"I'm Yours"– The Script; Utah, after Colorado
"Kiss From A Rose"– Seal; Teenager
"Strong Enough"– Sheryl Crow; Teenager
*Anytime I hear this song, I get emotional! The first time I heard it as a teenager I unquestioningly loved it! And of course, I couldn't help but relate it to Greg and our new love. I was so emotional back in the day (Okay, not much has changed! Ha ha.) that I worried Greg would tire of me and my enthusiastic, dramatic, passionate personality. Yet, time and again, Greg showed he was most definitely strong enough to be my man! The best part is this: Greg has been my rock through the past 18+ years of marriage, and I know he'll be strong enough to be my man throughout eternity!
"I Shall Believe"– Sheryl Crow; Teenager
*Again, whenever I hear this amazingly beautiful song, I get emotional! :) "I Shall Believe" totally applied to how I felt about Greg when I was a teenager—especially when I was missing him when he was a missionary in Japan. The line, "I know it's true, no one heals me like you, and you hold the key." was 100% how I felt about Greg's wonderful love for me. The line, "Please say honestly, you won't give up on me...and I shall believe." was also exactly how I felt: dearly hoping Greg would still choose me when he came home from Japan! I love knowing Greg is dedicated to me forever!
"As I Lay Me Down"– Sophie B. Hawkins; Teenager
*I first heard this song when I was a nanny in Michigan. I was shocked at how much it reminded me of Greg and the beautiful dreams I had of our future together. I couldn't play it enough, and I never tired of it...especially this line, "Though it's not clear to me, every season has its change, and I will see you when the sun comes out again!"
"When We Dance"– Sting; Young Mother
"Fields Of Gold"– Sting; Teenager
"The Way You Look Tonight"– Tony Bennett; Newlywed
*I played this song a lot after Greg and I were married. I loved how it applied to the way Greg made me feel. Like I said before, he made me feel loved and beautiful every single day—and that hasn't changed! :)
"You And Me Song"– The Wannadies; Romeo and Juliet soundtrack; Teenager
*This song is a little on the slow side to begin with, but then it's full-on hyper love!—just like Greg and I began our love story! Plus, I can't help but love their chorus, "And it's always you and me always, and forever!" because that's exactly the situation Greg and I have purposely put ourselves in! :)
"You and Me" – You+Me; Utah, after Texas
*I was searching for the previous song on YouTube, and I stumbled across this gem of a jewel! I was "dying" at its awesome lyrics, harmonies and vocal qualities. Not to mention, "You and Me" just so happened to be released/published right around the date of Greg's and my 17th anniversary! Coincidence? I think not! It could have been written about Greg and me! Ha ha. It's such an amazing song, I must include it here. If you haven't heard of it, you must listen to it post haste! This will most definitely be my next iTunes download! :)
"Gettin' In Tune"– The Who; Jerry Maguire soundtrack; Newlywed
*I bought the Jerry Maguire soundtrack after Greg and I saw the movie together. (That was before we came to our senses and stopped watching rated R movies. Hey, we were young and still learning about what was good for our souls!) I felt attached to this song not only because of my blissful memories of seeing the movie with Greg, but also because of the lyrics, "I'm in tune, right in tune. I'm in tune. And I'm gonna tune right in on you!" You see, Greg was (and is) always so in tune with me! It didn't matter what I was feeling, he immediately understood me—which is the loveliest feeling!
"As Long As You Love Me"– Justin Bieber; Texas
*Oh, this song makes me smile! During our last year of living in Texas, Greg and I always referred to this song because we were so tight on money. Mr. Bieber's words were and are applicable to Greg's and my love for each other! We are most definitely more valuable to each other than platinum, silver and gold!
"As long as you love me
We could be starving, we could be homeless, we could be broke As long as you love me I'll be your platinum, I'll be your silver, I'll be your gold"!
"Black Stallion"– George Winston; Texas
*The Black Stallion is one of Greg's favorite movies we own. Thus, I was thrilled to find the theme song on George Winston's album that I bought while living in Texas! It is such a gorgeous song, I can't get enough of it. Of course, it reminds me of my Gregor every time I hear it!
"Burning Love"– Wynona Judd; Lilo and Stitch soundtrack; Young Mother
"God Only Made One Of You"– Justin Cash; Texas
*This song must be shared with the world! I was introduced to it by my friend who did the harmony/backup vocals for Mr. Cash's album! Her voice is truly beautiful, I think she should record her own album one day! Anyway, back to Greg...yes, this song instantly made me think of my sweetest husband! "The very same day that I lose you, will be the same day I lose myself." I try not to think about that possibility...
"Home"– Phillip Phillips; Texas
*This song's lyrics were so applicable to the way I felt about Greg while our little family lived in Texas, for example,
"Hold on to me as we go...
As we roll down this unfamiliar road
Just know you're not alone
'Cause I'm gonna make this place your home...
Settle down, it'll all be clear..."
Yes, despite my worries—for two years and two+ months—about where we'd end up living, Greg was my rock. He was always there for me and eased my fears every step of the way. I'm eternally grateful for my husband's awesomeness! :)
"I Will"– The Beatles; Utah, after Texas
*Again, this song might not seem like a traditional love song for Greg and me, but let me explain. You see, right after we moved back from Texas, I attended my mom's choir concert. As I heard this song, I couldn't help but get teary-eyed because of these lovely words,
"Love you forever and forever
Love you with all my heart
Love you whenever we're together
Love you when we're apart"
This year, 2015, those lyrics were particularly applicable because Greg has had to travel quite a lot for his company. When I really think about our years together, I could write a novella about how much I've been apart from Greg, simply missing him! :'(
"Island In The Sun"– Weezer; Texas
*When I hear this happy song, I think of my Gregor and the fabulous family vacation we had in Florida. It was so wonderful escaping with my Gregor for those eight days! Our Florida excursion made me forget my Texas woes. :) The lyrics, "We'll never feel bad anymore," were totally applicable!
"Love Somebody"– Maroon 5; Texas
*I don't know if I've shared on this blog that Adam Levine's looks reminds me of my Gregor? Well, they do. :) I remember the first time I saw Maroon 5 perform on the Today Show. Mr. Levine had short hair like Greg's and was wearing a white, button-down, short-sleeved shirt with a skinny black tie and black pants. He looked so much like my Gregor does on Sundays that I instantly did a double take! I was like, "WHAT IS MY HUSBAND DOING ON THE TODAY SHOW??!!" Ha ha. Anyway, ever since then, I seem to equate Adam Levine to my husband—even though their morals are completely opposite!And thank goodness my husband has impeccable morals, for I would go crazy if he made bad choices. :) That said, this song just does it for me! I envision my Gregor singing it to me and I'm utterly smitten! Ha ha. Yes, Greg and I both fell for each other, and we've never been the same! "...If I fall for you, I'll never be the same..."
"Lullaby"– George Winston; Texas
"Make You Feel My Love"– Adele (original song by Bob Dylan); Utah, after Texas
*Surprise, surprise! I get emotional when I hear this song! Not to be repetitive, but those beautiful lyrics are exactly how Greg and I feel about each other! There is nothing better than identical love!
"...I will hold you for a million years To make you feel my love... ...I could make you happy, make your dreams come true Nothing that I wouldn’t do Go to the ends of the earth for you To make you feel my love"
"Shelter From The Storm"– Bob Dylan; Newlywed
"Somebody To Love"– Queen; Colorado
"Someone To Watch Over Me"– Frank Sinatra; Colorado
"A Thousand Years"– Christina Perri; Texas
*Oh, wow, I don't have enough time to gush about this song and how it relates to my Gregor! Suffice it to say, just know that I wrote an entire post on my Adrie World blog about how Greg's and my love story rivals Bella and Edward's in "Twilight"! Ha ha. I'm still debating whether or not to publish it here on Enthusiastic Fantastic...it's pretty cheesy! Anyway, yes, I will love Greg longer than two thousand years. I will love Greg for eternity!
"The Way You Make Me Feel"– Michael Jackson; Young Mother
"Budapest"– George Ezra; Utah, after Texas
*I recently discovered this song and immediately fell in love with it! Greg really likes it, too! :) Greg found the lyrics for me because I was singing it in the shower and didn't know exactly what George was singing! We couldn't help but laugh, for we are precisely Mr. Ezra's lyrics:
"But, for you
You,
I'd lose it all."
As Greg so aptly put it, "We've already lost it all for each other!" Yes, Greg and I have given everything for our love story!
"Wildest Dreams"– Taylor Swift; Utah, after Texas
*It didn't take me long to put this in the top tier of my "Greg Love Songs"—which is a total surprise to me since I've never been a fan of Taylor Swift before! True story. Granted, she's being totally immoral in her song, and I would never, everbe that way, but whenever I hear Wildest Dreams, I daydream somethin' fierce about my husband and me! I envision us staring at the sunset together, me in a nice dress, and Greg looking handsome as all-get-out! ;) One of the reasons I love Wildest Dreams is because I've had the love of my life in my world for 21 years, and it's a little scary to see how quickly time has passed. While I don't feel old yet, time is ticking away. Thus, I can absolutely relate to when Taylor sings,
"Say you'll remember me standing in a nice dress,
Staring at the sunset, babe
Red lips and rosy cheeks
Say you'll see me again
Even if it's just in your wildest dreams, ah-ha, wildest dreams, ah-ha."
Even though Ms. Swift is talking about a man she can never have—and I will have my husband forever—I feel precisely that way about Greg and me! For I know, one day, our lives together will become shorter. Sadly, there will come a time on this earth when one of us will be without the other. I hope and pray a bazillion times over that that tragic day doesn't come for another 50+ years, but the sad fact is, we were never given a warranty on our lives. There are no guarantees on how long our bodies will last. :'( Thus, whether I go first, or Greg goes first, I absolutely want Greg to say he'll remember me in the glorious prime of our lives!! I dearly want Greg to remember the greatest love story he's ever known because we're the stars of it! :) Well, I've finally made it to the end of my love songs—it's been a delicious walk down memory lane! I'm certain there will be more songs to add to my list in the future, and I'm excited for that! Thank you, talented musicians of our world—I appreciate your amazing gifts so much!
