Andy & Jessica

My only Valentine’s Day surprise for Andy was heart-shaped balloons with cute messages printed on them that I placed around the house for him to see when he got home from work.

Andy, on the other hand, had lots of surprises for me. He got me Wonder Woman Season 1 on DVD (I liked it lots as a girl and I hope I still do), a t-shirt, lots of candy and he wrote and framed the poem below for me. I love his poems. They are so sweet and sincere.

Happy Valentine’s Day
to my beautiful wife
who has done so much
to brighten my life

I love you so dearly
from the bottom of my heart
it’s so great to know our marriage
is only at its start

You’ve given up so much
from your checkbook to your name
and you’ve also encouraged me
through all my blog-related fame

So on this day of roses,
chocolates, poems, and kisses
I want you to know you’re the one
when I’m gone my heart misses

You’re also the one
I cherish and adore
and every Valentine’s Day
I’ll love you so much more

Happy Valentine’s Day 2005!

Well, this my second Valentine’s Day with Andy. The first turned out really nice. But, I remember all the pressure of not knowing whether I should get him anything, etc. since it was just 3 weeks into our relationship and we had only seen each other 3 times by then. (On a side note, I just read a Yahoo article that claimed that half of all dating relationships end on Valentine’s Day. I think that statistic sounds too high. But, nevertheless, Andy and I beat the odds!)

This year is nice because I have no anxiety at all. I got Andy Simpson’s Season 5 and will give it to him tonight. He knows he is getting it. He begged for it earlier, but I told him he’d have to wait until Valentine’s Day. I have a surprise planned for Andy tonight. I can’t disclose it because he may read our blog before then and that would spoil the surprise.

I’ve made this pizza crust many times. I found it on a website (long enough ago that I wouldn’t dream of finding the site again). I personally consider it to be moderately good, but many of the people I’ve made it for tell me they think it is excellent.

1 1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons cornmeal
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/8 teaspoon MSG (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast

(You may use all-purpose flour for this recipe if doing it by hand).

Bread machine: Add ingredients to machine bread pan in order given or as per manufacturer’s instructions. Set to ‘dough’ mode.

I haven’t tried it with MSG. I have tried to get some, but can’t find any.

I usually don’t let it finish it’s cycle when set to dough, or even mix it in a mixer rather than a bread machine, since I tend to like to put it in the pan and let it rise in the pan. Once it has risen, I squish down the middle of the crust before applying the sauce, cheese and toppings. I like to bake it in a round stoneware pan, the ones I have are from Pampered Chef.

I’m sure that many of you who know I’m a lawyer imagine that I spend most of my time in court. Not true at all. You see, there are two types of lawyers: (1) litigators (those who work on “cases” and who may occasionally go to court); and (2) transactional lawyers. I’m a transactional lawyer. I don’t anticipate ever going to court. I don’t work on cases. I spend most of my time working on transactions and reviewing or drafting contracts.

Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time learning the new HIPAA security regulations. I drafted a fascinating article (I’m exaggerating) discussing the new regulations. The goal of the HIPAA security regulations is to make your health information more secure. If you have Adobe Acrobat, you can download my article here.

I must say that seeing Andy 7 days a week is quite the treat. Before we were married, we saw each other for a few hours each Friday night and then on Saturdays and Sundays. Although Andy works in St. Cloud, he still beats me home by at least 30 minutes every night. I often speed walk or jog home from the bus stop because I’m so excited to see Andy. I remember some Friday (maybe in week two of our marriage), it was approaching 10 p.m. and Andy was still over. I remember getting sad, because I thought he had to go home soon. But, then I quickly remembered that his home was my home. That was nice.

This is not to say that we have not had any problems adjusting. We have and I expect that we will. But, it is nice to deal with stuff together, face to face.

Brian Lee Olson
August 4, 1951 – January 17, 2005

We love you and will miss you dearly!

---

Just a Farmer

“Just a farmer” you said
And I laughed cause I knew
All the things that farmers
Must be able to do

They must study the land,
Then watch the sky
And figure just when
Is the right time and why

To sow and to plant
To buy and to sell
To go to the market
With cattle and well’

You know the books
That farmers must keep
To pay all those taxes
And be able to sleep

And you know the fixin’
That farmers must do
When machines like mad monsters
Break a gasket or two

I guess when God needed
Folks to care for his earth
He chose “just farmers”
Cause he knew their true worth

---

A Farmer’s Creed

I believe a man’s greatest possession is his dignity and that no calling
bestows this more abundantly than farming.

I believe that farming, despite its hardships and disappointments, is
the most honest and honorable way a man can spend his days on this earth

I believe my children are learning values that will last a lifetime and
can be learned in no other way.

I believe farming provides education for life and that no other
occupation teaches so much about birth, growth and maturity in such
a variety of ways.

I believe many of the best things in life are indeed free, the splendor
of a sunrise, the rapture of wide open spaces, the exhilarating sight of
your land greening each spring.

I believe true happiness comes from watching your crops ripen in the
field, your children grow tall in the sun, your whole family feel the
pride that springs from their shared experience.

I believe that by my toil I am giving more to the world than I am taking
from it, an honor that does not come to all men.

I believe my life will be measured ultimately by what I have done for
my fellowman, and by this standard I fear no judgment.

I believe when a man grows old and sums up his days, he should be
able to stand tan and feel pride in the life he’s lived.

I believe in farming because it makes all this possible.

Today marks the first anniversary of the day that Jessica and I met. So much has happened since January 17th, 2004 that it’s hard to believe that it has only been a year. On the other hand, it has gone by so quickly that it’s hard to believe that it has been a whole year.

I should mention that I broke a rule I made for myself, and advised many friends to follow. I was determined to date for an entire year before getting engaged. It’s been a year now, and we have been married for half a month. That rule wasn’t just broken, it was destroyed!

Well, when you know you’ve met the right person, the rules just don’t apply!

Andy and I are looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home. Andy has been sick (but he is back at work now). We’re hoping he has some energy this weekend so we can get a few things done. We want to do a little shopping (as much as Andy can stand) and get a little more settled in our house. The living room in our house is stuffed with Andy’s stuff. It would be nice to get some more of his stuff put away, but the piles don’t really bother me. After all, I moved into the house a year and a few months ago and I had piles for at least a month in the same place where Andy’s piles are now. We also have spend some time finalizing our budget and paying bills.

Married life is nice. I love that I get to see Andy every day because we live in the same place, instead of 60 miles apart.