Head vs. Heart

Which is better to follow - your head or your heart?  Just as the age old question "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?", does anyone really know the answer?  Is there a different answer for different stages in life or does it always have to be one constant answer?  When it comes to following your heart, why does the head always shout "NO!"? 

I'm turning 23 next month and while I feel as though I've accomplished much in my short life, I feel as though I've never really put my heart first.  Choosing a college major is the perfect example - I reasoned that if I was going to be spending thousands of dollars on a top-notch education, I might as well learn as much as I could in a field with promising earning potentials.  That was my head speaking.  When dating Matt, I reasoned that he would make a perfect husband and father, however I also fell in love with his mind and soul.  That was my both head and heart speaking.  Now, I've just completed 4 months at a company that is so profit focused and completely dismal that I put in my two weeks notice without any job to go to after and no regards to the consequences.  That was my heart speaking.  For me, different life stages have different bodily leaders.  I guess my heart is tired of being ignored and finally started to take a stand.

I feel like a quitter, but I am so tired of doing stuff that makes me miserable.  I'm too young to be forced to sit in a corner all day and babysat so I don't text or chit-chat with my co-workers.  I don't want to live like that.  I don't want to be miserable anymore. 

Matt supports me, as he always has with my silly life questions.  He's tired of it too.  Am I scared?  Heck yes.  Am I happier?  Right now, I'm not sure.  I'm playing the "Ignorance is Bliss" card and hoping that there is something better just around the riverbend. I don't want to think about the bills I have to pay or the poor state of the economy or my slim chances of getting another job. It's much too depressing and I don't have time to think about that stuff anyway.  Although trying to fall asleep has taken longer and longer each night haha.

I believe in a higher power and I believe that he knows me and wants me to be happy too.  I've been praying for an opportunity to open up for awhile now, but nothing has.  Maybe I was blessed with the courage to quit because I need to be unbound so that I can start on a new opportunity.  Maybe this was his was of saying, "Shanette, you keep asking for a miracle but I can't give you one until you are out of there!"  Does he even talk like that? I don't know, but I do know that he answers prayers and looks out for me.  

Friends, while I'm waiting and praying for a miracle to happen, could you do me a favor and keep your eyes out for me about any job opportunities?  I'd really appreciate it.  And I know my heart is just waiting to tell my brain "I told you so".  

So which is better the follow - your head or your heart?  

Datenights

If you couldn't tell already, Matt is my world.  For five days every week, I go to a job that I find meaningless and a complete waste of time and I complain everyday about it because I would much, much rather be spending time with Matt.  However, I'm able to get through those five bad days by looking forward to that one good day a week when Matt and I have Date Night.  

We have Date Night every Saturday night - no exceptions, no exclusions. Even though we are still newlyweds, child-free, and sexually active (only with each other, of course haha), we still need that time every week to just put the electronics away and spend some quality time with our spouse.  Some dates are extravagant and others are simple - no matter what we do though, I love just being with Matt. 

One Saturday last month, Matt and I had a pizza eating contest at CiCi's then went driving in the country backroads and made-out while watching the sun set.  Simple, romantic, and country - the definition of us.  The next Saturday, Matt and I went to dinner at Chili's then went lunar mini-golfing at Collin Creek Mall.  The golf course is so ridiculously stupid it's laughable, but we didn't go because of the golf, we went for the great conversational atmosphere.  When do couples just get to go out and talk? 

We tried out the AlamoDrafthouse movie theater in Richardson two weeks ago to see Lucy.  Loved the set up of it, such as you reserve your seats online and there's a counter in front of you for dinner/snacks in the actual theater. The seats were comfortable and they have unlimited popcorn for $6 and unlimited soda for $4.  Each ticket is $10 bucks and with unlimited popcorn and soda, that's a $30 date night - not bad my friends!  We definitely would recommend it to other couples and will be sure to visit again.

This weekend was something new - we had gone to lunch at our all time favorite restaurant Joe's Italian Bistro - the absolute BEST Italian food in Allen for dirt cheap - and then stayed in for some brownie baking and movie watching with our family.  Simple, cheap, relaxing.  It honestly doesn't matter what we do as long as we do it together. 

I hope that reading about our date nights will inspire you to go out on more dates.  The whole point you "date" someone before marrying them is to get to know them, so why stop after you get married?  Marriage is the greatest adventure we'll ever take, but the little side trips Matt and I take every Saturday night are what make it exciting.

Shanette + Matt = the Shmatt

Once upon a time there was a unique girl named Shanette.  One might have considered her to be quite the Miss Independent type until she found her other half - a man named Matt.  She fell in love and no longer was she just Simply Shanette, but now she was Shanette + Matt (the Shmatt).

I'm Shanette and I started my own personal blog called Simply Shanette a few years back.  I loved to write about anything and everything that was on my mind until the only thing that seemed to be on my mind was a certain man named Matt.  My life was turned upside down and I soon realized that my life was not simply about myself anymore but rather about my other half, my Matt.  I love him with all my heart and created this blog to document our life together - our weekly dates, our home improvement projects, our growing family, etc.

I hope you join us on our adventure together and maybe even, dare I say, learn some things about life and love.  May everyone find their wonderwall and learn to love with all their heart, as I have been blessed enough to do.