Oh hey...

So, we got married! October 21, in the Portland Oregon LDS Temple. We've been spending the last six weeks or so traveling, settling in, and trying to adjust to this whole being married thing. It's surprisingly difficult...probably in part because we spent about three years prior to being married missing each other and idealizing the time when we'd finally be together. I'm not saying it isn't wonderful--it is! So wonderful. I love being married to B, and I love him, but it is difficult to realize that he's a real person too! With annoying habits, weird clothes, and a totally different communication style. Just like me!

ouch

Last night I cried myself to sleep...while still wearing my contact lenses. All day, my eyes have been dry and scratchy, even with a several hours glasses break, and a new pair of lenses when it was time to go out into the world. This is not helping the "I'm getting married in two weeks and do not feel remotely pretty" feeling I've got.

What was wrong? Nothing really. Just missing B, lonely and stressed about everything I need to do in the next week to get ready for the wedding.

18 DAYS

before I marry my best friend...18 days, and two hours, to be precise. And I like precision. Especially when it comes to this. Three years. Three years of engagement. Three years of long distance. Three years of seeing each other sporadically at best. Three years of missing each other,  of going to events alone, of wanting him here, but he can't be. Three years. And in 18 days, it will be over. Less than that, really, because I'll meet B at his parent's for all that last minute stuff in 12 days. 12 days! 12 days until we get to see each other every single day. 14 days until we get our marriage license. 18 days until I become his wife. Until B becomes my husband. Until we're together, a family, forever. And we believe in forever.

A few gratituous shots from our engagement session with my fantastic cousin:

Monster Rock is my favorite place in the Alabama Hills of southern California

This one went in the announcements.

I'm a bad blogger

And I don't even have pictures.

Since last I wrote (in JUNE!), a lot has happened, naturally.

B moved to California, and we've spent several weekends together. It's so nice that he's only a few hours away. We still don't see each other as much as we want to, and it's about to drop in frequency again, but we'll live. We'd see each other more, but he works 6 days a week, about 13 hours a day. Some days he's so tired when he gets home we get about 10 minutes on the phone before he's falling asleep.

BUT, we have managed to set a date! October 21, 2011, in the Portland Oregon LDS temple. We'll have a reception in Salem (B's hometown) the next day, and an open house in RC (my hometown) the next weekend. I've bought my dress, we're working on all the other details surrounding wedding prep. I have fantastic ideas (in my head, at least) and hopefully some of them actually work out. I can't wait to marry B and I can't wait to be his wife.

B and I have also got an apartment! We're moving back to the grand old Rexburg Idaho. B's going to continue his education at BYUI (he'll start classes in the winter semester), and I'm going to be working. Hopefully at a job that will pay our bills without making me want to kill. I'm moving in September 1st, B will join me about November 1st, as my HUSBAND! Husband is such beautiful word. I have a feeling we're going to be sleeping on the floor for a while (at least I will) and eating off the top of boxes, but we'll live. It's romantic to be poor when you're newlyweds...right? Our apartment is a little bit more a month than I wanted to spend, but really only about $25, and we have our very own washer and dryer that comes with, so hopefully we'll save that much by not having to go to the laundramat. And oh how nice it will be to not have to manuever the ice and snow of winter with a laundry basket. We're in a fairly central location, just a few blocks from campus, and a few blocks from my favorite grocery store, AND about one block from the hospital, which B seems to think is a plus. We have two bedrooms, a bathroom (naturally), a good-sized kitchen (hooray! a kitchen that's MINE) and we'll be in the basement(ish), so we'll stay warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. That's the theory at least.

Pictures to follow...eventually.

Oh yeah...

I never did tell about my trip to see B. It was fantastic, but not nearly long enough. He and his parents picked me up at the airport Saturday morning, then we drove down the Oregon coast. Just one picture...I was a tiny bit distracted :) but his mom took about 8,000 pictures of us, so when she emails them to me, maybe I'll post more. :)

Sunday we just hung around the house and went to church. Going to church together was wonderful! I've missed it so much. Monday we spent at their church picnic, and at a garden festival, before he took me to the stupid airport.

And now we have some exciting news...

B has a job in Corona, California for the summer! Which MEANS he will be less than three hours driving away for the next two and a half months! Unless I move north before his contract is up. But still, so, so close. He started today, which also means that he spent the weekend here in the 'crest with me. He met a big chunk of my extended family, and a few of my good friends (and survived with only a couple threats from my uncles). Him being so close means we get to see each other more than we thought we'd be able to, which will be wonderful.

Have I mentioned that I love this man? I can't wait to be his wife.

But no, we haven't set a wedding date yet. We're taking things slow this time around. Sort of slow. The current estimate is this fall.

Ack!

So, B's home! I got to talk to him yesterday, and we'll be talking again this evening too. I'm so happy, beaming. So far, it looks like we still fit. I'm going to see him next weekend, and am kind of freaking out. WHAT does one wear to see one's fiance for the first time in two years? I need to look gorgeous for him, but also impeccable and beyond reproach because we will be spending lots of time with his family, who are still unconvinced of my awesomeness. I need some help people! I've got a couple outfit ideas, but none of them seem "right". Maybe because NONE of my clothes seem to fit properly right now (I've been losing quite a bit of weight so a lot is too big, but I'm not quite in the "well, maybe someday they'll fit" things either). Maybe because I'm too excited. So, tell me, what would you wear? Put together fantasy outfits, and post in the comments. I'll see what I can do with your suggestions.

I'M SO EXCITED!!!

(In other news, I basically quit blogging, announced it, and my site visits went through the roof! Where did all you people come from?)

glow

Today someone told me they wanted to tell me I was glowing, but was afraid I would be offended, since "glowing" usually implies pregnancy (which I am NOT). I guess I'm a little happy? Maybe...considering I get to see B for the first time since March of 2009 (yeah, it's been that long) in 26 days. Not that I'm counting or anything. And I get to talk to him for the first time in two years in 18. I might be a little thrilled. We're thisclose to being done with this stupid communicating solely by letters thing. I don't know how the olden days people did it.

(for WHY B and and I haven't seen or talked in two years, click here)

PS, I found just about the shirt I was looking for at Gap.com, so I ordered it. Thanks Angie!

ch-ch-ch-changes

I hate that the stores I used to go to for basic layering tees have gotten all fancy and don't have what I need any more. All I want is a brown or ivory 3/4 sleeve v-neck shirt. Is that too much to ask? Tell me, where do you get such things? Because my usuals (Old Navy and Down East) have failed me.

high school popular

There was this guy in high school, junior or senior when I was a freshman, star basketball player, smart, popular, talented, etc. He went to to play college basketball for a top school. He MIGHT have known my name at one point, since we attended the same church (although different congregations, so probably not), but we never actually interacted (naturally). Now he works for the same organization I do (although much higher in the ranks). I occaissionally get emails from him now, referring to purchasing and such, and whenever I see his name in my inbox my first thought is "Since when did he start emailing me?" I have a total 14/15 year old flashback, where the idolized senior guy is actually talking to geeky me. And then I remember, oh yeah, he works in the business department. I order books and supplies. He makes sure they get paid for. Duh.

privacy

Sometimes I wonder if other people think I'm completely clueless. Ok, I admit I frequently come across that way, especially on facebook, but really? Do people think I'm that dumb?

You know why I don't blog much any more? Partly because I try to keep more or less anonymous on here, and completely un-google-able. And since I blog about my personal life, generally, this is getting harder and harder. Maybe I need a change in focus, start only writing about shoes or something, maybe I need a move to a new site, maybe I need to put this as private for a while. Maybe I need to stop caring. But right now, I care, and it's hard to talk about what's going on without violating my privacy restrictions. Restrictions I've placed on myself, yes, but important ones. The things I want to talk about are things I'm afraid to let out.

So I don't know. Don't expect a lot out of me. Not for a while, at least.