30 Day Challenge- Day One

I know, I know. I've already started the ABC challenge and I haven't made any progress on it the last few days. I'm hoping to pick it back up at letter P over the next two weeks, but to try to help myself get back on a writing schedule I'm taking part in the 30 day/post challenge.

Post One: Your Best Friend

I know it sounds cliche but my finace is truly my best friend. I share things with him that no one else knows. We were friends before we dated and I think that is part of what keeps our relationship strong. But I do have a second (as in another, not 2nd place)  best friend.

(photobooth picture)

I like to call her Hotglue and she calls me that sometimes too, so it can get a tad confusing. She's 4ft9 and absolutely adorable. She loves children and is a psychology major at the college down the street.

(Birthday girl!)

We met the summer of my 11th grade year at Governor's School and she has been one of my closest friends ever since then. Even though we used to go through periods of time where one of us would drift away, we've managed to always remain close. Prehaps, absence really does make the heart grow fonder.

(birthday night  picture!)

I've loved living so close to here these past three and a half years and I'm going to miss seeing her whenever I want. She's really crafty and a scrapbooker. We share a love for baking and a fondness for chocolate and are equally crappy cooks. Her mother always tells us both that we will never get married because no man wants to eat sweets 24/7.

She's the maid of honor in my wedding and has been a really big help, conceptually and practically. She, along with my roomates, helped me out for three hours (or so) the other night assembling, addressing, closing and sealing our wedding invites (pictures to come on another post)

(game night!)

M is for Mr. Groom

Ya'll aren't going to believe this but when Mr. Groom and I first met he described to me the type of woman he was looking for, and in my head I thought Someone like me.

So here's our story:

I was working as a waitress (and hating every minute of it) when my uncle offered me an internship at the paper plant he was managing. I would be making way more money and doing way less stressful work, so how was I going to turn that deal down?

A few weeks before, Mr. Groom moved into a hotel in SC so that he could act as a consultant for the same company. The plant in SC was fairly new and he was helping sort out all of the processes.

We were both dating other people but everyone we worked with could tell we were naturally drawn to each other.

The other workers often joked about being invited to our wedding and spent hours trying to convince Mr. Groom to take me to dinner. Some even offered to pay. But, we never crossed the line.

We finally went out to dinner his last two nights (would have been three nights if I hadn't chickened out the first night) in the state. We went to Chilis one night and Indigo Joes the next night. Both night it was assumed we were dating and our waiter even commented that our age difference was similar to that of the relationship he was in. Our waiter was especially nice, considering he (and the one at Indigo's) had to come back to our table several times duringthe first hour of our dinner, because we had been so busy talking that we had not even glanced at the menu.

The day after our second dinner, Mr. Groom headed back to PA and a few weeks later I moved into my dorm for my freshman year of college. We stayed in touch through email, and then phone calls, each becoming more and more frequent as we both became single.

A week or two before Thanksgiving, a nervous Mr. Groom asked me if I wanted to take our long distance friendship to another level. I said yes, and we started dating. He traveled down during Thanksgiving weekend and we went on our first date, six months after we first met. He finished his teaching certificate and  took a job 30 minutes away from my college town, so that we could be together. A few years passed, and here we are, waiting on December 18th to become Mr. and Mrs.

Cast of Characters

I blog about the people in my life all of the time. Sometimes I feel like I just mention them haphazardly and leave you to figure out who the heck I'm talking about. So I thought I would do a run down of who everyone is:

Mr. Groom:

He was born and raised in Pennsylvania, but acts more like a southern gentleman than any man I know. Maybe, its because he's traveled a lot, maybe its because he was in the Army. He's a sports ADDICT, and loves to make people laugh. If we believed in reincarnation I'd say he was a stand-up comedian in a past life. He is a certified teacher and has a degree in Sociology. Currently, he's teaching English in South Korea.

"Lyric"

We met my freshman year of college and roomed together last year. We are both rooming with K10  this year. She's very artistic and wants to be a teacher. I call her Lyric because thats what some Facebook app said her name would be if she was born today

"Hot Glue/MOH/bestie"

I met this hot lady my junior year of high school and we've gottten closer every year. She goes to my college's "brother college". She is the Maid of Honor in my wedding. She loves penguins and Disney and has a boyfriend who does a kickbut impression of Captain Jack Sparrow. I call her Hot Glue because of an inside joke a few summers ago that I can't quite remember. And no alcohol was involved during the joke's conception. Go figure.

"K10"

K10 is Lyric's Red Devil Little Sister and our future roomate. I'm so glad the two of them got paired together because, although I've only known her for less a year (oh! I just realized that), we've become really close and I can't imagine being without her friendship.

Mother

Mommy dearest. She's my mom and for that reason I love her, but she doesn't make being around her very easy.

Father

My dad's a hunting and fishing kinda guy. He's a part of the local Duck Unlimited group and has a "Duckaholic" sticker on the back of his gold Expedition. I guess "aholics" run in the family. For the most part, he's a better cook than my mom, but don't tell her I said that.

Sister

She's younger than me but a whole lot tougher. You don't want to get into a wrestling match with this gal. Beach lover, softball player, IGA clerk. She's headed to USC-B.

Incorporating Thursday Five

Yesterday I got really excited when I realized that that today was Thursday and I could post my Thursday Five. Doing this blog exercise really helps me keep my mood up, focus on small things that make me happy, and reflect on things I'm thanksful for. I've been trying to have myself thin of things at the end of my day that were good things. Also, I like thinking about things I'm thankful for and incorporating them into my prayers.

Happy

Giddy

Joyful

Excited

Appreciative

1. Today is Mr. Groom's 31st birthday! Its his last birthday before we get married and his third birthday that I've known him (although on the first one he let his birthday pass by without telling me). Tonight we're going out for duck when he gets off work and I'm  getting all dolled up for him in a cute dress and heels. Hopefully my hair will behave.

2. I went to Dunkin Doughnuts this morning and ate a chocoalte waffle and a powedered doughnut stuffed with pineapple. Yummy!

3. I've been on several enjoyable walks this week to my special excercise spot. I'll do a post later showing you the trail I take and the exercise equipment at the top of the hill

4.Its mail time!I got a precious moments card from my future mother-in-law this week and a letter from my roomate Lyric (I love precious moments!)

5. Mr. Groom seems  to be moving out of the dark spot he was in and is returning to his usual cheerful, jokester self.

What things made your week?

Opposites Attract

Lately, I've noticed that some things about me and mr. groom are very different. Now, don't get me wrong here, we do have a lot of things in common and we get along fabulously. But on some things we tend to be on opposite ends of the spectrum. Our differences can be chalked up to gender, age and personality.

Here are some examples:

Our  thought processes. He tends to be a very linear thinker, whereas I am conceptual. He thinks out plans for  doing things around the house, like "trash, recycling, dishes, mop kitchen.", whereas I may think "clean kitchen, take out trash, tidy the bedroom". He also works through certain related talking points and has trouble when I jump from one idea to another with the swoop of my tounge. Similarly, he likes to think big and focus on big things. Whereas I do think big picture things I  really like dealing with the details. I recently asked him to make a 101/1001 list like I did. I made my in about two days. He says he can't think of 100 small thngs because all he can see is the bigger picture. I managed to squeeze 17 smaller goals out of him.

Creativity. He paints the walls of the box and rearranges the furniture. I play just outside of the box.  My box may have a garden and pretty sunflowers growing outside. Oh, and a hot tub on the roof.

Schedules. My idea of sleeping in is 10am. His is around noon. But, his idea of staying up late is around 6am and my is around 1am

In vs out. He likes to eat in, hang out and watch movies. I like to go out more than I like to stay in. Doesn't have to be expenisve- a walk in the park will do. He gets the "lets go out" bug more than I want to have stay in days so we're doing good so far. I think once we're back in the states and have our own place I'll get a little more content with staying in because I'll have my scrapbooking supplies and a kitchen to bake in.

Whoops!

I know its not Thursday anymore but I've been wanting to jump on this bandwagon now for awhile, so I figured better late than never.  So here goes my first Thursday Five.

I'm suppoused to post things that make me:

Happy

Grateful

Jubilant

Ecstatic

Thankful

1. I bought my wedding garter this week! Its from this Etsy shop and I love it. Here's a picture:

2. I am very thankful that I get to spend the summer with Mr. Groom. We'd been apart for around 10 months.

3. The past two days I have been to work with Mr. Groom and played with the kids before class. Mr. Groom says they usually shy away from touching the western teachers, but they have been holding my hand and giving me high-fives. They are absolutely adorable. I took pictures but of course I don't have my cord.

4. Our weekend plans make me very excited! We're going to dinner with a mixed group of Koreans, Americans and possibly Canadians and then hopefully to the lake for a light show and then to the singing room for karoke.

5. This week I got two emails from my bestest friend!

What things made your week?

Wedding Plans Starting to Come Together!

We've nixed the idea of getting married in the Grand Canyon (Although, it still sounds pretty romantic), in favor of a celebration where our families and friends can be present. We think thats a pretty important part of a wedding. So we've picked the date- DECEMBER 18TH.

I booked the church (Kellytown Baptist Church) and the reception (Lawton Park Pavillion) today! My cakes been designed- just has to be ordered. My dress gets picked up this week. I need shoes, earrings and a strapless bra. I need to find invites, flowers, music and all of the finishing touches.

Theres been talk of an engagement cookout in Septermber when Mr. Groom and I come home from S. Korea.

I'm excited!!!

Its been way too long

I apoligize for the HUGE gap in my blogging life, but the fact is -real life just caught up to me. I've got two more classes here then when I was in Scotland, paired with all of my social activities, my new job and managing a long distance engagement as just left me too busy to blog.

I got the chance to make my friend a birthday card today:

Outside text: Sweet Birthday Wishes
Inside: For my my favorite canadian
Envelope: Hi Cupcake!

After midterms this week it was a great stress reliever. I'm heading to Hartsvegas for Spring Break where I'm hopeing to catch up on the piles of homework I've been neglecting, finish my projects for work, read a fun book and make another card or  two for upcoming events. And I've recently won a copy of Falling into the Sun: A Novel by Charrie Hazard, that hope to read, in additon to sending out some internship applications. Oh and the bestie, her beau and I are hopeing to take a  day trip to Charleston!

Oh! And earlier in the week, my fiance sent me these:

(The bear is the size of a four year old!)

Our Way

Due to a long history of disagreements and abuses from my family, as well as a recent falling out, Mr. Groom and I have decided we're taking matters into our own hands. When I move to South Korea to be with him and work, we'll get married at the consulate and after a few years of work and saving we'll plan and pay for our own "renewal of vows" celebration-possibly in the Grand Canyon with a party after or a church ceremony with a party after. Wish us luck!

HWW Week 3 Day 4

Day 4 is the day between workout sets and is set aside as a "rest" day. Today I definitely noticed a bit of burn in my abs and that my legs felt better than they have since I've been home.

As part of the "rest", I've thought about things I want to start once I am back at school (Sunday).  I want to replace one meal a day with a salad and see how that effects my body. I also want to see if I can convince my friends to take a walk with me everyday in the afternoon. I want to walk with them at a leisure pace. I want it to be a fun, relaxing time of motion and conversation. I will  need the companionship even more since I will be back in the area where my (then boyfriend) fiance lived together but not able to visit him as he is still overseas. I need the motion as I want to find a way to be less sedentary that doesnt involve the gym. I may see if we can occasionally replace this walk with a swim.

(I must confess, even though today was a "rest" dictated day by HWW, I still did a few (25) situps.)