Oh the places we'll go (TOGETHER)!

As Kim mentioned, we've done a lot in the last few months!

We closed on the house (despite the nightmare of the investor who was selling it trying to get the repairs right).

I almost immediately left town for a couple weeks to play Army in the field and graduate grad school (Kim was sweet enough to make it to Texas for that!).

I returned to wonderful Maryland, one of my best friends (Fancy Pants) moved away to Germany, and we dog sat for a few weeks until her dear pup could make the trip across the pond.  We need to visit!

Fancy and Samson, our surrogate pup

 

Of course during all of this craziness I started my new job (still in the Army just elsewhere in DC) and we got engaged.  I know!  I know!  Kim told you all about it, but I'm still excited, so here's the bling for y'er eyes!

 

  "If you liked it then you should'a put a ring on it!"

Swiss family heirloom... am I a lucky girl OR WHAT?!

 

I can't wait to put the perfect ring on her little, tiny finger (but that is yet to come!).

 

We also survived Sandy with flying colors.  Well, actually, it wasn't very colorful.  It was just cold and rainy, but luckily we didn't get any damage this time (we're still thinking about our peeps in NJ & NYC who are without power!) 

ANNNNNNNNNNNNNNND through all that, another momentous event, Kimmy came home with me to Idaho to meet the fam.  She was quite a trooper :)  Kim had already met my parents several times (beginning before we were even dating... they loved her from the beginning), but to make the trip over 2000 miles was quite sweet of her.  

 

We managed to make it the week of my niece and nephew's birthdays (ages 4 and 6 makes Princess and Spiderman gear a must), and of course the two of them loved her.  She played way better than Aunt Lacey does, she's amazing with kids!  

 

Not only did Kim survive the hours of plane rides and layovers and the scrupulousness of my niece and nephew, but also a 20-person dinner with my mom, brother, sister-in-law,  grandmother, aunts, uncles, cousins... you get it.  Of course they all enjoyed her company, and I think she may have enjoyed them as well.  She also willingly committed to meeting more of my cousins, high school friends, and several sorority sisters at a shindig the next night.  Less than half the people at this little party had the slightest clue as to the nature of our relationship, so it was kind of fun seeing the shock on their face when I broke the news that we're getting married next year.  Oh the sorority squeals :)

Two bad things about the trip:

1. Auburn lost yet another football game.  A complete blowout (congrats to Georgia).

2. We didn't take ANY pictures!

We barely arrived home yesterday in time for Kim to head out to Orlando for a week of work, and I am already anxious for her to come home so we can celebrate our first Thanksgiving in our home together next week!

Much love!
Lacey

Missing People & Places

It's a funny thing, missing someone.  I don't really understand how or why it works, but it really starts to mess with you!  I've never been the type to get homesick.  I left home for college almost nine years ago and haven't spent much time under my parents' roof since.  I don't pick up the phone nearly enough to stay in touch with my far-flung loved ones (thank goodness for Facebook!), despite having a downright wonderful relationship with my family.

...But Shrimp leaves me on a business trip for less than a week and I am all sorts of flustered, disconnected and just plain functioning below par.  It doesn't help that this week a project I had been planning for since November finally had to be executed, or that I got sick, but come on, I should be able to handle this, right?  I mean, we've not even celebrated our first "official" anniversary yet, and for over half the time we've been dating we've lived 1000+ miles apart.  It's true, though, she's become a pretty important piece to the puzzle of my life.

It became apparent this afternoon when I was pulling in to the driveway.  I saw Shrimp's car and I got so excited.  That was right before I remembered she wasn't actually home yet.  I would have to spend one more afternoon with the beasts (the three dogs and a cat we have between us) and without my girl.  Ugh.  And that led into my longing for the good ol' days.  It was actually before we were even dating, when we were back in the town where we met.  We had an amazing dog park and we could just go there and run and be with the pups and each other.  It's hard to explain why it's such an amazing place, but if you have dogs you know how nice it is to be able to take them somewhere and not worry about leashes or cars, and to have a large expanse of land and trails to just go to.  The area where we live now has nothing like that. I.  Miss.  It.  (Note to self: Add "dog park" to list of needs at next residence.)

 The awesome park we all miss!

Well, enough of that.  Needless to say, I am extremely excited to pick Shrimp up from the airport tonight, even if it is really late and I have to be at work really early.  Just to have the comfort of her being home will be great... and she's not too bad at cuddling, either :)

~Tater