Some thoughts on being engaged...

The time is winding down, my people. I get to marry Andy in 5.5 weeks. (That's 37 days, plus several hours, if we're being technical.)

Being engaged is awesome! I've been waiting my whole life to find someone the one I get to share all my thoughts and feelings with, holding nothing back, without fear of judgment. I've found all that and more in my Andrew. I'm not sure what I did to deserve such a great fella, but now that I've got him, I'm NEVER LETTING GO.

Gosh, that face. I'm so in love with that face!

Planning our wedding hasn't been all that stressful; I'm sure that a lot of it has to do with our lack of a reception and/or open house.
But leaving my job of nearly 9 years is kind of stressful emotional. And finding a new job was stressful (even though I landed a job really quickly). Packing up and moving (less than 4 months after moving into my own place) is proving stressful. Not getting to spend my weekdays with Andy is stressful hard, and the mope wins more often than I care to admit lately.

Also, I've become a sucky friend. These dear people who have made my time in Idaho Falls so darned lovely have kind of gotten the shaft...and that makes me feel bad. I need to enjoy all the remaining moments I have here in IF, and I need to do better to create more memories with my people. That's my goal for the remaining 2.5 weeks I have herein IF (when I'm not working or packing my life away, once again): to make the most of every moment.

I don't usually have to remind myself to enjoy the moments, you know. But then I met Andy, and he's taken over (in the best possible way!), and I want to enjoy my moments with him, too. The weekends seem to fly by, and then the weekdays just crawl. Being away from him feels awful.

But anyway: MAKE THE MOST OF IT, GINA! ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

Andy moves into our new place this week. His old apartment is too small for comfort where a wife is concerned, and so he's moving to accommodate moi.

It's been funny to watch Andy pack as we Skype every evening; he literally whistles while he works (occasionally, at least), and me? I dread the whole packing thing. Andy's been a real prince and has brought me boxes for packing, and has even bribed me in order to motivate me into packing. (I've earned a shoulder massage or two, because my fiance is the best guy on the planet.) Aaaanyway, I just did this whole "pack and move" thing at the end of February, so the throes of misery are still rather fresh in my mind. BUT! I am making some progress! Slowly but surely, I'll be ready to move by the time my folks and I pick up that darned U-Haul on the morning of June 26, so help me!

The weather here has been crazy lately. Well, not really crazy for springtime; I suppose rain is requisite in the spring, right? But this much rain in the Idaho and Utah desert has been kinda crazy. So if we're ever gifted a dry-ish sort of day (when we're together on the weekends), we take full advantage and run out into nature, even if only for a short while.

Hiding from the rain between First and Second Dams

We took a drive up to Avon in the rain one day a few weeks ago.

We found the end of the rainbow! #ThereWasNoGold

This past weekend we went to Island Park and hiked to Lower Mesa Falls.

Aaaaand this is where I'll become Mrs. Duncan (in 5 weeks and 2.5 days!)

 Anyway, I'm still alive and (very, very) well. Thank you all for your kind words and support! Being engaged is rad, and being married, I can't help but think, is going to be radder. (I'm not being unrealistic here; I've got my feet planted firmly in reality; I know storms will come and life will come at us fast, but I'll get to weather it all with Andy by my side! How lucky am I?!)

Maybe I'll blog again before we get hitched; wouldn't that be something?