News update:

I'M ENGAGED!!!!!

Friday, July 13th marks the first day of the rest of my life! Andrew and I were getting ready for our friends wedding rehearsal dinner when he asked me. I was standing in front of the bathroom mirror, trying to find some fashionable way to style my stubborn hair. We were running late and I was getting very irritated. Andrew came up behind me, stood there and wrapped his arms around me, and kissed my shoulder. He seemed a little off and shaky, but I was too distracted by my hair to notice. He then suggested that I change my jewelry, he was very adamant about me wearing on old necklace that I had taken from my mothers jewelry box, as opposed to the brand-new necklace I had just bought that day. I was getting more irritated because my hair was still not cooperating, we were already running late and now he was distracting me. He then grabbed my left hand and told me that I should try this. I looked down at what was in his hands and I forgot about my hair, about being late, I think at that point I forgot my own name. In his hand was the most beautiful, sparkly diamond ring I had ever seen. I saw his lips moving, but I couldn't understand the words coming out of his mouth. The only thoughts running through my head were "ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh". My boyfriend of 3.5 years was proposing to me. I heard the words "bestfriend" and "I love you" and "be my wife". I couldn't stop smiling, I couldn't keep my eyes from bouncing between my left hand and his handsome face. In my jumbled, excited brain, I couldn't even find the words "yes". After he asked me for the second time, I finally manged to squeak out an excited "YES!!!"

I am engaged. I get to spend the rest of my life with the man of my dreams, my bestfriend, my whole world. I get to feel protected, and wanted, loved, and cherished for the rest of my life, by the man that I am completely, entirely head over heals in love with.

Letting go

I am officially moved back to NC! And I am begrudgingly living at my parents house for the summer while they are off in Canada vacationing. I was coerced into taking care of 4 chickens, a gerbil, 2 cats and 2 birds while they sip vino on the dock at the lake house thousands of miles away. On the flip side, I am saving a lot of money by not having to pay any rent.  I am well into my 4th week at the law office now and I love it! I love the challenges and constant busyness, I love the camaraderie between my coworkers. But mostly I love the hours. 8:15am-5:15pm, weekends and holidays off!  I revel in the fact that I get to actually spend holidays with my family, that I can make plans on the weekends and that I can actually cook dinner before 9pm! I am very thankful and very happy with my position in life right now. Everything seems to finally be meshing together for me. I have a great job, a wonderful family that I live close to now, friends that I live close to now, and an amazing boyfriend that I really couldn't possibly live without. All the struggles that I have gone through I believe have led me to where I am now, I have learned so much about myself and about life. The number one lesson I have learned; Its okay to rely on other people. My whole life I have struggled to be Independent and to do everything on my own, the only outcome that seems to have occurred from this is failure. Not finishing school, getting stuck with an awful job with terrible hours, living far away from family, letting distance get between me and my loved ones. All the hardships I have endured are because of my own prideful, stubbornness. So I am finally learning to just let go a little and actually listen to the advice of people who have my best interest at heart. And I have found that it is actually really really nice not to have to make hard decisions on your own, sometimes not to have to make decisions at all. My family and Andrew have my best interest at heart, and I know that they would never steer me wrong. I just have to be willing to listen. Trust me, I am still stubborn as an ox, and I still think my opinion is the only one that matters sometimes. I'm a work in progress, but I am finally happy with my life, and so I'm okay with letting go for now.