Lately

Since moving to Raleigh I don't think we've been happier! The weather is beautiful, the grass is green, trees are everywhere, and clearly we never want to leave. We've been busy exploring the parks, playing outside, planning a wedding, and going to the beach!

Uley enjoying his car rides

Lake Johnson

Last weekend we went to the beach with our new friends! We took our dogs and they loved it! They weren't too keen on the waves but we couldn't keep Uley out of the sand and from trying to run off everywhere!

Atlantic Beach

We had a blast and can't wait for the next opportunity to go back. I'm sure Uley would love it, as long as we don't make him go too far in the water :)

Our wedding planning is coming along smoothly and we're getting more excited every day! We've finally decided on a May wedding in Dallas. It would be must easier for everybody, especially us since we have no idea where we will end up this time next year. Having my mom, grandma, and his mom to help plan is helping us out tremendously. We're currently working on a venue and it'll be so great to finally have a place and a date set in stone!

I've recently sent out bridesmaid cards too, and I can't wait until everybody gets theirs! Jay called and asked everybody for him and everybody accepted - it's starting to feel so real! YAY!

Can't wait for this next month and everything that comes along with it!

Diary by Uley

Hi everyone!

Mom & Dad were really mean for me for a long time. First they moved out all of my stuff and took it away, then they made me sit in the car for FOREVER - literally!!
When we finally got out of the car I had 3 new playmates and it was awesome! I had a big house to run around and dogs to play with and big couches to snuggle on, it was the best.
THEN they put me in the car AGAIN FOR LONGER THAN FOREVER! It was torture, I almost called  SPCA

but then the most amazing thing happened, they brought me here and there is squirrels and ducks and birds and bugs and GRASS! I LOVE IT HERE! I'm never leaving here ever, I don't care what they say!

Mom and dad have been doing some sneaky business and talking a lot about stuff that sounds important like....


SQUIRREL!
BYE!

Gotta get them bugs!

Whatttt??? I wasn't doing anything!

Happiness

With the wonderful changes that have been happening, it's hard to limit what makes me happy these days, but here's my top 10...

1. The beautiful ring on my finger that signifies I will some day soon marry Jay!

2. The green that surrounds us in our new home

3. Seeing Uley chase all the new squirrels (even if he pulls my arm off doing so)

4. The smell of rain inside and hearing it all afternoon (a rarity in AZ)

5. Being called a "future in-law"

6. All of the ripe fruit that's hitting the stands

7. Pictures of Uley and his best buddy at my mom's house

8. Driving around Raleigh, trying to be a local

9. The beautiful sunrise

10. Seeing all the baby ducks, geese, and turtles swimming in the lake

xoxo

It's been a long couple of weeks. Since Jay proposed to me we've been preparing and actually moving across the country for the summer! It's been a long 3 weeks of packing, graduation, putting all of our stuff in storage, driving 3 days to Raleigh, North Carolina, and making this new place our temporary summer home!

We had a great time having both of our moms and my grandma come visit us for Jay's graduation and helping us move into storage. We love being able to see them all that we can and hope one day we'll all be close to each other! We didn't do much because we were ultimately busy, but it's nice being able to see and talk to family again and have them right there with us.

There's almost nothing we don't love about it NC! It's beautiful and cool and relaxing and I know it's going to be difficult to get us to all head back to Arizona for another year. Even Uley loves it! He gets to roll in the grass, chase squirrels, and it's nowhere NEAR as hot as AZ.

Our apartment is right on Lake Lynn and so far we think we're in a really good spot! Its easy access to everything we need and Jay's internship, lots of trails near us, a local dog park, we've even scoped out the houses and they're REALLY NICE! Like I said - WE LOVE IT HERE!

Jay on his first day of his internship!!

In other news we've started Insanity (again) and it's only day 2 and I'm exhausted. It'll pay off all in all though and I've noticed it's so much easier this time around now that I'm more in shape (although it's NEVER easy - don't let me fool you).

We've also (sorta) decided on a wedding date time! We're hoping for a 2013 winter wedding! It'll be about a 20 month engagement, which gives us plenty of time for everything considering we'll be graduating, moving across the country for good, and starting jobs and graduate school (Jay and I respectively). We've also got family graduations to attend, places to visit in AZ before we leave for good, a big birthday(!!), and all the routine events of wedding planning and etc. I'm so excited for the rest of the year and upcoming year.

ANNOUCMENT!

It's finally happened! Tuesday the 24th Jay decided to make me the happiest girl in the world & asked me to marry him!

He had been apparently waiting for a moment when both myself and our roommate was out for obvious privacy. So on our last day of classes I went away while he stayed home and prepared himself. 

Usually when one of us is gone, upon returning home the other takes Uley out and he gets so excited and runs out to meet you and it's adorable and absolutely makes our day! So I was obviously disappointed when I didn't see him while I was walking to our apartment. By the time I was almost to the door I was going to be pretty upset if he was playing video games and had forgotten about me!

So I walked inside and nobody was there...

On our bedroom door was a nice long note saying all of the sweet stuff Jay was worried he wouldn't be able to get out at the time for me to read. Realizing what was happening I hurried through the words and walked inside. 

There he was waiting to grab my hand. He said some sweet things that I couldn't recall too well now if I tried, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him!!!

I cried, shook my head yes and got the gorgeous ring put on my finger!

He got everything on video, but that's private and very special :)

We're not dressed up obviously. That morning he hinted to me that I should dress decently, but I didn't. So I looked super classy in a hat and t-shirt. He didn't make me feel bad though and dressed equivalently.

After we took Uley outside and admired my ring in the sunshine and I cried some more and enjoyed our little moment we did what we would typically do...

the most romantic moment of all time...

Go to the gym. 

That's right, the gym. Go figure. 

We had a celebratory lunch together.

& Then prepared for an evening of calling family and friends to share the news

Later that night we celebrated and basked in our new engagement!

So now - we plan for a wedding!

We're both still so happy and so excited for all of the madness heading our way and the idea that we will soon be man and wife!

Reflection

As another month comes to an end, another school year, another chapter -you start reflecting on what's been done. As a student your years are not separated by the actual year (2012) but by semesters and leases. I've got one more year in undergrad left. One more Arizona apartment. Just 12 months left in the west coast. While all these may be scary for many people my age, boy am I excited! Though I've truly taken for granted my time here. Jay and I are trying to find new things to do and new ways to see this area while we're still here. So far we've 

been to LA and Disney land

 We've climbed mountains such as A mountain and camelback

 We've gone shopping and drove around just to drive and see the scenery

 we took a segway tour RIGHT BY OUR HOME and saw and learned things we never knew

 We've roamed every inch of campus by skates bike and feet. 

And though we feel almost constantly busy with school and our relationship, we have a list of stuff left to do. 

 See Sedona

 See the grand canyon

 Visit the desert botanical gardens

 Enjoy the max amount of sunshine we have(without burning of course) 

Take uley hiking all we can

 And whatever else we come across in our last year 

 Other than typical Arizona stuff we've learned different things during our time here We've learned 

the basic country two step

 A wider array of swing dancing 

How to live and take care of our own pup

 How to decorate

 How to cook a wider selection and more grown up style of food (other than frozen foods and boring chicken)

 Travel lessons

 How to live and deal with roommates as a couple

 Everyday we learn something new, whether it be small or big. I think learning together is what makes a couple strong and keeps things interesting. After almost two years I still find myself learning something new about jay and I hope too keep learning about him until we're 80. By that point we will have lost our minds and learn about each other all over every day ;)

Spring Fever

Since we've been back it's been incredibly busy. It became official that Jay & I will be spending a glorious summer in Raleigh, North Carolina! We're beyond excited! We had to find a place to live this summer while we're there and it's difficult looking for a place to live when you're clear across the country. At the same time we had to find a place to live back in Arizona in the fall, since our lease will be ending shortly. We also had to look for a storage utility, begin packing, and deal with finals and end of semester projects. Thankfully - it's all finally done and we're counting down the days to leave! 

We've gone through....

Easter

& later Jay's 25TH BIRTHDAY!

Warmer weather

Beautiful (hot) days

& a Segway tour! For living here for over 2 years, we saw a lot that we didn't realize existed. Arizona may be hot, but it does have some perks.

It was nice out for awhile, but unfortunately it's getting too hot to do anything outside during the days now. Today we reached 102 and it's not even May yet. It's HORRIBLE! We're trying to make the most of our last year here though and enjoy the unlimited sunshine and different topography. 

This hot weather has allowed me to do a lot of crafting though, but I've also had to pack it all away and haven't been able to enjoy any of it hanging around the apartment ): Oh well, only a few months until I can decorate again.

In a little over a week our families will be coming in for Jay's Master's Graduation! We're all incredibly proud of him and I can't wait to see him walk across the stage. He's done so much work since I've met him here and he's come a long way very quickly. This degree and upcoming internship is well deserved.

Until next time

XOXO