PRK Surgery Tomorrow!

15 days ago, I stopped wearing contacts, and went back to my adorable, but not so comfortable, glasses.

I have been wanting LASIK eye surgery for about 6 years now. My prescription continued to change throughout college, so I wasn't a candidate. Well, my prescription hasn't changed in a couple of years. I went to the optometrist for my annual exam at the end of last year and decided I am going to do this!!!!

Since my car will be paid off entirely in a couple of months, I can AFFORD this surgery (I am using Care Credit for financing and that allows me to pay 30% down and pay the rest off, interest free, for a year)! Financially, it is a smart move, because my job does not cover dental or vision, and my vision costs are very expensive. Contacts, contact solution, and annual exams, WITHOUT help from insurance adds up QUICKLY! I think this surgery will pay for itself within a couple of years.

I went on Monday for testing with my optometrist, and I had an interesting time getting dilated!!!! They do the tests the first time without any alterations, and the second time after you've been dilated, to make sure you can see in different settings after the surgery. I've never been dilated before, and it was strange. The natural light was so bright I had to wear a removable shade in my glasses. I wasn't technically legal to drive home after my appointment (mainly because I discovered my glasses prescription is so old, I'm only seeing 20/80 or so with them on!), but I managed!

That is one large pupil! Hardly any brown left! Freaky.

My sweet unibrow-shade-in-the-glasses

Well, today, I went to the opthamologist's office. I just want to throw it out there that my surgeon went to OU Medical School, and I literally feel like I can trust him more because of that. That might be dumb, but on top of it being a prestigious program, I thought it was a great sign. I work in surgery, so I know first hand it's easy to look at the patient's specific concern and forget who the patient is. I told him I went to OU Nursing School and we talked about Norman for a bit.

After establishing trust with him, he told me he would recommend PRK over LASIK surgery tomorrow. I was caught off guard, but eager to hear his reasoning.

This chart outlines the differences between LASIK eye surgery and PRK eye surgery.

Basically, my corneas are not too thin to do LASIK, but he's a conservative surgeon, and told me there was a little bit of risk because my corneas are slightly thinner than average. I wish it could have been my thighs he was talking about, but nonetheless, he said LASIK could leave me disappointed long-term. My eyes might weaken back to how they are now in 10 years. With PRK, I'll have long-term results. Until I need glasses to read up close (which I shouldn't have to worry about for a good 25 years), I should be good to go!

The downside? The recovery. With LASIK I would have been able to see close to 20/20 the next day. I would have been able to go back to work on Monday (as I had planned!). With PRK I won't be able to drive or work until THURSDAY. They told me to anticipate feeling sandy, gritty, and not seeing very well at all for a few DAYS.

What's ridiculous is how my list of "lazy things I'll get to do" quickly shortened. Catch up on my DVR? Nope. Read? Nope. Go outside? Nope. Not unless I wear light-blocking GOGGLES. Run errands? Nope. I even drew out charts with my medications and instructions, as well as addresses for my post-operative appointments and phone numbers, because I'll be completely helpless! I thought that would help George out while he plays nurse. Ha. One thing though that I am keeping in mind, is this is elective surgery. I work in elective surgery. We tell our patients to anticipate the worst, and if they heal more quickly, they get excited. If they heal more slowly, they don't freak out. Basically, if they're telling me it will be 6 weeks before I see my best, I figure that means the LEAST healthy person took 6 weeks. And I'm young, healthy, and a good patient. So I hope I'll be able to at least catch The View this week at 10, LIVE, for a change. We will see. Wait. No pun intended... I'll at least listen!!!!

Pain Pill, Nausea Pill (MY request since I've never taken hydrocodone and I know people get sick on that a lot!), Antibiotic eye drop, Steroid eye drop, and Steroid dose pack. 

I tried to make it easy for George.

Yes, I suffer a mild case of OCD.

They told me to be patient, because it can take up to 6 weeks for my eyes to fully heal, and for me to see close to 20/20. And there's always the risk I won't see 20/20. My optometrist told me she's 99% sure I'll see 20/20 out of my right eye, and 90% sure I'll see 20/20 out of my left, but even if I don't, it will be better than I am seeing with my contacts now. I have astigmatism in my left eye, and can't see out of my contact about 80% of the time. It's weighted, and never sits right on my eye. It also gets extremely dry and "sandy" (I'm going to hit myself for comparing that discomfort to the pain I'll experience this time tomorrow!) every night by 7:00 or so. Contacts just weren't cutting it for my left eye!

Price-wise, I'm paying $3600, and that includes all testing, all appointments, and any necessary revisions (which is a good question to ask because this is commonly performed, and usually patients are charged for the revision). This did NOT include prescriptions. Those prices will vary based on each individual's insurance. My insurance sucks. Sorry to be frank, but it's true. Thankfully, I have an HSA, and I can use that to cover prescriptions. I paid $140.68 in prescriptions. Once I can see well enough to blog (and I'm allowed to look at a computer screen...I hear that's bad right after surgery), I'll update with photos and info in case anybody out there in the world wide web is interested in this procedure!!!!!!

All in all, I'm excited. I'm glad I'm finally doing it! It feels good to have a goal and finally reach out and get it. I just hope the next 6 weeks go by fast!

Avocado-Cream Cheese Deviled Eggs

I had an intense craving for deviled eggs, along with an avo-cream cheese combo, and walked to Kroger for the ingredients last weekend. I didn't follow a recipe, but these turned out great, so I thought I'd share, if anybody out there is looking for a new way to make deviled eggs-

Slice the eggs vertically and put the whites on a separate plate

Boil the eggs
(You can add ice or cold water to the colander to make them crack more easily)

Pick yourself out a great avocado (squishy on the outside but not too boggy...this one could've been a little more firm, but I'll take it!) and slice vertically. Remove pit and put avocado in the bowl with the yolks.

Slice up green onions; a small handful is just fine. Slice them thinly!

Use a fresh lemon for lemon juice; never the squeezable lemon juice. That stuff has nasty chemicals and preservatives. Use the real thing; it pays off. Plus, lemons are cheap.

Salt and Pepper.

Garlic powder...season to your liking, I think I put about 1 1/2 tablespoons.

I just seasoned to my liking; but I put more cayenne than I thought I would. If I were to guess, maybe a tablespoon?

Also in the bowl, add dijon mustard and cream cheese- a whole block of cream cheese (I think the 1/3 less fat is the best) and about 1/2 cup of dijon mustard.

Blend until creamy and smooth.

Spread in the egg whites! Sprinkle cayenne and a TOUCH of cinnamon (<-secret ingredient) on top. 

Voila!

These are best chilled for a couple of hours, but if you're like me, you have to sneak a bite as soon as you spread the goodness in the whites!!!! I had a LOT of yellow mix left over, so I made egg sandwiches. Just spread the yellow in between two slices of wheat bread. Not as good as a deviled egg, but still delicious.

This is a great recipe for vegetarians to get protein, if they aren't vegan, that is! 

Rainy Days Make Me Think...Why Aren't We Living The Lives We Want?

I think one has to travel outside of the continental United States to realize how different things are for us. We have a lot to be thankful for, but we also miss out on a lot. I think we often miss out on life because we stress the importance of work ethic more than we do pleasure and enjoyment.

Many other successful, industrialized nations, offer 'siestas' in the middle of the day, for employes to take a break from the workday. I shared one of my favorite short stories a while back on this blog, (it can be found here) and I find it appropriate to reflect back on it again.

We are all going to die. My apologies for the morbidity of that statement, but one can't argue the truth!! I just wonder why we place the most emphasis on work and monetary gain, and not as much on living in the moment, cherishing those we love, and making sacrifices (even in the work department!) for the sake of nourishing our relationships. I know nobody 'knows' what happens when we die, but I believe in the deepest part of my heart and soul that the relationships we cultivate, the really good ones that you feel deep within, last far after our physical bodies do. But we spend less time cultivating those relationships than we do at the office. Making money.

I reflect today, from my job (which I often feel grateful for, but also resentful toward), on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount...specifically, the message on materialism found in Matthew 6:19-21....I often find myself reflecting on this message. Many Christians say the Sermon on the Mount is the basis of Christianity, and yet, hardly anybody (present company included) applies it in a literal sense. I find irony in Christians telling people who are gay they are condemned to hell, but the actual words out of Jesus' mouth are ignored on a daily basis by the very same people. I digress...

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven....For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear....Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet their Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?....Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

On a sidenote...Matthew 6:24 states, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

Obviously, nobody I know chooses to follow this message. We work day in, day out, trying to support ourselves, and our families. There is virtue in that! We must be responsible. I think the fine line is when we commit ourselves to work at the sacrifice of our loved ones. If we were to not work, and watched our families starve, we'd be sacrificing them again. There is a balance. I'm still trying to find it, but I know there is a balance.

I'm committing to taking more time off this year, even if I don't have a destination/vacation/appointment, just to spend time with my husband-to-be. I think that will help our first year of marriage, and in my heart, I think that is more important than my job. More importantly, I think my boss would understand. "Personal Days" are there for a reason...and I plan to take them! Even if it's just to sleep in on the next rainy day, and watch a movie with my favorite person. That doesn't make me lazy (even though our society has brainwashed me to think it does)...and I have Jesus to thank for that.

Let's Take a Look at Jesus

I found a podcast on iTunes that has kept me completely inspired when it comes to my spirituality lately. I'm so grateful for the uplifting, inspiring, intelligent messages of Reverend Roger Ray. He is a Harvard-educated minister in Missouri with a very different message. He has been scrutinized for his radical messages that sound all too familiar to the messages that Jesus Himself gave. It seems as though we have come full circle when it comes to Jesus....originally, people hated Jesus for saying that the religious people had it all wrong. Jesus was ultimately killed for telling people the New Way of Life. That New Way of Life has given many people hope and pulled them through horrible situations. On the other hand, Jesus has been used in vain to judge others. People use Jesus' message all the time to condemn other religions. What baffles me...JESUS WAS JEWISH. When He came to Earth, He told everybody about a new way of living that was not even Christianity...yet. Now, Christianity, in many cases, can do more harm than good. I think if Jesus were to come back today, it would be Christians who would disown Him and turn Him away. Many Christians are too narrow-minded, too literalistic, and too afraid, if we're being honest, of hearing a different perspective than that of their pastor. Well, here is a minister who has a doctoral degree in theology, and really knows what he's talking about. He knows HISTORICALLY what went down when Jesus was here, and he knows SPIRITUALLY how we can grow in our Christian faith, despite the limitations other Christian churches put on themselves.

Recently, a new video on YouTube went viral. Over 16 million views, and I have to say, I find it refreshing that the message of this religious video was that Jesus is bigger than religion. I have to say I was surprised by the people who posted this on their Facebook pages (only because many of these people were those I considered to be strict literalists of the Bible), but I was so happy to see that more people are catching on to the message Jesus Himself gave us thousands of years ago. (The video I'm referencing can be seen if you click here)

What did Jesus teach us when He was here? In order to know, we must go to the Bible. However, we must go to the Bible with caution, and we must realize that the Bible was written by men, and not God Himself. The completion of all original Greek manuscripts which make up the 27 books of the New Testament was in the first hundred years AD. Over 2000 years ago, in other words. By 500 AD the Bible had been translated in over 500 languages. The first Anglo-Saxon or English-based Bible was translated in 995 AD. The FIRST PERSON TO PRODUCE a copy of the "COMPLETE" Bible was Wycliffe in 1384. The first completed Bible printed in English with the Old and New Testament was in 1535 AD. The first Bible printed in America was in 1782. In other words, this is a FANTASTIC book (no other book has remained a best seller for thousands of years), but it is man-made. Yes, the Bible talks about God and is absolutely inspired by God. But the author is not God. There are numerous authors and numerous translations. Saying this does not make us sacrilegious. In fact, knowing this DEEPENS our relationship with God because we can better understand the discrepancies in the Bible. Instead of deep down wondering why there are contradicting statements in the Bible, we can realize God is not as petty as humans, and ultimately, the Book was written by humans, and not God. We go to God as individuals, deep within our souls, and know the Truth. This is a far more spiritual practice in my opinion.

Source: Corner of Hope

The Bible tells us what to do and what not to do. The Old Testament, however, tells men to have multiple wives, and even to sacrifice their children if necessary. Christianity has abandoned these thought processes today because of the message Jesus gave. My question is, if we can excuse people in the Bible, and other notable people who have made poor decisions, why can't we excuse our neighbor, our friend, our family member?

Washington, Franklin, and Jefferson were slave owners. They weren't dismissed; they are still upheld as our forefathers. Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Workers Movement, had an abortion and several affairs. MLK Jr. had numerous affairs. Mohammad was a polygamist. Abraham Lincoln had depression. Joan of Arc was schizophrenic. Gandhi would not allow his wife's physician to give her antibiotics, and this decision ultimately contributed to her death. Winston Churchill smoked cigars, "Which is one of the things I like about Winston Churchill, but I digress..." according to Reverend Dr. Roger Ray.

Dr. Ray has stated that the primary conflict in the gospels is "a conflict between a religion of piety and a teaching of radical compassion..." (Pious/Piety meaning deep commitment to religion; an unwavering devotion to worshipping God) He goes on to say, "All of us who have kids...we don't want our kids to have a criminal record. We want our kids to not get pregnant in high school, we don't want them to contract STDs or AIDS, we want them to be productive and responsible and enjoy a good reputation. But if your kid needs treatment for an addiction, do you want the rest of the world to view them for the rest of their lives predicated on the fact they went to treatment? Should they be treated like a 2nd or 3rd class citizen for the rest of their lives?....So often we act like we're being pious when in fact we are just gossiping. We skewer a person like pinning a bud to a poster board, and we identify them as a "welfare recipient" or an "alcoholic" or a "gay person" or a "drop out" or an "adulterer." WHEN JESUS CAME TO EARTH, HE WAS THE FIRST TO STOP THIS BEHAVIOR. HE stopped labeling people. He broke bread with EVERYBODY. Why are Christians (I should clarify...why are fundamentalist Christians) the first to dissasociate with somebody who made a bad decision? To label somebody by the one most negative event in their life? "Alcoholic" discredits all the other achievements and accomplishments that person with a drinking problem might have.

Dr. Rogers goes on to explain that Jesus was not a rabbi, He didn't get the black robe, He didn't go to seminary. Some people called him Rabbi, but he wasn't a priest, He was born of a poor family in dubious circumstances.

Oh, and by the way, Jesus was MIDDLE EASTERN. I know all of our pictures of Him in America are of a Caucasian, light-skinned Jesus. But that's a lie. He was born in Bethlehem, come on, people! Let's see an accurate portrayal of what the Son of God looked like!!!

American Jesus.
Source: Wisdom of Religion

More accurate painting of Jesus. There. That's a little better.
Source: Matt Stone Blog

I digress....anyway...Joseph, Jesus' father, was a carpenter. A carpenter was not middle class in this time period. Middle class people owned land. Jesus wasn't treated well by the community, yet put Himself in the position to TEACH. He looked at the religious, the pious, the "respectable" community leaders, and He questioned their motives. Jesus sat with sinners. He reached out to adulterers and tax collectors. He hung out with not only the "less popular" crowd (as I remember being taught in Young Life and FCA), he hung out with the "bad crowd"! He was willing to put his reputation on the line for a Higher Good. For the sake of people realizing the problem was in the established order telling people how to live their lives, or more specifically, how NOT to live their lives.

They killed Jesus not because HE said He was the Messiah; they killed him because he said THEY WEREN'T. When Dr. Rogers made this point in the podcast I was listening to this morning, my hair stood up on my arms. Jesus wasn't killed because He claimed to be the Way. He was killed because He said the established leaders in maintream religion were NOT the way. They saw their power being threatened, and they killed him. They didn't kill him like most Jewish killings, by being stoned to death. They killed him by crucifixion, the way reserved for people who are inteded to be humiliated until their last breath. To scare people so they will never make the same mistake. Jesus provided criticism of the established order of banking, government, and of religion. And he was killed in the most humiliating way possible. And when He died, He uttered, "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do."

I am committed to thinking of Jesus based on His actions and His philosophy. I will not conform to a religion that tells me what is right or wrong and how not to live my life. Jesus Himself didn't do this. The ONLY people Jesus rose his voice at were people of authority telling other people how bad they were. Jesus stood up for people. He was tolerant of ALL THINGS and ALL PEOPLE except INTOLERANCE. Intolerance was the only action Jesus wouldn't stand for. As a CHRISTian, I strive to live my life in the same manner. I have a long way to go, and I'm not claiming that I have all the answers...far from it, in fact. I still slip into gossip, I can be too quick to judge at times, and I definitely raise my voice when I'm frustrated with those closest to me. But I am working harder at this, and the reason why is because of who I believe Jesus was.

Ghandi said he would be a Christian if it weren't for Christians. He said he "liked our Christ; I do not like your Christians." I hope I can defy this and show people through my actions what Christianity means to me.



***To see where most of my inspiration for this post came from, I'd STRONGLY recommend listening to the podcasts by Dr. Roger Ray, called Progressive Faith Sermons.  They are free, and can be downloaded right to your iPod for spiritual inspiration on your way to work, or while you work out. Just click on the link above called "Progressive Faith Sermons." I hope you find as much enlightenment as I have. I can feel myself growing closer to God, and it is my sincere hope we can all do this. This might not be the way for you, and I'm not one to say what is. But if you're in a rut, give it a try. Thanks for reading this novel of a post. I am impressed with your attention span!

Natural Light

On any given Tuesday/Thursday/Friday, I get to work in the dark, am on my feet in a small operating room (with no windows) for 10 hours, then come home in the dark. When a 24 hour period goes by and I do not see natural sunlight...I get irritable. On the flipside, when I get to leave work early, and it's a gorgeous day...I could literally skip to my car. Then I usually call George up and ask him if a drink on a patio sounds good. He tells me what he's working on, and then I go home, have a drink, and walk the dogs by my lonesome. I usually put some good tunes on in my earbuds, and am in an instant state of happy. If the weather is cold or dreary, there's no place I'd rather be than curled up with a warm drink and a fuzzy blanket. But when the weather is so beautiful, I need those sun rays to hit my face and slide down my arms.

Even a window would be nice. I love this picture...at my future in-laws home...the sun just piercing through the window and illuminating the vintage decor

My family went on a walk with our entourage of dogs at Lake Grapevine last weekend, and that was precisely the environment I needed. I walked my two dogs yesterday around my neighborhood, and it was lovely as well. I think when people are unhappy or in a rut...what they need more than food, or money, or anti-depressants...is a beautiful day, and ONE HOUR where they can just spend it outside.

Teddy (and Stella) need the daylight, too

I can not wait for daylight savings time. I need more light in a day. This sun rising at 8 and setting at 5 is for the birds. Actually, I doubt the birds even like it.....

Our Meeting with the Minister...

The weekend was full of wedding planning! My mom, Laura, and I met with our wedding coordinator (and saving grace), Lottie. I also had my second wedding dress fitting with Lisa. I couldn't be more excited about wearing my mom's dress. First of all, I much prefer the style than any of the current wedding styles. Had I gone dress shopping, I would've had to dig around to find a dress. Secondly, I get to customize it to make it my own. That's completely fun! I get to be creative AND sentimental. Finally, the savings is astronomical! The total cost will be around $350...To put things in perspective, most bridal gowns range from $1500-7000. Pretty darn pleased with my situation. Thanks, Mommy, for having great taste, even in the eighties!!!!

On a more serious note, George and I met with the minister today.

Background: In March of last year, I went to a panel discussion at the First United Methodist Church in Fort Worth. The discussion inspired so many deep thoughts, I had to write about it, and collected some of my thoughts here.  My grandparents are active members in this church. I was thrilled to meet with their minister, and good friend, Dr. Bill Longsworth.

Today, after giving him some background on our relationship, Rev. Longsworth told us that there were really two key components in a marriage.

(1) Communication
(2) Spiritual depth

He told us a story on communicating, asked us how we communicate, and parted wisdom on clearly and frequently communicating with one another. He then told us about a couple he counseled prior to marrying about 15 years ago.

They were sitting in the same chairs.
Looking forward to a lifetime of happiness together, as a married couple.

Ten years into the marriage, Dr. Longsworth received a phone call.
The woman was undergoing surgery for tumor removal, and Dr. Longsworth went to visit the couple while in recovery. Later, they discovered the woman had cancer. All the while, Dr. Longsworth was there, praying with the couple, and helping them through this difficult time.  Ultimately, the medication was not helping, and the woman was in a lot of pain.

Periodically while Dr. Longsworth was speaking, I caught myself thinking, "Surely the ending of this story will be how their faith got them through battling cancer!" I even thought, "Oh, George will have a similar story to share after this since his mom had and beat cancer!"....

....but the happy ending never came. The woman and her husband decided to let her go peacefully on a morphine drip. Dr. Longsworth saw me well up with tears, and assured me, "Now this isn't going to happen to you two, but you'll eventually lose your grandparents...parents...and it's going to be that level deeper, that spiritual connection, that pulls you through." I am paraphrasing, but the message that I received sunk in DEEP. I really connected to what he was saying and completely agreed with him. He was very realistic and relaxed. He told us to try to go to church twice a month. To find God in nature, with eachother, often. To listen to music to connect with the Higher Power.

He spoke so fondly of my grandparents. My grandparents, and Dr. Longsworth, are huge role models to me, and I am so grateful they are all going to be there on March 24th.

I've been pinning images representing my vision for our ceremony. I am completely taking on the role of a little girl and find myself daydreaming, thinking about "getting mawwwwwied"... but I have the brain of a conscientious twenty-four year old woman, and have put a lot of thought into my vows.

(Original Sources for these images are unknown (my apologies) but I found all of them on Pinterest.)

 My complete wedding board (filled with concepts and various inspiration) can be found here: 

This site has been instrumental in helping me gather thoughts and ideas on the wording for our ceremony.

I'm having a wonderful (and extremely emotional) time writing our ceremony. We are going to write it ourselves, and we are selecting each word very carefully. I told Rev. Longsworth, we have been together seven years...and we both only intend to do this once...so I don't want to just repeat words back to him. I want to mean exactly what I say, and say exactly what I mean. I want to honor my vows every single day. I want the ceremony to be an authentic, sacred ceremony. I want the love and joy to be palpable. I am not exaggerating when I say my biggest dream is coming true. I envision us "tying a knot" in a rope, not allowing us to slip back from here. As this process continues to move forward (rapidly), I find myself tearing up often. I don't want to gush and brag to my friends, so I find solace in this space, where I'm allowed to be as honest as I want. And quite honestly, I couldn't be happier. I don't recall ever feeling this grateful, this loved, this supported, this honored, this excited, this proud, this euphoric. I'm overflowing with emotion. I'm going to be a BASKETCASE on March. 24th!

(Just for fun I thought I'd include a website I stumbled upon. Our vows will be completely different from this couple's (every couple is different!), but just reading what they wrote and knowing they meditated on each promise prior to saying it, made me cry!) I don't know these people, this was from a website on writing your own ceremony!

"Jen's Vows"

I promise to curate a faithful and fantastic marriage with you.
I promise to treat you with kindness, respect, appreciation and silliness.
I promise to participate in our relationship, even when it might be hard.
I promise to let you know when you are getting too arrogant at backgammon.
I promise to roll my eyes with you, and not at you.
I promise to make laughter an integral part of our family.
I promise to love you until I am extinct.
Thank you for marrying me.

"Michael's Vows"

Jen, for the rest of our very, very long lives:
I promise to love you with all of my heart, honor you with all of my actions, and treasure you like actual treasure.
I promise to keep you warm when you get cold, and to stand in the way of the sun when it gets hot.
No matter how many books you get, or how many times we move, I promise to always carry them all.  Every time.
And wherever we go, I promise to be there, holding your hand and telling you, "I love you."
You're my best friend, and you're the best thing that ever happened to me.
Let's get really, really, really old together.
Thank you for marrying me.

Source: A Practical Wedding

Happy Birthday, George!

Happy 25th Birthday, George!

I am so lucky to have you in my life. You remind me of my purpose. You foster and encourage activities and choices that connect me with my soul, and for those reasons and countless others, I'm honored to call you my soulmate. I love loving you, and I love being loved by you. I can't wait to call you my hubby. 

xxx,

L

Past blogposts and videos:

"The Proposal" blogpost
Our "Great Adventure" Roadtrip Video
(and here is the corresponding blogpost...in story-format!)
Our 6 Year Anniversary Video
Thinking about my talented boyfriend around this time last year
His Birthday Last Year, Young at Heart
Gemini and Capricorn
a post about a year ago, thinking how scary it will be to live as husband and wife!