Why has it been so long since I posted? That’s easy…there’s been:

• going to Mississippi
• TKD kids camp
• 3 martial arts testings
• Bryan’s parents coming to visit
• wedding planning

Speaking of wedding planning….we’re engaged!!! I feel terrible for not writing this blog sooner, but I have been so busy and have had so much on my plate that many things that I love to do have gone by the wayside.  I’ve also had a couple of breakdowns due to piling so much on my plate.  Thankfully, my best friend and now fiance has stepped up to be my rock as well as help me take care of some of the things that I have taken on.

Will You Marry Me?

I’m engaged.  I have finally gotten used to the idea though it took a couple of weeks.  Nothing helps the idea set it like wedding planning.  I hit the ground running with this, and it has consumed so many, many hours since.  Ok, I know you all are just curious to hear how it happened, and I am happy to tell you.  It makes me smile every time I tell the story or just think of that night.

It happened on the day that we drove 10.5 hours to Philadelphia, MS for the fair.  We had stopped on the way at my grandparent’s house and visited them for a few hours.  Needless to say, I was exhausted by the time we drove up to my other grandparent’s house (the house where I grew up).  I had often imagined which day Bryan would pick to ask me this question.  I always imagined holidays or anniversaries, but I never, never imagined that it would be a day like this.  It was still light outside when we arrived, but the sun was quickly setting.  We settled in and unpacked the car.  Bryan had mentioned that he wanted to go out and see the stars.  Where I grow up is a perfect place to view the stars.  There are no lights at night, and you can literally see the band that makes the Milky Way.  There are millions of stars, and it is breathtaking!  We’re looking at the stars over Christmas break when we received the phone call that the cats had gotten out of our backyard.  Thankfully this story has a much happier ending! 🙂

After the sun set and the stars came out, Bryan and I went outside to view them.  I still had no idea what was about to take place.  It’s such a romantic spot.  We were talking about our feelings about each other, and then he asked me.  I, of course as you know by now, said yes.  I cried.  It was amazing and perfect.  Bryan really had thought it out.  He did it at a place I love and is very dear to my heart, and he did it at a time that allowed me to share it with my family immediately.  That was thoughtful, and that’s just one of the many reasons that I love him.  I’ve been wedding planning ever since.  I’ll update you in a later blog about where I stand on that, but it has consumed so much of my time, attention, and energy.

The Fair

The Fair was great especially the weekend.  All of my family was there, and we had an amazing time on opening night.  I met some new and very cool people, and most importantly Bryan got to experience his first Neshoba County Fair.  The Fair proved to be too much for us, and we ended up leaving what we thought was one day early.  However, after arriving back in Austin and awaking the next day, we discovered we had in fact left 2 days early.  We still don’t know how that happened.  Still, we had a great time, and Bryan was able to experience a lot of Fair traditions.  I really hope that next year is a possibility too, but most likely we won’t get to do since we have a honeymoon planned for next summer.  🙂  We were not Paleo on this trip; it was just too hard.  But that was the first time we cheated on a non-cheat day since we started.  I still think we did good considering.  Bryan even cooked for the cabin making his delicious pasta sauce for spaghetti.  While we were there we managed to:

• attend a rodeo
• eat so much delicious food
• gamble at card games
• play games at the midway
• watch the horse races
• go to the flea market
• walk and walk and walk
• see all of the cabins
• talk to old friends and make new ones
• spend a lot of time with family
• walk around in the wet, muddy MS red dirt
• play games on the back porch
• visit other cabins/campers
• attend EC day at the fair
• hear lots of music

We did more than just the Fair while in Mississippi.  We spent a day with my grandparents who live just outside of Jackson.  We went to church with them and then ate at our favorite restaurant in Jackson.  We spent time with Granny at the house, and we ate lunch with an old co-worker of mine.  We did some shopping on the square, and we visited my great aunt at her house.  We even caught a movie with my step mother.  We were busy, busy people, and we were exhausted when we finally make it home.

Pictures from our engagement/the Fair:

album

Videos from the Fair: