I Love...

Freshly washed and dried bath mats!! They are so plush and wonderful under your feet when you get out of the shower ... they're my favorite!

A small slice of heaven on earth.

Guilt

We have one week down .. whew!! Tyler seems to be doing well, and I am staying busy at home. Someone sent me a text message on Friday night asking how I was and if I needed anything. I was quite thankful that this person thought of me and then sent a kind message back. After pushing the send button, I stopped for a second and felt guilty for saying, "I'm okay." I miss Tyler, but for the most part I'm okay. I feel so bad saying that because it makes it seem like I don't need or want him to be here.

I told him about this and he was wonderful about it. Saying that he needs me to "be okay," and that being okay is not a sign of not wanting, needing or loving him, it is just a sign that I can take care of myself when I need to. A girlfriend that I was telling all of this to simply said, "What a blessing and answer to prayer. God has taken you in and with his grace made you okay."

Although I am okay now, I know there will be times when I'm sad or when I just don't think I can handle one more lawn mowing or snow shoveling or picking up poop (yes, gross!) or a Friday night movie with just Bella, but I have to. I can be sad, but then I have to "be okay" for me and for Tyler.

My Birthday!

YAY for birthdays! Although this was a month ago .. yikes, a month went quickly, I thought it would be fun to share my birthday celebration! I had such a fun day .. hanging out with Mama, Daddy and Tyler, and then celebrating with friends that night!!

Cupcakes with fun candles and decorations! Next year I'll need a box of candles, plus some!

Mama and me after opening a few presents! Thanks for coming Mama and Daddy .. best present ever!

Daddy helping with the cupcakes. This was the first year ever that I didn't have to share Daddy with the farm! Dear farm .. I love you, and I love celebrating in your presence, but I had my parents all day to myself!! So fun!

Everyone pitched in!

Yay for birthdays!

So glad we could celebrate together!

Fun friends .. Amanda and Heather.

More fun friends .. Kate, Katrina, me and Amanda.

Splinter!

I have never been too keen on splinters! Apparently my Mama is the best splinter-getter-outter known to our friends because they would come over when they got a splinter so she could meticulously take it out. I've never had to get one out until last weekend. Bella got this big splinter on her left hip/shoulder just above her leg. Fortunately, it did not pierce her muscle, it just slid right down along her skin. Tyler and I decided to take it out ourselves instead of going to the vet. We got a pair of pliers and some peroxide and tried it. Bella sat so nicely as if she was saying, "Just get this annoying thing out of me!!" She did really well, and here are the pictures of the splinter. YAY for an easy first splinter getting out experience! :)

Doesn't look so big, does it?!

Big 'ol splinter!

See You Soon!

Tyler left today for Peru. I usually wait until he comes home to share that he's traveled, but this time I didn't. We have had an incredible six weeks of "I'm leaving, I'm not leaving yet, I'm leaving ..." Finally we got orders, but that was after a week of leave around town with my parents, two short days of work and then a spur-of-the-moment trip to North Carolina. Our last week went particularly fast, but we have had the most fun this summer.

Today was full of ups and downs, but the hardest part is over. I went to get a late lunch/early dinner because , yes Tyler ... I know I have to eat, and the man at the restaurant asked how I was doing. I mentioned that I could be better and that T had left this morning and his response was, "I just don't think I could live without someone that I love that much." Although his comment was so well intentioned, I pondered it while I ate part of my meal. I had the opportunity to choose, I could live without my best friend forever because he will sometimes be away due to Army jobs, or I could marry him and have a lifetime of adventures with periods of time where we are apart. I know it seems strange, but I chose to be with him regardless of our small hiatuses away from each other, he is my best friend and I miss him already.

So with that .. best friend: live it up down South, enjoy your new experiences, meet new people, work hard, play harder, eat well, laugh often and get home safely! I will see you soon, best friend!

Tyler and I celebrating Fourth of July in North Carolina.

It's official, and the most fun day ever!!

Thanks for choosing me; there is no other place I'd rather be than by your side.