Don’t Even

So much has happened in the last two weeks that I don’t even know where to begin. It’s like someone’s taken my life, flipped it, fried it, and is serving it on a decorative platter. Okay, maybe it’s not quite that dramatic. So, I’ll do what I do best… make a list.

1. Joe came and will not be back to the States in the next 11 months. He’ll have 3 months afterwards. 1 month of leave and 2 months for out processing. For those of you who are willing and have the time, send happy thoughts his way. He’s made the promise of not getting blown up and I think good vibes will definitely keep him in the clear.

2. Why did he make that promise? We’re planning on getting married after he gets to Elko. It won’t be immediate, but I am informally engaged… or semi-engaged… or I have no idea how to explain it. When he came he gave me a promise ring that has my birthstone in it. I’ll take pics later. By the time he had to go back, we were talking about wedding plans and he said he has my engagement ring picked out already. Since I have permission to now look at wedding magazines, I’m extending that permission to babbling here in the blog about it.

Honey, I love you so much too. When you said that to me, it was so hard not to want to break down and cry.

3. I met his parents and threw up on their front lawn. What a wonderful impression. Joe gave me the flu and I was sick all the way until the day before I flew back to SLC and drove back to Elko. His parents were nice, his sisters were nice too. The only thing I didn’t care for was the conservativeness. His parents are traditional. I wasn’t allowed to share a room with Joe. If it had been with my parents, that wouldn’t of been a problem. Also, the discussion of my religious beliefs never came up. That’s probably a good thing because I don’t know how I could of told them that I don’t believe in church and therefore couldn’t go with them. I find it dragging on my nerves to always defend what I do believe and what I don’t believe.

That’s why I’ve made the firm decision that no parent from either of our sides of the family will be involved with the wedding planning, especially when it comes to the choice in ceremony that Joe and I will eventually decide on.

4. The other thing I noticed that Joe had tried to explain to me once was that his parents like to tell him how to do things. That’s not even the correct wording. More like treat him like a kid. I didn’t fully understand, but now I do. When I turned 18, I was considered an adult. I didn’t have to answer to my parents. I didn’t have a curfew. I didn’t have to ask for permission to do something. I didn’t have to tell them where I was going or planning. I didn’t have to do things with them or for them or go somewhere because they tell me I have to go. I was free to make my own rational decisions. I was my own person. I was an adult and therefore treated like an adult. This held true when I was staying under their roof between semesters. To be honest, I feel grateful for that now.

5. As soon as I got back, I was off to the field. So much for a break. That’s why it’s taking forever to get this entry done and out. My allergies are driving me crazy and I’m being eaten alive by bugs. My feet are also blistered because I have to hike up and down hills and steep side slopes from test pit to test pit. It’s exhausting with the heat factored in.

6. I’m going hiking tomorrow with one of our Newmont contacts, who’s actually a cool gal. It’ll be us two and then my fellow Russian coworker. It’s going to be a girls day out in the back country We’re going to be trying to find some cave. I have no idea how successful we’ll be, but, eh, we’ll see.

Anyways, I can’t think of much more to add besides some more house improvement things.

So, I leave you with a latest image and a sweet dreams.