It has been a while!!!

Wow...it has been a while since I last posted, mainly because I was busy finishing up school back in San Diego, and then two weeks ago I headed up to the sticks to hang with my family at their cabin. The cabin is on an island about two hours north west of Seattle, and it pretty rustic! We didn't really have internet at all...so I was forced to communicate by phone. Unfortunately, the phone thing didn't last very long ether because it ended up in the bottom of the ocean...lost forever!!! So...although I did lose everyone's phone numbers...I stole my mom's phone and was able to talk to Matt, and Toni, and Cara....each of which I would seriously die if I couldn't talk to for more than a few days ;)

So, I am finally back in Michigan and am looking forward to a great couple of weeks here. I have plans to head up north for labor day and camp next to the river with Toni, Natalie, and some of our other friends here, so that should be really fun! Then the next week and weekend will be all about dress shopping for the girl's dresses in the wedding, and my dress :) I am really excited because it will be the first official thing I am actually doing that is related to the wedding! I figure I still have about 7 months till April...so I am taking my time!

After I get back to San Diego I will have school for two months, and then I am heading to Cara's for a while to stay with her and Shiner. I am really excited to be able to hang out with them for a while...and I think it will be really great for Cara and I since our men will both be deployed at that time. We already talked about having a k/cara's only turkey day...so we will see what happens :)

It was a little hard being around my entire family for two weeks with not much else to do at the cabin. I moved away over a year ago, and have grown a lot since then. I felt like my family really didn't understand the whole deployment situation, or how in love Matt and I are, or how committed we are to having a marriage that lasts a lifetime. Everyone in my family has been divorced, and I promised myself a long time ago that I would end that whole cycle. Part of why I moved to California was to find and improve myself, and strengthen my own individual values and beliefs. Lucky for me, I found a man who was looking for the same things in his life...and our relationship has helped me to grow even more into the best possible person I can be. I realized over the past two weeks how lucky I am to have such amazing friends...especially Cara and P who have such an amazing marriage, and who understand the military lifestyle. I am beyond excited to get to spend a good length of time with Cara...and I know we will be such an amazing support for one another because we will be in the same situation. I am also so lucky to have everyone in San Diego too...like Leslie, Jamie, James, Tom, Tania, Des..and everyone else there. I realized that I truly feel at home in San Diego when I am with all of them...even more than I do when I come back here to Michigan. Of course, I can't leave out Natalie and Toni...who are my Michigan girls and I don't know what I would do without them!!! I love all of my friends, and am so thankful that God has blessed me with all of them!

Matt is doing good out in Iraq. He is friends with everyone, and showing the new people who are now showing up on ia from San Diego all around the base. He has been working a lot, but gets a day off here and there. We get to talk a lot too...so that is really great! I am so proud of him and miss him like crazy! I feel like the luckiest girl ever to be able to be planning our wedding, and to have him in my life. I can't wait until he gets back home, and I get to say I do and become Mrs. Holmes!!! I also can't wait to share our special day with our friends and families. It will be the best day of my life for sure!!!

Well, I am still on California time so it is really late here, and I am sure I should be sleeping. My kitty poof is already passed out and sleeping on my feet...I am happy to see her! I had to leave her with my parents in Michigan when I moved because she loves to be outside, and that never would have worked in Ca. I love it when I come home and visit her though...and she still remembers me :) I guess if I can't sleep next to Matt then poof is the next best thing ;)

I want to send love to all of my friends...and let you all know I am thinking about you and missing you! And of course all of my love to my Johnny Holmes....the love of my life and my hero!