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| I've taken up learning piano again. I have very bad form. Since I bought the new Regina Spektor album, I want to be her. Well, not really, but I do want to play piano at least a little bit like her. I was at work today doing boring things and wishing I could get paid to just learn piano, make music and art and do all the other fun things I love in life. Since I can't play very well, I'm very, very, very glad that Nat can play and sing, and he's good. His music makes me smile, even if it's melancholy.
Monday I had to take a call in Spanish, since the other person in the office who knows Spanish was not available. It was interesting. The caller was from the Dominican Republic. And that tiny, little conversation reminded me how much I miss using Spanish and the Dominican Republic. I want to teach ESL. I'm getting fed up with the T2T program and for some reason I think teaching ESL would be easier and more fulfilling than secondary English. I could always try and see. That's what I was aiming for from the beginning; I just forgot. (My Spanish was very bad, but I understood the caller enough to answer her question in decent Spanish; what an accomplishment.)
Nat and I are going to a church tomorrow in Elkhart to see if it would work for the wedding. The date is open, May 1, 2010. So, we'll see. I like planning things with him. I'm not a control freak or a very confident wedding planner, so it's good that he likes to help. We also registered for some gifts yesterday at Target. That was fun. We found plenty of stuff we both liked, some things we weren't sure about, and some were just for fun. This next part is mushy. If you don't like it, go away.
Last chance.
We had to take this premarital inventory before we start our counseling, and I was happy to find that I could answer most of the questions positively and that I knew Nat could do the same. It's good to be on the same page and know it. One question was great, it was something along the lines of "Your partner has all the qualities you wanted in a mate," and I answered with an emphatic "strongly agree." That's a great feeling. I love this man. Ok, so maybe that wasn't very mushy. I held back. It's true. But I just think about him and smile and feel contentment and warm fuzzies. That's love. :) Goodnight.
btw: Xanga spell check has really gone down hill. "fed" and "freak" are not misspelled. Geesh.
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| Sunday I went to go pick out a dress. Nat's mom was lovely and waited on me while seven others looked on: my mom, my two sisters in law, Lyndsey (one of my soon-to-be sisters in law), and three dear friends (Meg, Mary and Katie). Maybe that was a ridiculous amount of people to bring, but it was fun. I tried on at least 16 dresses, some fun, some big, some awesome and others not so much. Then we found the dress at last and bought it right away because it was the last one. I'm really excited! My grandma and aunt came by for Thanksgiving yesterday. They loved the dress too. I'm going to get some girlfriends to help make a veil for it, because the one I wanted was almost as much as the dress. Ridiculous. Actually, most of the wedding industry is ridiculous. It's gotten the churches too. They charge too much for everything.
Black Friday deals don't charge too much. I bought some Christmas presents today, and I didn't have to brave any rowdy crowds. I shopped online. I also bought a few $5 MP3 albums from Amazon. Charlie Brown Christmas music by Vince Guaraldi and Far by Regina Spektor. I love having internet. :) But I waste a lot of time on here. I have three weeks left of class, then break, then student teaching. I'm going to need that Christmas break.
Today, Nat and I had sushi for lunch, at none other than the Soho Japanese Bistro. Ridiculous name, but the lunch menu was not bad, and the sushi was great. And so was having a date with my man. I love Japanese food. I was so satisfied and happy afterwards. Ryan called us and wanted us to stop by his house. Nat had to pick up some rather large speakers and later we have to pick up a TV from Steve and Karin. We played Rock Band with Ryan and his friend for a bit. It was fun. But I can't play the drums very well. :) I liked it. It was like glorified karaoke with instruments. I want to go sing karaoke now. Any takers?
Back to homework. Only three weeks left. I need more coffee.
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| So, some have asked for all the details. Some maybe are just wondering why or how or why now? Well, too bad. You won't get those answers from me. Just kidding.
So, the fun part. When Nat and I started dating exclusively, it wasn't something we stepped into lightly. I had to ask myself before I got too involved if I could see myself and Nat together in life years down the road. And I could. He's the kind of guy who makes me laugh and not take myself too seriously when I mess up, yet he will be there with a shoulder for me to cry on when I get upset anyway. He's an artist, like me, and really encourages me to let that part of me shine. To just be me, just be real, sincere, loving and creative. We strive to live in grace with each other and everyone around us. We want to be showing God's love when we care for each other, or care for our families or be there for friends.
Two months after we started dating, Nat asked my dad what he thought of us getting married, and my parents weren't opposed but just said wait. Then Nat moved to Chicago for a few months, tried to see if he could live in the ministry of community and music and loving like Christ. It was tough in Chicago, to find a job, to be away from me and his family and friends. I encouraged him to stay longer, something would come up. He got a job there for a while, made more friends and learned some Spanish. Then that job went away and Nat took the opportunity to move back to Indiana. South Bend is a great area.
With Nat moving and trying to find jobs, my dad was leery about us talking marriage. I didn't think it was such a bad idea. A job would come up sooner or later and we'd be fine. But Nat waited and made a deal with my dad that he wouldn't propose until November at least. And then I think he waited himself to get a job, which he did, at Barnes and Noble. Plus an interview and possible internship were on the horizon. So we were feeling fine.
Last Friday we made a lobster dinner together and afterward Nat said he had a story to tell me. He pulled out a book he had made, "Winner Winner Lobster Dinner!" It was about a date we had after I won a lobster dinner by playing Scrabble. Of course the story he wrote had mutating lobsters and fight scenes and a victorious Nat who saved the pretty girl and married her. At the end, Nat read a bit about the author, how he wanted to marry me and father my children and live with me as I became a cute old lady and all that good stuff girls love to hear. He got on one knee, pulled out a ring and asked if I would marry him. I said yes. We had been talking of this for some time, and there was no doubt in my mind that I'd rather spend my life with Nathaniel than spend it without him. He's a wonderful man, and I love him.
As far as getting married too soon. I don't think it is. We can agree to disagree. We are looking at May 1, and it seems to be the best date for us so far. I'll be done with my teaching program by then. And there's nothing I couldn't do that I want to with Nat in my life. We're ready to do this thing called life, and we're ready to live it together.
We started to plan the wedding and the budget, which would be tight, but things started to come together. Nat's mom works at the dress shop and wants to buy my dress. His grandfather wants to officiate. All my mother's friends want to help plan and decorate and make food. I'm trading photography with a friend who will return the favor. It would work out. No worries, we'd find the rest of the budget for the church and reception area somehow. And that somehow came sooner than we thought when Nat's dad Chet decided to help out and wrote a very generous check to help his son start life on his own. That's where the rest of the wedding budget is coming from. That was an overwhelming blessing. I cried. Now, I'm not worried about trying to pay for school and the wedding.
God has shown us his favor in many ways. He loves us both very much. And so do so many people around us. We really appreciate all the love and support of all our friends and family. It's a blessing that will never be forgotten and that we will always strive to return. I hope those who wanted details got that, and I hope questions were answered. I could write more, but seriously folks, I have homework and laundry and errands to run. Have a good day. I love you!
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So, Nathaniel proposed on Friday night. Here's a photo story for you all. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024167&id=62400410&l=4c794bf6f6So
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