Well, 2008 has come and gone, and a bit too fast for my tastes. It has had its ups and downs, but overall I have been very blessed.
January brought the beginning of my second semester in the master's program I am in. More importantly, it brought me to Michael. Although we had known each other a year already, we didn't really get to know each other until then, but then things really took off...
February, was full of great things. First, my brother Nathan and his wife Becky had the cutest baby boy EVER. It was actually while dogsitting Darla, their mini-Dachsund, when they were in the hospital that Michael and I were engaged. (Michael said it was unofficial, but I always made fun of people who said they were "Unofficial." In my mind, if you had a date, and you were committed to marrying each other, you are engaged.) It wasn't on purpose. I accidentally proposed. It just slipped out, I promise! It was, however, the best slip of the tongue ever. Michael made it "official" on my birthday, March 12. It completely surprised me, because he was going to wait to to "pop the question" to me until right before he left for Russia at the end of April.
We began announcing our engagement at this time, and also the long and arduous process of ring shopping. I am
very particular, and also didn't want any diamonds, so that left slim pickins in the abundant jewelry stores of Provo. In April, we ended up designing a ring of our own and used a sapphire we had bought from a Thai merchant.
Michael was gone for the month of May, which I swear was longer this year than usual. I luckily had my internship at Utah Foundation to keep me busy. And having to wake up to leave at 5 am every morning for the commuter bus was probably easier by virtue of the fact that Michael was out of town.
The summer was busy as well. On Father's Day, my oldest brother, Karl, and his wife Megan welcomed baby Camryn in to the world. She has eyes that are to die for, and somehow mimics her daddy's expressions in an adorable way. June and July were consumed by work, wedding plans, and trying to get the apartment I was living in move-in ready for Michael. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to publish four times at my internship, which kept me plenty busy. Michael had summer school to contend with.
August brought final wedding plans, the Big Day, and our honeymoon. We had a beautiful evening reception in my parents' backyard in Loomis, and it was the first time I met Michael's family (aside from his brother and sister-in-law who live in Utah). It was the beginning of many happy days with Michael permanently attached to me. We honeymooned in the Santa Cruz area, with activities like the Winchester Mystery House, Great America, and camping in the Redwoods to keep us on our toes.
September brought us to a new semester, and the beginning of our last school year. I was kept busy as the Vice-President of Activities for the MPA Association, which is basically a fancy title for Social Director. September also brought the addition of two adorable baby rats, Maximilian and Nicodemus (Max and Nick). October was bittersweet, as my brother Nathan, his wife Becky, and baby Preston moved back to California. Happy for them, sad for us!
November was lovely, and we got to see my parents for Thanksgiving. December flew by and was a blur of final projects, final papers, and good ol' fashioned final exams. We also left to visit Michael's parents in sunny Florida, which was a welcomed respite frmo the bitter, snowy cold of Provo.
WELL, that was a relatively brief recap of the year, for any who were interested.
At this time, I would also like to formally announce my resolution to update this blog more faithfully. I am terrible at writing in journals, horrible at correspondance, but I am going to update this blog! My goal is a very reasonable twice per month, which is pathetic compared to my sisters-in-law's wonderful and speedy updates. However, I know my limits.
Anyway, I wish for a very Happy New Year to anyone reading, and hope and pray that the coming year brings many wonderful and joyous things to your life.
Michael left today for California to take the P.O.S.T. for a job with the Sacramento Sheriff's office. He'll be gone until Tuesday night, making this the first time we've been separated for more than a day since we've been married. It's so lonely! I can't believe how quickly I became used to his constant, comforting presence. I feel a strange emptiness and keep looking around like I've lost something. I'll just have to try to keep myself busy until he get's back! 
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