Hello from Arizona!

Things are going well for John and me in Arizona. Here are a couple pictures we took a week ago when we walked around the Mesa Temple grounds for FHE:

John has been working hard and I've been getting us situated and focusing on working out and taking care of us, mostly. The kittens are enjoying taking control of the apartment and making it clear that this is their house and they just let us live here.

With that in mind... we are on the cusp of change yet again, but this time we know where we are headed next and a little more about the next adventure. Updates will come soon as the time gets closer and we get ready to head out for our next place to call home.

Time of Transition...

As John and I work through this period of transition and figure out the next steps for us I continue to be overwhelmed with love. It comes in the form of tender notes from friends checking in and expressing their love and seeing how we're doing. It comes with uplifting quotes, videos and pictures posted all over social media about the gospel and our Savior. It comes with family members who continue, as always, with generous kindness towards John and me. My favorite, unsurprisingly, is that John and I have been able to spend more time together for the first time in a couple months - date nights, morning snuggles, temple sessions and all of the good things that come with marriage.

I don't have any idea where we'll be living in a couple weeks. I don't know much of anything right now, actually, but I do know that all will be well. Heavenly Father always provides and I know this time will be the same as long as we have faith.

Until final plans are nailed down we are enjoying time with each other, time with our parents, and hopefully spending a little time with our friends in the area.

For almost all of you this will be a vague and perhaps cryptic post about the current situation and I'm sorry about that. I think that is a sign that I should post more often and most certainly it means I need to be a better friend and keep you up to date with what is going on. For now, just know that we're doing okay and some major changes are coming soon.

(No, I'm not pregnant... these are job related with John... just to clarify... before the questions come.)

A Jolly Santa Belly

Remember that time when I was done with my last political campaign? Yah... about that...

It just didn't last long. I am down in Norfolk, VA for the month of December and a week in January working on a special election. John is currently managing a different special election in Loudoun County (other side of the state) so it isn't the worst thing in the world since we're both working insane hours, but it's close. I HATE being away from John and unable to see him. We talk sporadically, but it's difficult with the long hours and crazy schedules we both keep.

In addition to the oh so fantastic geographic problems, I also have picked up the eating habits of a 17 year old going through a growth spurt... but without the great metabolism. I share an office with five guys between the ages of 22 and 26 who stock the freezer with pizza pockets, bagel bites, soda, and all kinds of bad things. Take out BBQ and fried chicken are brought in on the regular.

What was a progressively more toned body and skinny me has become a chubby mess of an individual with a renewed morning Dr. Pepper habit.

As a result, not one, but two people have asked if I was pregnant in the last week. Not kidding.

That's a great way to boost your self esteem going into the holidays! My favorite part was when one of the ladies doubled down on her mostly offensive comment. I assured her that I was not in fact pregnant, but appreciated her enthusiasm for my fertility. She then responded that she could tell I was pregnant and perhaps I just didn't know yet.

Now that's tact.

So, with all Christmas presents being shipped to our apartment from middle of the night online shopping sprees and a few prayers that John will remember to pick up the mail sometime this week we are getting ready for the holidays. The best part will just coming home and being with John and family. I really couldn't come up with a wish list this year to pass around to family... all I want for Christmas, as cheesy as it sounds, is to be home with John. That's it. Plain and simple.

I hope you are able to spend the holidays with your favorite loved ones! I'll be thinking about you as I drive back up 95-North on my way back to my love next week.

The First 6 Months

It seems appropriate that I type this up on Mom and Dad's 38th wedding anniversary. They're wonderful and are pushing strong to 40+.

I've been thinking a lot about what I've learned over the past six months of marriage. As I think back the time just blurs together from when John and I were engaged to marriage, but I've learned a lot about John, a lot about me, and a little about relationships.

So here goes:

1. Saying prayers together, reading scriptures, and weekly Family Home Evening make a huge difference. Some days we're better than others, but we have been trying really hard. It changes the mood in our house and how we interact with each other. Being in the temple together has the same peaceful feeling.

2. John loves to sing silly songs and dance around the house. Seriously. If you met him in public you'd have no idea and he'd refuse to sing or dance to anything, but he is really a Korean pop star on the inside.

3. We're so boring and such home bodies. If you reversed the clock by a year or five I was out every night, throwing parties, making new friends and about as extreme an extrovert as they come. Today... We spend most nights having dinner at home, watching tv or playing board games and getting about 4 times as much sleep as I've ever gotten in a night. I've gotten used to an average of ten hours of sleep each night - it's weird.

4. Honeymoons are among the greatest things ever invented. John and I ventured up to Niagara Falls and Toronto for an extended weekend. I persuaded John to get a couples massage. We splurged on fancy hotels and food. We took pictures like Asian tourists. It was so so wonderful! On the way back we took an afternoon in Palmyra, New York and stayed a night with John's Grandma in Utica.

5. Marriage is the most selfless and selfish thing I have ever done. I've learned more than ever that it's good to do things that make you both happy, but it's great to do the things that make your spouse happy more than yourself.

6. I'm the luckiest girl in the world. Seriously. John is even more amazing and caring than I ever imagined. He takes such good care of me.

7. John is preparing me for raising children. He acts like a kid a lot. Mostly it makes me laugh and sometimes I roll my eyes. I love him for it.

8. I've become a crazy cat lady. Einstein and Mouser keep me company all day and I love them. As much as it pains me to admit it I'm a full fledged crazy cat lady and the kittens are my babies. The only thing that helps me sleep at night is that John is way crazier in his cat-love.

9. I can't wait to have a house to decorate, a garden to plant things in and a place to have people come visit. It's amazing how quickly things change. Less than five years ago I felt queasy signing contracts for temporary subletting of rooms because I didn't know how long I would be in any one place. Now, John and I talk about where and when we want to buy our first house in the next couple years. I find myself turning on more HGTV in the background than anything else.

10. It's not all rainbows and butterflies, but I'm so happy to be married to John. I can't wait to see what the future holds.

What have you learned from your marriage? What marriage advice do you have to give?

Our Wedding - Part 0 - The Elopement

Yah... you read that right. John and I have had quite the little secret we kept from most folks over the past 5 months or so. John and I were married in February by our bishop at the church building with our parents there. Surprise!

We found out a little-known and little-advertised church policy that for new converts who get married while they are within their first year in the church there is no "penalty" time period of a year for the sealing. It just means that the 1 year clock doesn't reset if you're married civilly when you are not using your agency to choose a marriage outside the temple. Knowing that we could be married immediately and still be sealed the same day as we had originally planned made the decision very easy for us. We called our parents and sat down with the bishop that day to make arrangements.

Our parents met us for lunch nearby and then we stopped by the church with our marriage license to make it official. We took a mini weekend away that weekend to celebrate, but still did some work since we had previously scheduled events we had to attend for both of our jobs.

Special shout out to my mom for bringing us flowers. And for those of you paying attention... yes... I did wear the same dress I was married in to the temple the day we were sealed. I found it online and overnighted it once we decided we were getting married that weekend.

Looking back, I am so happy that we were married way back when. It has been so wonderful to have John by my side.

Now on to forever :)

   

 

Our Wedding - Part 2 - The Sealing

John and I were blessed that most family and some friends were able to stick around to attend our Sealing on Tuesday Morning. John's one year anniversary from his Confirmation was on Monday (when the temple was closed) so we were at the temple first thing on Tuesday morning for him to receive his endowment followed up with our Sealing at 12:30. It really was a lovely day to spend in the temple making our bond eternal.

Thanks again for all of you who were able to attend with us and for all of you who were able to celebrate with us!

And after taking pictures outside we headed to a local Mexican Restaurant to celebrate with family and feed the munchkins who had been waiting outside. John was nice enough to hold Heather's gorgeous little girl for a bit. I think he might need a little more baby practice before we think about trying for a little one of our own - ha!

Our Wedding - Part 1 - Ring Ceremony and Reception

John and I had a lovely celebration on June 7 with family, friends, and colleagues. It truly was wonderful. A lovely tropical storm came to town dropping more rain than we'd prefer and changed plans as they came, but we made the most of it. I really couldn't be more blessed to find the perfect guy for me.

Here are some pics from the day:

A Lot to Say...

I've been wanting to write about A LOT of things on here for a long time. Somehow I became a little overwhelmed with how much I needed to personally express and share and just didn't have the time to sit down and let the words come. I'm still not 100% certain that I have the words quite yet, but I want to give it a try.

I no longer represent a candidate - a new thing after the last 7.5 years. I finally am not restrained in what I can say or how I say it. I can finally say what I feel and think and want, but I also have this subconscious muzzle on still because I know that no matter what I do in the future everything I say follows me.

I feel this obligation to post about our wedding, our sealing, and all of the very exciting things that have happened over the last year. I could not be happier to be married to John and I want to share that. I want to do those experiences justice and I want to share how the last year really went down. All of this will come in time with pictures.

More than anything, I think I need to find a way to get the words out of my head to process them for myself. I need this little bit of therapy as I figure out the next stage in my life.

The Week Before General Conference

It always, without fail, ends up being a hard week the week before General Conference. I suppose this could be a reminder of just how much I need the spirit to refill my tank. I need that strength, guidance and wisdom. The word of God brings me peace when nothing else seems to settle me in this world.

October conference always comes within the last month of whichever campaign season we are in the throws of. April conference comes when party processes are building up or nominating fights are brewing. It always ends up being when I'm at a low point and I need the pick me up.

I'm not sure if, by design, General Conference is there because I need the pick-me-up as a tender mercy or that the struggles come when I need to be humbled. It really is a conundrum.

Either way, I'm grateful for this weekend. I need it.

Related: Apparently working 18+ hour days, spending time with John, planning a wedding, adopting 2 little kittens, and pretending like it's a good idea to fit into a wedding dress in 2 months don't all fit together all that well. Clearly most of these things fall through the cracks...

A Snippet of an Update

It's been a while since I've posted. A lot has changed in the last 2 months... almost everything in fact. I've moved. I've changed jobs. John changed jobs. We're still getting married and falling in love. It's lovely and I couldn't be happier.

With the state of chaos and all of the change some things just got cut out. Blogging, wedding planning, and really anything non-essential.

Things that make me happy today:

• All things John
• Witty banter in e-mails with John about legislation in Richmond
• Sandwich Republic
• Sunshine
• My job - really loving the changes
• I'm feeling motivated to run again and take care of my body. Foxy wedding dress here I come!
• John's gchat status professing his love for me. He's a dreamboat. 
• My wedding dress came in the mail this last week
• I'm feeling motivated again to start wedding planning. I had a dream this weekend (not the norm) and somehow it inspired me to pull out all of my notebooks and start in earnest with the idea search online on Sunday morning. 
• I really want to decorate the new apartment. I want it to be a home by the time John moves in when we're married. Hopefully long before then. 

Things that are not as enjoyable:

• After weeks of freezing out of my office the heat appears to be working today... causing me to sweat profusely. Very attractive. 
• John will be working in Richmond 5-6 days a week for the next month and in Fredericksburg full campaign time after that. 
• The apartment is still in boxes... 

And because pictures make everything better... 

 

I sure love that guy. He's hilarious and truly stolen my heart in every way.