It has been a busy couple of months! Let’s catch up shall we?
January
Peter was in China for most of the month so I had time to focus on my work and my health. I took Orange Theory and Yoga classes more regularly and started seeing a Chiropractor for my foot injury. Shout out to my awesome chiropractor Andrew Leverone! He is doing some great work and my foot is finally healing after 3 years of pain. So amazing.
The weather was blissfully cold with some days of rain and other days of beautiful sunshine. The best part about winter in Florida is the SUNSETS! They are spectacular!
I also tackled a lot of wedding stuff like touring venues and finding my wedding dress! I ordered special cards for my bridesmaids, officially asking them to be in my wedding. There are five Bridesmaids total including two college roomies (Carina and Tana), one family friend (Madeline), and my sisters (Taylor and Morgan) who are both Maids-of-Honor! I love my girls!
Funny story: I asked Madeline to be a Bridesmaid after a football party at her house. First I asked her mom for her permission (she said yes haha). Then at the end of the party I sat down with Madeline and burst into tears before saying anything! She thought something terrible had happened and started crying too. She kept asking “What’s wrong!” I still couldn’t speak because I was so overcome with emotion. I finally blurted out… “Will you be in my wedding?” She screamed “Of course!” and suddenly we were laughing, hugging and crying. It was so funny! At least now she knows that I am an emotional psycho and cry when under pressure! Good to know ;-).
I spent a weekend in Orlando with my other bridesmaid Carina for her birthday! It was a wonderful last minute decision. Back in St. Pete the weather was gorgeous so there was a lot of biking and paddle-boarding going on. I made sure to stop by the Dali where Peter proposed.
One Sunday my mom, sister and I went to a Bridal Show in St. Pete which was really uncomfortable. I hated everyone flocking around me and shoving flyers in my face. On the bright side, they gave me chocolate and a cake-pop. Win.
January 31st was the night of the charity auction I had been working on for several months. After a crazy week of running around, organizing tables and finalizing auction items, the event was a total success! Of course there were problems but overall it was our most successful auction yet, pulling in more than $20,000 for charity! I wore a pretty dress and had a great time. Mostly I was happy for it to be over!
February
Another month of working hard, wedding stuff and family time. This month we picked a wedding date and settled on a church and reception venue! We are getting married April 18th, 2015 in St. Mary’s Church with reception at the Museum of Fine Arts! Holy crap!
Peter came back into town and we celebrated Super Bowl Sunday with my family and our family friends. The half-time show was awesome and the commercials were pretty great. Most importantly, we hung out with some great people.
For Valentines Day, Peter surprised me with 3 dozen beautiful roses and cupcakes. He is always the best at getting me flowers :-). That night we had a double-date with another couple and BBQ’d at their house. We watched the movie This Is The End which was freakin’ hilarious. Go see it now.
The day after Valentine’s Day we had our engagement photo shoot where we frolicked in the grass and swamp with some alligators.
This weekend Carina came to visit so we could party like old people (home at 10:30pm), eat lots of brunch, shop, and even visit Tampa. We discovered Bodega, our new favorite spot in St. Petersburg. They have delicious Cuban coffee in tiny to-go cups and a fun bar at night. They even gave us a free basket of fried pig skin which rocked my world.
And here we are! Peter is back in Arizona for a week-long business trip and I am working hard on a charity golf tournament next month. I should be applying for a Chinese visa but for some reason that keeps getting put off…
It is hard to think about moving forward and starting a life back in Shanghai. I am at a comfortable place with my life in Florida right now and it’s scary to think that this will end. Soon it will be back to frantic survival in the concrete jungle of Shanghai, last minute travel plans, and time away from my family. Now with a wedding on the horizon, it is time to commit to a life with Peter and no longer retreat to my parent’s house when convenient.
It is time to grow up.
But until then, I will cherish these moments and embrace change. I am THANKFUL.
