OUR ENGAGEMENT AFTER A YEAR

Here’s to one year engaged! A year full of opportunity, growth, + adjusting to life together. One that has been as exciting as it is painful to be away from family. A year we learned SO much about each other + about ourselves. As crazy as a journey it has been, I’ve been trying to go through the experiences in my head:

• we moved to VA + stayed in a *terrible* Airbnb, took our air mattress to an empty house while it was for sale (the owner let us stay there lol), stayed with a friend for a week + FINALLY landed in our first apartment together
• we moved to a wonderful area, full of fun, that was cut a bit too short (thanks COVID) but will always be thankful for this area + come back once it opens again
• we both started our first full time jobs here (Max was in an internship before, I was in grad school)
• Max started graduate school + plans to finish by December of this year!!
• we got a puppy who is snuggly, sweet, + sour (Max likes to call her our sour patch kid)
• we lost loved ones + depend on the motivation to move back to Florida long term because we know how important family is
• we’ve planned a destination wedding that is *almost* done!
• we have traveled so much to see family + those experiences make living far away worth it
• I’ve grown closer to my family + future family because of the endless FaceTime calls
• I’ve grown my blog + have hope for growth in the future – Max has supported my aspirations
• we’ve learned that I HATE doing the dishes + cleaning the bathroom – so I try to cook more so that I don’t have the clean after (it’s a rule we have)
• we pushed through (+ are still pushing through) this crazy start to a year – going through the hardships that come with things that we cannot prepare for – but learn to always be prepared financially for anything that could come our way
• MOST OF ALL – we’ve grown in our love for one another

While there are so many ups + downs to the past year, one thing is for sure – I’m happy to have Max by my side through it all. The painful conversations, the motivational pep talks, the after work dancing to get out of a bad mood.. it all goes to show that we are in it for the long haul. Here’s to one year engaged, to the next 6 months as we prepare for marriage, + to the rest of our lives together.