even closer

I am getting married in three weeks! My goodness, wasn't it yesterday I got engaged and was lamenting a five-month engagement before me?

Well, I had to reschedule my endowment for August 11. A lot of stuff has come up in my family, like my brother Paul moving to Yuma, Arizona for a teaching job. It isn't quite official he has the job yet--but the outlook is looking very good. With that said, they want him in Arizona by August 5 so he can start meetings. Scott and my mom are going to spend a few days getting him settled in, and they probably won't get into Utah until Saturday night. So, it was just easier to reschedule my endowment to August 11. I hope I don't have to reschedule again, I'll be really ticked if I do.

I may have found a new job opportunity. I'm not sharing many details, but they are specifically looking for BYU editing minors! And with this job, I will get to work from home. I'm crossing my fingers.

My mom is FINALLY finished fixing my dress! She is sending it by FedEx to Stephan's house. I have made Stephan promise that he will not open it. I am so excited to finally have my dress. I have been waiting for it for months. I can't wait to see what my new sleeves look like :)

getting closer...

My stylist came over yesterday morning. I showed her pictures of hairstyles I liked, and she said that they were all very similar. I told her that I wanted to be able to show off my curls, and she said that we could :) I thought I was going to be trying out hairstyles for hours, but she was there and gone within the hour. I guess my hair isn't going to take too long because it's naturally curly, so she doesn't have to take the curling iron or hot rollers to it.

I mailed out the vast majority of my invites yesterday. There are maybe one or two that I forgot to make envelopes for, but that can be easily resolved. It feels so good to not worry about addressing envelopes anymore! But I admit it wasn't nearly so bad as I thought it was going to be. I had help from Stephan in stuffing the envelopes and one of my visiting teachers came over to help me seal the envelopes.

I called the temple today to schedule my endowment. I am good to go for August 8 at 10:00 a.m. So, I am going to be endowed in approximately 18 days. I'm pretty excited.

July 18

Well, it's been a little while since I posted.

So, it's now exactly four weeks until we get married. That's both exciting and freaky. Here's what we've gotten done so far:

Le Jardin is scheduled and paid for. My linens have been selected. We have selected and booked a cater. My cake has been chosen. My colors were selected long ago. My mom is almost done with the alterations on my dress--though she is very hesitant to mail it. I have selected someone to do my hair; I have a trial run scheduled for Monday. My makeup has been selected. Temple dress is being hemmed as we speak. Invitations have been printed. We are going to address them and mail them sometime very very soon. We have an apartment. We have a bed. We have registered our gifts.

I just don't know when my bridals will be. I really want to take them, but my mom is very hesitant to mail my dress. Any recommendations for mailing wedding dresses? I absolutely do not have time to take bridals a week before my wedding. Endowment, finals, moving, graduation...yeah, no time.

I will most likely be receiving my endowments the Saturday before I get married. Most girls do it the day before, but (a) I'm graduating the day before and (b) I never wanted to have to get mine the day before. Too much in one weekend. I want to have a week to take it all in. I will most likely get my endowments in Mount Timpanogos.

Yeah, that's the rundown of what is left.

About Stephan and me...

I found this on my former roommate's blog, and I just had to do it :) Of course, I've modified it for my engagement...

1. Where did you meet?

We met on a blind date set up by my roommate Jenny and her friend Andrew, who happened to be in Stephan's single's ward. It was a double date to the BYU Men's and Women's Chorus concert and then to Maestro's Gelato at first.

2. How long did you date?

We met on November 8, 2008. According to Stephan, that's when we started dating. But according to me, we began exclusively dating on January 25, 2009. You see, between November and January, I went out with other guys...heh heh. Stephan didn't go out with anyone else. We got engaged on March 14. So...we were exclusively dating for about six weeks before our engagement. But we had known each other for four months beforehand. We're not a typical BYU couple because he doesn't go to BYU ;)
3. How long have you been engaged?

almost four months. Less than six weeks until we're married...agh!

4. What does he say that surprises you?

Hmm, that's a hard one. Once I borrowed his leather jacket and he whispered, "You look hot!" I was quite surprised.
5. What is your favorite feature of his?

I love his laugh. And I like how tall and skinny he is ;) He also has nice hazel eyes...

6. What is your favorite quality of his?

His kindness and devotion.
7. Does he have a nickname for you?

Not that I'm aware of.
8. What is his favorite color?

Green.

9. What is his favorite food?

Asian. Especially Japanese and Chinese. It's a good thing because he's marrying a girl who was born in Tokyo.

10. What is his favorite sport?

He really doesn't care for sports. Though he kind of likes baseball.

11. When and where did you first kiss?

March 14, 2009 in the car in the Park Plaza parking lot. If you look at that date and the date we got engaged, yes it was the same day. Stephan told me when we first started dating that he promised himself a long time ago that he wouldn't kiss a girl until he proposed to her. I was perfectly okay with that. I didn't want to kiss a guy unless it meant something. We were each other's first kiss.
12. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple?

Talk and cuddle.

13. Do you have any children?

We're not married yet and we're not planning on having kids for a little while.

14. Does he have a hidden talent?

He is a very talented woodworker. He actually made the engagement ring he proposed to me with.

15. How old is he?

21, but he will be 22 on July 30. Yes, I am the older woman, but I'm okay with that. ;)
16. Who said "I love you" first?

He did, on Valentine's Day while we were watching "You've Got Mail". I was pretty shocked. It took me a few minutes to say it back.

17. What is his favorite type of music?

Classical is his first choice.

18. What do you most admire about him?

He is always trying to improve.
19. Do you think he will read this?

He'd better ;)

since Wednesday

Well, last Thursday I got an e-mail from Close to My Heart (I interviewed with them on June 26) telling me that they had chosen someone else for the job I had applied for. I was pretty upset about it, to say the least. I'm mostly fine now, but I really don't want to keep looking for work. It's depressing. And I don't like telling employers that I am still a student (I'm less than six weeks away from graduating, people) and that I'm getting married right after I graduate. It's a good thing I'm not telling them that my transportation is extremely limited. I almost don't want to look for work until I have really graduated and have finished all my wedding stuff. I'll be completely free to work then! But unfortunately, Stephan doesn't want me to put off the job search.

I really wish I didn't have to work. I don't understand women who love working; I am not one of them. But as it is, I am going to be a student's wife. He has a job, but it's part-time and it doesn't pay enough for both of us to survive. I'm only grateful that he's not TOO far from graduating.

On Friday, Stephan and I went to lunch at Quizno's. Then we went to Big Lots because we heard about a great mattress sale. We found a queen sized mattress (Serta!!!) and it was so comfortable! We also went to DI for a comparison, and we decided that the Serta at Big Lots was the one we wanted! It was $400 on sale. We called Stephan's dad because he has a pick-up and asked him to meet us at the store. We bought the mattress (the box spring was included in the price), loaded it onto the pick-up, and drove home. Stephan and his dad unloaded the mattress and box spring and stored it in a spare bedroom in the basement. We were so excited! The Andersons also have a queen sized bed frame in the basement, so we're going to use that. Yay! But the mattress is most likely going to be the only new piece of furniture we'll get. I don't have a problem with that. We decided a comfortable bed was our highest priority. Besides, it's going to be hard enough adjusting to sharing a bed--why not make it at least a comfortable bed?

Saturday, the Andersons had a really nice dinner. Heather (Stephan's older sister) came with her little family. It was so good! Ginny (my future niece) was very happy to see me, and wanted me to read her a story. She gave me lots of hugs that day. What a sweetie. Tavin was kind of fussy--I accidentally woke him up from a nap. I still feel bad about that. Then there was fireworks and Alex and Natalie launching fire crackers. It was a pretty good night.

Sunday, the usual. Church and then going to Stephan's house. Kathy gave me a cranial release (alternative massage technique--it works wonders), and then we watched "Support Your Local Sheriff". That's a good show.

So that's what I've been up to.

Honest Scrap

Here are the rules for this award:
a.) List 10 honest things about you - and make it interesting, even if you have t dig deep!
b.) Pass the award onto 7 bloggers that you feel embody the spirit of the Honest Scap.

1. I spent more than ten years of my life living in the Katy, Texas area. However, I don't really claim it as where I'm from, except when I say that I'm formerly from Katy. I consider myself to be from the Galleria area (not far from downtown) even though I only lived there during high school.

2. I absolutely HATE ditzy teenage girl behavior. HATE HATE HATE! I don't hate the girls themselves, but it annoys me that they think they have to act that way. If you're not stupid, don't act like you are.

3. I do not like the use of the word "like" as a filler. You know..."like", I was "like", going to "like"...you get the picture. The linguist in me tells me I must be tolerant, but it still annoys me. Unfortunately, it's far too commonly used among Mormon girls. I do not know how I managed to mostly escape its use. My highly literate parents? Growing up with brothers? Being the bookworm I am? IB English teachers who reprimanded the "like" over-users? We'll, like, never know. Whoops...

4. I HATE being teased. While I do have a good sense of humor (ask people about my wit), I cannot stand being teased in the slightest. I feel like it's a sign that the teaser does not like me, even though it's a sign of the contrary in our culture (why must people be so complicated?). I try my hardest not to tease, because I just don't think it's nice at all. You have to understand that I was picked on a lot when I was younger. I was socially behind until recently, and I think that was why I was picked on. I didn't learn to talk until I was three and a half, and talking is a big part of social development. I don't think I was socially up to par until I was almost 21. I'm still working on it.

5. I absolutely love babies. I'm serious, if someone holding a baby comes around me, I automatically go "awwwww!!!!" I have made myself known at family gatherings for always holding someone's baby. I'm also known by people in my home ward (at least, those who still live there) for my baby-holding. I come from a family of baby-holders. I also have very strong maternal instincts. They have been present ever since I became mobile. Ask my mom.

6. Throughout middle school and high school, the fact I played the violin was a big part of my identity at church. I was usually asked to perform with some of the younger violinists in my ward (well, sometimes forced to by my dad). It was such a big part of my identity that people assumed that I would major in music. The BYU School of Music would probably have laughed me out if I had bothered auditioning. Plus, I do not have it in me to practice several hours a day.

7. My mom plays the piano, the organ, and she sings. My dad is a violinist. My older brothers both took piano lessons, but it didn't last. Growing up, people assumed that I would be a pianist, organist, and singer like my mom. Imagine the shock people experienced when I announced that I was going to play the violin. I was a semi-competitive violinist in middle school and high school. I was actually one of two freshmen who made region orchestra one year. I was also the first Junior Varsity orchestra member in the orchestra's history to ever make region, I think.

8. I am afraid of salt water. While I love the view of the ocean, I just cannot bring myself to swim in it. I don't like the idea of swimming in salt water. I also do not like the thought of swimming with life forms that could possibly bite, sting, or even eat me. I'll take the swimming pool any day.

9. I don't like dogs. Especially big ones. We lived across the street from a doberman when we lived in Tokyo. It was chained up in the front yard, but it would always growl and show its teeth at us when we walked by. Of course, I don't remember this, but I think it's the root of my disliking for dogs. We also lived across the street from a Russian wolfhound when we lived in Katy. It was huge. I was terrified of it. It chased me up my driveway once. Yeah, me no like dogs. Although the little ones (schnouzers and such) are okay. I prefer kitties. I also hate snakes *shudders*

10. I am anti-tanning. Whenever I see people lying out in the sun getting a tan, I want to say: "Yeah, you'll have a great tan now, but you'll pay for it later." I sometimes feel tempted to demonstrate in front of tanning salons. I also call them "cancer breeding salons." Well, not only can tanning lead to skin cancer, it can also lead to premature aging. Yeah, I wear sunscreen everyday. Best anti-aging product ever. And the best skin cancer prevention ever. I like my fair skin.

ode to the best fiance ever

So, we're getting married in 47 days. Holy moly. I love Stephan so much; he's the most wonderful fiance anyone could ask for. Here's why he's the best:

(1) He stayed up late talking to me on the phone one night when I was upset. This was not even a week after we had officially started dating. What happened was I found out some very disturbing information about my ex-boyfriend (I know he wasn't technically my boyfriend, but that's the most accurate thing to call him). I was upset because some of the details of this information were going on when I was dating him. And the said ex-boyfriend was contacting me at unacceptable levels considering I was in a relationship with Stephan, and I was annoyed. Stephan couldn't come down to Provo because his brother had the car, but he called me as soon as I was home from doing laundry at my cousin's. He just let me talk and he did his best to comfort me, and he helped a lot! It was a serious bonding night. I ended up deleting the ex-boyfriend from my friend list a few days later. Boy, was he upset.

(2) He always tells me I'm beautiful. When Voldemort (that's what we call my ex) uttered his infamous phrase when we stopped dating, it pretty much wrecked my self-esteem for a while. Stephan does know about this, and he has always told me how beautiful he thinks I am. And I know he is sincere. The first time he ever saw me "dressed down" was last April. I was cleaning out my room, so I was dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, my hair was yanked back, I was wearing my glasses, and I was wearing no makeup. He still told me I was beautiful. I've often asked him if he'll still think I'm pretty when I'm pregnant, and he says, "Yes!"

(3) He is always kind to me. I told him when I started birth control in case I had any mood changes. It's a good thing I warned him because I did in that first month. Nothing drastic. I cried more. I was ticked off more often. But Stephan has always let me cry on his shoulder and he always tells me how much he loves me and that he thinks I'm so wonderful. Even when I flipped out when we were talking finances (who knew that was such a heated issue?), he was still kind to me. He was actually prepared for me to flip out. I know that sounds like birth control made me crazy that first month, but I assure you it wasn't drastic. And now that I'm in the second month, I'm much much better. Although I get cravings now....weird.

(4) He listens to me. If I'm happy, sad, angry, whatever, he will always listen to me.

(5) He has been helping me so much in the job search! He has helped me look for jobs. He drove me to my job interview. He keeps telling me that I would be an asset to any employer.

(6) He is a gentleman. He always opens my car door for me, both getting in and getting out. He insists on getting my chair when sitting down for meals. He gets glasses of water for me, no matter how much I protest that I can get my own. When it's cold, he gets my coat for me. And when it's raining and he's wearing his leather jacket, he lifts a side of it over my heat so I can be as dry as possible (and warm!!).

I know this doesn't cover every aspect of his wonderfulness, but this is an attempt. I don't know what I did to deserve him, but whatever I did, I'm glad I did it!!!

I love you Stephan :)