If I fall, can I stand?

I am SUCH a homebody.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a night on the town as much as the next girl, but nothing will ever compare to a relaxing night on the couch with Joe beside me, the kitties on my lap and River stealing my seat if I get up.

I love my house, I love my Joe, and I love my fuzzy babies, so I guess it makes sense that the time I enjoy the most is with them.

( And how photogenic is this guy? )

It's been one year today since Joe moved in, and we're still blissfully happy. He's relaxing on the couch watching Stargate. River's galloping around the house and Kitten's napping on the dining room table. I love our life together.

Joe and I bought a Christmas tree this weekend and did some lovely decorating. I love the holidays.

( Click here to see my happy tree with my pretty twinkle lights. )

This will be our second Christmas together.

Six days ago it was the three year anniversary of my Mom dying and with work and all the holiday insanity, the day slipped by without me even realizing. I feel like a terrible daughter, but part of me thinks that she would be glad by this. I was hanging decorations last night and unpacking ornaments we bought when I was little and that we spent years hanging on the tree together, and I was thinking about that and not the December three years ago when I watched her slip away.

I think she'd smile at that.

Life is good. We're painting the hallway finally, which makes me buckets of happy. Having this vast white space between all my happy colored rooms drove me crazy.

River is still insane and bitey. I will be very pleased when she stops this.

Joe bought me an incredible red Kitchenaid mixer for my birthday on the 13th. I love it so much! I've wanted one of these things forever. Such a perfect man!

I've gone far
And I almost didn't find you
And I almost lived without you
There is nothing in this world
I'd rather do
Than live in you

Today is the one year anniversary of the night where I sang karaoke with the Rainsoft crew and started my journey with the love of my life.

Today has just been a low key day around the house. Last night we went to Hacylon downtown and people watched for awhile. Then a fantastic dinner at Pappadeaux's involving oysters on the half shell, fried gator, and filet mignon topped with crab. Probably the best food I've ever eaten.

Joe gave me a beautiful charm bracelet. He picked out every single charm on it, and I love them all which just shows how well he knows me. He told me the lady at the jewelry store tried to talk him out of the little bee charms, but he told her that he knew I would think they were "the cutest thing in the world." And I did. No pics right now because the smallest chain they had was way too small for my skinny wrists and we had to send it off to have the jeweler resize it, but when I get it back next weekend I'll post. I love it so much.

People say that the honeymoon, can't get enough of you, love everything about you phase fades. It's been a year, and I still smile every time I look at him. One year later, and he still makes my heart pound.

Here's to lots more happy years!

I swear one of these days I'm going to get better at updating more often. For reals.

Joe's been living with me for almost a month, and I just can't get over how wonderful it is having it be just the two of us (and Kitten). He's halfway through his Apple training, and he's totally assimilated. He said "There's an app for that" earlier today. Love it.


Everything is just so relaxed with us. I get home around 9:30 because I'm working a M-Th 10 hour shift schedule (which I LOVE). I come in the door and yell, "Honey, I'm home!" because I'm a dork like that. We cook dinner, we play with that cat, we watch movies. I'm such a homebody.

We're making plans about planting a vegetable garden in the backyard in the spring. We're thinking pepper, tomatos, onions, basil, maybe some corn. I want to get a composter with worms and stuff.

Everything is quiet and domestic and I just love it. And I love him. My dad and my grandma always ask me how Joe is when I talk to them. All I can ever say is "Still perfect."

Hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas. I spent the day with Joe and his family. His whole Mom's side is up in Minnesota, but his dad's side is down in Texas. Joe's grandma is hilarious. That lady has a dirtier mind than me! There was lots of food and everyone was great.


Joe's going to be moving in with me in the middle of next month. I'm still a bit bummed out that the girls are going to be all the way in Austin and not just down the hall, but I'm also really excited about Joe moving in. This is SERIOUS. I've never been in a relationship that even came remotely close to being this serious. I never even got anywhere near discussing moving in with any other guy I've ever dated.

Joe's grandma actually asked me if this was "building towards something." I told her that I hoped so! She said she thought I was good for him, and that I fit in with the family and there were many hugs all around. (She was also very pleased when I told her that there would be no children on the horizon ever ever EVER. She told me I was a smart girl for not wanting any.)

It's just so crazy. A year ago, I was just starting at Rainsoft, just meeting Joe, living in a shithole, and very unsure of everything. A year later, I've been with Joe for over eight months, I work at Apple, I live in a beautiful house, and while I'm not 100% sure of what the future holds, I'm hopeful.

Joe's sitting next to me in my happy orange bedroom, Buttercup (who thinks her name is Kitten) is sleeping at our feet and being adorable. I have this wonderful man in my life who loves me, who I'm building a life with. We've got the house and the cat. Sometime in 2011, a puppy will be joining us. After that, who knows? He talks about plans for next Christmas, for vacations we'll take in the non-specific future, for improvements he wants to make to the house. Me, I just have a secret folder of bookmarks on my computer labeled "Someday...."

My Christmas was good, and I hope it was the first of many like it.

I've been in my new house for a week and a day now. Unpacking has begun. Bedrooms have been painted. Internet is working. In a few days I go to Maine to pick up Aaron.

I have a home.

This home.



I never expected this. I can't believe that this is my life now. This beautiful house is mine. My bedroom has orange walls that Joe painted for me.

Joe is another thing that I never expected. Yesterday was our two month anniversary of the team building experience where it all started. Two weeks ago, he told me he loves me. Last week, he met my Dad and my Uncle Chris. I love him so much that it makes my head spin. When I'm with him, I feel safe and wanted and beautiful. I feel like I could spend the rest of my life with him.

When I lost my Mom, I really felt like I was never going to be happy again. Now I'm living in my dream house, surrounded by my best friends with a man who I love and who loves me back. I never thought I'd have this, but now I do. And it is amazing.