Then and Now

Bridgedette's Thoughts:









The first photo is from my Senior Year in High School (2000) and the second was taken today during our family Father's Day Celebration. I would have to say that I am glad that I look relatively the same; this is a good thing!

For years I have struggled against my genetics of being short and dark; as well as my medical family history of breast cancer, heart attacks, high blood pressure and diabetes.

But as I get older I am leaning to chill out, work out more and do the best that I can with what I have. This is what leads me into my real topic:




In 252 days I will be lucky enough to marry my best friend. As Larry and I go through the "normal" stressors of planning our wedding, we have come to realize that the best part of the planning is that there really are no stressors. I am so proud of the communication and respect that Larry and I have together while making our plans. As each wedding topic comes up we have the ability to talk it out and think it through, sometimes people forget to do that, this is a major reason some weddings never get out of the planning phase.

While Larry and I are not perfect, we know that we can grow and learn from each other. This is how I knew that he was my person. Before I met Larry, I was so afraid to make a mistake.....any little thing that wasnt perfect or a major accomplishment wasnt something I associated myself with. Now, I have learned that being or attempting to be perfect is boring, it gets old...and so does the human body, from all the stress it endures. I had to learn the hard way, after getting shingles and struggling to be comfortable in my own body.

Today I am proud that I am vertically challenged and dark (some people pay for the tan I got for free)! I am also proud of all the potential I have to grow into a better person as I am lucky to have a great partner to share my life with.

Our Last Full Week in January

Bridgedette's Thoughts:

So its the last full week of January and we are finally seeing the registration rush coming down. Here are a few of the events that Larry and I did this week.


Larry in Pink!
On Sunday January 23rd, Larry took me to see Legally Blonde the Musical at the Majestic Theater! I was SO excited!! I have seen this movie so many times I can quote it and now it has been combined with the theater..."OMG!!" (a big line in the movie). We had so much fun enjoying the musical and the downtown atmosphere at night. And I cant beleive that Larry wore PINK!!!!





Larry Tasting Cake
As the week went on, Larry and I were looking forward to our cake tasting this past Saturday. So many cakes....and Larry only had 1 fork! ha ha.




Larry at Work
That same Saturday morning, after the cake tasting, Larry had to do a 1 hour presentation at Northeast Lakeview. If you ever get the opportunity to watch Larry present, you would be in for a treat! He always finds a way to connect with his audience; and can always interject his slap stick humor into the speech. Here he is getting his Powerpoint ready.





Fortune
That SAME BUSY Saturday, we finally stopped for lunch. Our Chinese food was good, but my fortune seemed to be right on the money. There are so many things that I have questions about, some that I even allow to stop me from progressing....but I need to face those fears and allow them not to have such a big part in my life. Each day I grow and learn from those around me!




Walk Accomplished
To end our busy week, Larry and I went for a walk. We have been doing our best to walk every weekend together. These walks have been one of those catalyst times when we get the best conversations going; just him, I and nature. The weather was SO perfect too...80 degrees! After all the cold and windy days, we had to take advantage of the sun. We use the Nike+ sensor to track our walks, here is the lastest walk:




Until Next Blog!





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Current: Partly Cloudy
Wind: SW at 6 mph
Humidity: 35%

Change Part 2

This is a photo of my brother and I when we were little. They say that a photo is worth a thousand words...sometimes those words get frozen in time and dont change.

I come from a family of strong personalities; you can call it a survival skill or whatever, but when two or more personalities clash, be prepared for fireworks.

You see, the photo above is a moment in time....that moment is forever stuck in my parents head and hearts. I know that they mean well and they want the best for me, my brother and the lives we have, but sometimes being stuck in time is not good. There is no progress.

In this photo, I had a certain way of thinking, but now that thinking pattern is matured as well as I. When my parents feel my current thinking pattern is not correct or from their perspective, that it is full of holes....it sets off the fireworks in me.

You see, I have waited my whole life to find someone that understands me. The me that is here today. Not the child, not the teenager and not the lost young adult. Sure, some days I need some guidance, but for the most part I have Larry to talk to and with all his logic and emotions he is the best person to talk to, for me.

I guess I too forget that people are not around Larry and I all the time and do not know how our relationship works. There are many people who always say that their relationship is "fine" or that "all is well," when they are asked about how they are doing. But for Larry and I, the "fine" and "all is well" REALLY is just that.

Larry is my friend....my best friend at that! He is the person that I can be goofy, mad or sad with, the person that I go to the movies with, the person I read the newspaper with, the person that I look at and ask "whos making dinner and whos washing the dishes." lol (you know, the BIG questions in life).

We have just begun our journey together, but have spent so much time just talking to each other too. Larry tells me a long story and I learn to listen better. I tell Larry a short short story with tons of details missing and he tries to figure it out.....we are both a work in progress....mainly me, but a work in progress.

I know that I am no longer that little person in the photo above, and that I will always need my parents. But I am learning who I can become, and I want to do it with Larry right next to me, because he is my best friend and I would miss him....even if I never met him.