Ok, so a lot has happened in the last month and a half. So much so that I haven't had a chance to write anything.
Did I mention I got engaged? So that whole trip over Thanksgiving? I left a part out until we could announce it to family and friends properly before blogging about it. He proposed in Mesa Verde National Park and from there we haven't had a free moment.
December was filled with finding a venue. Being Catholic I know we will be married in a church by a priest or deacon. He isn't Catholic, but he gets to deal. Did you know that you CAN have a destination Catholic wedding?! I didn't but figured they should be able to happen. So after asking at the parish I belong to we set on the hunt to find a church and location we could both agree upon. So far our guidance was "in the mountains of Colorado."
After googling every church in the diocese we narrowed down the list to the ones that were in an ok location and looked nice. This led us to the chapel where we will be getting married. It is GORGEOUS! That led us to looking for reception venues. THAT led us to looking at our "cheap back up" plan... umm... not as cheap so back to the mountain venue! By Christmas we had a date, location, venue, menu (for the most part), decorations, and many more things already decided. Not sure why some get so stressed over this, everything is falling into place nicely. I'm waiting for when it all hits the fan, but so far it is smooth and every hurdle we come to we cross with ease as a couple.
The biggest hurdle was the officiant and interpreter. He is hard of hearing/deaf so it would be nice if he could understand his own wedding and what he is agreeing to. His parents offered to pay for one of his old interpreters to sign for us but she hasn't done it in ten years or more and wouldn't feel comfortable. Back to square one. We were going to try and get a priest who can sign but nobody ever replied. Then we were going to go with the local one but he is busy. Then we were going to go with one from the parish I'm from. Before we did that I wanted to try one more time to get someone who signs. I went to the church where they have a deaf ministry and talked to the ladies in the office. I left a message for the ONLY priest who signs in the whole diocese. That's pretty much the populated area of the sate... the ONLY ONE. It is worth a shot. We took the chance and we got it!!! We will have a ceremony that is both spoken and signed by the same priest. No interpreter needed.
This is a big deal to me because I don't like singling him out for his hearing. I don't like that "special" accommodations need to be made. It should just be something that is done and happens. We shouldn't have to look at different people on our wedding day for what is happening. Now we don't have to and yet we combine both worlds into one. Kind of symbolic of the day...
Then with school I'm planned ahead and things are smooth for the most part. I got new windows in my house. And last year I started working with two other teachers doing a small group ACT/SAT prep class. That's taking off nicely and keeping me crazy busy. This weekend is dress shopping!
So on the dress shopping front I am SO tempted to text up the ol friend I ditched this summer and inform her of what happened. You know, the one who told me I don't know what it is like to not like my body and be called fat? That one. Well, in talking to my father about our wedding budget and all that he let me know that they would toss in a little extra to help with buying a dress since I will need to buy one. Jokingly I asked if he really wasn't going to make me wear the dress my mom has insisted I wear (cause both sisters wore it) for the last 12 years. Nope, it won't fit me. Ok, but they can always alter it.
My father replies with, "Yeah, but they can only let it out so far." My own father. Now I'm not sure he really meant to tell me he thinks I'm too fat to fit into my sisters ' dress but that is in fact what he said.
Nope... no idea what it is like to have strangers call me fat... my family does it enough for me. Of course she won't see it as about me and my feelings but instead will turn it around to be about her so I won't.
In other news I'm feeling good about myself. I now have the drive of "but this will make your arms look good" to push me through workouts and to not wimp out on weight. I'm toning and am getting some definition of a bicep!!!! That's exciting news. I haven't really gotten the scale much lower than 169 or high 168 but tomorrow I'm hopeful. I have been watching what I eat this week and yesterday I was at 175 when I went to bed. 170-171ish when I woke up and just weighed myself before going to bed again. I can usually predict my morning weight based on my evening weight. Tonight I was at 169. I typically drop a few pounds over night as I process food and such so I have high hopes for tomorrow.
More about workouts later.
