I’m Engaged

I know, I know how freaking exciting!!!!  And to think my last post was called the difference a year makes. Okay, now where to begin? I guess I’ll start with how much I love my fiance. I love this man more than words can even express.  As I said in my last post he is my whole world. (Discloser I’m about to get SUPER cheesy.)  We do everything together and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I know it’s so cliche to say he is my best friend, but the fact of the matter is he is.  Let me tell you something a little crazy.  I knew within a few months of dating that I would marry this man. (I think he was a little less sure)  That was 4 and a half years ago. He is the best thing that has EVER happened to me.    We met when I was just a little freshman in college.  I was barely 18 off on my own for the very first time and ready to conquer the world. 

Now we met through a mutual friend of ours, Joey.  Oh Joey, truth is I had the biggest crush on Joey.  You see he was in my 7:30am English class.  We sat right next to each other and truth is he made waking up at 6:30 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays bearable. As I found out shortly Joey was in love with his soon to be fiance Holly.  The way he talked about Holly was the most adorable thing I had ever heard.  I instantly stopped crushing on him and wanted to hear everything about his Holly.  So one day I was hanging out in my apartment on my laptop and a new friend request popped up, Cody Myers.  We had one friend in common and it was Joey.  I instantly texted Joey asking about this cute stranger.  He told me I definitely should add him, so of course I did.  I honestly was just going to leave it at that, but instantly Cody messaged me.  We IMed every single day for about two weeks then he finally asked me for my number.  We texted none stop day and night, for about a week.  Then we would talk on the phone constantly.  I was in love with a man I hadn’t even met in real life yet.  One night after one of our phone calls he asked me on our first date. I was so excited I would finally get to meet the man of my dreams!! 

Cody came to pick me up from my dorm room.  From there we drove to his house to pick up something.  I met his mom for the first time.  We then went to a cute park right by his house where we swung on the swings and went down all the slides.  It was the cutest date I’ve ever been on.  We just sat and talked about literally everything.  We had dinner at Chilis where we talked some more.  He took me home.  We continued to talk and text constantly.  We would spend time together on official and unofficial dates.  I remember one time early on myself and all my roommates got H1N1.  I was sicker than I have ever been. I had a fever so high I was hallucinating. Cody came over to make me feel better that was October 24, 2009.  The day we officially became a couple.  Everything just blossomed from there.

Now flash forward to April 26, 2014. Cody and I have been excited and getting ready for my hospital’s annual Employee Gala.  I already had my dress and we bought Cody a suit jacket and tie.  It was also a masquerade so we had purchased green masks.  The excitement was unreal and we were both ready for a good time.  I did my own hair and make-up.  Cody put on his suit and tie and I put on my dress.  We took a couple of selfies in our apartment and then headed to his parents for our photo op.  We took quite a few of pictures in front of their gorgeous roses.
                                         
We arrived at the hotel where the gala was taking place at quarter after 6.  It was cocktail hour from 6-7 so we hung out in the lobby with the rest of the hospital staff.  It was so fun to see all the clinical staff all dressed up.  We mingled and talked to everyone.  (as Cody says, I’m kinda a big deal at my hospital)  Cody knew some of the people because he worked at the hospital when we first moved to Texas.  After cocktail hour the doors of the ballroom were opened and we found our seats.  We chatted with everyone at our table.  We went and had our pictures taken then came back just in time for the main course.  We enjoyed dinner and discussed requesting our favorite song and dancing to it.  I thought it was really sweet and we were definitely going to do it, but first we were going to gamble.  We were given 2,000 fake dollars to start with.  We hit up the Black Jack table where one of my favorite nurses was already playing.  Cody was on fire and I wasn’t doing too bad.  After a couple of hours of playing we decided to hit up the dance floor.

 Cody didn’t complain or even struggle he just got into the music and started dancing with me.  The DJ was on fire playing great songs from my high school years and beyond.  It was shortly after the first song that he went up and requested our song.  I honestly never thought anything of it.  He came back and said in about  6-8 songs he’ll play it.  I thought awesome I can’t wait.  I was busting a move on the dance floor and Cody would join me on and off.  I was having an absolute blast! I now know that he was disappearing to put everything together for the proposal.  The night was winding down and the DJ still hadn’t played our song.  I was a little sad and was starting to think that we wouldn’t get to dance to our song.  A few short minutes later our song came on and the DJ announced to everyone, “Please make a circle around Cody and Marresa!” (close enough)  It wasn’t until Cody started telling me how much he loved me and wanted to spen his life with me that I realized just where this was going.  At the climax of the song Cody got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.  The crowd went wild. 

It was perfect and I was SO surprised.  I of course cried like a baby.  It was so special to have all my friends from work there to support us.  We got it on video which is a huge plus.  I’m so excited to start planning our wedding and can’t wait to marry the man of my dreams!!!

The Difference a Year Makes

As I kinda said in my background Cody and I moved to Texas in June 2013 almost a year ago, craziness.  Before we moved here though we vacationed here and that was exactly a year ago.  Like this very day last year I would have been asleep on the Denver Airport floor waiting out our 5 hour layover, back to Salt Lake City.  Well luckily that’s not what I’m doing today, but it really has me reflecting on just how much has changed from last year. 

Our vacation here was magical.  It didn’t include glamorous nights out on the town, but it included many laughs, cherished moments, and lots of memories.  My favorite part is probably just after we arrived at the DFW airport and meeting Cody’s dad Rod and step mom Dana for the first time.  I was SO nervous to meet them.  I kept asking Cody if he was sure they were going to like me.  I really, really wanted them to like me.  So there we are walking into baggage claims.  Cody is walking ahead of me, a man who looks like his dad walks right passed him.  I’m thinking ‘that guy looks just like Rod, but I guess not.’ It totally was though.  Rod runs up to me and gives me THE biggest hug and says “Welcome to the family girlie.”  I was so relieved and excited!  I knew then that our vacation was going to rock. And it totally did. It included trips to both Fort Worth and Dallas and lots of cities in between.  I’m so grateful I got to spend SO much time with Cody’s parents.

Well here we are a year later and so much has changed.  For one we now live down the street from Cody’s amazing parents in TEXAS.  It’s still unreal that I live in Texas. Cody and I both have stable jobs at hospitals.  We have the most adorable apartment together.  But the truth is we’ve changed.  I’m not the same girl who visited here last year.  I’ve matured and grown so much and so has Cody.  Cody and I have endured the best of times together and dare I say it the worst of times.  Our relationship has been tested, but it’s only made me love him more.  I know without a doubt in my mind I want him by my side every second of this crazy ride we call life.  I know it’s super cheesy and SO cliche’, but it’s true.  He is my best friend.  He is my therapist, my hair dresser, my sous chef, my comedian, my rock.  He is literally my everything.  I have like no girlfriends out here so Cody has learned to listen to my silly girl stuff and I think he secretly enjoys it. (probably not, but he does it anyways)  I’ve always loved him.  Even when he literally made it impossible for me to do so.  The level of love I have for him is so much deeper than it was even a year ago and I’m so grateful.

Tonight we’re going to a huge Gala that my hospital hosts for their employees every year.  We’ve known about it for a few months.  I was so worried that Cody would have to be dragged to it kicking and screaming, but he’s just as excited (if not more) as me.  Told ya he changed.  I used to have to beg him to dress up for church much less a work function. There’s lots of other ways we’ve changed individually and as a couple, but they’re simple things that no one else would really appreciate.  Just know A LOT can change in year.

Take a look at some photos from our vacation last year.

            

                    

           

      

What do you think?  Have you ever had a year where everything just completely changed?  Leave me a comment I love input.

Roaring 20s VS Millennial’s

So I have this love affair with the book The Great Gatsby. I’ve read it dozens of times. I love this book. More than any other book, ever! I read this book when I’m happy, sad, nervous, even excited. I can quote most of this book. And I do, a lot. I mostly love the way F. Scott Fitzgerald describes everything in such detail. You can picture every last element clearly in your mind. You can picture yourself as a guest at one of Gatsby’s crazy parties. You see yourself at Daisy’s house enjoying a chaotic tea. And you feel as if you really are ‘Old Sport’. I love how real the characters are. You feel like they really lived once and you got a glimpse into their wonderful luxury lives. I love all the chaos and drama. I’ve cried at the ending countless times. And I could go on and on. Just know I LOVE this book.

I say all of this so you can get a grasp on my soon to be rant. As you probably know, recently a movie was made as an adaptation of this book. I had high hopes for this movie.  The trailer looked amazing.  I mean Leonardo Dicaprio and Carey Mulligan, can you really go wrong?  The director also directed Moulin Rouge which I adore. Ok so with all that build up you’re probably thinking, ‘well that’s your problem,’ but that is not it.  Now truth is  I liked the movie, I really did. The only thing that struck me as strange and a lot little irritating, is the music.
 

                                                     

I can’t grasp the concept as to why they chose the music that they did.  In case you somehow live in a hole and have no idea what The Great Gatsby is about, it takes place in the roaring 1920s. And the soundtrack for the movie is mostly R&B. Now maybe I’m just being synical but, when I imagined the music while reading this book it was more jazzy less crap rap. The music isn’t just obnoxious it really doesn’t fit the time period. It’s full of simulated sounds and different noises all jumbled together on a mix board. Some of it has what sounds like live instruments but, the mix between the two is outrageous. The sound track doesn’t even know what era it is.  I definitely don’t think that Gatsby’s guests were dancing to the music the movie portrays. I highly doubt Gatsby hollered out, “Drop that beat!” Maybe he did and I missed that chapter. It’s an interesting concept, but I’m not a fan. Honestly though that’s all I can complain about. This movie had great potential and the acting was spot on. I feel like everything else flowed perfectly and matched the book. It really is too bad that the soundtrack is most of the movie. It is so loud and distracting you can’t ignore it.  Trust me I’ve tried to power through it and every time I still find myself saying “man I wish they would of gone with different musis. It really is a shame they went this route. Change the crazy R&B music and you would have my new favorite movie. What did you think of the movie?  Am I crazy?  Leave me a comment I would love to hear from you.

Being a Beginner

                                         

I recently started running again. You see, I used to be a competitive runner.  I ran in the Jr. Olympics when I was 10 and ran cross country and track in high school.  Well that was more than five years and two knee surgeries ago.  Anyways so I decided a few weeks ago to start running again, but I kept getting frustrated.  I couldn’t run for more than 90 seconds without getting winded.  I was getting really frustrated with myself.  I kept wanting to give up and just throw in the towel. I kept telling myself, “I’m obviously too old, too out of shape and just not good anymore.”  I was getting really defeated! Then I came across this website http://shrinkingjeans.net/2010/10/start-running-now/ I read an article on here that gave me the motivation I needed.

The author basically said you don’t have to be the best or the fastest or even mediocre. You just need to run.  Whether it’s for 1 minute or 30.  That really hit me.  Like wow she’s right I just need to do it! So I started the couch to 5k program. Basically you start with intervals and week by week you work up to running longer and walking less.  I really liked the idea so I started doing it.  And you know what it motivated me.  Now personally I like to push myself and I knew I could run for at least 90 seconds without dying. So I  started with 90 seconds running, 30 seconds walking intervals for 20 minutes, with a five minute warm up and and five minute cool down. Every week I would add more time and I was walking less and less.  I started my journey 4 weeks ago!  And today I ran for 20 minutes straight.  I didn’t do any intervals I just ran.  It was the best feeling in the world! Now remember everyone is different and honestly the couch to 5K program is broken down into intervals and 9 weeks if you want to check it out here’s the link: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

Anyways I’m so excited to keep running and pushing myself.  There’s nothing I love more than a nice run after a long day at work. Or a cool Saturday run after a long week in general.  I want to keep building my endurance and eventually sign up for a 5K and then a 10K.  If you’re feeling inadequate just remember you need to allow yourself to be a beginner, because you have to start somewhere.