Today...

Matt told me two things.

1) He is going to San Antonio, Texas in just over two weeks. Wha!? Well he told me he was, then asked permission to go. Well, duh! Yes, you can! Pack me in your suit case please!? My first reaction was not sadness, but jealousy! I'm so excited for him. He gets to go check out the hospital on base in San Antonio for three days to get a feel for what he will be doing once he graduates and gets shipped off. FUUUUN! Luckily, I'll be bus-ayyy with my new job and getting ready for my family to come visit. Maybe I'll even get a little homework done, and with any luck I'll be able to teach Mochi some tricks and hopefully figure out a way to keep him from eating the baseboards that he has suddenly found a liking to.

2) ...... it's a secret. A very exciting secret. A secret that warms my heart, makes me feel giddy, and makes me smile randomly in class because my happiness and excitement are uncontrollable. Don't worry. You'll figure it out someday, and maaaaybe you'll be as excited as I am.

Anyway, I've never been to Texas, and I don't really know what the hype in San Antonio is so I looked up pictures. Now I'm way more jelly than I was before. Here are some of my favorites. Hopefully he is able to do a little sight seeing for me while he's there.

The "Riverwalk". Ooooh. 

Downtown. Standard, but still pretty. 

Life's good, yes? 

A weekend.

This weekend was our first weekend apart since being married. It was strange, but it felt normal - good almost. It gave us an opportunity to reflect on how much we love and cherish each other's company. Matt was off on an "adventure" with the ROTC. I like to refer to everything that the ROTC does as an adventure because it all sounds so fun! He got to ride in a helicopter, sleep outside under the beautiful sky, sleep in the barracks (like in the movies!), and shower with other men. An adventure, indeed. It was incredible listening to his stories and seeing how happy he was. He makes me so proud. He snapped this picture just before his squad was picked up to go to "battle."

I got to have a couple of my girlfriends over on Saturday night. It was so good getting to catch up with them and have our much needed and missed "girl time" (and pizza!). I also got to work on decorating our little apartment, although I didn't get nearly as much done as I had hoped. It was still successful and so fun to get some things up on the walls. I couldn't wait to get Matt home to show him my work. He loved it.

Us at The Original Pancake House. 

After picking Matt up from his adventure, we went to Chili's for some more grub.

 Before.

After.

Friday night I spent almost 2 hours walking around IKEA trying to decide what to buy. Making decisions is already hard for me, but not knowing what Matt would think made it harder. I picked up and placed so many things into my shopping cart that I didn't end up getting, but I am very pleased with the things I did walk away with. (Not pictured is a darling little ironing board that I found for only $5!)

Now that Matt's home, we're back into the swing of things. School has been a horror show for the both of us the past few weeks. Midterms and homework assignments are relentless and don't allow us to have much of a social life. But this weekend is Halloween! We're hoping to do something, although I haven't gotten our costumes yet. If time does what it normally does, I won't get around to finding our costumes and we'll end up having a scary movie marathon with lots of unhealthy things to eat, which doesn't sound like too bad of a plan. I am thoroughly excited about what I have planned as costumes (I've been planning since last year!), but the holiday snuck up on me. If it doesn't work out in time, I'll have a whole year to gather our costume pieces for next year. 

In other news: 

I got a second job! 

... at Target. Last Monday I walked into the store for an interview, and walked out with a job. Being hired on the spot is definitely a self-esteem booster. Things are looking up for us. We are excited for everything in our bright little future. 

Happy happy.

I am so excited, so blessed, so hopeful.

I've found myself looking at beautiful pictures of 

destinations around the world, and it's making me giddy.

I'm so excited that Matt's position in the ROTC will give us the opportunity to

leave the country. I cannot wait to see the world. My heart feels like it will 

burst with love and happiness for the prospects of our future. 

We don't know where we'll end up, but that's half the fun.

I can't believe how perfectly content I am with life right now.

Despite the stresses of homework, midterms, work, a dwindling bank account, 

and colliding schedules with the hubs,

I don't think I could be much happier. 

My life is turning out better than I had ever imagined it would. 

Mo-ch-ee.

WE GOT A BUNNY!

Finally. :)

His name is Mochi, but we're not sure if "he's" a boy or a girl. 

For all intensive purposes, "he's" a boy until otherwise noted. 

He is mischief in a soft, fluffy package. 

Fun.

We got to take some time to explore a little more of our new city the other day. Here is what we found and absolutely love. I cannot wait to mosey back to these little stores!

 I love these urban apartment buildings.

 This little shopping center is darling. 

 They sell all sorts of specialty foods, and CHEESE WHEELS!

We didn't eat here, but I hear it's wonderful.


Then we went to the mall, got cookies, and people watched.

Chocolate, of course. 

Lemon raspberry sugar cookie. :))

It was a fun, tasty afternoon. 

Farmer's Market!

I'm pretty sure my favorite thing about living in this city is the Farmer's Market. No, I am sure. There's just something about walking around and seeing all of the different sorts of people enjoying their Saturday afternoon the same way you are. Matt's favorite part, aside from the glorious food, is seeing all of the different types of puppies. I swear that man is obsessed with dogs. He's always talking about our future dogs and the wacky names he come up with. He's always talking about our future children, too. It's awfully cute.

Anywho! Here are some pictures I took of our adventure to the Farmer's Market last Saturday. Next week I'll have to go by myself, if I go at all, because Matt will be doing some clinical stuff for his CNA course (which is almost over! yay!).

A Farmer's Market is a tomato-lover's dream. I am a tomato love, fo sho.

 I can't begin to explain how neat this guy's instrument was. It was an awesome combination of so many sweet musical sounds. We loved it.

This picture does not give justice to the ginormous size of those onions and fatty carrots. 

 Those veggies were big even in comparison to this Great Dane!

(This dog is my dream dog, by the way. I nearly squealed when I first saw him,

 I was so excited! okay, maybe I did squeal, and maybe Matt rolled his eyes.)

It's he beeeeautiful?! He's my favorite coloring, and definitely twice as big as I am. 

Matt asked if I was sure I wanted a dog big enough for me to ride. 

YOU BET!

But he'll have to clean up the poo. ;)

 One of the greatest parts about the FM is the free samples. 

This fresh kettle corn and caramel corn was to die for!

Seeing all sorts of home-grown pumpkins got me SO excited for the fall season. It's totally my fave. 

the changing colors, cool breezes, perfect weather, and Halloween and Thanksgiving make me so happy!

I want to get a pumpkin which a huge stem like this. :)

 This is what Matt ate. It was some sort of sausage in a bun with some awesome spices.

 You probably can't tell, but he was in heaven. He finished it before My food was even ready!

 I got my lunch from the neighboring tent. That lady in the front was absolutely adorable. She had a great accent and said the cutest things. She told me I looked very pretty and kept calling me "darlin'".

This is what I ordered. YUM! I only ate half, and the rest (as always) 

was eaten by Matthew, my food disposal.

 While we were eating, we saw this. Isn't he an exciting assortment of prints!?

 We sat near a hoola-hoop area. It was hilarious, clever, and so so cute. 

 Then we heard some chanting, and I wanted to check it out.

The people who created the circle we chanting something while randomly, people would go into the center and flail around - doing cartwheels, and spinning with self-perceived precision of some sort. Every one and a while the people making the circle would clap. At least they were having fun doing whatever it was they were doing. 

We had a lot of fun. Just before this picture, as we were leaving, a man with fruit and a knife stopped us and made us eat a piece of peach, then a nectarine. We felt obligated, of course! I said "mmm", then the man said to Matt that I was having a "tongue-gasm." I probably did, but that's just a little awkward.

Preparations

This time next month, my Matthew will be leaving me for three whole days. I cannot bear the thought. When he first told me, my heart sank. I even teared up a little bit [but lately, I tear up at the slightest thing].

What on earth am I going to do with myself?

I'm trying to plan things to do now to make sure I'm good and busy so I have less time to spend missing him. He's going away for a weekend of training or something with the ROTC. I guess this little weekend will prepare me for the times he has to go away for a month or so during the next few summers.

I think I've figured out what I'm to do, though. :)

1. Call up some Provo friends and see if they want to come spend the weekend or a day with me exploring and shopping.
2. Work on all of my decorating plans that weekend to a) surprise him with a fresh, beautiful home to come home to, and b) be kept reeeeally busy.
3. Buy a bunny and spend the weekend coo-ing over him/her and litter box train him/her.
and the very least fun thing to do
4. Study. o_O

I've been doing some more hunting for ideas on how to decorate. Here's a few more ideas.

Somesing like thiiis...

plus...

this. :)

Maybe. I have some experimentin' to do.

Until the weekend he leaves next month, I will be soaking up and enjoying every last second I can with him... even when he keeps me from sleeping with his shallow, deep, loud breaths in his sleep, and when he leaves 4 pairs of shoes on the floor causing me to almost trip. I lurve him.