Update on Personal Life

First, I want to wish everyone that is in Charleston at the NGS conference fun times! I wish I could be there. I originally planned to go, since I only live four hours away, but it just doesn't seem to be in the cards for me this year.

On a happier note, the main reason I'm not going is because I am getting MARRIED this summer on July 23. Yes, it is for real this time. After much counseling, a renewed relationship, a move across the country, an engagement ring lost in the Atlantic Ocean, the acquisition of two furry children, and 6 1/2 years, it is about time! Funny how things work out. I was so devastated in the summer of 2009 when my fiance called off the wedding. Now, I couldn't imagine any other wedding or any other marriage. I'm so glad we didn't get married then. We are both in much better places emotionally and spiritually, and we communicate so much better now. I even remember at one point him saying that maybe we could get married in the summer of 2011. I laughed at him and said, "What? Are you crazy? It has already been 5 years. We've already seen at least 3 of our friends get engaged after us and get married before us. I'm not waiting that long for you. If we're not married by then, we're not getting married." Again, funny how things work out. Sometimes I guess that God has other plans for us. He even threw in a cross-country move for giggles.

So, I'm sad to miss the conference, but I'm happy to be marrying my best friend. Even better, he is coming in this weekend, and I would choose him over a genealogy conference any day (you won't catch me saying that about many things). He stayed behind in Louisiana and didn't make the move with me, so this long distance thing has been kind of rough. Another reason I can't wait until the wedding. I will be so happy to be in the same city again. As much fun as it has been exploring a new place, happiness is really about who you are with and not where you are. A wise friend I worked with at Walgreens told me that once, and it's one of the most true statements I've ever heard. I think that's why our ancestors mostly seem to travel to new places in packs with friends and family.

Anyhow, I look forward to the blog posts from the conference. Maybe I will make it to the FGS conference in Illinois!

This is when we had been dating only 3 months. Gosh, we were young.
For you genea-peeps, that is my mom to the right, my sister at the stove, and my little cousin with her arms flailing. That is my grandmother's kitchen during our annual Christmas dinner. We had our Christmas early that year because my aunt and cousin were visiting from Michigan.