Hi guys - it’s been a while since the last post. The site has gone through a hopefully nicer, simpler redesign (though no one except Aaron Coffey and a handful of others saw the first one).

Things have been going pretty well on my end. I think Suzi’s been doing well, wrapping up school and going through her last assignments. This wedding planning thing really is stressful, and I readily admit I’ve been of almost no help. I really have no idea what’s going on. But hopefully things will change a little this weekend.

I’m in Tulsa for the weekend (just flew in today) for a bunch of wedding preparations. We’ll be doing engagement pictures, registries, wedding bands, etc. Suzi’s bridal shower is even this weekend! We’ll be driving all over (Arkansas, Norman) and I’ll get to enjoy my birthday this Saturday zapping items from Bed, Bath, and Beyond (and, of course, I’m most excited for that Beyond section). We’ll also get to go to our first wedding together (as if that is a milestone) - one of my church friends, Chance Hawkins, is getting married tomorrow.

Things have been pretty all right though. Work has been going well - I’ve been given more responsibility over the past few weeks, though, which means that I get more stressed out. I kinda counteract that with rock climbing - I got a bouldering membership to the Seattle Bouldering Project, so I’ve been going in the mornings before work. But I’m a bit more out of it when it comes to continuing to develop and establish relationships.

Church life has still been flourishing though, and I think my welcoming into a church has made the transition to a new city so smooth/manageable. I’ve connected with a bunch of guys, bonding over food, late nights playing games, and weekend afternoons playing flag football and basketball. It’s been great to see people begin to talk about how they will include Suzi as well - how they can’t wait to meet her, how she can be integrated into the community, how we could even have a Bible study for married couples! Things have been good in that regard.

Other than that, I can’t wait for Suzi to get here and for us to be able to spend time together. I can’t wait for the trips to IKEA to fill the empty condo (I’m hoping for a long, dark wood dining table) and for the legitimate meals (I’m terrible at exerting the energy to cook for myself… and I think I’m painting a pretty bad picture of myself right now). Most of all, I just can’t wait for Suzi to be there with me. While we’ve been able to make a long distance relationship work over the past few months… I think things will be pretty ideal to finally be together, wholly, completely.