Last weekend in Van City... :(

What a bittersweet weekend.

It was a good one though. Jam-packed with lots of fun.

I'd like to sit here and type out a detailed account of the weekend but I just flew home a few hours ago, caught up with my fam, and now am having a few moments to myself to update my blog. And I am POOPED.

So you'll have to forgive me for my lack of eloquence this time around.

Pictures speak so much louder than words anyhow. :)


THURSDAY NIGHT:

Request for a Korean style lettuce wrap dinner -- Success!!!

Brian likes everything. Except the kimchi.

My attempt to contribute. M&M Brownies!!!

Partial success. The M&Ms got burnt but the rest of it was DEEEEElicious!

FRIDAY NIGHT:

BBQ at Paulette and Craig's! Shannon and Doug joined us for a nice evening of food and fellowship!

Paulette shares one of her secret recipes. Not so secret anymore! :)

SATURDAY:

We visit Granville Island to see some Wooden yachts! It was kinda boring...

Then onto girls' night out with Melissa!

We obviously needed a photoshoot.

Natural pose.

Dinner at Earl's! Yummmyyy pastaaaaa.

At Caprice night club!

Was a packed house! Had a blast and too many hilarious moments to list!

SUNDAY:

Started off with a lovely service and communion at the Christ Church Cathedral downtown.




Such a pretty interior. We are to be wed here in a year!



Exhausted after a two hour paddleboard sesh. But happy!

Perfect day at the beach.

Our tired but happy feet. Right before our 5 mile trek home.

I was so sad to have to leave such a pretty city and a loving man but I'm ready to finish this program and get on with my life!

I have a decently hectic week ahead of me: First day of work at the hospital tomorrow, working at CIGNA on Wednesday, clinical orientations on Thursday and Friday. Hospital work on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday! Whew!

I'm going to savor tonight and tomorrow morning for sure!

The Countdown Begins To our Trial Move-in!

It's official. Only 20 days left before I fly to Vancouver and Brian and I embark on our six week trial move-in.

To be perfectly honest, it shouldn't even be counted as a full six weeks since my mother will be out with us for one week and Jennie and Dan will be joining us for a week as well in addition to our time spent with Brian's family at Tie Lake. But we'll take whatever we can get.

I call it our "trial move-in" not because it will ultimately determine any sort of decision but because it will be the longest duration that we will have actually physically spent with each other and it will be a tentative indicator of how life really is with each other outside of the vacation times and Skype sessions.

I know that this may be shocking for most especially since Brian and I are already engaged and have committed the rest of our lives to each other but I've come to accept that life works in mysterious and unconventional ways. You may label us as being naive love-struck kids that are just trying to play house but I can't change the fact that Brian and I are in two different countries. Um yeah. It sucks that the man I love is a million miles away. It sucks that I only see him every other month. It sucks having to explain to people that I'm transcontinentally engaged. And it sucks when I get the raised eyebrows when I explain that I'm moving out there to marry him and be with him after approximately 2 years of dating (Most of which was over skype sessions). But I've learned to accept that people are going to have opinions no matter what the circumstances are. It's not my duty to convince people that yes, I actually have a stable committed relationship with a Canadian on the other side of the country. I love Brian and I'm following my heart. So go ahead and label me under the applicable "reckless young love" categories. We all got one life to live folks and I'm gonna live mine to the fullest, including chasing my hot studly stud of a man to the other side of continent! :)

I'm not saying that we have the perfect relationship; we have the same disagreements that every other couple has and I know that when I finally move out there in approximately nine months (Eeek!) I can expect that there are going to be lots of adjustments and just having to deal with the general pains and labors of getting used to being around someone so much. For myself, I am going to keep an open mind, maintain as much positivity as possible, and most importantly, remember how amazing my fiance is and how lucky of a girl I am to have someone like him in my life. It's all about the love people, all about the love.

I'm making it sound like us moving in together will be nothing but a period of turbulence and disagreements but really, who knows? It might be the greatest thing to have ever happened to me, especially considering the fact that Brian cooks and cleans so well (Tee hee!). I'd have clean clothes and delicious home-cooked meals on the regular. Considering the facts, I might turn out to be one happy geisha.


Okay so here's what the monthly sched looks like so far: It's another busy one!

- This weekend: It's "Our Country Kicked Your King's Ass" weekend here in the states so I'll be attending BBQs left and right! Bring on the grilled hotdogs, potato sack races, and horseshoe tosses!
- Next week: Another round of clinicals, school stuff and then off to a Girls' Weekend at the beach! My bridesmaid Jenn has a beachhouse down near Rehoboth and there will be approximately.... 7 of us? Looking forward to lots of laughter and all-night gossip seshes! It'll be our last summer hurrah before I ship out! :(
- The week of the 11th will be slightly stressful considering I'll be studying for final exams and writing papers and packing for six weeks worth. That Friday I'll hopefully be attending my first ever Polo Game! I'm earning my Yuppie Badge! Woo hoo!
- The week of the 18th: Final exam and fly out to be with my love! :)


Much to look forward to! It's gonna be a summer for the books!

The Perks of Long-Distance Relationships.

The pros of being in a long distance relationship?

There are none.



This is a typical day in the life of an engaged couple living in two separate countries:

7:00 am - I get up to get ready for school. Brian is still sound asleep because it is 4:00 am his time.

7:45 am - I skype Brian and wake him up to say goodbye. He gives a groggy and dazed "Good morning. Have a good day at school. I'll talk to you soon. Love you." and I head to my classes.

8:00 am - 12:00 pm - I am in school doing school stuff. By noon my time, Brian has just begun his workday.

12:00 pm - 3:00 pm - Depending on the day, I will be studying, eating with friends, or going to work. By 3 my time, Brian is heading for his lunch break. If his day is not too busy, he will try giving me a ring. Depending on how busy my current day is, I will or will not pick up.

4:00 pm - 6:00 pm - I will either be ellipticalling or working. This is typically around the time of the day that I will be able to either give Brian a ring or he will try to call me as he is heading back into the office from his lunchbreak. I tell him briefly about my day, what the rest of my evening looks like, and around what time I think we will be able to skype. He tells me how his day is going, when he plans to be home and asks whether or not I can call him back from my house phone since this phone call is being made on his company cell and is costing them long-distance buckaroos.

6:00 pm - 9:00 pm - I look over schoolwork for the next day, go to a school-related field experience, or just take it easy. It really depends on the day. Tonight for example, I am going to an AA meeting with Katie and Anneliese at 8. Fun. Should be home by 9:30 pm which is when Brian gets home.

9:00 pm - 11:00 pm - Skype session with Brian. He gets home, cooks dinner, and eats it on cam while I recap my day. I hate that he eats at this time because I have already eaten dinner around 6ish or 7ish and then I have to watch Brian cook some pasta and eat it in front of me which arouses my previously content and satiated appetite. He tells me about his day and what tomorrow looks like and then we usually share interesting articles or youtube videos that we've come across. Sometimes, we "watch movies together" by streaming videos in sync.

11:00 pm - We are still on skype. I get ready for bed. It's only 8:00 pm for Brian so he'll begin his workout. As I get into bed, I apologize beforehand just in case I accidentally fall asleep on him and if I do, I wish him good night. Brian reassures me that he doesn't mind and that just in case I do fall asleep on him, he wishes me good night.

11:20 pm - I usually fall asleep on him.

2:30 am - Brian goes to bed.


The end. Yes. Really glamorous. But we make it work. Do I recommend long distance relationships? No way, Jose. Not unless you're willing to put a lot of tears and pain and lonely nights into it and tons of money into flights. Brian and I do pretty well with seeing each other frequently. Either he or I will fly out to see one another approximately every other month. But geez is it expensive. It also helps that both Brian and I keep pretty busy. I have an insane school schedule along with work and Brian just started a new job so he's kept busy with learning all the new tricks of his trade. It definitely makes time go by fast. And our time together that much sweeter.

We will see each other in 30 days. :)