A Lot.

A lot has happened since my last post, so let me catch you up quickly.

• The new patio had been christened with a proper barbecue.

Completely casual.

• Mike and I got to take his mom out to dinner for her birthday in Silver Spring. Although it was her birthday, Leslie brought me my very first "auntie gifts"! :) They included "Where the Wild Things Are" and "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom", books to read to my nephew after he's born. They were also Mike's favorite books growing up. We also had an amazing dinner at Scion in Silver Spring, possibly one of my best dinner experiences in DC area thus far (although nothing will top Ben's Next Door after the MuteMath concert last Spring). I was too busy eating to take pictures, but this is what we ordered: Leslie got the Lobster Reuben, Mike got the Lobster Mac and Cheese, and I ordered the Spring Risotto with scallops. We each shared the key lime pie and white wine as well. We all shared each other's entrees, of course, and I was seriously wowed with how good everything was. The best part: Mike had sneakily told our waitress mid-dinner that it was his mom's birthday and so our dessert was officially birthday pie.

With the Key Lime Pie.

• My sorority Little got engaged. No less than a couple of weeks ago we were at Hill Country BBQ talking about her and her guy and I couldn't be more excited for her!! She called me right after and all I could say was "I'm so excited, this feels like Christmas."

• Sarah and Joe got married. Skebes and I both worked at the Rec and were in graduate school at the same time. The wedding was awesome (although it took us THREE HOURS to get to Fredericksburg from DC) and it was the best kind of reunion with some of my rec family. I also got to reunite with Megan and Lauren in Fredericksburg right before the wedding.

The catering company. Good sign.

I found us! "Michael James" because I think I forgot to RSVP his last name and that is what's on facebook. Hahaha<3

I told Mike this was a tardis.
His response: "Not every blue telephone box is a tardis." My response: I know Sarah better than you.

I had to take a picture of Mike anxiously anticipating the barbecue.

The bride and groom!

Our happy little table.

Cake!!! Fun fact: Sarah made all of the cakes herself.

The group!

• Unfortunately, part of the 'a lot' that has happened, includes Mike hearing back from JAG that, at this point, they are not accepting the medical waiver that he needed to proceed with the commissioning process. My initial instincts for how to react to this may have been immature: to boycott the NAVY, to stop wearing anything nautical, to paint my nails black, or to somehow convince Liam Neeson to give a speech (on Youtube, something that would go viral) that would make the Navy reconsider their decision. 

ALTHOUGH I HATE TO ADMIT IT, the person who has provided me with the most perspective surrounding this situation has been...umm, Mike. Geez. If anyone deserved to wrestle with some bitterness after this process, it would be him. And instead, here I am learning lessons from the person that I'm trying to be there for. Oh, this kid. 

Because I don't have any brilliant words to make things better, I did what I could. What I could do was bring home takeout from Good Stuff complete with a toasted marshmallow milkshake. Let me tell you, after sharing a toasted marshmallow milkshake, I find it a little easier to focus on the sweet in life over the bitter.

Good Stuff Eateryto the rescue