Skills I've Learned Since MJ Left

Does anyone else feel overflowing with love and peace around Thanksgiving or just me? Maybe it's because it's the start of the holiday season or the fact that there truly is power in gratitude, but I've been feeling extra thankful. I've also felt a heightened awareness of all of the hurt going on in the world, and am seeking out opportunities to GIVE during this season.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to learn some new skills since MJ left:

• Light candles using matches (haven't had to do this since HS Chem and it still scares me!)
• Take Out the Trash
• Cook For One  Eat for Two
• Insert a gif into an email
• How to get Ashton to stop crying (I'm really proud of this one considering how many diapers I've changed)
• Reaching out to others for help (One of the hardest parts of having MJ gone is not having my best friend there to constantly vent to/help me make decisions/help me wedding plan, but I've learned to reach out to other friends and family and to ask for help when I need it)
• To navigate the free weight area of the gym (Since it got cold out, I've wanted to mix up my fitness routine from bodypump+running outside >>> indoor cardio+ weightlifting...it's been a fun new challenge since I feel like I have some more time)

Now on to pictures!

Loose leaf tea present from Michael James! He has had special presents delivered to me since he's been gone with help from Amazon and an accomplice that I'm pretty sure is our new roommate, Josh.

Official!

Khakis! 

Rupe loves our new Christmas tree.

Maybe too much.

I had to get a Mr.&Mrs. ornament!

And of course the Charlie Brown tree!

With his "insignias".

Give thanks.

Auntie and Ashton.

Me, Courtney, sleepy Ashton.

The Return of Hipster Mike!

Mike has sent me some pictures during his extremely minimal Navy downtime, but they are proof that things are getting real!!

SUPER REAL. I told Mike I liked his hipster beanie. Also, I taught him how to make that face.

I bought us stockings! 

The bed Mike will have to make every day. I'm grateful to the Navy for reinforcing this habit:)

My beautiful Mother-in-Law and I + my Future Mrs. Johnson sash that Julia got me! (complete with anchors)

Little charmer<3

Being Seen

“There's nothing more daring than showing up, putting ourselves out there and letting ourselves be seen.” - Brené Brown

This past weekend, I got to hang out with some of my closest girl friends from high school and college. These are girls who have seen me in some of my best and worst moments, who still see some of those worst moments, and who love and accept me regardless. I hate being the center of attention. I don't like opening presents in front of other people. I don't like feeling exposed. However, that's exactly what love is. It's showing up and letting ourselves be seen. It's being brave enough to let our defenses down, to be imperfect and vulnerable with each other, and embracing that. 

I know how deep Mike's love is for me because in the past (almost) 3 years, he has seen every kind of Kels there is, and he has committed to embracing every aspect of her, no matter where she is in her evolution. Love is a commitment, and I see that commitment reflected in my closest friendships and in my own family. I can't tell you how healing it is to be seen and loved....I only hope to return to the favor in the future, but I have really great role models for it.

While Mike is at ODS, I plan to share more of my first experiences of what it feels like to be a significant other to someone in the military. I also hope to share pictures that Mike shares with me while at ODS (when he can). And then I'm just going to share my adventures in wedding planning and holiday merriment. But instead of hiding my vulnerabilities during this time, I'm going to let them be seen:)

“As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” ~Marianne Williamson

It's Mike's Last Week!

It's Tuesday of Mike's last week at home before ODS. Typing it makes it a little more real. He leaves this Saturday which also happens to be the day of my girls' brunch that Kelly is throwing for me. So I'm glad we scheduled that perfectly. I'll be so happy to see some out-of-town friends and to partake in bottomless brunching that I may forget that I won't see Mike again until 2 days before we get married. #itseemedlikeanokayideaatthetime Truth be told, I think it will make the wedding even more special and I tell Mike that I'm excited to take over his desk when he leaves and to keep everything super clean and to have pinterest crafting parties judgment-free:) I will miss that guy, though. Here are some pictures of our adventures over the past couple of weeks.

Jenny's Halloween Party. Check out the spread! No one can out-Pinterest Jenny and her mom.

Hahahha. Mike will hate me for this. The time I tried to convince Mike that we should dress up as Anna and Elsa for Halloween. #imadeitweird

What we actually were for Halloween: Elmo and Cookie Monster. We basically stole these hats from Kelly and Alex and got way more compliment on our "costumes" from strangers than was expected. I guess people love Sesame Street,

My first Woodberry Forest production. Wow, the things GGSS could do with their budget. I'm hoping I convinced the department director to do Newsies in the Spring! #perfectforallboysschool

Then we went home to Ashton's birthday party and Mike helped me mom set up her own Netflix profile. #mikeexplainsthetechnologies

Beautiful fall run with plenty of leaf confetti. #stayawaywinter

The Last Bison concert at Jammin Java. They have a legit menu and I'd love to go back!

A little blurry, but cute photo of Mike and Ashton on his first birthday:)

Ashton and I when I went home for Lauren's engagement party.

This week, Mike and I are planning on fitting in lots of time together before he leaves. We see "As You Like It" tonight along with Josh at Shakespeare Theater Company. We are watching The Santa Clause on Thursday with Absi because we MUST watch it together before he leaves. We watched our last Walking Dead and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and Doctor Who episodes together (ahhhhhhhhh tearssss). Mike's mom is coming up to visit on Friday/Saturday and we're having an early Christmas together (since Mike is spending Christmas with my family this year). And we are continuing to go to BODYPUMP/running until he leaves. I joke that our regular BODYPUMP instructors will probably think Mike and I broke up since we always go to class together. 

ALSO: I'm going to keep blogging here (I think) until Mike gets back, but our new blog is going to be at kelsandmike.blogspot.com (domain jackpot) and we both decided on the name "Hold Tight and Pretend It's a Plan" which is one of our favorite sayings from Doctor Who and also feels like the theme of this season of our lives.