Leap Year

A large part of my heritage is Irish.  I think the Irish have one of the best traditions on Leap Year:

"According to the legend, St. Brigid of Kildare, a fifth-century Irish nun, had heard enough complaints from single women whose suitors were too shy to propose. So, she spoke to St. Patrick about the problem, and they agreed to let women propose on Leap Day, once every four years."

I thought I was being cute and innovative when I woke up this morning and asked the boyfriend if he wanted to marry me.  His response, "My mom actually asked me if you were going to propose today."  Ok, so his family is Irish as well and I surprised no one with that question.  But then, that surprised me.

So I had to ask him if he thought we were rushing into things.  He reminded me we hadn't rushed into anything yet and he believes feelings "can't be rushed."  What other great words of wisdom are out there?  "When you know, you know."  My hang up is I thought I knew in the past, and I was wrong.  "So, my ex didn't love me.  Shit happens."  I can sit here and think about how I should approach this relationship, put a time frame on it, develop all these rules... but why?  To protect myself?  Too late, I already said it out loud.

He Snores

I approached this relationship like all the others.  I tried to push him away at first.  I barely made time to hang out.  I took things incredibly slow.  Six months later... I can honestly say I have never felt this way.  We have had two arguments, one after the Broncos lost to the Patriots and one when he had a bad day.  We laugh about them now.  I asked him to go to Vietnam with me to meet an old friend from Dallas, without hesitating he said yes.  My friends love him.  He has ran with me, cooked with me, detoxed with me, taught me how to snowboard, booked trips... I adore him.  I love him.

He snores. 

Not only does he snore, he makes weird noises and talks in his sleep.  Usually when my alarm goes off I am not the happiest that he kept me up, but when I stop to think about it, I think it is kind of funny.  The other day he asked me at about 5am if I had his computer ready... always something.  :-)  I love that he is next to me, I am thankful I can hear him.

I recently lost a good friend from high school, he died in his sleep.  He left behind a 3 year old son and a wife that was 39 weeks pregnant.  It hit me.  Not friends.  I am not old enough for my friends to just die in their sleep... what is fair in this situation?  We were really close in high school, but lost touch after that... being in the great place that I am, I wanted to reconnect.  Timing never worked out, and I still have the last email he ever sent me:

I won't be able to make it tonight! Ill make it up to you though! I was really looking forward to catching up with you, like I said I would love to catch up, now that your in co. Ill take you to a bronco or rockies game if your interested! Sorry! I would really like you to meet my family and catch up with you!

I was reminded that I have all the time in the world, until I don't.

Sean took me to my first Bronco game... it was against the Raiders, the year the Broncos won their second Super Bowl... Elway went out for a pass from Rod Smith.  Sean was next to me.  That is how I will always remember him. 

I look forward to listening to the boyfriend snore all night...


They have set up a fund to raise money for Sean's children, you can donate to the Sean McKenner Children's Fund at any Wells Fargo Bank.

Happy Valentine's Day

That holiday that has turned into something we hate.  It seems that Valentine's Day is set up by corporate America to get us to buy stuff, to make us feel alone or take something as simple as love and complicate it.  I have really enjoyed my last few Valentine's Days alone... 2010 was spent in the snow in Dallas with some great girlfriends.  Last year was with a new friend and her mom eating Pho and ice cream.  This year I won't be surrounded by amazing girlfriends.  I have finally found what we think about on Valentine's Day.

This doesn't make me any less grateful for the amazing women that have come in and out of my life.  Who are there when the guy in my life has left. If I haven't personally told you lately, I love all my friends... and I would not be in such a great place today if it wasn't for each one of you.  Thank you and Happy Valentine's Day.

Growing Up

Sometimes, if I just stop, I can picture my first childhood home.  I can picture Kelly, who lived down the street.  We were inseparable.  She was my best friend and she was always going to be my best friend, until her family moved.

Just after Kelly moved, a new family moved in next door.  Steve was my new best friend.  We would ride bikes all over the neighborhood.  We would usually make it over to the steepest hill in the world where the trek up was worth it for the ride down.  We were best friends and he was always going to be my best friend.  Then I moved.

This story continued in loop for the next 24 years and it is still looping.  Sometimes friends from my past will loop back into the present, or I might see them in the future, but the story stays the same.  There is a time after every loop out of my life that I get sad.  I hate to see people that mean something to me at some point go.  I hate when I loop out of their life.  I am human and I am not always going to do things the way others woud prefer.  I guess I just hold on to the idea that it is not malicious and wait for them to loop back into my life in the future... and we can pick up right where we left off.  If not, just smile and thank them for the friendship that will always mean something good to me.

Just a Reminder

With all they events that took place over the last year, I want to write pages about those friends that I have loved and lost... but this says it all (from a true friend).

Booked

Here I go again.  In a matter of 48 hours I managed to book plane tickets to Hanoi, Vietnam, New York City and buy tickets to see the Black Keys and Snow Patrol... and while I was at it I got Colorado Rockies tickets to the home opener and firework game for the Fourth of July.  How else can you spend over $2000 in two days... it felt like old times.  I have always wanted to go to Vietnam.  I have a friend that is currently traveling the world and before he left I told him I would meet him in Vietnam.  Why do I want to go to Vietnam?  Wait until I show you the pictures.  My boyfriend will be by my side for all these adventures.  He is for sure a "why not" kind of guy... which I love... and I guess it might get us into a little trouble... but isn't that just living life?

I met an old coworker for a going away dinner the other night.  Her journey was taking her to Australia for two years to work and live.  We are both over 30, not married and we travel, a ton.  We talked about our lacking savings accounts and other things we could be saving money to do... but at the end we decided, why?  Why not just go now?  It may mean I will be working until I am 70, but in all honesty I could die tomorrow.  I am meeting with a financial advisor tomorrow, if the Blizzard of 2012 doesn't prevent me from getting there... I guess I am looking for a third party to tell me I am doing ok, that I am living life and that a huge bank account is not necessary...

Well, I guess I will have to think about the savings account I should have, the house I should own and the husband and kids that should be in my life on my 24 hour flight to Hanoi with a new travel partner by my side.