The second half of 2010 until MLK weekend of 2011 were tough times for Kevin and I for reasons beyond our control. I'll refrain from going into detail, but needless to say we made it and are now all the stronger for having come through that rough patch still together and committed to one another. After MLK weekend of 2011, things started to look up, but we were far from being in the clear.
Since September 2011 the following things have happened:
1. Kevin applied for and was offered a fantastic job in Redwood City, CA working with an internet company. We thought it was a long shot when he first applied, but then the application led to a phone interview. Then an in-person interview. Then, the night of call-backs for the fall musical at school, as I sat in the theater wrangling through the complexities casting with the drama and dance teachers, I got the following text: "Got the offer and it's good. We're going to CA!" My heart leaped, danced, and did this weird twitchy sort of thing all at the same time, or so it felt. This job was potentially the answer to so much, including my prayers. It was a huge wash of relief. Then came the wave of excitement with the thought of switching Bay areas, from Chesapeake to San Francisco, which just screamed, "Adventure!" But wait… I was just getting the hang of the whole Baltimore scene - we had our favorite places, our social circles. Just pick up and leave? Across the country? And what about my job… I have a good job and the thought that I had just potentially cast my last show really struck hard. On the one hand, it was totally crazy. On the other hand, it would have been flat-out insane to turn down. Bittersweet as it may have been. We knew he had to go. Hard as it was, it was exactly what we needed to have happen.
2. No CA for me right away as I still had to finish out the school year. I wasn't sure if I was heading out to CA in the fall of 2012 at this point or not. There was so much still up in the air. So, the moving process began. Boxes, bubble wrap, and piles of things to charity all started to file in and out of Kevin's house. Meanwhile, I was trying to plan a going away party worthy of such a tremendous occasion.
3. The proposal: Kevin proposed at his bon voyage party on Oct 22nd (SQUEEEEEE! He is amazing and the whole evening was perfect!) So many friends and family were there, so it was an instant engagement party! Yes, he had talked to mom - he's a smart one. :) And I thought things had been exciting and life changing before! Now, there was a wedding to plan!!!! Oh yeah… and that sort of finalized this being my last year at my school. Again, twinge of sadness amidst the abundance of joy we were all feeling.
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| I was giving a toast when the Kevin surprised me! I'm holding a digital frame from everyone as a going away present. Guess he showed me up on the gift giving for the evening! |
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| I give this engagement a big thumbs up! |
3. I turned 31 a week later (God, that's just still so unreal to write. 31. I feel like I should be so much more of an adult than I am now.)
4. Kevin flew to CA the next day.... I didn't see him again until March 16. Four and a half months. Why? Flights are freggin' expensive and with a wedding, move, and other unfortunate "life" expenses we knew we had to make tough decisions. This was one of them. Hey, we're trying to be adults here. It's not easy.
...Meanwhile... The fall musical had a successful run and I was still reeling with the thought of it being my last show at this school. Thanksgiving came and went and, mom by my side, I bought my wedding dress and settled on a reception venue. The huge Christmas program at school happened and while I knew it was my last, very few others did. It was weird. Christmas was festive and 2012 rang in but holidays didn't feel the same with Kevin on the other side of the country. Singing Valentines in February came around. (I had my a cappella ensemble serenade Kevin over the phone with "Never Gonna Give You Up." Yup, that's right, we Rick Rolled him.) Then finally FINALLY February ended and it was March. I had been waiting to flip my desk calendar to March since Oct 31st when Kevin left.
5. SPRING BREAK! It was surreal flying out to CA, counting down not months, weeks, or days but mere hours, minutes, seconds, and footsteps left until we were finally together again. Delta decided to toy with my emotions and cut my short layover of 25mins to a mere 10mins due to a flight delay. Luckily, Tony Horton and P90x had helped me get into good enough shape to literally run through the Minneapolis airport (gate F5 to Gfreggin'22 thankyouverymuch) and arrive as they were calling for final boarding. If those doors had closed with me not on the plane it would have been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad night for everyone working in that concourse. Trust me.
6. Over break we: Found an apartment to call home, did the necessary prenuptial preparations, visited his work where he got to show off his swanky fancy-pants Silicone Valley office, complete with brainstorming areas, brightly colored walls, and conference rooms named wacky things like "Happy Doughnuts." (No joke, there really is one named that!) Then it was off to do more wedding prep stuff, register, and the go gallivanting around San Francisco for a evening. I had a job fair and we decided to have a night out on the town and let me just say, the Tonga Room tiki lounge is something to behold! Top things off with dinner with my cousin and his wife who live in San Fran, and then on the plane and back to B'more with me.
7. The very next weekend, off to a good friend's wedding in NC! No rest for the weary.
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| Yay weddings! We all used to work together in VA so it was awesome to celebrate together again now that we're all in different schools in different states. |
8. Mom came in just after that for Easter and while she was in town we: finalized the centerpieces, did the tasting with the caterer, bought wedding shoes and a rehearsal dinner outfit, saw my dress in person and bought a veil, and had both a "virtual" bridal shower and an actual wedding shower hosted by a dear friend and colleague of mine. (Yes, you read that correctly - a "virtual" bridal shower. I'll explain later.)
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| Furiously trying to figure out the wedding themed word scramble! At least I got "Erin," "Kevin," and "Moore." |
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| Wanda is awesome! She and her daughter-in-law threw a beautiful shower for me and I am so grateful to them both. |
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| I love this picture of my mom! |
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| And I love this picture of my future mom-in-law! |
9. Mom left and now it's time to start packing up my apartment… the boxes are everywhere, I've already taken piles to donation centers, and my walls are becoming bare. Surprisingly, Zeke, stalwart bulldog that he is, doesn't always handle change well. His naturally wrinkly moosh-face has a few extra worry lines with all the activity going on. He has no idea what's in store still...
10. My final concert at school is this week. I'm still trying to put a finger on exactly how I feel about that. It's a big mix of things for sure.
So, that brings us up to the present. And I'm exhausted and stressed just thinking about everything we've done and then everything still yet to do. Hence, this blog. If you stuck with me through all that recap, mad props to you. You're a brave soul. Or just bored on what, in Baltimore at least, is a cold, rainy Sunday. I'm told they don't have many of those in CA. Cold, rainy days that is - I imagine there are still an equal number of Sundays out there as there are here. But, CA seems to sort of play by its own rules, so then again, maybe not. I think I'm going to like it out there. I just have to pack up the rest of my life in Baltimore, finish the school year, get married, and drive across the country before I finally get to fully realize that for myself. You know, NBD.
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