The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

ZOMG!!  This is really happening!   I mean, no, I am not blogging from the airport terminal awaiting to board a cramped, smelly, discount airliner that charged for me to select the back row middle seat, flush the toilet, and wear more than 3 articles of clothing, but it is right around the corner.  When planning such a big trip over a period of months or years, it starts to feel like all you do is talk about it and you never really get around to doing it.  The questions become monotonous, and frankly, annoying, but you deal with it because eventually the time in airport terminal does come, and before you know it, you just changed your life.  And now that I have been done with work for 3 weeks and living in my parents' guest room for 2 weeks, it's starting to seem real.  Really real.  Really awesome and really real.

A lot has happened since the last post.  As mentioned, I did quit my job.  I was having some serious senioritis the last couple weeks, but at the same time I was sad to leave.  Lots of goodbyes to my patients and coworkers and friends.  It was hard the first week - I actually wanted to get up and go to work.  But now it's easier, the stress of quitting is dissipating quite nicely, and again the excitement builds.

With out a doubt the most exciting thing that has happened is my recent engagement!  I am completely over the moon to have become engaged!  I didn't know it would feel any different from just dating and living together, but it is so much better than I imagined.  I am loving every day with Brandt and am so grateful for how he entered my life and made it even more incredible than it was.  Because we are leaving in February and returning in 2 to 50 years, we decided the best thing for us is to get married during our journey.  Now we get to have an intimate beach wedding with our families and closest friends in Mexico in the late spring, and then honeymoon around the world.  How thrilling!

Also, we have decided to leave in mid-February and first travel to Utila, one of the Honduran Bay Islands, and dive for 6-8 weeks working towards our rescue dive and divemaster certifications.  From there we will travel around Central America until we need to be in Mexico for our wedding.  I cannot think of a more awesome way to start our travels!  Anyone want to place bets on how many dives until we see our first whale shark?!  ZOMG, WHALE SHARK!!