4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st.

amanda and nephi came into town.

mei's sister and two nephews came into town as well.

got my iphone that my little fiance bought me. (what did yours buy you? ;)

worked my last day for two weeks.

forced kalie to help me pick out engagement picture outfits.

christmas eve i picked jon up from the airport <33333

then we went and took family pictures. he was in our family pictures!

we had a big ol' dinner party on christmas eve.

poor katie got sicksicksick that night.

we had 14 people stay at our house christmas eve night.

katie slept in my twin bed. we brought another twin mattress up from the basement and put it on the floor in my room for sam and the baby to sleep on, and robbie slept on the floor. all in my little 12x12 room.

jon and i went to midnight mass but had to leave early because we couldnt stop laughing. yes, we're five.

we came home and he slept on the floor on one side of the bed and nephi slept on the floor on the other side of the bed. me, amanda, and lizzie all slept in lizzie's queen sized bed.

it was such a fun night.

then we had christmas the next morning! i should have different posts for these with pictures.

and the next day the talented Kylie Nixon took Jon and my engagement photos. we've gotten a few back and they look amazing!

the rest of the time has been a huge ball of fun.

being engaged is so fun.

we've got rings on our fingers, we're on the same phone plan, and he's in our professional family photo. we're pretty much married already.

there's just oneee thinggg missiingg...but i can't really put my finger on it.

on the 5th day of christmas...

Lizzie and I went to the tree lot and bought a 44 dollar tree

for 30 dollars.

But there was no price on the tree, so how would we know?? :)

and it is perfect.

on the 6th day of christmas.

we gathered most of our addresses along with our guest list.

and had

a day/night filled with family.

on the 7th day of christmas.

my best gf gave to me...

a new head of hair.

i'll spare you the details of the hair-ball kalie extracted from the shower drain.

my little fiance gave to me...

a stressful few hours of over the phone shopping. UGH!

my father gave to me...

a day full of house shopping.

luckily, he was too worn out to be grouchy anymore.

on the 8th day of christmas...

my best friend gave to me...

a reason...

to be domestic...
and to conduct my first bridal shower.

love her.

on the 9th day of christmas.*

my true love gave to me-

a pep talk while i was sobbing.

*i'm copying. and not apologizing for it.

USMC Fiancé.

i am such a fan of these.

it explains how things are better than i can.

and yes, the ending is pretty cheesey.

You think you know me, but you haven't the slightest clue.

I'm the brunette standing behind you in line at the grocery store, eyeing the newest "Support Our Troops" magnet while paging through the latest issue of Modern Bride. The look on her face is complacent and her thoughts are thousands of miles away on some military base she's only been verbally described of over the phone.

I'm the young girl in the next car with the windows rolled up and the glassy visage only on the road ahead. The radio is set to one of the local country stations which is currently playing "Letters From Home." But you can't hear it because you're talking to a family member or a friend on your cell phone. You catch a glance at the Marines sticker on the bumper of her car but you don't know that when the song reaches "My dearest love it's almost dawn, I've been laying here all night long, wondering where you might be...", her heart breaks a thousand times.

I'm the young woman who is planning an entire wedding on her own, with only the little input she can get from her husband-to-be over the phone.

I'm the girl who visits the Marine Corps Wives website at odd hours of the night to find some kind of comfort for that lonesome feeling that has settled in the pit of her stomach.

I'm the woman who has fought an inner battle, trying to accept the path the man she loves has chosen. I'm the woman who will willingly sacrifice her family, her home to follow a man clear across the country. I'm the woman who never asked for this but deals with it without complaint.

I'm the young woman who swells with pride every time she sees her Marine standing tall in his dress blues. I'm the one who spots a Marine sticker, license plate, or flag and feels a connection with its owner, hoping that maybe she's not alone in this melancholy, sacrificial situation.

I'm the one who hates war but knows that it's a necessary thing. I'm the one who supports her President, regardless of her own opinion because he is the boss of her soon to be husband, because he's the man who our troops are fighting under.

I am the young woman who tries her hardest to go about her everyday life.

I am the young woman who tries to concentrate during her classes and do the job she gets paid to do.

I am the young woman who hates sleeping alone.

I am the young woman who closes her eyes and pretends that the man she loves is laying right there next to her, his arms wrapped around her.

I am the young woman who tries not to miss him, who tries not to cry whenever she hears his name or even the mention of marines.

I am the woman who is terrified that the love of her life will be sent off to war, disabling them to get married when they had planned, hoped, and prayed.

I am many things.

A daughter.

A sister.

A cousin.

A niece.

A co-worker.

A friend.

But most importantly, I am the fiancé of a United States Marine.