525,600 Minutes

While individually some days this year have dragged (as is expected) as a whole the past 365 days have flown by. For me it has been a year of change and a year of transition. But best of all it has been a whole year with Bryan. I honestly don't know if I would have made it through the last year without this kid. This picture is a two of us this past weekend at the Big House as we watched Ohio State put up a valiant effort against M!ch!g@n. The OSU/UM game is where it all began, and hopefully this is the 2nd of countless football games we will watch featuring the best rivalry in college football.

A little background on Bryan and I. We met in May of 2010 at USNA's Ring Dance [Ring Dance = Prom for adults almost adults]. I had gone flown out to go to Ring Dance with a friend from my hometown. Bryan had a "mishap" with his date for the night, and ended up joining the group I was with for dinner/the dance/and our after party at the house we were renting. Bryan and I happened to get along wonderfully, and kept in touch. 

[The First Picture of Bry and I in existence. He's top left and I'm bottom right]

Bryan and I continued to talk almost daily for months. Some days it was just a single text or Facebook message, and other days we would spend hours chatting about everything and anything. Come middle of that summer Bry happened to be in Chicago at the same time I was and we met up again to catch up. He was just as goofy and adorable as I remembered. The constant communication continued until that fateful November day...

Unfortunately for him, Bryan somehow grew up a M!ch!g@n fan. He had always wanted to attend an OSU/UM game, and the two of us scoured Craig's List until we found a reasonably priced ticket. Insert M!ch!g@n weekend 2010 were the two of us actually started dating. It was amazing how it seemed like we had known each other forever after only a few short meetings. 

[Ohio Stadium, November 2010]

Now here we are 2 countries. 10 states. 28 plane rides. and 365 days later. I couldn't be happier waiting to see where the next 365 days take me with my favorite man.

[Sorry that lasted forever!]

Amy

Insomnia

As per usual, I spend an entire day thinking about how incredibly tired I am, but when bedtime comes I find it nearly impossible to get to bed. I am sure that I am not the only one who has this problem, it's like my mind is running a million miles a minute and won't settle down for some sleep.

This summer has been possibly the busiest one of my 20-something years thus far. I'm spending four days a week as a teacher's assistant in an extended school year program for autistic preschoolers. My kids are WONDERFUL, but incredibly exhausting. I come home with the best stories anyone could ask for, no one is more unpredictable than a four year old. After preschool I spend my days finishing up some of my gen-ed requirements for school. This summer has been a blur of Economics, History, preschoolers and pizza. Pizza you say? Well yes, in my spare time I moonlight as a waitress at a Chicago-style pizza place in my hometown.

Needless to say, I have had a pretty busy past month and a half. However; with that being said, this school is wrapping up for the summer. And that means I get to head down to visit the boyfriend soon enough. I cannot wait!

Boyfriend Bryan is a recent college grad currently serving in the US Navy. He just moved South for flight school, and I could not be more excited to go down and visit his new "big boy" house. Bryan and his college roommate are renting a place, but I have the horrible feeling it could all use a little sprucing up.

The two of us at Bryan's graduation. Have I mentioned he's close to perfect? He picked out that Lilly dress I'm wearing.

Moral of the story?

5 shifts with pizza

4 days of class

3 preschool classes

2 quizzes

1 weekend

Then south I go! 

The best part of all of this is that my older sister and her husband are headed to a wedding about an hour away from boyfriend, so I get to see them as well. The two of them are stationed out in the middle of the Pacific, so anytime I get to spend with them is time I look forward to [Have I mentioned sometimes I feel like I'm the only person in my life not in the military?] 

Despite the age difference my sister is my twin, and I'm excited for the shenanigans the four of us will have. Seems too far away. 

Cait and I with our third fake sister a few years back.

Well, goodnight for real my little bloggers. Hope to at least get a few hours of shut-eye in before the chit'lins. 

Questions to leave you with: How do you combat insomnia? Any advice for a brand new blogger? Anyone else have family or significant others in the military?