You know it's true love...

Bill and I often joke around about how you know when there's true love in your relationship. Neither of us are overly romantic (anyone watch the recent episode of "Whitney" where they try creeping each other out with totally gushy comments and actions? Yeah, that's us.) While little romantic gestures are great, here's my idea of "true love":

Top 10 List: You Know It's True Love When...

1. You get sent random flowers - just because.
2. Your boyfriend meets your parents for the first time - along with 20 other extended family members at the same time.
3. You're driven to the ER in the middle of a softball game that said boyfriend was playing in, or at 6AM when he's still on west coast time.
4. You ask your boyfriend what, if anything, he'd like to change in your relationship. And his reply is, "I'd like to try living together."
5. You're sent random puppy videos - just because he knows you like them. Even if the videos were accidentally sent to his co-worker first and they question them.
6. Your boyfriend watches you get a shot of intravenous medication in your @ss while in the ER and doesn't cringe. Not only that, but he knows when to hold your hair as you vomit in a trash can.
7. Your boyfriend takes the dog for his morning walk because he knows you like to sleep in. AND he returns with your favorite coffee, perfectly flavored.
8. You're told that you look your best when you're wearing leggings and a hoodie.
9. A portion of Christmas Day will be spent on an Amtrak train together to see both families.
10. Snuggling up on the couch and spending a completely lazy day together, without even having to say more than a few words every now and then is still a great way to communicate and spend time together.

My idea of "true love" probably isn't that of a lot of other people. But then again, it doesn't have to be :) It's what makes ME happy and not having to change who I am for someone is the best thing of all.

#Blogfail

I'm horrible at this whole blogging thing, let's be honest here. The days go by far too quickly to keep up with it on a regular basis and somehow another (almost) 8 months has gone by since I last wrote a blog post. Still, I love reading the blogs of every one of my friends each morning so here's some reading material for all of you. Since there's no sense in trying to recap 8 months, here's whats been going on...perhaps a list format will be better...

1. Last weekend Bill and I went to Cumberland, MD for the wedding of my friends Rob and Rachael. I was actually in the wedding party and it's the most fun I've had at a wedding in a very long time. There's something about seeing two people who are so obviously in love with each other that fills me with glee. I hope that on my wedding day I'm just as happy and gorgeous as Rachael was :) We (the wedding party) have had a lot of fun preparing for this big day - between a surprise engagment party almost a year and a half ago to a bachelorette party in the Outer Banks, NC several months ago to planning a bridal shower for DC friends and family to helping with little things like assembling the wedding programs - it's been great. I had SO much fun with the girls on the day of the wedding too since we all got our hair done, drank mimosas, and generally were giggly girls. Check out http://www.jamierphotography.com/2011/06/rachael-and-rob-maryland-wedding.html for some previews from the wedding photographer. Fortunately, the rain held off *just* long enough for their outdoor ceremony. Bill and I had a great time at the reception just being with good friends and dancing.

2. Bill adopted a dog that we named Scrapple (his original name was Sequin...way too girly for a male dog!) in January of this year. Even though Bill's name is officially on the adoption papers, I think of myself as a pseudo owner. It's been a lot of fun to take Scrapple on long walks and to the dog park. He's about 2 years old but still has a TON of energy in him and it isn't out of the norm to be woken up in the morning with a puppy paw on your face!

3. We're taking another road trip in about two weeks - Bill, Scrapple, and I - first stopping in Philly to catch a Phillies/Red Sox baseball game (go Sox!!!) and to see Bill's family. My dad is also driving down for the game and it's the first time he'll meet Bill's family which I'm sure will be a bit nerve wracking (for me, that is). I'm really excited for us to all go to the game though since there will be cheesesteaks and beers involved :) After the game we're heading up to upstate NY and my family's lake house in the Adirondack mountains for my brother's high school graduation party and my family reunion. It'll be a few days of crazy but so worth it. I can't wait for some ADK Mountain air and to be out on our boat - side bonus is seeing a ton of family and my closest friends from high school.

4. Speaking of graduating, my brother will be attending George Mason University (GMU) in NoVA for college. It's about a 20 minute drive from here so I'm really excited to be able to see him more frequently and hopefully catch some of his football games (he was recruited for their club team). There have been so many years that we haven't spent together that I'm hoping we can have a sibling relationship on a more adult level.

5. Erin and I renewed our lease at our apartment in Crystal City (Arlington, VA) so we'll be there for another year at least. I love our place and have recently discovered how awesome our outdoor pool is - we didnt get the chance to use it last year since things were so busy. I have one of the best roommates around and feel so lucky for that. She gets along so well with Bill and loves her furry roommate (Scrapple, not Bill) when comes for visits.

6. It will be interesting to see where the next year or so takes us. Exciting things are brewing for me job-wise which hopefully I can post on soon enough (now that I hope to post more regularly!).

7. Bill and I are heading to Aruba at the end of August for a 5 day trip and we're super excited about it. I told him that after our last trip to Las Vegas (which was great) I wanted a trip where I could just lay on the beach all day with a book and a drink with a mini umbrella in it. This should be a MUCH more relaxing trip (especially since I went to Vegas with three guys) and it's also the first real vacation that he and I will take where we aren't meeting other friends there nor is there a cheap way to call or get online. It will be bliss :) Our hotel has their own private island so I hope to get through at least a couple of books and return with an awesome tan!

Anyway, that's about all for now. I miss all of my friends that don't live in this area but there's always an open door and an empty couch if you'd like to visit the Washington, DC area!!