Fell Off the Blogtember Challenge

Oops. I started participating in the Blogtember Challenge at the beginning of September. I thought it would make me a better,  more consistent blogger. And it did... for about three weeks. But I've I've missed an entire week.

What can I say? Life got the best of me? It did... and now I'm super sick. My throat is killing me. My head is all congested. I can only hear out of one ear presently. This is crazy.

I was PLANNING ON spending my day at my favorite little French café downtown, but I feel so miserable that I'll just stay at home and get all of the same work done... in my sweatpants.

I'm going to be working on planning out my blog posts for the next month, so we'll see how that goes. I am NOT planning one for every single day. I don't want to set myself up for failure. I'm thinking a few posts a week will be great! :)

Comfort {Blogtember Challenge}

Friday, September 20th Prompt: React to this term: comfort. (Yes, I'm a day late for this one -- oops!)

Comfort. That's a loaded word.

There are comfort zones. There's comfort food. And let's not forget about general comfort: how you feel at any given time.

Comfort is snuggling with your significant other after time apart.

Comfort is putting on your softest pair of sweatpants for the first time when it gets cold.

Comfort is your favorite dinner of macaroni and cheese.

Comfort is talking to a friend you haven't spoken with in a while.

Comfort is your cat purring loudly near your head while you sleep at night.

When I think of comfort, I think it's okay to be comfortable sometimes but not too often. You should want to step OUTSIDE of your comfort zone and experience new things. Try new foods. Do something for someone else.

Just don't let your own comfort hold you back in life. 

Pictures Tell a Story {Blogtember Challenge}

Wednesday, September 18th Prompt: Only photos.

A Stroll Down Memory Lane {Blogtember Challenge}

Tuesday, September 17th Prompt: A memory you would love to relive.

Oh, gosh. I have so many vivid memories that I would LOVE to relive, but there's one obvious day that sticks out in my head.

I STILL can't believe I am so blessed, so fortunate to have found a man who would go to all of the trouble to make this happen for me. I can't stress how thankful I am that Dan made our engagement unique and special. He is 100% wonderful and amazing for that, and I think about our amazing day frequently. If only I had a rewind button...

I am choosing to share the story of the day Dan asked me to be his wife. It was on July 7th, 2011, and we had been dating for about two and a half years. I copied/pasted this straight from my "About Us" section at the top of my blog, and yes, I know we have an incredibly long engagement. We will be married next May, as cadets at the Air Force Academy are not allowed to have dependents. Two days later, we're tying the knot, and he'll be a Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force by then!

Dan had the second half of second leave during the summer of 2011, so we planned a road trip for that time. We first went camping on an Indian reservation in southern Colorado. Then, we spent three more nights camping at the Grand Canyon in Arizona. After that, we spent a few days at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona, where Dan got to sit in on a training flight for an F-16—which caused us to get into our next destination (Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico) more than a little bit late. We didn’t get in until 1:30am, and Dan said he had a surprise for me, but we had to get up at 4:30. When the alarm went off, we were both tired and groggy from driving so much the day before, but I love surprises, so I excitedly got dressed and ready! He told me I had to wear tennis shoes, so I began growing suspicious. What were we going to do? He drove me to a Village Inn parking lot, where he said we were meeting some people. Doesn’t this sound sketchy? It was before I knew what was going on. A van pulled up with a weird looking basket on the back of it, but I still didn’t pick up on what was happening. We got into the van, and the guys told us we needed to sign a safety waiver, so I read it, and it was for a hot air balloon flight!! (During Dan’s prep school basic training, I saw a hot air balloon on my way home from work one evening, and I told him about it in a letter and how much I wanted to go in one… and he promised me that he would take me on one someday… I guess this was it!). I thought that was the entire surprise. I mean, come on! What a huge thing! I had no idea he had a ring in his backpack. When the hot air balloon pilot said that there were about 10-15 minutes left in our flight, Dan asked him to take a picture of us. We took one regular picture, and then Dan said: “Okay, one more pose,” and he got down on one knee. By this point, I was shaking (and ecstatic!) because I knew what was going on. He told me that I am the most amazing woman he knows and how he is glad that I am here to support him through the Academy and that there’s only one more thing he could ask for: for me to be his wife. I was in shock, but I said, “Of course!!!” Then he got into his backpack and pulled out a ring, and asked, “Janelle Vannice, will you marry me?” I couldn’t even speak, so I shook my head YES! The pilot got a few pictures of Dan proposing, and I am so glad that he did. I will cherish those photos forever! 

Now you know my favorite memory! I'd love to hear all about yours! 

A Public Love Letter {Blogtember Challenge}

Monday, September 16th Prompt: Write a public love letter to someone in your life.

This prompt actually said I could write a love letter to anyone and that it didn't have to be romantic. That's cool and all, but I don't write love letters that are NOT romantic... so naturally I'm writing to my handsome fiancé, the love of my life, my Cadet Lovemuffin... otherwise known as Dan.

Dear Danny,

Can you even believe how far we've come? We've been together for over four and a half years now, and that's just the beginning.

We have traveled alone to see each other, and we have traveled together to see new places.

We have become friends with each others' friends, and we have made new friends together.

We are always looking for new journeys, new adventures, and new things to try.

In just eight months, you'll (finally) be graduating from the Air Force Academy, and I will be your WIFE! We've been waiting what feels like FOREVER for that to happen, and we're finally approaching the "light at the end of the tunnel" that everyone talks about.

We have grown so much as a couple over the last few years, and I am so happy with where we are. We are more than ready for the next step, and I can't wait for May 30th, 2014 to get here.

I am so excited to find out where we'll be moving together after our wedding. It's been such a long road, but every single second will be worth it when we're living together like normal couples.

I'm here for you through everything, and I'm so thankful to be your fiancée.

Love,
Janelle

P.S. Thank you for always helping me clean. You're the best. I couldn't ask for more.

It's so easy writing to him. Who is the easiest person for YOU to write to?