Been Too Long, Some Updates

I am alive.  I am very sick with the flu this week (it started with a stomach thing and now I can't swallow and my face hurts and I have a fever) and I want to go outside because it is sunny and I can't move.  I miss blogging.  There is no excuse for my absence.  I am getting busy with my new life here and all that, but there is always time to write, just like how there is always time to do something (doesn't have to be the gym) active.  Here are some updates and SORRY FOR ANY TYPOS, I am on medicine and kinda out of it today.

• CRUSH UPDATE: Crush traveled with me to NYC a few weeks ago for a family event and met a lot of my Dad's side of the family.  They loved him and it felt great to introduce him to many of the "characters" (crazy people) I am related to and observe his reactions.  I smile just thinking about it.  Priceless.  He is now "in" on some of the jokes I have with my sister about my Dad's cousins and I am enjoying our still on-going group texts about the conversations he was cornered into with people who are beyond entertaining and don't even know it. 

• WEDDING UPDATE: Our save-the-dates just went into the mail.  OY.  Getting all of the addresses together was not fun.  It never is.  Our list is epically out of control and my parents (my dad specifically) doesn't want to fight with Crush's parents about the guest list.  My dad is paying for the ENTIRE wedding, well everything other than the rehearsal dinner, and he is being insanely generous.  He had money set aside for my wedding (I am lucky that my parents did truly believe that I would one day get married, even if I didn't ever believe it myself!).  The guilt about how much money he is spending has kept me up a few nights because honestly, I would be happy with a lot less, but the wedding seems very important to Crush's side and their generosity with me has been so unreal that my dad just wants to keep the peace which I agree is a smart thing to do.  Crush's folks pretty much gave Crush and me our new house (Crush technically inherited it and it EVEN comes fully furnished….it needs some work, but still….I am beyond appreciative to have been given a HOME).  You have no idea how many families I have seen become broken (like the 2 sides end up HATING each other) over petty things during the engagement process.  My dad wants to avoid fighting at all costs.  So, currently 350 people are on the guest list.  AND, I have been the one who has cut her list by leaps and bounds and not everyone I want will get a save-the-date.  Also, if I haven't spoken to someone in over 2 years,  I cut them off the list and I am feeling a bit guilty about it, but I also feel weird  inviting people that I don't talk to anymore.  As far as I can control my invites, I really only want the people I love and adore to be at the wedding.  When push comes to shove, having too many people to ask is a good problem to have.  It makes you realize how lucky we (Crush and my families) are. 

• DIET & EXERCISE UPDATE: I started barre (I do a local brand here called Barre Evolution) which is in the same family as Bar Method and Pure Barre and only 8 classes in, I can already see a difference in my body, specifically my arms and thighs.  LOVE IT even though much of the class I flounder on the carpet and trip over my toes at the bar.  It is indeed tough, but that's how you get results. I am down 20 pounds since I moved to Charleston and working out and counting calories is my mission each and every day.  I try to either go to spinning or barre classes as much as my schedule allows because it is crunch time and I am getting married in 8 months!  My binge eating is still an issue, it will always be a daily struggle, but I am conscious of it.  I have my engagement party dress and it is a smidgen too small, but I know that in 2 months (my engagement party is 2 months away….eeeekkkkkk) if I keep doing what I am doing, that it will look great! 

• LIFE & FRIENDS UPDATE: I now have a part-time job and I have a few friends here.  More to come on both of that in another post. 

• ANXIETY & DEPRESSION UPDATE: I realize that my social anxiety is holding me back.  I have this odd issue where I think everyone hates me (for no reason) and my self-deprecating thoughts are not healthy.  I am trying a few new strategies to move past this personal insanity and I am thinking that getting back on Facebook may be a good first step.  I have nothing to hide and I realize that I am limiting my potential to meet new people by being so private.  I wish I lived 100 years ago before computers a lot of the time because I think I would have enjoyed it better.  It's 2014 and I have to embrace socialization and sadly, most of the people I "know" choose to spend the majority of their time socializing online.  If you can't beat them, join them?  

Have a great weekend!

XO,

R&F