Miss me, cyber society?

Alright it has been way too long since I've updated you all on the going-ons of mine and Bryce's grand, luxurious new life together.

So since I last updated, we have moved to the beautiful land called Missouri, in the back country of St. Louis.  We are living with his dad and his family, while I work at a "high end" thrift store, and he goes to school to get his medical degree.  It has been quite the adventure so far!  Just to warn you, I blab a lot when I haven't updated in long while, so sit tight if you want to read the whole thing!  You have my permission to read as much as you feel necessary!  I will not be hurt if you don't read the whole thing :p

Things we have done and have happened since we left Utah:
-Celebrated 4th of July on the lake with our family. Saw fireworks shot over the water.
-Went to a dozen different restaurants with the family, some the same, some new ones.
-Went out to Wisconsin to see my youngest sister graduate from high school.
-Received callings as ward missionaries and a Relief Society teacher (which they just released me from last week).
-Drove out to Wyoming for Bryce's best friend/cousin Shelby's funeral, who died in her sleep from a brain aneurysm while at his mother's house.  She was only 22 years old.  Also got to see my sister Jeanie and her two kids, who were willing to make the drive out from Utah just to visit for a few hours.
-Spent Thanksgiving in Wisconsin at my mom's home and got to see two old high school friends and finally introduce them to Bryce.  Played American Idol on the PS3 with Bryce, my friend Jasmine, and my mom and her husband.  Best time ever.
-December 2nd I found out that an old friend of mine and his fiance (along with her father, brother and his wife) went missing after taking flight in a single engine plane, somewhere in the snowy mountains of Idaho.  They were returning home in his fiance's father's plane after spending Thanksgiving with family when the engine began to fail and lost contact with air control towers.  They were planning to be married this last Saturday, on Jan. 4th.  They still have yet to be found.
-Spent Christmas here at home with the family, and had a great time.  Stayed here for New Years Eve as well and barely even realized it was new year and just went to bed after 12am.

After we moved in and got settled, it took about 3 months for me to actually find a job that would hire me and one that I was comfortable with. I have now been working at the thrift store for a little over 5 months.  I've been doing pretty well in my position and get along with the majority of my co-workers.  The only real problems I have is the management of the store (although my supervisors are great) and the cranky, bratty, self-entitled customers that often shop at our store.  Other than that its a pretty great job.  I don't make a lot of money but it is an income that provides just enough for the two of us and pays the (fortunately only) few bills we have.  Supposedly I will be receiving some insurance benefits soon but HR has yet to send me my enrollment package.  This means that I will be calling HR and letting them know that it has not yet come and see whats going on.  Given the fact that the "Health Care" no-longer-called-ObamaCare will be in effect soon, I'll be screwed until I can finally get it rolling.  Greeeeaaat....but moving on..

Right now Bryce (bless his heart) will be starting his 3rd semester at the local college studying his generals and some major classes.  He has been working very hard and has been getting pretty good grades.  I am very proud of him and am trying to be as encouraging and grateful as I can.  I personally cannot wait til he can graduate but I'm with him every step of the way (as I should be) and giving him all the support I can as he pushes through.  He still has a few years to go but he has been doing so well.  I am anxious to see where his future career will take us.  We have talked about some options when he starts looking for a secure job, but keeping most of them under wraps until they become actual options.  They are scary to think about, but also exciting.  To imagine myself in all these different places and thinking about my life in the future is something I never really thought about in the past and it is crazy to imagine that I am getting to that point in my life where things will be changing.

Speaking of scary, I will be turning the big 2-5 in March this year, and keep having to tell myself it is real.  Not that 25 is really old, but how the HECK did I get so close to my mid-twenties?!  When did that happen?! Someone please tell me!  Has anyone else ever experienced this weird feeling of life flying by, and thinking you are still only a 20 year old with plenty of life ahead of you?  Ok so I exaggerate, I (should) still have plenty of life ahead of me, and hey I don't have any children yet so that's a few more years more than some of my friends that have 2 or more already!  I'm just kidding, but on a serious note, does life ever slow down at any point?  It is crazy to think how far I have gotten.  I remember the days when I anxiously awaited my 16th and 18th birthdays, then anxiously looked forward getting through college and the day that I would join hands with my eternal companion in the temple and start a new life. The college part still has yet to be seen but I've been married to my best friend now for a year and 2 months and I couldn't be happier.  Life isn't amazing and we aren't rolling in the dough and enjoying our own home yet, but I'm still with the man I never imagined I would end up with and every day he makes me smile.  He works so hard to secure a future for us and to make me smile.
Well I hope you made it to the end!  If you did, you earned yourself a big smile, a thank you and bringing much joy to my heart!  Hopefully it won't be so long til I update again so you don't have to sit and read so much in one sitting!  Til next time!
~Elise :)