6 months engaged

As we prepare for pumpkins, corn on the cob, and Halloween, Nathan and I pass our sixth month engagement mark! Only four more months to go. This past month has been an exciting one as Nathan officially accepted a new job at C&R Electric in Burien as an Electrician Apprentice. I am SO excited that he is finally on this career path and able to gain hands-on experience in the field. It helps that his new job is only twenty minutes away from mine! My own job has been picking up, and I am now in the office more days during the week than not, along with increasing my hours on the online tutoring site, Princeton Review, for college essay writing. I have been taking on a lot more tutoring shifts recently and am absolutely loving this new side job. It also helps because the Catholic blog I have been freelancing for these past six months has had some job shifts and are taking a break from their blog as they revamp it for the new year. It is sad to have to stop writing my articles for them, but in the meantime, I have been working on my first book manuscript with a premise surrounding a guide for young adults facing anxiety to best live out the Catholic liturgical year. I am about a third of the way through writing and am enjoying being able to continue writing as I work toward greater time mad for editing, publishing, writing, and tutoring all wrapped up in some capacity as the work I hope to do every day in a career.

All of our pets are doing well – the hamster, bunnies, dog and fishes. Everest is nearing his one year birthday and we still have a lot of work to do in training him, but I am optimistic that he will one day be a great dog competing in Agility hopefully first along with the basics of Rally and Obedience and perhaps down the road, even herding. I love all of my pets so much and enjoy being able to spend time with them and take care of them. They can be a handful at times but it is cool to experience all of their unique personalities and watch them all grow up.

Nathan and I celebrated our official one-year anniversary on September 27th. Also in the month of September, we had our engagement photos taken as well as attended the virtual “Beloved: Engaged Couples Retreat” through the Palisades, both of which were wonderful opportunities to grow closer to one another and learn more. A highlight we are looking forward to this month is our joint bachelor and bachelorette parties.

We have also began praying one decade of the rosary together at least once a week and this has been a great new tradition to start up in addition to our weekly mass attendance and monthly cemetery visits. I will be honest, with the times we are living in and the usual stresses of life and planning for such a momentous change in both of our lives, I have been extremely anxious and overwhelmed along with the joy and excitement. It is a daily commitment to choose trust and acceptance for all that life throws my way while continually focusing my thoughts to clinging to Jesus and his promise to always be with me, loving me and showing me the way to grow stronger and more loving of myself and others.

I am praying for you all and thankful for your faithful attention to this blog and hope that it brings you joy.

Semper Fidelis,

-Allison