Back in the South

Yesterday was a sad day. I packed up the car, loaded in the fur-babies and had to say good-bye to my Fi and Columbia for the week. Of course I'm excited to try on dresses, but D and I are always together so it's incredibly strange and empty being without him. The drive was long, of course, and I hated not being able to see Fi's second to last performance, but the dogs got cozy and no one got carsick, so at least that part of the drive was good. Byz even got super comfy and slept like a baby most of the ride.
Luckily, earlier this year, Fi downloaded a ton of NPR: This American Life audiobooks onto my iPod so I had a lot to listen to on the fifteen hour drive to Hilton Head. Fi said last night was one of their best performances (ouch!) and I missed it :( BUT, I did get to talk to the cast after the show when they were at their cast party. Fi called and the phone got passed around so I spoke to just about everyone. It was sweet. They said they missed me and my "energy," awww. We did have a great time getting to know them and seeing them once a week. I hope we keep up relationships with them.

(*** Edit *** Dustin here. What Neesh doesn't know is that when I showed up to the theater knowing she wouldn't be there, I was totally worthless. The whole cast took me into a huddle right before the show and said, "You know she'd want you to do well tonight. She's thinking about you. Now think about her. Get your energy up and get out there!" And that's why that particular show was good)

When I got to Hilton Head, it was nearly 4am. Papa was waiting up for me, but Mom was in bed. When I walked the dogs, I stepped in some other dog's poop cus I couldn't see it in the dark (gross!), so I had to take my sneakers off at the door, but once inside, it felt so good to be home. Byz and Bogey were thrilled to be out of the car. My parents' dogs met me at the door, as did my Pop. I checked in on my mom and let her know I was home, then I trekked up to my sister's bedroom where my niece was sound asleep. I peeked in on my nephew who was curled up in a tiny ball in his crib, uncovered. I'm only his aunt/godmother and I feel incredibly moved when I stand above him watching him sleep-soft breathing, peach skin head, round ball of a body, sweet and gentle. I covered him with his blanket, listened to him breathe, kissed his head and went to climb in bed with my niece. Genevieve stirred a little when the light from the hallway streamed through the doorway behind me and said, "Granny?" before turning over and falling back to sleep. She moves a lot in her sleep-moves around and kicks, shifts and even talks: "I want my candy!" (a direct quote from her soon after I climbed in bed).

When I woke in the morning, this was one of the first things I saw:

My adorable butterball of a nephew, sick, but still smiling and wide awake wrapped up in his blankie. Such a cutie.

Today, we went to church with Genevieve (my mom and I), then had I-Hop for lunch/breakfast (Harvest Nut Pancakes! Yummy!). Then we headed to Charlotte, NC to stay with my brother. We had dinner at his newly opened restaurant: The Wild Wing Cafe at University Park in Charlotte. I had seen Kiran's restaurant before it opened. When it was, literally, just a plot, then just a shell...etc. I've, essentially, seen it from start to finish-especially now that I got to have dinner there. It looks awesome! Kier was gone by the time Mom and I showed up, but Sara met us for dinner and the three Navare ladies had a tasty one. I had a scrumptious salad with grilled chicken and spicy grilled shrimp, then ate one of the amazing Wild West wings they make (my absolute favorite!) and my sister, who I don't have a pic of from tonight but will definitely get one of before we leave Charlotte, snapped this photog below, which I promptly sent to my Fi. :)

As we finished up dinner, Mom and I jumped back into the car to get to Kier's place. It was then my phone beeped letting me know I had a new message. I was THRILLED to see it was a picture message from my Fi! (His texting allowance is limited so I'm always overly excited when I get a message of any kind from him.) Anyhow...this is what the message was:

I couldn't believe it! This is our house. When I left, there were no lights on it, but Fi and I discussed decorating the house with lights when we got back from break, before Christmas break. We decided we liked white lights and would have time to decorate since we'd already done a lot of inside decorating. I was completely surprised to see this photo in my inbox. D had mentioned he wanted to do some work around the house when we spoke a few hours earlier, but I couldn't have guessed that running out, buying lights, climbing a ladder in bundled up clothes and putting the lights up all by himself was what he had in mind! I know I say this a lot, but my Fi is the most amazing, incredible Fi in the world. He's so wonderful and thoughtful. Mom said to me tonight, on our drive home, "I think you two are going to be very happy."

This is one of the few times in my life my mom and I completely agree on something. He's amazing and I really am the LUCKIEST girl in the entire world and I know we are going to be completely happy.

P.S.-Fi-Sar loves the one-year-anniversary gift! :) I do, too, but I really just Love love love LOVE you!

Lastly-I'm grateful I arrived home safely and that I have a loving, healthy family. I am so thankful for the new additions to our family (namely, Jacob) and the addition of a new extended family: The Michael/Crater family...and I'm so thankful to my Fi and for my Fi. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

P.P.S.

Dustin here again.

I love you, too, Neesh, and all the fulfillment and promise you bring to my life. I miss you terribly, but I'm glad you're having fun with your fam -- my new fam!

Looks like I've got some catching up to do on the thankfulness list, so I'll make one that's big enough to count for both today and yesterday, which I missed. I'm thankful that our families and our close friends are healthy this Thanksgiving. Goodness knows we've seen our share of holidays where people we love weren't in good health, and we'll see more, of course. But this year everyone is well, and that's a blessing. Here's to our health -- all of ours.

The Downfall to This Year's Thanksgiving

Dustin here. 

Just got back home from yet another community theater performance. Hair still crusted with white shoe polish. Pretty gross stuff, actually, but it does make my character look older.

Neesha's dashing hither and yon, filling her suitcase for her early morning departure to Hilton Head for Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, I'll be here in Missouri holding down the fort (I actually like "The Fort" as a name for our house -- every house needs a name -- but I think we can do better. We've been working on it. Any ideas?). Dogs are going with her, birds are staying with me. We gave them all a choice and they decided it would be best this way. 

While she's away, Neesh plans on going wedding dress shopping and running a 5k race, the Island Rec Center Turkey Trot. I, on the other hand, plan on totally letting myself hit rock bottom -- sleeping until mid-afternoon, showering infrequently, and walking around the house naked except for the shrapnel spray of potato chip crumbs that sticks to me after I finally heft my load off of the sofa. 

Being totally serious for a moment, I dread seeing Neesh off tomorrow. I don't know what I'll do without her. It's going to suck hard core. I think I'd rather give away a limb. 

Like tonight she said she needed to pack and would have to skip my play for the first time since it opened, and I was like, Hey, cool. No problem at all. I meant it, too. She's sat through the thing so many times I don't know how she's still remotely sane. At the same time, I knew it wouldn't be the same, not having her there. Every time I go out there, I'm putting it out there for her, trying to make her smile or laugh, or whatever. And with that gone, it's just saying lines, really. But tonight, I looked out the door and saw her there before it started; she came to watch AGAIN even though she needed to pack. And I had the magic back again. 

Next week, though, I imagine it's going to be that same feeling of just saying lines, only in real life -- like, what's the point?

Keep in mind that we haven't been apart much. At all, really, since we got engaged. There was a weekend in July when she left for her mother's birthday and I had to stay to watch the dogs because we couldn't afford two flights and a kennel trip, and that was horrible. This ... well, we'll keep you posted as we try to keep our spirits up. 

So here's my entry for our "What We're Thankful For" list. I'm thankful for my fiancee, Neesha. I'm so glad I get to marry her (in 203 days!). She's so good to me, and I'm lost when she's gone. I'll miss you, baby. Come home soon.

Neesha here. 

I can't talk about our impending separation because it makes me too sad. I can't remember the last time we've been apart for more than a few hours and, although I adore my family and can't wait to spend time with them this week, I am looking forward to future holidays when Fi and I won't have to be away from each other. Hopefully we can find a way to get both sides of the family together with us for every holiday season (we're still working out the logistics).

So, I can't talk about it. Not now, anyhow. Maybe tomorrow when I have to deal with it...for now, I'm going to give you what I'm thankful for and get as close to my Fi as I can before I have to leave in the morning. 

I'm thankful for Dustin being the beginning and end of each of my days. I'm so thankful for his sanity when I think I'm beginning to lose my own and his kind heart. He has been the greatest blessing in my life and I can begin at least three thousand different ways to tell you how important he is to me and how much I love him, but none of them would ever be quite right. I'm thankful that in a week, when I get back, I'll be coming home to him because, really, being home doesn't feel as complete anymore without him. In so many ways, Dustin, you've become my home and so I thank you and love you and will miss you more than I can allow myself to talk about...for fear of overwhelming sadness.

I have to end this blog for Fi since he is now in the shower getting out the white-hair-making shoe polish.

So...have a great Saturday, everyone. I'll, hopefully, be back online Sunday just before the Great Wedding Gown Search begins bright and early Monday morning.

xoxoxoxoxo

N