growing old together...

Some favorite memories...

the day we got engaged 

the fall we were engaged

the day before we were married... the time we hiked and saw a 360 degree mountain view
(that's Mt Rainier in the background, it's just washed out for some reason)

 

the time we made s'mores on the stove. i have never laughed so hard.

Carson and I only dated for a few weeks before we dated long-distance over the summer of '09. We were quickly engaged at the end of that summer. I had always just assumed that I would marry someone who I had been great friends with first, someone with whom I'd had history. For whatever reason, I didn't marry someone who was already my long-time best friend. I married someone I loved and respected, not a person I had many actual memories with, which was odd to me for some reason.

It wasn't until after we were married that I really could say that I truly married my best friend. And I say that having just looked through some pictures from the past two years. It's only been two years since we've been together, but they've been great. They've grown both of us in immeasurable ways. We've gained perspectives, ideas and experiences from two people who could not be more unlike one another. We now have memories and finally have more than two pictures together.

In some tiny way, I can see how amazing it must be to find yourself married to the same person for fifty years. The little jokes and memories of silly things. The ways you'd really know each other (I sometimes think I don't even know Carson at all) and read one another's mind. When we were engaged, we had no memories. We went back to May, and that was it. Now it's barely been two years, but there's so much more. I really can't wait for next year, and the year after that...

We're not "old" but I love that we are in the process of growing old, or at least older, together. 

:)

Just the Ladies

At the beginning of the summer, the Reilly held only four of us girls - 

everyone else went out of town or back home or just away for a bit.

We didn't need them to have fun though. Even with just four girls, we had a lovely, lively time.

 All but three (Carson being one of them - sad) have now returned for the summer. 

Life is back to normal in the building, but here are some pictures of when it wasn't...

Shopping for wedding (guest) dresses

Playing in the rain

NOT playing in the rain

Summer roommate - Josie!

Roomies - Rachel and Isabel

 I just love them.

on seeing my favorite person

I headed west at 6:30 on Sunday morning. 

Then South. Then west a little ways again. 

Saw these signs and got really excited.

Saw this and got a little more excited

(click on the link to see what it looked like then...)

Saw him and REALLY was excited.

Look at this kitty's eyes by the way... two colors!

Good old Sage

We're together again! 

Farmland.

Carson was in love with this lamp. 

I love him, not his taste :) 

Walked to the park. Carson did some pull-ups and this is the actual face he makes. 

He laughed when I showed this to him.

Aww...

He made me...

The place he's staying (same place as last year) is up this little road

While Carson was at work, I got some studying done... in the sunshine.

...And made some "Red Lobster" biscuits

In this kitchen... which has much better counter space than our current one but fewer cabinets.  

And while they baked, I read some more

After work, we went to get a movie... and I don't know why but I've always found this sign hilarious

Work outfit

Um, Earl wanted to come along too. 

I'll have to post about our stuffed animals someday. We have a collection. 

Dinner. 

Carson next to the wheel

Lindsay next to the wheel. Height difference? 

This was for memorial day, in the town welcome center. 

Well, it's creative!

"Take a picture of my head behind this". 

Have you ever seen such a huge dandelion? 

Carson loves to try and befriend cats. 

This one was afraid of him

The view behind the house... cherry trees and hills

  

...still trying

This is where he sleeps every night. In a sleeping bag on a mattress. 

Side note: Before we were married, he slept under a loft bed on a sleeping pad in a sleeping bag. 

So this was an upgrade.

Saying goodbye. 

I dropped him off at work at 7:30 in the morning and then headed back to Spokane. 

Columbia Gorge out the window

Driving down into Spokane

I've been back in Spokane since Wednesday. 

Bittersweet. 

And thankfully, no tears this time. 

That makes things waaay worse!

I have hopes of seeing Carson in the next few weeks so the wait isn't terrible.

Still, it's weird. 

And I'm not kidding, when I walked into our apartment I was amazed at how (comparatively) HUGE it is!