It Was Never Over

Where do I begin? We are back.

Back where we belong. Back together.

What a story this has become! The last time I posted it was with a very heavy heart that I signed off at the end of the marshigley blog. It had been my method of documenting and celebrating our lovely life together in Texas... the food & wine, the trips, the outdoor activity, the dogs, our happiness.

After four years we came to a point where we needed to no longer be together. The love and respect never changed, ugly words rarely said, there were just two different courses we needed to take. I didn't focus much on what would come in the future and charged full steam ahead being Just Amy. It was a busy year after that. I moved to North Carolina, reconnected with a dear friend, lived in a mountain lake house in the woods for a spectacular summer, spent the holidays in Hawaii and then came home to Columbus after ten years away. Sadly, my time in Columbus was some of the hardest of my life and losing Dad shook me so, so deeply. But from great loss sometimes comes great wisdom, and I believe that's what lead me back to where I ultimately belong.

"It was never over", according to Joseph. He promised to wait for me. And that is exactly what he did. In the ultimate demonstration of undying, unconditional love, Joseph kept our life mostly in tact in Horseshoe Bay. We never lost touch and after nineteen months of patiently waiting and never wavering from his stance that we were meant to be together and that I would realize it and come back... It became glaringly obvious to me.

As of the late hours of Christmas Eve 2011 Joseph and I are engaged to be married. We have decided on Saturday, June 16, 2012.

We will finally be The Higleys.

Christmas Day in Photos

I made this blog and then decided it was too stupid to post. I have since changed my mind, because I will never have the time to do a proper Christmas blog. I may as well post it, since I made it, so here it is.

"Santa Came!"
Just the two of us, year after year, and we've gotten creative with the gift labeling




Ponys and Pumas!

Mimosas with Veuve and Eggnog Coffee Cake for Breakfast

Don't forget to check your stocking for Abba Zabbas and Big Hunks
Merry Christmas from Cooper and Marshall

Two Smoked Chickens! 2004 Taylor Lane Belle Glos, thanks Amaliya & Mike, it was Delicious!

Drum roll, please

We put the Christmas lights up on our fence today. It looks AWESOME! I'm a huge fan!

Our yard backs up to the highway (which sounds really ghetto, but somehow is not), so rather than decorate the front of the house, which has very little traffic, we prefer to decorate the back fence so everyone can see it. The dogs like the lights too, twinkling all the way around their big wooded yard. This year I put a wreath on each of the three stone pillars, which looks so great too!
I'm opening the Christmas candy factory tonight in my kitchen. I'm not going to mention what I'm making, it's a surprise after all!

It's officially Christmastime at our house! Wish we got to share it.

Here we are hard at work. It got quite warm this afternoon and we got a laugh about putting up our Christmas lights in a tank top and t-shirt. Joseph loves the staple gun.

The final result

And us in front of it :)
From across the street

The wreath I made from the scraps Joseph sawed off the bottom of our tree. We were both impressed with my craftiness!
Pretty lights around the front door

holly jolly

When Joseph came home from disc golfing last night he had a bottle of wine to go with dinner and an armful of flowers. A Pink Poinsettia and a dozen Red Roses.(Funny thing: I had been at the same store earlier that day, seen the same pink poinsettia and wanted to buy it. I didn't buy it, but really thought about how much I would enjoy having it.) I asked why? He said, because I'm glad you're home. Sweet!
We had a lovely Christmas-y day today that put me into a super-cheerful holiday mood. First, we went to pick out our Christmas tree. Even though, to quote Joseph, "We are the only two who are even going to see this tree", it was exciting and fun to pick it together. We decided on a short, fat Fraser Fir, and it was a great choice, it's really cute!
I wrapped all of the gifts I have bought so far. I'm almost done with Christmas shopping, which is awesome so early in the month. I've got a few more things to get before I mail them all off to their various US destinations. I'm going to Austin tomorrow and I may be able to finish my shopping then. Sweet! Since we don't have a fire place or staircase at this house we have gotten creative in hanging our stockings. This suits us, Santa will understand.