Summer of Love

We only went to three weddings this summer, ours included, but it felt like a lot more than that. I learned a lot:
-One should not drink three glasses of champagne BEFORE one participates in a marriage ceremony
-Always sign the marriage license in black ink
-Traveling to New Jersey a minivan, while it makes logistical sense, does not translate into a good time
-North Carolina is the hottest place on earth
-Weddings make me cry. A lot.

So, we just returned from my sister's wedding in North Carolina. She has been married a whole 6 days, and from all reports, it's going pretty well. We had a lovely time--it was a very emotional weekend, though. I started crying during the wedding, which happens all the time--I cry at all major life events. My own wedding, a commencement speech at my Syracuse graduation, every time I leave a job (even if it's a job I hate)... I just can't help it. It's what I do. Anyway, I started crying and I just didn't stop! I think the majority of it was the fact that I was saying goodbye to the fam that night (we left early the next morning), and I just hate that. I hate saying goodbye.

Anyway, North Carolina, though lovely, is indeed the hottest place I have ever been. I spent most of my 5 days there sweating, complaining about being sweaty, or taking a shower to wash off the sweat. It's gross, I know. But so so true. The funniest thing was, the natives didn't seem to mind, while everyone from Michigan was wandering around with a slightly dazed look on their faces, clutching at bottles of water.

But enough about the details... The wedding itself was wonderful. Abby, as always, looked beautiful. And John was great--he was so excited. You could see it in his eyes that he had no second thoughts and that he felt like the luckiest guy in the world to be marrying my sister. Of course, he is...

The lead-up to the wedding was spectacular. Parties, parties, and more parties!

A bachelorette party:


Sports:





Recovery from sports:


Wedding preparations:


Celebrating with Dad:


More pictures will come.

Congrats to Abby and John!

August

So, I guess I'm managing about one blog a month. It's so crazy how time slips past you in the summer.

But it's not like I've just been hanging out in front of the air conditioner this whole time. We have been all over the place in the last month or so, and we're gearing up for one more big trip in a couple weeks. We haven't even fully unpacked our suitcases--it just doesn't seem worth it.

In the middle of the month, we went back to Roscommon and we had SUCH a good time. Since moving away from Rosco, and since moving to Boston in particular, I have such an appreciation for the time I get to spend up north. This place has NOTHING on northern Michigan, especially right now--it's 93 degrees outside.

Boston @ 93 degrees * concrete * stinky trash in the allies * walking everywhere = :(

That was just a little view into my life as an analyst. Nothing is simple anymore...

Anyway, we did have such a good time. My parents threw us a combo party/bridal shower for Abby where I got to see all of my old friends and Eric got to meet them all. We spent a whole day out on the lake with an old high school friend and got fried to a crisp (hurt, but was totally worth it). I finally got the last Harry Potter book and everyone left me alone for the 7 or so hours it took me to read it... Heaven.

The weekend after that, we took a trip down to Princeton, NJ to attend Eric's cousin Brett's wedding to his lovely bride Katherine. It was a great wedding, and we had a really nice time. But the trip as a whole was nothing short of excruciating. There was a big accident on the highway on Friday morning, which forced us to sit on said highway for THREE HOURS, traveling about 8 miles. Then, because we were late by 3 hours, we hit New York City at 5:30. It took us 10 hours to get to Princeton.

We were in a minivan with Eric's parents and sister and brother-in-law. We all like each other, thankfully, but have decided that we will no longer be traveling in the minivan together in the future. It's for the best.

Next on the list is a weekend of rest and recouperation (and cleaning the house!). I'm pretty excited about having no plans. :)

Love

Haley

It's July!

Holy crap! Where did June go?

Well, I guess in many ways it went just like any other month, except that I spent most of it at A NEW JOB! Hooray!!!!

It couldn't have come at a better time. My distaste for my old job had just gotten to a point where I couldn't take it anymore. I was angry all the time, and being snarky about stuff, and honestly, that is just not me. Okay, the being snarky part is, but only once in a while.

I am now the Senior Policy and Planning Analyst for the Mass. Board of Higher Education. I've been on the job about a month, and I'm ear-deep in fiscal policy as it relates to public higher education in the Commonwealth. Infinitely more interesting and engaging, and I am so much happier. SO much.

In life news, in a couple days The Big E and I will celebrate our 2 month anniversary. For our 1 month anniversary, he bought me a chili dog. Perhaps this time we will upgrade to a hamburger.

Married life is good. Great, in fact. We've always had an extremely functional relationship, in that we don't fight, we're good friends, and we seem to understand each other (except for the whole loving baseball thing. I don't get that!). I didn't really know whether being married would change all that much about us, and in a lot of ways, it hasn't. But there is something that is stronger, happier and more special now. I like it.

We're also saving $200 a month by moving E onto my state insurance. So the economics of marriage are working out well, too! Yea!

On the docket for this month: A TRIP HOME! I am so excited--haven't been home since Christmas, and I do miss the old Rosco. I believe we're going to have a little party, introduce Eric properly to our little village and its citizens.

Happy 4th of July to all! We're having a get-together with the Boston crew and one member's 'rents--having a cookout/in with our new indoor grill (thanks to Abby and John) and heading out to the Esplanade with all crazies for the fireworks. I'm not a patriot, but there is something about the 4th in Beantown that makes me all verklempt.

Big hugs!
Haley

More pics

Pictures!

I'll post more as soon as I get them!

Love,

Haley

THANK YOU!!!!

WOW. What a weekend.

I couldn't have asked for a better time, both during our Saturday activities (where I discovered another vocation, should the whole "public service" thing not work out--straight man on the Freedom Trail), and at the wedding. Truly, I don't remember the ceremony, only looking at Katie's face, willing my knees to stop shaking, and hearing my mom sniffle behind me.

Thank you SO MUCH for everything. For those of you who could come, I hope you had as great a time as I did--it was wonderful to see you and to have you with us on our special day. And for those of you who could not come, we'll definitely be home for a bit over the summer.

I haven't yet received our pictures, but they should be coming soon. If you took any, I'd love to see them! Keep checking back here--I'll post the good ones here. :)

Tomorrow, we take off for a little trip up to Maine. Here's where we're staying: www.innatoceansedge.com Looks pretty great to me! And the weather is supposed to be perfect. SWEET!

All the best,
Haley

Update

Oh my GOSH. The wedding is in less than a week, my parents fly in in 3 days, and I'm going to be MARRIED soon!

Happily, things are going very well, and I think we're going to have a great time. I have a meeting over at the hotel this afternoon to determine whether the sound system will work with my computer. This is the only potential problem we've got going on. We also bought a large spinning-light disco ball, and I think that will add a little something special to the party.

But aside from the impending nuptuals, I have other big news... I got a new job! If you've read posts preceding this, you'll know that I have a love/hate relationship with my current job. I enjoy the access I have to powerful officials, the potential that my ideas might make it into policy, and the people here are great. However, in recent months, the "hate" side of the relationship became much stronger. I was really frustrated and upset about some of the changes that my position underwent, and so, when the opportunity for me to move on came along, I jumped. I'll start as a Senior Planning Analyst on May 28 at the Commonwealth's Board of Higher Education. In that position, I'll be doing much more policy than budget work, will have a chance to work at the intersection of my 3 main policy interests (ed, workforce and economic development), and will have great potential to grow within the job.

I could not be happier about this change, but I have to say, I will miss the people here, particularly Ashlee and Abbey (picture right), who have become two of my best friends. They are pretty awesome and I will definitely miss seeing them on an 8-hour a day basis.

Can't wait to see you this weekend! YEA!!!!!