Top 10 Reasons I Love Andrew

Andrew has been out of town for the last few weekends, and off an on during the week for work. In honor of his actually being home this weekend, I thought I'd write a post about the top 10 things I love about Andrew:

10. He is always good to his family; he has driven hours to Santa Fe in the middle of the night to visit his sister when she needed him, used vacation time to help his father build a cabin and adores is mother.

9. He is so wonderful with our dog that I know he will make a wonderful father if we decide to have a family of our own.

8. I rarely, if ever, hear him say anything negative about anyone.

7. He often surprises me with thoughtful words, actions and gifts.

6. I love the hobbies we do share (running and reading ) and the fact that we also have separate hobbies of our own.

5. He is so good to my friends...

4. And even better to me.

3. He is so handy...I swear that he can fix anything!

2. He knows all of me and loves me anyway!

1. He knows my hopes and dreams and always supports them (and has amazing hopes and dreams of his own that he allows me to support too).

I am so excited to be his wife and hope to show him every day that I love him!

Does It Get Any Better Than This?

I have been coveting a "cruiser"-style bicycle for at leat two years. Guess what was waiting for me when I returned from Maine? I'm starting to think that I should go away on vacation more often!! Even better, mine has streamers and a bell too! It was 2am when I found it, so I had to wait until the next morning to ring the bell. It was worth the wait! Just another reason why I just can't wait to marry Andrew. He is always so thoughtful!

Santa Fe!

Andrew and I have been together 4 years tomorrow! To celebrate, he is flying me with him to Santa Fe this weekend (He has to be there for business on Monday/Tuesday). I am excited to go to the Georgia O'Keefe Museum, to explore some beautiful architecture (and maybe find some fun new jewelery...hint hint) and to go to the spa for a 3 hour treatment on Monday. Aaahhhh...I am already feeling more relaxed!

Getting Lucky (in love) in Kentucky....(Or How it All Began)

"Are you Italian?" These are the first words that my now fiance said to me. You might find this hilarious if we were to meet, as I am very Irish (I am named Erin, after all) and I very much look the part. Nevertheless, Andrew is quite taken by Italian women, and I can see how I might have passed for one that day with my deep tan (for once in my life), freshly dyed chocolate brown hair and trendy new shoes that were by (you guessed it) an Italian designer.Though our first conversation was relatively uneventful, the remainder of that weekend would change my life in a way I could have never predicted at the time.

When Andrew and I had our first conversation, we were sitting( actually, I was sitting and he was standing) at the kitchen table at our friend Paul's parents' house in Louisville, Kentucky. We had both come in for the weekend(among other friends of Paul's) to partake in the annual Kentucky Derby festivities. I was just starting with Teach for America and Andrew had met Paul at Accenture Consulting, where they were in a start group together. I was not looking for love and Andrew was just beginning his life in Denver. However, fate had other plans for us.

The next day, we were separated from our group of friends on the infield of the Derby. Having left my cell phone at Paul's (it was supposed to rain and I didn't want to lose 2 phones to water damage in 2 months), I panicked and told Andrew not to lose me. He didn't. We spend the day together and I had an amazing time getting to know this fabulous man. When it started pouring after the first few races, we ran through the rain, laughing and splashing in puddles. Spontaneously, Andrew pulled me toward him and kissed me. The next day, before parting, we discussed trying to make a long distance relationship work. It did and we got engaged nearly 3 years later.

I decided to start this blog as a way to chronicle the next journey that Andrew and I will take together-planning our future together and the big day that will join us as man and wife- our wedding. The name of the blog, Mint to Be Together, comes from the famous unofficial beverage of the Derby, the mint julep, which I plan to serve at the cocktail hour of our wedding.