Here goes something!

I had brought up my desire to blog to Sean, my incredible boyfriend, a good 18+ months ago when we started dating - I had been following a few fashion/life blogs and kept thinking to myself - hey, I can do this too!  I [used] to carry my camera with me almost anywhere and I love sharing my photos, so I figured before I knew it, I'd have a great blog going in no time!

Introduce a long-distance relationship and an even longer ride to (almost) the life of my dreams, and I realized one key missed ingredient to my blog plan: I never made the time to actually do it.  So, here I am, roughly starting with the new year with the goal of actually pursuing it.  Who knows what it might become, but starting it is the most important step to figuring that out, right?



So let's start with some introductions:

Captured, on accident, by Alison<3 

Me, Mary: Graduated from the teensy Capitol College with a degree in Astronautical Engineering and have the best boyfriend in the entire world.  It took me wayyy too long to land a job, but now I work as an electrical engineer for a commercial space company, which is pretty much the job of my dreams.  I live in a great apartment with a great friend from high school, who's name is also Mary, and we struggle to install curtains.  I'm just starting to feel like a grown-up, with a new job, a new apartment, and a new car, and it seems like it's a good fit.  Except when the real bills come in the mail - those aren't too fun.

Sean, in Harpers Ferry, WV, Fall 2010

Boyfriend, Sean: Graduated from Christopher Newport University with a degree in Political Science and History, and pretty much the smartest man about WWII that anyone will ever meet.  He knows everything.  He absolutely loves me dearly, likes me when I'm silly, and provides endless support, even from 3 hours away - he currently lives in Hampton Roads, and I, Northern Virginia.  I-95+I-64=love story for us.  We met through my bestest friend Alison, and he couldn't mean more to me.  He makes me smile and laugh - what else could a girl ask for?  Although now he cuts and delivers fruit for a living for now, someday soon he is going to be an invaluable Diplomat and we are going to travel the world on the State Department's dime.  Lucky us!  He doesn't always feel like an adult either, but hey - who's complaining?

Sampson, rockin' his shades, in Annapolis, MD after his first swim

Puppy, Sampson: The cutest little chihuahua anyone could ask for.  He snuggles and snores, under the covers, and loves putting on his jacket to go outside.  His best friend is Bailey, Sean's family dog, a golden retriever.  They snuggle when they're not playing, too.  It's adorable.  He barks like a ferocious guard dog with all 6 pounds that he is, but kisses you endlessly if he likes you.


With that out of the way, let's talk some "resolutions" - I use that term loosely since we all know what it really means.  These are, however, things that I'd really, really like to give a permanent place in my life:

The theme for me is quality: Implementing more quality into all aspects of my life.  More quality time with Sean, together or apart, learning more about each other and growing stronger each and every day.  Loving him with more quality and more closeness.  More quality relationships with those I love - more time spent with friends and family, and more quality communication when I can't spend be with them.  Quality workouts becoming a routine, once again in my life, on my way to making healthy a habit again.  Work to having a quality portfolio of my photography - make the most of the opportunities I have and learn from them.  Learn something of quality everyday in some aspect of my life.



So for tonight's post:

Currently, I'm trying to recover from a terrible cold that was probably induced by our New Year's Eve celebrations, and relaxing after a long day at work, enjoying the last few days of my first real Christmas tree.  Growing up, both my family and my grandparents always put up beautiful artificial trees - to me, that was the norm.  As long as you had room to store it, they were easier and more convenient.  This year, however, Mary convinced me that real trees, like the ones of her childhood, were the way to go.  On a cold evening in December, we ventured to the Christmas Tree lot, picked out our beauty, carried it home while covering ourselves in sap, and have been enjoying the intoxicating smell ever since.  After this experience, there's no way I'm putting up an artificial one again!

                   

Although the Christmas decoration collection is still growing, these decorations mark my favorite time of year - it'll be sad to see them go!


I guess that's a good enough start for now.  Who knows exactly what tomorrow brings, but I guess we'll find out!