So, I've had a really big week and a half. Thursday the 23rd of July was Michael and I's official three year anniversary. We celebrated by getting matching heart tattoos. Michael's (first picture above) is on his left wrist and mine (pic directly above) on my right. We got outlines because I always draw hearts on Michael in pen and the outlines will allow us to colour in each other's hearts (once they're totally healed of course). Yes, I know. We are gay. For each other. And that's the point. The night before getting the tattoos, my roommie Jill said, "OMG you HAVE to get married now, because you're getting matching tattoos and that's more permanent than marriage."
Little did she or I know, that Michael was planning to propose to me later (just about two hours after getting the tattoos) that very night, on our three-year anniversary, with the dogs (witnesses!) on a walk at sunset, at the spot we had our first picnic (the place and time we nicknamed one another Applesauce [me] and Cinnamon [him]). I never thought I'd be the married type. I won't change my name, of course (because I find it archaic and my name is part of my identity--I've been Stephanie Cope for 26+ years...it's who I am). Above, you'll see the engagement ring. It used to belong to Michael's stepmother, Christy. It's white gold with rubies and a faux diamond. Diamonds aren't my thing (faux or no), so I'm getting this stone replaced with an ametrine (or another purple stone) as soon as I can find a good jeweler, stone, etc. I HAVE to make it my own; just like I'll do with marriage, just like I do with everything. I'm excited. Some details have been hashed, and they are as follows: The wedding will take place the first day of spring some year in the future (at LEAST 2012, after I graduate). I will have co-maids of honor (Jill and my LOOOONGtime BFF Kim, whose only responsibility will be being my photographer). Sagan (my brutha-from-anutha-mutha) will either be my Gay of Honor or officiate. Jonathan Balfour has already volunteered to serenade us. My grandpa will walk me down the aisle, as he gave permission to Michael to ask me (I think it's totally cute that he asked him). Then again, it would make sense if my mom walked me down the aisle, too. Ok, that detail's NOT hashed yet. It will be extravagantly planned and styled weirdly/meticulously to our tastes. I am in no hurry to DO the deed, but knowing it will be done is actually kind of cool. Me + Michael = 4eva!
Saturday (July 25th) Michael and I left on a ginormous trek across half the US to visit his gparents in Massachusetts and begin my 16 days off work!! These are our "embarking-upon-the-journey-excitement" faces as we were leaving Joplin's Dillon's parking lot.
First stop: St Louis Zoo. Zoos really aren't my thing, but it was interesting to see animals up close that I was never meant to see in person (unless I happened to be in Africa or some crazy rainforest in South America). This is a free zoo and we bought no (zero/zilch/nada) souvenirs, so, we did not at all contribute (unless it's paid for through state taxes) to the captivity of animals in a zoo, which I am against. Above you'll see a zebra-butted animal, whose species I forgot the name of. My favorite was the gazelles; SEXY. Not pictured: a nasty motel we stayed later in the evening. SOOO gross!
Total relaxation at Crane Beach Tuesday, July 28th. I don't get to the ocean often enough. This was the perfect beach experience (national park-like, good shower/snack facilities, no bug attacks), except we didn't get to swim because of our new tattoos.
Tuesday, after beach awesomeness, Michael's cousin Kate and her bf Peter took us to Salem, Massachusetts. Here's Michael kissing Samantha.
Here's what Kate called my artsy fartsy shot. I call it "Coffee in Salem". Little does Kate know that all my shots are artsy fartsy.
Kate said, "Well, there's a cardboard witch around the corner you can put your head through"-reluctantly-"do you want to do that?" Me: "Uhhhhh, frick yeah I do!"
Outside of one of the shops/museums were these maiden/mother/crone murals. Homage to me, my mom, my sis, and my tattoo on the back of my neck.
These witch museum stickers were EVERYWHERE. HAD to take another artsy fartsy shot!
Kate in a lobster hat at an Army Surplus store (Peter to the right of her). Is that regulation?
Couple of pics of things in Michael's gparent's casa.
Michael loves grocery stores. He had a hummus-gasm at the one in Byfield, Massachusetts.
Part of an old park in Georgetown that Michael played in as a wee thing.
Kid graffiti at Michael's old elementary school!
Could this be a classroom Michael formed some of his ideas for life?
This is Michael ready for a day of school. Aw, how sweet!
We ate some fabulous Massachusetts ice cream here (Michael used to go to this very ice cream stand as a kid). People in Massachusetts are SERIOUS about their ice cream. Michael had "Green Monster" (mint choc. chip WITH Oreos) and I had some kind of chocolate coffe ice cream (YUMMM!).
On the 29th we wandered around Georgetown (above pics of gparent's casa, grocery store, park, elementary school, old ice cream haunt, which I also have a wicked video of, btw!). Above is a picture from within the coolest antique store I've ever been in. It was inside this HUGE antique house and it was creepy and awesome.
Another example of creepy awesomeness...it was like a maze. Some floors/rooms (such as the above picture) were completely devoid of artificial light and no one was in them. As far as I could tell, there was ONE woman manning the entire store and she could, at any time, be three floors/six rooms away from potential customers. It was so much fun exploring this giant creepy place.
I want a gawdy wedding dress of days olde!
Kate took us to an AMAZING sushi place in her town of residence (can't remember the name) Wednesday night, where we preceded to imbibe fish for the third night in a row (Tuesday night Michael's uncle treated us to a very elegantly expensive fish dinner overlooking the sea--I had rainbow bass).
The road home included the most expensive hotel room of my short life (day one--which was lovely--I watched some tattoo shop reality show and took a luxurious bath), an accidental discovery of an awesome pizza place called Fox's Den Pizza during a detour because of a torrential downpour (also on day one), a quirky and clean hotel on night #2, reading aloud from Chuck Klosterman's IV, talk of the future, and like four episodes of Roseanne in a ROW (also night #2 aka July 31st)!!
Day 2 of the road home, Michael decided he HAD to have Mexican food. So we stopped in Terre Haute (Indiana? Illinois?) and asked someone. Yum. I look a little exhausted, 'cause I am. Michael looks a little overexcited about Mexican food, 'cause he was. Upon arrival home at about 4pm on the 1st, we went straight to JPL to see Mark's photo show! Lots of pictures of me and Jill! Check it out. It's up all month in the Post Library, which is INSIDE the Joplin Public Library, if you've never been there.
Sunday after having lunch with my gparents and Aunt Mimi and Uncle Don, Michael and I immediately rushed out and got two cute, male, Pisces, chubby ferrets. The one in the red bedding (shots 2 and 4) is Beefy Tundra and the one in the green bedding (shots 1 and 3) is Alfonzo la Gordita (yes, we know that's femme Spanish-ness and he's a male, but we did that on purpose). New roommies.....that bounce!
Tonight, I will go to a show where my Jonathan and my Jill are playing. Tomorrow, I get another tattoo! Saturday, I visit my little sis in Tulsa. Exciting vacay. Will post more as necessary.
What has happened in the month and a week that I haven't posted, you ask? Well...
Above, a picture of me with Tundra (left) and Alphonzo (right), our newest and bounciest family members. We haven't had a ferret-warming party yet, but these weasels are bringing joy to our days for sure!
Twister is always a good time.
After a frustrating two weeks and five days, I got my engagement ring back from Tick-O-Time Jewelry with a gorgeous purple sapphire in place of the white stone (see last blog for before picture) that 'twas at center stage. I picked the sapphire out myself online! I loveitloveitloveit, because I made it mine! It looks different in flourescent and natural lighting...cool!
This is my new LG Neon I just got today after three years with my Razr. It's a new era. No more predictive text!
A couple of weeks ago I realized that my Chacos are uncomfortable because they were too wide, so I ordered some regular width ones (and gave my wide ones to Jill) and here they are. Beautiful, yeah? I think I shall go for a cemetery walk later, perhaps.
