6th Avenue Heartache

this weekend I went into New York to stay with a friend. saw Sex and the City 2. went out drinking. wound up at a bar where a pack of sailors bought us drinks. danced to the world's most awesome cover band. then made friends with them between sets. got home at 5am. amazing, awesome, ridiculously fun night.
I remember when that used to be life every weekend. and sometimes weeknights. sometimes I feel like I've grown up too fast. my life consists of running, work, dinner, wedding, cats, and Luke. I'm only 25, and I'm getting married in a few weeks. but in some ways I already feel like an old married couple.

life hasn't been easy this past year. the stress of work was a huge weight hanging on me. I had photography as a release, but since the wedding planning picked up I haven't had enough time. I've been trying to keep up on the baking blog, which is supposed to be a fun thing! but I've twice gone 2 weeks without posting. and not just because I didn't have time to bake. because I didn't have time to bake and photograph and edit and post.

then there's Luke. being a first-year teacher is difficult enough. add in 30 miles commute each way in traffic and coaching a running club? some nights I don't see him until 7 or 8. and if he ever dares to take a weekend off to go have fun, he gets so backed up on grading that I just spent 2 hours grading multiple choice to help him out.

last week I accepted a promotion. which is truly a life-saving event. this change will be a wonderful thing: career development-wise, financially, emotionally, for my sanity. but first I have to learn my new job, be trained to do it. but I also have to cover my old job until they find someone to replace me. so right now, less than a month before my wedding, I have to carry the responsibilities of two positions.

and whether it's a function of having Kings of Leon stuck in my head, or that I'm remembering the lyrics because they seem so appropriate, what keeps playing over and over in my head:  "I'm to young to feel this old..." I'm sure that SATC2 didn't help. all about Carrie and Big's crisis of being the old boring married couple. but life sure does seem that way lately. work and stress have us both wrapped up tight.

but. this is temporary. once we make it to the wedding, summer adventures begin. sure it's not barbecues and drinking every day like in college. but a trip to Hawaii ain't bad. and camping trips, traveling home, visiting friends and new places. and we can still barbecue and drink. just not on a weekday afternoon. the promotion means a stressful transition but it also means more money to be able to have fun with.

and even now there are weekends like this. I can go play in the city. he can meet up with his friends. and then we come back together to real life. but there's no better feeling than waking up at 3am when he walks through the door and wraps his arms around me.