Happy Summer!

Wow, it's been some time since I last wrote! So much has happened. I'll try to recap quickly:

1. I finished my first year of grad school! Boy, was it challenging, and in ways I never even dreamed. There were quite a few moments where all I wanted to do was quit. However, thanks to D's never-ending support and the support of my fellow classmates, I finished the year and with a 3.96 GPA to boot. This summer, I'm not taking a single class, so I can really give my brain a break.

A classmate and I are presenting on the bioactive compound lutein (it is found in dark leafy greens and is very important for eye health). Lutein is a sacrificial antioxidant, so it felt only natural to present our information as a parody of the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. 

2. D and I, along with his sister and brother-in-law and niece took a really quick sailing trip to nearby Blake Island. It was so fun to see D's sister and brother-in-law and their smiling little girl. We had a great time. We're going on another sailing trip later this summer, before school starts up again, with D's brother and cousin.


3. D and I got engaged!! That is by far the most exciting piece of information I have, so I wanted to save it for last. We are getting married on Saturday, August 6th at a nearby restaurant in Seattle. Since the end of the school year, I have been busy planning for the wedding. It will be tiny (immediate family only) and intimate. I really cannot wait to be married to this amazing man. Wedding planning posts will follow, of course!

We got officially engaged over Memorial Day weekend on Whidbey Island. This picture is post-proposal.

The beautiful ring!