Did I mention I'm GETTING MARRIED?

Remember how I have a blog? Yep, I had almost forgotten. I thought I should update it for one important reason...

I'M ENGAGED! Meet Ben Bailey:

Ben is . . .
*Handsome (as you can see)
*Tall (6'1"... you know just a tad taller than I am)
*Kind (the kindest...seriously)
*Goofy (life with Ben is fun)
*Finishing up a specialist degree in School Psychology (interning right now at a Jr. High! Mr. Bailey is legit)
*A PhD student in Counseling Psychology at BYU (he is one smart cookie)
*A good taker-care-of (evidence: my gallbladder surgery and his insistence that I drink TONS of water whenever I get sick...it helps!)
*An early riser (he is good for me)
*Comfy (no comfier place than cuddling with Ben)
*Part of a seriously AWESOME family (lucky me to inherit them!)
*Compassionate (most Christlike man!)
*Courageous (Ben is not a crowd-follower and he stands up for what he believes)
*A deep thinker (he has a gift of looking at things from every angle and seeing the complexity in everything)
*Funny (love laughing with Ben)
*A seriously talented musician (gifted songwriter!)
*An amazing chef (and he's nice enough to feed me a LOT)
*Thoughtful (I get home at 9 pm after administering a final and he's got a candlelit dinner prepared)
*Patient (moody rollercoaster Liz? he loves me anyway)
*A great listener (it's a gift)
*All mine :)

Lucky. Me.

my 2013!

The years go by so fast now, I must be getting old! Here is a look at a year in the life of Liz...

 I GOT A NEW NEPHEW! Meet Ivan :) I was lucky to meet this little man in the hospital and visit him in the NICU.

 I got my hair professionally dyed for the first time! Thanks for the birthday present Steph!

 I turned 26!

 My mama visited from Siberia!!!!

Steph and I coached another girls soccer team! Here we are watching "The Big Green" for our team party. GREAT group of girls.

I planned some epic ward activities.

I went back to my other home (SEATTLE!) with friends.

I want to Washington DC to interview for a professorship in Kazakhstan! Not many people can say that. ;)

I visited Philadelphia for the first time and presented some of my research.

I visited Zions with a great group of friends and hiked Angels Landing for the first time.

I organized an EPIC Mario Kart tournament with my friend Mary and ended up beating all the boys!

I ran another half marathon, this time with my brother Josh and some of my girlfriends.

I visited the Bosters in San Antonio and met another NEW NEPHEW! Meet Oliver. :)

I had an interview for a teaching position in upstate New York and got to visit the SACRED GROVE. One of my new favorite spots on earth.

I started dating THE Ben Bailey. Lucky Me.

I successfully defended my DISSERTATION!

I presented my Education Research in Minneapolis!

Ben and I roadtripped with his parents to John Day, Oregon to meet his new nephew and hang out with his brother's cute family.

I started teaching math and science at a boarding high school for troubled teens.

I graduated with my PhD!!!!

I started teaching at BYU as an adjunct professor!

Steph, Stuart, Ben, and I roadtripped to St. George and Las Vegas. Yes, we saw THE BACKSTREET BOYS live.

We went camping and hiking for Ben's birthday!

Ben and I went to Moab with Garret and Shalene to do some canyoneering!

And LOTS of fun family time! Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years...in person or via FaceTime/Google Hangout. So grateful for family!

Other Random 2013 Adventures...

Ride in a four-seater plane!

BON JOVI

Jazz Game!

Meeting Imagine Dragons backstage with Steph.

Drag Races with Tahlia

Taylor Swift concert with Steph

Camping!

Good times in the lab

Reunited with Donna!

Brad Paisley!

Catching up with old friends.

2013, you sure were good to me!! I think I will always remember 2013 as the year the Lord cleared my path for me. :) With 12 months of job searching, it's amazing how He opens the perfect doors. I know He will do the same in 2014.