And so I'm back...

Many things have happened since I last left you, dear reader. Tears of happiness and frustrations alike have been shed plenty. Most notably was K visiting my birthplace and meeting my parents for the first time (despite language barrier, I think they like each other). He memorized the speech on the entire plane ride from Seattle-Jakarta, and delivered it in Mandarin to my anxious folks. I don’t think I’m the crying type, but my mom’s touching words got me balling with tears. So much of them that for a split moment I was going to forget everything and vow to stay by her side forever.. *sigh* ... mothers, aren't they the greatest? It's such a sweet sorrow moment - she, giving her daughter away, and I leaving her...

Then everything else went by as a blur..

Came the surprise proposal on a beach on our anniversary, the meticulously prepared engagement party by my gracious dad, feeling weird looking at my own picture on local newspaper, I visiting K’s birthplace and meeting his mom for the first time, had the best ramen in Yokohama Ramen Museum, witnessed the signing of a dear friend’s marriage, K officially launched his side business, I turned twenty-four and doubled my cookbook collections, endured 5 days without electricity and heat in the midst of winter, rewarded with the ultimate wish list on Christmas - Kitchen Aid mixer (!!!) , snowboarding and eating a lot of snow in the process with Astri in Whistler, weekend getaway to attend my best friend’s wedding in Singapore, bought my wedding gown, promoted at work, K & I became proud owners of a new home, spending hours hunting for furniture, wedding planning and all those are just some highlights, dear reader.

It truly has been a whale of a life changing year, one with many milestones. I have never cried so much over happiness and am utterly grateful for what’s been given to me. Maybe it comes with age, maybe I am about to embark on the biggest emotional event in life, that I found much joy and appreciate the simplest things in life, like folding laundry while watching Naruto :p