KEEP YOUR HEAD UP.

Hello!! I can't believe it has been almost one year since my last post here! Life has been INTERESTING. Actually, quite the opposite. Things have been on a standstill for a while. There were times when I felt so down. Writing was the last thing on my mind. It's crazy how THINGS CAN CHANGE though. You know when one bad thing can lead to another bad thing? Well it CAN go the other way too. One good thing led to a WHOLE LOT OF OTHER GOOD THINGS! There are still tough and complicated things going on in my life (hey that's life, I guess), but boy have things changed in the last few months! For the first time in several years, I feel like LIFE IS FINALLY MOVING FORWARD AGAIN.
Among other things, the last four months have seen a proposal, amazing news for the fiancé (yes that makes me a soon-to-be-wifey, eek!), and an European adventure. After several years of struggles and sacrifices, by my boyfriend and myself, he received the most amazing news! On an early spring morning, he saw the email he's been fighting for and dreaming of for as long as he can remember- he got the acceptance letter to medical school!! I know it may not seem like amazing news to some, especially to those who got in after their first try, but after the struggles and sacrifices we went through for him to follow his dreams, this was the greatest news to us in a really long time. Shitty jobs, extra degrees, money spent, and long distance were some of those sacrifices. The worst was the thought that all those sacrifices may lead nowhere, but instead, even further back than where we started. That was SCARY! So you can imagine our happiness to learn that dedication and commitment paid off! We weren't even expecting the good news this year, actually we weren't expecting it ever at that point, but when he opened the email that morning... we jumped, we hugged, we cried! What I'm the most happy about is that he's finally following his dreams and doing what he loves! There's still a very long road ahead for him, and for us, with many struggles ahead (including long distance for a bit again, sigh), but he has so much more appreciation and love for it now. Seeing how happy he is makes me SO HAPPY as well. He taught me so much about perseverance, dedication, and continuing forward with your dreams even when everything is going against you.
So his dream came true, but my fairytale came true as well :) After 9 years of sharing the most spectacular and difficult moments of our lives, the love of my life decided to take the next step in our relationship. On May 25, 2014, on our 9th year anniversary, he got down on one knee and asked me if I would make him the happiest man alive by committing to spending the rest of our lives together :) My heart stopped at that moment and then filled up with so much happiness! I felt like the HAPPIEST GIRL IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD. It's funny because during the last 9 years of dating, we naturally talked about getting married... being together was never a question. We knew we would be. So I knew it was coming sometime soon and we both wanted it so much, but we had other things to get through before that happened. But when it did, the surprise and emotions felt at that minute was no less than if I had never been expecting it. Seeing him so happy to finally be able to ask the question was an amazing feeling. He's been waiting to ask the question for the longest time, and I was so happy to finally hear it. I cried even before he asked because i was THAT happy! The proposal itself was something else. He had thought out so many little details for that day. I can't wait to share it with you all. Because YES, a sneaky friend who was hiding behind some bushes and trees with a camera had captured the happiest moment of my life in pictures :)
The number 14 has always been my favorite, so I had high hopes for 2014. I'm so glad my hopes have been realized. Remaining hopeful can be really tough sometimes, but never give up. Because when hope works out it sure feels amazing. Hope is what I will need to hold on to in order to get through the other tough parts in my life now.
♥ Nieszka