weekend update

i've struggled a little bit in the last couple of days to decide exactly what i wanted to say about bryan's visit, and i'm still at somewhat of a loss.

in the past, i would have felt compelled to recount the chronology of the weekend, adding in the 'special' moments - when they happened and how they happened - but in this case the details seem irrelevant. it was all just wonderful.

from the time we got in my car at the airport, there was never a moment when i had to wonder how he felt about me, or how i felt about him. there wasn't a moment when i wondered how to work through an awkward silence or needed a 'breather'. and there was never a moment that i had to wonder whether or not the long distance was going to be worth it.

it was an admittedly strange weekend though. due to a schedule miscommunication, we spent our first morning together taking engagement photos of a friend. well, i took the photos, he carried the clothing changes, bags, and found chairs for me when i needed a different angle.

and when we met with this friend, her roommate relayed some news that a friend of ours, currently at school in australia, had had a brain aneurysm and was completely brain dead, only surviving as a result of the life support technology she was on. on sunday we learned that her parents, with no hope of recovery for their daughter, had opted to remove life support, and at 31 years old, she passed away.

sunday brought other news as well, as i seemed to be the only one to not get the memo that my bishopric was changing. my former bishop is somewhat of an icon in this area, having served at three different times in three different wards, and it is not difficult to understand why he is so 'popular'. he is a truly kind, humble, and righteous man. and as a result of this change, our ward was nearly twice it's normal size. instead of the normal fast sunday testimonies, we heard from the outgoing bishopric and their wives, as well as the incoming leadership.

the irony of the weekend was that i intentionally avoided planning any big 'activities'. my only plan was to stick close to home and have it be as normal a weekend as possible. i wanted 'real life' for our first meeting -- to spend time with each other without the distraction of the typical california sightseeing and entertainments. it turned out that there was nothing 'normal' about the weekend, although it was definitley real life.

despite all of the change and news and strange happenings, having bryan here felt....right. as strange as it may sound, it didn't feel like a first meeting. it was never awkward or uncomfortable, and it all felt so easy and natural and normal...and wonderful.