A snow storm, a Friday night deadline and a shower

Last week, I had the adventure of traveling across the state to Wyoming's capital to cover the State Legislature. I carried a briefcase, wore a business suit and rubbed shoulders with senators and representatives and the governor.

And I had a press pass. Nothing like an official red badge pinned to your lapel announcing your profession to make you stand a little taller and hold your reporter's notebook a little straighter.

It was all good fun. And very educational. And crazy fascinating. Honestly, the legislative process is worth checking out if you have the opportunity.

But that's not really what this post is about. This post is about feeling all warm and fuzzy as the recipient of hospitality and showers of love from dear friends.

I was supposed to stay in Cheyenne through Saturday morning, but word of a wintry blast of a snow storm promising impending doom, or at least really nasty roads, made me decide to scurry out as soon as my last interview was done Friday afternoon.

I hit the road, and the road was good. On my way, I called an older couple I knew from church in a small town along the way where I was scheduled to have a bridal shower Saturday and asked if I could crash at their place that night. Wayne and Marge gladly obliged.

I showed up at 4:30 p.m., said a quick hello and then promptly asked for their wireless password, a table and a couple hours in which to pound out my story for that night, due at 6 p.m. They did not once make me feel bad for not completing the nicety of socializing when arriving as a house guest. In fact, they quietly walked by and cheered me on in my pursuit of making deadline.

I filed my story before 6 (Woot!), and then Marge served a delicious dinner of lasagna with ice cream for dessert. I made one last phone call for work then joined Wayne and Marge to watch my first episode of "Downton Abbey" before turning in for the night in a cozy guest room that would beat a hotel any night.

The next morning, there was a "no unnecessary travel" warning for the road I'd just come up the night before. Ice, snow, blowing snow, limited visibility. Whew!

Marge cooked me eggs, and we chatted over the morning paper. Come mid-morning, Wayne, who is in his 80s, said he would prefer to drive me to the church for my bridal shower than have me drive myself. He shoveled the walk, brushed off his truck and came to get me. He helped me into my coat and drove me the four blocks to the church, dropping me off right at the door.

When we pulled into the parking lot, several men from church were out snowblowing the lot so that lines could be seen and feet could be dry for all the ladies descending on the church for my shower.

Gosh, it was refreshing to be the recipient of such chivalry! Yay for gentlemen!

The bridal shower was so, so perfect! Two of my best friends, Sarah and Becky, decorated to the nines, made yummy soup, rolls and brownies and made me feel so very special. A dozen "church ladies" who I hold very dear even though I've been away for years showed up and, well, showered me.

They showered me with gifts, and stories, and laughter, and love. And while I don't usually like to be the center of attention, I soaked it up that cold, snowy day. There was something about receiving their support and encouragement that made me feel more ready for my wedding and my marriage than I'd felt before.

Thank you to Sarah and Becky (the kind of friends who make you feel happy and safe and like no time at all has passed since last you met), Marge (practical and young beyond her years), Jane (calm and warm), Jan (giving and encouraging), Joni (energetic and delightfully rebellious), Dani (wise beyond her years), Jerri (the kind of woman who makes you want to become a better version of yourself), Susan (gentle and inviting), Abby (strong and fun), Joyce (respectable and wise), Lori (spirited and life-giving), Liz (witty and patient and maker of amazing kiddos), and Liz (big-hearted and the most valuable mentor a girl could find) for making me feel so special. I am very lucky to have so many lovely women by my side as I enter this adventure called marriage!

That night, for dinner, I enjoyed an incredible conversation with Wayne and Marge. It was so wonderful to hear their stories. We should all ASK to know the older people in our lives because they so often do the asking and the caring about us and our stories.

I hope beyond hope to introduce my fiance to this wonderful couple some day (at the wedding, at least!) because I want to be like them. I want us to be like them: hospitable, smart, feisty, funny, full of life and love and compassion for others.

Sunday, I woke up and the roads were clear so I drove home (after a quick cup of coffee with Sarah). It was one of the longest times Justin and I had been apart since we started dating, and, oh, it felt so good to wrap up in his arms and his smile!

Being loved is wonderful! And I don't even care how cheesy that last line sounded. It is! And I hope I give my love away as freely as it was given to me last week in a snow storm, under a Friday night deadline and at a shower for me, the soon-to-be bride.

Introverted pie

I stared at the pies for about eight minutes too long.

I picked up the pumpkin -- put it back down. Picked up the chocolate -- put it down. Picked up the marionberry -- put it back, picked it up.

Put it down.

Then the pumpkin again. Pumpkin would say I was confident and comfortable. And it would be a lie.

Chocolate would say, "Hey, ladies. I'm totally one of you, and we all like chocolate, right?"

Nope.

Marionberry. Not the usual just-grab-a-pie pie.

Maybe, just maybe, this marionberry pie would say, "Hi. I'm new. I don't know you, and I don't really feel like I'm going to fit in here, but I'd like to try. If you would take some time to get to know me, bite by bite, one on one, I think we could maybe hit that pumpkin pie comfortable feeling, but it's going to take a while, and I have a job with an unpredictable schedule, and if you want to get together on a Thursday or Friday night, I'll say yes and then cancel last minute and hang up the phone and cry because I'm so stinking tired of people -- I mean, I love people -- but I'll be tired of them by then, but too stubborn to realize I truly need to be alone to recharge, so I'll say yes then cancel, then feel sick about it and frustrated with myself to the point where I'll be tempted to just let the possible friendship die, but I won't want to, and I'll want you to stick it out with me and maybe ask me to do something on a Tuesday afternoon instead, or maybe Saturday about lunch time when I've had time to get some sleep and some coffee and a few precious moments alone with my thoughts so I can appear -- no, be -- pretty chill and fun and talkative. Yes, Saturday lunch or coffee would be good.

Then again, that's an awful lot to ask of one marionberry pie.

Still, it would be nice if a pie could say all that for me because I'm not really sure how to say it for myself. I wish I could hand out a written disclaimer when I attend social events.

~Hello~ it would say.

~My name is Hannah. I'm a reporter at the local newspaper, but please don't let that lead you into thinking I'm an extrovert. I am a very capable, very friendly, very sociable reporter who is quick-witted and willing to ask ridiculously deep questions of complete strangers or people in positions of influence, but only when I'm wearing my reporter hat. I have removed my reporter hat and am now approaching you feeling rather -- well, completely -- naked as a true blue introvert. Part of me would rather be at home writing in my blog and drinking tea, but if I was there I know I'd be wishing I'd at least tried to be social and make friends because I know friends are important. So, here I am. I forced myself to drive straight here from work. I stopped at the grocery store to buy a pie. It took me nine minutes because that choice of pies suddenly became a total inner struggle with my fears of what you all would think of me and how I wanted to portray myself. I also walked away from the pies four times, two in near tears, as I almost audibly argued with myself over whether it would be better to go or not. I chose marionberry, and if you read my blog, you'll see what I wanted that to say about me. But before you think I'm a completely hopeless loss, please appreciate the effort it took for me to get here and trust that I really do want to be here, even if you later find out I fought back tears on the drive home because I wasn't sure it went that well and I was just so very drained. Trust me. By tomorrow afternoon, after I've had some coffee and a few moments to write in my blog and stare out the window at the tree, I'll think it was a lovely time, and I'll probably join you all again in the future. It will still be an inner battle to get myself there, but I'll probably bring a "down home" apple pie. And if we hang out a few more times, I'll bring pumpkin. And one of these days, I'll bring whipped cream, too.~

~It's nice to meet you.~

I gotta go.

A lighter look at Twenty Thirteen

And now for something a little lighter than my last post...

Photos!

Here is 2013 in a photo-shell.

January:

Ashley and Meghan and I got up early and hiked up Steamboat Point.

 We celebrated Mardi Gras with an official King's Cake from Meghan's parents in Louisiana.

King's cake.

February:

I left my job at the Sidewalk Cafe and began working as a reporter at The Sheridan Press. 

 Me and Heather on my last day. I miss her.

March:

Finally met my dashing nephew, Cable! 

 My niece, Maria, feeds the ducks. 

April:

Spent time with some of the most lovely, wonderful friends a girl could ask for.

 My best friend Lindsey and I went to a ladies retreat and enjoyed time together. 

 I ate at one of my favorite restaurants with two of my best girl friends: Sarah and Becky.

 Sarah and I snuck up the mountain and did some snowshoeing before I had to head back home.

 Meghan and Ashley and I went snowshoeing and built snowmen and chopped wood on a fine April day.

May:

I moved out of one cozy apartment with a crazy landlord into a cozy apartment with a nice landlady. I only have photos of my old place, but I will remedy that in a future post about my new place. 

 Meghan and Ashley and I went puddle jumping. It was fun. 

 Meghan had a birthday! Yay! 

 June:

June was packed with hiking and photography adventures...and the shooting of guns. 

 Justin and I went over the mountain and found a neat tree and an old barn. 

 Justin shooting with his Mamiya film camera. 

 My gal pals and I went backpacking. 

 We played cards in the tent. Yes, they are Lisa Frank cards with rainbows and dolphins. 

 Meghan and Ashley take aim. 

 

My first time holding a hand gun.

Me and my dad enjoyed a hike and some frappuccino on Father's Day. 

July:

In July, Justin and I made a spontaneous trip to Colorado to go backpacking, and eat at my all-time favorite restaurant: Snooze. 

 Car troubles put us behind schedule, so we got a couple rooms and camped at the Marriott the first night. 

 Snooze! Best pancakes in the world!

 Backpacking in Estes Park. 

August:

Justin and I trekked to the Teton Mountains. We used only film cameras for the adventure. 

 Ahhh, camp coffee.

 Snake River Brewing...the best beer I've ever had. Hands down. 

 Cooking frozen waffles on the camp stove.

 Kayaking below the Tetons.

We met up for some disc golf with Justin's sister and her husband.

September:

We threw Justin a Star Wars birthday party. And, oh, Justin and I got engaged at 9,500 feet on top of Black Mountain. 

October: 

I turned a year older. Justin had a gallery showing of his photography. And we got outside a bit.

 Justin and his mom at the opening reception for his show. 

 Justin and fellow photographer Roger Appell. 

 A pretty walk. We went out to find fall colors and found snow instead. 

 We picked pumpkins! 

November:

My folks and Justin and I took a nice walk on Thanksgiving, and I sat on a hay bale. Justin got me flowers, as he often does because he is super swell like that.

December:

I baked gingerbread men to celebrate the six month mark until Justin and I's wedding. It was completely dorky, and I would definitely do it again. We got a Christmas tree in the mountains with my folks and spent a lovely Christmas day with Justin's family. What an incredible year! 

The wedding is June 14. Not too far away now!