Now it's time to take some real chances.

I've got a little less than 12 days until I leave to go back to Arizona for a short visit before my big move. Never in my entire life did I expect to fall for someone like this. As a future relationship therapist, I've always preached two specific things when it comes to relationships: 1. It takes little or no effort to make it work. Things just happen as they happen and not very much effort is put forth when making decisions and 2. You do not question things. You don't sit and wonder what if this or what if that, you just go with the flow as it happens. Your simply content to let things flourish at its own pace, rather than forcing it. You don't analyze the situation in either regard. There's no wondering what the other person thinks or feels, you just know -- your intuition is your best friend. I've experienced these two hand-in-hand rules to some degree or another, but as of meeting Chad, I am finally experiencing both of them full force. We think nearly identical. We don't ever really need to explain anything because the other person already understands, furthermore, what is being said. It's something that both of us picked up on right away upon the beginning of our e-friendship turned real life romance. Upon our first initial meeting, we were both nervous and a little timid, but after about 5 minutes, it all just clicked right into place just as we thought it would. The first place we went to was Sonic because he knew how much I love their tater tots haha. Then we stopped by this massive liquor store to purchase wine followed by Ikea to purchase wine glasses. Just in those first few initial errands, things were just great. I felt like he was looking at me like wow, she is great. I don't know if that's true or not, but I know I felt that about him and since we think so much alike, I'm pretty sure its safe to say that it is true. I finally am able to feel what I have preached for so long first hand. It's finally my turn to have the romantic love story and experience what it's like to have a relationship, that is more like a partnership, where one doesn't give or love more than the other, and your just equal beings. His mom actually said to him and I thought that it was very profound. The protective wall of fear and loneliness that has built up inside of me over the past year & 1/2 has finally been taken down. It feels wonderful to be able to just give yourself up like that to another person and not having to change who you are or alter every little detail of your life, because you care and respect for each other for who you are as a person. There's actually only 5 full weeks left until I'll make my move, about 40 days from today, which I did not realize until today. I've got so many things to take care of between now and then. I'm actually sad to leave my friends for 4 months, but I know that they are happy for me. It's my time to venture out and live life outside of my comfort zone. I'm really excited for the road trip itself because I love to drive and I'm gonna love seeing the countryside along the way. Ryan and I are planning to leave on or about May 9th or 10th. I'm nearly positive that we're going to have a bomb ass time touring this crazy country. In other news, this whole crappy weather business is really getting to me. We had like two nice days last week and they were gone before we knew it. I need the sunshine and warmth. Chad says "before you know it, you'll have plenty of living here". Yeah, Arizona sun is like tenfold that of the New Jersey sun haha. Speaking of which, he surprised me yesterday with a trip to Hawaii for the 4th of July. We had plans to come home June 28th-July 6th to visit and formally meet each other's families, but we were invited to his friend Brady's parent's house for the 4th of July weekend in Hawaii. Chad has already been there and when he mentioned that I haven't been yet, Brady's girlfriend insisted that we go. He was going to just surprise me when we flew back to Phoenix by just going from one gate to the next and just transferring in Phoenix and heading straight to Hawaii. But Brady's girlfriend advised him to tell me so that I pack properly. Chad realized after he told me that he could have totally pulled the surprise off because I would have already had summer clothes with me since it would be warm here, and he could have nonchalantly packed some extra things of mine with his stuff without me noticing. But, there will be many more surprises to come. He has one planned for Saturday the 12th, the day I arrive there for my short visit, and I have no idea what it could be. So only time will tell haha. Well, I have some work to get done, so until next time ;-)