Walt's Wonderings, Part 1

January 3rd
Back to work at Louisa Jr/Sr High school.  I almost wish that we got an entire month off, like it is in college (usually, anyway) for Christmas break, but ah well.  I'll need to sock away as much money as possible, and that's what my job does.  I don't know what kind of wedding Joanna wants, nor what the cost will be, but I'm planning on having a nice little house to move into when we do get married. 

Down payment, here I come.


It's funny, really.  I've never really thought about EVERY aspect of getting married until now, but the other day, one of my tutoring students (little Daisy, who I'm quite certain is a piano prodigy) came over, noticed Joanna's ring (she stopped by to help with tutoring...liability purposes, y'know) and promptly asked where we were going to live when we got married, then what church we'd wed in...then if our magical engagement kiss was healing and powerful like in the princess movies. Amongst the childish curiosity surrounding the kiss (FYI, it was better than that) I realized the kid had a good point.

Where will we get married?
Where will we live?

Obviously, it's a logical choice to get married at the church we grew up in.  But what if we want an outdoor ceremony on the Markus farm?  That's something I can see Joanna enjoying.  But who would officiate, then, if our pastor won't?  And good heavens, where will we live?  Right now, I'd prefer to live near to my parents so I can help Mom when...you know...Dad passes.  But Jo's got a really great job offer from Mount Sterling that she just accepted, and I don't want her to have an hour's driving time either.  So we have a lot of things to consider.  Location, location, location, as they say.

But you know what?  I guess I don't really care.  Not in an apathetic kind of sense, obviously, but...I don't care because whatever happens, even if I have to drive an hour to check in on my Mom and Lexi, or even if we panic under the weight of figuring out our first mortgage...whatever happens, we'll be a team.  I'm dedicated to making sure nothing like October ever happens again, and she is too.  And I love her all the more for it.  (And gosh, to finally be able to kiss her?  Wow.) 
Back on the kissing stuff, I can tell she's still a little nervous, and granted her history, I can't blame her.  But she tries to hide this cute little grin ever time I ask if I can kiss her--which I always do--and the other day, she kissed me with no warning.  No awkward shuffling or deep breaths, she just hopped up on her tiptoes, gave me a peck, and then hid her crimson face.  She's moving past those memories about her uncle and Anthony (I heard his trial's starting in March, and I can't wait to see his smug self headed off to jail) and I'm proud of her for it.  I'm proud of her for a lot of things.  She's my girl, after all.    
 ...
My girl!