Ice, ice baby

K had a four-day weekend, so he made it into Dallas Thursday night. We girls did our usual Homestretch Thursday, and luckily, Grey's Anatomy was ending just as K got here. It was so nice to see him on a nonweekend day! It was really hard to go to work Friday, though, with him at my apartment.

K came to my office for lunch. One thing about where I work, though, is that Friday is the worst day. Monday is the lightest, and things slowly build and build through the week. Thursday is pretty hectic, but Friday manages to edge it out just a little more most of the time. It's one of the reasons I'm glad I'm leaving my job. I'll get to have a normal week like everyone else, where Monday is tough and Friday is pretty much a cakewalk. That's how it should be.

So K came around lunchtime, and I totally felt bad for leaving since things were so hectic. But I don't usually take a lunch break. My boyfriend was in town, and dang it, I was taking one! It was nice to get out, and we had a really good lunch. Thank goodness we did go out, because I wound up having to stay at work until 7. Things just weren't going right, and we didn't finish up until then.

I drove home through pouring rain. I did miss the traffic, though, thanks to my late departure from work, so there's the bright side, I guess.

K and I were originally supposed to go to Oklahoma to spend time with my mom and her husband, then go see my dad and grandparents for a day or so. Well, Oklahoma got hit with a pretty heavy ice storm. K and I were leaving at around 9 to go to dinner with some friends who'd just gotten into town when my mom called to tell me their power had just gone out. Glad we'd decided to stay in Texas!

Saturday, K and I went to the gym before meeting our friends to go to the Body Worlds exhibit. It was really neat and totally not gross at all, and I'm probably a person who is easily grossed out. If you're ever anywhere near one of these exhibits, go. Seriously. It's really neat. It doesn't smell funny, it's not freezing in there and you totally forget you're looking at the insides of bodies that used to be living and breathing. (I wondered about all those things and more before I went.)

It really is a neat thing to see, and a couple of the exhibits are actually -- believe it or not -- kind of pretty. Sounds morbid, I know, but the poses really do make you forget what you're looking at. I promise I'm not weird.

That night, we all stuffed ourselves at Maggiano's, which I'd always wanted to go to. It's okay, I guess, but nothing will ever beat Johnny Carino's. It's my all-time favorite restaurant. You can't beat their bellinis!

Sunday, our friends had to check out of their hotel and head home. They were staying over by the Galleria, which is a really ritzy, but nice mall with an ice skating rink. K and I met them there and walked around for a while. We did some shopping, and K was really patient with me while I looked around in a couple stores.

I am now a new fan of Ann Taylor Loft. I found a black cardigan there on sale, and I'd been looking for one for months. I also found a cute little black shrug to go over a dress I bought in December. I've never been a big fan of shrugs, honestly, so I didn't want to spend too much on one. This one was $10, which was awesome. I won't have to feel bad if I never wear it because I decide it was a stupid idea to buy it.

K also came to Express with me and helped me pick out a new pair of jeans. I really appreciate that he doesn't grumble and gripe whenever we go in the mall. Brad always pitched a fit and made it miserable. In fact, it always turned into a big fight. Sometimes I think maybe that relationship was part of God's plan for my life so I'd appreciate every single thing about K more and so I wouldn't take him for granted. If that was the plan, it worked. (I suspect his relationship with CM may have had the same purpose for him.)

We hung out at the Galleria for a while with our friends before they had to leave. What's funny is that when we walked out of Ann Taylor Loft, K (as in not me) spotted a Bailey, Banks & Biddle downstairs and said, "Wow! Those things are everywhere!"

Well, when our friends left to head home, we were standing above the ice rink watching the skaters when K said, "All right, are you ready to go check out some diamonds -- I mean, American Eagle?" I told K again that I didn't want him to feel pressured to do anything like that. I reminded him that I want him to pick out the ring, and that he only needed to know that I don't want yellow gold, and that my finger is a size 6. Other than that, it's up to him. We'd talked about that before, and he knows that. I didn't want him to think he had to do that or something.

Obviously, I wanted to go. But at the same time, it's kind of scary! I mean, that would really get my hopes up and get me excited. What would happen? He can't buy the ring while I'm there. Since he doesn't live near a big mall, he'd wind up buying it online, which I figure is probably how he'll get it anyway. He knows my taste, and I trust his judgment.

I've gone and looked with a friend three different times, and every time, I wound up liking something I didn't like the time before. I know whatever he picks I'll love, so that's what I want to happen.

We spent the rest of our time together relaxing and staying indoors. It got pretty cold here Friday night, and our cars have been covered with ice. It's nice that it's finally winter here -- it's about time! I've enjoyed wearing my scarf and my sweater and my coat, gloves and beanie (toboggan/warm-weather knit cap/snow hat). :) <--- (That was for you, s!)

As we were driving around yesterday afternoon, K said, "Man, I hate getting used to being around you." Spending four-day weekends together is so much fun, but it always comes time to go back to our different lives in our different states.

At least this time, it's only four days until the weekend!