Missing.

Announcing an engagement certainly results in a mixed bag of emotions.

Having the whole experience happen while we're living abroad is awesome. It's a story I won't ever forget, and means the world to me, because it's something Jason and I have experienced together. In the past month, we've had a lot of support and well wishes; with cards being sent to us across the waters, lots of phone messages and texts, and of course the sweet comments and emails that have made our day.

The part that is the most difficult about being here though, is being so far away from family and friends. When it comes to celebrating the engagement and sharing the excitement? We're sort of stumped, or at least on pause for the time being. We both have made some great friends through living and working here, and they do seem legitimately pleased for us, but it's not quite the same. My work friends don't know Jason, Jason's work friends don't really know me, so the idea of holding some sort of engagement dinner freaks me out a tiny, tiny bit.

I miss my family, I miss my few good friends at home, and I can't wait to actually share it with them in person. I suppose that's one celebration that we'll still have to look forward to - when we do eventually move back home for good, but I still have this pang to celebrate it now, while things are still fresh and giddy, and exciting!

There's also been a little bit of disappointment, especially from friends who I thought would have been happy to hear the good news. I realise that this engagement is not the most important thing that is going on in people's lives, and I certainly wouldn't expect people to drop what they're doing to jump on the wedding bandwagon with me. At the end of the day though, the propsal was something pretty major for me, something that I've been hoping for, for a really long time.

There are a few people who I had hoped would have shown a little interest in the news .. when instead, there's basically been silence. No emails, no congratulations, or really just no interest in it at all.

I suppose it's a good indication of who really does want to be involved in the lead up, and who is just along for the ride. It still stings though, I'll admit. I wonder what will happen in the future.

In other friend news, it's not long now until I see Julie and Kirby, my girlfriends who are heading over to the UK for their own respective adventures. I hope I'll have the engagement ring back and resized by then, so we can go all girly and indulge in a little squee-ing. It's good for the soul. I'm also planning on persuading Kirby-photographic-genius, to take some pictures of Jason and I, if we can rope him into it, of course!