Today is my first day of teaching composition at Minnesota State University! With the eclipse, my own graduate classes starting, and adjusting to life in Mankato, it promises to be an eventful few days.

But what seems like yesterday (it was actually a whole two days ago), I was back home in Lexington, Kentucky. In between finishing orientation for my teaching assistant position and starting classes, I had a week off—so, as any girl whose fiancé lives in another state would do, I drove eight hours to Michigan, where one of my best friends from Asbury was moving in to her new apartment, then I drove the twelve hours back home to spend what time I could with Ryan and my puppies. 

Now, if you've read our story, you'll know Ryan and I aren't getting married for three years, since he'll be in the Physician Assistant Studies program at the University of Kentucky starting in January, and I'll be at MNSU. This means a lot of things, like no "real planning" for the next year (what Ryan doesn't know about my Pinterest board won't hurt him) and every congratulations being followed by, "Wait, you'll be engaged how long?" 

But one thing that I didn't even think about before we got engaged was that the beautiful engagement photo session I had been dreaming about since I discovered my hopeless romantic side would have to be postponed too. So even though we just got engaged and that "magic" is here now, because of how wedding photographers orchestrate their packages, I realized that Ryan and I wouldn't be able to do our engagement photos until the fall before our wedding—two years from now. Which made me sad. Because even though I wouldn't consider myself your traditional girly girl, I do like the idea of getting dressed up to take beautiful pictures with my fiancé. 

Luckily, I have really awesome friends and family. Firstly, s/o to my friend Kayla for offering to take pictures; even though we were rained out, you're still the best. Secondly, my mom—among her various talents for cooking, writing, and buying really good presents—is an amazing photographer. I mentioned my plight of wanting engagement photos, but not wanting to pay for a session now and then again once we book an actual wedding photographer, hoping that she might volunteer her time and skills to the cause. 

And that is how we found ourselves in the Arboretum during a humid, cloudy morning, jogging through the wet grass in our fancy clothes as my mom took pictures of us. Honestly, I can't stop looking at these gorgeous photos. Who needs a wedding photographer when you've got a mom who's been practicing for this day since your first homecoming dance?

P.S. I apologize in advance for all of the kissing pictures; I swore I would never become this person. But love does crazy things. 

P.P.S. Don't you love it when you try to take a cute picture and your fiancé decides he wants to look like he's pouting in it? 

As always, click on the images below to enlarge them and use the arrow keys to navigate the slideshow!