It's the beginning of the last day of 2012. As I lie here sick with a cold and covered in hives, I've decided to reflect on the great things that have happened this year. :)
First, I started off the year right by getting married. Great decision, especially because the person I married also happened to be my best friend. He came into my life at just the right time.
They say the first year of marriage is the most difficult. Sure, we've had plenty of disagreements, but we've come out stronger because of them. The biggest thing I've learned is that sometimes your love for your spouse needs to outweigh your love for being right, and that not every little thing is worth fussing over. I'm sure that's a lesson I'll be reminded of again and again in the future. Nonetheless, I've enjoyed every minute of having my husband. He is always putting my needs before his own, and he shows me respect and love on a daily basis. It is so great to have a partner in life to dream with and love God with. I really do look forward to every moment we get to spend together. I'd be crazy to call that "difficult!"
We've gone through some big transitions together including moving for the first time, and me getting my first "real" job. Moving was not that fun of an experience; my new job, however, turned out to be a huge blessing. I perfectly remember leaving the interview after they told me I got the job. Tears of joy were all over the place right when I saw Chad. I love that I have a job that doesn't seem like "work."
As a result of my employment, we got to buy some new furniture which included a new couch and a nice leather ottoman. Around the same time, we got a kitten. Precious is probably the coolest cat I've ever had. She fetches, hides in boxes, is cuddly and even comes when we call her. It's great to have another personality around the house, not to mention someone else to blame things on. The only drawback is her love of clawing our ottoman. I promised myself I wouldn't let any animal control my home, and here we are covering our nice furniture with blankets so she'll be less tempted to scratch. I guess it's a temporary trade off until we figure out what to do. She's way too cute to give up.
This year we also got to experience some adventures. Many of those were spent at Disneyland, our favorite place. We have made so many happy memories there and were so blessed to have annual passes, which is why we were sure we'd enjoy a honeymoon at the Disney Aulani resort in Hawaii. We had so much fun that someday we hope to go back. For my birthday, Chad took me to San Jose to show me his favorite fancy restaurant. It was so fun to get all dressed up and try to remember how to use multiple forks. I discovered that sauce made from wine is the best tasting sauce ever, and that duck and lamb taste pretty delicious too. We rented a car (with a sunroof - so cool!) and drove to Monterey to see the aquarium and look at the candy and art shops in the area. Then we went to San Francisco and drove across the Golden Gate Bridge. It was exciting to cross that off the bucket list. We also took a trip to Hollywood for my mom's birthday. We went to the Wax Museum, the Guiness Book of World Records place, La Brea tar pits and the Hardrock Cafe. We also got to enjoy an awesome couple's retreat for two days at Ironwood Christian camp. So. Much. Fun.
Probably the biggest blessing this year was finding out I was pregnant. Chad's cousin had just announced they were pregnant at Thanksgiving, and we had just been talking about that, thinking we might be. I took one test and it was negative. I waited a couple days and took another, since I knew my body was acting a little strange, and sure enough there was the plus sign. Chad had just finished putting up the Christmas tree when I went to show him the test. It was exciting and a little scary to know that our lives were going to be different from that point on.
We were so excited to tell our families. We told my parents by giving them sweatshirts that said Granny and Gramps. It was so cool to see their excitement. My dad went on and on about names and plans for the future. I'm so glad we waited to tell them when they were both together. We told Chad's family at our weekly family dinner with his grandma, parents, sister and bro-in-law and their kids. Chad said the prayer and toward the end said, "and thank You that Cassidy, Carson and Connor are going to get a cousin. Amen." They looked around confused for a second, and then big smiles spread across their faces. It was priceless. I'm so blessed that we have families who love us and are there for us when we need them. I'm so blessed that our relationships are healthy and happy.
As the year comes to a close, I want to reflect on the positives, and about all the positives that have come out of the negatives. I've learned things I never would have it if weren't for the occasional bad day. The good days will give you great memories, but it's the bad days that give you a chance to look back and laugh and be thankful you have a good story to tell. Right now it's not that funny that my entire body itches and my lips have ballooned to Angelina Jolie status, but maybe tomorrow or the next day when I'm better, it will be. I'm thankful for this time that forces me to look at the good in my life and know that I am fully and completely blessed beyond measure. I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store.
