2010 (Put a Ring On It)

I'm a bit behind in end-of-the-year and beginning-of-the-year posting (or really just posting in general), but I just read a post that detailed the past year in photographs and felt inspired enough to log into Blogger & recap 2010.

January

My friends & I rang in the new year with a mad plaid party. My niece Mallie was born. We enjoyed a snow that permitted really fun sledding on the hill outside our apartments. And Blake & I bought Thatcher (he's doing his favorite thing in this photograph--licking!)

February

I finished watching all episodes of Criminal Minds, discovered the deliciousness that is boursin cheese on filet mignon, got a new, great secretary--obviously a slow month! (I only remember these things b/c I blogged about them.) Almost forgot, I visited Chicago for the first time to see my friend Sarah and meet up with our other two friends. from our days in Macon. So fun to catch up, but Thatcher almost died while I was gone. Scary!

March

Blake proposed. I said yes. I couldn't have been more thrilled.

April

We quickly set a date (June 12th) for the wedding & began planning. The planning wasn't really fun at all, but I felt very blessed by how well Blake and I worked together in doing something we didn't enjoy very much. And we celebrated Easter with a feast with our friends...so delicious!

May

Our friends threw us a co-ed shower as well as a lingerie shower (no boys at that one though). My friend Nicole and my sisters hosted another shower in my hometown, and we were constantly humbled by our friends and family's generosity, thoughtfulness, and support.

June

Finally! The planning was over, and Blake & I got married. The day went very smoothly thanks to our awesome friends & family (who served us well in so many different ways), and we were in the car headed to Atlanta by 1:00 or so :) One of my favorite moments was when I first saw Blake that morning at 7:45. He was waiting for me at the place he had proposed, and this is what I saw when I arrived: While we were dating, we often referred to "One Day"--because we knew that if it was God's plan for us to be married that "One Day" we'd get to enjoy certain things together--but not until then. And finally One Day had arrived. So glad to have waited for God's perfect plan & for Blake.

June 12th was also a special day for our friends Kate & Carson as Kate gave birth to their much prayed over son Holden. Here she is at our wedding & in labor! Here's one more favorite wedding day photo with my sweet friends & flower girl. Of course, we also went on our lovely honeymoon to the Dominican Republic.

July

Answered prayer! Blake got a great job. The timing was ideal--just a few weeks after we returned from our honeymoon.

August

Our friends Beth & Michael were commissioned & shipped out to "East Asia" as missionaries. Exciting but sort of sad too. Blake & I participated in our first mud run.

September

We spent a weekend at my boss' cabin in Mentone and continued adjusting to marriage, which has been much more difficult than I thought it would be for us. Blake & I also joined a Stories Group and began hosting a Supper Club through our church.

October

We celebrated Halloween with a party on the roof, and thanks to Blake's dad & step-mom Thatcher even got in on the "fun." I started volunteering regularly with some high school students once a week, and Blake had to travel a good bit. Thankfully distance makes the heart grow fonder :) We also began looking in earnest for a house & enjoyed a overnight shopping trip to Atlanta.

November

We found a house! It needs lot of work but is priced appropriately, and it's less than a mile from where we live now. We'll also share our back fence with our friends Kate & Carson (& Holden too). We close this Friday!

December

Blake's employer flew the spouses down to Tampa for the company Christmas party, and it was a great get-away. The spa was awesome, and it was just fun to be away together and to finally meet some of his coworkers (since Blake works from home). We had a magical white Christmas and celebrating Christmas with four separate parental units went better than we expected. I enjoyed my last huge Christmas tree (since our new home won't have such high loft ceilings).

So in summary, my year was full of answered prayers. It was busy, especially the process of going from "I" to much more "we." The new year is already off to an exciting start; hope yours is too.

p.s. I'm grateful for new years, clean slates, resolutions, possibilities, and opportunities.