As I join in with the world on looking back over the past year, I have to say it was one filled with new beginnings. Let me give you the highlights:
January
The year opened up on a good note - a wedding! Matt's cousin Andrew married his soul mate Amber and we got to spend a lot of great times with Matt's side of the family.
On January 12th, Haiti was hit by a 7.0 earthquake. I started The Wardrobe Challenge which lasted 54 days, and got to learn about a lot of really great organizations. Haiti is still in a state of emergency with an outbreak of cholera, riots during December's elections, and a lot of the world having moved on to more recent disasters. Keep the country in prayer, that roads would be rebuilt, the government would remain willing and open to aid organizations, and that there would be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to bring a revival.
February
Matt went to San Francisco for one of his college friend's wedding, I continued the Challenge and we went to one awful production of the musical "Company."
And we got a few breaks of sunshine in an otherwise very chilly and wet year.
March
We made the major decision to move someplace with lower rent so we could speed up our goal of getting out of debt. With God's grace we found a place on the Eastside, sold a lot of our stuff and gave a lot of it away, and transitioned to a place of simpler living.
In the time since, we've kicked our credit card debt, and still managed to take a number of trips!
April
Just a matter of days after we moved into our new place, we packed our bags and got on a plane to my parent's new place in Oklahoma. Good times all around, although Matt and I did take quite a number of naps.
May
It had been a few months since we'd gone to a wedding, so again we packed our bags and headed to Philadelphia for another one! You might remember my seatmate, Ethel. Good times.
Matt was blessed to be a groomsman for one of his friends who was a groomsman at our wedding, and we really had a great trip and had fun touring Philly again.
June
June we got to stay home for the most part, and host friends and family. My second parents, Mark and Charlene, came up for a visit and brought my parents with them...well, sort of...
My cousin Michael and his wife Sara and son Jadon also came up. It was the first time they've gotten to meet Matt, which was fun! We got to take them to Snoqualmie Falls, eat fish and chips downtown, and Jadon and Roy got to bond.
July
We started off the month with a trip to Groveland, where I celebrated my 26th birthday, then the 4th of July, then we did the North Dome hike...all with a 6 day migraine but we still had a good time!
We did another No Spend Month and really kicked all our credit card debt! What an awesome feeling!!! Having signed up for a CSA, we got to experiment with a lot of new foods, and in my thriftiness I even made my first dress ever. Too bad it was never warm enough to wear it more than twice!
We went to a coworker's wedding, climbed Mt Townsend, and hosted my cousins April and George (wait, was that in August? Tempus Fugit).
Towards the end of the month I was going through wedding withdrawals, so off I went to So Cal to the wedding of a childhood friend. My parents came too, and we had a big ole' reunion at the beach!
The next day we were up to our elbows in flowers, and I was having minor panic attacks because I had been volunteered to do the bride's - my friend of 15 or so years - bouquet. All in all things worked out, and it was one of the most gorgeous weddings I've ever been to.
August
Matt's parents came to visit, I started making aprons as more than a hobby, and on a whim my best friend Charissa and I headed up to Whistler for a long weekend. The journey there alone was entertaining enough, but nothing could have prepared me for how gorgeous Canada is!
September
In September Matt and I switched our plans from a mini vacay in Leavenworth to a return to Whistler. We got to ride the gondolas to the top of Blackcomb and Whistler, and I have to say that alone was worth the trip!
Then we decided to become temporary masochists and go through a detox a naturopath suggested. I have never felt more sick in my entire life. Eight days of that was enough, but it took my body a month to actually recover.
October
October was a bit of a whirlwind. I started taking my apron making seriously, you guys helped me come up with a new shop name - The Ruffled Owl, I hit my 100th post, and decided to start training for a half marathon. Phew, I'm tired just thinking about that month.
We also got to visit the pumpkin patch and have a fall-ishly good time.
was this picture a foreshadow?
November
The biggie in November was I found out I was pregnant. A bit of a shock, as we weren't trying! I also got to join in on Rachel Reeves' Thankful on Paper
December
The real fun of pregnancy has begun. I get to experience firsthand the morning sickness so talked about, and added on top of that are my everlasting migraines. Lovely.
Oh, and don't forget my first visit to the OBGYN. That was fun.
Christmas we made it to Arizona without much incident (other than being put in a holding pattern in that huge storm for 45 minutes), and enjoyed being with my family for the holidays. We slept in late, played games, watched movies, laughed constantly and ate until we couldn't eat no more.
Here's a visual recap...
Ammah gets an early gift...go HERE to see the hilarious video!
still lovebirds after almost 30 years...
I think I see your tonsils, Ammah...
Gotta love a fast camera that catches these moments...
My brother wearing the singing, dancing hat...
out in Potato Patch with the new lens
my handsome bro...
and gorgeous Ammah...can you believe this woman is going to be a great-grandma???
and I'm still a Daddy's girl...
and we still can't believe this time next year we'll be a Mama and Daddy!
So that's the year in a longer-than-expected recap. It was fun, it was fast, it was frugal, it was fortifying, it was overall fantastic! May your year ahead be filled with new adventures, old friends, and covered in God's love!
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