In short, 2011 was amazing! Obviously the main event was our wedding and everything that came with that - dress shopping, vendor meeting, pre-cana, bachelor and bachelorette parties, showers, etc. We were also able to celebrate a few weddings of our friends and family which were fabulous! The amount of love I felt this year was more than ever in my life and I am forever grateful for that.
But the real world is not "Facebook positive" as I refer to it. You know, where everyone only posts the BEST things that are happening to them, and fail to mention the crap that comes along with real life? There were definitely some challenges this year. David and I moved in together in January and it was very difficult. The transition of having lived alone for 11 years to now sharing 750 square feet with someone was tough (and still is some days). I realized that I never lived with anyone I dated for a reason, and if we weren't married, I would still be living alone!
There were some sad times this year as well. Good friends lost close loved ones and my heart still breaks for them. And I lost someone very special to me - my grandfather, Pop. I grew up living with Pop and we bonded over root beer floats, hess trucks and the tv show Quincy. He was sarcastic and funny, and had a low tolerance for stupid, but was loving and caring in his own 'no frills' way. I was blessed to have him in my life for so long, and miss him more than I thought I would. But I am happy that he was able to know David and his first great grandchild before he left us, and am grateful that he is home with his wife after too long of a time apart.
Speaking of the circle of life, there was great expansion! Babies were born, in-laws were made and my family and group of friends more than doubled in size. It is a wonderful thing, having two sets of loving parents, two extra siblings, hundreds of extra cousins (yes, hundreds, there are tons of them!), and a great new group of friends who love me as if I've known them for 15 years. The transition is not always easy and definitely still in process, and in many ways we are all still getting to know each other (more to come on this in 2012).
Our health is good, even though I seem to have gained the newlywed weight I was warned about and David does not (AARGH). And our faith continues to grow - we found a wonderful new church community this year and were able to attend two marriage preparation retreats, building and renewing our faith in each other. I am grateful every day for all the gifts we have been given.
The year also included as much fun as possible on a 'wedding savers' budget. Trips to Vegas, Vermont, and Atlantic City were taken (not huge gamblers, just a coincidence), and we enjoyed a ton of free, fun local events. Concerts and parties were attended, dancing occurred, and we wined and dined thanks to Groupon and Living Social. Time spent with family and friends is always the most important, and I honestly cannot remember the last weekend we were alone (usually a good thing, but we may try it out next year).
The New Year is a great time to start over, but also a good opportunity to look back, say 'thank you' and learn what you could do better next time. I have learned so much about myself this year and about who I want to be in the future. And I am so grateful for my health, my husband, my family and friends, life, love and the fact that this 750 square foot apartment has separate rooms when needed. Happy New Year!!!
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