This past year has been one of our hardest years yet, but also one of the greatest.
In just 8 more days, we will be celebrating year three of our marriage. That's exciting because A) we never have to go back and re-do those first three years (!), and B) hopefully we'll be given many more together to perfect the skills we've learned so far (and learn more of course).
About 9 months of 09' was spent at my in-laws and for a total of 11 months of rent free in-law bliss! Free food, really good home cooked meals and cupcakes, a few shelves in the pantry cleared out just for us, two rooms and a bathroom, endless use of the dining room table for all sewing endeavors, minimal complaints about messy rooms and incense, no curfew, and communal car washing and movie watching (just to name a few!)! It wasn't always so peachy though, in fact the first three months involved a lot of complaining (okay, maybe more than "a lot", maybe incessant), the shameless packing of bags in the wee hours and a few trips to my parents, and the not so shameful "I'm going to the monastery!" trips, sandwich-crumbs left on the counter and floor-squabbles, major stove-top cleaning altercations, "that time of the month" issues x 2, basset hound eviction threats, one too many "I'm your primary source for cooking information now, don't ask your mother how to cook something that you know darn well I know how to cook, in front of me. If I truly don't know how to do it, I'll ask her myself and then get back to you" fights, dog-poop-picking-up wars, and some occasional appliance usage issues, namely the washer and dryer, coffee grinder, and disposer.
As challenging as it was for us to live privacy free for 11 months, I know that it was even harder for them! They also had no privacy, less closet space, twice as much dog poop in their back yard, more noise disturbance, a greater monthly food budget, and the overall inconvenience of housing us, feeding us, and storing some of our junk, all while putting up with Emma's shenanigans and ours to boot. I think they need a gold medal, and someday I hope that we can repay them.
As great of an ordeal as it may sound, I wouldn't change the the last 8 months for anything, yes you read correctly, meaning that I would rather clean out a cesspool with Mike Rowe, or eat an table of bugs, or beans, or even hummus on fear factor, than re-live those first three months. Enough said.
I am however grateful that God saw it fit for us to experience that (He has such a sense of humor doesn't He? or maybe it's just His infinite wisdom?), because we grew and accomplished so much and I gained something that I am so ecstatic/happy/thrilled about...A super great relationship with my in-laws. It's so true! I really got to know them-they know what I look like when I wake up in the morning (and they don't laugh or get scared), they've seen me all frumpy, grungy, and grumpy and they still think I'm cool (I think). I truly LOVE them, they are amazing, and I am so thankful to have TWO sets of awesome, "would do anything for you" parents. It's so cool. I talk to my mother-in-law almost everyday (about as often as I talk to my mom) and I think that's pretty neat! I feel like we're really great friends, plus she's a super awesome sushi date!
I had a lot of great experiences this past year, like a special trip with Hannah to St. Barbaras, a trip with Victoria to Arizona, and a trip to St. Anthonys in Arizona with my grandparents. Getting to know the Watson's (!!!!!), being given another Godchild, being able to attend her birth and to hear her first cry, getting another kid to like me (who calls me yah-yah), and gaining a really, really great friend, was super amazing, and it doesn't hurt that she knows how to feed my sweet tooth either!
And not to mention buying our first house!!!! And it's on a cul-de-sac!!!!! And it has 3 bedrooms and an office!!!! And we have real furniture!! And all of the help that we had from our family and Jeremy with his "manly" skills!!!! It was so great to work together and I'm so thankful for their time, because this place was super disgusting and needed it so very badly! It is such a pretty house and we just love it! It has been so great to make it a home and (try to) keep it organized and clean! It is such fun and I hope to spend the rest of my life in my 20' x 8' pink laundry and sewing room and as a master house-cleaning-and organizing-wife-lady with my Martha Stewart home keeping handbook and Home Comforts tucked under my arms! I am so thankful that God gave us such a beautiful house, one that is so cozy and has enough room for family and friends! Not to mention an awesomely huge backyard!
I also managed to make it into one of the nursing programs at RCC (the LVN program to be exact). Though it's not anything close to what I dreamed/planned for myself (after all, I was going to finish PA school at the age of 23 and have a baby while walking off of the stage) (ha), it's close enough. It's a part-time program, which translates to another year (than neccessary) of my life being spent at RCC, but I can work in a year and a semester, get on with life, and then go back someday and finish up the RN program when the thought of back-to-school shopping makes me feel all warm and fuzzy again.
So, here's to hoping that 2010 brings problems with easier solutions, some plant life for the yard, maybe a paint job for the house or a patio cover, an organized garage, a brew/man lounge out back, better health for everyone, including Grandpa, happy bassets, maybe (if Thomas agrees) a long haired dachshund with the temperament and class of a certain Roberta, at least the minimal scholastic achievement needed to pass two more semesters, a Christmas miracle, and maybe some chickens and a garden too.
thanks for letting us share your year :)
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