2014

This morning I wandered back to my final post of 2013. I excitedly retold our proposal story and eagerly looked forward to everything that 2014 was going to offer. One year later, I can't help but smile because I am just as happy (if not more) as I was 365 days ago.

Since getting an iPhone, I've installed and come to a love-hate relationship with a particular app, "Timehop." It loves to time travel and remind you of all the inconsequential things you posted, talked about, and put on display on social media however many years ago. When I installed and began checking in daily to see my past dealings I never thought that what I might see would be anything I wouldn't want to be reminded of. Oddly enough, the time of the year I installed it was the same time of the year that revolved around the saddest portion of my past. So I was near immediately reminded of what I was going through 3 years ago. Of course the initial emotion is pained and personal embarrassment that I actually believed or went through with any of it. But since being on this side of the coin, I'm growing to appreciate and be grateful for some of those experiences. And I look into the face of my husband and I am so happy. At some moments I'm so overwhelmed with it that I start crying. It's like my darkest night turned into the brightest, warmest day.

I've said it before, I may never know why I had to go through so much hurt and pain, why God walked me through that time, what lesson I had to learn. But I am growing to appreciate those experiences because they are positively influencing my relationships now. Rick said, "You just needed to make a pit-stop because I wasn't ready to meet you yet."

2014 was a great year. I landed an awesome position in the NICU and joined an amazing "work-family," bought a cute 3-bedroom bungalow that I'm quickly evolving my homemaker skills in, survived the flood of 2014, and married my best friend and love of my life. I'm looking forward to kissing him at midnight tonight and welcoming all the challenges and blessings that God has for us in 2015! Not to mention all the reminders that Timehop will give me throughout the next year :)