Where did you begin 2010?
Mr. Right and I invited my sister and her husband over for a quiet (gourmet) dinner at our house, and then we rang in the new year just the two of us watching TV. And then about 12:15, Mr. Right had to go home. It was exactly one week before our wedding, we were exhausted, and it was SO hard to send my man home, knowing he’d move in the very next week. But that’s how it goes before you’re married!
What random cool things happened in 2011?
I had a big year at work – it was my hospital’s 50th anniversary, so I helped plan TWENTY special events in its honor. Mr. Right got a promotion at our church. We started teaching ESL classes and absolutely fell in LOVE with our students. I spent some good quality time with a few close girlfriends. I became a much more serious quilter. My sister got PREGNANT. We went from owning two houses to ONE. And, we became completely debt free (except for the house).
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| My Bachelor-Watching Bachelorette Party |
Books read in 2011?
Do anything embarrassing?
I lived with a boy for the first time in my life… so of course I did a lot of embarrassing things, being in such tight quarters with another person. My most embarrassing moment was probably
the night I almost threw up on him.
Oh, and I cut bangs. It was a bad idea. Not sure it was embarassing, but it was definitely not my best decision. I’ve been growing them out since July… Next time I want to get a dramatic hair cut, please, someone do an intervention.
What scripture did you study?
I did a Precept Bible Study on Isaiah (woah nelly, that was a tough one!), a self-study on the life of Paul (with the help of
this book by Beth Moore), and lately I’ve been going through the four gospels chronologically/simultaneously, which is so interesting to see the different stories side-by-side in each gospel. I missed teaching my old Sunday School class, but got to fill in for two weeks in December, which felt a little like coming back home.
Did you know anybody who got married?
Why am I blanking on this one? All I can remember is David and Kelly’s wedding, but I figure we went to more than that… if it’s yours I’ve forgotten… I’m sorry. It’ll come to me in the middle of the night. I know in 2012 we have THREE weddings in January and then I’m the maid of honor for a dear friend’s wedding in March.
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| I love this picture because you can see all of us sitting in the audience (left side). |
Did you move anywhere?
Praise Jesus no. In fact, January 3 marks my fifth anniversary in the little house I built. I did gain a new roommate, though, and we did sell Mr. Right’s house, which in retrospect was rather quickly, but in the midst of it, seemed to take forever. We also did some fun projects around the house – I am thankful I married a very handy man.
What sporting events did you attend?
We really only went to a handful of Rangers games… and of course the Cowtown Marathon, a local triathlon, and a little 5K in the fall. Not a big sports year for us.
Describe your birthday:
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| (My father-in-law and I have birthdays two days apart) |
I turned 31 rather quietly with some family dinners on both sides, and a simple night out with Mr. Right for Indian food and then to see the newest Twilight movie. (He’s a champ for sitting through that with me… he’s not exactly that movie’s target market).
What’s something you learned about yourself?
Ha… oh my, I have learned so much about myself this year. Probably because I spent the first four months in bed with PLENTY of time to contemplate life while I was doped up on medication with a mild fever. I don’t miss that at all.
I learned to appreciate my health, and to love on people who are suffering through long-term health issues. People tend to pay attention at the beginning, and then forget about you. But I had some dear friends who continued to seek me out, remind me they were praying for me, and come over and hang out with me when I didn’t have the energy to leave my house.
I learned that my husband is even stronger than I thought he could be. He took such good care of me this year, showed extreme patience as I battled sickness and then insecurities that resulted from being sick. He showed me love in such creative and tender ways. One of my favorite memories was in late April, when I had been sick with my latest bout for four weeks straight with no relief, and he knew I was lonely. So, he invited my girlfriends over for a “Royal Wedding Rehearsal Dinner” and cooked us a gourmet meal and then retreated to his home office so that we girls could have some girl time.
I learned to be a better prayer warrior, as we were faced with challenge after challenge – from my health issues to selling a house and the fear that came with paying two mortgages and not knowing when it would end. We were robbed, we lost loved ones, I wrecked my car, we faced challenges at work and school and sometimes we were so very tired, and yet God never forgot about us. He not only proved to be very sweet in some of our toughest times but he answered many of our prayers much more abundantly than we thought to ask.
This week I read about how Jesus healed a blind man, and everyone had thought that the blind man was blind as the result of some sort of sin. Jesus told them that he had been blind, not because of sin, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” (John 9:3). I think much of what we went through this year was so that we could see the work of God displayed in our life.
Were you in school this year?
I went to a weekend workshop to learn how to teach ESL classes. And Mr. Right took 800 hours of grad school. (not really… but I think he took 21 hours).
Any new additions to your family?
I gained about 100 new relatives when I married Mr. Right. It was so fun. Over Thanksgiving three of his teenage girl cousins stayed at our house for the weekend… we watched Selena Gomez movies and drank hot chocolate and talked about hair… it was so fun to fill our house with giggling girls.
Later, when I was unsure about a fashion trend, Mr. Right told me, “Don’t worry, I know what I’m talking about – Selena Gomez wore that.” Things I never thought I’d hear come out of my husband’s mouth!
Favorite night out?
Mr. Right came up with the concept of Top Secret Date Nights, and those were some of my favorite evenings. He comes up with a date, sends me a calendar invite (because we live by our Outlook calendars), and then taunts me relentlessly about how much fun I’m going to have, but how he can’t tell me where we’re going. Sometimes I can wear him down and he spills the beans (because he’s as bad at keeping secrets as I am), but sometimes he stays strong and I don’t know where we’re going until we get there. This year we took secret dates to the Japanese Gardens, to the drive-in movie, to the Modern Art Museum’s special indie film series, and we went on a shopping spree at North Park Mall. Of course, not to be outdone, I planned a Top Secret Date for Mr. Right, taking him to the aquarium in Dallas.
My other favorite night in was Valentine’s Day, when he turned our living room into a candle lit cafe, with our table in front of the fire place and a gourmet steak dinner and chocolate cake for dessert. It was something straight out of a movie.
And then there was the symphony…
Oh, and there were two picnics at the river that were uber romantic…
What do you want to change in 2012?
I want to be a more patient wife. I want to be more flexible when my plans change and relinquish the need for control over my calendar. These are all things I’ve come to realize I struggle with after living in close quarters with my man – it’s amazing how many things you can hide from yourself when you live alone.
Where did you spend most of your time?
In the kitchen, cooking with Mr. Right (or watching him cook). Which would explain why I gained 15 pounds this year… and which is why we’re both training for a half marathon and watching what we eat now. Most of the time. (on the night this picture was taken, Mr. Right made THREE different types of Christmas cookies… from scratch… and two different types of icing.)
Do you have a new year’s resolution?
I want to do better at sending birthday cards, thank you notes, and bringing hostess gifts when we go to peoples’ houses.
I want to run a half marathon – scheduled for the end of February.
I want to take some quilting classes (I finished three quilts in 2011 and am very close to finishing two more).
What was your favorite purchase?
My new sewing machine – I call her Magnolia. She’s electric.
Did you get sick this year?
Ha… I took 11 rounds of antibiotics and THEN got on a daily dose of antibiotics in early May that I’m still on… so I’m not sure how many additional rounds that will include… basically I glow in the dark.
Start a new hobby?
I did some intense quilting… and LOVED it! I finally got the nerve to try quilting on my machine (before that I did exclusive machine piecing and hand quilting), and yesterday I learned how to free-motion quilt, something I had been so nervous about. I love it. I am happiest sitting at my machine, listening to a book on tape and sewing something beautiful to give away.
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| A birthday present for my sister Sarah |
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| Christmas present for Aunt Donna |
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| Christmas present for my niece Ella |
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| My first attempt at free-motion quilting, on this vintage quilt top Mr. Right found at an antique store… this quilt is for my man. |
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| I’ve still got to finish hand-quilting the appliqued hearts on the side. It’s a gift for someone special in 2012. |
What are you hoping and planning for in 2012?
I am excited to watch our ESL ministry grow – we are already praying that God will bring us new volunteers so we can serve even more students. I am looking forward to gaining a new niece or nephew in early June. I’m excited to be taking THREE trips with Mr. Right (one to Florida for a conference, one to watch him preach a revival somewhere far away – we don’t know where yet – and a mission trip to help a church plant in San Francisco). I’m excited to be debt free and to turn our focus toward paying down part of our mortgage and buying Mr. Right a truck with a back seat (because someday he may need a place to put a car seat… or two or three). And I’m looking forward to a second chance at being newlyweds.
Happy new year!
