In the year 2010

It's hard to believe that 2010 is almost over. I can't tell you what we did, or what we didn't do or what dreams we had hoped to accomplish and have yet to. Time moves so quickly and it's impossible to slow it down, as much as I wish we could. Tomorrow we celebrate Thanksgiving and I'm so very thankful for so many things, we are truly blessed beyond anything we could possibly deserve. We give all the glory to God, without Him we would be no where...and I assure you that Jeremy would say the same.

In less than a month Jeremy and I will celebrate our two year anniversary. What an amazing journey these two years have been! I wouldn't trade any of it for the world, through ups and downs, we have discovered the hidden sides of one another and it has brought us so much closer together. There is a secrecy about marriage, that look that's shared across the table, small gestures and phrases, things that no one else around you understands. I love that, having someone to share every bit of your life with with no judgement or misunderstanding. We get each other and that in itself is priceless.

We both started new jobs this year. Jeremy worked hard to get a place at Ray's Tune-Up and he's very happy there. I think his dreams are to do the same as the current owner did and work there until he can own the place himself. I love walking into those doors, I love thinking about how it's been 'handed' down and how a pattern has formed. I know my husband would keep that legacy going.

I just started working at the PictureMe Portrait Studios. I'm loving it so far although being dropped immediately into a management position has ruffled a few of my coworkers feathers. I'm sure everything will smooth itself over with time. It feels good to work again and it feels even better to know that the more effort I put in, the more I'll be compensated. It's not often that you find a place that works like that. I'm hoping in the near future to do more photography on my own outside of the studio.

As far as 2010 goes, things went pretty well. We both found jobs that we love. We finally got health insurance. We took a wonderful cruise and did some other traveling as well. We moved out of the city and into the sleepy village of Pleasant Hill, which I personally love. We've been to concerts and parties, made new friends and spent time with old ones.

One of the biggest decisions we made this year was to bring another member into the family. Little Mason will be one in January and he's grown sooo much. He's spoiled rotten. He sleeps right between us every night in bed and has the pleasure of going every where that we go (with a few exceptions, of course). He really is our kid and we treat him accordingly. Stinky on the other hand, still does not like his younger brother. Oh well, tough love!

With 2011 right around the corner, we've already started making big plans. We're hoping to buy a house and have been looking a lot lately. We're asking that we have a lot of prayer in this process because we've been saving for 2 years for this purpose and are hoping to avoid loans of any huge amount. We're also hoping to add another addition to our family...only this time the human kind. We're not exactly trying...yet. But we feel as if we're ready and we know the time will come soon. Prayers in this aspect as well, please! In the meantime we're focusing on our jobs, our lives together and perhaps another vacation. (We cant' stand to sit still long.) We hope that 2010 ends well for you all and that 2011 brings you great joy and peace.

I'm Letting Go...

You know that song by Francesca Battistelli? It goes:

'I'm letting go of the life I've planned for me and my dreams.'

That's where I'm at right now. Letting go and letting God, despite how much it hurts deep down to bury the things that I want the most in life. I found myself sobbing in the shower last night, praying and begging that God would just comfort my soul and relieve me of the hurt that was tearing at my heart.

It was silly, really...all because what I want in life right now is not in God's plans for me yet, or ever. That's all in his hands, in his control. And I was being selfish, petty. I was like a little child stomping their foot, demanding that I have it my way, right now despite knowing that Daddy knows best and what He says goes.

So I'm taking deep breaths, I'm praying for patience and knowing that with God at the wheel, I cannot be steered in a wrong direction. I know in the end I'll look back and be surprised that I was ever upset because Daddy knows best and for all I know, He has something great planned for me now...and those dreams that keep tugging at my heart, well, they just had to wait.