A Year in Review

The Christmas letter we should have sent out. =P

Dear Friends and Family,

                It has been quite the year! We decided that for our first year together, we would like to start a good habit and write a Christmas letter every year! (Hopefully.)  The year began very well with a deepening relationship with each other which eventually led to a proposal in February! The day after MMM proposed, he left for a two week trip for his job. That gave me the great opportunity to get a start on wedding planning. 

                A short three months later came our wedding day. It was a perfect day in June and we are both so thankful for that! It was so much fun to have that day with so many friends and family to celebrate with us.  The day went perfectly and that was largely due to all the wonderful help we received. Thank you so much to all of you who helped us.

                We had a few shorts days after the wedding off before MMM had to go back to work full time and I went back to work part time.  Life continued on for about two months where we had to learn how to be married and how to live with someone new.  And then at the end of those two months, we packed up and headed to Ohio for a three month training.

                Dayton, Ohio was an amazing experience for us both. Having the opportunity to spend those months relatively alone really gave us the time to get used to being married, and learn how to work through issues as they came along. It was a time of great growth for both of us.  We were extremely blessed in our church family there, and learned a lot from them about how to be a blessing to others.

                Coming back to the Windy City was quite the ‘adventure’ (read as ‘stressful’) because we still hadn’t found a place to live. But, we learned again and again how important it is to trust the Lord for our next step. As we trusted Him He provided us with a place to live at the very last second!  We are so grateful we were able to move in just a few short days after arriving in the city.

                It has been so much fun making our little house into a home! We are enjoying the area and the convenient distance from MMM’s job.  We had just a short time to settle in before heading down to Arizona for our belated honeymoon. It was a great time just getting away from the stresses of moving and being back at his job. We had a wonderful time there and were able to visit with some great friends and family.

                Immediately from Arizona, we went to Iowa for our biggest family Thanksgiving ever!  What a joy it was to have the opportunity to be with family. In all likelihood, we won’t have everyone back  together again. Our family is spreading out and growing, so that makes it so much harder to coordinate!

                Speaking of growing families, we do have an addition! His name is Thor, and he is the most cuddly puppy I’ve ever known. He also has been the source of much frustration, laughter, and joy. MMM and I have been learning more and more how much work it is to have a dog, but the rewards are more than worth it. We both love him so much already, and he’s only been here a short while.

                This year was probably the craziest year in both of our lives, but it has also been the happiest and most fulfilling. We have been very blessed. And now I sign off with a very Merry Christmas to all of you! Wishing you all the best.