Goodbye 2009! Hello 2010!

2009 was, by far, the most exciting, crazy, and life changing year I have ever had. I have been blessed beyond measure. I can honestly say that this is the happiest I have ever been. This year I have desperately tried to live in every moment, consuming all that I possibly could out of life. In return, I have learned to see the blessings in the little moments and stood in complete awe at giant life accomplishments. I have realized in my life, that life is entirely too short. This year has led me on some of the most sentimental and life changing journeys I will ever encounter.

At the closing of 2009, and beginning of 2010, I feel it is fitting for me to remember the path that I have traveled.

January

• Every day is a gift. As a New Year's resolution, I decided to start Living every day. I decided to try to do something each day that made it special; not simply doing tasks.

• The arrival of Lucy Dog: During the worst snowfall of the year, Judd and I decided to add Lucy to our family....or rather, Lucy decided to add us to hers.

February

• Judd and I celebrated our last Valentine's day as an unmarried couple and Lucy established her place in our family by chewing through her steal crate during dinner. Lucy began to learn her place was not "top dog" (or not actually. See the previous post about her furniture opinions).

March

• In March, after a year, Judd and I decided it was time to stop house shopping. Three weeks later, we broke ground on our new home and proudly proclaimed that we owned a giant pile of dirt.
• I celebrated my birthday.
• Judd and I enjoyed the "calm before the storm". Little did we know how busy the next several months were going to be. I remember thinking "I like being busy. Pile it on". That was a crazy plan...

April

• My sister, Jillian, gave me the prettiest bridal shower I have ever even seen. It was such an absolutely beautiful day and I simply can't wait to do the same for her one day.

May

• May felt a little bit like a giant tornado was quickly approaching. There comes a point when planning a wedding that the blissfulness runs out and the work involved seems more like the tornado sirens are firing in the distance. That was May: a tornado in the distance and it was too late to run. May was a fuzzy blur of finishing my bachelors degree, building a house, planning a wedding and honeymoon, grad school applications, and searching for a big kid job. The house was suddenly more than dirt and my wedding planning room had taken over.

June
June began the busiest summer on earth.

• College Graduation: I graduated with my Bachelors degree from the Ohio State University, thus allowing my parents to see the end accomplishment of so many years of education focused parenting. I was so proud to stand on that field and look up at my parents, knowing all they had put into that moment.
• Judd celebrated his birthday and we agreed that he is now considered old.
  
• Jillian, again, gave me the best bachelorette party ever. We partied away the end of my "single hood" and welcomed in married life. Suddenly, the wedding was right on top of us.

July
The most magical, dream-like (and blurry), sequence of memories imaginable

• Our Wedding: Judd and I had anticipated that July 25th for almost 10 years. Marrying Judd is, by far, the most emotionally fulfilling, shear adrenaline surging miracle, I have ever performed. I'm not sure how I convinced him to marry me, but I can honestly say that I love him with all my heart. Marrying Judd is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I'm sure ever will. I love you Judd.
• My father walking me down the aisle: This is the single most proud moment I believe I will ever have. My father is the greatest man I have ever known. No moment could possibly mean more to me than holding his arm that day.

August
August was a whirlwind of events.

• The month began in Italy, Greece, and later Turkey, while on our honeymoon. Our honeymoon was everything I ever wanted it to be. We poured champagne, we had long dinners next to the ocean, and toasted our new life together. When the wedding and honeymoon were over, we knew the best part was our new life waiting at home.
• We became official homeowners. We spent an afternoon signing (our lives) away and came home with a shiny new key.
• Literally TWO hours later I started graduate school at Ashland University. After all those years of school, I finally ended up back home. Funny how life works.
• A week later, we moved into our beautiful home and started another chapter of our lives. We excitedly unpacked our belongings then, promptly, broke the new floor. Oops.
  

September

• Life finally began to return back to normal. After a crazy summer, it was such a relief to have time to enjoy the simple moments again.

• I said goodbye to OSU forever. It was time to stop working with " my babies" at OSU and start my new career in education. My blood is still scarlet and gray.

October

• I finally started my new career in education. It is such a wonderful feeling to be using the degree you worked so hard on. I learn more every day than I ever would in a classroom.

• Judd and I were officially unpacked, fixed the floor, and enjoyed fall.

November

• I finished my first quarter of grad school with the first perfect 4.0 in my life.
  

• Jillian, Mom, and I traveled on our second annual "Girls' Thanksgiving Trip". That trip has begun to mean to much to me.

• Clay (Judd's brother), proposed to his girlfriend, Heather, thus bringing my new family three huge pieces of excitement: 1. A 2nd (much needed) GIRL in the family, 2. Another wedding, and 3. The Best sister-in-law ever

December

• My "baby sister", Jillian, turned 21 years old. As I stood in a bar and bought "Gee" her very first legal drink, I realized she wasn't the only one that was suddenly "old" this year.

• We celebrated our first Christmas as a married couple.

So as 2009 comes to a close, I can only say that it was been a fantastic year.
Goodbye 2009. Hello 2010!

A Very Merry Christmas

Christmas is officially over and I am proud to announce that it was a success. Judd, Lucy, and I made it through the holiday with only one tree falling on us, one allergic reaction (Lucy has since learned NOT to eat the Christmas ham), enough World War II dvds to watch for months, and enough Christmas cookies to last us until the next holiday.

The Christmas celebrations started at my parents' house on Christmas Eve. This is always my favorite part of Christmas. I love having a formal meal with the people that mean so much to me. I love how absolutely nothing has changed about this evening for over 20 years. It always reminds me of years past, the people who used to be there, and childhood excitement of the holiday.
Christmas morning started bright and early at 5:30 am with Judd waking the household. We must of been on the "good list" this year because Santa brought me a new camera, Judd 40 some hours of World War II documentaries (Apparently this is a fun thing...I'm yet to be sure), and Lucy a pink winter coat (don't laugh. You literally have to throw her outside if it is cold).

The morning continued with Christmas breakfast with my entire extended family. It was officially decided that the only good Christmas presents are the ones that make you cry. My cousin's boyfriend made my uncle a bench for his garden with a plaque in remembrance of my grandparents. The tears flowed and Judd is yet to understand why that makes the present so much better. Believe me, it does.
Judd and I then said goodbye to Lucy and hopped in the car for the annual longest-Christmas-drive-ever. I swear driving to the middle of West Virginia gets longer each year and my GPS system agrees because it turns off when you cross the state line.

We had Christmas dinner at Judd's aunt's home along with all of his mother's extended family. It made me so thankful for joining his family. My family is so small and his seems to very large at times. It made me realize how great a blessing his family is in our lives.
After dinner, we went to Judd's grandparents home and spent the evening with his grandparents, parents, and siblings. We enjoyed our time with them and I loved spending time with my soon-to-be sister-in-law, Heather.
So now it seems that Christmas is over. Judd and I were so very blessed this year. We sincerely hope that your Holiday was filled with joy and the love of family. We also hope that you didn't let the dog eat the Christmas ham...we learned it's a bad plan.

Let Christmas Begin!

This past week, Judd and I hosted our first two Christmas parties EVER. Seeing as that was a pretty large accomplishment, I am rather proud of myself. It seems that the holidays have officially arrived...along with our new found "big kid" responsibility of hosting Christmas. It should also be noted that this new big kid job comes with the amazing ability to desperately pray no one spills anything else on the new couches (thank you, Lucy).

That being said, our first opportunities to host Christmas were a success. We ended the evening with this nifty "First-Christmas-as-a-Couple-in-our-New-House" picture.....and nothing else was spilled on the couches. Whew.

Blessings

Every holiday season, I try very hard to focus on what is important. I have been given so many blessings yet it is often quite easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It is so easy to forget what is truly important. Life is so very short. It is very clear to me that life isn't about the giant moments that we all aim to achieve. The only things that matter in life are the simple moments, the people who share them, and the emotions you feel.

As 2009 comes to a close and the holidays quickly approach, I feel the need to share what I am thankful for. I am thankful, beyond measure, for another year. I am thankful for the love of my husband, whom I love more than I can even say. And I am thankful for my family. You are the greatest blessing I have ever been granted.

I wish all of you the happiest of Holiday seasons, Jessica

Girls' Thanksgiving Weekend

The women in my family have started a new tradition over the past few years. Every Thanksgiving weekend we plan a shopping and girls' weekend and only the person who planned it has any idea where we are going. This Thanksgiving, my mother planned a weekend in Cleveland filled with a day at the spa, formal dinners out, and most importantly WICKED tickets. Now don't get me wrong, I am normally not a musical fan. However, when I saw the tears of excitement in my sister's eyes, I knew there was something more to this one.

Holy WICKED. Jillian wasn't kidding. I've been to many plays, concerts, musicals, operas, and so on. Wicked is unlike anything I have EVER seen. I had never seen people crying in a musical before. Just like the Wizard of Oz, you can tear Wicked apart and find a whole new, and much more deep, meaning. The Wizard of Oz will never be the same again. Its beautiful. Its powerful. Its absolutely extraordinary.

Defying Gravity link
" I'm through accepting limits
Cuz someone says they're so
Some things I cannot change
But till I try I'll never know
Too long I've been afraid of
Losing love I guess I've lost
Well if that's love
It comes at much too high a cost
I'd sooner buy defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye, I'm defying gravity
And you can't pull me down!"
"So if you care to find me
Look to the Western sky!
As someone told me lately
Everyone deserves the chance to fly
And if I'm flying solo
At least I'm flying free"

For Good link
"I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you...
Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good"

Lucy Dog to be Banished

There is a doggy for sale in our household....or at least banished from the living room (quite possibly out of her own fear).
Lucy and I have had a series of very unfortunate events occur in our new living room over the past week. First, a live Christmas tree appeared. Though this should normally be a fun experience in our new home, it turned into a scene from an "I love Lucy" re-run. See the following conversation with the dog:

"Lucy, what is that noise? Why are you staring at the Christmas tree?"
(Both Lucy and I stare at the tree)
"OH MY GOD!"

The GIANT TEN FOOT tree fell on the dog and me. Lucy's experiences of Christmas are, quite possibly, ruined forever. She's been staying far away from the tree since.

Second, according to Lucy, we have ruined her perception of HER living room completely. Not even three hours after the tree episode, we moved her old, yucky, hideous, college-dorm-looking couch to the media room and replaced it with a new, beautiful, elegant, AVAILABLE TO PEE ON, expensive couch. Logically, she felt the need to PEE ON IT immediately.

Lucy has since been banished from the living room forever. Santa may be taking back the extra large box of Buddy Biscuits. Goodbye Lucy. You may now sleep on your favorite, college-dorm-looking couch in the basement where you are apparently happy.

Update...oups

Two very sad and unfortunate events have occurred in our household since I last blogged. First, my computer (Lord forbid) has decided it does not like our internet and, thus, only run it when it wants. Second, I have probably (okay....most likely) lost my digital camera. This is unbelievably unfortunate because I constantly have it with me, love it, and don't want to buy a new one due to the ever looming task of student loans (curses to you, Ashland). Therefore, I have become a lazy blogger. In the next few days, including two days off work, I plan to update this blog regarding the (sometimes) humorous events of Judd's and my life. Cheers to you procrastination!