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!