All in a Year

     I love houses filled with holiday cheer on Thanksgiving! The hugs and laughter are plenty to go around and loud cheering can always be heard from a living room full of men cheering for their favorite football team. Last minute preparations are being made in the kitchen while the Thanksgiving table is set with china bowls filled with creamy mashed potatoes, stuffing, sugared cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, and marshmallow sweet potatoes. Ding. Ding. The oven timer is shut off and the turkey pulled out, cooked to perfection. As we sit down the sparkling cider is poured and dinner is served. There is nothing like being with family and friends on a day set aside for remembering all we have to be grateful for.



     This past year has been an amazing one! There have been so many beautiful moments and lots of life changing events. I moved to New Mexico last fall, I met and went on a first date with Jon on October 7th, got engaged on December 26th, got married on May 26th, honeymooned in Jamaica, moved into our first apartment, then moved to Colorado and now here we are making a new life for ourselves! Last year I went snowboarding for the first time, went swimming during a thunderstorm, tried sushi (and hated it), went snorkeling and wind sailing, roasted mini marshmallows in a park, went off-roading, met the New England Patriot cheerleaders, and got a new car.
     I am incredibly grateful to have my best friend and husband be a part of my life. Jon has made me complete and helps me be a better person. We just celebrated out 6 month anniversary on the 26th and he still keeps me laughing and smiling and he understands me better than anyone I have ever known. He's the only person I know who would sit in the Best Buy parking lot on Black Friday for two hours (without complaining) just because he thought I wanted to shop there. (And I thought he wanted to shop there so when we finally figured out neither one of us wanted to be there only 10 minutes from the doors opening, we laughed about the situation then went home and snuggled instead.) He has helped me learn to love unconditionally and without regret. Without him I don't know where I'd be.
     I'm grateful for my family who I know I can always count on and the new family I gained this year! I'm grateful for sunsets, mountains, and coats for the cold winter days. I'm thankful for friends, opportunities, and life lessons.
     This year has been so full of memories and I'm blessed beyond measure. I can't wait to see what this next year brings!
Live. Laugh. Love.