Our First Year

one year.
two different cities, apartments, & jobs.
travel in three countries...
& through fourteen states.
three hundred sixty-five mornings of waking up next to my best friend.
& a whole lot of grace.

Everyone tells you that the first year is so hard.  And I'm kind of afraid to say that it hasn't been...but it really hasn't been.  There are hard days...but the easy ones far outweigh those.  There are arguments & fights...but the laughter is so much more memorable.

But it's still been a learning year.  So much about marriage is learning the other person (especially when you didn't date that long beforehand).  It's about learning to appreciate his quirks.  Learning how to apologize. Learning to teach him about yourself so that unrealistic expectations are fewer.  Learning what meals are his favorites.  Learning how to cheer him up when he's upset.  Learning grace.

Marriage is about the Gospel.  And I can say without hesitation that I understand the Gospel now more than I did a year ago.  God loved us in our sin.  He loved us even with our faults, our annoyances, our mistakes, & our hurtful words.  He sacrificed What He loved most to show us that love & to provide a way for redemption.  He taught us grace.

Husbands & wives have a power over each other that no other person can have.  Just as Grayson can make me happier than anyone else on earth, he also has the power to hurt me the most.  Words we say to each other in anger can hurt more than those of anyone else.  But I am so thankful to have a husband who shows me grace upon grace upon grace.  A husband who shows me Jesus every single day.

Life Lately

one. We've been reading Behold the Lamb of God by Russ Ramsey this Christmas season & I really like it.  I'd recommend it to anyone for next year. 

two. Today on my run, I got in a fight with the sidewalk (read: tripped on a crack in the sidewalk because I was looking at a cute toddler instead of at my feet), & it won.  Don't think I've been this scraped up since tee ball.

three. I've always wanted a real Christmas tree.  We had one (or maybe more) when I was little, but not since then.  So we found a Christmas tree farm near us & picked our own.  Was just as jolly as I'd always imagined! (And now our apartment smells so merry!)

four. Got the last of our Christmas presents shipped off today!

five. Last Christmas was so busy with Christmas + a wedding 4 days later.  This year is very different.  It'll be just the two of us, but we're skyping in our families :)  & hope to go home in the next month or so!


six. Also last year, Grayson & I just did stockings for each other.  Glad to be able to do a little more this year.  Grayson rarely buys new clothes or anything for himself, so it was fun getting to shop for him this year!


seven. I really think this is Seeley's favorite time of the year.  And she's done pretty well not diving into the tree this year, but she does try to nibble it sometimes.

eight. And I just love getting to wear my Christmas sweater once a year.  It's so comfy!

Miscellany Monday

one | I've been sick for 2+ days & have never been more thankful for a) a husband who likes soup & b) an apartment located right across the street from Panera.

two | My favorite season is upon us!  Grayson is embracing his newly-discovered love of shopping (my words...not his) & shopped almost two whole days by himself.  And I've done some here & there.  Wrapping is my favorite part!  Seeley's too.

three | Found this list of advent readings on Pinterest & just bought Behold the Lamb of God to start reading tonight.  I love advent.  I feel like most of the time when we're in a season of waiting, we don't know what the final outcome is.  But with advent, we do.  We know that the days of hopeful anticipation reach an apex in the birth of a Savior baby.  Waiting periods in life are usually scary, frustrating, anxious, & sometimes sorrowful.  But even during those, we still ultimately know what we're waiting on: Jesus.  Reminds me of a favorite C.S. Lewis quote: If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.

four | Thanksgiving day we went to a park to take some pictures for our Christmas cards.  Just a peek at one of my favorites.  [And Grayson just found us a really nice tripod on a huge sale!]

five | Grayson's company had a 10th Anniversary party a few weeks ago (I like just about any excuse to dress up, especially if it means I get to wear my wedding shoes again).  The photographer just posted pictures from the party & I love these!

six | Apartment is decorated & we're getting our tree soon!

seven | One perk of having only two of us to eat Thanksgiving food: I haven't cooked since then.  Leftovers for days!

Linking up with lowercase letters today!