One year ago, with almost all of our favorite people in the same place, we decided to get married. It was seriously the best! I just wish we could have spent more time with everyone we loved so dearly. Our wedding day was a dream, not everything went as planned, but it was still a dream because of the people who were there. And every day since then has just been getting better and better.
My favorite floral piece <3
My grandpa Lee's chocolates made the perfect wedding favor.
If you can zoom in on Christian's face (my brother-in-law) to the left of me. His face is priceless.
From Tennessee to California, Missouri to Hawaii, and Maryland to Illinois and of course Utah - it meant so much to have my dear friends a part of my bridal party. SO MUCH LOVE <3
I'm pretty sure Christian is calling my parents out during his toast about how much they talked about Trevor while we were broken up. Look at their faces - haha.
Now this may be confusing on my blog because I have different anniversary posts on the blog from my accident and now wedding anniversaries. But I'm pretty sure I'll be able to tell the difference, hopefully anyone else that reads this can too.
I'm always all about themes and recording growth and change. So hopefully with these 10 (actually 11) questions we'll be able to track some of that progress and change. Hopefully after a few more years we don't move as often but I added #11 in for now as our lives consist of lots of moving before we hopefully settle into one place. Hopefully these questions do a good job recapping the good, bad and average our first year has held.
1. Favorite thing to do together?
2. What's the biggest change?
5. What was the biggest concern or challenge you faced?
6. What are you looking forward to?
7. Did you start any traditions, hobbies or habits?
8. What has been your favorite place you've been?
9. What is your favorite foods or places to eat?
10. What are your goals?
11. Where have you lived?
1. Favorite thing to do together?
I just love when Cooper is able to be off leash and we are out exploring in nature all together. Whether that's playing at Bear Lake, hiking/running up the canyon or xc skiing. Just being outdoors all together is my favorite thing.
2. Biggest change?
The biggest change this first year held was the adjustment of grocery shopping and cooking. I used to live on my leftovers for days to the point I was sick of them. But now we rarely have left overs and if we do it's just enough for me to take to school for lunch, not really to feed us another meal. So I've been cooking a lot.
The biggest change was getting used to sharing a bed with Brittany. I'm used to being able to stretch out and now sometimes Britt is laying diagonal across the bed or snuggling up to me on my half of the bed leaving half of the bed unused. Dramatic? Maybe....
3. High moment?
High moment, hmmm. Just simply being together has been a high for me. Ah this one is hard, I'm still coming to terms with all of it, but realizing I could get pregnant was a huge relief. I wasn't quite ready to actually BE pregnant, but we find out that I could so that was a major blessing and an overall high. At the time I was getting ready to go into a specialist and I had prepared Trevor that we would be in it for the long haul. My complications had nothing to do with my accident, but there were still plenty of other concerns that arose with pregnancy.
My high moment? There are so many. It's not really fair to ask for only one. Well if I can only pick one I would have to pick finding out that Britt was pregnant. I thought it might be a little bit hard for us to get pregnant so it was really exciting and a blessing that Britt was able to become pregnant. I also loved going back to Cambodia and passing 3 out of 4 CPA exams.
4. Low moment?
Low moment would definitely include my injury. I've really struggled with my leg spasms this year. And early on when I thought I might be pregnant I stopped taking my sleep medication which made sleeping and leg spasms really difficult to manage. I remember one day when I just couldn't stop crying; the lack of sleep probably contributed to the water words. But Trevor & I talked about and I realized I have only had a few hours of complete relief from my leg spasms in the past 5 years - 5 YEARS. Only 6-8 hours of relief when I had this spinal block trial done back in 2015. Other than that my injury is constantly wearing on my body and making simple things, like sleeping, a mountain to climb. I definitely had some good hard cries over that struggle, but I'm glad I went off that medication because I was right I was pregnant. It's been so comforting to have Trevor by my side though to talk me through it and to just hold me and let me cry because honestly most of the time there are no words and no answers.
The low moment from the last year would have to be not passing several CPA exams and wondering to myself if I was going to be able to pass the exams that are tied to success and progression in my profession.
5. What was the biggest concern or challenge you faced?
The biggest challenge and concern goes right in line with the high and my low. Really just looking ahead and feeling so uncertain of what's to come. I'm torn between worries about my medication, pregnancy, spasms and how I will do certain seemingly "simple" tasks of motherhood. I try not to think ahead to much and just tell myself we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. But honestly having Trevor along for these same challenges and concerns I know we'll figure it out together.
Biggest challenge I faced was getting through school while trying to knock out some CPA exams. Doesn't seem like it was that bad now but between school and CPA exams there was too much studying.
6. What are you looking forward to?
I think I'm most looking forward to embracing being a dog mom and human mom. I love being a dog mom and so with time and learning I know I'll love being a human mom too. And just supporting Trevor. These past few weeks as he's started the new job and back to studying for another CPA exam I really find a lot of fulfillment in that. I still have this desire in me to figure out what else I'm supposed to do with this life of mine that was spared, but for now I'll try and gracefully enter into motherhood knowing that those other things can still come. I'm also really looking forward to Trevor finishing his CPA exams and seeing him become a dad because he is already the funniest and sweetest dog dad.
I am looking forward to welcoming my son into the world. I think it will be very challenging to raise a child; sometimes I wonder if I can take care of myself. I am excited to have him in our home and hopefully compete with my sister for the cutest grandbaby. I know Brittany has done her part; fingers crossed I don't make the baby ugly, we've got stiff competition in Danni and Ben.
7. Did you start any traditions, hobbies or habits?
Well this is a mix of my hobby and habit. I really loved taking Trevor out XC skiing for the first time and I definitely want that to become a tradition. With work and baby I know it won't be often, but just making it a tradition and outing that we do in the winter. I've already started counting months and will look at some warm baby clothes so we can go in March maybe?
Britt and I went to Bear Lake a lot over this past year and camped which I want to be one of our traditions. I would like to go on a big fancy trip with the Bryan Fisher Travel Company but I don't think that will ultimately be a long lasting tradition. Fiddlestixs!!!! I don't know how I feel about the tradition of answering these questions every year.
8. Where's your favorite place?
Favorite place we've been together is hard because we have been a lot of places this past year. Between Hawaii, Bear Lake & SE Asia there are things I loved about each trip. But I'd have to say Bear Lake last summer before I started work & Trevor started school. It was just so fun and laid back and Cooper could be apart of the traveling :) But Cambodia was a close runner up because it was so amazing to see how much love the people had for Trevor and vice versa and all the love I felt just by being married to him. And hearing Trevor speak with the members and locals was so fun for me. He really did so well; I only saw him struggle to think of a word or how to say something once.
My favorite place that we've been this past year would have to be Asia. It was good to go back and see the people I lived with for two years of my life and to be able to introduce them to my family.
9. What is your favorite foods or places to eat?
Favorite foods and places to eat. Well I feel like Chick-fil-a is always a win for us. But I've personally loved our pit stops at A&W for my burger fix this past spring.
Favorite food to eat is chicken and waffles. Ate it at Chili's and loved it but I'm willing to eat it anywhere.
10. What are your goals?
Goals would have to be just finding our new balance with our new roles. With Trevor's work and a new addition on the way I think we just want to try and do our best at being consistent with scripture study, prayer, exercise etc.
My goal is to finish my last CPA exam soon so I am available in the evenings after work to take care of my son and to spend time with Britt. I also want to run 2-3 times a week so I don't get morbidly obese or just a little fat. I want to keep the apartment clean and nice for everybody and I don't want to strangle Kaaren for living with us until Christmas.
11. Where have you lived?
We've been living in Logan while Trevor finished up his Masters program at USU. It was a small one bedroom apartment that was definitely a tight fit for us (and all my medical equipment). It was bittersweet to leave Logan, but we weren't sad to say goodbye to our "first apartment". Our new place in Clearfield has a two car garage, lots of natural light and although it's not a full home with our own yard, it's one step closer.
Over this past year (2016-2017) we have lived in Logan, UT while I finished my masters in accounting at Utah State and we now live in Clearfield, UT to make my commute to Ogden or SLC manageable.
