First Anniversary

October 17th was our First Anniversary!  Whew, we have been busy bees this last year.  From the time we got engaged to our first anniversary we have done the following: (and this is just the BIG stuff!)

• bought house #1-closed about 10 days after we got engaged- May
• got pregnant- 2 weeks after we got engaged. Best. happiest. "accident". ever.- May
• planned a wedding 2000 miles away in SC-but it turned out lovely-June
• Neil lost his father in July, 3 mo before our wedding, so sad
• got married on the lake in SC- Oct
• switched from traditional OB care to planned homebirth-best choice ever-Nov
• Neil got a new job (and raise:), one which we were going to relocate back to SC after the baby-Nov
• baby boy Smith (otherwise known as Porter) born at 42 weeks, Feb 6
• Trying to organize/pack for cross country move with newborn/2 dogs/3 cars and house-Feb/Mar
• I went back to work after my maternity leave- which we didn't plan on but stuff happens :( April
• Rented out our perfect house #1, our 5 bed 3.5 bath house in anticipation of the move-May
• Job opening in Neil's field came open at MY company, Neil interviewed, got position-May
• Change of plans, not we are NOT moving, staying in AZ, now working for same company-May
• Already rented house, so have to scramble to pick out, buy and close on much smaller house #2-June
• move into said house, put unanticipated money, time and energy into getting it livable-July
• unpacking, decorating, working on the new house while raising new baby, but LOVE the house and smaller mortgage-Aug
• all this mixed with, holidays, hormones, vacations to visit family, buying a new car, countless things falling through, stumbling through new parenthood, family drama, lots of laughs, tears, wine, and memories. whew. what an amazing year!

Needless to say, we are ready for a break! It has been crazy, but it has been worth it.  In the end, we made it.  Things are starting to calm down and level off.  We are hoping for a much more mellow year two.  I don't think that I could have made it through it without my amazing husband.  We both we a bit older when we got married and had been through other serious relationships, heartbreaks, bad choices and when we met we just knew.  I think that we have a great love story.  I truly was swept off my feet and we have had set backs and leaps forward, but in the end I married the most amazing man ever.  I love being married and being a mom.  I finally feel comfortable with myself and I owe it all to my family.  I am blessed and thankful.



Dinner in Charleston, night before we got engaged




Day we got engaged, shopping at Folly Beach