2021 - A Year in Review

I think it's safe to say that 2021 was a life-changing year! Every year has those moments that are memorable and each year brings change to your life, but I think this year brought some of the most life-changing moments of my life. I mean - 2021 brought me the love of my life - a man I've been waiting on for a very long time. 

It was a wonderful year that started with snow, was filled with new experiences and wonderful life changes and closed out with Ryan and I preparing to buy our first home!

JANUARY

 

January was filled with snow and brisk temperatures! Watson got to wear his lovely coat with fuzz balls on the hood more than once; especially on the weekend where the temperatures dipped to about 15 degrees in the sunshine... at 12 noon... It was cold y'all. Face masks were still pretty common; I am wearing one in every picture that was taken indoors, so there's that. January was good - but cold - and was the last month I lived my life without knowing my future husband. *sighs* Unbeknownst to me, 2021 was about to become a life changing year...

FEBRUARY

February was filled with snow... and romance! I shoveled plenty of snow and went on several chilly walks with Watson. I went on a couple less than thrilling dates in the earlier parts of February (and one that was thrilling in all the wrong ways) and celebrated Valentine's Day with my parents at a lovely brunch in Martinsburg, WV. And then... on February 15th I was matched with a man named Ryan on eHarmony - and proceeded to talk to him every day for the rest of the month. I felt like he was something special from the moment I saw his face and our evening phone conversations became the highlight of my days.

MARCH

March arrived with blustery days, brisk temperature and a very special boy to meet the first weekend of the month. It was a chilly day but I don't know if I even felt the cold walking around Greenfield Park with Ryan on the 6th of March - I was too wrapped up in getting to know him. We became official that day and the rest - as they say - is history. Elsewhere in the month, my friends Meridith and Danielle and I conquered an Adult Easter Egg Hunt and I started spending time in Pennsylvania on a regular basis. I may not have won at our first game of goofy golf... but I did get a hole in one, just like I said I would!

APRIL

Ryan surprised me at the start of the month, showing up at the house to celebrate my Dad's birthday, his retirement and Easter with the family! April brought Spring and time spent traveling to and from Virginia to Pennsylvania to spend time with my wonderful boyfriend. I spent plenty of time outdoors enjoying the wonderful Spring weather, went to a Zach Williams concert with my ladies group and closed out the month with a weekend in Gettysburg with Ryan. I also squeezed in my first and second COVID vaccinations - JAB! JAB!

MAY

Wedding bells rang in May - Ryan joined my family as we traveled to Mississippi to see my cousin Colton get married; Ryan got the chance to meet a ton of the family. We also introduced him to the Deep South, where macaroni and cheese is a vegetable and everyone says "y'all". We made a quick 24 hour stop in Gatlinburg to show Ryan around (he was ready to go back as soon as we left), I finally got to go to a Nationals game again (wearing a face mask) and we closed out the month in Pennsylvania for Memorial Day Weekend.

JUNE

Another major life change in June? Ryan asked me to marry him and I immediately said "YES" - if there was ever a question I knew the answer to without hesitation or the need to over think, it was that YES was and will always be my answer. Ryan spent some time in Virginia and we found our wedding venue at Stoneyman Valley Ranch... we also spent some time in Pennsylvania (that's where Ryan proposed) and I was able to meet Ryan's Mom for the first time. I also spent time with friends throughout the month, enjoying time with my ladies group, a make-up party with friends from work and catching up with my friend Katie over Mexican food - it was a great start to the Summer!

 

JULY

Talk about a stellar month - I headed for the UK on July 2nd and shortly after celebrating the Fourth of July in my sister's very English garden, we headed for Scotland. We spent ten days exploring Scotland from Inverness to Glencoe, Stirling to Edinburgh and so many places in between - and I can honestly say Scotland is one of the most stunning places I've ever been in my life. We closed out the trip with a weekend in London and I can truly say it was a dream trip! I headed home and eagerly awaited the final weekend of July and getting to see my fiancé after almost a month apart! The family caught a Nationals game at the end of the month - this time mask free!

AUGUST

Ryan moved to Virginia the first weekend in August and I could not have been more thrilled! We were able to enjoy date nights and chatting face to face after work instead of via Face Time - it was absolutely the best! Halfway through the month we hopped on a plane and headed to Florida to spend five days with his Mom - we had the best time enjoying the sunshine, exploring Islands of Adventure and The Kennedy Center and just being able to spend time with his Mom! I was finally able to meet my friend Katie's baby girl (COVID... ugh) at the end of the month! (And I accidentally included some September pictures in my collage... oops!)

SEPTEMBER

September was another wonderful month! Ryan and I explored his new home state of Virginia; we hiked around the lake and I took him all over the mountains in the Shenandoah National Park (I may have taken a wrong turn but that's okay...). I also finally got a chance to take him to a Nationals game and show him Gravelly Park in DC! The end of the month was filled with the Lavish Women's Conference at our church, joining a couples Bible Study group and asking two sweet little ladies to be our flower girls!

OCTOBER

What a whirlwind of a month - if I can be honest - I feel like once October arrived, the last three months of the year passed in a blur. A blur of goodness, but a blur all the same. I turned 37 and Ryan just kept the surprises coming: cooking me a special dinner on my birthday, spoiling me with gifts and then, when I thought the surprises were done, I came home to a house filled with friends to celebrate me! We got the chance to head to Fredericksburg mid-month to an event at Northern VA Teen Challenge, we had some beautiful engagement pictures made and rounded out the month with Ryan's Mom making a surprise visit to hear him speak at church! And my co-workers and I crushed our Schitt's Creek costumes on Halloween!

NOVEMBER

Another month that felt like it sped by on wings... The first weekend of the month was focused on things at home, the second weekend my family and I went to Lancaster to attend a Lauren Daigle concert and experience Sight & Sound Theater. The third weekend of the month I went wedding dress shopping and said YES to the dress - it was such an incredible experience! We closed out the month spending Thanksgiving in Charleston with my parents, Ryan's Mom and her BF Doc - we had a wonderful time and got to spend a few days together in a new city (new to me at least). 

DECEMBER

Blink and you'll miss it - that's what I felt like this entire month! I took part in a Christmas bazaar at church and we continued the house hunt (which started in October; I may have failed to mention that). I celebrated Christmas with my ladies group and we celebrated with our Couple's Group, I got my COVID booster and took in the lights and sights around the area. We celebrated Christmas with one set of friends and then celebrated Christmas with my parents the third weekend in December - opening gifts and taking in Enchanted in DC! Ryan and I celebrated out first Christmas together and we also celebrated his birthday the day after Christmas (he's the gift that keeps on giving, ha-ha). 

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I have seen so many people talking about what a downer of a year 2021 has been - but I can't say that for myself - I think 2021 will go down as one of the best years of my life! I spoke openly with my ladies group and shared that all the things I'd prayed about and waited for were all arriving at once and it was a whirlwind to experience - I certainly didn't mean that in a bad way - but it's true; so many prayers answered in the span of a year (or less). 

There are only a few more hours left in 2021 and I'll likely close out this year a little differently than last - no glamorous parties or fireworks at midnight, but I do have someone to kiss at midnight this year and for the rest of our lives. And 2022 will being the year we are married - and who knows what else?

I'm looking forward to this new year - to learning to embrace peace and gratitude for all the blessings I've been given. I hope this New Year will bring joy and peace to a weary world.

Watson Wednesday

Mr. Pup had a very good Christmas indeed - treats and snuggly pajamas to boot! He's a lucky little old man, no doubt about it.

 

The Merriest!

How has Christmas already come and gone again? I got off work around 4 on Thursday the 23rd and I feel like that was just yesterday... not four days ago! I spent Thursday evening doing some last minute things around the house to prepare for our celebrations and started watching The Holiday - and my sweet fiancé finally got home from his Christmas visit with his daughter around 9:30 - hooray!

I was so so excited to sleep late on Christmas Eve but I'm learning as I get "older" that sleeping late isn't as easy as it once was. *sigh* We ended up awake and having coffee before 8 AM and passed the day finishing Elf (with many eye rolls from Ryan, ha-ha) and Ryan having a first viewing of Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them.. the verdict is still out on what exactly he thought of it, ha-ha!

 

I whipped up a pot of Chicken Pot Pie Soup for us to have for an early dinner and shortly before 4 PM we headed for church to attend the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service - which was beautiful, as always. When we arrived they were handing out cookies with milk or coffee (we went for coffee, duh) and as we settled in, we scoped out all the little people dressed in their fanciest little Christmas outfits. We sang beautiful Christmas worship songs and Bro. John spoke about the invitation that Christ extended all those years ago when he was born - it was a lovely sermon and we closed out the service with candlelight and carols. 

 

Ryan had to go to work around 8 (for just a few hours - hallelujah for that) and so Watson and I set out to walk around the neighborhood and look at lights... and while walking, I spied a very unique sight up in the clouds. Airplanes usually have lights on either side and I saw plenty of those flying through the night sky but this - it was one bright light, moving forward at a steady pace through the night sky, cutting a path through the gathering clouds. I informed Watson that I was sure it was Santa - and he certainly didn't argue with me!

After our walk and Santa spotting, I came in and got some Christmas cookies with milk and settled in to watch White Christmas - a tradition each year that I absolutely love. I munched on my cookies, snuggled in my blanket and hummed along to the tunes as the movie unfolded... once it ended, I did a little last minute "Santa" work and crawled into bed!

Ryan came in from work shortly before 1 AM and y'all - he wanted to open presents when he got home! He'd glimpsed those stuffed stockings and he was ready to get after presents... but I nixed that idea pretty quickly and told him "go to sleep you nut!" Thankfully he heeded my request (I don't like to miss sleep y'all...) and we eventually got up around 7:30 and he immediately was ready to face time my family to open stockings and set aside his coffee mug to do so...ha-ha! Our stockings were completely stuffed and we were richly gifted so many wonderful little things to use in our new home (tell you more about that later) in the New Year, along with gift cards and fun trinkets too!

 

We plopped ourselves in front of the tree and began opening gifts from one another and from Ryan's mother too - we got so many wonderful things and we were (yet again) richly blessed with the gifts we were given. It was a wonderful time being cozy, tossing wrapping paper around and sharing gifts with one another. After we finished; with Ryan's assistance, we whipped up a breakfast casserole and some cinnamon rolls while also preparing the roast to cook... it was a little hectic but all was well.

 

We relaxed, watched movies and just enjoyed the day - and had our Christmas dinner of roast, potatoes, carrots, corn casserole, field peas and green beans around 3:00 and then Ryan took a nice Christmas nap before heading into work. I passed my Christmas evening watching the newest Disney animated movie Encanto (it was cute - but I'm glad I didn't pay money to go see it) and just chilling - it was a lovely Christmas day indeed!

Sunday was Ryan's birthday and I started the celebration(s) by singing to him as soon as he woke up (which I'm sure he loved). We had coffee and breakfast, watched church online and then watched some Harry Potter and then ran to Martin's pretty quickly to grab a steak for part of his birthday dinner before heading home and watching 13 Hours - a movie Ryan really likes and wanted me to see. I whipped up some Yum Yum Pudding as part of the birthday boy's dinner (the dessert portion) and did some things around the house as the evening settled in...

 

Ryan's birthday dinner was a steak (that he grilled to his liking) and with it I made Parmesan Garlic Brussel Sprouts and Brown Butter Egg Noodles... y'all, if you've never had Brown Butter Egg Noodles, you'll need to get on that ASAP. It only has two ingredients: egg noodles and butter - but it's divinely delicious. We watched some football after dinner and then Ryan was off to work and the weekend came to a close - much quicker than I'd have liked. May I mention - it was Ryan's birthday and somehow I ended up with lilies... what in the world? My fiancé is the sweetest and most wonderful.

Christmas Weekend passed way too quickly - but weekends always do - at least I'm looking forward to another three day weekend this upcoming weekend as we celebrate the New Year! Just four more days of 2021 and then a New Year will be here. I cannot believe it. Cannot - wow.

Merry Christmas

The Birth of Jesus

Luke 2 - In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

1 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Watson Wednesday

 

I'm betting he's dreaming of sugar plums....

Festive Photo Dump

Tis' the season for all the pictures and festive things and photo dumps - and that's what I've got for today! The last weekend was a festive one for our family as we celebrated Christmas together over the weekend. Friday night we did our traditional meal of hearty appetizers and Ryan and I were able to open one gift each - boxes that contained matching Christmas pajamas. He certainly humors me and my festive whims! 

My parents just completely overwhelmed us with all the thoughtful gifts they gave us - including a gift card to Seven Springs in PA - a ski resort. Ryan grew up skiing and snowboarding, meanwhile I've been skiing once. I'm going to have to buy some thermals & brush up on my skills if I have any hope of keeping up with him, ha-ha! I do know I'll excel at snow-tubing though! 

Another portion of our "Christmas Day" celebrations was attending Enchant in DC - a repeat from two years ago that I absolutely love! Enchant is the largest light maze (in the world maybe) and has a theme each year as you explore the corridors of light and sights. This year's theme was an elf that had lost toys in the maze and you were tasked with finding all eight before Christmas Eve.

Enchant also has a Christmas Marketplace with vendors and special food stations - like bread bowls, hot chocolate, cookies and more. It's a perfect Christmas activity... although after seeing one too many small kids looking a little lost or overwhelmed, I remarked to Ryan that I thought I'd only bring kids if they were small enough to carry - I feel like too many little people could end up getting lost in the maze! There is just so much to see and take in....

 

 

We found all the toys and I was thrilled to take a picture under the twinkling engagement ring that I'd admired two years ago and wished for my turn to (finally) come around. I am most certainly living in the midst of things I prayed for.. and I prayed for them for a very long time. This year has been filled with blessings and answered prayers and they're especially heartfelt at Christmas. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After finding all the toys littered throughout the maze and taking a ton of pictures - which Ryan posed for without so much as a complaint, good man - we headed up to explore the Christmas market and see what was on offer. Ryan sampled some Reaper Pepper Beef Jerky and the heat must have hit extra strong because he made the funniest face shortly after popping it into his mouth. And then insisted he didn't need a drink as he coughed and sputtered!

 

Saturday was a good day and a long day - so we all crashed pretty hard once we got home on Saturday night. Sunday morning began with sleeping until after 8 AM, which is a miracle in itself and then heading to church, where the preacher did an excellent sermon! We had an early birthday lunch for Ryan at Olive Garden and then headed to Long Branch to check out the house all decked out for Christmas.

It was such a good weekend - wrapped up with laundry and football and just relaxing and getting ready for the week ahead. The week of Christmas! Can y'all believe we are just three short days away from Christmas (I'm not counting today...duh).