2010..you've been sweet!

I absolutely cannot believe it will be 2011 tomorrow! As each new year comes to a close, I always feel it's important to look back and reflect. Not only does it remind me how much I have to be thankful for, and how things have changed, but it's an instant reminder of how great and faithful God has been, and will be in the coming year!

Our year began with a great leap of faith. We bought our first home! We searched for about 2 months and learned everything about the housing market (some of which brought me to tears). We knew we wanted an older home with character in a well-established neighborhood. As we drove up to what is now our current home, the realtor was nailing the 'For Sale' sign into the yard. We made an offer than night and moved in 2 months later. Being a homeowner teaches you a wealth of new lessons and information. We quickly learned there is a lot going on behind the scenes in a 50 year old home. We have taken on several projects including new landscaping, LOTS of painting (and more to come), furniture refinishing, new crown moulding, baseboards and wood blinds. There is nothing quite as sweet as coming home at the end of every day.

This was also a year of travels, one of my favorite things to do. Our adventures included several roadtrips to Arlington to see my brother, sis-in-law and precious niece and nephew. (we LOVE being an aunt and uncle) We also went with one of my oldest and dearest friends to Lake Travis in Austin to celebrate Easter. In May, we had a girls' trip to DC to visit Whit! It was fabulous and included lots of catch up time, great food and shopping. My family went to Florida and rented a sweet condo right on the beach. I am such a Florida girl at heart and was in paradise with the sand between my toes :)

This year also marked a big job change for me! As I looked back to my New Years post from last year, my goal was to pray a lot about the direction of my future. I mentioned not even knowing what my dream job would be, and now I know I have it! Looking back now, I am so thankful that God really gave me that opportunity to grow my faith during a trying time. I'm so blessed to have a job I love!

This year I also (shamed to admit it) attended my first Aggie game as an alum. I must admit it was very nice to be able to sit during the game. It was so homey and such a treat to be back in that stadium with all my fellow Aggies. College Station is still a magical place to visit!

Tyler and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary a little early this year and flew off to Portland, Maine on a whim. We absolutely fell in love with the area and were able to experience a real autumn. The weather was crisp and the leaves were a beautiful mix of orange, yellow and red. We really enjoyed not knowing a thing about the area until we arrived and let the locals guide the way. Great food and great fun were had. We hope to go back sometime soon!

We also celebrated our first Christmas in our new home. It was so much fun to decorate and make everything cozy. I think one of the things I love so much about Christmas is simply that it comes each year. That is so comforting to me. I love time with family, friends and just time to really enjoy the sweet things in life. I also took this time to read through Luke and really reflect on God's gift to me--his Son! This Christmas was really festive and filled my heart with warmth and love.

And finally, I am so grateful for the amazing new friendships we've made and for the time we've shared with old friends. Two of my best friends got married this year and it was such a joy getting to celebrate with them. We're also a part of an awesome home team that continues to be such a blessing in our lives and marriage.

When it's all said and done, this has been an amazing year filled with awesome friendships and experiences. I'm so grateful for this year and the people I've spent it with. Cheers to 2011, friends!