Say Goodnight, 2008

It's the last day of 2008.

All I have to say is, wow. What a year. So much has happened this year, that it almost feels like several years have passed. Let's look back, shall we?

January: I had been working as a receptionist for exactly one year.
- I started growing my hair for the wedding.
- I also made a resolution: clear up my skin. I remember blogging about how resolutions don't usually work because they're vague. If you want to stick to a resolution, break it down into smaller steps. I won't link to that post, because it was reeeeeeally long.
- Oh, and I did clear up my skin.

February: I participated in Lent for the first time, along with my youth group. I didn't do so well at that one. I think I lasted, like, four days. Not forty. Whoops.
- Also, my sister and my mom and I went to see Riverdance! I had seen it on DVD once, but it's so much cooler live.

March: The company I worked for declared bankruptcy. No big deal, right?
- I went on a retreat with my Young Adults group. We stayed in Yurts. Tons of fun. They went again at the beginning of December this year, I think. I'm jealous. There are no showers, and we had to use outhouses, but I didn't care. It was so cool.
- I started having wedding nightmares. Looking back, they're terribly funny. But at the time, I didn't appreciate them.
- I finished the wedding invitations.

April: I remember that April was terribly stressful. I wasn't having fun planning the wedding anymore, and work really sucked once they announced the bankruptcy. I remember hoping that every week, they would tell me that my job was over. But that didn't happen.
- I went on the most amazing Youth Retreat. The teaching was great and very challenging, and I remember praying almost constantly during that weekend. I also connected with girls from other youth groups that were there. It was exhausting but rewarding.
- I had my first bridal shower. It was a Pampered Chef shower. I got $550 worth of Pampered Chef products. I don't use all of them, but there are a few that I use regularly, and I love them. The food chopper is probably on of my favorites.

May: I turned 23.
- May 5th was my last day as a receptionist, and May 8th was my last day at the company. I remember being so incredibly happy when it was all over.
- I got to visit Art for eight days, and I was so happy and relieved, because I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to see him one more time before the wedding. But I did.
- I got myself another job at the local bookstore. It was the perfect job, and it came at the perfect time. I remember being grateful, because I didn't want to go back and work at Subway. And I didn't have to.
- When I visited Art, I tried mussels for the first time. And the last time. They are disgusting. I don't recommend them.

June: I had my second and third bridal showers, and they were both surprises. For one of them, they made me dress up all silly, and gave me a test about how well I know Art. For every question I got wrong, I had to chew a piece of bubblegum. There were 20 questions. I got eight right. Yeah.
- I had a makeup trial, and I LIKED it! I looked so pretty!
- I had a medical examination for my spousal visa. I was forced to get a vaccination that I didn't want or need, but I had to as part of visa process, and I thought it was very stupid, and I ranted and raved about it on my blog, which probably wasn't a great idea. Oh well.

July: Our toilet backed up one week before the wedding, and we had to clean up sewage water from the laundry room floor. Looking back, it was pretty funny. At that time, it was pretty disgusting.
- I got married, and the day was perfect. I seriously don't think that anything went wrong.
- Two days after the wedding, I moved to Washington.
- I went hiking for the first time, on our honeymoon. That was a blast.

August: I got my spousal visa.
- I started working out several times a week.
- We bought a real bed, but it took FOREVER to it to be delivered.

September: Art's brother fell down a mountain. That made for a very interesting month. Art worked a LOT. And thankfully, Joe was relatively okay.
- I joined a women's Bible study at church, on the book of Daniel.
- Art and I finally got the mattress part of our bed.
- I had sushi for the first time, and I'm hooked.

October: Art's dad got us a second computer, and now I'm not sure how we ever lived WITHOUT two computers!
- Art got connected with a CrossFit gym in Bellingham.
- My mom and sister and niece visited for a week.
- Kiera had a huge poop, which came out of her diaper onto my lap. Now I can't say that that's never happened to me.

November: Art got his CrossFit certification, so he started getting paid for his time spent at the CrossFit gym.
- Oh yeah. Minor detail. We had an election. The guy we were rooting for lost.
- Our box spring finally came in. So we finally had a real bed. Not just a mattress.
- I got bronchitis for the third time in eight years.
- I shot a gun for the first time.
- I finally posted a TON of pictures from the previous four months.
- Art's car broke down. We STILL don't have it back. I don't know why.
- I had my first American Thanksgiving with Art's family.
- Art got fired from his full-time job.

December: I had my first Christmas as a married woman.
- I discovered that I don't like lemon.
- I sent away my greencard paperwork. Still waiting to hear if it's been received/approved.
- And, this will be the very first time that Art and I are together on New Year's Eve. Finally.


Happy New Year's everyone!! I wish you fond memories of years passed, and many blessings in the years to come.