Happy New Year

Only a few hours are left of 2005 now. It is a little after 8pm here in Sachse, Texas and we just finished a dinner of rice and beans and various dips and chips. We (Nathan and I) opted to stay in tonight...so we came over to mom and pop's to watch football and ring in the new year with them.

About an hour ago we ran home so I could take out my contacts and take some Excedrin Migraine because my head is hurting. On the way back we were talking about what we have been doing on other New Year's Eve's.

For the most part I am a boring person. I don't care to go out and party and drink much. I did my drinking in college. In fact...last year I went to bed around 11:00pm and figured that 2004 had ended so badly that I didn't really need to see how 2005 would begin. But just a few short weeks into 2005 (16 days to be exact) I met Nathan...and well...we all know how that ended. :)

I have been thinking for awhile now about what I want to write in my New Year's blog. I was going to chat on resolutions...I don't make them....or I could chat on changing times...both good and bad.

Maybe I will try to sum up 2005 and preview 2006...then next year I can look back at my blog and see what I wrote and if it matched up to what really happened in 2006.

So....2005...

It didn't start so great. I had just returned from a failed venture to Virginia. I was broken-hearted over someone who should never had access to my heart in the first place...and overall I was just a pretty pitiful person. 6 days into the new year mom had her surgery and I was pulled from my self pity and misery to care for her. Probably the best thing that ever happened. Once I quit focusing on myself and how I had failed in Virginia I was able to heal...and God brought into my life Nathan.

Our first date was January 16th....quickly followed by 2nd, 3rd, and 4th dates. Soon we were seeing each other almost daily. By March I moved out of my parent's house and into my own apartment. Not long after Nathan was moving in. Mom asked me once if it was Nathan's idea for him to move in. It wasn't really anyone's idea I told her...it just kind of happened. We were spending all of our time together and we knew that we would spend the rest of our lives together. At some point it just happened. On our 3 month anniversary we said "I love you" to each other for the first time.

April and May passed in a hurry...and sometime during that time we officially decided to get married...bought a ring...and booked the chapel at SMU. And that was before we even really told anyone...although we did finally tell my mom and dad and brother. And Nathan had told his family also. By the end of May I was getting pretty impatient...that ring was sitting in the bedside table and I wasn't aloud to wear it. But Nathan had his plan...and he refused to ask me to marry him (officially of course) until he asked my Dad...remember...we had already booked the location. :)

Finally on June 3rd, Nathan's 30th birthday, he proposed. He said I was his best birthday present ever...boy...how am I ever going to top that???? Now we could tell everyone and finish making all of our plans. Nathan switched jobs...so we would both be working for the same ISD. And in August football season started and so did school.

Time flies...on November 5th we purchased our house...which now has a roof and is close to ready for bricking! :) (I have pictures to post tomorrow.)

And now...here we are on the last day of 2005...it started so horribly and has ended so wonderfully. :)

Looking forward to 2006....

Well...we are supposed to move into our new house at the end of February or the first of March. That is the first big thing. Then...in May...Carole, Britt, and Ava will be coming to stay with us for the summer...a wonderfully exciting development that happened just recently. :)

But most importantly...and the reason why 2006 will be the best year ever...I will be getting married! Every day that passes brings me one day closer. Some people think that June will be just a formality. I mean...we have a joint checking account...we already live together...it is like we are already married. But we aren't. It isn't the same. I know we are getting married...but June 17th is the day that I have been waiting for for a long long time.

This is my last New Year's Eve with the last name I have grown up with...soon I will have a new last name...and that is a moment that will forever be etched in my heart and mind.

I wonder what else 2006 will bring. I am pretty sure it will bring a new school for me...I am not very happy where I am teaching right now...so I might as well move on. But 365 days is a long time...it is a lot of days for a lot of special and potentially life changing moments to happen in.

Happy New Year Everyone! May 2006 be the happiest year you have yet to have! I know it will be for me!!!!