What's even harder than summing up an entire year in one blog post? Well, as you would know it, it's remembering what happened in each year of marriage. Couples who have been married for several years - you may remember the first year and this past year vividly, and perhaps some milestones in between, but can you think back to the second year and remember what you did? Yep, that's where I had trouble.
Ironically, the reason I know what happened is because of something I hate doing (but know we have to). We write down every single purchase on a spreadsheet to keep track of our personal finances. As I went back through and saw various purchases, I started to remember what that second year was like.
Nathan had started school that past fall, and he continued to pursue a Master's of Acoustics. Around the same time, and not by accident, I decided to sign up for a half marathon. I needed a hobby, and running was a great outlet. So in April of 2012, I ran my first (and only) half marathon with my sister. It was one of the proudest and hardest moments of my life! After I finished the Full Bloom Half, I confidently walked over and slapped a 13.1 magnet on the back of my car. Can't forget the important stuff :)
That year was also when I started and finished my distance learning degree at the New York Institute School of Photography. I knew I wanted to take pictures, so I jumped in and learned a TON. I started second shooting at weddings and fell in love. It's actually kind of fun to look back and see SD cards, flashes, and lenses purchased throughout the year.
That fall, Nathan surprised me with my first higher-than-amateur-level camera. He took me to a park under the guise of a picnic lunch, and there was a brand new camera bag with a camera and lenses I never would have allowed myself to purchase. I'm not a crier, but I did shed a few tears in anticipation of the journey to come.
Beyond that, year 2 was about friendship building. We spent so much time with other people when Nathan wasn't studying and we weren't working, and I'm so grateful for the friendships we have built up until today!
In a lot of ways, that was one of the sweetest years of our marriage. The next few years brought surgeries, health struggles, and job challenges that have brought us to our knees (literally and figuratively). Just as I want to go back in some ways to the little girl who was newly married and figuring life out, I want to go back to the 2012 version of myself, give her a hug, and tell her to enjoy the simplicity and joy of life in the moment.
The last few years have made me stronger and better, but remembering the second year of marriage when my biggest struggle was what to cook for dinner certainly reminds me of some sweeter times. Either way, I know I have the best partner in the world to share my life with - in good times and bad.
Each week I'm including some pictures of the first few years we were together. They aren't professional or perfect, but I cherish them so much, just looking back at the people we used to be.
Previous Posts:
10 Things You Didn't Know about Nathan
10 Things You Didn't Know about Me
Before We Met
How We Met
The First Date
The Struggles of Dating
How We Fell in Love
The Proposal
Our Wedding Day
The First Few Months
Living the Newlywed Life
