I've come back to this neglected little blog to say, wow, it's been a whole year.
The first year of marriage has been pretty great! Not without frustrations and challenges, but all in all, pretty darn awesome. As for the future of this blog, I clearly don't feel very inspired to post here any more so it just might be time to wrap it up. Thanks to all our family and friends for their love and support as we planned a wedding, celebrated the day, and navigated through newlywed life.
The last big news: we're expecting a baby in November. Who knows, maybe I'll start a baby blog. If I do, you'll hear about it here.
Lately we've been making a few household investments. I'm working on a slipcover for our (horrendously cat-scratched) couch, DH finally fixed the ceiling fan light in the living room, and we bought a portable clothes line.
We're always looking for ways to be more "green", and, hey, we're cheap frugal, so the idea of not paying to run the dryer is very appealing. However, we're also renters and sort of lazy, so digging holes, mixing concrete, and installing big poles when we'll eventually move away anyway was probably out. Then one day I stumbled up these umbrella-style drying racks. Our dilemma is solved.
For the time being we've set it up in the laundry room. I gave it a trial run over the weekend and it holds a full load of laundry quite well. Once it's a little less snowy outside we'll put it to the test outdoors. I think one of these would work great for apartment and condo dwellers with a patio!
I will confess, New Year's Eve has long been my favorite holiday. Many people find this odd, preferring Christmas, or Thanksgiving. New Year's is just a party, fun but not special. Or perhaps people become disillusioned with New Year's, having year after year made grand resolutions that ended up out of their reach. To me, though, New Year's is a wonderful opportunity to look back at the past, thankful for your experiences, and look forward to the future, contemplating with hope your goals. I love the energy of New Year's Eve, the twinkle in people's eyes.
2009 wasn't the easiest year for DH and me, but it was incredibly rewarding. It was our first full year in Indianapolis, a place where we are forced to admit we still don't feel at home. DH spent much of the year looking for employment, which took a toll on us both, but is now very happy in his new job. We watched the economy with baited breath, wondering if things were going to keep getting harder before they got easier. We got married! And spent 5 fabulous days with our wonderful family and friends. I am still a little awestruck when I think of all the support, love, and excitement with which we were showered by so many people. Coming 'round the bend into 2010 things are looking good. Our partnership is strong and we are hopeful about our goals as a couple, both small and large. We are satisfied.
Happy New Year everyone! Here's hoping you've had a chance to pause and enjoy the holiday in whatever way you choose.
Well, today is the annual IRT holiday party and I'm all set for the big Secret Santa gift exchange reveal. I decided to put my creativity to work and made this holiday flower arrangement and kusudama ball ornament (you may remember the giant kusudama pomanders from the wedding ceremony!) I hope the recipient will enjoy these!
During this holiday season I wanted to take a moment to say a few words about an organization that DH and I support: Heifer International. This organization provides livestock and training to families in need around the world, offering them a sustainable source of food and income. You can browse their catalog of charitable gifts here. Heifer's work helps ensure the health and education of children, empowers women, and builds communities.
You might recall that our wedding registry included Heifer, and I am proud to say that DH and I also donated 5% of all monetary gifts received to Heifer. The next time you wonder what to get that person in your life who has everything, consider a flock of ducks, some rabbits, or even a cow!
Heifer International - Charitable donations to this organization provide livestock and training to families in need in the United States and around the world, promoting sustainable life and income.
