sorry I'm not sorry

Hello world!  After a month of silence I'm back to update my cyber diary only to promise what will most likely be another month of silence.  I keep wondering if I'm going to regret this weakly documented year of mine & Karl's lives but after much deliberation the answer I've come up with is a resounding no.  To put it plainly, this year just kind of sucks and I will never forget it, I don't really need a biweekly post to remind me of that.  And quite frankly, I can't think of a single one of my loyal readers who would enjoy logging on every other day to read my complaints of married life, being a boomerang child, without Karl, without my own house/kitchen/decorative freedom/icouldgoonbutiwillspareyou/etc.

moving right along...Christmas was wonderful, however, it didn't feel like Christmas at all.  Just a nice family gathering + good food.  Karl wasn't there, Pa wasn't there, we are still figuring out what it's like to have 3 sets of in-laws to share sisters and brothers-in-law with, cousins + aunts/uncles were missing... basically it was just a wonderful time to focus on The Lord because that was about the only thing consistent that this holiday season provided... and praise God for that, because I have been doing/noticing a lot of that as of late- really REALLY noticing and feeling and experiencing that He is the only constant that can be counted on, the only unchanging, permanent, faithful, who will not fail me.  I'm not trying to be crypic--- here Karl & I are in a season where he has absolutely no control over his absence and inability to be here physically and provide for me in the ways that I want & need- what an experience and lesson this has been in relying solely on The Lord.  By the way, I wouldn't recommend this particular curriculum to anyone. 

Anyways, the past month has been CRAZY!  I have loved every second of the busyness- it definitely helps me cope with Karl's absence better.  Maddie & Matt's wedding was gorgeous and took up every second of my spare time for all of November & December.  I'm glad it's over because it was stressful, however, I did enjoy giving them the gift of planning, doing that with my mom and sisters, and seeing it all come together- it was a blast!!  They both looked gorgeous and it was just awesome!  I can't wait to get the professional photo and video back- I'll definitely post more about the big day when I have those.  Having my cousins and family in town as well as The Johns' was basically heaven- Maddie & Matt's wedding would literally have not been possible without them & some other heavenly help.  Dream.Team.

After Maddie's wedding weekend I kept Lincoln & John's biggest boy, Valin, for a few days while Lincoln got caught up on some rest & house things and then drove Valin back to Little Rock at the end of the week since I was already headed that way to return wedding things that we borrowed from The Riggans!  I spent 2 days in Little Rock with The Harris' and it was so nice and relaxing!  Just what I needed after the wedding, loved every second of it and cannot wait to zip on back up there and do it again!  I tell you what, I just don't know what kind of awful it would be like to have been raised without a close relationship with my cousins.  Being able to call upon them for help, having confidence that you will know their children like you know them, and looking forward to seeing them is the best thing.

As of late, I have moved into my parents house and out of Callie & Jeremy's as they prepare for the arrival of Oliver!  They hastily kicked me out last week.  I kid, I kid.  I willingly left to give them some time as their family of 2 before the big guy makes his debut.  Life at Amy & Paul's is grand- this new house has so much space & privacy... it will be hellish interesting when the renovations start, which could be literally any day now.  Work is good- I had a full day of training yesterday alongside every staff member of the @rlington/Mansfield Pregnancy Centers- we are changing our model of care and I am SO STINKING EXCITED about it!  I will start my new position as soon as I am back from...

VISITING KARL IN KOREA!  I leave the second week of February and will be there for a little over 2 weeks!  He was able to secure a few days of leave so we will get to travel and explore the country together!  I absolutely cannot wait and have had so much fun thinking about everything that we will get to do while I'm there!  We will get to celebrate Valentines together, our 1 1/2 year anniversary, go on as many dates as days I'm there, I'll get to cook for him, do his laundry, clean- it will be the most semi-normal our lives have been in 5 months.  I can.not.wait.  Like, my mind is absolutely consumed with thoughts of my arrival, days there, everything.  Basically it all looks like scenes from a very wonderful movie.  And most importantly, I have been heavily focused on what I'll wear each day.  Obviously.  

Well, I'll probably post a month from now, or maybe I can talk Karl into a guest post while I'm in Korea!  However I make no promises these days.  I'll likely be a super uplifting person to be around following my trip, youuuu know, when my next countdown to seeing Karl becomes 4 months... and then another 4 months.  longest year everrrrrrr.

Love,

Debbie

31,536,000

One year/365 days/8,760 hours/31,536,000 seconds of marriage- WOO HOO!!  Happy one year anniversary to my hunkiest husband, I love you Karl!!  I feel like our wedding was one second ago which is strange because this past year has been filled with 365 of the longest days of my life.  Yes, sitting home alone in a strange city and having to resort to talking out loud to yourself (thank you, Aunt Suzie for the advice) makes for some extremely long days.  Long days, yes, but rewarding and wonderful for sure- I wouldn't trade this past year for anything in the world.  Karl and I started dating this month 4 years ago... still fresh enough to be embarrassed by some of my early dating decisions... like bursting into tears in my towel while on my way to shower at the Pi Phi house every time he called from basic... can you say, "cliche?"  And taking pictures like this...

Well, here we are 4 years after we started dating and one year into this marriage jig... fortunately I'm about 15 lbs lighter than when we started and maybe, dare I say, 15 years the wiser... or maybe just 15 years more mature... oh the joys of stress, college, wedding planning, and having to grow up (a little).

this is us on our very first date... coincidentally also the exact site of my sister & her fiance's first date and engagement location... a lovely spot that Sundance Square parking deck is.  Or maybe just a good place to makeout.

Shall we continue this walk down memory lane?  OK OK OK, you don't have to beg...

Our love blossomed in Fayetteville in the fall of '07.  I mean, clearly.

horseback riding had a lot to do with it... jk.  worst.date.ever

we made it thru basic the winter of '07... more traumatic for me than Karl. 

my trips to visit him frequently ended up with me sitting in my car for 12 hours a day Saturday & Sunday watching his flight get punished for something dumb and me never actually getting to see him.  Awesome.

He trained in Biloxi MS (hope we NEVER live there) and I visited him over Valentines in 2008... he gave me diamond earrings... obviously I was then committed.  

family Spring Break 2008 to see Karl in Biloxi- thanks for sacrificing, Cuppetts

OK so this is a cool one... when Karl was traveling from Biloxi to Wichita Falls, Texas for more training they all rode a bus and drove non-stop... well I was at home for the summer in Arlington and got a call at about 1 am from Karl telling me that his bus had stopped at the IHOP just down the street from my parents house!!  That was awesome- we had just been praying that The Lord would just provide fun to our relationship and it wouldn't be about just getting thru the time in between seeing each other... so it was so neat and a big, loud answered prayer... needless to say I jumped up and went to see him at IHOP!

The summer & fall of 2008 were especially nice- Karl was training just an hour and a half away from Arlington so I got to see him more than usual!

Karl finished all his training a year after he started- in the fall of 2008!  My mom and sister went to see him graduate although I was stuck in Fayetteville working my way thru my first semester of hell nursing school.

For 2 years Karl did a program that allowed him to come "work" in Fayetteville during the fall!  It was wonderful!!

Late fall of 2008 Karl was assigned to Shaw AFB as his first permanent duty station... I visited him early spring 2010... and we're still here... still. still.

Karl & I traveled for the first time together to visit his family in Washington state in the early summer of 2009

I learned quickly that he's definitely my favorite traveling companion... and that we both love Twilight and reading the same books together!

Late summer 2009 (after traveling to Africa with Maddie) I went on my last family vacation as an unmarried lady... my whole family knew about my upcoming engagement except for me... such a fun time in Mexico!

OMG our engagement.  Biggest surprise EVER.  I was totally blindsided by this... I mean COMPLETELY!!  I was expecting it would come that October or December but nope... on July 30, 2009 we were engaged in Sumter!  Even though I give Sumter a hard time, I think it's so special that we were engaged here- this place will always hold a special place in my heart and being proposed to here just adds to it!

I arrived home after the engagement to a surprise engagement party that Karl was Skyped into... how pitiful, huh (the Skype part I mean)?

Karl has been at every family weekend since we started dating... we have missed most holidays together but family weekend has such a special place in my heart- The Razorbacks, football, Pi Phi 5K, and the whole family being together is just precious to me!!  I remember really feeling like I could see a light at the end of the tunnel during this time- I was in my final year of school, wedding planning, and just soaking it all in in the fall of 2009!

January of 2010... blah.  Karl deployed for 4 months.  While he was gone I finished the hardest semester of my life, planned our wedding, graduated college, went to our wedding showers and received gifts on both of our behalves, celebrated holidays, found a home for us, moved all of my belongings to South Carolina, won a wedding contest, celebrated my sister's engagement, cried but not too much, grew up a lot, and made a lot of memories that didn't have Karl's face in them- that was the hardest part.

June 1, 2010 Karl came home- best/weirdest day ever.  We had to reacquaint ourselves and that is just plain weird... going from small talk on the phone and writing letters to being able to hold hands and look at him without him being all pixely.

One year ago today... I never thought that day would come!  Best day EVER!!

Our first vacation as a married couple, honeymoon to Mexico!

We made our first home together... and still are!  I have learned that I will always be tweaking and lusting praying for contentment over where I live and how it is decorated.  It has been so fun to develop this space with Karl!  Even just thru this one year, we have already changed so many things about our house!  Already a different headboard, side tables, bedspread, curtains, dust ruffle, and mattress than this picture shows!!

4 weeks after our wedding, my sister Callie was married to Jeremy!  It was so fun to be apart of her wedding and for Karl to get to be there too! 

Fall 2010 brought a spontaneous trip to DC with some of the fam

This summer (2011) we took a family vacation to Mexico with our new family of 9!  It was a blast uncovering what our new normal looks like, I wouldn't change a thing about it!

The real highlights of this year have been just getting to live life alongside Karl for the first time ever.  See for yourself...

and the bulk of our first year of wedded bliss has brought simple pleasures that are new to us both... things that we haven't gotten to experience together because of our constant cross-country separation, things I don't think I will ever take for granted... like having smores just for fun after dinner...

and dyeing easter eggs together...

and Karl mastering the fine art of putting the duvet back in the cover after it's been washed {he's in there}...

and brewing beer at home just for fun...

and celebrating Valentines together with by decorating our very own home...

and playing Scrabble... and beating my husband big time...

and having weekend company of parents, sisters, cousins, and friends...

and going to away Razorback games and watching my non-sports-fanatic husband cheer like crazy for my beloved Hogs...

and watching Karl study for the first time (my first time to watch him study... not his first time to study :) )...

and watching my husband mow our yard...

and getting to take care of my husband while he's sick for the very first time...

and getting to fall asleep next to this sweet face every most nights {when his work doesn't steal that from me}...

and getting to go to the pool just for the heck of it on a hot summer day...

and getting to meet for his lunch break {ok this has only happened like twice but it's worth mentioning! }...

and getting to have a Harry Potter marathon...

and getting to get into current events together and watch them on TV together!

and have morning coffee with him...

and go on dates with him every week {what a novel idea}...

and bake for him for the first time!

I can't wait to see how we grow and are shaped this next year... a difficult year it will be no doubt, Karl leaves in less than 90 days for South Korea for a whole entire year.  Trusting in The Lord to intertwine Karl into my year and me into his in ways we cannot imagine, despite our cross-oceanic separation.  Praising The Lord for this past year and how much I have gotten to learn about Karl and marriage and trusting The Lord simply because I cannot do anything else.  Still doing that last one, by the way.

Happily in love and ringing in my second year of marriage with Karl and Callie in town for the week!   More on some anniversary celebration later... because we have some fun plans!