What a beautiful life this is.... (Jason Mraz)

Spring is finally here! So is our 6 month mark! Marriage is still the best thing that has ever happened, even through the little bumps we've encountered getting used to the whole thing. I do have to say, in comparison to stories I've heard, so far we've had an easy time! Sometimes it’s still hard to wrap our minds around the fact that we are married. After being single for so many years, being married is still kind of a foreign concept. It’s a fun adventure though! Here are some highlights of our first few months of being married!

• October- Getting married! Our beautiful reception. The fun (although short) honeymoon to Las Vegas. Me developing a nasty cough that lasted for about 3 ½ weeks (imagine to adjusting to sharing a bed with someone with that going on. Poor Ryan!)
•  November- Thanksgiving Dinner with one of the secretaries I work with, and her family
• December- Getting GIANT homemade (and personalized) stockings from Allisuhn Carroll and her amazingly talented mother. Having Christmas Eve Dinner with the same family we were with for Thanksgiving. Enjoying our first Christmas together at home, while still enjoying time with family via Skype. Christmas Dinner with the Bohls’.
• January- Ryan survived below zero temperatures while working outside, all day, every day, delivering peoples’ packages like a hero!
• February- Ry’s 28^th birthday (surprise dinner at Crackel Barrel, couples massage). My 26^th birthday (dinner at Olive Garden, movie Identity Thief with the bestie Whit & her hubby AJ). Our 1^st Valentine’s Day (dinner from Zupas at home, lovely evening just keeping it simple and spending time together at home). Our neighbors downstairs moved out.
•  March- Trip to Texas to visit the Lloyd family (dad had no idea we were coming, along with Monica & Heidi. His face when we woke him up from a dead sleep? Priceless!!) Ry’s “initiation” into the family via slingshot paintball. Visiting the Ft. Worth Zoo with Heidi (14 months old- so much fun!).
•  April- Sadly neither of us made April Fools Day a priority, so we didn't prank each other. Next year it’ll be on though! We have new neighbors moving in downstairs (I kinda liked the quiet without anyone in there, but at least they seem nice). The BBQ is out and has already been used with plans on using it many, many more times. We’re planning on getting our stuff planted out in the garden (cause lets be honest- playing in the dirt is fun!).
•  Coming months- We are looking forward to this spring/summer and plan on lots of BBQ s and camping trips. Mom, Monica & Heidi will be out here for 3 weeks starting at the end of June. Papa Deuel is planning on coming to visit sometime, as well as Courtney & Denisse. They may come together, maybe at different times. Either way, we are so excited to see everyone!!

Because I work Mon-Fri, and Ry works Tues-Sat, we don’t have weekends together which makes planning adventures for this summer kind of difficult. We are looking (and praying) for other job opportunities for Ryan that would give him a better work schedule. FedEx has been a great blessing, but we’re hoping that the time to move on to the next job has come (not moving homes though…we love where we are!!).

Pretty much, life is wonderful. Even with the little bumps in the road here and there, our lives are so incredibly blessed. We are building a love filled, steady, wonderful marriage together. We have the best families ever (no, that is not a statement based on a bias. It’s just simply a fact. Ask me, I’ll tell you!) We are surrounded by amazing and incredible friends who help fill our lives with laughter and fun memories. We teach the greatest group of kids in Sunday School, who really teach us more than we teach them. Our house is our own little piece of heaven, feeling like our home from the moment we walked in. We’re both blessed with full time jobs that provide steady income (even though we want a different job for Ryan…but that aside).

Life. Is. Great.

Love, Amanda (and Ryan)