It's been a year of years and I'm not sure what to make of it in words.  Even when the excitement is supposed to have settled, it's still very much a part of our lives.  I don't mean the excitement of our marriage, but the excitement of life events.  

Pretty much the week I met Chris, never in a million years would I think I'd be getting married 1.5 years later.  In a lot of ways, I joke and say he should have told me so I could be more financially prepared than I was/am.  I planned to live a single life.  I planned to pretty much rent for the rest of my life a hopefully affordable room with probably a roommate forever based on the salary I made.  I guess, I should have planned smarter financially whether I thought I was going to be single or not.  But at the same time, what did it matter if it was just going to be me?  

Then we met, and I got the wake up call of my life: your finances.  Clean that shit up.  Get your shit together because I definitely did not have it together.  

So we did it.  We made a wedding happen 1.5 years after meeting and now it's been 1 year after the fact.  In a lot of ways, we're where we should be.  In some ways, I wish I had planned accordingly.  But I guess it wouldn't have happened any other way if I was "prepared" for it.  Never in my life could I have known or prepare to meet someone like Chris.  He genuinely puts me above all else.  Literally, metaphorically, physically, emotionally, mentally - you name it and I go first and then maybe him.  In a lot of ways, this has taught me what love really is, but it also taught me about my faults.  I'm a very proud person and egotistic.  I thrive in the attention and story telling (thus the years of study in English, constant reading, and writing, etc.. etc...).  His genuine love and care for me has taught me to step back from my ego and pride every once in a while.  Just drop it, because what does it matter if I have my ego and pride when I'm hurting someone who genuinely loves me?

Chris and I have had to deal with a lot of ups and down in year 1 with family stress - my sister's diagnosis and treatmenet, in-law expectations and treatment, and career changes.  The outcome just showed us how strong of a unit we are.  We'll let each other down as expected, and we'll have misteps as expected, but we conquer together and support one another.  We are two different personalities and do so in very different ways, but together we work.  

It's funny how I was raised Catholic and it was this huge issue how Chris wasn't converting to Catholicism and he needs to believe etc etc...  But damn do those same Catholic people have negative outlooks on others and really nasty things to say.  Chris is the most positive natured person I know — he really won't ever have something bad to say about anyone and just tries to practice kindness in all ways he knows how.  It's funny that I see this and try to step back and wonder if the irony is ever going to be visible to the people who push him to convert, yet perform the negative aspect of the aforementioned.

We spent the early celebration in Tahoe at the Secrets Inn just spending quality time with one another and eating our hearts out.  We took a brisk walk or two so I could capture some photos and we talked.  It was simple.  Nothing fancy but you don't need fancy to celebrate your love.  You just need to intentionally think and focus on being present for one another and reflect.  In this time of bonding, we expressed gratitude, love, and joy for one another's presence.  I'm excited for what's in store for year 2.