Today marks a year of living in the Silver Valley. I cannot believe how much has changed in our lives.
Moving: A year ago today, I’d just finished up moving all of our stuff (Forrest’s tools and bikes included!) from Missoula to a storage unit here. I’d arranged to live in the basement of a real estate agency for three weeks while we waited to move into our rental house (we were picky and wanted a place we could heat with wood). I was waiting for Forrest to come back from North Dakota.
Job: I started my job, which, although like any job has it’s ups and downs is a really good place for me.
House Buying: F came back and before we even moved into our rental, we were looking into purchasing a house. We signed our purchase contract a week after moving into the rental which ushered in a flurry of title issues, renovation plans, giant Home Depot runs (I swear, we couldn’t get out of there without spending $2,000 and five hours of our time…plus driving an hour each way…). The the actual renovation started (which I documented here) and we spent a couple cold and busy weeks getting everything together. After we moved in and finished the sheetrock (unfortunately in that order, I’m only just now starting to win the battle against drywall dust) things calmed down a little bit.
Cabin: Just in time for us to buy the cabin. The cabin was more of a waiting game than anything at first as we counted down the days to the road opening so we could get to work. We had to wait until July. But since the cabin has gotten windows and hosted its first annual Over The Top Picnic. (Also in land buying, we purchased the property immediately adjacent to our house last week and became landlords.)
Family: We joined F almost-family in Oregon for Thanksgiving, I felt so very welcome and loved. I spent my first Christmas away from home instead spending Christmas Eve at Home Depot (see above) and cooking Christmas dinner here in Idaho (unfortunately in our rental and not our house). Our baby family experienced some serious trauma when Sprocket’s tail was run over, he’s doing well now so I can treasure the memories of the three of us curled up on the floor willing him to come out of this okay. In August, my dad passed away suddenly/not so suddenly and I found myself negotiating some tricky family ground.
Vacations: We went to Moab (again) and I ran my first half-marathon. I took a vacation sort of trip by myself and got to catch up with most of my fantastic college friends. We took a mini-trip through Oregon (I so freaking loved this trip, one day off and poof, I had a vacation) and decided that we need more of them, complete with upgrade from sleeping in the Cherokee to cheap motels. I finally saw Yellowstone.
Weddings/engagement: My best friend from high school got married, the first of my friends to tie the knot. A week later, we decided to get married. Apparently we’ve now reached “that point” in life. We started to make wedding plans, picking a location, a date, a photographer, (and last weekend, my dress!).
Here’s to an awesome, life changing year!
What a year. Also, I read the link to how y’all decided to get married and that is just so so wonderful.
I love it too, after the initial “we’re engaged!” glow wore off, I had a period where I was sort of sad that I didn’t get the big proposal with the massive declaration of love, but now? It makes so much more sense the way we did it I got to be a party to the decision in a way that “will you marry me?” doesn’t allow. We made a decision together, an emotional love filled decision, but I treasure how absolutely intentional it was. (And I love love love that it was at OUR cabin. I’d always hoped for a mountain top, but our ridge-top hideaway was a million times better.)
You really have had a big year! It’s a beautiful life you two are building!
We’re pretty proud of it!
wow! what an intense year.
Yeah, it was a bit…much at some points. Hopefully next year (wedding and all) will be less insane. I’d really just like to enjoy the fruits of all of last year’s craziness…
whew, what a year! congrats on making it through and accomplishing so much.
phewfta! what a year! and the one ahead looks to be pretty stellar, too! 🙂