2015 Year In Review

Time for by far one of my favorite annual activities: the yearly recap. This is my 4th "Year In Review" post, and each time it is such a joy to sit back and reflect on all that the prior year held. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels like each year tends to speed by faster than the last, and taking the time to look back on the happenings of each month reminds me that it truly was 365 full and eventful days.

So let's see what those days of 2015 held, shall we? 

<< January: 2015 started with a festive bang in the form of a belated Friendsmasgiving (mentioned here). Two of my close friends moved up by where PJ lives, so my first trip up of 2015 included a reunion and a tour of Google. I said yes to being a bridesmaid in my best friend Kristi's wedding, and helped her pick out her wedding dress! The month ended with an amazing weekend at Jesus Culture Conference. >>

<< February: Cheered on my Patriots as they (controversially) won Superbowl XLIX, and sent out fun Valentine's Day cards with the roomies. Had the amazing experience of being VIP on the Ellen Show, and had a positively wonderful first Valentine's Day with my love. >>

<< March: Celebrated PJ's birthday, which fun fact, happens to be the same day as my brother and his mom. Participated in some fun bachelorette festivities for my friend Natalie, and watched the Bachelor finale 3 whole days after it aired! Managing to make it those 3 days without discovering the outcome through social media was a real success in my book. ;) We ended the month at Natalie & Levi's wedding, and I also wrote the Love Without Sex series this month, which is near to my heart. >>

<< April: Ran a 200(ish) mile relay race called Ragnar Relay, and started my second seminary class on 1 Corinthians. I noticed and documented a new theme in my life of slowing down. Cheered on my guy's team at AT&T Park, & had some much enjoyed time with girlfriends. Also wrote one of my favorite posts this month, a letter to the guy whose car I hit. >>

<< May: Had lots of family time this month, both at my cousin's wedding & on Mother's Day. Coordinated my dear friend Claire's wedding (how stunning does she look?), and ran the Rock & Roll Half Marathon with my PJ on our one year anniversary. This month, I also felt the pull to take one week completely unplugged from social media. It was pretty liberating! >>

<< June: I got real into YouTube hair tutorials this month, and the dutch braids were the proof. Went to a baby shower for my dear friend Kristen, who now has an almost 5 month old adorable baby boy! Got to go to Mississippi for a work trip, and turned it into a blogger date where I met the lovely Cassie. Ended the month by finishing my second seminary class, and turning 26! >>

<< July: Celebrated the 4th of July in style, and started a 24 day health journey consisting of a 3 Day Refresh + my first round of 21 Day Fix. We successfully showered our bride Kristi, and at the end of the month, I shared the outcome of my 24 day journey, & announced my decision to become a Beachbody coach! >>

<< August: A definite highlight of 2015 was surprising my across-the-country-blogger-bff Diana, when PJ & I flew to Charlotte, NC to see her! This month also included a fabulous bachelorette weekend for Kristi, my first time at Harvest Crusade, an "Everything You Want To Know About Shakeology" blog post, and a thoroughly enjoyed laborless Labor Day weekend with my man. >>

<< September: Celebrated my dad's birthday with a weekend at home, and stood beside Kristi as she said I do! Ran my very first 21 Day Fix group (which was AWESOME), and enjoyed many coffee dates with lovely lady friends (per usual). I also wrote a post this month that touches on a huge lesson of 2015, finding contentment in waiting. >>

<< October: Kicked off the month with an epic Disneyland / wedding weekend. Totally coincidentally ran into my bestie Colleen & her husband at Disneyland, which was the happiest surprise! Enjoyed some family time at my cousin's wedding, and started to plan a wedding of our own after getting engaged on October 10th! It was a magical month, indeed, and we ended it dressed up as the Queen of Hearts & Mad Hatter for Halloween. >>

<< November: Engagement started feeling real this month, as I picked out my wedding dress (AH!) & we were showered with love at our engagement party. Had our 3rd annual Reed Sister VayCay, this edition including a holiday cotillion party with mom. Celebrated my first Thanksgiving away from home by joining PJ's family up in NorCal. It was a sweet way to ring in the holidays as an engaged couple! >>

 << December: Thoroughly enjoyed a festive holiday season packed with parties & pot lucks, and ran my very first Spartan Race! Saw Star Wars on opening weekend with my love (& ended up watching the other 6 as a result!), and spent Christmas with my family in San Diego. The holiday season is never complete until we celebrate my baby sis' birthday on NYE, which we kicked off last night! >>

2015, you were mighty good to me. I look forward to giving you many more words & thoughts in my yearly letter, but for now I'll just say that you were awfully memorable, and awfully packed with lessons. 

Thanks for recapping with me, friends! I wish you ALL a very Happy New Year! 

** Previous Years In Review: 2014, 2013, 2012 **

The Day He Asked

On October 10th, 2015, a long-time dream of a man getting on one knee and asking me to be forever his came true. Years of dreaming about who this man would be (and wondering if he would be), followed my months of anticipation and wondering when the event would take place, all were met with a moment that surpassed anything I could have hoped for. 

And not because it was perfect by the book, but because it was perfect for us. My sour mood earlier in the day didn't subtract even the tiniest bit from the magic that unfolded as my sweet PJ got on his knee in the middle of a sandy shore, and held out the prettiest ring I ever did see. 

I think that was one of the biggest lessons I learned in the months leading up to our proposal. I felt this bizarre pressure to make it perfect, like if I said the wrong thing or woke up in a bad mood, then the moment would forever be tarnished. 

Welp, I did wake up in a bad mood. And that mood wasn't improved when we walked into Starbucks & I ordered my favorite breakfast, only to find they were out. Out! (Gasp, how-dare-they.) 

I thought something like that would damper our proposal story, but it turns out, it adds to it. Because as I reflect on that car ride to the Capitola Beach coast, the one where I was trying to put my big-girl-pants on & muster up a good mood for the remainder of the day, the one where the gloomy sky turned into a gorgeous, sunshiny one in a tangible reflection of God redeeming the day, I think about my sweet fiance sitting in the driver's seat, smiling knowing that regardless of the mood of the girl sitting beside him, he wanted to propose to her that day. 

And propose, he did. ;) 

That man who has every bit of my heart said some of the sweetest words, of which we only remember about half ;), got on his knee, and asked me to be forever his. The biggest question he'd ever asked, was met with the easiest YES I've ever said. 

After a few moments of embracing & beginning to process what had just happened, he pointed out my dear friend Michelle who had so sweetly captured the entire moment. 

I am so grateful for the pictures from this day. The moment passes so quickly, and is every bit as surreal as it is magical. It has been so nice to look back on these photos, and relive the moment that so tangibly altered the course of our lives. The moment when I got to say yes to being the wife of the best man I've ever known. 

Gah, it still gives me chills. ;) 

My sweet PJ, I love you so much. I daily learn how to love well by watching your example. You serve those around you, putting other's needs above your own without a second thought. You are kind, and considerate. You are hilarious, and so. darn. handsome. You are a better dancer than me, even though I fight you on that. You make life fun, and you romance me & make me feel like the luckiest girl alive. 

I could never adequately thank you for choosing me to spend your life with. 

I am so, crazy excited to be your wife.