Goodbye 2013

Well...another year has come and gone. Pretty scary how quickly that seems to be happening these days. I swear I think about something daily and think, wait, that was HOW many years ago?! Sheeeeeesh. Time is a flyin' y'all.

This year was a big one for us. We had some big changes, gained family members and lost some. I'm so thankful for the memories and so very much looking forward to what should be an amazing 2014. 

Here are some of 2013's memories:

After five years together, my little sister married her high school sweetheart and dream man in a gorgeous little ceremony in South Texas. It went without a hitch, except for that one bridesmaid that walked down the aisle by herself and accidentally stepped out of her 5-inch heels and had to stop mid-stride to fumble the shoe around and slip it back on quickly because she knew the bride was about to begin her walk down the aisle right behind her...OH, wait. That was me. SO embarrassing. Sorry, sister. 

At the end of the summer, husband and I had the most amazing little vacay in northern California. It was a trip we'll both never forget. We spent four days in San Francisco and Napa and never wanted to leave. We rocked our little socks off at a Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z concert at the legendary Candlestick Park and then feared for our lives as we had to hitchhike through the hood around the stadium after the concert to find a cab back to our hotel. Ever been to Candlestick? The place is a dump and the neighborhood around it is quite possibly the scariest place I've ever been. Yikes! We rode bikes around the city and across the Golden Gate Bridge. We rented a car and drove up the coast to Napa and Sonoma to tour some wineries and indulge a little :) It was a wonderful trip where we spent way too much money but had way too much fun just enjoying each other's company. 

As usual, in the Fall, husband started football season. Since we relocated from Austin to Dallas in the spring, he had to begin a new job at a new school, but he didn't miss a beat. I'm so proud of that kid. I've never met anyone so passionate about what he does and is so good at doing it. He's incredibly talented and his happiness constantly inspires me to find a career doing what I love. All of the time alone, stress and frustration that goes into being a coach's wife is completely worth it when you can see the joy that it brings your husband. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

This year brought some tears and loss, as well. On September 26, I called my Grandpa to wish him a happy 84th birthday. He was playing bingo and drinking beer with his sister and my Grandma and was happy as a clam. He joked that he was going to lose his money and gave me a hard time about being a football coach's widow before he said, "OK, well have a good night and thanks for calling, schnicklefritz! Love you! See you soon!" And hung up. The next morning, I got a phone call from my dad. My grandpa had suffered a heart attack and passed away suddenly shortly after I had talked to him the night before. Devastating, unbelievable news. I had JUST talked to him! He was laughing and happy and loving life! How is that even possible? He's was the funniest man I knew - full of life and wit and love. He will be so missed by so very many. Love you, Grandpa!

Then, the day after my Grandpa's funeral, I found out I was pregnant. Talk about some timing. The first thing I thought was, oh I wish I would have known and could have told him that night I called him! The news came as another surprise to us, but we are excited to be welcoming our first little bambino the first week of June! 

I'm so very much looking forward to this new year. A new adventure in our life and new memories to make. I hope all of you find an adventure for yourselves this year. Find a way to be a better you. Make someone smile. Start your dream job or find your dream man. 

I hope all of your best wishes come true!

Cheers to 2014!