Top 10 of 2010 (in alphabetical order)

When I think of 2010, I think of Apple Wellness. We
have basically been working on AW since January, and now
our little nutrition store is six months old (last week).
To take an empty concrete box and turn it into a thriving
store has been, hands down, one of the most gratifying
experiences of my life. It has been such a blessing from
God, and even when I’m sick of having to be there six days
a week, I am thankful for our Apple Wellness. 
 

Our vacation to Australia was definitely one of
the best parts of 2010, and getting to hug a baby
kangaroo was definitely one of the best parts of
Australia. Exploring a new country with Timmy,
on the other side of the world, on the other side
of the equator, was completely amazing.

 

Timmy knows how to make me feel special, and my
“Birthday Week” was one of the happiest parts of my
year. He showered me with love, presents,
and 24 helium balloons.
 

We love our little couple so much, and their wedding
day was one of the happiest points of 2010. Their
relationship throughout this past year has been a
constant source of joy.

 

We spent a lot of time with my family in 2010, and
it was an especially good year for snuggley moments.
Mom and Dad are so unwavering in their love and support
of us and our decisions. Tim and I both agree that having
them for parents makes every hard battle seem easier,
because they’re behind us 200%. 

My design business that had been lingering in the
back of my mind for years finally became a reality 

in 2010. Happily Becki joined Etsy and stocked the
"gift section" at Apple Wellness. With an average of two
sales per week (since the launch in March), I feel like
we’re off to a successful start! Plus, being in business
with my mom is just about the best thing ever.

Timmy's many guy roomies left our house in such
a state. In 2010, we finally put in new flooring.
Definitely one of my very favorite parts of the year.

We are totally in love with this little guy.
He was born in December, but we have known about
him since April, and Baby has been such a huge,
happy part of our 2010.

Our anniversary trip to NYC in June was totally
magical. In the midst of all the busyness of opening
our store, it was totally crazy to cram a three day
vacation into our lives. But Timmy is a pretty crazy
guy, and I'm starting to catch his excitement for
spontaneous adventures.

We started out 2010 six months married and finished
up our first year together in June. Having him by
my side is the best, happiest, most beautiful blessing
imaginable. I am totally in love with this amazing man.

I can’t wait to find what 2011 has in store for us.
Happy New Year's Eve!

Tools and Such

My dad is the handiest man I know. 

He has a manly shop, where he makes beautiful things like desks, 

blanket chests, coat racks, pizza peels, cabinets, and houses.

I blogged, almost a year ago, about spending some time with Dad in his shop,
and finding all sorts of “manly beauty” amidst his tools and wood shavings.
For Christmas this year, I made him a collection of thank you cards, featuring his tools.

 

And really, all that guy stuff can be very pretty.

Scarves To Keep Them Warm

I always try to make all of my Christmas gifts every year. 

Usually I go with some sort of theme, and make the same thing

- in different versions - for everybody. 

This year, it was scarves. 

Everyone got scarves, plaid scarves specifically.  

 The boys got "manly" ones, and the girls got "sweet" ones. 

Timmy helped me pick out five different colors and plaid patterns, 

and Mom helped me make 17 plaid scarves. (Mom is the best.)
Each scarf took roughly 1 hour to make from start to finish,
which feels like a lot when you try to do it all at once (which we did),
but really, it isn't. And they all turned out so prettily!! 

Making scarves is pretty simple.  

(Remember when I posted the directions, here? I was being sneaky,
little did you know those would be my Christmas presents. Or did you?)
All it takes is a lot of cutting, ironing, pinning, and sewing. (Timmy actually did all of the final ironing, and he did a very good job at pressing the seams.)

 

Judging from everyone’s happy smiles,
my scarf presents were a delightful success! 

Because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love scarves?

You will always meet Christmas on December 25th. 
 It is always there, in that same place. 
The question is not whether you will find Christmas,  
but where Christmas will find you.  
Christmas is all about Jesus, and because He never changes, 
neither does this.  

You come to Christmas once every 365 days, 

and in between meetings, Christmas is still there, 

wherever you may land. 

The promise of Christmas never leaves. 

It is something you can count on, 
no matter where life takes you. 
December will come, 

the 24 days leading up to it will pass, 

and Christmas will be waiting to greet you 

on the calendar square marked "25". 

December 25th is Christmas Day.
(But Jesus is Christmas
and He is always there.)

This year Christmas found us

happy,

loved,

and blessed.

Reveling in the things that matter most,

and welcoming new faces to our fold.

The only constant in this world or the next, 

is the love of God, 

and the promise that comes from 
 Christmas.  

Reason #8291 Why I Love Timmy

Because he could not find the tissue paper
while he was busy wrapping my present…

He improvised.

(he assured me they were clean.)

Me: Our Christmas cards came in the mail today!! I can't wait to send them off...

Timmy: *looks at printed cards* Babe, you do realize that it looks like I am balding in this picture? Literally. Like there is a three inch strip of hair missing on my scalp.
Me: It's just the lighting.

Timmy: Oh my goodness, this is horrible...

(Timmy is not balding, for the record.)

Merry Christmas, friends. 

Good.

Some days are good days and some days are bad days.

Today was a really good day.

Because my family is amazing.

And my two favorite men

are kinda like best friends.

and it is pictures like these

that remind me of the important things in life
that make me infinitely thankful for what I have

that illustrate the love that surrounds me

that make (future) bad days good.

A Conversation: Christmas Cards

While writing on Christmas cards together:
Timmy: This is so meaningful. I love this!
I feel like I'm hanging out with all these different people by doing this!!

Last night, our furnace died. Timmy and I pushed our couch close the fireplace and spent the evening sitting in the firelight, writing on Christmas cards, eating warm chocolate chip cookies, and talking. Suddenly Timmy pondered, “I wonder what Patricia is doing right now.” And we both burst into laughter, remembering our crazy Bed and Breakfast experience in Ireland, on our honeymoon. It is such a funny story, I decided to take a page out of our Ireland diary and share our experience with Patricia.

  6/28/09 – written by Becki

 

Today we arrived in Ireland and drove straight to our bed and breakfast in Killkenny. This place was highly recommended by our Frommer’s Guide, and we had happy hopes for our first bed and breakfast experience.

 

I’m not sure exactly when I began to fear for my life, but it may have been when we arrived to find a deserted old farmstead, parked our car next to a rusty old truck covered in spider webs, and shone our headlights down a dark, creepy, alley of trees that ran behind the house. The beam of our lights illuminated a large pile of bones. Animal bones… I hoped. 

  

Tim, of course, sprang out of the car with enthusiasm (ummm… didn’t he see those bones?!) and began to call loudly for the owner, Patricia. I tentatively emerged, only to nearly trip over a mewing cat. I reached down to pet the furry creature, but when it turned it’s face toward me, I almost screamed. The brute was matted and dirty and it’s left ear was completely ripped off. A large scar ran down it’s left eye, giving it a glazed, glaring stare. With a shriek, I jumped back into the car and closed the door, feeling as if I had landed in a haunted forest. Mangy Cat hissed and retreated into the overgrown, tangled garden. We tensely waited for Patricia to show up. 

 

Things only got worse after Patricia arrived. She came careening around the corner of the house, and greeted us with frizzy, flying hair. We were introduced to her “son”, Oswald, who happens to be a black cat that follows her everywhere. (A black cat seems too fitting.) When Tim asked her if she had any children, she responded, "No! OSWALD is my son. I don't know why anyone HAS children..." I have the odd feeling that her "son" understood our entire conversation, and his yellow eyes watched us knowingly as we were led to our sleeping quarters. 

The room is located above the barn, and every surface is covered with thick dust. Little spiders populate the windows, and stringy webs hang from the ceiling. Cat hair is floating through the air, and I distinctly smell the pungent odor of wet mold. Oh, and the water isn't working. Our bed is a mattress thrown on the floor. There is a door, locked from the inside, leading to… where? I just rattled the handle and peeked through the keyhole, only to see what I think resembles a sharpened axe. Tim thinks I am imagining things. (I just pushed every available piece of furniture against the door, hopefully blocking anyone from entering through it.)

 I think things really went downhill when Patricia found out I am vegan. Should I be afraid that our insane hostess actually told me I’m “done for”? Because that’s what she said, and I am definitely sleeping with a knife tonight. (Whether Timmy likes it or not.)

Monday, 6/29/09 - Written by Becki

 
We survived the night. Oswald was sitting outside our door (which happens to be glass, so anyone – or anything - can just see right in at any moment!) when we got up this morning. That little creature gives me the creeps. Patricia flew into a rage at breakfast because I mentioned I might get my hair cut. She keeps repeating that I’m “done for”… Tim doesn’t seem to be as disturbed by this as I am. Perhaps that is because she loves him for his meat eating ways, and has been serving him “loads of meat” and eggs… Today we plan to explore Kilkenny. Patricia invited us to swim with her and Oswald in the river, but we declined. Our water was finally fixed and we were able to take showers. Patricia was very friendly tonight. (Perhaps too friendly?) She actually tried to carry on a conversation with us, through the door, while we were showering!!! She seems very insulted that we don’t want to drink wine with her.

 
Tuesday, 6/30/09 - Written by Becki

This morning we awoke early, ready to leave this madhouse. I’m not sure I can even begin to describe what transpired at breakfast. Tim casually mentioned that we had booked a hotel in Killarney (which is where we are now – in a beautiful HOTEL ROOM!). Patricia pierced him with a look and asked him how he had booked it. I saw it all happen in slow motion. Tim opened his mouth and spoke the words, “Oh, we used the computer in the guest room.” I threw out my hands to stop him, because I saw Patricia’s face turn an alarming shade of red. She began to rant and wave her hands and cackle (yes, that is a good word for it) in a hideous sort of manner. She proclaimed that we really were “done for” (I don’t like being told I’m done for) and that it is illegal to use someone elses computer in Ireland. (Not true.) We tried to explain that when we found a computer in the guest room, and it was on, we assumed it was meant for the guests to use. She immediately ran to the computer, and started screaming that we had broken it. Of course, this wasn’t the case, and she was unable to listen to reason. I actually thought she was going to call the police. I have never felt more sickened in my life. Suddenly, I knew it was very important for us to leave as quickly as possible, and I told Tim as much. We RAN out the door. Nothing could have persuaded me to stop. 

6/30/09 - Written by Timmy

This morning was a difficult experience. Patricia freaked out.
We finally escaped, and it felt like we were fleeing from some sort of evil.
There is a type of terror about that woman that I can't quite explain. 

I think we may never stay at a bed and breakfast
ever again.

A Christmas Card from Care Net

I really enjoy doing freelance design work for Care Net.

They always have the most exciting projects for me to work on.

Like designing their 2010 Christmas card. 

And it's so exciting to get a copy of the Christmas card I designed

 - delivered to my mailbox. 

Care Net is a an amazing ministry,

and I'm proud to be a part of it.

(Their website is here.)

Two Years.

On the night before the day you asked me to be your wife, I had no idea.
No idea what the following day would hold,
and no idea how my life would change in the months and years to follow. 

Looking back, we seem so young, perched on the edge between dating and engaged. 

We were in love, and there was no stopping the fairy tale dreams crowding our hearts. 

   

A surprise, you told me, was what you had in mind. 

According to your vague instructions,
I packed a sweater and my camera and went to bed early. 

The morning of December 13, 2008, you picked me up at 3 AM.  

You were giddy. I was suspicious. Together we drove off to meet my surprise.
Two hours later, we arrived at the Chicago airport. 

I knew we must be lost. 

You said we were there to do some shopping. 

I didn't quite believe you, but I didn't quite have any other explanation
for us being at the airport at 5AM on a Saturday morning.
All I knew was that you were smiling, and we weren't shopping.

Some things are tricky to put into words,
and the moment you told me
"I'm flying you to Disney World
for the day!"
is one of those.
I can only describe pure shock as I stared at the tickets in your hand.
And then we twirled in circles and laughed and danced
in the middle of the airport terminal.
It was unforgettable.
I remember sitting by a young family on the plane.
The father asked you how long we were staying in Florida.
You said, "Oh, just for the day." He said, "Umm..."

 

And it seemed surreal.
The entire day felt like a shimmering dream, just beyond reality.
We were transported from snowstorms to palm trees,
and real life faded into the background.
All we saw was each other. 

 

It was my first visit to the Magic Kingdom, and I was enchanted.
You smilingly showed me the way - my Disney World pro.
 

In the back of my mind, I knew the reason for this journey,
and I waited all day for it.
Each time you reached for your pocket, every magical moment
(of which there are many in the Magic Kingdom),
I would catch my breath and wonder...

 

And then, at the culmination of our happiest point,
as darkness fell and the Magic Castle was lit
with thousands of glittering Christmas lights,
you pulled me close and started singing
the song you had written just for me,
and it started with "I love you"
It was the first time you said those words,
because we were waiting until we were engaged.
And then I knew, with no more room for doubt, that this was it.
You ended on one knee,
in front of the Magic Castle,
in front of a little crowd of beaming spectators...
in front of the girl you loved.
And it was so emotionally overwhelming,
all I could say was the only word that mattered, "Yes".

 

That gorgeous and perfectly-perfect-for-me ring you had picked out
slipped on my finger and sealed the deal.
We were engaged.
And in all of my childhood fantasies,
I never dreamed my proposal would happen
in front of a castle
in the middle of the happiest place on earth. 

 

We ate a celebration meal of French Fries and pretzels,
watched the parade and fireworks, and left.
Drove back to the airport,
took a two hour nap in the rental car (each in our respective seats),
got back on a plane, and flew home. 

  

To Disney World and back in one day.
I left with a boyfriend, and came home with a fiance.
Two years later,
I find myself in such a delightful place,
married to you, my handsome prince.
I can't imagine being any happier.
But, I  have a sneaking suspicion that December 13, 2011
will find me happier still.

Our fairy tale engagement seems to have set the stage

for a fairy tale marriage.

Would you believe me if I told you

that I could not be happier? 

Happy Two Years Engaged.