My 2012 in Review

What's that? You want a re-cap of everything that happened to me this year? Okay!!

Check out highlights of this year after the jump...

January: A girl from Matt's mission heard I was awesome and moved into my apartment when she got off her mission. At the time she was just what I needed. I had lost everyone in my close group of friends for various reasons and was feeling extremely lonely. She was nervous to return to Provo because all her friends had moved away or gotten married while she was gone. We were each other's answers to prayers. 

February: Cari and I had become great friends and did a lot of things together. On Valentine's day we decorated a hair school mannequin head like David Bowie, stuck it on a broom stick, and drove around Provo pranking people. Cari would knock on a stranger's window, wave the head in the window until someone saw it, then run to the car where I and a friend were waiting and we'd drive off. One guy saw the head and ran after us and even jumped in the car with us! Luckily, this is Provo and he jumped out five seconds later. It was the dumbest and most memorable Valentine's day to date. I got to go to New York for a week for work (my first time!)

March: Matt returned from his mission on the 17th. I remember counting down the days. I was so excited! The day he returned we were at Orem High School for ArtTalks. I remember walking out of the HS after school and thinking, his plane just landed! In a few hours I will see him! The rest of the month was full of fun activities, bonfires, dates and dinners. A week after returning home, Matt got a job in Lehi as a janitor at a big company. I was wary about the drive and the pay.

April: My parents came to town for Easter. I started planning my Pinterest wedding. I bought a wedding dress. We got engaged! I moved into a dinky basement apartment that I thought was fabulous at the time. I was just ready to get away from my roommates! April was the craziest month because I felt like I had three full-time jobs (teaching art AND planning a wedding AND moving). Matt was really patient with me in April. Matt got a promotion :)

May: Still living in the married apartment...alone. I designed our wedding invitations, we an had engagement photo session, Matt's mom helped me plan the rest of the wedding. We planned our honeymoon to Mexico! I got endowed!!! Getting endowed was the best thing that happened to me this year, besides our wedding. I love attending the temple as often as I can. I love the knowledge and peace that comes with being endowed. It helps me remember my covenants daily, and I have learned a lot about the Gospel since May. The random girl who moved in with me in January ended up being a bridesmaid at our wedding :)

June: The craziest month at work! Right after the honeymoon, I came back to teach Summer Art Classes and help out with Member Month. 

July: Fourth of July! I got in a ten-second word fight with a Tongan trying to find a spot at the parade, then gave up and we didn't even go. We had a sleepover with friends and went to the Alpine slide instead, then fireworks outside of Stadium of Fire. I think we went to Seven Peaks a few times. It was really hot in our apartment. We took a mission reunion trip to Lake Powell, camped there, and rented a sweet boat for tubing. We started to notice all the little things there that made it us want to move. We started looking for a new apartment and moved on Pioneer Day. I threw my back out moving and was basically bedridden for two weeks. I received a lot of love during that time from friends and family. Matt got moved to a new department at work and loved it so much.

August: I turned 24. Matt planned my birthday really well and we had a great time. Except he booked a sweet hotel in Park City for the day before we arrived...we tried to get another room, but every hotel in Utah (literally) was booked for some conference. I think I cried because I was really tired. I'm sure it'll be a great memory in a few years :) :) We had a lot of missionary homecomings that month. I listened to a lot of mission stories. We started going to our new ward. 

September: School started up again. Still feeling pretty new in our ward. We went on a mission reunion trip to Zion National Park and hiked the Narrows. I got my Spirit Animal name at a bonfire that night. Still getting used to that...but the most important part is that I conquered my fear of the Narrows and returned victorious! I got addicted to blogging.

October: Matt got accepted to BYU and we registered him for his first semester! He starts in January and will work 30 hours a week at his current job + 12 credits at school. He seems confident that he can do it, so I am, too. Matt got another promotion and decided he wanted to Machining Engineering Technology (he does the same thing at work...now I know why he had to take that cheapish job kind far away!...I learned a lesson in faith). 

November: We drove to Arizona for Hardin Thanksgiving. We got to go a few days early and spent some quality time with Matt's sister's family. We riled up lots of youngins. We hiked a mountain on Thanksgiving day!!! Matt got called as the Elder's Quorum First Counselor. The man who interviewed us said (among other nice things) that I would be blessed because of Matt's calling, which calmed my nerves.

December: Rachel left for Europe, so I was at the museum a lot. I am helping my boss curate a children's show in the Youth Gallery, which is really exciting for me! We put up our first Christmas tree together. Matt came home to California with me for Rowland Christmas for a week. We stopped in Vegas for a night with the Johnsons and saw the Bellagio fountains for the first time! We started saving for our cruise and will off the last of our debt soon. We went sledding with the Hardins and I sprained my wrist. New Year's Eve with the Hardins, Minute to Win it style.

Along the way we have had ups and downs. We bicker. We work out together. We go on dates. We make each other laugh a lot. We looove movies. We have moved twice. Matt has made 1,000 friends in the ward, while I am easing into it. He goes fishing and plays video games and I zone out with books and blogging. We have spent lots of time with family and we love it! Before, we were alone, but now we're together, and that is all that matters! I have done a lot of things that would never have happened without Matthew. He is the best thing that ever happened to me! 

Here's to another crazy year in 2013!