2012 in Review

2012 was quite a year for us.

In January, we were already scheming our move back to Pittsburgh.  Zach was applying to lots of jobs and ended up interviewing in person with 4 companies.

I also took a long weekend to see my San Antonio friends.  Who I am excited to announce are expecting their first baby in late Spring!

By the time February came, our Virginia house was on the market.  Less than two weeks later, we had two offers and then a contract.  And Zach got his dream job offer from Google Pittsburgh.  And we were coming home.

March 2012 was the longest month of my life.  The impending move was stressful.  Not to mention Zach moved back to Pittsburgh mid-month while I stayed behind to wrap everything up, including coordinating the movers, offloading like 2589345023 gallons of paint and 9084502039 pounds of ceramic tile.

But in actuality, I spent a lot of March in Pittsburgh when one of my family members fell extremely ill.  I spent as much time as possible (quite literally) with him over the next three months in the hospital, experiencing EXTREME ups and downs.  Ups and downs with his health and our emotions that went along with it.  There wasn't always an overabundance of hope or promising words coming from the mouths of the doctors, but Day 1 a family member said, "Best case scenario, we'll all be together Christmas Eve laughing and saying, 'You really put us through hell.'"

In April, we signed the lease on our apartment in Lawrenceville and enjoyed city living for the next few months.  Well, sort of.

May was pretty uneventful.  We continued enjoying Pittsburgh and I took my first trip back to DC to speak at a conference for my old company.  I also started a job at a bank.  Which turns out didn't really last all that long.

In June, I threw my sister a bridal shower and celebrated at Margo's.  Zach, Kari, and I ran a 5k in Pittsburgh.  We began looking for a new house.

July was another big month.  One of my two favorite moments of the year was when my nephew, Parker, was born. He is the most perfect little person ever.  I could smell his hair and hold his little hands all day long.

Lindsay visited me.  I miss my best friend all the time.

We bought a house.  I love our house.  We literally just put up blinds yesterday.

I got a new job.  A full-time accounting job.

In August, we celebrated our 3rd anniversary with a cookout.  By the end of the night, an entire bottle of vodka was empty and I got up for work the next day.  Unwillingly.

THREE YEARS!  It feels like yesterday.  LOVE.

In September, I quit said job.  Very willingly.

We took a long weekend trip to Gettysburg.  We were both sick so really didn't give 100%, but we still had fun biking in 95 degree weather up Little Round Top.  I think.  Because then it started raining.  I mean REALLY raining.  But at that point I was kind of happy because I was out of tissues and with all the rain no one could really tell the difference.

Then we celebrated Margo and Dude's big day.  Which was just beautiful!

And when October came, we were literally jumping out of our skin with excitement for the other highlight of our year: My sister's wedding in Las Vegas.  Boy oh boy did we have fun.  It was the family vacation to end all family vacations.  Never will there ever be anything that compares to the memories we made that weekend.

In November, I visited Lindsay.  I still miss my best friend all the time.

We spent Thanksgiving in Florida with my sister and Brodie, Margo and Dude, Simone and Derek, and my momma.

December.  I worked at Macy's.  Which was surprisingly fun for me.  I celebrated my 28th.  First with my Bub and then in DC with my friends.

Little Matt was born just before Christmas.  Caroline is officially a big sister.  And even though I haven't met Matt yet, I know he is perfect in every way.

And then on Christmas Eve we were all together, laughing.

And I thank God every day for that.

Except I wish my sister would just freaking move back to Pittsburgh already.  SERIOUSLY.