Yesterday was the first anniversary of The Weston's wedding. It is amazing to me-- it seems as if it were just yesterday at times, and at other times our wedding seems like years and years ago. Our anniversary is also the close anniversary to us being out here in the Twin Cities for a year.

One year ago yesterday I had: Never been married, never had a positive pregnancy test, never seen an ultrasound of a life inside of me, never heard a heartbeat coming from my abdomen, never lived outside of Michigan, never filed joint taxes, never moved away from family and friends, never had to plan a life for two-- and now 3 of us.

I am still so thankful for how everything worked out for us to be able to move here together, and I am so thankful for the wonderful first year that we have had. It hasn't been without its ups and downs. Money is tight now that I am not working and won't be for a while-- especially our housing budget, it is difficult and at times lonely not being around friends and family who we've known our whole lives, it is difficult to have to share a car now that we live in Fridley and farther from downtown (sometimes I get a little stir crazy) and the weather will soon be back to its stereotypical Minnesota winter weather.

However, I cannot imagine what life would have been like if we had been too afraid to make this step. If Jim had told his company "No," instead of us stepping out in faith to move here, and the faith that this was God's way of having us get married in His timing. I think that I mentioned that shortly after we moved out here, Jim's company reorganized his old team, a move which could have resulted in Jim losing his job, and if not that, it would have meant that he would have been out of town 2 or 3 weeks out of the month.

It is wonderful to see how he has been blessed with his job-- a job that he excels at, and one that he enjoys most of the time. I hate when he has to travel for work (like he just did to Las Vegas for several days) but I am honored at the trust and enthusiasm his company has for his abilities. He may even win an award for the biggest order at the last show he worked.

It is also wonderful to see how Jim has taken to the role of expectant father. He really wants to be the sort of man who instills love in his child-- even before his future baby has the ability to hear. He talks to my growing belly all of the time and tells the baby we love it, and prays for our future child and for my safety and comfort during this sometimes trying time. Nearly every morning he gets up for work early enough to prepare me breakfast so that I will not feel nauseous and throw up. Some mornings it is cereal or toast with butter, or bacon, but this morning and many others it is french toast-- since eggs make me feel ill sometimes, but he wants me to get the protein of eggs.

I have joined a group of expectant May mommies online and I am amazed at some of their sad stories. Some of them have husbands who have asked them to end their pregnancies, who have been uninterested in the process, or who are resentful that they do not get dinner prepared for them every night. I am blessed to have a man who will pray over me and tell me that I am "working so hard, all so that we can be a family."

In return I am sometimes cranky for no apparent reason, weepy, nauseous, bloated, crampy, sleepy and frequently have to pee at the most inconvenient of times. I take up the whole couch, I sleep cuddling pillows instead of him now and don't look like the woman he married. And yet we are really, really happy. I wish that those of you who read this could see us more often. I know that Jim's dad reads this (when there is something new on here) and I just hope that I am the sort of daughter in law who a father is happy to have his son saddled with. I'm trying my best to take care of him!

Love to you all! And we will see you soon enough! We are planning on leaving for MI on Dec. 19th and will be there till several days after the holidays. Last year we had to drive home on Christmas and we vowed to never again have to do that.