2012 in Review!

This is the first picture of 2012.
 But our friend wanted in on the couple's action too. HA!

January:  We started the year off right with kiss and then jumped into crazy semesters at school. I took 13.5 credits and Brady took 12 credits while we both were working. We would sneak in date nights on the weekends and had a few adventures up in Salt Lake City at the Jazz games. New Year’s resolutions were set and followed….for at least January.

One of the Jazz games we went to! 

February: We celebrated Valentine’s Day this year as two people actually in a relationship. The year before, we had just barely started watching dating so we watched The Bachelor with Brady’s family. This year I was spoiled with roses and other lovely gifts, dinner at my favorite restaurant, and tickets to The Vow. We also went to another Jazz game that month. 

Birthday Dinner at Tucanos! 

March: I turned 19 in March! This meant a lot of celebrating. Brady and I celebrated by going to Tucanos and by watching one of my favorite movies, and then getting spoiled with gifts from Brady. We also spent some time watching rugby games with my family. We went to The White Tie Ball at BYU and saw Alex Boye perform there. Then we celebrated our ONE YEAR OFFICIAL Anniversary together! I made dinner for us, and then we played some rugby together at the park, followed by movie watching. We are huge movie watchers. 

April: I survived finals and finished the semester! Whew, was I glad to be done. We spent some time watching the Jazz in a playoff game and enjoying more of the warm weather we were having. Brady worked on his mission papers.

Jazz playoffs! I decided I needed to be properly dressed and
made an investment in a jersey. Best money spent.
 The look on Brady's face when he saw it, was priceless. 

May: Brady finished his semester the first week of May, and then finished his papers! He left a week later to go on a family cruise to the Caribbean, while I stayed behind working two jobs for the summer.  I partied with my amazing roommates and we found ourselves in the biggest prank war ever.

Right after Brady opened his call! 

June: Right at the start of the month, Brady’s mission call arrived! We were anxious! He opened it up to find out that he was going to the California San Bernardino Mission in October! And he would be learning Spanish! I couldn’t be more excited for him! I also started playing on my ward’s co-ed softball team! It was fun to have something to get me playing again.

July: We spent the month boating and camping, and enjoying the sun. I spent a ton of time at the pool. We watched fireworks at our favorite park in Cedar Hills and spent a ton of time taking walks, watching sunsets, and stargazing. We enjoyed the time we spent together not stressing out about doing crazy things, knowing that it would soon come to an end. I loved the lazy summer evenings we spent together!

Drive-inn movie with Brady's family at the cabin. 

August: We spent some time with my family up at our condo in East Canyon. We even went fishing with Brady’s Dad and Grandpa which was so fun!  Then school started back up at the end of the month, and Brady’s birthday shortly followed after that. I spent the day at school and then rushed up to go to dinner with Brady and his family. Gotta love Tucanos for birthdays!

September: This month brought more school for me, and Brady counting down the days til the MTC. Brady’s farewell was the second Sunday in the month and he gave a great talk. Then we went to the family cabin one weekend for some adventures at the drive-in movies, four-wheeling, and lots of game playing. My little brother also got baptized! But I also happened to total my dad’s car and got in a huge accident and hour before the baptism! Then we filled the rest of the month with some of our last dates. We spent a day in Park City, and day at a Bee’s baseball game, and then we had our very last date seeing Pitch Perfect. I was a very lucky girl to get to spend so much time with my man. We had so many adventures that month....and of course I forgot to get the pics from Brady's phone before he moved them of his computer and packed up all his stuff. 

Cheesy handshake. Our faces are so ridiculous.
Probably the funniest goodbye ever. 

October: Brady went into the MTC on October 3^rd. After being tricked into dropping him off with his family, we said our last goodbye with a handshake and a wave goodbye. Three days later, the age change for sister missionaries was announced and my decision was made. I always wanted to go on a mission, but I felt like 21 just wouldn't have been the right time for me between school and Brady coming home. I started my papers in the midst of mid-terms, knowing that I was making the right decision to go now.

November: My papers were submitted the second Sunday in November, and my call showed up exactly a week and a half later! But, ironically, my family spent that entire week in Las Vegas for Thanksgiving so it sat in my mailbox for three days waiting for me. We got home to open it two hours later with my family and friends; I've been called to serve in the GERMANY FRANKFURT MISSION! The exact same mission that my dad served in 30 years ago!

After opening my call, with my close friends with me! 

December:  Brady arrived in California the first week of December and was learning so much. The last two weeks of school flew by. Between homework, studying, final projects, and work….I was a little swamped. My sleep schedule was so messed up after I finished finals. Christmas brought a bunch of surprises and I also was present for Brady’s phone call to his family! It was so good to talk to him! We spent Christmas with my sister and brother-in-law here from Boston in our newly finished family room in our basement, a dream of all of ours for a really long time.

2012 brought many changes but many blessings too. I was so blessed to be able to attend school, have a steady job all year round, and to be surrounded by amazing friends and family. I’m truly blessed and grateful for all the learning experiences I had and all the curve balls that were sent my way. It was great to learn more about myself and strengthen my relationship with that amazing boy of mine this year. I head out March 20^th to the MTC and then I’ll be off to Germany after that. It’s crazy to think of how fast things changed for me, but I couldn't be more excited and more anxious to serve a mission! I’m excited to see what a mission has in store for me and for Brady. We’re so lucky to be sharing this experience together. And it sure has made waiting so much easier. For 2012, life was definitely more than just peachy. And I know I can say that for 2013, life will be more than just peachy too! Happy New Year’s everyone!