wow- a year already?

wow- how has it already been a year already since i graduated college? it seemed just like yesterday i was stuck in utah, wondering what the future would hold.  this time last year i was sitting in my apt at stadium way, counting down the days to graduation. i can't say this enough: suu was the best educational decision i ever made:
1- i met my bestest friends, people who made me someone better than i was and accept me for the craziness that i am. you. complete. me.
2- being able to serve as a relief society president forced me to grow spiritually in a way my mother always knew i would, but i had no idea.
3- well, i couldn't sing suu's praises without saying something about the school. i hated unlv, with a passion. going to a small town, with small classes, and people on campus that WANT to be there- it was a great change. i got my bachelors in exercise science and i absolutely loved my classes. dr. taylor hooked me up with my sweet internship at cardiac rehab and sports performance. plus i did my ungrad research project with her on body age in senior athletes. lambson...oh how he loved his pickleball. thank goodness none of his classes were hard. spencer was funny, lapour was eccentric, eastep was too granola, and lyons...what's there to say about him? i've never seen anyone gain more pleasure from torturing students in various ways, other than in sue sylvester . suu, i will forever bleed red (metaphorically and literally).

4- top spot. fro-yo fridays. SNOW. bread & soup nights. becoming queen of the instutite. the adams. movies that cost only $6 ($4 on weeknights!). walking to school. 'tute dances. learning that cows have fur. and of course, becoming an office fan.
and most importantly, 5- not knowing what was gonna happen between justin and i allowed us both to grow independently. that way, by the time he got home, we were both in a position to say 'hey- you really are the person i want to share a ride with to the celestial kingdom'

anyways, so in a year of so many changes, here's my year in pictures

may- graduate summa cum laude and won the outstandind pe student award- what UP?!

june- moved to shannons and assumed a life of unemployment and long walks to think. and went on my senior trip to church historical sites. amazing.

july- my sweet husband came home from his mission. we didn't write the last year so we weren't sure what was going to happen but the second we saw eachother, i ran into his arms and he kissed me. second best day of my life. 'nough said.

august- found a job. i decided to stay in vegas (the man-meat had alot to do with that decision) so i took the first job i could- office manager at a recruiting agency.

september- justin turned 22. i pestered him relentlessly for him to put a ring on this.

october- he put a ring on it! we went up to park city while in ut for conference. total surprise- he kept telling me we had to wait til march! 3rd best day of my life.



my best friends caitlin, stone, and tiffa threw me a surprise bridal shower for my ut friends. a twilight poster and some lingerie? does it really get better than this?



november- i turned 23. so many wedding plans, so little time. my best friend kayla threw me a bridal shower- it was so much fun!







december- our first christmas together that doesn't involve me waiting by a phone. the wedding clock was slowing winding down...







january- married!! best day of my life. after 7 years of chasing, 5 years of dating, 2 years of waiting: it was time.

february- major adjusting to married life. i always thought couples were being clique and so predictable when they said they never knew their spouse the way they did once they got married. learn this truth. along with how much fun justin is- love him more and more each day. how in the world did i get so lucky?

march- lacrosse starts up again. the hardest thing about moving to ut (despite having justin be million miles away in uruguay) was leaving lax. i played, ive coached, i ref. lacrosse is my life. now im back, full force!

april- this is the month of weddings, lax games, squeezed in time to be together. justin is ending his semester at unlv- and picked a major! poli sci and spanish! he's thinking about law school but really wants to be a foreign service officer (work oversees in embassys). spain here we come!

may- now we're back full circle. this may instead of graduating, we are finally going on our honeymoon! ft lauderdale to cozumel, costa rica then panama. 10 days of much needed r&r.

so many changes in just one year, i can't even begin to imagine what the next 12 months will bring.