We bought a house.

Well, we did it. We took the plunge into homeownership. It's a bit overwhelming, but more than that, it's exciting. We love our house, and have been busy making it our home.

We're not totally done decorating & settling in, but here's what we've got so far: 

Photojournal of the past few months

The last few months have flown by. I've learned & grown a lot. Here are some of the things that have happened....

I met my farmers and joined a wonderful community...

Nathan finished his last full-time semester of his graduate degree....

A dear friend had the most beautiful baby...

We planted a big garden...

I spent time with dear friends...

My dad bonded with my dog...

I biked to work for the first time....

I worked out in the community with an amazing group of people out to end chronic homelessness in Nashville...

I swam at the pool with the best people...

We actually ate a lot of things we grew....

I'm learning new things....

I followed my heart & joined the Homeless Outreach team at my agency....

Nathan started a bug collection & kept jars of bug corpses in the freezer next to things that would otherwise be appealing...

Oh, no big deal, we bought a house...

And we're packing things up to move...

Through all the changes, good & bad, we have each other, which is the best part of all...

Oh, hi.

Seems I forgot about my blog for a while. Perhaps it was a needed break.

I've been thinking lately on the growth I've experienced over the past year & a half of marriage (what?!). This time last year, I was in a good but kind of rough place. I was happy, but also dealing with some anxiety issues that, as I can see pretty clearly now but perhaps didn't at the time, were pretty crippling. I feel a lot healthier now. I feel more confident & happy with myself as a human than I ever have. I feel capable of accepting my flaws and trying to grow, without wanting to crawl in a hole anytime I hear criticism or feel insecure. It's extremely liberating, and I am really happy to have reached this place in my life. I owe so much to Nathan, to my loving & encouraging friends, to my family, to my boss(es) & colleagues & clients, to my pets, to the Tennessee mountains, to myself.

Things are changing, but in very unexpected ways. My parents are divorced, my sister doesn't talk to me. Life as I know it is officially different. What will happen when Nathan & I have kids? Do I tell my sister even though she asked me never to contact her? Will my parents be able to be in the same room to see my family? Will my child(ren) have relationships with both of their maternal grandparents? I don't know what it looks like, and that scares me, but I know that we will figure it out whenever that time comes.

I don't know where we'll be two years from now. I'm still definitely considering graduate school, but I don't know where or when. I hope to continue in my field, where I feel extremely fulfilled and challenged every day. It's exciting to think about living somewhere new, but is it feasible or financially responsible?

I have been paying more attention to my physical and personal needs lately, and in order to meet them I've been exercising a lot (Jazzercise & Yoga) & knitting as much as possible. My body feels healthy & strong, and I've challenged myself with really fun new knitting patterns. Both are extremely enjoyable & fulfilling for me.

There are certainly struggles at times, emotionally, financially, & otherwise, but I feel like I am in a much better place & pretty capable of handling what comes my way. I am feeling overwhelmingly blessed & fulfilled by my life right now, and so incredibly happy to be sharing it with so many wonderful people (and pets).

Happy Home.

Some things aren't great right now. But other things are. Like my pets. They don't care what other shit is happening; they just want to cuddle.

The health-conscious dog.

The pup-school graduate.

The co-existing couch-mates.

The bone pillow.

The "I'm ready for dinner, guys" head-cock.

And this is why I like being at home so much. Because of these guys.

Why I love my pets.

Everyone who knows me knows that I'm just absolutely in love with my pets. I'm an animal person through-and-through. I'm a vegetarian mainly because I just can't bear the thought of eating an animal. I get upset at the predatory nature of animals while watching Planet Earth. I fall in love with every dog I see at the dog park, every single time I go. I just adore animals, particularly the warm-blooded kind.

So, it's only natural that this love of animals would lead me to be a slightly obsessive pet-parent. I could seriously just sit and watch my cats chase a bug all day long. I could pet each of them until their hair fell out. I spend too much of my paycheck on animal toys, and Nathan has to drag me out of PetSmart every time we're there. I nearly had a breakdown when we brought Cohen into the family just because I was so nervous that the cats would be unhappy.

My pets are my family, in such a genuine way. I know their personalities. I know whose hairball that is, which cat is scratching at the door, what food they like (my cats don't like fish... weird, huh?), where they like to be petted (Fiero loves his butt being scratched), what makes them more excited than anything in the world (you should see Cohen's ears when I ask him if he wants to go on a walk), and  what kind of games they like to play.

I enjoy their company like nothing I've ever experienced. The affection of my animals is probably the most therapeutic experience I could ever have. Fi-fi sitting in my lap purring is all I need in this world to be happy. Somehow, when I feel like little in the world is good, including myself, my pets remind me that simply being with another life is enough. The goodness and gentleness of my pets brings me such peace and comfort, as well as joy and laughter.

Animals just have an incredible way of showing us what is good and real in life. They're not distracted by technology, opposable thumbs, and human drama. They enjoy the simplicity of life: food, a warm bed, cuddling, exercise, rolling in the grass. Sometimes I really need to be reminded to take a break from being a human.

Memories.

Sometimes, when things aren't at their best, it's nice to remember all the great memories I've made over the past several years.

Little girls in Guatemala.

Mayan Ruins.

TVC Childcare. He was our favorite little dude.

Girls' nights- "She's the Man" & Smirnoff Ice.

 Dancing pointe & wearing tutus.

Orientation Leaders.

Occasional underage drinking (responsibly).

Honors Medieval World. 

Girlfriends.

Legal drinks in London.

"I love you, always forever..." 

Valentine's Day.

Best friend. 

Dance parties.

The beach.

Marrying my best friend.

Remembering all of the wonderful experiences I've had and incredible people who have been along for the ride helps me keep perspective. And I know there are so many great experiences & opportunities to come in the future...