First Time for Everything

Hi friend!

So I've decided to start this blogging thing because (let's face it) Facebook can't handle my verbosity.  I needed to take a break from intense social media.  It's not you, Facebook.  It's me.

But more on that later.  :)

We're feeling blessed at the end of Christmas season.  We got to spend time with our families, give (and receive) some really great gifts, and make one killer meal with the help of Ju, my brother-in-law's girlfriend.  Of course, spending time with family in other states can become overwhelming.  Some weekends we felt like we were living out of our car and surviving on water and Red Bull!  I'd do just about anything to spend the holidays with my loved ones, so it's really just a joyful sacrifice.

At the end of the day, we were able to bless our loved ones with some really cool gifts - including homemade vodka infusions!  (Maybe a future blog post there?  That lightbulb just went on...)  And we received some really thoughtful gifts, as well, for which we are super grateful!  Hand-painted wine glasses, heated scarves, cool robes and sweaters, a tagine, and so much more!

Really, though, the greatest gift of all is the Peace of Jesus.  We've been feeling the craving for an answer that this earth cannot hold, something that will soothe the aches that burden all of us throughout life.  And God provides in His own timing, at the moment where we are most open to see His doing.  I don't claim to be a theologian, or even really a "mature" Christian (I still giggle at videos of cats farting) - but I have been blessed to grow in my faith over the last year.  2015 is going to be a big year for my heart, and for Stephen's; and, we pray, for yours as well!

A (sort-of) quick recap of 2014:

Jaunary: Stephen was hired from his contracted position, so Hospira became his official employer!  I started my current position at George Street Photo and Video.

February: I celebrated my 26th birthday, and we celebrated our first Valentine's day as a married couple.  *Swoon* 

March: I'm sure that we celebrated St. Patty's day (and our friend Maddy's birthday!) but I honestly can't remember how or where we were....whoops! ;) We must have had a really good time!

April:  Spring sprung, the ground got muddy again, and I think, for the most part, we had a pretty uneventful month.  In a good way!

May: I started walking to the train (about 4 miles) on days when I worked late - so much fun!  Naperville has a great trail system that connects our former home (thank you to the Colberts!) to the Metra.

June: We started discussing moving into the city, or a different 'burb toward the fall.  Any time we had together, we spent with friends who were in town for the summer, outdoors, or seeing some great summer Blockbusters.  ***Lots of friends, too many to name, graduated and/or were accepted into Master's or PhD programs.  Congrats, all! 

July: We spent the 4th of July avoiding the crowds and seeing a movie.  We do that a lot in the summers!  The month flew by, so forgive me if I'm forgetting a huge event of great importance!  I just remember the summer being very relaxed, mild, and well-spent.

August: Our dear friend "S" found an amazing little place on the far north side of the city.  We viewed it, and signed the lease within a few days.  Two weeks later, we moved into our first home - it's just perfect for the two of us.  Blessed doesn't even begin to describe our feelings about this sweet little apartment.  Thanks, S!  Stephen turned 26 shortly after we moved in and we got to celebrate by discovering an *amazing* sushi joint.  If you visit and you're game, we'll totally take you!

September: We celebrated our first anniversary, and Stephen's parents celebrated their 30th!  Our anniversaries are on the same day, so its doubly-joyous!  We were so blessed to spend some quality time with our friends "M' and "Z" when they visited Chicago.  Also, I tried my hand at couponing - and it wasn't a total failure!  I'll fill you in during a later blog post, promise!  ***Our friends "J" and "L" got engaged on the 7th!  We celebrated at Hofbrauhaus, and they set the date for next Memorial Day weekend!  

October: Fall is our favorite season, and we enjoyed one or two brisk walks on the shore.  It was a fairly warm fall this year, so we were able to delay sweater-weather by a few weeks.  I bought a few bags of candy for Trick-or-Treaters and none showed!  We still have some Starbursts laying around - you want some? ***Our friends "K" and "G" got engaged!  They set the date for June 2015, and we'll be traveling to the great state of Colorado for this happy event!  ***Our friends "A" and "B" got married, and threw one heck of a party! 

November: This was the month of the most epic road-trip!  15 hours from Chicago to Dallas, and we did it non-stop there and back!  We spent Thanksgiving in Fort Worth, TX with some friends, "J" and "J".  They got married the Saturday after the holiday, and Stephen was honored to serve as J's best man.  On our way out of town, we stopped in Dallas to catch up with our friends "E" and "J".  We had some amazing bbq at Pecan Lodge, and I got to explore Daley Plaza for the first time!  I really enjoy delving into history when we travel, so we kind of got a little bonus! ***Our friends "B" and "Z" become homeowners!  Their home is so perfect and we are so happy for them as they begin this new chapter in their life together!  

December: Isn't December always the busiest month?  We had such a wonderful time seeing our families, and catching up with our friends.  And the weather was so pleasant, driving from place to place was super easy!  I got to meet my friend "G"'s baby "I'.  He's a pretty special little guy, with some health issues that made me really appreciate the chance to hold him - even if just for a moment!  Maybe, if G gives her blessing, I'll blog about him later on.  You'll fall in love with him just like I did.  :)  We said adieu to 2014 with a low-key evening at our place with our friends, J and L.  Doesn't it seem that you never get enough time with the people you love?  That's how it feels to me, at least.  ***Our friend Joseph got accepted into his Master's program for Music Composition!  Congrats, Joseph!  We're so proud of you and so excited for all you will accomplish!  ***Our friends "V" and "K" welcomed their son, "M" into this world with loads of love and excitement!  

And that brings us to today - January 1st, 2015.  It's amazing how quickly a year flies by, and yet with such fullness and so many precious moments.  Our favorite moments, of course, are those filled with love!

Happy New Year from The Colberts to you, friend!

Ps - As you might have noticed, I've decided to use initials/nicknames instead of full names when discussing friends and family.  That's because I want to respect the privacy of my loved ones.  If you don't mind me using your first name, let me know!  I'd be happy to update this (and any future) post as desired.  Sorry if it gets tricky or hard to follow, but I think this is the best compromise for my purposes.