2012. the good. the bad. and the ugly.

{i fully realize this post should have been written about like 10 days ago now, but we're still in january, so i feel like it's not too overdue.}

2012. 

where to even begin.

you were the year i got married. the year i said yes to spending this life with mr. lesley.

the year i walked down the aisle, changed my name, and started our family.

so, for that, i will always love you.

but the journey to that day was anything but easy.

let me just say it, being engaged pretty much sucks.

there are so many decisions to make. so many people to please. so many things to consider. 

i'm pretty sure i went crazy. like really crazy.

and cried more than anyone should cry during the "happiest time of their life." 

now don't get me wrong, some of my expectations of what this time in our lives would look like were met and exceeded. 

there were friends and family who surrounded us with love and support and worked tirelessly to make our wedding day more than i could have ever asked for. 

and for them i am eternally grateful.

but there were disappointments too.

they made you hard to handle, 2012.

and can we talk for a minute about how i cried on my wedding day? 

{and not the "this is so amazing, and i'm overwhelmed with love" kind of cry. more like the "i'm standing by an outdoor bathroom, under an overpass, and it's raining really hard, and we didn't get to do communion, and we couldn't play our favorite songs, and i'm super overwhelmed and upset" kind of cry.}

remember that one?

looking back now, i wouldn't change a thing about my wedding day, but june 16, 2012 was quite different than what i had planned.

and 2012, remember that time my husband of two and a half months moved to the other side of the country for an internship? 

yeah, that was fun. 

we are so not long distance people. 

and once again i was crying more than anyone really should.

but once again, this time apart reminded me of all the good people who made us feel so loved and supported and took such good care of us. 

and i would be amiss, 2012, not to mention all the other big moments your brought into my life...

during your year...

::we brought a brand, spankin' new car::

 ::i watched with such pride as my sister walked down the aisle and married the love of her life::

::mr. lesley and i had a pretty wonderful honeymoon in mexico::

::we took our first road trip and camping adventure with sir winston::

::i started a brand new teaching job:: 

and

::i cheered on my sister lele as she ran the chicago marathon::

just to name a few.

2012, you were great, but you were hard.

but you taught me one of the greatest lessons of my life...

life will almost never be what you expect.

so stop crying already and enjoy the ride.