Looking Back {on 2012} Part I

For me 2012 was a year of personal growth. As the year began I found myself searching for meaning and purpose in my life. It was a year of challenges, but those challenges eventually turned into triumphs, and as the year came to a close I felt at peace. I had learned to seek happiness for myself, instead of waiting for it to find me. 

January

We celebrated the new year in Texarkana for Britt and Dustin's wedding weekend. It was such a memorable weekend and a wonderful start to 2012. 

At some point in January it became a reality that Brandon actually had to leave for three months, starting at the end of March. I began worrying about what this meant for me. I didn't have anything holding me back in Corpus, but I started to wonder if having a job would make the coming months easier. I looked into possibilities outside of child life, and I considered going into teaching. After weighing all my options I decided against it. I didn't want to jump into something just because I was scared of the challenge ahead. 

February 

I spent the month of February taking advantage of my time with Brandon, since I knew he would be leaving in a matter of weeks. Although we squeezed in as many date nights and fun outings as we could, it still felt like there was cloud of sadness hanging over us. Even though we tried not to think about it, we knew that we were quickly approaching the biggest challenge we had ever faced as a married couple. 

Towards the end of the month I made my first Austin trip of 2012. Shell and I experienced the Campus Candy Store for the first time and attended a Texas Country benefit concert that was close to my heart.

March

I realized I had spent so much time trying to figure out the next step in God's plan that I hadn't even noticed His presence in the present moment. I began to see Him working in my life in ways that I hadn't even considered. I learned to accept the stage I was in, and life seemed fun again. 

We spent a weekend in Yoakum before Brandon started his rig training, and at the end of the month we began our Dallas adventures. 

April

I did a lot of traveling in April. I was either in Yoakum with my parents, in Austin with Michelle, or in Dallas with Brandon. I had a lot of time to myself, which I spent running, reading, and just thinking about life. 

We also celebrated my PaPaw's 90th birthday, and we felt so blessed to have him in our lives. 

April was also the beginning of Courtney and Kyle's wedding festivities. My maid of honor duties included a day in College Station for Courtney's bridal portraits, a day I will never forget.

Stay tuned for parts two and three...

Friday's Letters

{Christmas Eve 2012. Follow me on Instagram: @emrenken}

Dear Christmas, Why did you have to come and go so quickly? I really wish we could celebrate you more than once a year. Dear Brandon, I am so proud of you. Thank you for working so hard for our family. Dear Michelle, I hope you are enjoying your trip to Florida. I can't wait to hear all about it! Dear groceries, Can you please start showing up at our house on your own? I really don't like having to go pick you up every week. Dear Princess, Please stop waking me up at seven o' clock in the morning. I work late now, remember? Dear yoga, I need you back in my life. ASAP. Dear Mom and Dad, I'm excited about your visit today! I hope you don't mind that our house is kind of a mess. Dear running shoes, I promise I'll put you on sometime this weekend. December was kind of crazy, but you and I will be best friends again soon. Dear Instagram, Why did it take us so long to find each other? Dear life, Please slow down a bit. You're going by way to fast.

Christmas 2012

This holiday season was one of my favorites. We were able to step away from our lives here in Corpus and spend a few days with our families. It almost felt as though time stood still, like the world stopped for a brief moment and allowed us to just be.

I wrote my last post while we were at Brandon's mom and dad's house, and we spent the day with them visiting and watching football. Brandon's aunt and uncle from Georgetown were in Yoakum for the day, and it just happened to be the weekend of the Pivo League playoffs. My brother-in-law, Kendall, won first.

We opened gifts that evening, and I told everyone that the gifts from us meant even more this year, because Brandon did the shopping. {I was sick the week before, remember?} I was excited to receive several serving pieces that match our china set, and Brandon loved opening his new yard equipment. It was a relaxing day, and we really enjoyed visiting and catching up with everyone.

{My favorite ornaments on my mother-in-law's tree: Brandon's baby ornaments,
our wedding favor ornaments, Bride and Groom, and Texas Santa}

That night we went to my parents' house and watched Pitch Perfect with my family and a few of Michelle's friends. {It's almost embarrassing how many times I've seen that movie.}

On Christmas Eve we went to Mass, and we were able to wish a few of our friends "Merry Christmas" afterwards.

{Before Mass}

That evening we went to Brandon's aunt and uncle's house to celebrate with the entire Renken family. We don't get the chance to see some of them very often, so we enjoyed our visit.

Christmas morning we woke up at my parents' and started opening gifts right away, just like when we were kids. We gave my mom and dad a Keurig, and we gave my sister a cute camera strap for her new Canon T3i. Our favorites were the cornhole boards that my dad built for Brandon and the coasters that Michelle made me. My mom also got me an apron that has vegetables printed all over it. The card said "If you can't grow your vegetables, at least you can wear them." Good one, Mom!

{My Coasters: Hey Cupcake, 6th Street, Maudie's, Austin Skyline,
Michelle, Bevo, The University of Texas Tower, Capitol of Texas. Perfect!!}

The rest of the day was spent playing cornhole, trying on our new clothes, relaxing and visiting with PaPaw.

{Shell with her new camera, Princess's Christmas treats,
My vegetable apron, Our first game of cornhole}

{PaPaw working on his new puzzle book}

That evening we played a family game of Catch Phrase that had us laughing so hard our stomachs hurt. Hey Michelle, "Ohh I want my money back." Haha... Christmas day ended with a pot of my mom's tortilla soup and a good movie.

~ I think Michelle may have been right when she predicted Christmas 2012 to be the best Christmas ever.