The One Year Anniversary Blog

Can you believe it’s been a year?

If you’re like me you can. It feels like it’s been 10. And not in a bad way, just in a “this is how it has always been and how it was always supposed to be, so nothing’s really changed” kind of way.

They say the first year is the hardest. I realize I don’t have the rest of the years to compare to, but if this was our hardest… we are in for a real treat for the rest of them. I don’t really know what was supposed to be so hard about it? Were we supposed to fight a lot? Were we supposed to learn lots of new and unexpected things about each other? Were we supposed to almost get a divorce? Well, I can tell you, from my standpoint (you’ll have to ask Kyle on his), none of those things happened.

I don’t even remember one big fight? There was the time I burnt the bread, but that wasn’t a fight, that was just a meltdown on my part. I didn’t learn one new thing about Kyle this year. He’s a pretty open guy, and has never really tried to be anything other than himself… so the four and a half years we dated gave me plenty of time to know what I was getting into with him. And I never once considered that I made the wrong decision, or heaven forbid that we needed to end things. It’s been a really fun year in my opinion. Again, Kyle is entitled to his own. He’s a fun guy to play house with. I’ve enjoyed making shopping lists, doing laundry, paying bills, and making a home with him.

We’ve only had two gigantic surprises in the last year. That’s about all we could handle I think. The first, no one will ever know… unless you already do. But most of you don’t, and you won’t. The second, oddly enough, came 4 days later, and I think the entire world knows about her. What a week that was. The first I’d like to forget, and for the most part I have; after all, the second completely over shadowed the first. Talk about good timing on Leah’s part. They were both huge in completely different ways, but each was equally strengthening.

A lot of times I feel like we’re doing something wrong. Like it shouldn’t be this easy. Have you heard all of the horror stories out there about marriage? I feel like if we haven’t experienced the dismay that is the first year of marriage that we’re doing something wrong. That one day something is just going to fall down on us that we can’t handle. There are so many naysayers out there that I feel like we’re fighting an uphill battle against the norm.

If you’re getting married, or thinking about it, or just did it… can I be an encouraging voice for you for a second? It’s really not that hard. Or it shouldn’t be. If you’re confident in the guy or girl you picked… things should be a-okay. If you actually know them, even better. If you know the worst in them and can live with them without changing them… you’re golden. Don’t marry someone to change them. Don’t marry someone for company. Don’t marry someone for money. And don’t marry someone because everyone else likes them a whole lot. Marry someone that you like. Sometimes I think liking is more important than loving. Obviously, liking them should grow into loving them so you’ll have that to fall back on when something huge does come up. Marry someone that you have your own special kind of fun with. The kind that if other people were around you they would roll their eyes in disgust. Marry someone that you honestly, honestly cannot see yourself living without. The thought of them dying should make you cry, (if you need some help deciding if you can live without them or not). That’s a fun little test. Granted, it’s just my first year into this thing, but I feel like marriage should enhance your relationship, not strain it. If the thought of being around them everyday makes your stomach turn… you should probably nix the idea. If you follow these simple rules, given to you for 3 easy payments of $9.99, enjoy your first year of marriage. Because it will be fun. It will be exciting. You won’t get bored. You won’t get sick of the person. You will feel like you are playing house. And if you are really, really lucky… you will be anxious to experience year two!

Enough advice outta me. I apologize that I keep doing that. I would hate reading a blog like this.

Let’s see… a year ago today I was:

• Anxious
• Ready to get on with it
• Excited
• A little nervous (not because I was unsure, because it's a once in a lifetime thing)
• Ready for the party afterwards
• Feeling very grown up
• Happy
• Relieved that everything had gone according to plan
• Excited to put on my gown
• Ignoring the fact that I was tired because I didn’t sleep the night before
• So ready to see if this whole experience would be everything wonderful I imagined in my head

And where am I today? Well, I am every one of those same feelings. (Even the gown, get it, hospital gown). You see, in just a year’s time we’ve managed to put our marriage to good use… and make the world a Leah bug! You’re welcome, world. Although I am so excited and blessed to celebrate a first anniversary with the love of my life… I am equally (if not a little more) excited and blessed to be living every one of those emotions over again as we wait to see just what and who we’ve made!

Without being too cocky, I’m excited that we get to bring little Leah Caroline into our family. I think we’ve got a pretty good one started. I feel confident in saying that she’s lucky. Hopefully she’ll laugh with us. Hopefully she’ll think we’re cool. Hopefully she’ll know that we love her. And hopefully she will always know that no matter what we will love each other. We live in a world that a child’s top fear is that their parents will get divorced… I’m excited that we are bringing Leah into a family where she won’t have to worry about that. She can spend her time being worried about spiders and the dark instead.

I hope that Kyle knows I like him an awful lot. And that sometimes I miss him when we're in the same house. And even when I yell at him, I almost instantly feel bad. I try my hardest not to be clingy, but I'm still completely obsessed with him. He's pretty cute too, I can't get enough of that bald head of his. And those eyes - I can't talk enough about his eyes. He's nice to me, too. And he helps out a lot. He sees me get more neurotic everyday, and sticks with me regardless. That's pretty special. I cannot wait for Leah to meet him. I know that she'll love him, she tells me by kicking me every time he opens his mouth. And if she's anything like me, she'll melt every time he smiles at her. We're lucky girls.

And there you have it. I got the guy with the good eyes. He asked me to marry him. I said yes. We got married. And now we're havin' a baby. I'm livin' the dream.

Year one was fantastic, but I’ve got a sneaking suspicion we’re in for the time of our lives in year two… here’s to the Proebstings!