Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...

Sometimes I pause to reflect and I am shocked by how much my life has changed in a year...

A year ago my life was on a path I had always dreamed about and today my life looks nothing like that image.  Somehow though, in the last six months, I’ve found a way to embrace the life I’ve been handed and found good scattered amidst the ashes of my former life.


Do I miss my husband? Deeply. But one day I realized I can breathe again, I can laugh from my heart again, not every moment is weighed down by grief… I’m proof that time does help heal. 

I never expect I’ll fully stop missing him, our pups and our life together. I married my best friend, I wanted to spend my life with the man I committed to, finding ways to make that life better and better. With that in mind, I know a part of me will always ache for what was taken away...

“Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass… It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” — Vivian Greene

I never stopped living life, through the darkest days I’ve ever seen. And one day I realized I wasn’t just making myself live life, I was actually having fun. I can’t pinpoint the change, looking back, where it went from something I forced myself to go and do, to something that came natural. It just happened...

Thank you to everyone who pushed me on; through days when I thought there was no way I would survive another, through nights when I cried until I could barely breathe, through my hardest moments and my smallest triumphs, thank you all for seeing me through.

I may not fully be on the “other side” of this, and probably won’t be for a very long time, but I’m loving & really living life again, I’m finding happiness in this world and I’m never forgetting just how blessed I am. 

"If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again." - Flavia Weedn

40 Hours

I've spent the last 40 hours with my husband.

Yep, the only time we've been apart was when I left him on the side of the road with my brother to go get a spare set of keys to the vehicle they were trying to fix {long story}.

And an awesome 40 hours it has been. After juggling his crazy schedule for a month, we finally had a weekend off together, with no plans. So what did we do?

We started out here, at the Wine Cellar, for a wine tasting.

Then we went to our favorite place of course for dinner. The chocolate torte was amazing. 

Then we tried to go here, to see "A Christmas Carol" but it was sold out. 

Instead we went to visit some family. Drove around looking at Christmas lights and listening to Christmas Music. And ended the night at Andy's best friend's house decorating their Christmas Tree. 

I couldn't have been happier.

Then Saturday we slept in together {that hasn't happened in forever!}. And finally made the visit to this huge antique place we've been eyeing, Morris Mill Antiques.

It is a huge, old factory with TONS of stuff. They even house UVA's surplus furniture for sale. Their website {which I didn't find until I googled them for a photo for the blog} says this:

Morris Mill Antiques is an inviting upscale 80,000 square foot environment, which takes a different approach in providing extraordinary breathtaking period pieces that are reasonably priced for all to enjoy. In addition to the massive collection of antiquities, Morris Mill Antiques offers an eclectic array of recycled surplus items that are an inexpensive way to tackle home improvements, and school or business development projects. We have it all! Including the kitchen sink.

 Let me just say that the 80,000 square feet is definitely correct. The "reasonably priced" may be a stretch. Although, there are definitely reasonably priced pieces, there are also $2,000 tables and $800 plates {yeah, Andy picked one of those plates up... yikes!}. 

I wish I had snapped photos of our favorites... The Red Fox stained glass window {for Andy's future bar}... the biggest office chair in the world... the old sinks and short toilets {??}... It was definitely interesting! I recommend you go and walk around - we definitely enjoyed ourselves!

We then visited a few gun stores, in search of Andy's next gun purchase: a gun for me... I applied for my concealed weapons permit this past week and we are looking for a gun for me to conceal carry. I'm pretty sure I never expected to say those words.... ever. 

 The rest of our time has included a visit to the library {where we ran into Valerie & Andrew, I love living in a small town}, pizza & movie time, impromptu basketball game w/ my nephews and helping my sister when she was stranded on the side of the road.

I can't wait to see what today brings... although it may be hot chocolate by the fireplace if it really is as icy as everyone on facebook keeps saying...

Looking Back...

As I browsed some old photos of Andy & I, I started thinking back. How Andy & I got from best friends to dating is beyond me...

We were awkward. Like Middle School Dating Awkward. We were 20 but seriously acted like we were 12. Now, when people ask how we met, we just reference that we went to school together forever, were best friends since junior year of High School and started dated junior year of college. We seriously gloss over our awkwardness... every time. Sometimes I laugh when I think about it. Sometimes I cringe. I think one day, I'll just "gloss" over it to our kids too. Unfortunately, our friends and family know all about how awkward we were... when they bring it up I cringe {and change the subject}. I mean it took months for us to tell admit to people we were dating {it was no secret}. That was after the few months it took for us to admit to each other that we were in love. seriously. awkward. 

Thankfully, our awkwardness ended...

July 4, 2008 - a few months after we started dating

July 17, 2008: My 21st Birthday

August 16, 2008: Lindsay's Wedding

Marrying My Best Friend

I truly married by best friend. Andy & I became best friends back in High School -- I remember him stopping by every day when I worked @ Doug's Video in Verona after his shift as a custiodin @ VES. He'd stop in to check on me & get a movie or make plans for that evening to hang out. 

Back then if you asked either of us if we'd ever date you would get a resounding NO! We were best friends and we just did not think of each other that way. Yes we probably looked like a couple: going out to dinner, Klines ice cream, watching movies together and talking on the phone foreverrrr, but he was just my best friend...

Thankfully God had something more in store for us that we just couldn't see back then... 

Finnallllyyyyy one of me without that huge, goofy grin!

So happy!! :)

After our wedding ceremony we went downtown Staunton to take some photos. I really wanted a picture with us and a police car -- but Andy didn't think it was the best idea... haha. 

Here are some photos from downtown... 

Andy's got an Elvis smile going on here....

So serious....

Love this picture!

And I'll leave you with a sneak peek of the reception....