525,600 Minutes

How do you measure a year?

I didn't come up with that - I am a huge fan of Rent, the musical, and for some reason I love that song. (I'm actually a fan of almost all musicals). I had some quiet time just now with Campbell. She was supposed to be eating but decided to sleep instead, so she and I were just rocking in a chair in her room for an hour or so. Daddy was out running an errand, there is no TV in there, just some time to think. I started getting all deep thinking about 2008 coming to a close, and that's when those lyrics popped in my head.

2008 has been a monumental year for me. How do I measure this year? I think the answer is pretty obvious. This year has brought me two of the biggest moments of my life - my wedding and the birth of my daughter. Wow.

On March 15, Travis and I got married in Asheville, NC. Our wedding was, in a word, heavenly. :) It poured down rain that day. And I mean poured. I don't know of any little girls who picture their wedding day and envision rain, storm clouds, torrential downpours. I certainly didn't. But when that day rolled around and it was pouring, I didn't care one bit. (I was a little concerned about my hair, but we made sure I was covered and it turned out OK). The view from the mountain lodge where we got married was breathtaking after our ceremony. There were these incredible foggy rain clouds that started to part and made the backdrop more amazing than any sunset could have provided. I'll get back to the rain thing in a minute. Back to the wedding. It really was exactly what we wanted. It was intimate, it felt so personal, and it felt so "us." Our guests were seated around us in a horseshoe - like we were surrounded, literally, by our family and friends. Since it was dark and rainy outside, it made it feel even more warm and cozy inside. We had a ton of candles lit, and the decor was minimal - bare branches, moss, and candlelight. The only music was a single guitar. When I think back on this day, I hear the guitar playing Canon in D as I walked down the aisle. I see Travis' face at the other end, smiling so big, and looking so relaxed. He seriously looked so relaxed, so ready, and so happy. I remember exactly what it felt like after we walked down the aisle when it was over, and we had a split second alone to say, oh my gosh, we're married! I remember our first dance as if it's in slow motion in my head. It was just the most wonderful day. After all the planning, it turned out way better than anything I could've ever planned for. And after that...we got to hop on a plane and head to paradise for a week (St. Lucia). Our days there consisted of laying poolside, drinking poinsettas (cranberry juice and champagne) from sun up to sun down, eating brie and crackers in our room every afternoon around 4pm, scuba diving, reading books, telling stories from the wedding over and over, lounging in the hot tub until we were a wrinkled mess, and enjoying the first few days as husband and wife.

The other momentous event of 2008 was Campbell's birth. I probably won't go on and on about it since that's all I've been doing for the past couple of weeks. I was pregnant most of 2008 which was exciting and fun and scary and irritating all rolled into one. I thought I'd miss being pregnant because I enjoyed it for the most part. But now that Campbell is here, I don't miss being pregnant at all. And I enjoy the little things in life, like seeing my feet again. She changed our lives in an instant. We went from two to three. Back to the rain...it was raining on December 11. I think rain is our thing. We do rain! I usually hate rain. I don't like getting wet or cold or carrying an umbrella. But it seems like when there is a big moment in our lives, it rains. Not sure what that means, but like one of my favorite country songs...Bring on the rain, I'm thirsty anyway! When I think back on 2008, I think I'll hear Campbell's first cry. We didn't know she was sick in that first moment, and I just felt joy...and relief that she was finally here and crying. I'll never forget the time we spent with her in the hospital and how hard it was to come home without her. But only a few weeks out, that memory is being overshadowed by how happy we were to come home WITH her 12 days later. She made me a mommy and made Travis a daddy, something we have each always dreamed of. Life is good, and so much more full these past few weeks because of her. We also got the tax deduction that Daddy was so hoping for. :)

Also in March of this year, we lost Travis' grandfather to a short battle with cancer. He passed away within two weeks of his diagnosis. It was so shocking and tragic and such a loss for Travis' family. And for me too. I know Travis misses him dearly but we also know that we have another angel in our fleet. I wish he could've been here to see our happy moments of 2008, but we know he was there at the wedding, and helped watch over Campbell while she was sick.

So that's how I measure this year. I know I have a lot left to do in my life, but it's going to be hard to top this year. Tonight we may or may not make it up to see the ball drop. We will probably have a glass of champagne with dinner and call that our big celebration. And something tells me it might be the best New Year's Eve yet!