In Five Years

Wedding Photographer: J’Adore Love Photography 

My days have changed pretty drastically. Five years ago I was a sophomore in college. Justin’s girlfriend. Working a simple desk job on the side. Taking classes morning and night. Riding the subway to and fro. Downing sugary iced coffees, chocolate cupcakes & raspberry muffins. Studying at Bobst library, walking the streets of SoHo, dreaming of becoming some sort of high paid fashionista that worked at an upscale magazine. Because who doesn’t want to be Anne Hathaway’s character from the Devil Wears Prada? I was buying clothes I didn’t need. Coffee cups too big for my health.  Not a care in the world. You know those days?

Here’s my past five years in a nut shell:
Justin wooed me with his magical powers, put a ring on my finger and I started to plan a wedding at 19. Which started in our minds as a tiny intimate gathering and ended as a huge party with a DJ, cake, a hall and all that other wedding stuff you usually do.

We traveled. Justin started his own business which still exists to this day. We moved in together. A small basement with concrete floors and exposed pipe ceilings. But a roof nonetheless. He worked his butt off and I continued attending college classes that cost a fortune. But that’s another blog post.

I finished college. Graduated from NYU. The degree came with a butt load of debt, but we were prepared thanks to my awesome husband who knows how to manage finances like a boss. We still pay it off slowly to this day. So ya’ll struggling with loans- you are totally not alone. #loanssuck.com

We designed together. Worked together. Dreamed together. Justin got to pastor as Res Church. We traveled some more. Built friendships, family and community. And by my 22nd birthday I was pregnant and didn’t even know. A week later I took the test and long behold, I was carrying life!

That’s when my life crazily changed. Seriously the next day I was bed ridden for 3-4 months. My body was freaking out trying to cope with building a home for this new life. I was beyond tired, slept most of the day and night and had to stop working. I lost around 10 pounds because I simply didn’t have an appetite. After 4 months, it just lifted. The sickness went away and the tiredness left. I was back to my somewhat normal self- just with a popping belly.

Ten months later, October 10, Judah arrived. His birth story is another blog post because we all know that didn’t happen as I planned. And there he was. We were parents. I stopped designing for Justin’s company and focused on being a mama. So for the past 1 1/2 years, I’ve mommed! But I’m definitely looking forward to designing again when I think its time!

Oh how things have changed. To balance it all is fun. A lesson to learn every day. It’s challenging. But I do love a challenge. Except when I’m crying on my bed, face smothered in a pillow yelling gibberish because I’ve reached a mental limit of chaos and brimstone and fire and

(this was Judah’s work while he was sitting on my lap and managed to assault the keyboard -> j6i6j6i3a  x,j6)

hell. Just kidding. Not really.

But c’mon, can’t lie- definitely feel a load lighter after one of those ugly cries that you want no one except your mirror to see. So I’ve learned its ok. It’s ok to breakdown and cry because your baby won’t take a nap or leave you alone for a few minutes. And for those that say its not ok- just please go grab a donut and relax.

Anywho, this is my life. And I’m curious to see what happens when I share it with you :). I’m not perfect. I yell, cry, play victim, complain, give attitude- but my hubby still loves me. Thanks boo. And I’m working on not giving in to those habits of my character, as we all are- aren’t we?

So here I am. February 2016. And life goes on As it should.

Welcome to my crazy, messy, unusually funny circus. Fueled with caffeine, sweets & all sorts of unhealthy carbs. Mixed in with random bursts of “I WANT TO BE HEALTHY” mornings where we juice carrots, celery and other weird stuff. Throw in a highly demanding toddler whom we love to pieces and you have yourself a glimpse of my life. Add in church buzz, business adventures & a second pregnancy.

Like how I threw that last one in there? Surprise! Baby number 2 is growing, kicking & making itself known.

Did I mention how much I love nap time? Best time of day, right mamas?