Happy 2015!

We didn't do anything planned or super fun for New Year's Eve this year. It sort of slipped through the cracks. Since it was on a Wednesday, there wasn't anything we could really think of TO do that we would actually enjoy. I worked until 6pm, then came home and sat on the couch in sweats.

Carson went out for Chinese food at my behest, and I decided to wear my sequinny dress from Deanna just to look festive, even if we weren't going to do anything. I turned on one of the countdown shows on the TV and we watched that and ate our food. Right after I took this picture of us dressed up (I thought the tie on Carson would be funny) I put the sweats back on. We sat on the couch and talked and watched the different countdowns and after the clock struck 12, we said "Happy New Year!" and toasted to silly things for the coming year before going to bed because I had to work early on New Year's Day.

Our one tradition for the first of the year is to go to Taco Bell, which we did. We each got a taco thing and I had cinnamon twists. I wouldn't call us big fans of Taco Bell, but in 2010, we went to Taco Bell on New Year's Eve and resolved not to eat it for all of 2011. And you know what? Saying we weren't going to a place we don't routinely go seemed like a great idea, but all of 2011 we LONGED for Taco Bell. It smelled good, it looked good. We forgot that we don't even like it in real life. So on New Year's Day 2012, we had Taco Bell again and what do you know? It wasn't awesome. But that's our tradition each year - to go to Taco Bell. We haven't bothered to resolve not to go since, but I'm pretty sure we didn't go once in 2014.

After eating that stuff, we settled in for a long winter's nap - or rather, we worked on the puzzle we'd been working on for a few weeks. Carson found this puzzle mat that has an inflatable tube that allows you to roll up your unfinished puzzle to work on it later and it's pretty great. But we finally finished it that weekend AND took down our tree on January 2. So way to rock the new year, Bay family. Way to rock it.

Christmas, Part Two

"No time like the present", we said the day after Christmas as we tried to decide what to do. We didn't actually say that, but we did decide to go to Charleston just because. Dad had to work and Scott had something going on too, so just Mom, Carson and I went. We left the king and queen at home to do their thing. 

We made a few stops to return things and to look for something at a craft store before going downtown. We browsed King Street, ate at a Mediterranean restaurant, and then split up. Carson went to explore the College of Charleston campus, and took these pictures with his phone (generously edited by Mom on the way home). 

And my old boss from Cleveland lives in Charleston now and works at one of the stores downtown, so I had to stop by and say hello to him! Neither of us miss the Cleveland winters.

 Carson turned into a photographer after that, as we meandered back to the car.

Becca spent the night and we all watched Home Alone together. Here's our "life meets art" shot from the evening.

Oscar the next morning. He despises cold. 

Carson and I had other plans which changed and allowed us to explore downtown Beaufort. I have done this a thousand times in high school and very little of it has changed, but it's always fun to see what's different, what's new, and to show things to Carson. 

Here's what downtown Beaufort looks like. I need to find a map like this but more details for Carson... he gets confused because of how the town is set up - directions don't make sense.

We stopped by to see Dad at work (this was my first real job too!) and they let him go early, so we left Carson to find his own way home while Dad and I went joyriding and then eventually made it home. Carson snapped these of the sky from Dad's work.

We went to church the next morning and I was able to catch up with Jillian, who's only a month or so away from giving birth (not that you can even tell she's pregnant in this picture - why do I have friends like this?).

On our way back, we stopped at a rest area that had a welcome to Florida sign! I was pumped because I'd TRIED to get Carson to stop for a picture by one on our move. He wouldn't because we were driving that huge moving truck (which makes sense, but still). If only I'd have known we didn't have to risk dying on the highway to get that picture. Oh well. Now I have it.

Oh, it was 82 degrees at the moment I took that picture. Who even needs a white Christmas when you've got sunshine and green grass?!

2014 Review

This is one of my favorite posts to write each year, because I'm always a little surprised that "Oh, that happened this year?" Although I feel like this year has gone by very fast, with many changes involved, seeing evidence of what's happened each month has slowed it all down a little in my mind. 

Just like last year, I've included a picture of Carson and I from each month. 

January 2014

Rang in the new year with friends

Survived Polar Vortex
I set out to get the most out of Cleveland

February 2014

Watched the Seahawks win the Superbowl!

Morgan visited from sunny Florida!

Valentine's Day at home

Lots of snow

March 2014

I turned 25 and had a black and white party. Everyone looked like they were attending a funeral.

It continued to snow
Birds invaded

I had my third miscarriage. No post.

April 2014

Announced that we were moving to Tallahassee!  

Emily and Jillian came for a visit

Snow fell for the last time on April 15, the day they arrived. I wrote it down because it felt like a day of celebration.

Easter! 

Free Cleveland Zoo day

Bonfire with our Community Group

May 2014

I went to Disney/Florida to visit Morgan!

Carson's parents visited

Carson got his Master's degree!

We celebrated our fourth anniversary

Evan and Heather moved in and we all lived together in a state of flux for three weeks.
Packing began, and it was hard.

June 2014

We said goodbyes
Last community group outing
Left Cleveland
Went to South Carolina

Moved to Florida
Carson's summer semester began and I began work, one and three days post move, respectively
(this remains one of the dumbest decisions I've ever made)
Went to the beach!

July 2014

 

Went to Ocala for 4th of July
Bought a car!
Carson went rafting in Idaho
Morgan visited Tallahassee

August 2014

 Went back to Cleveland for Lana and Mark's wedding
Fall Semester began for Carson
I went to Beaufort for Brooke's baby shower.

September 2014

Jillian visited
I went to Beaufort with Morgan
Attended Clemson/FSU game

October 2014

Went to the beach - couldn't do this in Cleveland in October!
Officially found a church!

November 2014

Went to Destin for the weekend

My parents visited
Thanksgiving in Beaufort

December 2014

Carson turned 28

Day trip to Charleston (planning a real trip for 2015)

Beaufort for Christmas!

2014 was a year that I can't really describe well, even though we've reached the end of it. On the one hand, it was very, very fun, as we explored Cleveland, got more involved with our church, and did lots of things with friends. Furthermore, Carson finished his master's program with a 3.9 GPA (and yes, he was bummed that it wasn't higher). We moved to Florida! We live closer to family now!
But on the other side of the coin, the part without pictures because there really isn't a way to photograph life as you live it, there was the difficulty of leaving a place and a church family that you truly love, and the weird adjustment once you get to the new place. We feel like we are still in a stage of transition now, and it's been over six months since we moved.

2014 was a year of the unexpected. When we decided to move to Florida, it was last minute. We'd been planning on staying in Cleveland and we are still almost sure that there was no "right" decision and that we could have been really happy if we'd stayed. When we announced we were leaving, it surprised our friends as well as us, because for the last few months, we'd told people it was almost certain that we'd stay.

Personally, it's been hard. I hate to leave this on a downer, but when we began the year, I once again thought that we'd be ending it either pregnant or with a baby. That didn't happen. Once again, we lost a sweet baby in the spring, and when the fall rolled around and the due date arrived, it was hard. It was a quieter version of the other two losses because I'd processed a lot of those emotions before, but in some ways more difficult because there were tests and doctor's visits and questions that couldn't be answered medically. And then there were of course the bills from the doctor that made checking the mail a constant reminder. Ugh. Emotionally, 2014 has been a huge drain. There were high highs and low lows. It was good, and it wasn't.
For whatever reason, through it all, I've never doubted that God is good. He knows what the future holds, and I hold that dear to my heart. If 2015 holds great friends, wonderful memories, and a baby, it would be wonderful. But God isn't just good because He gives us what we want. I wish that were the way it works, but He is deeper than that. I hope and pray that 2015 is a year where we know Him deeper, and while I hope it holds fewer tears and more of what I'd like to happen, I really just hope we end 2015 closer to Him.