5 years

I am jumping the gun since our anniversary isn't actually until the end of August, but a friend is sponsoring a group writing project (with prizes involved!) that just happens to revolve around "the next 5 years"... which really got me thinking about our upcoming anniversary.

5 years ago, Eric and I were still in Utah.

Now we're in Ohio.

5 years from now, we'll be where ever residency takes us.

5 years ago, we rented a duplex in Springville from Grandpa.

Now we rent an apartment in Columbus.

5 years from now, will we be renters or own a place of our own with a fenced in backyard? (pretty please...)

5 years ago, Eric and I were still undergraduates at BYU.

Now Eric is a 4th year med at OSU and i'm in a master's program at CSU.

5 years from now, he'll be an MD almost finished with residency and I'll be a master of humanities.

5 years ago, we were poor newlyweds.

Now we're even poorer, very much in debt not-so-newly weds.

5 years from now we'll have an income!

5 years ago, I was skinny and so was Eric.

Now, I'm not so skinny...and I think Eric might be skinnier.

5 years from now... hopefully I'm skinny again!... and Eric will most likely still be skinny! :)

5 years ago, we were a family of 2.

Now we are a family of 4.

5 years from now, will we be a family of 6?

5 years ago, we had children aged 0.

Now we have an almost 3 and a 3 1/2 month old.

5 years from now, Gwen will be turning 8, preparing for baptism. Both Gwen and Caroline will be in Elementary school. Weird.

5 years ago, I taught at the MTC and Eric taught Physics students how to be better writers.

Now we both teach ABC's, numbers, colors, animals, manners, potty training, obedience...

5 years from now, we will still be teaching all the above, plus a few more things.

5 years ago, we made sacred covenants at the alter of the temple.

Now we are striving to honor those covenants.

5 years from now, we will STILL be striving.

5 years ago, we were happily in love.

Now we're happily in love.

5 years from now... we will be even MORE happily in love!

I love my family SOOOO much! I can't believe how much life has changed in the past 5 years and I can't even really imagine what lies in store for us. Bring on the next 5 years!

100 things to be grateful for: #81-100

Wednesday

81. great friend E

82. getting to spend some quality time together for a long overdue chat

83. good news is always welcome

84. I finally care about the protagonist in a book I'm reading for school... there is a reason why this novel is barely 1/2 finished after a full 2 months. Good to at last be sort of interested in what occurs. :)

85. polar bears catching and eating fish before our eyes! Also jumping and leaping in the water!

86. sharing the first fresh peas from the garden right out of the pod and seeing how much Gwen loved em!

87. plenty of time for Sunday School lesson preparation

88. inspiration that I KNOW comes from the Holy Spirit-- and therefore from my Heavenly Father-- to guide me in my preparations. What a huge gift!

89. Gwen gives me sweet kisses every night after prayer

90. Looks like grocery bill for this week will be WELL under budget... a nice cushion from overflow for surprisingly expensive weeks is always nice!

Thursday

91. making kimchi with Emi

92. oh, the delicious smells of kimchi-- brings back so many wonderful memories of Korea!

93. eating kimchi... you get the idea. I LOVED doing this with such a dear friend! we had so much fun!

94. Caroline has survived her first round of immunizations... a lil worse for wear, but she'll make it. :)

95. getting a tuition reimbursement from my MA program (had to pay out of pocket while the scholarship fund was going through)-- a nice, timely, lil cushion in the bank account to help us pay hospital bills!

96. a thoughtful note from Eric's grandparents

97. getting the Utah away rotation in the month of September just like we wanted!

98. Gwen minded me very well today

99. Netflix online viewing: gotta love Thomas the train

100. Hooray! so glad to be done with this posting project! (I'm prepared to admit that it has sort of worn me out having to attempt to post daily for 10 days, even something as pleasant and beneficial as a list of gratefuls. Obviously, daily posts didn't really happen because I got so behind, but the "pressure" was still there in the back of my mind. Glad to be back to posting when I feel like it!)

100 things to be grateful for: #51-80

Sunday

51. Church. I am so grateful for the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ

52. Sacrament. I need that covenant renewal so badly every week.

53. nursery. Gwen needs this play time with her friends

54. "Jesus magnets". The best gift I could have imagined for my lil toddler-- she LOVES them!

55. sitting with Camilla in Sunday School. I've missed her.

56. sitting with Heather C. in Relief Society. I'm going to miss her.

57. amazing home teaching visit. Brought the spirit and challenges me to be better.

58. all the phone calls being finished early-- we enjoyed a relaxing and quiet (er) evening than typical

59. reentering my calling: I'm scheduled to teach again!

60. being of service to my dear friend and neighbor by editing her paper

Monday

61. sacrifice of others to give us the freedoms we enjoy

62. freedom

63. holidays when the family can be together for something fun during the day!

64. Hocking Hills, especially gorgeous and refreshing waterfalls

65. 1 sleeping baby on the drive down (which offset the whining of the other one: 'I wanna get out my seat")

66. 1 sleeping toddler on the drive back home (which offset the crying of the other one for who knows what reason)

67. great friends with whom we managed to meet up and hike around together

68. the "old man" of the cave, whom Gwen liked more than Santa Claus

69. amazing location for enduring the grueling workout of stairs

70. feeling like I earned my dinner of burgers, homemade onion rings, and blackberry-cheesecake shakes

Tuesday

71. NOT eating the ant I found in my cereal

72. ibuprofen for the headache that follows sore neck and shoulder muscles from hiking wearing a baby

73. Donald in Math Magic Land to entertain Gwen so I could rest til #72 kicked in.

74. FINALLY capturing that elusive Caroline grin on camera!

75. libraries with all their educational entertainment

76. a baby who miraculously fell asleep on the floor and slept protected under a chair for the duration of big sis's play time at said library

77. chatting with Sabrina, particularly grateful for her willingness to drive to meet me there so we could hang out.

78. Gwen actually obeyed me and didn't fight me about having to hold my hand in the parking lot

79. planning to make kimchee with Emi: I'm so excited!

80. long showers