Moments from 22

 Tomorrow I turn 23. Every added year seems to fly by faster and I need to remind myself just how important it is to savor moments deeply. The moments that are heart wrenching. The moments that hold glimmers of hope. The moments where everything feels right in the world. The moments that shape who I am and my future. The moments that contain an abundance of joy and laughter. The moments I would rather run and hide from instead of confront. These moments make up life and define years.

My twenty-second year of life has been filled with all of these moments and more. It contained the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. God’s grace and comfort was more present in my life than ever before yet I continued to walk through significant seasons of grief and fear. To preserve these moments and cherish these memories, I am documenting 22 treasures from this past year I hope to hold unto for the future.

Marrying my best friend on June 7^th, 2014 which turned out to be the rainiest day in the history of all Junes. Forgetting to bring my hand-written vows to the alter. Living the extrovert’s dream of having all friends and family with you the entire weekend to celebrate.

Honeymoon to Tennessee. Discovering we are bad tourists. Spending all our time lost in the woods. White water rafting for the first time. Sharing the first days of married life together.

Taking the Mega Bus to Chicago and visiting Jessica. 

Rebranding According to Laura Jean and committing time, energy, and resources into this crazy thing called blogging.

Downsizing my wardrobe significantly and learning more about brands I love and clothes I actually wear.

Getting a local library card. All the books!

Sitting in a doctor's office alone, discovering the significance of what I thought was simply a minor heart complication. 

Loving and hating fall travel season.

Jacob joining me on an Arizona work trip. Spending time with my grandparents. Adventuring in the mountains and giving him a taste of a day in the life of an admissions counselor. 

Spending nearly all our down time at The Old Factory.

Learning how to develop individual passions and pursuits in the context of marriage. 

Serving as prayer team leader for The Peony Project.

My sister Leah coming to visit over her holiday break from college. Being lazy, dreaming big, and of course making ginger bread houses. 

First holidays together as a married couple!

Crying for days when Jacob lost his job.

Making the dinner table a coveted space.

Succsessfully attending thirteen weddings in one year. So much love. So much food. So much dancing.

Binge watching Parenthood and eating my famous stove top popcorn every night.

Planting my very first garden. 

Being a one car family and commuting to work on my road bike everyday.

Any and all times we opened our home to others, sat around the table for hours, connected on a deeper level, had friends and strangers sleep in our living room, and lived out true hospitality.

Learning day by day what it looks like to be a young adult woman who seeks to live a free, authentic, and beautiful life.