One Year and counting..

Approximately one year ago this picture was taken.

Friday, May 14th makes 1 year that my husband has been in the states.

I cannot even begin to tell you what a joyous occassion that was!!

We fought loooong and hard for that moment.

I still remember running around my apartment, trying to get everything in order.

You know - the normal girly stuff, putting things in just the right place, making sure the rooms smelled good, all the sheets were cleaned and the bed was made "just so."

I spent probably 2 hours grooming myself - long, hot bubble bath..mud mask for the face.. shaving the legs.. stuff like that.

My heart was probably beating 9000 beats per minute.

I remember trying to stay as calm as possible as I drove to the airport. (Semi-panic attack mode.)

I remember calling my co-worker Dusty and trying to keep calm.

I remember parking and feeling dizzy.. probably the blood pressure was through the roof.

I remember sitting and waiting (it seemed like forever) for his plane to arrive. I sat on the most uncomfortable bench in the world and talked to my friend Lynn (by cell) up until his plane landed.

I remember standing there FOREVER after it seemed everyone got off his plane.. nothing.. nothing.. then FINALLY - I see his smiling face coming toward me.

We hugged and he said, "You look exactly the same." LOL .. it had been close to 1 1/2 years since we had seen one another.

Luckily his bag was waiting for us downstairs, and we took off for home. I let him borrow my cell phone to call his friends and family back home. I heard such excitement in his voice...

Once we arrived at my home, he kept saying, "I can't believe it. I am FINALLY in America." We laughed.. and as soon as he entered my apartment, he just fell onto the couch.

I made him a cheese sandwich and he went through his entire suitcase and showed me everything. His entire life - packed into two suitcases.

We smiled and we hugged and we talked and we laughed some more.

What a year!

We are married, a bit more settled. WAAAY more used to one another. He has his green card, and a learner's permit to drive. He has a job.. we both have good friends and life is trucking along.

We hit some bumps back near the holidays. BIG bumps, that I thought we would never make it through. We cut out the negative and the toxic from our lives and are learning to lean on one another more.

We actually made it this far. If I were a betting girl, my guess is people did not think it would happen!

May 29th/30th will be our one year "officially" married anniversary. I have a BIG surprise for him.. (can't say, in case he actually reads this - but I don't think he does.) I will share with everyone later. I am working on it tomorrow.. and how appropriate, one year since his arrival.

I am so happy to have him in my life. I love this man more than words will ever express. I can't explain our twisted connection - but it works for us.

And this, my dear readers, is life.