This Is My Story: 1 Year Down, 1 More To Go!!! :)

I cannot believe I'm finally writing this post. Just 1 year ago today this was written. I remember sitting in my apartment that morning with my roommates. I wore nothing but pajama's and Brady's jacket! I looked like complete crap! Hahaha, anyway, I didn't really cry or feel much emotion but I'm very grateful my roommates were there with me those first few days, and the next 4.5 months! I really appreciate all they've done, and I hope they know I'll never forget them, and that they were there to help me through this! :)

It's going to be a long post, so brace yourself.
I'm going to show photos; comparison ones. And I'm just going to talk about how much I love Brady, what I've learned and gone through this past year. So without further ado.... the M&M jar/countdown chart!

And no, I did NOT plan to wear the same shirt.

Middle row of first spire, middle row of second spire! :)

So isn't that pretty neat??

I'd say so :)

Now here are some other cute things :)

Ahh!! :) I can't believe it finally says 1 year :)
Wahoo!!

Anyway, today I spent the day at work.
Which was good, but went slow.

Then I came home,

ate, got ready,

and hit up a party with

idk... my bff, Jenna?
Including Austin & Nick.
Fo' sho ( :

Anyway,

Now onto the mooshy stuff.

I love Brady with all that I am. And yes, I've said that in the past before, but I truly do. I'm finally on the countDOWN!! It's no counting up to the year mark.... for so long it was always, "count to the year mark, not 24 months." or "the first year goes the slowest, but you'll get there." And now I'm here, and tomorrow is already the 3rd of December. I think Heavenly Father sped up time when I got to college. I've been living and learning a lot. My lovely roommates played a HUGE part in Brady being gone at the beginning and they were amazing and always helping me stay distracted. They really help me break out of my shell of "going to bed early" and get to know our neighbors :) Whom, I miss very much!!! Also, they made me eat lots of different things they'd make and I actually liked a lot of them. That is one thing I miss most about my roommates. Grocery shopping together, making dinner and eating together :) It seriously was always the greatest. My roommates are amazing girls! I miss them all very much!!

I got a job, didn't work out, and found a better one with better pay. So many opportunities with this new job, and I've been learning so much as a person and an employee. I view things differently and treat others differently. When someone is taking forever in the drive-through somewhere, it's easy to understand why they're so busy because I've experienced it now. I have had tough days, and days where I just flat out didn't want to go to work, but I did anyways. I'm loving everything about it, even when I hate it!

I'm learning to just do things. To stop saying no, and experience it! I've done some pretty crazy and fun things that I'm pretty proud of myself for :) I've opened up a little bit more and I'm starting to get to know people better! I accomplished one of my main goals in the first year, which was my service project. There are so many things to write up to have Brady do with me when he gets home! This part of the 2 years is going to be the funnest. All of the "preparing for the homecoming" is just getting me all excited and stuff :)

I'm so proud of Brady too. He has learned so much and grown immensely as a person. He's becoming a man. (And he's all mine!! ♥) His testimony is certainly inspiring. He doesn't share it a lot, but when he does, he does it with a bang! He's fabulous and I know that he's loving what he's doing. I know that he's experiencing amazing things right now, and I can't wait to hear more for the rest of his mission. I love reading his emails and his sincere care for the investigators/converts/members. It really warms my heart, and makes me so happy that he chose to go on a mission :) I know he'll be a wonderful man in the future, whom I cannot wait to marry :) Brady is the one I've been looking for all my life. I just know it. Every other heartache doesn't matter anymore. When I found Brady I was done. I was done with heartaches, I was done with breakups, and tears, and sleepless nights, horrid stomach pains and the constant sadness. Brady took that away from me. He made me happy (and still does), and feel loved. He made me feel special, and he was grateful for me :) He became my best friend, and still is. There is so much I would sacrifice for/with him, and the first is 2 years of my life, so I can have eternity ♥ It's pretty huge to say, but who are we kidding? Brady is mine and I couldn't be happier :) I'm so grateful; I can't say it enough!!

I am so happy that I get to count down now. I'm sure I'll continue to say "13 months left" but then I'll remember "11 months left!" Hahahaha, it's pretty crazy how many "countdown's" I have!! Hahaha anyway, something to slip in this post.. my cousin Justin, friends Tait and Jaron's year mark are on the 15th of December, and after that my cousin Andrew comes home in February! :) And then all my friends, one by one, hit their year marks and Braden, Briley, Sam, Quinn, Brandon, (Brady), Tait, Jaron, Justin all come home, and in 2013 we'll have a BOAT LOAD of boys coming home :) This gospel is wonderful and I'm so grateful for it! :)

Here are the links to mine and Brady's song(s) :)

Anywhere But Here by Safetysuit

Heart Was A House by Owl City

Nothing But Love by Trading Yesterday

A little reminiscing, Brady first showed me Heart Was A House when we first started dating. He'd always play it on his phone and then hand it to me, and say, "Listen to this." Hehehe, so cute :) Afterwhich, Anywhere But Here came along, which is what we call "our song." :) I love it more than anything! But the one song I think Brady loves the most is Nothing But Love because he always quotes it. Even to this day in some of his letters :) Hehehe, such a stud! But the night of Brady's farewell, I went back to school and his uncle Mike sent me an email with an attachment in it. It was a song and he said "I know it's kind of old, but I feel like it matches yours and Bradys situation! Hope it helps!" (Or something to that effect) and sent me this song. I haven't really listened to it since then because it just makes my heart ache, and it makes me really miss Brady and brings back all those feelings and memories of the very first days that Brady was gone. It was extremely hard. It's such a beautiful song and I'm extremely grateful for his uncle sending that song to me.

So, it's been a pretty long post, wouldn't you say?

Whelp, I love Brady. End of story.

He's the one I choose and the one I want/need.

I'm so proud of him/us.

I can't wait to see what this next year brings,

and I hope it goes as fast as everyone says! :)

LOVE YOU BABE :*