Our Set of Firsts. in 2014

If there is anyone here who has moved away from their entire family and set of friends, you'll understand the difficulty of everything that I am going to write here. Unless of course you don't really like your family, and then in that case, you'll just laugh it off.

Our first weather system here in Georgia was a bit of a wake up call. It was the third week in July and we had a thunder system move through that brought us 3 inches of rain in one hour. We counted 100 lightning strikes from our hotel window (which we found out later we shouldn't be looking out of) in something like a half hour. We had no food in the hotel, and even though McDonald's was only the next driveway over from us, it took Scott and I over an hour to talk ourselves into driving over there. Afterwards we laughed at how we ran and screamed getting into the car like little kids.

Salem turned 7 here, and so she had her first birthday away from everyone we know and love. It was a week after school started, and a day before she went to church for the first time. She cried about not having her grandparents here, and wished she could have a birthday party. My heart broke for her. I was determined to make sure she had a good birthday. We still had money and weren't concerned about anything at that time, so we got her a few things she really wanted, and I made sure she had a party. After everyone went to bed, I stayed up decorating our living room with party decorations and wrapping presents so she could wake up on her day feeling special. We took her to brunch at Ihop, miniature golfing, to a movie, and finished the night off with frozen yogurt from our favorite place in California. All of her presents from family were mailed to us, and she enjoyed receiving mail, but after every video we recorded to send to California to say thanks, she took her brave face down and let a few tears slip. She told us that she had a great day, but she wished that she could go to Disneyland and see her family.

Ian turned 2 in September. By that time Scott's dad had made it out here, so we at least had a family member with us. Scott and Salem went to work and school, so it was just me and Ian for the day. And of course a few presents he couldn't wait to open until his daddy got home. I spent most of the day playing with him and singing happy birthday to him. He didn't know the difference, but I did. After Scott got home from work and he opened presents, my FIL took us to Chuck E Cheese for dinner and games. Ian really loved that. We came home, put a candle on a birthday cake, and sang him Happy Birthday. We faced time with my brother Corey, and I cried when Ian asked "Coco" if he wanted a piece. He was really proud of himself that he blew out his candle in one try.

Our first trip to Nashville came in early October. We spent a very short weekend at Justin and Destiny's house celebrating Lucy's birthday and meeting baby Hunter. It was so good to be around my friends. We went to Disney on Ice and all the kids wore Disney costumes. Somehow we managed to keep it within budget and everything was great. We drove up to Cleveland (2 hours before Nashville) a few weeks before that to see Rachel and Nestor and to celebrate their daughter Aleah's birthday. It's those trips that make living here easier.

I turned 30 here. This was about the time my depression really began to overhaul my isolation. We had no money, my church friends had just bought my kids clothes and coats that I couldn't afford, and the birthday money my dad sent me, bought groceries instead of the coat my dad wanted me to buy myself. The money my mom sent put gas in our cars. You get the picture. My friend Sarah took me out for coffee while Scott and the kids went shopping for me, while I stressed out about him spending money we didn't have on me. We are spending it one way or another, but he did put my gifts on a credit card. The kids insisted on giving me my presents the night before so that I would have gifts in the morning which was cute. Justin and Destiny planned to come for the weekend to be apart of my 30th birthday, but by mid day I hadn't heard from them. They did come, but got to our place just before midnight. So they didn't make my dinner, which was at The Cheesecake Factory. The plan was supposed to be that Scott's dad would pay for dinner as my gift, but he ended up not having to because there was a giant cockroach that crashed our dinner and our meal was on the house. So Saturday morning, Scott made chocolate chip pancakes and eggs for all of us, and after showers we all got dressed and went to the mall for lunch and so the kids could play in doors. We got back from the mall, and Justin told me that they had a surprise for me and only they were taking me. They blindfolded me and everything. I honestly thought that maybe I was going to get my nails done or a massage, but in reality, Scott and the kids were driving in front of us the whole time. My amazing husband, friend Sarah and Danielle, had come together and orchestrated a surprise party for me at Danielle's house. Most of all my friends from church were there, and Rachel and Nestor were too! When I walked in and took my blind fold off I cried so hard that I ended up on the floor. It felt so good to cry happy tears for once and to feel loved. Everyone came together and helped cover expenses and Scott's dad bought pizza for everyone. It ended up being the best birthday I've ever had.

Halloween was pretty amazing. The best way I can describe it, is that everything I ever hoped Halloween would be from movies when I was kid, came true in front of my adult eyes. We went through a neighborhood that we actually considered buying a house in, and it was just spectacular. If I had it my way, we would for sure buy a house there. The kids got so much candy, and people were so nice. Not to mention every neighbor was together handing out candy and it just felt so welcoming. Nothing like California ever was.

Our first Thanksgiving was hard. On top of missing family and not wanting to celebrate, I was starting to resent Scott for having his dad here, lots of friends at work, and the freedom to go out and do things. There was also the reality that we had absolutely no money for Christmas, and it was just around the corner. My friend Sarah and her husband Jason are also transplants to Atlanta, and usually spend Thanksgiving alone, so we invited them to join us at my father in law's. It ended up being a nice little dinner and we bonded our new friendship a little more. But after they left, I went home and cried myself to sleep. We came home to our apartment and skyped with a few members of my family, and it was just so hard to see the house I almost always spent Thanksgiving in, and not see myself in it. My dad and stepmom kept calling and sending text messages because they couldn't stop crying. I have never wanted to hug my parents so bad before.

Christmas was even harder. It ended up being good. So much of my family came together and bought extra for the kids, and some even sent extra money for he kids so Salem wouldn't have to ask why Santa didn't come. I started working two weeks prior, but I didn't get any money before hand for it to make a difference. And Scott's dad decided to give us a couple hundred dollars so we could do Christmas for the kids from us. We are paying it back now, but it made me feel better to know we were able to do something for the kids because Salem overheard us talking and was crushed when she heard us say we couldn't afford anything. Christmas Eve we went over to Scott's dad's place to eat dinner and exchange presents. By exchange I mean the kids opened presents from his dad and he opened the presents we bought him with the money he gave us as our gift. In fact, Scott and I didn't get anything for Christmas this year except for a few items from my mom. I asked everyone else to put the money towards my kids. Christmas morning we had an explosion of presents since every single thing from everybody was in our living room. It took well over an hour to open everything. We spent the whole day in pajamas and only left the house to look at Christmas lights. We had never spent a Christmas like that, so I was grateful, but I had to force the sad feelings away over and over again.

And yesterday, we had our first snow storm hit Atlanta. It was beautiful, and so exciting for us to play with our kids in. When I walked out of work and saw my car covered in snow I couldn't stop giggling. But, it took me 2 hours to drive home 8 miles, and Scott 4 miles to drive home 17. If you've watched the news you'll have seen the horror stories of roads completely gridlocked and kids spending the night on school buses because they couldn't get home. We had friends that chose to abandon their cars in order to walk home so that there kids wouldn't freeze sleeping in a car. Everyone warned us that the city would shut down when snow came, but I had no idea. The sad truth is that the city just ins't prepared for weather like this. It really made me sad to know people who were affected by it so harshly. Salem and Scott both got a snow day today, and now also have tomorrow off so that the snow can melt before people start getting back on the roads. Thankfully I am off until next Thursday because Scott's dad will be in California. He was supposed to leave this morning, but his flight was first delayed, and then canceled after he got to the airport. He decided to get a hotel instead of asking Scott to go back out and get him.

And in two weeks we will have our first visitors! My mom, grandma and brother Corey will be here on the 12th. And they are staying for 3 weeks so I will be getting in a lot of visiting time. I am so excited and anxious for them to get here. Salem knows about my mom and grandma, but my brother is a complete surprise. She cries a lot and is not shy about telling us that she misses him the most, so I can't wait for her to see him.

And I'll stop here. I think next I'll do a picture entry, and stop there with the catching up and just start writing about life again.