2012...Beyond ANYTHING I Imagined

The other day, I glanced back at my January blog posts and found this one that I wrote right at the beginning of the year.

His ways are not my ways. His thoughts are beyond anything I could have imagined. And here I am, at the close of 2012, a wife. He Whose heart is kind beyond all measure...so kindly allowed me to enjoy the answer to a 30 year prayer. He has allowed me to know a love I've never known before. Deep, unconditional, sacrificial love that points me to the kind of love He Himself has toward me.

This year was CRAZY wonderful.

I rang in the new year with Faith...by celebrating with sparklers in my backyard at midnight...with semi-garish Hawaiian Goodwill shirts and grass skirts - covered by a wool coat:

I worked my first SHARE fundraiser at WBCL:

I went to a Super Bowl party and even watched like...a whole minute!...of the game:

I played Mickey Mouse at a concert - and met Point of Grace wearing the costume:

I went with Lynne to the Fresh Grounded Faith Conference in Ohio:

I celebrated Easter to the MAX:

Entertained my inner 6 year old at a birthday party:

Worked a Newsboys Concert:

Spoke at a mother/daughter banquet:

Spent a day at the Craft Hideaway:

Worked the Secret Keeper Girl Conference:

Turned 34:

Took a weekender road trip to Granville, Ohio with the lovely Lynne Ford:

Took a vacation to the Biltmore Estate, in Asheville, North Carolina to celebrate my best friend's birthday:

Participated in the Three Rivers Festival Parade:

Got to spend some time up at Lake Webster:

Found myself asked out on a date by a guy named Ryan:

Went to the Women of Faith Conference:

Found myself asked to be Ryan's girlfriend - and said YES:

Went to a Selah Concert:

Ran a 10K:

Had the surprise of my life when Ryan showed up at work and proposed to me on air:

Spent a day in Brown County celebrating our new engagement and planning for our future:

Went to a pumpkin patch!

Purchased a wedding dress in 45 minutes FLAT:

Had our engagement photos taken:

Celebrated Ryan's 33 1/2 birthday:

Worked the Mercy Me Concert:

Ryan took me to my first Colts Game:

Ryan's mom and sister threw me a personal shower:

My best friend threw me a bachelorette party:

My work girls threw me a shower:

I enjoyed my first Thanksgiving as an engaged woman. Come to think of it...also my last as an engaged woman!

And then, you know...I GOT MARRIED!

And came home and had my first Christmas as a WIFE!

And that is how the end of my year ended up SO very different from how it started....and God has blown my mind with His goodness.

He has indeed redeemed the heartache of my past. And. I. Am. Grateful.