It's hard to believe that I packed my bags and headed 3,000 miles away from all my family and friends. At the time, I could hardly be sad. How could I be when I was about to finally join my husband in our first home together?

All I know is that this year flew by and although it's been a year of many firsts and many great times, we are ready to take the next step. We moved into a small one bedroom apartment when I got here on January 18th. It was perfect for us from the beginning because we had nothing but suitcases full of clothes. The night I flew in we went to Walmart and bought some basic household essentials: a garbage can, toilet paper, some pillows, etc. We curled up on the floor and slept cuddled up together and we were happy. We eventually upgraded to an air mattress, and we slowly started filling up our house. Room by room, piece by piece, our tiny apartment was becoming more homey. Looking back, I loved having these times. I think of us sleeping on the floor or air mattress, eating dinners on the floor, and watching movies from my laptop and it is all something I'm glad we went through. We started out with nothing but we  had each other and to look back and see how far we have come is an awesome feeling.

But, we have outgrown this one bedroom apartment. We have three months left on our lease and we couldn't be more excited to get a house with two or three bedrooms. To be able to have our own yard and to get a new puppy. To put more personality into our home and get new couches. If we decided to expand our little family, then we would have the room to do so. We are ready for the next step and we both could not be more excited either!

So here is to one year of living on the east coast with the love of my life! To one year living on our own. To the road trips and adventures we have taken, to buying a new car, to the many hours of airplane rides, to the adjustments and sacrifices we have made, to going to bed together in our own bed for an entire year.  Here's to the many laughs and smiles and memories we've made this past year. To the tears, the fights, to the times we never gave up. To the pain we have had to endure and the love we've grown into. Here's to year one, and to the ones to come.