married life | the first year

Wow. Has it really been a whole 365 days? As cliche as it sounds, it doesn't feel like Cory and I have been married for a year, but lets be real, we were kind of busy to say the least. Lets have a little refresher course, shall we?

As many of y'all already know, Cory took a job in Alabama just a couple of months shy of our wedding day, and frankly, I freaked out.

It was after a very intense search and a rather bittersweet goodbye to my dear friends at ARP, I found a new job the Tuesday before the wedding.

We were married on October 6, 2012, and it was absolutely lovely. :)

The next day I moved 6 and a half hours away to my new Alabama coast home.

The next day I flew out to Los Angeles to start training on my new job. 

From there on out, I trained for work, I flew a lot of planes, I drove a lot of miles, and I worked a lot of hours.

Cory himself trained for work, flew a lot of planes, worked countless hours.

Among the craziness, we found time to come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

(I may have bawled like a baby leaving both times...)

I continued my training, flying, driving, and working schedule.

Cory, as well, continued his training, flying, driving, and working pattern.

Then wife of the year went overseas for work during her husband's birthday week.

(Although he assured me he would have done the same thing should he have had the chance during my birthday week...)

Every other day (or sometimes after three full weeks!) we would randomly run into each other in the apartment and say hello, and our phone bills fattened with each catch up call. 

Then out of nowhere Cory received an opportunity to come home along with a promotion.

We totally said yes.

We moved back home to Mississippi.

(cue to the hallelujah chorus) 

Cory continued to fly and work, work, work.

I continued to travel as an interim rep for my job and commute Monday through Friday every week.

We found a little time during the weekends to spend with family, friends, and more importantly, each other, and our phone bills started to skinny themselves up a bit.

We luckily spent my birthday together after Cory had spent 18 straight days and over 290 hours at work. (Honestly. I don't know how he does it..and I don't know if he knows either!)

Hello, one year anniversary!!! You have come way too soon!!

As I sit here reflecting (and full from wedding cake), I've come to realize something. God has grown our relationship by simply separating us the first year. Sure, it was hard. Sometimes completely unbearable. But after seven years with the same dude, I would be lying if I didn't say things weren't a little bit comfortable for a lack of a better word. God knew what he was doing. He wanted me to appreciate Cory more, wanted me to truly comprehend the reasons Cory was in my life, and essentially, fall in love with the man I married every. single. day. I feel like our first year apart has grown us even closer than we were before. I've find myself relishing the quiet moments with Cory. Just being near him. No pomp and circumstance. No fancy dinners or lavish gifts. Just having him. Cory is what I get in this marriage. And he is the only thing I want.

And truly at the end of the day, that's what it is all about. Here's to the next 365, honey. I love you.