Throwback Thursday: October Memories

October is a memory filled transition month of sorts for us - it's the start of fall when the leaves begin to change colors, rainy days become normal and warm winter clothes are unpacked. Boots, sweaters, crunchy leaves, warm socks, everything pumpkin, apple cider and the excitement of the coming holiday season are joyful recurring memories of October. In October we seem to face more challenges and uncertainties, which brings up this "throwback Thursday" post. 

Until I was a sophomore at PLU, October wasn't a memorable month. The never ending rain in Tacoma, lack of sunshine and midterms made me want to skip right to Thanksgiving break and the holiday season (although seeing kids in Halloween costumes was always fun). This October in particular has reminded me of where we've been in previous Octobers and the events which led us to today... 

On Oct 24, 2010, Matt and I started dating (again) with a renewed commitment to keep God as the center of our relationship. Taking that leap from best friends to romance blessed me immensely, much more than I realized at the time. The few weeks preceding the fateful night, Matt and I had gone back and forth about being just friends and how wonderful our friendship was, to the point where I even composed a three page letter of "lifelong friendship" (and nothing more...) at 2am!
Matt still has the letter and we laugh about it often. :)

PLU Homecoming 2010
(aka, the night of our worst fight ever) 

On Oct 20, 2012, Matt proposed over mid-semester break at my house, and I agreed to support and love him through everything life threw at us (aka medical school and loans out the wazoo!) I remember our conversations as we prayed about the future. Would Matt get into medical school, and where would that take us? How could I pursue my dream of becoming a PA? What does a medical marriage look like, and how can we make it an enjoyable experience when everyone says "it will be too difficult," "I'm so sorry for you," and (my favorite) "most marriages end in divorce." Ahh! To say the least, I was freaking out, but also knew that our faith in God and love each other would get us through.   

Engagement photos 2012

In October 2013, we were in our fourth month of marriage and struggling to figure out who we were as a married couple. Matt did the majority of the cooking and constantly studied, while I worked almost full time and finished my pre-reqs for PA programs. Add in my limited social life and BFF Netflix, and soon we were in couples counseling (best decision of the month, btw). I realized I was so focused on being closer to friends and family once we moved to Seattle that I had a hard time being present where God had placed us. It was a rough time, but also strengthened our marriage. We were challenged to openly communicate in the moment and utilize each others' love languages. 

Hiking Moscow Mt 2013
(we had a healthy disagreement that day)

And those October memories bring us to now, October 2014. For me, life is more relaxed. I'm a part-time nanny for three amazing families, which gives me the flexibility to tackle household needs (I'm the chef now!), and be available for hugs/encouraging words when Matt faces the new challenges of medical school year two. Overall, this October is a hundred times better than last year. :) But some things remain the same, with a slight twist. Currently, I'm in the midst of applying for PA programs and having flashbacks to 2012 when Matt applied to medical school. There's an anxiety of self-worth (will I get in? where will we live?) and what our marriage will look like when Matt is gone on clinical rotations for six weeks at a time. We're also working making time to see friends, get plugged in at church, and enjoy Seattle.

Kayaking in Poulsbo 2014

For some reason, October is a transition time for us. It's the time of the year when we dream about the future and plan on what's to come. With dreaming, we also challenge our fears about the future and struggle to focus on making the most of the time we have now. Looking back on past Octobers, I realize now how far we've come and changed along the way. Just like previous Octobers, we continue to encourage one another and put our faith in God that everything will turn out as He wills. I'm excited to see where we'll be in October 2015!