Friday Five.

It started off snowing today and then quickly turned into icy rain. So I’ll be over here staying inside and wearing these slippers. And in case you’re wondering, they’re just as comfy as they look!

ONE | LIFE LATELY

A lot of time has passed between my last October post and my Thanksgiving post, and from there to now. So to catch you up — I GOT MARRIED! My ceremony was outdoors, it rained hard, it was freezing, and it was the BEST. DAY. EVER! We lucked out with a last-minute tent rental and we had rehearsed a rain plan the night before, so making changes was less stressful than I thought it would be. We had the best bridal party, friends, family, and vendors to make sure that everything still went beautifully. *UGH* tearing up just thinking about it — I digress! More posts on the wedding coming later!

My team and I completed a big renovation project at my day job — something I’ve been working on and toward since my first day four years ago — and everyone’s still talking about it! #proud I also went to a pottery class for the first time since college!

We bought rugs for our house, got a new couch, celebrated two baby showers, lost a family pet, and celebrated Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year, and went on our honeymoon (more on that later, too!).

We also celebrated our soon-to-be-here nephew!

Phew! Now you’re all caught up!

TWO | MARRIED BLISS

People keep asking me, “How’s married life?” To which I keep responding, “Great! Not much has changed.” Mr. Heid and I have lived together for years at this point. We adopted a dog together, moved back to South Carolina together, and bought a house together. We pared down our things so that we didn’t keep double of everything years ago. Not much has changed with our daily lives and I’m very happy about that.

But there are a few really exciting perks to marriage — hearing each other’s vows, saying them in front of our nearest and dearest, and knowing that I have someone to spend the rest of my life with; truly becoming part of each other’s family (though we’re both fortunate that both sides have been so welcoming and loving from the beginning); having a really big party with friends and family; and, of course, continuing our crazy adventure!

THREE | READING

Over the Christmas holiday, I read Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol for the first time ever and loved it! I figured I would since I like most of the adaptations of it, but you never know!

Here’s my favorite passage from the book:

“There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say,' returned the nephew. 'Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round—apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that—as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!”

Beautiful.

I also picked up A Series of Unfortunate Events again. I started it when I was a kid, but never finished it because I found it to be tedious. In the books, Snicket constantly defines words and gives explanatory scenarios that I already understood/understand. I think perhaps his style would have been more helpful if I was even younger than I was at the time. So now I’m skimming through those parts and reading the actual story, and it’s morbidly cute. I’m on book six now, and I honestly don’t know how it ends.

FOUR | WATCHING

Since the wedding, Mr. Heid and I have binge watched season three of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, season three of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and season one of Infinity Train. These are vastly different shows, but each one is high-quality TV in my book. We also finished both seasons of Gravity Falls (SO GOOD). When we finish this second season of Infinity Train, we’ll probably watch the final season of The Man in the High Castle. And I’m still slowly plugging my way through Downton Abbey. Mr. Heid doesn’t watch it, so I only watch it when he’s busy or not around (otherwise we’re watching things we’re both interested in), but I also don’t always choose TV during those moments so… BUT I’m finally watching the final season.

FIVE | COMING UP

You guys know I won’t promise to post regularly on here, but I do have some ideas to share on the blog throughout the spring — baby shower gifting (I think three showers in a row makes me a pro now, wouldn’t you agree?), wedding planning tips, and a few travel posts to name a few!

Until then, I hope you have a great weekend! I’m personally praying for snow or warm weather, nothing in between.

xoxo,

K

Rollercoaster of Life

People often say that life is a rollercoaster full of ups and downs. This summer, Mr. Heid and I took a ride.

We took our engagement photos, visited San Diego to see my brother graduate, and learned that our friends were pregnant — up! We were saddened to hear that doctors mandated a premature delivery of another other friends’ baby (Baby E) and that Mr. Heid’s grandmother had a stroke — down. We met up with friends who were touring neighborhoods because they’re moving closer to us, our friend got engaged, and Mr. Heid’s grandmother was back home — up! We celebrated the early, yet successful birth of Baby E and Mr. Heid was named her godfather — up! We honored the life of Mr. Heid’s grandmother, as she moved on from this world — down. We celebrated my own grandmother’s birthday — up!

In a matter of days, we went from needing cheerleaders to being cheerleaders, from lending our ears to needing shoulders to cry on, and from celebrating to mourning and then right back to celebrating.

Between the ups and downs, there were odd moments of clarity. Like the moment when I realized that Baby E and Mr. Heid’s grandmother had something in common — spunk. They both fought for their time here on Earth — one, a winner of many battles throughout a long and well-lived life; the other, a winner of the battle to begin her life. Both equally inspiring reminders to appreciate what isn’t promised and to take nothing for granted.

It’s funny how you can grow to love someone in such a short amount of time. When we visited Baby E, we watched her via video chat from just outside of the NICU. You could see the fight in her then — ready to get stronger, grow, and break free.

The day I met Mr. Heid’s grandmother, we had lunch with his whole family. That afternoon, he walked her back to her house. A few moments later, I followed to catch up and overheard her say, “I like her, you should keep her around.” Mr. Heid had turned to look over his shoulder as she spoke. He caught my eye, smiled, and said, “You can tell her yourself.”

When she was on the mend from her stroke, we were visiting in the hospital. She was sassing Mr. Heid, cracking jokes, and talking about how she was planning to ace her therapy and get back home (which she did). That day, she looked at me, smiling and said, “Keira Heider.” She paused and said, “I’m so sorry that I can’t make it to the wedding.”

Mr. Heid and I know she’ll be there. And just like she did, I smile at the thought of becoming Mrs. Heid. There’s no one I’d rather be on this rollercoaster of life with.

Some seasons of life are smoother, and others are even bumpier than this. No matter what you’re going through, just know that ups do follow the downs.

xoxo,

K