Memory Lane

Rafal and I first met December of 2008 but as I was not interested in him at that time, let's skip to when I found him delightful... and then let's skip further along to Christmas 2009. Living in Sacramento was always hard during the Holidays. I wanted to come home but work cramped my style and I was only given 2 days off. I had flown home so many times before I had accumulated enough points for a free ticket for Rafal to come with me!

Christmas 2009 Pine Valley

 It was Rafal's first time meeting my family. My sister, Ruby and her children came down and we had a blast. At this time in our lives, we were dating and exploring and enjoying each other. We adopted Gunner in November of 2009 so we already made that commitment. I mean, if you get a dog together that surely means your in it for the long haul, right? ....

Grandpa, Jonanne, Momma, and us.

Moving on to 2010. We moved down to San Diego because... well frankly I was sick of Sacramento. I wanted my mom and my friends. Thankfully, Rafal wanted to come with me. Not that he had a choice. I was going and that was it. Not long after we moved into my mom's house, we found out we were pregnant! Surprise, Mom!

In front of the same tree as 2009. Ava was born one week later!

This year we were engaged and expecting. Rafal just got his job at the machine shop and I was still at Wells Fargo. We were living at my mom's in Pine Valley and trying to save every last penny. It's not easy starting a family with nothing to back us financially. It really is an eye-opening experience and I was so thankful for a man who worked so hard for his pregnant, hormonal fiance. We don't buy each other a lot of presents. Actually, we have never given each other Christmas gifts. It's not something we are about and frankly we just can't afford a lot of 'extra '. However, Rafal suprised me with diamond earrings for our girl. I have yet to get her ear's pierced, but that's another story!



2010

To date, Rafal is renovating a house extremely beautifully for his wife and 11 month old daughter. This is by far our biggest tribulation. I decided to leave Wells Fargo and be a stay at home mom. I'm also in school in the evening which is both fun and tedious. We still don't have a lot of money (or any money) as this house reno is bleeding us dry! (I am not complaining because I have a beautiful master bedroom with new floors, windows, crown molding, and window treatments. Everything is exactly how I pictured it. My husband certainly brought my vision to life!) We are currently in the process of a bath reno AND kitchen reno

simultaneously. Being married has been the most beautiful experience thus far. I love referring to Rafal as my husband. It sounds so serious. We may not have a lot but we have each other. Ava has two parents who are comitted to each other. Isn't that the best gift we could give our child? I think so.