2O1O Recap.

How do we even begin to sum up 2O1O? So much to say... this will be a biggie blog. It was by far the most monumental year in our lives, full of highs and lows...but mainly highs! Photos will help tell our story of 2O1O.

2O1O proved to be off to the best start, even in its very first moments! Not only were we in our favorite place in the country, New York City, but we were having the time of our lives! As the clock struck midnight bringing in the new year, Pedro got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife! Check out these videos, courtesy of Kevin James Digital Arts, that tell our engagement story. 

               Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3l34vxAp8Y

               Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsFwrCiqu5w

Bliss...

In January, we hit the ground running on making wedding plans. I found the perfect dress only a week after getting engaged, at the very first shop we went to! We went looking for venues next and Pedro picked the perfect one! It was so gorgeous and just our style! Our biggest obstacle was picking our wedding date. We had always talked about a nice Spring wedding, in April, but that just seemed too quick. By this time it was already February and my Grandma Vega's illness had landed her in the hospital, leaving us unsure of how she would fare without a miracle. At that point, Pedro and I were ready to throw together our wedding within weeks just to make sure and have her there. Thankfully, our miracle came by way of an amazing doctor's hands at Healthpark. He did a surgery that most would not have, removing part of my grandmothers liver and thus elongating her life. With her recovering, we went on to plan the wedding, deciding to have it in the summer, July 18, 2O1O.

Busy times are the best times...

As the big day approached, we stayed more than busy! Time seemed to fly by.... Pedro worked his dream job as program director at a non-profit organization and I worked as a wedding planner (ironic I know). Pedro was also on the road a lot playing all over the country with KJ52. The most fulfilling moments we had were the days where we traveled with Hope In Motion. Hope In Motion is a program Pedro founded as an outreach tool, and I had the honor of being part of. Pedro took a team, consisting of a band, dancers, a photographer/videographer, counselors, etc into public middle and high schools, bringing them a message of hope. Pedro spoke to thousands of teenagers every month about bullying and suicide, saving lives everyday.  Nothing, absolutely nothing, compares to the joy of being used by God to change lives. There is no other way we would've rather spent our time. It was great to bond as a couple, as a team, while laying a foundation for our upcoming marriage.

Summer loving, had me a blast...

Before we knew it the pre-wedding festivities had begun and we were getting really excited of how close the wedding was getting! We absolutely loved the process of engagement and were so excited to plan our new home together. Apparently I did not inherit typical bride traits, instead of dieting I found room in my daily intake for milkshakes...and left all the worrying to my mom! We were surrounded by people we love and had a whopping 4 showers  thrown in our honor.... wow! Marital counseling was our favorite part, Jeff and Stacey Leatherman are priceless mentors. We both worked right up onto our wedding weekend and then let loose to celebrate! Sunday, July 18, 2O1O far exceeded what we could imagine or expect!!! Our day may have been long awaited, but sssssssssssooooooooooooo worth the wait! 2OO+ of our closest friends and family members cried tears of joy with us during our emotional, unique ceremony.We had some amazing live music, a sentimental foot-washing and not to mention our beautiful decor! And that was only the ceremony! We were whisked away in a vintage Rolls Royce and delivered to our breath-taking reception where we partied the night away! DJ Morph kept everyone dancing while Brownstudy hosted the night. Did I mention that we seriously chowed down on the tasty food? Highlights for me where giving the gifts to my dad and Pedro...I wrote a song for my dad and had a custom drum kit made for Pedro.

We concluded July on our honeymoon in Jamaica where we got some much needed rest. We stayed at an unbelievable all-inclusive resort, where celebrites apparently stay too! We ran into Chris Brown, Usher and Shaggy just to name a few! When we werent sun bathing or calling room service, we snorkeled, ate at the 8 on-site restaurants, went on bike tours, climbed the Dunns River Falls, met new friends, listened to music and toured the Montego Bay and Negril beaches! It could not have been better.

Back to Reality.....

We got settled in back home and our place really started to look just perfect! I turned out to be quite the domestic wife, cooking every night! We loved getting into somewhat of a routine and especially enjoyed having my parents over for dinner once a week to return their years of favors. Work was busy, but we couldnt have been happier..... we even found time to go running and work out everyday! We had it all, friends, family, and quality time together. But for whatever reason, we felt a move coming, God preparing us for change.

The calm before the storm... 

Fall is usually my favorite time of year, but unfortunately this past year it proved to be the toughest. October, just 3 short months after getting married, we found ourselves shaken by news that Pedro's job would soon expire. His position was created for him, based on a grant being given for the funding. We knew that funding was scarce due to the economy and that this could happen. Still we were heartbroken. With only a few short weeks left in his contract, we were confident that God would open new doors as He is always faithful to do. Long story short, we got a call to come check out a position in Sacramento, California at a mega church as campus ministry/youth pastors. We were being considered due to the effectiveness of the Hope In Motion team. Desiring to explore every opportunity, we agreed to  accept the invitation and they booked travel plans for us to visit mid November. I met with my boss to tell him of the travel plans, expecting him to be excited for us since he was once a youth pastor in CA. To our disappointment he told me that if I went, I would forfeit my employment. By this time, we were on our way to Savannah, GA for Pedro's sisters wedding. We returned to news that Grandma Vega was being hospitalized for pneumonia. With her recovering, we had to head out of the country for a family reunion cruise, with my Greek side. As we docked back in Miami and returned to cell range, we got a call that Pedro's dad was going into emergency open-heart surgery. This was completely out of the blue since he had never had heart problems before. Needless to say, we spent the 2 hour drive home changing and booking flights. With only minutes left to catch our flight, we emptied our suitcases and repacked for  48 hours in Alabama and then on to our trip to California. That evening we arrived in Alabama....the day we started in Miami. After spending our limited 48 hours in the hospital, we left to go interview in California. We loved seeing old friends and meeting some new amazing ones. From there we flew into Orlando, where Pedro had a few shows. We celebrated my birthday on the go over several days, which I loved. 

Home to Hurt....

After about a month of not sleeping in our own home, we returned from Orlando and went straight to the hospital. All this time, my sweet little grandma was still in the hospital, worsening everyday. Her lungs continued to fill with fluid, and matters were made even worse when a doctor carelessly nicked her heart while scoping her chest. Having Hep C, her failing liver was ever present and the combination was grim. With all the traveling, we had maintained busy enough to where I didnt allow myself to stop and realize the state she was in. I was in denial. Pedro and I got the honor of staying over night with her and listening as she worshipped in her sleep. She loved when I did her hair and make up, so I did just that, even as she laid in her hospital bed. I witnessed some of the most intimate moments between a husband and wife as my grandparents shared their last moments and memories together. Heaven couldnt wait another moment to have her with them and on Black Friday after Thanksgiving, she joined the throne room. Oh boy, is heaven a lucky place... she was the heart beat and glue of our amazing family. She drew us all closer even in her passing. I could write a whole blog just about her! I can only hope that I have half the heart and love for God and people that she had. She was no ordinary grandma... there was a lot of power packed in that tiny woman.

A December to Remember...

Having celebrated my grandmother's life in the most unbelievable way, Pedro and I spent lots of time with the family reminiscing. I often get called "Lil Mickey" implying that I am like my grandma. One trait I certainly inherited from her is my craftiness! So you can imagine my delight that I was chosen to inherit her sewing kit, a priceless possession to her! Pedro and I were still in limbo at this point as to what we were going to do next as our first holiday season as a married couple approached. We had a blast picking out our first Christmas tree and decorating our place to look festive. We may have gotten too into the spirit by eating too many Christmas cookies and treats! It wasnt long before Pedro got a job offer to manage KJ52.... a job that would require us to move to Nashville. After praying about it, we decided to accept the position on a trial basis of 2 months before making the commitment to relocate there permanently. We were asked to be there for him to start in just 8 days!!!! So we rallied our friends to spend time and say goodbyes and left the day after Christmas! 

It was craziness for sure, but of all the things 2O1O taught us, we learned to trust God's leading. So here we are....following. Please pray that we will continue to be sensitive to where God is taking us next as we know his plans are better than our own. Our story is not close to being finished so stay tuned for more.