Tuesday, December 30, 2014

2014- Year in Review

January
I went into January sad to see 2013 go. I mean, a lot of major life events happened that year. It even ended on a high note, with a second pregnancy. But a few days into January I miscarried again and began the process of figuring out the 'why'. Bloodwork and appointments, plus, we went through the Polar Vortex. Which sounds much more horrible than it was (for me). I worked from home and drank hot chocolate.

The Cross and Miscarriage
A New York City Polar Vortex

February
I decided I wanted to have a garden this summer, so I planted a bunch of vegetable seeds and put them in window boxes to start growing. I took Tom's entire family snow-tubing for the first time, and they had a great time. We got our blood results back, which confirmed that the recurrent miscarriages were auto-immune related. Finally knowing what was going on with me was good, but the hospital insisting we wait 3 months to retest and 'confirm' it all ended up being a big waste of time and source of frustration.
Cabin fever started to sink in, and with a doctor-mandated break from baby mode, we decided to plan a trip to the Pacific Coast. We had a low-key Valentine's Day, and the plants I started from seed in my window started to sprout. Tried out my hand at Intermittent Fasting, and it helped me remember what hungry felt like, and how to stop overeating/eating poorly. 

Why Did I Miscarry? Blood Results 
Snowtubing with the Family

March
Dealt with some lingering effects from the miscarriage, mainly hormonal acne and becoming very emotional at the drop of a hat. After being asked 'what are you giving up for Lent?" too many times, I wrote about why I don't 'do' Lent. And I continued dreaming about our upcoming vacation.


April
Participated in (and completed!) the A-Z Challenge this month. Created some fun posts like April Fools and Farina. I bragged about my husband's renewed love of biking in Tour de Tom, and reminisced about when I moved to NYC for a boy I barely knew. Posted all my Candid Camera- NYC Subway photos in a post and I wrote about some serious topics as well, including National Infertility Awareness Week and Easter. I loved writing for this challenge, and it really helped me fall in love with blogging and discover why I do love to write online like this.


May
The first week of May, we were gone! Flew to Los Angeles, where we enjoyed the great weather, good food and beautiful areas of the city. We hiked to the Hollywood sign, drove to the Santa Monica pier went to a Angels baseball game. We then boarded our cruise ship, which made stops in San Francisco (Muir Woods, Cablecars and the sourdough factory), Victoria (beautiful weather and scenery) and dropped us off in Vancouver. Tom and I rented bikes and we rode around Stanley Park. The next day we took Amtrak to Seattle, where 3 days turned into 5 because all of the flights into the northeast were cancelled. We spent those days using up our City Pass, drinking coffee and visiting the cool neighborhoods in Seattle.
After nearly 2 weeks, returning to our little apartment felt amazing (and like we lived in a mansion). We were home for about 2 weeks before we packed up Tom's entire family and took them to Niagara Falls and then to visit my parents in Pennsylvania. Since it was officially our first anniversary, and we were at the place where we got married, we took some "one year later" photos. I recapped our wedding (since I wasn't blogging back then) and finished up the series with a bunch of things Took and I have learned in our first year married.



June
This month, as I sat in a room with my fellow jurors for a week (without internet access- what a welcome home party that was) I got a little 'vacation-sick'. This was the month I delved further into some of the things we did, and I brag about my husband some more in the San Francisco post. I married a shoulda-been tour guide, lucky me :)

I planted my garden. I was a complete flop, and I never mentioned it on here after some initial photos, but my dreams were dashed. (dashed?) But I finally (after years of obsessing) made homemade bread! And, in what I will call my 'jury duty' series, I got introspective and wrote the selfie paradox, about my need to relinquish control and learning how to be more outgoing.

Visiting the Redwoods at Muir Woods, California
San Francisco- Fisherman's Wharf and Cablecar Tour
Oh Canada! Bicycling in Vancouver
Seattle & Seattle CityPass Review… Was It Worth It?

July
Over the July 4th weekend, we took a roadtrip to the Creation Museum (crossing 5 states and back) in just 3 days. Let me just say that Google's 10 hour driving estimate was really 15 hours when you factor in holiday traffic and the needs of 7 different bladders. I told Tom we are never to do that again. But, it was a great trip :)
Also, 1 year after finding out that we were pregnant, 2 miscarriages and jumping through lots of medical hoops.... we find out we can get pregnant at any time! New doctor, less messing around. We booked a beach vacation for November, and I hit my 1 Year Anniversary blogging :)

Roadtrip to Creation Museum

August
I worked on my domesticity a bit this month, and improved upon my homemade bread recipe. I thought back 4 years to the time Tom and I thought a good date would be to visit a 'ghost' town. I talked about how much we spent on medical expenses this year, just trying to maintain a baby (and we keep in mind that we got off so easy, compared to others). And, since I have complained about the NYC subway enough times this past year, I made a nice post highlighting some things I would love to encounter when commuting.

Easy Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Pillsbury Ham and Cheese Breakfast Rolls

September
Finally, our first "2nd Annual" arrived, and we returned to Fishkill farms with the entire NYC family for some apple picking and fall festivities. Tom grew up going to Puerto Rico every year, so this isn't that 'new' of an idea to him. But I never grew up having family vacations, so I love the idea of having some family trips that become an annual thing (we are planning on February being our 2nd annual snow-tubing trip for that same reason).

Tom participated in the NYC Century bike tour, which is a 100 mile bike ride that led him all around the 5 boroughs. And, I brag. You know I can't get past how awesome his biking story has been this year. I go a little crazy with welcoming autumn into our house, and not only vow to make all sorts of fall dishes, but I decorate with leaves and candles the first chance I get. Making a home feel like home, not much else tops that for me.

I wrote the required (right?) Where Were You post, about September 11th. And, I write about what Tom's family saw that day, being that they lived here for it.Oh and I aged another year, and decided I should quit counting birthdays at 28.

2nd Annual Apple-Picking Weekend

October
This month I attempted to participate in 'Blogtober', where you write on set prompts, every day. I failed on the first weekend, because I simply do not write on the weekends. I spend all my time relaxing, and avoiding the computer if possible. But, the posts that I did get out were interesting, and like the A-Z Challenge in April, I am glad I did it. It allowed me to write some of my favorite posts, including...

Release the Kraken!
When I grow up, I want to be a...
The Most Dysfunctional Vacation. Ever.
Baby Loss Awareness Week
Why We Don't Share Chores

November
Started 'trying' to conceive this month, after a self-appointed hiatus to let my body return to normal after a tumultuous beginning of 2014. Finally, our trip to Treasure Island/ St. Petersburg arrived, but it came during a cold spell so 2014 will be our first beach-less year (although we did try, but only could manage up to our knees. Cold!). The temperature was about 15 degrees cooler than we would've liked but we filled the days with alligators, manatees and a freezing trip to a Disney water park (which was great because there weren't any lines). Evenings we spent going on dates and not asking ' how was work', visiting different restaurants and the movies. The last day was beautiful, but the water was still freezing. We hung out by the pool, fell asleep in the warm sun and managed to get a tan. Good vacation.
This month I also wrote about how life takes you places you never expected to go, and revealed that I have yet to change my last name, and that this blog is a fraud (Gasp!). I had a suspicion that I was pregnant towards the end of the month, and when we were visiting my mother for Thanksgiving, I had a rough period that made me cry 'early miscarriage'....

Escape to Treasure Island
More Clearly Myself
I'm a fraud. This blog is a fraud.

December
... so I went to the doctor to determine if I did miscarry, or if I overreacted. Bloodwork confirmed that I overreacted. I was embarrassed, but relieved that we didn't have to wait another few months to try again. Picked up our first Christmas tree, named it George, and spent many nights telling Dora to leave him alone. She's going to be heartbroken when he's gone, I think it brings out her primal inner cat, living in the wilds of our living room. 

In typical Hispanic style, Christmas Eve was the big dinner with family and gifts, and reflecting on why Christ came that day (and why we celebrate). Christmas Day wasn't much more than leftovers and maybe a movie. New Years Eve will be with family as well, ringing in 2015 with the people who've been with us through the past year's trails and triumphs. 

Prepare Yourself for Christmas 
What do you adore? 
Christmas- The Who, What, Where and Why

And tomorrow, on New Years Eve, we are going to do exactly what we did last year (play more dominoes, watch the ball drop and enjoy time with family).

Years Past: 

2013 held a lot of life changes, and 2014 felt like it was all about growth. I can't wait to see you next year and continue figuring out life, marriage, NYC and (hopefully) motherhood brings in 2015! Happy New Years! 

9 comments:

  1. I loved reading about your year. Found you on the #raralinkup. Hoping 2015 is filled with love and hope, and happy to hear the doctor gave you the okay to try getting pregnant again. Thanks for sharing everything God is doing in your life.

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    1. It is definitely a revealing process, writing out the past year's events. Thank you :)

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  2. Thank you for sharing your year in review. I am hoping and praying right now that you can get pregnant again. The Lord is with you. Cheering you on as you trust him.

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    1. Thank you Kelly, you always pop in and say the best thing :)

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  3. Really lovely way to review your year and connect it with your previous blog posts. It will be great to read through them :) I pray that the Lord will uphold you, strengthen you and make you lie down in green pastures as you look to this next year. He loves you :) Looking forward to reading more from you in the coming months! :)

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    1. Yes, I love writing posts like this. Shows you just how far you've come in the past year, and reminds you that though life speeds by, a lot of things happen. Thank you for the prayers, and I hope to see you as well!

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  4. I cannot bring myself to sit down and write a year in review post, but I really enjoyed reading yours! Wishing all good things to you in 2015!

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    1. It is a bit daunting, but easily one of my favorites to put together. You should give it a try, I bet you'd feel accomplished at the end of it :) If it seems like a bit much, visit my 2013 one, which is a bit simpler, for some inspiration.

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  5. I really enjoyed this review Farin and I love your openness and your courage to share your story with the world. I'm sure you are helping a lot of women who are dealing with the same struggle. I wish you a happy and healthy 2015 and I'm hoping your dreams will become a reality this year!

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