Saturday was our year anniversary. And because that’s not special enough, I added the word extravaganza and some flashy jazz hands whenever I said it. So, in reality Saturday was our 1 year anniversary EXTRAVAGANZA!

Don’t be fooled by extravaganza though, two weeks ago it was our moving EXTRAVAGANZA and no amount of flashy jazz hands could make that day up and down stairs with our million books any better.

I’d love to post a cute picture of the two of us after our amazing dinner, but the waiter took two pictures, both completely blurred.

I’m in love with beginnings.

I jump at any chance to start something fresh so, this marks the start of our second year together. On the way from dinner, I asked Zach what his least favorite part about our year was: arguing, what he wants to work on this coming year: not arguing, most exciting thing that happened:new job, and one of the best things about being married: cooking.

Yes, you read that right…cooking. Seriously, I don’t know what he thinks about sometimes.

But that’s not the point, the point is I started thinking about those things too, and I think the thing I want to work on most this up coming year is expectations. I’d like to expect less from myself and those around me. Stupid, I know, but nonetheless my goal for the year.

Fewer expectations regarding my physical appearance, my messy habits, my financial obligations, my performance as a wife, sister, and friend. It’s so contrary to everything I’ve grown up believing, it even makes me cringe as I write it. Lately I see all the good things people are doing, and while I don’t envy what they have, I do think about how I’m not exactly measuring up. I could be a better version of me, if I just….. I’m capable of doing a lot of things if I’d only….

Those thoughts are what drive people to be the best versions of themselves;

however, those thoughts also drive people crazy. The byproduct is a constant feeling of not being enough, never being good enough. Which translates to grumpy wife, hamster on a wheel wife, running herself ragged, getting nowhere, and feeling pretty crappy about the whole situation wife.
So that’s my goal, expect less, be content with who I am right now. Not where I will be in a year, or if I weighed 10 lbs less, or if I worked harder on this. Expect less of mind reader, sunny shiny perfect husband, be happy with crusty grey, scowly husband. It’s not that I don’t already think he’s wonderful, I just am always wanting us to strive more to be the best married Vida and Zach we can be. Which is wearing me down.

I’m so happy and pleased with our first year of marriage but for our second year I’d like to be able to enjoy more of just being who were are, not who we have the potential to be.