6 Month Reflections

Today is the last day of my longest Christmas break ever. I have been very grateful for the opportunity to have this much time off as I know it won't happen for very many more years. I have been able to complete many projects (almost as many as I keep adding to the list), organized the whole apartment (and then some) and spent many hours with Tony. We have officially been married 6 months (curiosity question: When are you not considered newlyweds?) and it has been wonderful. Here is a little reflection on how it's been.

• Married on July 6th, 2012
• Honeymoon in Door County, WI
• Moved to Iowa and settled in, Tony at Rockwell Collins and myself at the University of Iowa
• Individually, I love school, although it has been an adjustment since Iowa is a very different school from where I came from, but I'm adjusting. I like my work and the research that I'm doing. I am looking forward to this next semester where I'll be able to become more established with my project and ideas. Tony has had difficultly with his job due  to the long hours he has been putting in. Being on salary, he sometimes feels he is being taken advantage of and will never stop working long weeks. Good news: he worked a normal week this last one!! He has been recognized for such hard work and I believe these next 6 months will be much lighter and hopeful for him.
• We found a church to attend (went once and never went anywhere else)
• Friends are in abundance which is a blessing since I figured it would take a long time. We have Monday night dinners with 3-5 other couples and have spent quite a bit of time with one of my coworkers and her husband watching TV shows and movies (just finished our Harry Potter marathon with them).
• Financially, we have been beyond blessed and are paying off our debt as soon as possible. I hate waiting for things. I'm a do it once and get it over as soon as possible kind of girl, but these month-to-month payments for everything grown-up style will have to do. It has been an adjustment finding the balance between spending and saving, however, I am thankful for the ability to be open and communicate with Tony on these issues. Not always easy, but we are growing into our style of finances.
• Marriage in general has been a fairly smooth transition from my life to our life for the both of us. It has only been 6 months and I know there are so many other big things and little things to come into our lives, but God is always there and I know we can get through anything that comes, easy or hard. As for now, it's been enjoyable and I have no idea what I would do without him. Perhaps I'd be very bored with no car and I'd need to find other things to organize, which I'd have less of because he has a lot of stuff. 
• Our biggest purchase has been our 2006 Honda Civic and all of its quirks. Who ever said that we need cars, I'm slowly discovering that they are money pits.
• Our most used kitchen appliance (aside from the stove, oven and frig) is the popcorn maker. As it should be.
• My favorite thing about our apartment is the massive pantry. I'm going to miss that one day.
• The best thing about our current location is its proximity to the highway and its on the end of the bus route into Iowa City for school.
• It is the hardest category to stick to our budget so far is the grocery allotment. Who would've thunk that we could spend that much on food.
• The hardest adjustment (for me) has been the fact that things are not always done my way.
• The best thing has been having someone to come home to and to spend time with

Overall, it has been a truly enriching last 6 months and I look forward to many more months that turn into years and years. What can I say? I grabbed a good one. I love you Tony!