Four years down, a lifetime of happiness to go!

So my anniversary post is a little late. Our actual anniversary is the 16th and I sat down to blog about it, but then Hudson cried all the time while switching reflux meds, guests came to visit and at some point I had to take a shower. Now I have a baby who is sleeping in a swing and two free hands to type so I can finally write my love letter to my amazing husband. This last year of marriage had our highest point so far (the birth of Hudson) but it also had the hardest and lowest point of marriage so far, the loss of our first pregnancy. It's amazing how much life can change in a year.

I sat down many times last year to try and blog about the misscarriage. I thought it would be therapeutic to sit down and journal it, but the words just never seemed to come to me. I don't know if there is a way to really convey how you go from such joy to such sadness in a matter of minutes. I couldn't describe how it felt the day we went into our ultrasound and held our breathe as the tech tried to find the heartbeat we had heard just a week before. I couldn't write how it felt to get our families to spend Christmas together and surprise them with our pregnancy only to call them a week later and say there would be no grandbaby in August. I couldn't explain the pain, both physically and emotionally, the night we had to go to ER and how unprepared our OB had made us for what happens when you actually lose your baby. But probably the hardest part about it was telling people who didn't even know you're pregnant that you had a miscarriage. Really the blog post would be "This sucks and I cry a lot."

You are probably wondering why I would start an anniversary post with this sad story, it's because even though it was the hardest thing I have experienced, it truly solidified why I married Todd. The amount of love and support he gave me during those weeks of anguish were amazing. I don't know if I could have recovered if I didn't have him in my life. The nights that I would lay in bed and cry, he held me and told me every thing would be ok. The moments when I felt betrayed by my body because it didn't bring a baby full term, he told me over and over again how it wasn't my fault. When we talked about trying again, he only wanted to make sure I was ready. Even though he had lost a child as well, all of his energy went into making sure I was ok. When we got pregnant again and I was so stressed during those first 12 weeks, he listened to my paranoia without rollng his eyes. He was my rock. 

I think when it comes to marraige, everyone gages what their relationship is like based on all the good times, when it's really the tough times that count. How do you treat each other in times of crisis? When we lost our baby we both were heartbroken, but we came together to heal. We found comfort and solace in one anonther. Our marriage is 90% easy breezey, 10% tough times and I never want it to be 100% perfect because it's during that 10% that we grow and on the other side of it become better together.

So Todd, thank you so much for this life and adventure you have given me.

You made me your girlfriend...

Your fiance...

Your wife...

Your best friend...

and the best role of my life so far, you made me the mother of your child.

I love you and cheers to lifetime more of happiness and love.

-Mrs. J

Back in a big way

Well hi there blog! Long time no see…like over two years long. Guess life has been a little busy for us here at House of Jaramillo. The last few years seem to have zoomed by. Time flies when you are having fun, huh?

There have been a few major life changes here at House of Jaramillo since we last blogged (which, wowza what a downer that one was!) I graduated from ASU with a degree in Public Relations from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. Then, about two years ago I started a new job working at a home health care agency. After being there about half a year I got an opportunity to become their Medicare biller. Totally not what I went to school for, but the experience I have gotten there I wouldn’t be able to even buy at a trade school so even though it was 360 from Public relations, I am  happy I ended up going down that road.. It has given me skills that I pretty much could take to any hospital or doctor’s office so I feel like I have a little job security. I don’t regret what I got my degree in at all. It really is amazing how often I use my PR skills, even in a job that doesn't really require them. I also made some really great friends at school; I wouldn't change that part in my life for anything.

Todd also started a new job in December of 2012. He moved from the Arizona Department of Education to the Arizona Department of Health Services. This was extremely exciting for our family because he had worked incredibly hard on his Masters and graduated with a Masters in Health Care Administration from A.T. Still in August of 2012. It felt like all his hard work paid off when he was able to start working in the health care field, which is something he had wanted to do for a very long time. The commute to downtown Phoenix is still a pain, but we are able to carpool half way so it works out.

The last year also saw us starting some home improvement projects. Summer of 2012 we put in a pool and it has probably been the best upgrade to the house so far. We only got to swim in a few months last year so this spring we were anxiously checking the temperature until we could get in. While most people in Phoenix were probably dreading the 100 degree weather, I couldn’t wait to spend my day pool side.

Todd also started doing some projects inside the house. One of our amazing neighbors (thank you Tim!!!) spent a week helping Todd rip out our cheap linoleum and install tile. They did the kitchen/dining room together and then Todd was able to do our entry way and half bathroom by himself. My parents also came down to help us update our laundry room. My mom helped me paint and then Todd and my dad installed cabinets and a counter. We still have some more work to be done, but once everything is finished we will post some pictures.

I guess our biggest news of 2013 would be that we are expecting a little Baby Jaramillo in December! 

We couldn't be more excited for our biggest addition to our family. We have been taking weekly belly photos and I will do a complete recap of my first trimester soon.  It will be interesting to see how the “baby” of the family (Nunu) will adapt to the new addition. She has been pretty spoiled and enjoying her only child status.

Life has been good but busy for the last few years and we are only getting started! Stay tuned because we are back in a very big way.

-Mrs.J