My Life Update

Wow, I have not posted a blog in a long time. I guess that means life has been good or I have been too busy. I think it’s a combo of both. Let’s recap since May 2012, when I graduated from college.

Summer of 2012 was wonderful. It was the first summer I did not have a steady job. I spent the summer babysitting when asked because I wanted to be able to do job interviews anytime I was called.

I went to the beach a lot! I went with a family I babysit for, and my friend Jenny D!

I went on another sort of babysitting trip with Cassie & our friends, the Newkirks! 

I went with my, at the time, boyfriend and his family!

Lastly, I went with my brother and Tripp to visit my Florida family!  And yes, this is the best picture I have of the two of them.

Tripp & I also went to several weddings. The Bence wedding, the Holster wedding, & the Marwitz wedding. All of them were so wonderful! It was so much fun going to so many weddings with my love!

In the midst of the beach and the weddings, I interviewed at 5 different schools. On one of my beach trips, I received a call that I was to be the new 4^th grade teacher at Smokey Mountain Elementary! I was ecstatic! Thankfully, best roommate ever (aka Cassie Moore) was working very close to my school so were able to continue living together! We moved to the Villa, which was very nice and very expensive. But I am mostly glad we lived there.

From August to May, most of my life was taken up by school. Being a teacher is about 357 times hard than I thought it would be. The scary part is, I already thought It would be hard in the first place! I am so blessed to work with some amazing colleagues though! I learned so much and will probably need to post a whole blog simply on the joys and trials of teaching in America.

One last major life event happened. Tripp proposed to me on August 19^th! It was beyond perfect and I am just so blessed to have him in my life!

So aside from teaching, I spent the year planning our wedding. My mom was such a huge help! My dad and her did so many amazing things that Tripp and I are so thankful for!! I had some help from many others too. More on this later, I think.

My friend Becca got married in December! I was so honored to be a part of her special day!!

In February, I became the interim children’s coordinator at First UMC of Sylva. This was a great experience and I am thankful I was able to work so much with the children of the church. I had to leave the job a few weeks ago, because it was too much to do with teaching and we are now living somewhere else.

Also in February, Cassie and I moved to a different apartment in preparation for Cassie-moving-to-Asheville L I was so so so so so blessed to get to live with Cassie for so long. I am incredibly thankful for her and will always look to her as one of my best friends! But with the wedding coming up and with Cassie’s job aspirations, it made sense that we not live together after I was married and she really wanted to be in Asheville. I am so glad she got a job there and I know she is going to be an amazing manager of the Grand Bohemian one day J Some Cassie pics because we take such good pics!

At some point in April, Tripp & I ran a 5K with some wonderful friends and my sister! We ran it in 34 minutes!!! It was my first!

In May, Tripp graduated college! Cassie was moving out! I was finishing up the school year! My dear friend Miranda was married and I am so honored to have been a part of her special day too! 

On June 15^th, Tripp & were married. It was the best day of my life. I will write more about that later.

This summer, we both worked, we learned how to live together, and Tripp got a full time teaching job teaching choir in Andrews at a middle and high school. We moved to Bryson City, so he’d be a little closer to work, although he still has quite a commute.

Now these are all just highlights of the best year. Much, much more happened but I don’t have time to write about everything! I am starting my second year at SME in the same room and grade (YAY!) and Trippy is starting his job and God is still blessing us in so many ways! 

I will definitely be writing again soon!

--Nothing Without Him--

Jenny Lewis