2016 to 2017: The Year of Love and Shoulder Rests

I am a big sap. My husband, JB, can attest to this. We were in the car the other week, and I put on a new love song. It brought butterflies to my stomach all over again as I reflected on how much JB and I have been through and the life we’ve built together since our first winter together. I turned to him and said, “Is this our new love song?!” with smiley tears (you just had to be there to understand what those are) in my eyes. He laughed, rolled his eyes, and smiled at me as he always does. Because as he says, I bring color to his life, and that was another classic “cheesy Ruth” moment where I did just that.

But someone who isn’t quite as whimsical as I am would STILL think this is pretty amazing: JB and I got married exactly two years after I moved to Alaska, and I had no idea for the longest time that it was the same date. Also, Tuesday’s are special...I’ll talk about those. :) My plan with these next few posts is to recap one year at a time, starting from July 25, 2016 to July 25, 2017- our wedding day. Anyone who knows me (especially blessed JB) knows I can talk for hours without stopping...So pray for me.

The year was 2016. (Insert mystery book plot here). I wrote my final post in the Juneau chapter of my Alaskan adventure on July 25th and began my new life in Anchorage. My dear friend, Sophia, and I roadtripped up, and I was so excited for my new adventure in a “big city” (sorry, but it still doesn’t compare to the size of a city in the Lower 48!). A few weeks later was my 23rd birthday, and I found myself living alone for the first time, just days away from starting my first teaching job, making new friends, but missing home...even though I didn't really know where "home" was anymore.

Those first few months of living in a new place, truly learning how to drive (yes, yes, yes...the secret is OUT!), and dating, were tough and exciting. I missed my family and I missed the familiarity of Juneau and Chicago and anywhere else I had gone before. But I kept putting myself out there, went to Bible studies, made friends, got to know coworkers, and settled into my new life.

2016 to 2017 was marked with two big things: experiencing life as a first-year teacher, and meeting JB. I’ll leave JB for second- best for last. :)

Being a first-year teacher...well, if anyone reading this is a teacher, you know...it was rougheroni. I would come home at 4:30 and fall asleep for the night. I was stressed, I was staying up late doing lesson plans, learning how to play instruments on the job, and comparing myself to veteran teachers left and right. I definitely cried on the shoulder of an older teacher who came in to give me feedback one day. I also got pneumonia (which ties into my story with JB). But I also became really close with my students and grew in my knowledge of orchestra pedagogy like crazy.

I had a job for my first 3 years with the Anchorage School District where I traveled to 7 different schools throughout the week and taught 45-minute orchestra classes to sixth graders. All my students were brand new to playing violin, viola, cello, and bass. It was SO special to see them fall in love with their instruments for the first time! It was also really rough when certain classes felt like a scene from a horror movie, and students were ripping up referral sheets and refusing to go to the office. Or when students were punching each other in the face on the day my boss was observing me. You win some, and you really, really lose some...haha. I refused to give up, and I tried to win over every student every day. Most days it was exhausting and not what I expected when I thought about becoming a teacher, but I don’t regret a minute of it. And now I understand my teaching style...and how to hold a violin a lot better. Oh, and how to read the dreaded alto clef (sorry, viola-playing sisters, but alto clef is so weird!!).

My job was amazing, but I longed to meet my life partner and start a family so badly. So began a series of laughable, frustrating, ridiculous dates and experiences that led me to go online. I saw JB’s profile after 3 weeks of being on eHarmony and ChristianMingle- we were matched on both!- and was immediately floored by how much we had in common...both Jesus lovers, teachers, and joyful people. I messaged him and didn’t hear back for a few days. As soon as he messaged me he explained his subscription had run out but the site gave him a trial day to come back, and he saw my message and immediately reached out. So we messaged back and forth, and it was so clear to me that he is a man who follows God in faith out onto the scary waters- leaving his first career in sales to become a teacher, moving to Alaska to be with his family. It amazed me. We Skyped right around New Years Day of 2017, had our first date on January 10th, were engaged just four weeks later (haha!) on Valentine’s Day, and were married 5 months later on July 25, 2017.

We chose that date because it worked best for our families’ schedules while traveling to Alaska. I didn’t realize until reading back through old journal entries while we were engaged that we had chosen the date that was exactly 2 years after I moved to Alaska. I gawked and smile-cried, and JB rolled his eyes (and then smiled). We had our first date on a Tuesday and were married on a Tuesday. Our son, Ethan, was born on a Tuesday. Our older daughter, Emma...well, she was born on a Saturday...but we still love her just as much. And JB actually had forgotten that detail and did tell people Emma was also born on a Tuesday. Until I awkwardly corrected him in front of our friends. But it’s all so beautiful and makes me “smile cry” when I think about the beauty of it.

JB met me at a time where I was very much figuring out who I was on my own. I had trust issues and deep pain from past relationships. I was scared and excited to be a wife. And I never, ever thought I would fall in love with my future husband so quickly. But it was exactly like I have heard others say: “We just knew.” And I am so thankful for that because a lot of change, that quickly...phew, it took a while for me to catch up!

Up next: 2017-2018...A Year of Love, Change, and The Cutest Change of All