Happy New Year!

2010 is officially in full swing, and I am in awe of what's ahead of me this year. I know 2009 was a downer for many. The economy affected many I know through the loss of jobs, loss of homes, loss of credit and loss of loved ones.

A good friend of mine who had a pretty rotten 2009 admitted that she had a rough time when writing out her Christmas cards last year, because the only thing that went well for her family that year was in the area of finances.

"Given what's happened to everyone else in 2009, that's just not the sort of thing you can brag about," she said. So her Christmas cards were general and basic with hopes for 2010 to be better all around.

Brian and I were discussing 2009 over the weekend. We know it was a tough year for the nation in general. But even though we faced our own challenges over the year, it's hard for us to deny the incredible blessings we experienced throughout the year:

• We were married in a fairytale ceremony in the company of our dearest friends and relatives.
• I had the once-in-a-lifetime experience of coordinating media when First Lady Michelle Obama visited UC Merced.
• We discovered I was pregnant, despite being told such a feat was impossible without medical intervention.
• Brian was cast as Cogsworth in Playhouse Merced's production of "Beauty and the Beast," one of the best shows he's been in.

The year was far from perfect, but we really can't complain. We survived it relatively unscathed. And now we're looking ahead to 2010. This is going to be an equally big year for us, with a baby coming, increased involvement in our church and our first wedding anniversary all in the next few months.

I'm not doing resolutions this year but I do have goals. My primary goal is to enjoy life and my family. I love leading a busy life, but priorities are the key to harmony. When everything is urgent, nothing is important. I want to make sure I spend this year putting first things first. Everything else will fall into place after that.

And then we got married

Brian and I were married earlier this spring after a brief engagement. Something my health issues have taught me is that life is precious and time waits for no one. And something that Brian has taught me is that when something feels right, there is no reason to put off what is inevitable.

Our wedding was everything I have ever dreamed of -- it was original, fun and true to our personalities. We had a rockabilly-inspired ceremony and reception in my hometown. Aside from committing myself to Brian forevermore, my favorite part of the event was that we were able to support so many small business owners by hiring them to help out with the festivities.

Texas Roadhouse of Tracy catered the event, providing a sumptuous dinner of grilled chicken breast, broiled salmon, mashers and Caesar salad. Christy LoBao of Atwater made our polka-dot wedding cake and Portuguese pastries. Phaedra Rhodes of For Always Photography in Turlock photographed the event. Amber Tucker of Modesto led the style team to make sure our hair and makeup evoked the classic 1940s/50s era. Debby Carper of Denair made the bridal attire, including my oh-so-fun party dress. Lester Knox made Brian's titanium wedding band. Our flowers were provided by the Pitman High School OH Department, which enabled high school agriculture students to get valuable work experience while earning money to support FFA programs in Turlock. Pastor Shawn Marshall of Family Life Center in Stockton officiated the ceremony. Ann Jayne of Tracy designed our tablescapes and served as wedding coordinator.

We had fun, our guests and had fun, and Phae's incredible talent for photography ensured we have every minute documented forever.