::Joy is my middle name::: January 2010

I'm sitting here in my apartment thinking about the things I've learned in the past week while living in St. Louis. It was weird to put my clothes into a dresser instead of taking them out of a dresser.

I've learned persistence. I was so naive in thinking that it wouldn't take long to get a job. I applied at a few school districts and four Starbucks, only to be told "we don't need anyone right now" each time. So now I've everywhere from REI to Gap (3 Gaps, actually) to a little cupcake bakery down the street. Something will pop up... hopefully...

I've learned that even if the sky is gray, blue skies will come again one day. From the time we drove into the fog in Kansas to when we played golf on Sunday, we didn't see the sun... the fog just sat over St. Louis. But more than physical fog, last week I felt an emotional fog... not only did I miss Colorado and all the people I love there, but the move out east proved to be a bigger transition than I was expecting. After some time with Jesus on Sunday morning, a joyful afternoon on the golf course following church (it was fahhhreezing), and a great conversation with Marty that night, my spirits were lifted and I gained perspective on life in St. Lou.

I've learned that 9.5 times out of 10 the noises outside of my room aren't a creeper in my apartment... they're just coming from next door. Ohhh, apartment life. This is my first time living in an apartment... the walls are paper thin, the heat can't decide what to do, the shower will remain unmentioned, but it's home. Marty was so gracious in helping me make this place feel homey for the next four months. On Saturday, we found a thrift store where we got a food storage cabinet for $6 and barn stars for $1. I painted 5 red tulips on a white canvas. I have frames but no pictures to fill them and a lamp without a shade. But other than that, I'm settled.

I've learned that being able to date my boyfriend like any normal couple would do has made everything worth it. Last night was the first time Marty came over after work to hang out, make dinner, and spend some time together (I stayed at his parents' house for the first week before we had the chance to move me in to my place). And we'll try it out again tonight... dating like a real couple... who live 15 minutes apart. How great is that??

Last year absolutely flew by. It was a great year... a lot of change, growth, and exciting things. The Lessmanns have a family tradition of each person writing a list of their top ten favorites from the year... whether that be events, encounters, or even jokes. I was invited to write my own top ten and now I'm sharing it with you.

Annette's Top Ten of 2009

10. Having Fridays off.

I don't so much care that I only had four-day work weeks, but what was wonderful were the three-day weekends and the ability to travel. Seattle in February, California in March and June, Michigan in May and August, California again in November, and five trips to St. Louis. My favorite getaway was Seattle... the city is gorgeous and I loved walking around the Pikes Place Market, soaking up all of the sights and sounds of the bustling must-see part of downtown. The Michigan weekend was a quick road trip where five of us crammed into my CR-V and drove through the night to attend our friends' wedding on the Lake Michigan shore. It was exhausting but well worth it!

9. Persistence.

In January, I moved back in with my parents. I moved back into the town I grew up in, but it felt strangely different. It was lonely, yet refreshing. I knew that it was time to look for some sort of community, after being surrounded by good friends in college. First I thought I'd try the singles ministry at my church called "Fusion"... wrong idea. It was awkward, and even though they tried to make us think it wasn't a place the creepy old guys were going to find dates, it was. It was a one-time deal for this girl. Next, I tried a singles Bible Study. Why I thought I'd find good friends in the "singles crowd"... no idea. Again, it was a flop in finding friends. But the persistence paid off because I now know great people who are fun to be around and who add richness to my life. Some notable times with friends were rock climbing on the 4th of July in Estes Park, drinking sangria with college friends in September, and times after church with friends - old and new - during the summer. I think the persistence has been most rewarding. And although the friendships I had in college have changed, it's still so fun to get together with those people and hear about their lives. I've found the greatness that is New Belgium brewery... we go, wait an hour for a table, order the free beer, and drink it... but the very best part is the conversation that comes with the afternoon at the brewery. And persistence in finding new friends as well... I didn't stop looking for friends after the awkward night at Fusion, and I ended up meeting some pretty neat people. Maybe it isn't the friendships themselves that make this part of my year "top ten worthy"... but instead being forced to try something new.

8. Trying it once.

My attitude with new things has become "just give it a try"... whether that meant drinking a french press (which I admittedly neuter with creamer), peeing in the woods, flying Pops' plane, or tasting durian, I've learned that trying something just once usually shows me that I can do it and that I actually enjoy it. Except eating durian... I almost threw up and will not eat that stuff again. With that, I'm stinkin' proud of myself for conquering goals that I set earlier this year... even just earlier in the fall. For an example, Marty took me on a run in Faust Park in mid-September. I had barely run before and I felt like I was going to throw up. In my words, I "hated life". But just the other day we ran that same trail... and added more... and there were no thoughts of puking.

7. Caring for a one-year-old.

There were many days this year that I could honestly say, "I love my job!" I started caring for little Bjorn Martinsson back in January when he was just 10 months old and I've watched him grow into this spunky, opinionated, truck-loving, sweet little boy. Being a full time nanny is ridiculous... I mean, there were many days last summer when we spent the afternoons at the pool and many more days when we went for a long walk just because I wanted to. Although I'm ready to move on to bigger and better things -- and to St. Louis -- learning to care for Bjorn has been priceless. Just think, I've already screwed up enough times with him and so when I have my own kids one day, they just might turn out okay.

6. A little big church called Flatirons.

brian and randy... our awesome worship leaders

I am so thankful for my church, and being able to attend on a regular basis is definitely one of the highlights of my year. Flatirons is the kind of church where it's so big that if you didn't want to get to know anyone, you didn't have to. I had that attitude for a while... I kind of thought, "it's so big, why bother?" However, now I've gotten to a point where I do feel like I know people and can call them dear friends... which makes a church that size seem a bit smaller. The Lord has used different times at the church to speak to my heart specifically. In the late spring, they did a series on the parable of the sower. Looking back, I'm amazed by what I learned... my hard heart was softened through the process or learning what Jesus meant when he talked about those little seeds.

Back in May, I started playing on the worship team. Let me tell you, though, that I first thought about applying way back in January. The application sat in my room -- all filled out -- for nearly 5 months. Why I waited so long to start playing -- I have no idea. It is such a joy to use my gifts with other people using theirs. It is a joy to play with such great musicians. It is a joy to learn new things from two wonderful, humble men who lead our church in worship. And I'll be honest, the people who play on the team are really cool... I'm glad I get to call many of them my friends.

5. A wedding at Camp T.

In October, my best friend Jill Fowler married a guy she met up at Camp Timberline in 2008. It was sweet to get the "we're engaged" phone call in April, the "I need your help with ideas" phone calls during the summer, the "will you be my bridesmaid" phone call in August, and the "sex is awesome" phone call in October. The bridal showers before the wedding were exhausting (and expensive), but so worth it in the end after seeing Jill know how loved and supported she is. This really handsome guy from St Louis flew out to be my date for the October 3 wedding up at Camp. My strapless dress was in no way warm enough during the 4:00 ceremony. It was freezing. But the attitude of the weekend itself was warm and loving. Marty and I were able to see Camp Timberline in new ways... after working at the place for so long, it was nice to be a visitor.

4. Life with the Lessmanns.

I'm completely biased, but the Lessmanns are a family that everyone should know. Laughter resonates in the house and frisky reindogs sit in the front yard. Two buck chuck seems to make it's way to the counter and to our glasses every evening. Cathy and Gary are vicious croquet players yet excellent hosts. The little Lessmanns and Pritchards are so cute... and apparently they have a kid named Jackson living in the back yard. Kevin hates the little drummer boy and wonders why Mary would let someone play a drum when her newborn son is sleeping on a pile of hay. It's been a gift to get to know this family and to see all of the things that make them who they are. Highlights from the few months I've known this awesome clan are... dinner with Marty, Ryan and Gayle way back in July; sitting around the Pritchard's patio furniture while drinking homemade wine; dinner and airport rides with Gayle; Thanksgiving in Chesterfield; and the National Lutheran Choir concert on Marty's birthday.

3. 23 years old and living with my parents.

When I moved back into my parents' house in January, I had feelings of being inferior... not doing anything with my life... it felt childish. My attitude about it needed to change, so I realized that it was a great opportunity to grow closer in community with my mom and dad. I like eating dinner with them. I like fighting for time to make faces at Roma while she's on Skype. I even sometimes like going to my mom's store to help her out with decorating. I don't know why she asks for my help, she's a much better decorator than I am. I like that it's a cheap place to live. Heck, I like that the money I save by living at home is given to Southwest Airlines. I like that we share an excitement about church. When I was growing up, my dad didn't show much excitement for church... it was a weekly thing that we did, but he never seemed eager to go. I didn't doubt his relationship with the Lord, but I knew something was missing. He started going to Flatirons this year and quickly became passionate about the church, the teaching, and about what the Lord is doing through us. Thinking about having a dad who is finally excited about going to church has brought me to tears a few times... I love sharing the story with others because it's something I've wanted for so long.

2. The Littlest Versluys.

In late September, my sister in law had baby number three: Nora Jayne. Eric and Danielle asked me to be her godmother, which I proudly accepted. I flew to California in November to meet the sweet little girl. I enjoyed sitting with her and staring at her little face... I am truly amazed by the miracle that a little newborn is. She's a cute little kid so it's easy to ooh and aah over her.

1. A man named Moose.

Alright, sappy time. I wouldn't honestly be able to complete my top ten if I didn't tell you that falling in love with Marty Lessmann has been the highlight of my year. I didn't want to get all sappy with this top ten, but falling in love with Marty is the highlight of my year. First off, bumping into him in July was so unexpected. When I saw him for the first time at the ice cream parlor, I felt this "it's Marty" sense come over me... comfort, fun, smiles. As our friendship grew, I found myself increasingly excited to see him next. Being open and honest with him came so naturally; usually I'm not one to open up to people, but I wanted Marty to know me and I wanted to know him. August came and Marty asked me to be his girlfriend. Knowing that he had only dated one other gal, I knew this would be different and I was ready.

Long distance relationships aren't the easiest thing in the world. It's so hard to want to be with the person, but to have to wait. Although weekend visits are precious and so fun, they feel rushed. Learning to communicate was key. Marty is already so good at asking questions that talking to him wasn't hard. But I had to learn to accept the long distance for what it was because in it Marty was proving to be an amazing boyfriend... and soon became my very best friend. I can't tell you the moment I realized that I loved Marty, but it didn't take long. He is so kind and has the biggest heart... I feel blessed that he's chosen me! And now, I'm so happy to say that starting late-January, my new mailing address will be "University City, Missouri". Man, I'm ecstatic to even think about the fact that I'll see Marty on a near-daily basis.

Life with Marty is an adventure. He has a ginormous heart. He encourages me. He cares about me. He lifts me towards the Cross. I have so much fun with him. Not only do I appreciate who he is, but I appreciate who I am when I'm with him. And it's a bonus that he's so nice to look at. He's kept me on my toes, whether we were trail blazing in August, scavenger hunt and winery in September, canoe camping in October, enjoying a Bed and Breakfast in Ste. Genevieve in November, running in the snow in December...

I'm looking forward to learning more about Marty... experiencing life with him... falling more in love with him... and seeing where we are when we write 2010's Top Ten.

Blessings in this new decade!