welcome home, Lucy Grace!

Three weeks and about 12 hours after Lucy popped into the world, she finally came home! We're so grateful to the NICU team and our community for taking such good care of her (and us) on this journey. #nicugrad

lyric by MUTEMATH

welcome, Lucy Grace!

On April 26 at 6:17 a.m., our little Lucy Grace decided it was time to see the world, and she stole our hearts with all 5 pounds, 13 ounces, and 18 inches of her. Because she was in such a hurry to meet us, she's needed a little boost in the NICU to catch up. We're thankful she's healthy, and that she has such an incredible care team to help her come home soon! #lucygraces

thankful list | December 2016

01. our new holiday-scented candles (Candelles' Blue Spruce is the BEST tree scent!).
02. Hulu, for getting me through a sick day.
03. Astrid, for staying close.
04. Ian, for taking care of me.
05. amazing homemade lasagna and great conversation with our upstairs neighbors.
06. our REUNION family.
07. a road trip, because it's been too long.
08. Christmas music.
09. The Nutcracker (and seeing my coworker rock as a professional bassoonist).
10. bananas.
11. an evening volunteering at Perkins.
12. pizza afterward with our community group.
13. Kelly, for her generous loan of maternity clothes.
14. Ali, for helping knock out a big crazy project at work.
15. a Skype call with our Dominican friends.
16. a burger and fries at Tasty Burger.
17. yoga.
18. a kick.
19. lunch at Chick-fil-A.
20. a trip to the Kohler Signature Store to help us make decisions on our bathroom reno.
21. Sundays at REUNION.
22. Super Cluckin' Sundays, which never disappoint.
23. Soapwalla pregnant belly oil, and Follain for carrying it.
24. a fun office holiday party.
25. a glimpse of our baby via the magic of ultrasound. #itsreallyhappening
26. date night at Stellina.
27. our amazing support network.
28. Shake Shack fries after getting my brows did (because fried potatoes taste SO GOOD right now).
29. a great DR partnership visioning meeting.
30. a slumber party
31. bumping into a good friend when I was down about the snow ruining my plan for the day.
32. our Christmas gift exchange.
33. Ian's deep thoughtfulness in getting me a Kindle.
34. Sweet Cheeks biscuits with honey butter, to go.
35. a neighborhood Christmas party.
36. an extra-fun office holiday party with the site group.
37. talking copyediting at the office.
38. a cooperative baby + a clean bill of health at ultrasound take two (with lots more images!).
39. a good dentist appointment (and getting to share our news with the dentist office!).
40. a quick and easy flight to Kansas City (despite the pain of the early hour).
41. an incredible coffee cake muffin at Second Best.
42. laughs over a great book.
43. some time to rest and relax at Nathan and Sara's place.
44. knocking out some Christmas errands in Manhattan.
45. great quality time with family on the farm.
46. Grandma's potato sausage, dinner rolls, spritz, and strawberry rhubarb pie.
47. not having to drive all the way to Dodge City.
48. chicken fried steak at Nelson's Landing (with Nathan and Sara!).
49. catching up with Jordan, Brittany, and Grace over hot beverages (it's been too long).
50. hanging out with Ian's family.
51. catching up with Britni, my oldest friend, who also happens to be pregnant right now.
52. seeing Ren and Emily (even if it was just for a hot minute).
53. catching a movie with Aunt Susan.
54. Varsity Donuts.
55. getting to see Alli, Austin, and the kids.
56. coffee with Megan.
57. dinner and dessert with Caleb and Kate.
58. Nathan and Sara being gracious about our late night arrival.
59. seeing Karen, Jeremy, and Emma, and talking babies + parenting.
60. a really cool hotel for our anniversary weekend. #lastonebeforeweneedababysitter
61. dinner with Vern and Mark.
62. catching up on The Great American Baking Show.
63. a gem of a breakfast joint to kick off our anniversary right.
64. an afternoon at the Nelson-Atkins (ask us about the toddler who ran into the glass maze wall).
65. an all-out anniversary dinner at the Rieger.
66. the bartender at the Rieger, who mixed up some incredible mocktails.
67. Ian, always, but especially for living with my crazy.
68. nine years of marriage—I wouldn't trade a minute of it.

thankful list | November 2016

01. a good discussion at my reflection and planning meeting (i.e. semi-annual review at work).
02. an amazing community group.
03. turning on the Cubs game in the 5th inning to see them leading in Game 6.
04. wearing my Cubs hat at work.
05. an epic Game 7.
06. the improvement in my baseball comprehension, which made the game even more fun/stressful.
07. a broken curse and a Cubs win. #partylikeits1908
08. my Cubs hat, the wearing of which undoubtedly lead to the win. #itsonlycrazyifitdoesntwork
09. hearing Ian's Wrigley/Cubs memories from growing up.
10. an early bedtime after all that late-night game watching.
11. Harry Caray calling the final out in game 7 thanks to the magic of technology (Ian cried).
12. a slow Friday at the office.
13. an office pizza party.
14. REUNION's first ever marriage retreat, which was amazing!
15. homemade cast-iron skillet pizza.
16. a great message at REUNION.
17. not missing Super Cluckin' Sunday sandwiches (the Improper Bostonian made the line long this month).
18. an afternoon of lounging and reading, because we needed it.
19. a copyediting opportunity at work.
20. our community group, because we really needed each other Tuesday night.
21. friendships at work.
22. a reminder from a friend that I can still work to bring God's love and hope here, now.
23. a much needed date night to talk through the last 24 hours and what it means for us.
24. a night babysitting three of our favorite little people.
25. a night of Exploding Kittens with one of my favorite neighbors (thanks, Erin!).
26. after lots of hard work, a cleaned up yard.
27. a great day at REUNION, with the message I needed to hear.
28. time with friends.
29. Ian, especially for being so good at food.
30. successfully making Grandma's dinner rolls.
31. discussing, with our community group, what it means to be a good neighbor.
32. the annual Sasaki Thanksgiving potluck.
33. Cutty's for breakfast.
34. a good appointment.
35. a good copyediting challenge at work.
36. a DR partnership summit/slumber party with good friends.
37. birthday brunch to celebrate our dear friend Emily.
38. seeing her reaction when Brett said they were spending the rest of the weekend in Puerto Rico.
39. a lazy Sunday.
40. a big pile of firewood to get us through the winter (thanks, Ian, for stacking!).
41. finally getting back to yoga.
42. starting the extra long weekend just a little early.
43. a night of dreaming about our next home projects.
44. Ian elevating pasta, red sauce, and ground beef.
45. a few new Christmas things, including two new stockings. #Astridneedsone #planningahead
46. an amazing Friendsgiving.
47. chatting bathroom renovation with the Foxes, who are professional DIYers.
48. decorating for Christmas.
49.  Elf.
50. a beautiful Christmas tree (from Russo's!).
51. our official announcement (special thanks to Sara for being our photographer!).
52. a visit from the Nichols.
53. a husband who takes care of me when I'm under the weather.
54. brunch with an old friend, and meeting a new one.
55. Nutella Fluff ice cream at Toscanini's.
56. a Home Depot trip to look at tile for the bathroom (thanks, Foxes!).
57. Lord of the Rings (the extended version, obvi #nerdalert).
58. a good day at the office.
59. catching up on bookkeeping.
60. progress on bathroom renovation plans: Ian is in his element.
61. that mac and cheese that Ian made.
62. countless congratulations and well wishes.
63. a surprise gift basket at the office (I have the best bosses).
64. Dr. Seuss.

We're thankful for a lot this year...

...but especially our newest pair of (tiny) TOMS shoes. #may2017

thankful list | October 2016

01. breakfast with Ian's family.
02. Varsity Donuts. #donutsmakepeoplehappy
03. Bluestem Bistro.
04. errands in Aggieville.
05. bumping into Phil and Ashley at ACME.
06. a fun and beautiful wedding. #thejureyisin
07. another incredible sister-in-law. I finally have sisters, plural. #mindblown
08. family time.
09. sibling selfies.
10. brunch to send off the happy couple.
11. catching the UCC ONE service at City Park.
12. a fun crazy family lunch.
13. dinner with my oldest friend and her amazing family... it's been too long.
14. catching up with Grandma Marilyn and Susan.
15. a stroll around campus.
16. running into Willie the Wildcat.
17. Nathan and Sara for driving us back to the airport.
18. our community group.
19. leadership community and vision-casting for the future of our church.
20. brunch at Dorado with the Kurlbaums.
21. catching Grey's soccer game.
22. apple cider donuts and pumpkin shopping with the Kurlbaums.
23. a long but successful morning handing out new brand swag.
24. after months of planning, and a crazy day of prep, a successful brand launch party.
25. Mei Mei. heart eyes forever. #scallionpancakes
26. the dinosaur that showed up to dance.
27. IKEA meatballs.
28. a really, really good day.
29. a Stellina date thanks to a gift card.
30. a Toscanini's run.
31. watching the Pats game with friends.
32. discovering the Bears vs. Babies game on Kickstarter.
33. an amazing mother-in-law. (happy birthday, Micki!)
34. progress on our bedroom (another door painted! the last 10% of a project is hard...).
35. seeing a recap of the Sasaki fashion show entry.
36. a rainy day date night at Shake Shack.
37. Ian for knocking out yard work and planting things with hopes of a more beautiful spring.
38. clean windows.
39. Orinoco with some of my favorite ladies.
40. catching up with the Drs. Hu.
41. a Halloween party, costumes not required.
42. the cute (tiny) costumes that did show up.

#thejureyisin, or, the day Anna got her second sister

Caleb and Kate haven't been a thing as long as Nathan and Sara, but I think they've known each other longer. Their story involves unrequited high school love and bad timing, which just turned out to be God making sure that when they finally took a chance on a relationship, it would really work. I was so excited when Caleb told me he proposed, and we wouldn't have missed celebrating their wedding with them for anything!

We got into KC Thursday evening and stayed with Nathan and Sara for the night (they took advantage of this time to make us start watching Stranger Things). The next morning, we headed to Manhattan, arriving with enough time to sneak in a bite to eat and a pit stop at Danenburg Jewelers for a ring cleaning before ending up at Houston Street Ballroom to help decorate for the reception (yes, the same venue where Ian and I had our wedding reception, and we definitely reminisced). Caleb and Kate had a vision, but they kept everything super chill, which was fantastic for all of us enlisted to help make it happen. We finished up with plenty of time to decorate the church before the rehearsal. We were pleasantly surprised to find our our friends Ben and Storm were providing the ceremony music, and had lots of fun catching up!

After the rehearsal, we headed to the Jardine complex (where Ian and I lived his last year of school, more memories), to the student-run restaurant that was hosting the rehearsal dinner. (This was followed by more episodes of Stranger Things at the hotel.)

The day of the wedding, we got up early, picked up breakfast at Varsity Donuts, and spent some time with Grandma Marilyn, Susan, and Dane and Micki (who were in town for the wedding). We're so thankful we were able to squeeze in some time with the Scherling family too!

After running some errands, we got ready and headed to the church. The wedding was beautiful and so personal! After family photos, we stopped at Chick-fil-a for a quick bite, and then headed to the reception. Arrow Coffee catered the desserts and drinks, and wow, was that food good! We had so much fun hanging out, dancing, and generally being silly (see selfies below). All in all it was an incredible evening, and my amazing sister count is up to two! CRAZY!





Sidenote: I realized too late that I took a grand total of seven photos. Caleb, I'm sorry that my sibling wedding photography mirrors the trajectory of what Mom did with our high school graduation floral arrangements. I love you. Promise.

Sunday, Caleb and Kate hosted a quick brunch and then headed off to Austin for their honeymoon!

We stuck around Manhattan for another day, spending more time with family, catching up with old friends (Britni, Joe, Spencer, so good to see you!), and lecturing at K-State... okay, the last one was just Ian. He's kind of a big deal. #soproud

Before we knew it, we were on our way back to Kansas City, and Nathan and Sara were driving us to the airport (after sharing their Netflix info so we could actually watch the last episode of Stranger Things... it's only fair since it's their fault we were addicted).

Caleb and Kate, we're so glad you found each other. Kate, welcome to the family! We love you both!

thankful list | September 2016

01. a night to veg in front of the TV.
02. Astrid's belly.
03. lunch from Meat Spot.
04. friends to watch the K-State game with (and commiserate with about the loss).
05. seeing a low-flying helicopter for the crazy story it makes (training? movie filming?).
06. a beautiful wedding. #doubletheprice (Congrats, Magen and Jonathan!)
07. a fun night with some of our best friends.
08. Astrid sleeping at the foot of our bed again.
09. a message at church that was exactly what I needed to hear.
10. a brunch date at Aquitaine.
11. knocking our errands and feeling prepared for the week. (woot meal planning!)
12. a new planter in the bathroom.
13. exploring one of Ian's project sites.
14. rediscovering our book of NY Times crossword puzzles.
15. bacon-silog.
16. Ian, for getting the rice to "crispin up."
17. Astrid's paw dangling while she naps on the radiator.
18. getting started on plaster repair in the bedroom
19. a kitchen restyle that feels like a new kitchen (with way more countertop space).
20. homemade bread.
21. Ian's amazing cooking skills (and that incredible cobb salad).
22. a quiet evening to relax and catch up.
23. an official office visit to Russo's (for party planning purposes).
24. Super Cluckin' Sunday with friends we don't get to hang out with very often.
25. good news
26. finding a good new brow stylist (after my previous one moved).
27. ice cream at the office.
28. an office book swap.
29. a project to keep me busy while Ian is away: painting our bedroom.
30. the promise of a can of paint.
31. the Chronicles of Narnia Radio Theatre and the YHL Has a Podcast to keep me company.
32. dinner with friends.
33. a night watching high school football. ahhhh, memories.
34. a freshly painted bedroom. (so good I almost forgot how hard it was painting solo. almost.)
35. relaxing after a job well done.
36. Ian getting home in time to partake in the relaxing.
37. a new L.L. Bean comforter cover.
38. a community group hangout night.
39. drinks to celebrate Danielle's new tattoo.
40. babysitting Rowan.
41. discovering Fiorella's Express (#dangerous).
42. a morning on the Cape.
43. Simple Matters.
44. a neighborhood block party.
45. meeting a friend's new baby.
45. REUNION's annual Viva La Picnic.
46. a productive DR partnership discussion.
47. a good farewell lunch for an awesome coworker who's starting a new adventure.
48. Astrid sending us off to Kansas by snuggling on the bed.
49. a good flight to Kansas City.
50. pizza and ice cream with Nathan and Sara.
51. lunch at Bourbon and Baker before diving into wedding reception decorating.
52. a surprise wedding gift from our jewelry store to pass along to the happy couple.
53. Caleb and Kate being so chill about wedding decorating.
54. a good rehearsal.
55. seeing our good friends Ben and Storm.
56. a delicious rehearsal dinner and good time with family.

thankful list | August 2016

01. a fantastic grocery store.
02. a quiet night at home to catch up on life.
03. the DR team making it home safely.
04. safety for our friends in a serious car accident (they walked away unscathed).
05. party planning at the office.
06. the annual office summer barbecue.
07. an evening chatting service trips over dinner with a couple coworkers.
08. a quiet day at the office to catch up on work.
09. falling asleep to the Olympics.
10. the weekend.
11. a morning on the Cape (Ian shellfishing, me reading).
12. the beach.
13. lunch at Pain D'Avignon.
14. Katie's ice cream (although we were sorely missing Grandma Judy).
15. progress in planning our front yard project.
16. breakfast with friends to hear DR stories.
17. REUNION.
18. Super Cluckin' Sunday with friends I've missed!
19. solid progress on a couple work projects.
20. a night to catch up around the house.
21. old friends who are now officially new neighbors.
22. assembling a mini style guide at the office (copyediting nerd alert).
23. decluttering.
24. tomatoes in our garden.
25. seeing Stu (he's famous but always makes you feel like the most important person in the room).
26. a good debrief and next steps planning with our fearless DR partnership co-leaders.
27. catching up around the house.
28. babysitting Annie.
29. a good day at REUNION, with a good message about worry.
30. a long Sunday afternoon nap.
31. tacos and deep conversation with Sara.
32. central air (thanks, Sara!).
33. watching the Great British Baking Show finale at the office.
34. despite it not looking pretty, my chocolate loaf cake tasting delicious.
35. after running around the city looking for a side table, finding a good solution for the living room.
36. babysitting for three of our favorite littles.
37. knocking out errands.
38. a walk around Fresh Pond with Ryan and the Girlbaums.
39. a breakfast date at Sofra.
40. cooking lobsters (and crab cakes) with Nate.
41. K-State Day at Fenway.
42. good dinner and conversation with a fabulous coworker.
43. an evening painting party to help our friends get ready to move in a few blocks away.
44. living so close to so many good friends.
45. discovering an incredible cast-iron skillet pizza recipe (thanks, Bomin!).

thankful list | July 2016

01. a quiet day in the office, heading into a long weekend.
02. brownie chips for my birthday breakfast (thanks, Oaks!).
03. Ian's birthday gift: a 3D printed planter he made himself and a pencil cactus.
04. lunch at Roxy's.
05. an afternoon full of my favorite stores (Niche! David's Tea!)
06. a drive along the Charles River with the windows down and Mutemath blasting.
07. ice cream at Toscanini's.
08. an evening at the Middle East to watch our friend compete at air guitar.
09. a great morning at REUNION.
10. time to prep for our birthday slash Independence Day party without too much stress.
11. time with so many people we love dearly.
12. Ian's new grill, for cooking up great burgers.
13. watching fireworks in Waltham (we were so close, I had firework bits in my hair).
14. getting home in time to watch the Boston fireworks on TV.
15. heading back to Brookline to celebrate a friend's birthday.
16. snacks from Sofra.
17. a great DR teambuilding meeting.
18. Follain.
19. REUNION's Live It Out event (we spent the morning working along the Charles River).
20. the Live It Out afterparty picnic.
21. hors d'oeuvres at Branch Line.
22. Astrid's cuteness.
23. a fancified laundry area, thanks to a new rug and trash can.
24. lunch after church with a good friend.
25. an evening hanging out with our community group.
26. construction signs for the new office chicken coop.
27. outdoor movie night at the office.
28. dinner with the Drs. Hu (who we don't see as often as we'd like).
29. Shake Shack and successful errands.
30. a DR team sendoff at REUNION.
31. brunch with a new friend.
32. ice cream.
33. a beautiful evening walk through Christian Science Center.
34. a successful DR trip packing party.
35. ending up with all the trip supplies despite a few snafus.
36. dinner by the water with our new friend.
37. seeing the DR team off at the airport (we did it!).
38. a much needed date night at our beloved Orinoco.
39. a friend's birthday party at Sweet Cheeks.
40. those biscuits.
41. old friends moving in down the street.
42. after a fiasco with a clothing purchase, getting everything sorted out.
43. Ian, always.

thankful list | June 2016

Life felt a bit overwhelming in June, so I'm clinging to this list a little harder.

01. an amazing community group
02. lunch along the river with Ian.
03. all the water fowl that hilariously at my leftover bread.
04. a successful day of errands.
05. a (more) complete capsule wardrobe (flipped to summer!).
06. Super Cluckin Sunday.
07. a Russo's fueled cooking extravaganza with friends.
08. a good DR team meeting.
09. a quick breakfast with Kelly.
10. a good dental appointment.
11. shopping at the Brookline Trader Joe's, for old time's sake.
12. strawberry fusilli with homemade basil.
13. a mostly painless trip to the vet for Astrid (just a minor ear infection).
14. our explosion of ferns.
15. a final weekend on the Cape before our family officially moves.
16. Roxy's on the drive.
17. hanging out with Pfluff and Ming.
18. our first trip to Martha's Vineyard.
19. peonies.
20. crab cakes.
21. warm sand and ocean waves.
22. ice cream at Katie's with Grandma Judy.
23. compost planning at the office.
24. yoga.
25. a great late night chat with Micki.
26. after one of the craziest mornings at the office maybe ever, time with family.
27. Ian (happy birthday!)
28. rest.
29. a new house in the Denver area.
30. lunch at Centro and Finding Dory with Micki and Grandma Judy.
31. a grapefruit rosemary spritzer.
32. time to plan a belated surprise birthday party.
33. brunch at The Kitchen.
34. strolling on Pearl Street.
35. the guys (and kitties) arriving safely in Colorado.
36. brunch as a family (Em, we missed you!).
37. my dads (original and in-law!).
38. old photos.
39. talking to Grandma on what would have been Grandpa's 95th birthday.
40. a comfortable bed.
41. the movers (so we didn't have to do the heavy lifting).
42. quality time with Ren.
43. time for Ian and I to sneak out to see Finding Dory (yes, again).
44. made beds and a (somewhat) put together kitchen.
45. the almost two years of living so close to family.
46. safe flights.
47. not getting stuck overnight in JFK.
48. our own bed.
49. G and H's attempts to coax Astrid out from under the bed.
50. the joy of 1600+ balloons in the Sasaki Gallery.
51. a quiet evening.
52. Ryan and Kelly, for all their help in pulling off Ian's surprise birthday party.
53. pulling off the surprise part (because I'm a terrible liar).
54. all the friends who helped make it amazing.
55. strawberries, especially in Smitten Kitchen's strawberry summer cake.
56. an all-afternoon Sunday nap.
57. clean laundry.
58. Astrid.
59. The Hulu app on our TV. game changer.

thankful list | May 2016

01. post-wedding brunch at Nathan + Sara's house.
02. lunch with my parents.
03. hanging out with Karemy and Emma: we picked up where we left off, with one small addition.
04. driving by some of our favorite KC spots
05. dinner with mom and dad.
06. breakfast with Megan and Ollie.
07. a short, quick flight home.
08. a clothing swap with co-workers, which are always fun.
09. a birthday party for G, who turned four (what?!).
10. REUNION's leadership community.
11. a Home Depot and lunch run to prep for the afternoon.
12. a freshly painted kitchen (thanks, Micki!).
13. Toscanini's to celebrate.
14. a good morning at REUNION.
15. Mother's Day brunch at Sofra with Micki (Mom, I wish you could have been there too!).
16. a drizzly trip to Mount Auburn Cemetery.
17. a free repair for loose stitches on my favorite jeans.
18. unexpectedly finding the pendant light we wanted for the kitchen after it looked discontinued.
19. an impromptu dinner date at Tiger Mama.
20. the pig rice at Tiger Mama.
21. a Skype session with Luis and Torre: so good to see those faces.

22. celebrating our friend Ryan finishing his AREs.

23. Astrid lounging by our feet in the wee hours of the morning.
24. a fun multi-family rummage sale.

25. extra space after selling some old furniture that wasn't working in our new place.

26. a sidewalk chalk mani/pedi from two tiny nail technicians.
27. Nate, for helping us sand the garage doors in preparation for paint.

28. $2 meatball subs at Joe's.

29. beautiful spring weather.
30. a big setup team at REUNION that allowed us to handle some extra work with no stress.

31. knocking out the primer coat on the garage doors.

32. a hot shower after working in the cold (with Kansas wind).

33. an early bedtime.

34. safe travels for Ian on his business trip to Virginia.

35. getting my favorite jeans back after repairs.

36. a pit stop to see Ian's project under construction at Bristol Community College.
37. introducing Grandma Judy to Google Cardboard.
38. a fundraiser with Micki on the Cape... the entertainment was hit or miss, but the company wasn't.
39. lunch with Grandma Judy.
40. beach hopping.
41. a walk through the artist shanties in Hyannis.
42. Katie's ice cream.
43. grocery shopping at Wegmans.
44. freshly painted garage doors.
45. fun treats for Astrid (because our failed attempt to take her in for a nail trim required an apology).
46. Micki and Judy driving to Boston for the long weekend.
47. lunch at Cutty's.
48. a visit to the Gardner (their first), with a fresh look at old masterpieces.
49. an afternoon at the Crane Estate.
50. overcast weather for a quick beach stroll.
51. dinner at the Clam Box.
52. a family trip to the Harvard Museum of Natural History.
53. a parking spot in Cambridge (Ian had to hunt for a while).
54. the Blaschka glass collection being back on exhibit (after a haitus for restoration).
55. lunch at the Bon Me food truck.
56. dinner with friends at a new restaurant.

S plus N, or, the day Anna got her first sister

It feels like Nathan and Sara have been together forever, but records show it's only been about five years. I still remember when my family came to visit us in Boston and Nathan told us he had started dating someone. We knew it was serious even then, and their relationship has survived so much, including two years of long distance and a huge semi-DIY gut renovation of a sweet old house that needed a lot of love. We're so proud and thrilled that they've made it to this milestone, and we're so thankful we were able to celebrate with them!

We got into town Thursday morning before the wedding, and after lunch, Nathan debriefed me on all of the reception decorations details, because he was putting me in charge of ensuring their vision was executed (pressure!). We took care of all the flower arrangements that afternoon, with plenty of time to enjoy a cookout with Sara's family that evening.

The next day, we headed to the church to start decorating. Dad and Nathan left the hotel early, per Nathan's detailed timeline. Caleb, mom, Ian, and I soon followed, but due to a miscommunication, first arrived at the reception venue, then the police station across from the church. But we finally made it, and spent the entire day (with an amazing pizza break for lunch) turning the church's youth room into a wedding venue. Mission accomplished with plenty of time to prepare for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner (from Anna's Oven, which Nathan and Sara have been telling us we need to try for the years, and yes, it was worth the hype).

The next morning, we headed to the reception venue (we had no trouble getting there since we already practiced the day before) and got started with the decorations. We had a small army, and thankfully everything was almost finished and Nathan-approved by the time he and the groomsmen had to head out to get ready. We finished up the details (including a chalkboard sign Ian rocked and chilling all of the fun an obscure bottled sodas hand-picked by the bride and groom), and then grabbed lunch before heading back to the church to get ready.

The wedding was beautiful, we took some great family photos, and then headed to the reception. The details really made the space, the food was delicious, Sara's dad and the wedding party gave great speeches, and we had so much fun in the photo booth and on the dance floor. It was definitely a night to remember!

The next day, we had a family + wedding party brunch for gift opening, and then they took off for Colorado, while we enjoyed a little more time with family, and squeezed in a couple visits with some dear friends we miss. We even got to meet a new baby (congrats Karen and Jeremy!). And Megan kindly drove us to the airport after meeting up for breakfast the next morning.

It was a quick trip, but we're so thankful we could celebrate with them, and that they got hitched without a hitch. Sara, welcome to the family. We love you!

See the rest of our photos on Flickr. And don't miss their (way better than mine) official wedding photos!

thankful list | April 2016

01. Ian's bite-sized DR talk at the office (and the $2,356.01 our coworkers have given over the years).
02. REUNION slide creator training (because more help!).
03. figure skating on TV.
04. REUNION.
05. Super Cluckin' Sunday at Cutty's.
06. figure skating IRL (#worlds2016).
07. a great local grocery store.
08. Comedor with our dear friend Nate.
09. Tasty Burger — get the rise n' shine.
10. our second DR team meeting.
11. a visit from Micki.
12. another breakthrough with Astrid (hanging out in the kitchen, not under a table!).
13. a visit to IKEA.
14. a new sofa that makes our living room infinitely more functional.
15. a day to catch up on all our errands.
16. Tenoch after church with friends.
17. Sunday ice cream at Toscanini's.
18. a trip to Follain to restock some basics (they're so helpful and have such great stuff!).
19. no longer having to manage our office loaner laptops!
20. date night at Branch Line.
21. a successful nail trim appointment for Astrid.
22. a new laser pointer that works.
23. a pretty good first loaf of sourdough sandwich bread.
24. an UNDERØATH show with friends.
25. Astrid sleeping at the foot of the bed — she's still nervous, but so wants to be near us.
26. another marathon, and seeing the city at its best.
27. dinner with some of my best friends (who I don't see as often as I'd like!).
28. a good local library.
29. another trip to Comedor with a college friend who happened to be in town.
30. Shake Shack. I love me a ShackBurger with cheese fries.
31. ice cream at Katie's.
32. a great weekend on the Cape, squeezing in family time and the sights.
33. Cape Cod beaches.
34. an appreciation lunch for operations staff at work.
35. a fast and easy flight to MCI.
36. sushi with family.
37. an afternoon assembling flower arrangements and downloading the wedding decor plan.
38. a giant bride + groom family dinner.
39. a successful day of prepping the church for the wedding.
40. the pizza that showed up for lunch. SO GOOD.
41. a delicious rehearsal dinner (from Anna's, finally, after hearing about it for years).
42. a successful morning of decorating for the reception.
43. a not-so-great fast food lunch with  good company and good laughs.
44. getting semi-lost in KC with my other future sister-in-law, meaning extra time to hang out!
45. a beautiful wedding!
46. my first sister!
47. a beautiful reception!
48. seeing family and friends we love dearly.
49. meeting baby Emma.
50. Ian, my forever wedding date.

thankful list | March 2016

01. hosting a community group friend for dinner.
02. our amazing community group.
03. Sara introducing me to Neko Astume: I'm not into phone games, but I couldn't resist kawaii kitties.
04. having A. Fox over for dinner.
05. leadership community.
06. lunch at Mei Mei with Enid (and a fun conversation about the Spanish language).
07. Danielle's birthday high tea at L'Espalier.
08. Winsor Dim Sum with our beloved Drs. Hu.
09. bubble tea for dessert.

10. breakfast with Kelly.
11. a successful errand run for pet supplies and groceries.
12. deviled tea eggs at Bon Me for said successful errand run.

13. a quick trip to town hall to get a cat license for Astrid (she's officially a resident!).
14. time with Micki and Grandma Judy.
15. rain inadvertently creating a temporary office art installation of colorful umbrellas.

16. a little reminder of home, with a group of K-Staters in the office for a tour.
17. new lights for our entryways.
18. Toscanini's.
19. REUNION.
20. Cutty's Super Cluckin' Sunday.
21. pulling off our DIY cat scratching post.
22. Meat Spot, because it's good to be known at a lunch spot.
23. a March Madness watch party at the office (mostly for the BBQ — thanks, Trey!)
24. an evening at Symphony Hall with a few of my favorite friends.
25. a road trip to New Hampshire to see the Nichols!
26. a (short) hike with the kiddos.
27. dinner with the grownups at Worthy Kitchen.
28. more catching up over post-dinner drinks, because we always wish we had more time with them.
29. King Arthur Flour, where I picked up sourdough starter. #aspiringbaker
30. a great library in easy walking distance.
31. successfully awakening my sourdough starter (it sounds like I adopted an alien).

21. a text letting me know that G randomly burst out how much she loves me.
26. the first photo of Astrid out of hiding.
27. figuring out the right frames for our gallery wall.
28. Easter with family (and friends!) on the Cape.
29. the beach.
30. finally getting our Make Good Old Try print framed (at the Framer's Workshop).
31. a new TV, which ended our months-long frustration of traffic interfering with our signal. #cutthecord
32. a house guest who's finally back from a year-long adventure (we're counting down to Danielle's return).

thankful list | February 2016

01. soup club at the office, for the good food and the good company.
02. close proximity to a good library.
03. our community group.
04. a REUNION baptism celebration.
05. a date at Blackbird Doughnuts.
06. strolling through Niche. #crazyplantlady
07. hosting Kerwin for dinner (do you really have to move to California?).
08. hosting a Super Bowl party.
09. living so close to so many good friends
10. an apology painting from G (for missing our party because she acted up at naptime).

11. dinner at Tasty Burger.

12. our first DR team meeting (people showed up despite the snow!)
13. a weekend in Vermont with friends.
14. a big cozy lodge with a roaring fire to ward off record low temperatures.
15. Pizza at The Blue Stone.
16. a stop at Ben and Jerry's.
17. watching boiling water turn into snow when thrown outside in said low temps.
18. a Valentine's Day date at the Cabot Visitor Center.
19. a Valentine who knows my love language is cheddar cheese.
20. an evening in our old stomping ground.
21. dinner at Dorado.
22. watching the Oscar-nominated animated shorts with Ian (our oldest tradition).
23. the guys at Meat Spot.
24. a Skype with the Oaks (counting down to seeing them in person again).
25. a two-year-old birthday party (we love you, H!).
26. the Medfield Animal Shelter.
27. our new cat (she's still skittish terrified, but purrs like crazy when you pet her).
28. community group brunch.
29. the best pizza ever (with sausage and eggs, because brunch).
30. a night with friends at the Warren family taco truck.

thankful list | January 2016

01. more time with Grandma Marilyn (and Susan and Debbie).
02. podcasts for a long drive (any Limetown fans out there?).
03. a visit with Uncle Jim.
04. a glimpse of Manhattan's Light Festival.
05. an evening of YouTube videos at Nathan and Sara's (almost) finished renovation.
06. seeing Winston again (thanks, Joey!).
07. KC barbecue.
08. catching up with Megan (everyone else, we'll catch you in 2016!).
09. board games, to console after a disappointing bowl game.
10. a quick direct flight home.
11. catching Super Cluckin' Sunday (to date, we've only missed one — for our now home's open house).
12. a visit from neighbors, one a little Elsa who played tiny football with Ian.
13. catching up on Castle.
14. sleeping in our own bed again.
15. getting back into our routine.
16. delicate snow flurries out the window (because snow makes cold more bearable).
17. new clothes, because I was feeling the shortage in my minimalist wardrobe.
18. a save the date magnet for April (counting down to my first official, legal sister!).
19. yoga, especially after the holidays.
20. flowers from Ian, because white spider mums are perfect for winter.
21. time with Micki.
22. a short work week.
23. a new light in our dining room.
24. a new episode of Sherlock.
25. a chimney inspection (one step closer to using our fireplace).
26. laughing with Ian.
27. a copyediting project at work.
28. an evening at Lesley, for Amy's graduation reading (she's incredible!)
29. info sessions for the 2016 DR trip.
30. community group.
31. a lost earring found (because the pair was a gift from Ian).
32. an evening with Kristin & Co.
33. play-doh at REUNION, to remind us we were meant to be creative.
34. hanging out with G + P before community group (babysitting success!).
35. a weekend on the Cape.

thankful list | December 2015

01. a good dentist appointment (thanks again for fluoride treatments, Mom!).
02. figuring out how to decorate our new place for Christmas.
03. candlepin bowling with REUNIONers.
04. Super Cluckin' Sunday, always.
05. a farewell dinner for a friend moving to LA (Jeff, don't forget us when Night Lights blows up).
06. surprising friends with dinner when they had to cancel on a work holiday party. #kidcrisis
07. a K-State Christmas party.
08. making a gingerbread house with G.
09. Advent Conspiracy.
10. a Star Wars marathon (episodes IV-VI) with amazing brunch (thanks J&E!).
11. cheese curds straight from Wisconsin. #lovethatsqueak
12. our Christmas tree at night.
13. the office holiday party.
14. photobooths with Ian. #wewinallthephotobooths
15. a morning in Coolidge Corner thanks to an eye appointment.
16. meeting new people at a friends' Christmas party.
17. dinner with some amazing ladies before heading home for the holidays.
18. a visit to Manhattan.
19. Varsity Donuts... especially d is for donut and the one that's like a Caramel deLite.
20. hot beverages at Bluestem.
21. a pit stop at the Bill.
22. sunset on the family farm.
23. a barn full of cats.
24. Lyssna with Grandma (because we couldn't manage to stay up for the Julotta).
25. time with family (even though Ian got sick).
26. watching our canine nephew, Chance, make friends with a barn kitten.
27. snow changing our travel plans, meaning an unexpected and fantastic car ride with mom.
28. dinner at Jiffy Burger. #eatallthecheeseballs
29. an evening in my hometown.
30. Christmas with Ian's family.
31. a trip to Hobby Lobby with Grandma Marilyn.
32. an awesome anniversary with my favorite person.
33. an unexpected and delicious anniversary dinner at Pho Hua in Garden City.
34. Freddy's frozen custard for dessert.
35. eight years of marriage: harder and better than I could have imagined.
36. Ian. Always.

thankful list | November 2015

01. a fun afternoon date with Ian and Shake Shack, driving through the 'burbs.
02. starting Sherlock from the beginning, with Ian.
03. Ian enjoying Sherlock (almost) as much as I do.
04. a Royals win (we're so happy for them, and for Grandma Judy, who popped champagne).
05. finalizing our flights home for Christmas.
06. winning (!!!!) the preorder drawing for a limited-edition Young House Love shiny rhino.
07. after a snafu with my preorder, finally getting my copy of Lobster is the Best Medicine.
08. a REUNION baptism celebration.
09. Super Cluckin' Sunday, which never disappoints.
10. drawing unicorns on the giant chalkboard wall at the offices with O.
11. Skyping with the Vargas family.
12. a long weekend in Tennessee.
13. a coffee shop with coconut hot chocolate and good eats to get some work done.
14. lunch with our good friend Drew, who moved to Nashville to start a cool tech company.
15. catching up with Remily.
16. also meeting our furry nephew and niece, Charlie and Violet.

17. a date at the East Tennessee History Museum, followed by a wander of downtown.

18. a fancy double date at Stock & Barrel.

19. meeting Ren's coworkers.

20. amazing treats at Magpies, courtesy of Emily.
21. Chick-fil-a (I'm realizing comfort food features strongly in my thankful lists...)
22. learning all about moonshining (fascinating, even if it isn't my new beverage of choice).
23. a crazy night of Cards Against Humanity (I can't say the game creators didn't warn us...).
24. lunch at Chandlers, because we were told you can't not go.
25. finding a cool new park, which felt like District 12.
26. watching Spectre with Remily.
27. the annual Sasaki Thanksgiving potluck (lots of fun while supporting a local food bank!).
28. a roaring fire at community group (and great people to share it with).
29. a visit from the Nichols family (which included bubbles and pajamas).
30. time with the Aguilars, who are now serving full time in the DR (so time together is extra special).
31. finding a bunny in the front yard.
32. hosting our first Thanksgiving dinner in our new digs.
33. seeing a large rafter of turkeys at Mount Auburn Cemetery.
34. the entire rafter of turkeys congregating around our car with the "turkey assemble" call Ian found online.
35. shopping for our first ever real Christmas tree (thanks, Russo's!).

thankful list | September + October 2015

01. a good first condo association meeting.
02. Dinner and ice cream with Grant, visiting from SF (we miss you!).
03. an interesting project a work.
04. a DR trip barbecue, to catch up with friends.
05. a Skype call with the Vargas family.
06. Dane and Ian turning an old broom closet into a shiny (tiny) pantry.
07. Super Cluckin' Sunday.
08. a great phone call with Grandma.
09. a fancy event at the office.
10. catching up with the Oaks after the first half of their global adventure.
11. a walk through Mount Auburn Cemetery.
12. the REUNION Viva La Picnic!
13. a leisurely breakfast with our house guests before heading to work.
14. the Oaks knocking out some painting for us.
15. cozy sweaters.
16. pizza in the fridge.
17. Sherlock.
18. catching up with Drew.
19. dinner with the Drs. Hu.
20. Roxy's for dinner.
21. a date to see MUTEMATH, front and center, with my favorite person.
22. REUNION friends, who totally understood our late night, despite the early morning.
23. my favorite TV shows to keep me company when Ian travels for work.
24. an overall good report from our Mass Save energy audit.
25. the energy companies covering a big chunk of the only thing we need: exterior insulation.
26. a trip to Wilson Farm with good friends for decorative gourds and cider doughnuts.
27. Super Cluckin' Sunday with new friends (and a five-loaves-two-fish moment).
28. successful completion of operation paint the dining room phase one.
29. a visit from mom and dad.
30. rambutan.
31. a trip to the Cape with mom and dad (their first).
32. the cranberry harvest celebration.
33. beach time with double the family.
34. taking dad to Russo's.
35. mom's chicken adobo.
36. community group.
37. installation of our Nest thermostat (dreams really do come true; also, yay rebates!).
38. the third annual chili and pumpkin carving event.
39. Grey's excitement for gutting pumpkins.
40. lunch with an awesome coworker.
41. dinner at Alden & Harlow with a couple of my favorite ladies.
42. a super productive weekend in putting the house together.
43. our new bed frame.
44. a dining table.
45. Swedish meatballs (thanks, IKEA).
46. finally finishing the paint job in the dining room.
47. FaceTime, so Ian and I could watch the Royals game together, 300+ miles apart.
48. holding down the community group fort in the absence of our fearless leaders.
49. celebrating Micki's birthday while watching the Royals.
50. awesome sushi costumes for a Halloween party.
51. a husband who was excited to make my sushi costume dream come true.
52. a fun Halloween party.
53. a Royals win (#takethecrown): just one more to make Grandma Judy pop champagne.
54. Ian, always.