Whirlwind

Can it really be January 12?!

With the whirlwind of life lately we have had many memorable moments this past month.

Christmas was amazing and we are grateful we were able to see so many family and friends in Utah. Sadly, the time went by too fast and before we knew it we were on our way back to Chicago.

Since being home we have survived Chiberia (days of extreme negative temps), a couple blizzards, celebrated my birthday, and attempted to get back to our routine.

Due to extreme cold and fears of frostbite, we have had time to reflect on this last year and so feel slightly obligated to list some of our favorites from the past year.

Mrs. Bluth's contributions:

3. Exploring Chicago by foot
While I contemplated listing moving to Chicago, I decided with exploring Chicago. The move was challenging and changed my life, but the move is what has lead us to create many memories. We have walked many parts of this city and tried to go to every free activity available, but still have many more corners to explore. This year has been just one of the many of the Bluth's explorations and it was great to do so much by foot.

2. Going to church in an elementary school
As much as I can't wait for our new church building (whenever that will be...) I have loved going to church and feeling the spirit in an old elementary school. I love the people I have met at church, I love that there are not many cultural traditions and opinions, but that the main focus is learning of the Savior and returning to live with Him and God again, and I love knowing that we are in Chicago for many reasons, but also to be a part of the Hastening of the Work in this part of the Lord's vineyard. I recently "graduated" from Nursery to Primary and I love working with children. While it is a hassle to keep the children out of the school's stuff in the rooms, I love that the Spirit is still felt in every room.

Mr. Bluth's Contributions:

3. Eating dinner every night
I have eaten dinner almost every night for the last 26 years. I have loved my mother's, grandmother's, and many dear Mexican family's cooking. At times, I have been forced to fend for myself (most of my time at school) and found it bearable if not quite delightful. But the last year of dinners has been nothing short of heavenly. I was not prepared for how wonderful this would be. Mrs. Bluth has the expectations extremely high for the rest of our lives. She has researched dozens, if not hundreds, of meals from Pinterest and the web. We have had so few repeats that I have probably tried more dishes this year than in the previous 25. We have tried and eaten her variations on chicken enchiladas, parmesean pork chops, and couscous. We've experimented with all types of macaroni and cheese, looking for the absolute best recipe. Vegetables and fruits have returned to my diet--after a brief disappearance during my bachelor years. All of this has been on top of her being the sole bread-winner in the home. It has been rather terrific.

2. Homemade haircuts
Every few weeks I huddle in the tub while Mrs. Bluth trims my hair. At first it was a rather strange experience. I had trusted few with the responsibility of keeping my locks looking presentable. The first couple were accompanies with a little added stress. I mean, she has limited experience, but she has done such a terrific job. Whenever you go through a tough situation together, you tend to come out of it liking each other even more. As my hair is growing thinner and thinner, her skill level has increased. She makes me look not just presentable, but dignified.

Together we decided on the best memory for 2013

1.12.13

Being sealed together and starting our lives together. It has been an incredible year and getting married at the beginning of it was the best decision either of us have ever made. We still love each other. Together we have been in 10 states and 2 countries, and granted most of those states were just us driving through and one was a VERY long layover, but we have already done so much together. We could list numerous reasons why marriage rocks and why we love it so much, but we won't. We will just say that the best thing for 2013 occurred on January 12 in the Salt Lake Temple.