So this is Christmas...

There was something special in the air this Christmas. Yes it was my first year with a husband, and that in and of itself gave me so much to look forward to, but it was more than that.
This year I was in the East Valley Millennial Chorus, something I never wanted to be in, but needed some sort of music in my life so I joined.
Soon after my first rehearsal I knew this was something special. I knew I was LUCKY to be a part of this choir.
We had our Christmas Concert on December 5th and 6th. My parents flew down for it and stayed with us for the weekend. We had 4 concerts each one better than the last. I have been singing and performing consistently since I was a teenager. I have sang with groups and solos all over the country (and Malaysia) I have been a part of some amazing shows, but nothing, NOTHING was like this concert.
In a world today where saying "Merry Christmas" is taboo, and the holiday is more about Santa and elves than Christ, it was so nice to be a part of something that was so centered on that miraculous birth.
At one point in the concert the conductor talked about how these days you'd be hard pressed to find a song over 3 and a half minutes long. One of our songs was 9 and a half minutes of repeating the word Allelujah. I had told my husband and my parents about it, and the reaction was always the same, "Ugh... 9 minutes..." but several people, those three included said it was one of their favorites, if not the favorite. The conductor talked about the angels singing for the Saviors birth and how they probably sang longer than 9 minutes, if not the whole night through. Each time I was in that concert I was overwhelmed and often brought to tears knowing that is the closest I will ever get to knowing what it felt like to be in that choir of angels.
After the shows I'd walk out to the lobby and listen to people talk about it, I saw one man hugging, what I can only assume was his daughter (who was in the choir) and just weeping. My parents LOVED it and are already making arrangements to come to the April concerts. My dad said (they were in the front section, right in the middle, and at some points surrounded with the music) he woudl just close his eyes and let the music wash over him. Even now I get emotional thinking about it. To think, I didn't want to do it. I thought I was better than that, I "didn't want to be lost in a crowd" How humbling to be a part of that. It started off my Christmas season better than anything else could have, and it stayed with me the whole time.
This Christmas was bigger than any other because of the spirit that concert brought into my life.

This Christmas was a lot of fun. Sunday night we had "Friendsmas" with our friends Ben and Breann, we got together and had dinner then exchanged gifts. These two friends are the people Matt and I spend the most of our time with. Ben is Matt's best friend from when they were 12 years old. Ben and Breann got married about 4 and a half years ago and when Matt and I started dating more seriously he said, "I feel like I'm getting my best friend back" because now he wasn't a third wheel anymore and we could be a foursome.
I feel like we are really lucky that all four of us get along so well. Anyway "Friendsmas" was really jsut an excuse to have dinner and exchange gifts early, because we spent Christmas Eve and Christmas night with Ben and Breann.
Tuesday we had Matt's family party, the cousin and sibling gift exchange, and a big feast. Matt's parents go all out. There are 30 grandkids and 18 kids (spouses included) and they get individual gifts for each person, not to mention the stuff we got in the stockings and on Christmas day.
Wednesday, Christmas Eve, Matt and I got off work early. We cleaned up the apartment a bit, then we went and visited another one of our good friends, Neela, who Matt met on his mission and. She has been such an amazing friend to Matt, and I am lucky to have gotten her as a friend as well.
After a short visit with her we went to dinner and had an opportunity to be secret Santa's for a family, which was an amazing experience for us.
We then went to Ben and Breann's and watched Christmas Vacation.
We got home around 10:30 and went to bed. It's been a long time since I was too excited to sleep and I was sure I'd want to sleep in, but around 5:30 I woke up (really because I needed to go to the bathroom) I stayed in bed until about 7:30 (when I couldn't hold it anymore) and then was just awake. I woke Matt up and we had our little Christmas. We were both so happy and excited to give our gifts. I took pictures, but went to look at my phone last night and none of them actually took :(
We are going to be in Utah for New Years, so we'll exchange gifts with my family, then, but when my parents were here for the concert they brought our gifts; a new charm for my bracelet and Matt got a Visa gift card.
After our gifts were all unwrapped (I got a new purse [nicest purse I've ever owned], some chairs for our dining room table and some stocking stuffers) we went to Matt's parents house where we had hot chocolate, biscuits and gravy and waffles, we got our stockings there and hung out with the family until about 1. Then we went to see Unbroken with some family and friends, (of course, Ben, breann and Neela)
We then came home had some dinner, Matt put our chairs together and got his toys out (camping stove, lantern, walkie-talkies and other things) and was trying to figure them all out. Then we went to Ben's parent's house and played games and ate more food.
We had a white elephant gift exchange, and I won (got stuck with) some homemade fire works. we decided to take them outside and light them up. Matt was holding one and Ben lit it up. We thought it was just going to be like those flower things that light up and spin around. Matt threw it up and as we were mid yell of "Don't throw it over the grass" (which sounded like "Don't throw it o...") it EXPLODED with a bang so loud my left ear went deaf for a while. We all started laughing and ran inside. Good thing Matt threw it when he did, he for sure would have lost a hand. So yeah, real glad I have the rest of those.
After a few games and chit chatting, we came home. I got ready for bed and Matt came in and said, "Don't you want to come hang out with me and watch TV?" I said, "Aren't you tired?" His words, "I am, but I'm not ready for Christmas to be over" So I got out of bed and we watched some TV until I couldn't keep my eyes open (about 45 minutes later) and we went to bed.
It was such a happy, loving day. Best Christmas I have had in years.
I did miss my family and was a little sad to miss seeing it snow on Christmas day, but having Matt and his family definitely helped. It was a very happy day.

Winter Vacation

So, in my single days, I got in the habit of going on a nice warm vacation every winter. I started in 2008 with a cruise to the Western Carribbean, 2009 cruise to the Mexican Riviera with my friend Sayward, 2010 cruise to Cabo (This one was free, I was singing, kind of a big deal) 2011 Malaysia, 2012 cruise to Eastern Carribbean, and later Maui, 2013 Cruise to Western Carribbean again.
I moved to Arizona in March of 2013, and you might think it's warm enough, no need to go on a tropical winter vacation, and I didn't (mainly because I was planning a wedding).
In May Matt and I got married and went to Maui on our honeymoon. It was THE BEST!!! A week of it just being us, doing whatever we wanted to do, getting nice and tan. The only problem was, I was so excited to be married (finally) that I just wanted to get home and have it be real life. Hawaii is always awesome, but it wasn't real life until we went home.
I remember thinking, almost wishing we would have waited a bit to go on our honeymoon. Take a weekend, sure, but come home, start real life and once we're settled, after a few months, go on a nice big vacation then.

Welp, friends, we've been married for 6 months, it's getting colder (I know, it's arizona and still 60's and 70's but I'M COLD) and I reaaaaally could use that vacation right about now.

Things I've learned

Ok, so here are a few things I have realized...
One: When I blogged before, it was most often when I was frustrated with dating. I used my blog as an outlet to turn my frustrations into humorous stories.
Two: When you're just all happy and in love, there isn't much to write about. I can only gush about my amazing husband so much before I lose my precious readers... I care about the handful of you that there are, and I want you to stick around.

Today's blog post is dedicated to the things I've learned in the last 6 months. (Can you believe I've been married for 6 months?? [Next monday officially])

Let's take a minute and talk about stereotypes.
There are lots of husbandly stereotypes out there, Matt doesn't really fit a lot of them. He is very clean, he is very organized, he dresses well, and he doesn't leave his socks in the living room.
For these things I am grateful. That being said, one thing that has been made apparent is his gift for listening and responding, yet not hearing a thing.
Example:
Me- I bought more Olive Oil.
Him- Nice

-Next Day-
Him- we need to get more Olive Oil.
Me- I bought some already. I told you yesterday.
Him- You did?
Me- Yes, remember I said....
Him- oh... oh yeah

-Next Day-
Him, seeing the bottle of Olive Oil- Hey... you got more olive oil
Me- Are you being serious?
Him- What?

This is an example of something that has happened often in our house. It happened again when we had a walk for Lymphoma at the Phoenix Zoo over the weekend. I've learned to tell him things several times, especially as the event draws nearer.
I'll be honest, I love it, I think it's hilarious.

He is not the only one fitting stereotypes, I am guilty as well.
Since being married I have realized, even moreso, that I am a VERY sensitive person, I have been trying to cook more and more and let me tell you, if he likes it, but doesn't rave over it, I have hurt feelings. I read between the lines all the time. A lot of the time I'm right, but making assumptions as a sensitive person is not fair to the Mr.

Example:
Him-We should get you some new frames for your glasses.
Me- So you don't like my glasses?

Me- Why do you keep touching my legs with your feet?
Him- because they are so smooth!
Me- Oh like that's so uncommon?? (Admittedly, it is uncommon. Poor hubs)

And onto the biggest thing that I've learned in the 6 months. This was a more recent lesson.

Toward the end of October I was flown to Utah for two weeks for training for my job. 2 weeks with a 2 day break in between to come back home.
Prior to this, if you were to ask me how I liked Arizona, or if I'd ever come back to Utah my answer would have been, "Oh... it's alright. I mean, I'm fine there, but Utah is always where I wanted to be. Utah will always be home. I don't know that we will ever end up back there, but I would like it if we did."
When I was in Utah working, I MISSED Arizona. I missed the warmth, I miss our friends, I especially and emphatically missed Matt. I missed home. I felt like I was away from home. I was with my family, everyday. I was in the place I had lived for 25 years, but it was no longer home. I missed home. I realized, in being away, that I really did like it there. I liked the life we were building for ourselves, but it wasn't just that. It was Matt.
I remembered reading my parent's blog when they lived in Malaysia, my mom was talking about the same thing, saying she was so sad to leave "home". She was going to miss "home" so much. But, interestingly enough, when there, she felt like she was home. She realized that no matter where she was in the world, as long as she was with my dad she was home.
I remember reading that, and thinking that was really special, but when I was in Utah I internalized it. I knew what she meant.
Matt is home. It's so interesting to me that in such a relatively short amount of time one person can become so incredibly important in your life that being without them makes you feel incomplete.
That is what I have learned in 6 months of marriage. I lived 30 years of my life single and just fine. I was happy, I had a great life, but it was incomplete and I didn't even realize it.

I'm sure we'll move forward and in 20, 30, 40 years I'll look back at these 6 little months and think, "Man, I didn't even know what I was talking about...". Now, this is what I know, and I am so looking forward to learning more.

-Julia Halls

A weekend as a married...

This weekend was jam packed with goodness.
Friday night Matt taught me the basics of racquetball. The gym we go to has courts for free and I know he likes to play and I've always been curious.
I warned him ahead of time that I would scream a lot, flail a lot, and I could promise my flailing is not attractive. Once he was thusly warned we made our way.
I was terrible. TERRIBLE. Matt was a great teacher and really took it easy on me. We played one game (21-2) and then we just spent some time hitting the ball around so I could get used to reading it and what not. Then we played a game to 11 (11-1) where I actually did do much better, but I still suck pretty heavily. All in all, it was so much fun and I am looking forward to going again.
Then we grabbed some dinner and met up with our friends Ben and Breann and saw The Edge of Tomorrow.
Ok, as a married I have gotten used to going to bed at 9:30 (10 at the very latest) The movie started at 10:30 and I knew I was in trouble. I really liked it, I thought it was really entertaining and I was really getting into it. So I was disappointed to wake up and realize it was over. I had Matt explain the ending to me the next day.
Saturday we woke up and cleaned the apartment (Matt cleaned the apartment, I threw some clothes in the drier and watched The Office while eating otter-pops) then we had to go shopping. We are doing family pictures when we are in Utah next weekend and I needed a new shirt. I am the kind of girl that ONLY goes shopping when I need something. I find that one thing and am in and out. I don't like department stores, malls give me anxiety and I don't like spending money on clothes. We went to the mall and I was on a mission. I found a shirt at Dillard's, $40. $40 for a shirt??? I really liked it but said, "Let's go to Express, I have a gift card there and if I don't find anything there we can come back" To which Matt replied, "You know, sometimes you can buy things just because you like them. They don't all have to serve a purpose." I just said, "I know I know, let's come back" So we went to Express and I picked out a lot of stuff I liked, BUT none that really worked for the picture. Again he said, "Just get it... you can just have new clothes, you don't have to just get a shirt for the picture." I had a $100 gift card we had gotten from a friend I work with and he said I could use that and the Express GC. I said, "But that was for our wedding, we should use it on something for us." To which he replied, "PLEASE, JUST BUY SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF." Then he said, "I'm probably the only husband that has to talk his wife into buying clothes as opposed to stopping her." So we bought me some new stuff. None of which work for the family picture.
Then we came back to the apartment and Breann came over and we hung out by the pool for a while. Then Matt and I went back out and got lots of stuff for the apartment with our various wedding gift cards (getting married is awesome) did some grocery shopping and came back and got our apartment more settled. It's so nice to have stuff. Our place is really coming together and it's really starting to feel like a home. Thanks to so many generous people for helping us make it so.
That night we grabbed some dinner and decided to see the Fault In Our Stars. I had just read the book (didn't love it, I think it's because it was an audio book and I hated the narrator). I wanted to see the movie and knew I'd like it more, plus Ben and Breann just saw it and gave it a raving review (Read Ben's version on their blog here... so funny).
We made a bet walking into the movie, I bet that I wouldn't cry. I've been known to be cold hearted in movies. He, of course, bet that I would.
I held pretty strong during the movie, only tearing up, though I'll admit, had we not made the bet, I'm sure I would have cried rill good. It was a very emotional movie, but that's not why I was crying. I was crying because I was overcome with love for my husband. This movie is a love story and as a single girl I would watch these movies and cry because I didn't have it. This time I was crying because I did.
When we walked out of the movie, I said, "Does it count if no tears fall?" He said, "If you have to wipe any tears, you lost" I didn't, no tears fell.
We walked out of the theater and Matt says, "This was the spot we first talked." He was right, the first night we really met was at a movie, at that theater and neither of us have been back since. We stopped in the exact spot that changed our lives. He was being so sweet and I knew if he continued I'd lose it.
He told me he loved me and gave me a big hug... I lost it. I started crying and was thinking, "CRAP! There goes the bet." I was embarrassed to be crying outside of the theater, so I kept hugging him trying to compose myself... not realizing how long we were actually hugging. Then he says, "Are you crying right now?" Not being able to talk I just shook my head. He chuckled and held me tighter. I lost the bet.
The next day we went to our ward, for the second time. We could see people making eyes at us. People of authority. We know what that means. We will soon be put to work. Matt already got two calls from the missionaries last week to go out with them. We saw a man look at us and decided (just for that day at least) to avoid him. I got a text from Matt while I was in Relief Society "I couldn't avoid him. I'm speaking in Sacrament on June 29th." My response, "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" and then "Just you right?"
I am really excited about our new ward, but man, I have been in the single's ward for 12 years. The family ward is like a whole new world. Trying to readjust is going to be interesting.
After church Matt put together our shower rack and a shoe rack for me, while I baked some chocolate chip cookies (which were amazing, first time in MY LIFE that I have made a good batch, Matt says that it's because for the first time they were made with love)
Then Matt took a nap and we went to his parent's house for dinner (again).
We came home and were asleep by 10. I gotta say, Married life is fantastic, this was a fantastic weekend and I loved every minute of it.
I remember having a conversation with my Aunt Robyn about 5 years ago. I told her I could see myself being single forever. I could see me owning my own place and taking my nieces and nephews on tour with me in the summers (I was for sure going to be a traveling singer). I told her I think I could be perfectly happy with that life.
She said, "Some people can. Some people can find satisfaction being single and making a life for themselves. You are not one of those people. You need to be a wife. You need that to be fully happy." Even as she said it, I knew she was right, but I didn't know what she really meant until now, and I'm sure I'll understand even better when I'm a mother. For now though, being a wife has brought me a sense of fulfillment I didn't know was possible. It has brought me happiness I didn't know existed. I couldn't have known true happiness without being a wife.
Pretty great weekend.

He learned quickly.... crap

So Matt has learned quickly that I scare very easily. I am a very jumpy person. The reason being, I LOVE LOVE to scare people. I think it is about the funniest thing EVER. (Michelle, Lauren... Audrey... you know what I'm talkin about) Because I love scaring people so much I'm always expecting to be scared. I'm expecting someone to jump from every corner because, well, it's what I would do.

Yesterday I got home from work and noticed Matt was in the bathroom, I went into the kitchen and started getting dinner ready and did not hear him exit the bathroom. I turned around and he was there and I jumped real good.

Later that night I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth and he jumped in behind me and scared me. He finds this hilarious and I'm experiencing Karma.

The other night Matt and I were falling asleep facing each other and I started chuckling, remembering a story my brother Justin told me:
Everyone once in a while as he and Maria are going to sleep he'll get really close to her face and open his eyes really wide and stare at her, and wait for her to open her eyes and just scare the daylights out of her. He has never actually accomplished this because he'll be doing that and then he'll start thinking, "What if she opened her eyes RIGHT now really fast... that would be scary... " and then he'll freak himself out so bad that he can't do it any more.
So funny... so, I tell Matt this story and we go to bed.

Last night, we are falling asleep and he was being oh so sweet to me, so I start stroking his face and head as we are facing each other, drifting off into a blissful wedded sleep. At one point I open my eyes, and he is RIGHT next to my face all wide eyed, I jump back and shout and my gosh did he laugh. I just had to cover my face and not look at him. It was fa-reaky. Why do I tell him these things? Why do I give him ammo?

I deserve this, I know I do. Michelle, Lauren and Audrey, I'm getting paid back.

It's the little things...

There are a few things that come with being married that I am loving. They aren't anything grand or really even that noteworthy, but to me they are because I, my friends, am a sentimental sap. Here is a short list of things that I want to remember... I don't think they will always be as significant to me as they are now, (although, knowing my cheesy nature, they may be) so I want to remember the little things. -Matt carrying me over the threshold the first time we walked into our apartment after we got the keys -We bought a little glass starfish in Hawaii, the first thing we bought together as a married couple -This morning Matt's alarm went off at 5 (he had to go to work super early this morning) it was going off for a while, and he was completely out of it. I tapped his arm and just said, "Babe..." and he sleepily rolled over, turned it off and got up. Just that act alone felt very... wifely and I loved it... (weird?) -Getting home from work and organizing our cluttered apartment and being there to open the door when Matt got home from work to kiss him hello. These aren't big things, these aren't notable things, but these are the things that make me feel like a wife. These are the things that I am LOVING about being a wife.

We are a We!!!

First post... kind of intimidating! Well, here I am, wife of Matt Halls. Wife, Ball and Chain, The Old Lady, The Misses, that's me folks! Our wedding was a-may-zing! I honestly think it was just the perfect day. I was a mess, I cried when they put "Halls" on my temple recommend, I cried when I was alone in the bride's room with my mom. I cried when I walked into the sealing room and saw all of our friends and family. I cried when I looked at my dad. I cried when we knelt across from each other. I cried when they announced us husband and wife... So by now it's about 9:30 am and I have already cried, a LOT. The rest of the day went as follows: Pictures in 100+ degree heat until about 12:00 Luncheon from 12:30-2:30 (so good, we had pizookies for crying out loud! [I didn't get one, but I heard good things]) Grand exit 2:30 Come back and get our bags out of my parent's van talk to a bunch of people and then a very not grand, yet real, exit. I will tell you this, not having a reception was WONDERFUL! It was so nice to be done with the day by 3:00. My sister posted a picture on instagram of me walking into the temple as Miss Sanders and walking out as Mrs. Halls two hours later. It's so crazy to me that in that short amount of time I started what will likely be the most important phase of my life. In that short amount of time We became a We. I don't want to make this post super long, but I just have to say how humbled I feel to have received the love and support that we have received. I am amazed at how many people are so genuinely excited and happy for us. I realize on a much more real level how many people have been hoping, praying, PLEADING for this for us. I'll speak for both of us when I say how loved we felt. I'll go more into detail on the day and the honeymoon (NOT too many details, keepin it PG), like how Matt got food poisoning on our wedding night (we went to Z Tejas, it was not from the luncheon) So, here's to a life full new experiences, embarrassing moments, happy times and covered wagons. Here is a link to a video my friend Carly Jo Porter made for us. You guys, she is amazing, if you need a videographer she captured our day perfectly.