thank you 2015

2015 was a year of travel:

The Kirkham New Year began in Orlando, Florida where we met many of Katie's investigators and ward members. Plus, I checked off a couple major bucket list items:

• Visiting Harry Potter World 
• Visiting Disney World

In addition, we went on an airboat ride to take a look at some gators, ate alligator, and of course visited the Orlando temple.

In February, Jonny and I took a trip out to California with some friends over Valentines Day. I can't imagine a better way to spend our first Valentines Day: relaxing on the beach, riding a tandem bike and sinking our toes in the sand.

In May, October and November we took the time we had to make short getaways to St. George with the Stuarts. With our time down there, we shot assault rifles, went four-wheeling and watched a lot... and I mean a lot of Family Feud! 

Then I got to go on my dream vacation to the Big Apple with my best friend. It was the perfect girls trip to spend time together before the wedding, in addition to marking off many bucket list items: 

• Going to New York City
• Riding in a taxi
• Being in Times Square
• Riding the Subway and then learning how to work the routes
• Walking through Central Park
• Visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Going on a shopping trip in the big city
• Visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Museum 
• Seeing Les Mis, Matilda and Finding Neverland on Broadway (and really just seeing any broadway show for that matter)
• Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge
• Walking down Wall Street
• Seeing the Statue of Liberty
• Walking through Washington Square Park
• Seeing Rockefeller Center
• And just going to the East coast!

Then we made a getaway with Liz and friends to San Francisco at the beginning of July. I went to my very first Major League baseball game, seeing the Giants play!

Then we went honeymooning to Cancun, Mexico. It was like a dream being in such a beautiful place with the man I love! I also marked off a few more bucket list items here:

• Go out of the country
• Visit Mexico
• Walk on white sand
• Kayak in the ocean
• Visit the Mayan ruins

The only sad part about this trip is that I finally got a stamp in my passport... but now that my name has changed from Kirkham to Stuart, I will have to get a new one... :( I wish I could keep my stamp!

Then to my surprise, I got to go back to the Big Apple a lot sooner than expected. And this time I got a tour around the city by none other than the Callie Klotz! It was such a blast being in such an incredible city with one of my best friends!

Plus I was there with these wonderful people and I went to my second Major League Baseball game.... which also so happened to be a World Series game! haha! It was a lot of fun and I was surprised that I actually started to get into. Go Mets!

2015 was a year of experiences: 

I had the amazing opportunity to sing with the BYU Women's Chorus at the ACDA conference. We sang a number of beautiful and spiritually uplifting pieces in the Salt Lake Tabernacle and Abravenal Hall. In addition, I got to sing with two of the greatest girls I know. I miss them and being apart of Women's Chorus all the time.

Jonny and I went to a Real Salt Lake soccer game. I hadn't been in years and as a soccer lover, it was one of my highlights of the year.

As mentioned before, a lot of our time spent in St. George with the Stuarts was dedicated to shooting (when we were not watching Family Feud of course). This year I shot an assault rifle for the first time and as the St. George trips kept coming along, my accuracy got better and better. (Although I still have a long way to go before I'm a Jane Bond) We blew up whatever we could find: balloons, shaving cream, an abandoned mattress... but the most epic was blowing up two different TVs.

While we were in San Francisco, we got to go to the One Direction concert! I tried to suppress my inner fangirl so I wouldn't scare Jonny off right before the wedding... but when you're at a One Direction concert... you have to fangirl! And luckily he didn't get too scared off ;)

And then Liz treated us to the Luke Bryan concert! I love the USANA Amphitheater for country music because you feel like you drive out to the middle of nowhere and then enjoy some great country music in the summer night air.

And then to top off the summer of concerts, we went to the Taylor Swift 1989 tour. She really knows how to put on a show! It's always so much fun being able to go to a concert where you know every single word of every song.

While in New York, we had an opportunity that I did not want to pass up. I don't know why, but I have always had a love for the famous V-day photo in Times Square. While I got to be there with my love on Halloween, he put up with my making him wear a sailor hat and a suit to get one of my favorite photos I now have of the two of us.

Then I had the experience of my first Thanksgiving without the Kirkham family. It was a little weird for me to be away from my family, but it was wonderful being able to spend the holiday in St. George with the Stuarts! I love this new family of mine!

Then we had the experience of sharing the holiday season with the Stuarts and the Kirkhams. Double the families, double the love right?

Plus, we were lucky enough to have the entire Hobbs family gathered on Christmas Eve. It was so good to be with everyone at the same time for a happy reason!

2015 was a year of goodbyes:

Gladly, this goodbye is not permanent. Suzie left to serve the Lord for 18 months in Santa Rosa, California. It was so hard to say goodbye to such an amazing girl, but 2016 will welcome her home!

Then our poor Snowflake went up to a happier place at the beginning of the year. She was my birthday gift when I was 5 and died 15 years later. Although it was terribly sad, and we all still miss her everyday, we are happy that she no longer has to suffer from being blind, deaf and walking on three legs. I love you Snowflake!

And only shortly after saying goodbye to our sweet puppy, we said our goodbyes to my beautiful Grandmother. Her angelic presence is sorely missed, but I know without a single doubt in my mind that she is watching over us and we will see her again. I was so grateful to have Jonny's support through this time as this was the first time I was old enough to understand the loss of someone so close to me. I love you Grandma!

Then I said goodbye to girl roommates forever. It is still amazing to me to look at the miracle that Danielle has been in my life. Living with such a Christ-like, silly and loving person changed everything about the way I see the world. I loved living with her and becoming best friends with her as well as Veronica, Suzie and of course Katie! I do miss seeing these amazing girls all of the time, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I now have my favorite roommate that I get to call my husband!

Then we said goodbye to Janet Cook as the WXHS drama teacher. To honor the time and effort she put in for so many years, alumni from her first to current year got together to pull together an alumni show. We did numbers from all of the big shows she did and of course we ended the night with one giant Seize the Day in black shirts and kakis. 

Then we sent off, yet-again, another missionary. We said goodbye to Ryan for 2 years to serve in the Neuquen, Argentina mission. Although we miss him dearly, he is soaking up every moment to help the people in Argentina. We are all so proud of him and can't wait to see him in just over another year and a half!

But 2015 was also a year for hellos:

I said hello to the BYU Advertising program, or rather they said hello to me. I loved my first semester in the program and can't wait for the next three to come.

Then I said hello to a fiancé and being a fiancé on Easter. You can bet that, this was the best Easter I have ever had. 

Then our great friend, Matthew Zimmerman (also known as Matt Man, Swims or Matt), returned home from his mission in Virginia! We were so glad to have him home for the wedding and then of course down at BYU where we get to hang out with him and the boys.

Then we welcomed home the last of the brothers: Cole Davis from the Czech Republic! Jonny's crew was finally completed, plus two additions: Jenny and I.

I said hello to the Lord's house as I received my endowment a few weeks before the wedding. It was even more special as I got to go through at the same time as Ryan. Because we were the last of both of our families to go through, the entire Kirkham and the entire Stuart family (minus Jeffrey) were in the temple at the same time. It was a very special day for me.

And of course, a week before the wedding we said hello again to Jeffrey! It was a fun time for the Stuarts as all of their children were under their roof again for about a week. 

Then that fiancé of mine turned into a husband. I gladly welcomed this new stage into my life with an incredible man who teaches me more about love every single day.

And then we said hello to our very first home! We are renting this cute little one-bedroom home south of BYU campus. We love having our own place and hope to be able to keep it until life makes its call.

Then we gladly said hello to the beautiful Sarah Boucher as we helped Jonny's good friend, Zach Watts, propose to her. We are so excited to welcome her and (the more recent addition) of Riley Duck, officially to the group of guys! I love having more girls in the giant guy group ;)

And then another hello again to one of my best friends! It was so good to see Gibby and basically have a big drama reunion at his homecoming. I can't wait to get back together with the people I still think of as family.

And finally, we said hello to 2016, welcoming in the new year. Because I was in Orlando last year, this was the first time either of us had ever had a New Years kiss. That's the best thing I can think of doing to start of a new year.

Every year is full of wins and losses, tears and laughter, and hellos and goodbyes. 2015 was that, plus much, much more. I am very grateful for the experiences, lessons and gifts that have come from this past year. After marrying the love of my life in 2015, I can only expect each year after to be that much better.

Bring it on 2016.

xoxo,

Angela Stuart