Our First Year

After being Prince & Princess in Jamaica we flew home to spend Christmas with our families. We made it to all the family gatherings on Christmas Eve glowing with our new bling. Reality set in quickly however when Love found me boo-hooing in the bathroom of our little home Christmas Eve night. Before I could even get out "I'm sorry. I feel stupid but..." Love said "Get your stuff. We are going to Woodland tonight." I didn't hesitate one second. In pajamas and with one over night bag we headed to Woodland, AL at about 11:15pm to spend Christmas with my parents and get visited by Santa the next morning.
The first two weeks of marriage were beyond perfect! I thought that all those people who told me marriage was hard and living with someone was difficult were crazy. Zack and I were great and we had this marriage thing down to an art and it had only been two weeks.......Well I learned a long time ago that I am one of those people that has to eat her words due to my big mouth as well as learn EVERY lesson the hardest way imaginable due to pure stubbornness aka "Fetner blood"! Needless to say I will never forget asking my girl's Bible study group....What the heck happens in Week 3 of Marriage??? Is it just us or is this normal???? He is driving me crazy and I'm scared because this is FOR REAL! :)


My girl's Bible study group was such a blessing from God. His perfect timing amazes me. We began the Linda Dillow study "Creative Counterpart" almost exactly one week after Zack and I were married. If you have never read this book...EVERY woman should but get ready!! God has clear instructions on what a Godly wife is and let me just tell you....without God....I am not a very Godly wife!! The whole chapter seven on being mild, soft spoken and submissive.........come on really???? Did God forget about that "Fetner blood" running through my veins!??!
NO, He didn't! He made me just the way I am because I totally have to depend on Him to be even half of what I need to be as a Godly woman, wife and friend.

While I was totally devoted to my last semester of nursing school at Auburn,  Zack faithfully worked to provide for our family! We also became "ZB & Honey" on Jan.24 due to the arrival of our first niece Blakely! We were instantly in love!

Love continued being the sole provider while I traveled back and forth to Auburn for classes for the next few months before beginning my preceptorship in Sylacauga in March. After not even a full month in the ER, I was offered a full-time postion at Coosa Valley and they wanted me to start as soon as I could after graduation! You would have thought I told Love I had won the lottery! Seriously, we were both thrilled and so very thankful that God easily opened that door wide open for us.

My graduation on May 9 from Auburn was so very special thanks to Love and our families and closest friends!!

I enjoyed "just chillin" the rest of the month of May by spending time with family and friends and decorating our house. We also celebrated Trey graduating from high school by having his graduation party at our home before moving him to Mobile the next week! Trey moving off was like a funeral....Zack thought I had absolutely lost my mind after several melt downs which included me laying in the floor and crying to the point of hyperventilating! He was very supportive and tried so hard to be the strong husband who could make me better.....however, he knows after almost 10 years of dealing with me that there is nothing that will cure this craziness! :)

I had to dry my tears quickly though because BIG GIRL WORLD hit me in the face the week after Trey left! In June, I began my full time RN orientation at CVMC. I began my orientation with my temporary AL nursing license....so yes, during this time I was also STUDYING for BOARDS!! Mom and I stayed the night in Montgomery the night before my test and then I found out on my birthday at work that I PASSED!! What an amazing 21st BIRTHDAY! Love surprised me with tickets to see Def Leppard in Atlanta with some of my most favorite, fun friends!! It was a birthday I will never forget!

We also shared time with precious friends at the wedding of Adrianne and Adam Harris!!
WHOO HOO In June we had survived 6 MONTHS! :)
We enjoyed the rest of the summer by going to the beach, throwing my Daddy a surprise 40th Birthday and giving a baby shower at our house for sweet friends Kyle and LaRae!

In the FALL it was time for FOOTBALL!!! Zack and I loved traveling to watch the South Alabama Jaguars during Trey's first college season! We traveled to many games including 2 fantastic flights to North Carolina in September and then San Antonio, TX in October as well as a few road trips to Mobile! We are proud to be Trey's big brother and sister!!

I also led another Bible study at our house the month of October. About 20 ladies filled our home each Tuesday night. God used this time to teach me so much through the Priscilla Shirer "Jonah" study! I am so very thankful for the women of faith God has put in my path to encourage me and help me learn!
Love and I also went to The Plains for several games to cheer on the Tigers! We love tailgating with friends and family!!

And here we are.....December is here and going by so quickly!! So far we have enjoyed several social events...Hannah & Leslie-Ann's ornament showers, the ER Christmas Party, a SURPRISE birthday party for Zack and Derrick's girlfriend, Jenny and my Sip & Swap at our home!

For me my first year of marriage was not what I expected....it was much more.

I have learned first hand that a marriage is a beautiful thing created by God. However, it must be centered around Him to continue to grow and be gorgeous. Thus far I have felt as if my marriage has been like God putting a BIG life-size x-ray mirror in front of ME! I see the good & bad from the outside all the way to the depths of my heart.
It has really made me examine myself...

Early on, especially after that you know where and back Week 3 of marriage, Zack and I both talked about how we both wanted to be "the best husband" and "the best wife".
Well the truth is I think.....that as long as you both want to be the best for each other, your headed in the right direction. It is an everyday decision to get up and love another person and put them first. However, you can only fully do this my getting up everyday, put God first and allow Him to love through you.

I can honestly say that our first year has been AMAZING!
We are blessed to not only be husband and wife but BEST FRIENDS!
We love each other unconditionally.
We are faithful and honest. (sometimes way too honest)
We are each other's rocks.
We laugh together.
We cry together.
We dance and sing together.
We cook together.

We love being TOGETHER......and sometimes being TOGETHER and doing nothing at all...is PERFECT!

I don't know if any of this made sense...sometimes this thing called "love" doesn't make sense. I could never really tell you all the real reasons I LOVE Zack Baggett because words don't even start to really describe the way I feel......words don't describe how we feel about each other.....or the way we are connected......even if I tried to explain "us" you wouldn't understand......because it's just "us"......Sam & Zack....always and forever......I thank our Heavenly Father daily for Zack....for our first year......I would do it all over again tomorrow!!! :)