Looking Back at 2013

Jill's head is resting on the fold out tray next to me on our flight back home, sleeping. I want to join her — it is 6:00 AM — but the combination of caffeine and anticipation insists I stay awake. So I'll write. Besides, there is no better time to take a step back and reflect than when you are thousands of feet above ground, the world a distant landscape outside your window.

2013 was a busy year for Jill and I; a college graduation, a wedding, a move across the country, a new job, and a new school. It is safe to say 2013 will be remembered as the year that we became adults — or at least pretended to.

While we may not have fully grown up, we have grown. Every step we've taken, we've gained experience, and tried to turn that experience into wisdom. Looking back at 2013, there were a few notable events, and hopefully a little bit of wisdom that came along with them.

In May, Jill and I both finished our last semester at The University of Texas at Austin. I graduated with a major in Management Information Systems, and a minor in Computer Science, while Jill finished her semester strong with a design award for her work in the Interior Architecture program.

Summer is when things started to get interesting. In June, Jill and I tied the knot after over four years of dating. The wedding was beautiful — all credit to Jill — but the friends and family present is what made it memorable. We laughed, we cried, we conquered.

Our wedding day whizzed by, and the next morning the two of us were on a plane to St. John, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands. We spent a week as glorified beach bums. We snorkeled and hiked by day, put together puzzles by night, and enjoyed the beauty of the island all times in between. It wasn't all smooth sailing though — ask Jill about the seagulls on the island.

When we came back from our honeymoon, we spent the rest of the summer spending time with family before the move to San Francisco in August. During this stretch, I worked my last day as an Apple Retail employee. Working at the Apple Store was my first real job, and I am grateful. I have met amazing people, both employees and customers, and been given opportunities I never thought possible. Because of the Apple Store, I was able to get an internship at Apple's headquarters in California last summer, which led to an offer for a full time position when I graduated school.

I ended up taking that job offer, which brings us to our move to California. Leaving Texas, the only home we've known, was not easy. Our saving grace was making it less of a move, and more of a road trip. With our best friends Hunter and Kelly by our side, we stopped at Marfa, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and eventually ended up at our new apartment in San Francisco. We could not have asked for better friends, or a better time.

On September 3rd, Jill and I both officially started our lives in California. Jill had her first day of school at California College of the Arts, where she is continuing her degree in Interior Architecture, and I started my first day of work at Apple as a software engineer. Already, this feels so long ago. Jill finished her semester with a 4.0, and her work was nominated for a grand jury prize. Though I don't have a GPA for my first few months of work at Apple, I have been learning and working harder than I ever did in school, and have accomplished a lot already.

We really do like it in San Francisco, and are finding new things to like everyday. The fog that embraces the city is oddly comforting, and has the side effect of protecting the city from extreme temperatures: it was 70 degrees and sunny when we arrived in August, and 70 degrees and sunny when we departed the airport this morning. The city itself offers great history, food, views, and activities. And as we continue to add furnishings and personal touches to our apartment, it begins to feel more like a home everyday.

As our plane begins its descent to Houston, I can't begin to explain how excited we are to see our friends and family (including dogs). We love this time of year, and could not imagine a better way to spend it than with the ones we love. 2013 has been a blast, and being home for the holidays will give us time to recharge and prepare to have another great year.