That's a wrap on 2018! Life on the Line.

I don't know another way to describe our year, other than most of it was focused around life on the line. To some this may not make sense and honestly until you live in the life of lineman or a linewife its hard to understand! Our 2018 started off with a phone call from my husband Todd, "they are asking for Puerto Rico"....at that moment it's hard to explain all the emotions that went running through my head but all that came out was excitement for him and a "do you get to go?!" As a lineman (especially for mine) this was something he had always wanted to experience, storm restoration work. Working for a local utility this type of work isn't something that comes around all too often for them. I remember the exact spot I was when he called me, I actually pulled over and listened to the excitement in his voice and the details he knew at that moment. Todd didn't have a concrete answer if he was going yet, but I already knew - he was going. When we hung up, I did all I knew to do that was to say a prayer, I prayed that he would get the opportunity to experience this, I prayed for his safety, his crews safety and that this would be an adventure of a lifetime.

I will be the first to admit in all my excitement for him I was scared; Puerto Rico had seen so much devastation. Todd and I have been together since high school and the longest we had ever been apart was for a night or two. This wasn't a short assignment, he would be gone for 6 weeks. I know to some that may not seem like along time but to me it seemed like an eternity!

Fast forward to Jan 17th, at 5am, 1 backpack and 2 suitcases later we headed to the APS yard where 50+ Lineman and support staff loaded buses to head to Puerto Rico. This was unlike anything that APS had done, hearing Todd talk about the logistics of getting their trucks, tool, etc to Puerto Rico was for lack of a better word insane! Up until days before they left they knew little about their sleeping conditions, meals or communications to those back home. That morning began the countdown of 6 weeks until he came home, as hard as I knew it would be to not have him home, he was surrounded by some of the best guys (lineman) and friends we have. I knew they would keep each other safe!

"It takes a strong man to leave his family to go to work in extreme conditions so he can

 provide for his family and help others. It takes a strong women to watch the 

love of her life walk out the door, not knowing when, or if he's coming home. 

Together we are invincible, too powerful to be defeated". -Linelove

The stories I heard on a daily basis brought tears to my eyes, the scream and laughter of children, the touch of sweet elderly ladies, the people jumping up and down on their roofs when power was restored after 6 months of being in the dark are experiences and memories Todd will never forget. I was so proud of him! There are so many stories he shared I couldn't even begin to tell you them all.

THANK YOU to the people of Puerto Rico for your hospitality, for the BBQ's and for your kindness to our lineman. THANK YOU to all Todd's brothers for not only keeping him safe but keeping each other safe. THANK YOU to my family, friends and my line family, when the days were hard you were there, when the pictures and stories were texted you were there to listen to me tell them, when I needed at good cry - THANK YOU for letting me. Denise, Olivia (Tate, Waylon and Laynee), Wendy and Lacey not only are you my dear friends by my family.

Our Lineman's homecoming was perfect! They worked their asses off, they stayed safe and they came home.

2018 started off crazy and honestly it never stopped! We spent most of our summer at our Home Away from Home at the lake. We had such a great summer with friends and family. My dear friend Kate from Boston visited us and her hugs can make every care in the world disappear.

We may have, ok there was no may have, we got Anthony a little, ok ALOT tipsy one night!

In the middle of lake season we got to take a quick trip to wine country in Temecula and be apart of my sweet cousins wedding! Heatwave and all through southern Cali it was an amazing day! The wine vodka (yes it is a thing) kept flowing and we kept dancing!

We got to travel to some of our favorite places and to some new places. 

"The world is a book and those that do not travel read only one page." - St. Augustine

We hiked Rim to Rim (South Rim to North Rim) in the Grand Canyon.

Some of our favorite humans + 24ish miles = 1 day in and out of the Grand Canyon

We both had an incredible year personally and professionally. We celebrated 12 year of marriage. It was a very challenging year at times, with many ups and down. But it caused growth for both of us. I laughed, I cried (alot), watched friends experience great loss, watched friends and family achieve incredible goals! I learned that life is precious and a gift.

"If there is even a slight chance of getting something that will make you happy, risk it. 

Life's too short and happiness is too rare." - A.R. Lewis

With every season of life comes change and we have some coming in 2019 but they exciting! And so today we write the first of the next 365 pages for 2019!

Whether you are a goal setter, create a vision board each year, make new years resolutions, I encourage you to not take life for granted, to look up from your phone and see the beauty around you, to love hard and forgive even harder, be kind to others, respect others, encourage one another, see the good and experience something new.

Thank you for reading about our year and for all the love!