Three cheers for TWO years!!

Woah, the time just flew by! It really does when you’re having a lot of fun with a bit of turmoil in between (More on that in a bit).

I’m sitting here reflecting on how far Cecilio and I have come a long two years ago…wait. I have something in my eye, I’m sorry, hold on.

The day before the wedding we were low-key stressed out with the logistics of everything and planning the seating table last minute, right before we had to drop off all our decor at the reception site THEN arrive at the church for our rehearsal (wedding planning tip: please plan all your decor months before, especially if you go the DIY route like we did). After we said goodbye to everyone after the rehearsal dinner, we went to Walmart to pick up a few things and then he dropped me off at the hotel room where I would be spending the night (with my sister!) and getting ready along with the bridal party. Then came the morning. I was calm, but when it was my turn to get my hair and makeup done, I was getting a bit nervous. Not super jitty, but more like, omg. I can’t believe I’m doing this. I’ve been living at home all my life and haven’t experienced much and now I’m transitioning to this?! I had an impulse thought to remove my makeup, but that was just a fleeting thing within a nanosecond. Of course I would never do that, I really wanted to still marry my love like crazy. Sometimes when you get nervous, these crazy thoughts pop into your head. I really wanted to slap myself silly for even thinking that.

Then after I got ready, had my dress on, snapped a few photos, I went out there to meet him for the first look…and all of the stress, tensions, everything that we fought about months, weeks, days before, melted away. Nothing else mattered at that very moment. We were just talking, laughing, holding back tears, and just taking everything in.

I’m just proud of us and the life that we have built together within these 2 years of marriage and 10 years of being together. 2018 was tough: my lupus flare was getting worse and worse until it blew up and I had two seizures in May. During my 11-day stay in the hospital, Cecilio never wavered in his efforts to take care of me, visit me everyday, sleeping over in the hospital for one night, bringing me food and all of my stuff after getting discharged, etc. I am just blown away with how loving and selfless he is, and I just want to be the best I can be for him. I tell him that all the time and he just says, “just try to be a better person then”. I know I’m not easy to deal with though I try.

Aside from my big blow-up, we eventually had to put down our beloved Chewy, who was a part of our lives for 8 years. We both didn’t go to work the day after because we were too distraught and grieving in bed together. We just decided to go on a long drive with Aris (our other furchild) reflecting about everything in life. Even though life goes on, it was hard for us. A week and a half later though, we made room for another pup in our hearts and lives, Liara. We ended the year taking a small trip to Carmel-by-the-Sea with Aris and Liara, relaxing under the sunshine and enjoying walks on the beach and trails with them.

Marriage isn’t always easy, and we bicker because sometimes we have different ways of viewing things. And while he wants to move on, I tend to mope and sulk and soak in my sadness (which I seriously need to work on). But we eventually come together in a mature fashion, I calm down and grow from those arguments that won’t even matter weeks from then. Because the best part of the night is when we go to bed together and give each other massages (touch is his biggest love language) and praying together, and cuddling knowing that no matter what bullets life throws at us, we have each other.

Right now we booked a trip to London and Paris in October (my birth month) and we couldn’t be any more excited! We are still in the stages of planning our hotels and itineraries. I often dream of the next places we will travel to. We’re thinking Tokyo, Manila, Hawaii, Italy, Thailand, Australia, New Orleans, etc. Lately we have been seriously talking more about children…even though it won’t happen for another few years, I’m just happy we are going in that direction of yes, we want them and my doctors are okay with me having them as long as I am in remission from lupus for at least 6 months to a year. I have faith that we will get there.

There truly isn’t anyone I’d rather spend my life with, no one else who gets me the way he does. There’s nothing more amazing in this world knowing that you have someone to come home to to laugh, eat, cry and do life with.

I love you Cecilio. I look forward to many more years with you, more highs and lows and everything in between.

Hannah Padilla

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Hannah is a travel writer, graphic designer, and the founder/editor of Hannah on Horizon. She is based in Sacramento, California, living with her husband and two adorable dogs. She shares tips on how to experience luxury travel on any budget, and how to maximize time at each trip or destination, no matter what your budget or amount of vacation time at work. She enjoys making you feel like you have visited each destination with her through her storytelling and informative writing style.