Dear Chelsea in 2011, Love Chelsea in 2012

Dear Chelsea in February 2011,

Breathe. Next year life will be beyond your imagination. You will be married to the most incredible man. Your wedding day will be the happiest day of your life, you will be so calm. Don't worry. All the planning your doing right now...you can relax. None of that is going to matter the second you walk out of the barn with you dad and see Matt at the end of that aisle. After that, the day will be the clearest blur of your life so far. You will get in that car at night to head to the hotel with Matt and feel the happiest and most relaxed you've ever felt your whole life. Those bubbles and that paper chain...don't worry about them, they don't go out and you don't realize it until a week later. Spend all the time you want deciding the cupcake flavors but know that you aren't going to have one that day...or anytime after. You won't mind, you'll be on an incredible honeymoon with Matt in Sunriver, OR. Yes, Sunriver, OR. Stop planning that Disney World trip, it doesn't happen. Sad? You'll be sad for a bit, but you'll soon learn that it's not the end of the world. You'll then find that your Sunriver trip will be a very important week for you and Matt. You will fall in love even more. Don't think that's possible? You just wait! He'll keep surprising you with how much he has you falling for him. You'll fight too. Some pretty good ones too. You always figure it out, don't worry. You're going to learn a lot about each other this year. You'll learn to suck it up and say sorry right away. You'll be wrong a lot, get over it. I wish you could read this now because I'd love to tell you that if you hug Matt even when you're more mad at him than you've ever been before...you'll feel safe to just tell him you love him and you'll both be able to breath and realize what's really important. You two sure do fight about some dumb things sometimes.

Matt will work from home with you. You'll spend more time together than you ever have before. This is both a blessing and sucky at times. With Matt's ADD and your un-diagnosed ADD, you both have your awesome quirks. But, like I've been saying...you'll always work it out. I can't wait for you to see how much you love Matt and how much he loves you back.

Do not stress about money. I know it seems hard now. It is hard now. By this time next year, you'll be just one month from being 100% out of debt and be getting a new car in a few months. Think I'm joking? Hard to believe huh?! No joke. Oh and give up on your Jeep idea and give into Matt's want for a Nissan Rogue now...you'll end up wanting that one anyways. You'll expand your program. You'll have 3 employees. You'll teach not only at the Community Center but at 3 other preschools with tons more on the way. You're going to be just fine. More than fine, great! You'll achieve your 5 year goals in this one year. Don't stop working hard though. It doesn't happen easily. Matt will do amazing things in school. He gets the highest grade in his math class two quarters in a row! You'll be super proud. He'll be proud too...but very humble. He will continue teaching you to be that way. You're going to learn a lot from him this year. He's smart, that husband of yours.

Matt will have a contract towards the end of the year that will end a month early. No need to panic though, you have expanded your program so much that you can survive and still save. I know what your saying, Chelsea. "Yeah right!" It's true, you two budget! You actually budget and save money. Are you laughing now? Well don't. It's true. You also don't have a baby and you're not pregnant or anywhere near planning on that. You're going to have so much fun expanding your program that you'll want to keep waiting to start your family to see just how many goals you and Matt can accomplish first. You'll pay Matt's car off and Matt will be a lot farther in school. You should really just stop planning now...just stop planning and breathe. Trust God. You will see one year from now that God is great. He has a plan. You can have a plan too but things will always be His plan. Throw away all your notebooks full of 5 year plans, lists and goals...Matt will make you throw them away soon anyways. You'll be mad, but then you'll love him for it. He knows you, Chelsea. He knows you more than you know yourself. Face it. Take his advice. Watch football. Switch all your files to your computer and don't use paper anymore, it will make him happy.

Some fun things...you'll spend 6 weeks with your sister, Cylie, this summer and you and Matt will have an awesome trip to Vancouver where you'll reconnect and fall in love yet again. You'll learn how to cook and make some dishes that Matt will call "better than Panda Express." You'll have fun signing your new name. You and Katie will become great friends. She'll be your best friend. She's going to be pregnant next month and they'll have a daughter, Avery. You'll hire some great staff and become close with one of them as well. You'll always miss your family, but will be so busy that the homesickness won't exist. You'll continue talking to your mom & dad everyday :)

This is going to be a good year for you, Chelsea. Remember, just breathe. These are going to be the greatest 12 months of your life. You're going to grow up, but you'll still have a lot to learn.

Love, you in February 2012.