This has been such a special year. 

Launching Classically Abby has been my passion project, and I feel so lucky that so many of you share my interests. Check out my new video to see what I have in store for the #ClassicCrew this year, and thank you so much for being here! 

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Can you believe it's already been a year of Classically Abby?? 

I feel overwhelmed, to say the least. This has been one of the best years of my life. I still can't believe that just a year ago I sat in front of my computer and thought, "I have so many things I'd like to share with the world. I want to share my music, my thoughts, my beauty tutorials, my fashion choices, and see if I can find any like-minded individuals who share those interests, or at least want to talk about them!" How incredible has it been that I have found so many of you. I am so grateful that you have come along with me on this journey. 

This next year is going to be even better than the first. I have some wonderful plans for Classically Abby! I'll be talking about them more on my YouTube channel, and you might notice some changes on my Instagram feed too. I can't wait to continue to grow and develop Classically Abby, as well as our #ClassicCrew. 

In honor of the First Anniversary of Classically Abby, I thought I'd share some of my favorite YouTube videos and blog posts over this past year. So let's hop into it! 

Rereading this blog post, I remember wanting to share with you all why opera is more relatable than you might think. Playing the evil stepsister was such a cool experience and one that taught me so much. Whenever you get to play the worst version of a person, even in a comedy, you get the opportunity to explore those emotions within yourself. I am excited to continue sharing this art form and giving you more behind-the-scenes looks into the lifestyle of a young, millennial opera singer!

Notable Quote: "Take a look at the people you know who seem to demonstrate qualities that you don't like - if you can try and understand their behavior, then you can recognize and take measures against falling down the same rabbit hole yourself. " Read the rest here. 

This post has definitely held up. I still believe that texting is a dangerous way to get involved with someone. Most of the time when I set up friends, I have them agree that they won't text before getting a coffee first. It's so easy to get caught up, in either a good way or a bad way, when texting is the primary form of communication. A guy can be more charming or less charming over text and can mislead your emotions.

Notable Quote: "But miscommunications are so easy when all you have to go on are the words in front of you. You're lacking all of the major components of a conversation: facial expression, tone of voice, and body language." Read the rest here. 

I love this post! I had such a good time finding gowns on Amazon and testing out their quality, as well as trying to take photographs of myself for pretty much the first time EVER. I have learned so much in the last year, but I do have to say, I still think this was a pretty great blog (if I don't say so myself). Plus, I still have that white gown in my closet!

Notable Quote: "Even if it isn't the most flattering gown, it's one that I didn't want to take off. This is the kind of dress you just have to spin and dance in!" Read the rest here.  

I love this song. I love this scarf. I love how my makeup looks. This music video was a home run in my book. Jacob and I had just returned from our cruise around the British Isles, and I had been so inspired that I came home and immediately decided to record this. I threw on this scarf that he had bought for me in Ireland, and boom - I was ready to go. The words are so touching and the music is so incredibly beautiful - is there anything better? 

Notable Quote: "And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me/ And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be/ For you will bend and tell me that you love me/ And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me!" Watch here. 

As a YouTuber, there are some videos you make that you are really proud of. For some reason, this is one of them. Maybe because it's really the first video I shot in my new studio, maybe it's because I had taken a two-week break from YouTube while I  was traveling and I was so excited to talk to you all, or maybe it's because I had just moved to Nebraska and settled in. But whatever it is, I just loved shooting and editing this video. 

Notable Quote: "I walked into my grocery store and there was an entire aisle of Halloween stuff. IT IS AUGUST, SIR." Watch here.

I had to mention the Husband VS. Wife Movie Reviews that I do with Jacob. These are always a blast to film, and since we both love watching movies so much, it's great to be able to put that hobby to good use! It's always fun to hear his reviews since sometimes we totally agree and other times we definitely disagree. This was a fun one to film because Avengers: Endgame was such a hot-button topic. 

Notable quote: "The five year time skip in which MISTAKES WERE MADE." Watch here.

And that's my roundup of some of my favorite posts and videos from this year. I'd love to know some of your favorites! Let me know in the comments what your favorites were in 2019, and if there's anything you'd like to see more of. And thanks again for making this first year so wonderful! 

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Becoming a wife is such an exciting time in a woman's life. 

I thought I would share some of my thoughts on getting married with you all. Marriage is one of God's greatest gifts, and it's always nice to hear some advice upon entering into such an important commitment. I think it's good to know what normal things to expect in your first year of marriage, for example, or how to deal with living with someone who has different preferences in cleanliness than you do. 

Do you have any advice about marriage or dating? Let me know in the comments below! 

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Does this seem random? I'm sure it does. But there's a story behind me choosing to put up a quiz just for fun! 

My husband and I were out together on Sunday, drinking coffee and joking around. All of a sudden, my husband asked me, "If you had to say I were a language, what language would I be?" We discussed it for a little while, laughing at our determinations and trying to decide what qualities of each language you could use to describe people. So I thought, just for fun, I'd put together a little quiz for you all! I'd love to know your results - share them with me in the comments!

1. You're sitting at your desk, looking at your plans for next week. How are you dealing with them? 
A) Putting them into your calendar and organizing them.
B) Looking at them and imagining how they'll all go.
C) Texting your friends to tell them how excited you are to see them. 

2. You get to choose your dream pet! Which do you choose? 
A) Dog
B) Cat
C) Horse

3. You are choosing an outfit for date night. What are you going to wear? 
A) Jeans, Silk Blouse, Leather Jacket, Boots
B) Flowy Skirt, Fitted Sweater, Black Heels 
C) Red Dress, Open-Toed Sandals, Big Earrings 

4. Your birthday is coming up. What does your dream party look like? 
A) Everyone shows up on time to a formal dinner party
B) Meet at a bar and hang out with friends
C) Surprise party! 

5. Your house is a mess. How did it get so messy? 
A) Your partner made it a mess. 
B) You've been relaxing all weekend - which includes, no cleaning! 
C) You had a few friends over and everyone had the best time

6. Your mother is coming to town and you are trying to decide where to take her. Where do you guys go? 
A) An early breakfast, followed by a museum, then lunch, followed by a movie, then dinner
B) We'll just see where the day takes us 
C) We'll go shopping, then I'll introduce her to all of my friends 

7. Your boss tells you that you're doing a great job at work. What does he praise you for? 
A) Your organization
B) Your flexibility 
C) Your creativity 

If you got mostly A's, you are German. You are such an organized person and you love when things are scheduled and timely. You're probably the mom of your friend group, since you make sure everyone makes it to where they need to be. You are always planning the most amazing trips because you are able to fit in everything you want to see and do. German is a very regular language that doesn't have many exceptions - it's organized, just like you! 

If you got mostly B's, you are French. You are a go-with-the-flow kind of person - if Plan A doesn't work out, you don't let your feathers get ruffled. You just move on to Plan B. You enjoy taking the time to just enjoy life and work on your own schedule - things always work out, and you know that. French is a beautiful, flowing language, and that describes you to a T. 

If you got mostly C's, you are Italian. You are truly outgoing and love people. You're extroverted, and enjoy taking time to spend with your friends. If you could travel all around getting to know new places, you would. Everything is exciting to you, and you are so happy to take in life's experiences. Italian is so expressive, and you are too! 

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Have you heard the news? Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have decided to quit the royal family.

Well, maybe not exactly quit. But, nevertheless, they released this statement to the press: 

“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages. This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity. We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.”

As a woman who believes in tradition, duty, and responsibility, many of Meghan's actions have struck me. She has constantly flouted the rules - she doesn't follow the dress codes, she makes her political leanings known, she still acts like a Hollywood celebrity even though being a part of the royal family dictates a whole new list of rules. And this most recent decision to release a statement without consulting with the Queen - her husband's grandmother - was surprising, if not downright disrespectful. 

So for all of those who are defending Harry and Meghan's choice, here are 5 reasons why you may want to reconsider: 

1. When you marry someone, you marry their responsibilities. Many people discuss love as though it's something entirely uncontrollable, as well as entirely separate from all of the responsibilities that come with it. But here's the thing: when you marry someone, you marry ALL OF THEM. You marry their family, their struggles, their baggage. If you marry a man with debt, guess what? You have debt too. If you marry a man who is a recovering alcoholic, guess what? You now have to help him with his journey. If you marry a prince, guess what? You are part of a royal family. You now have all the duties and responsibilities that go along with that choice. If Meghan didn't want to marry a prince, she could have left England and never come back. There are many ways you can prevent yourself from falling in love, especially when you're not seeing that person every day - but that's a topic for another time. Meghan chose to get involved with Harry. That meant getting involved with every part of him. Including his royal duties. 

2. It's your spouse's responsibility to support and bolster you in your duties, not help you run away. This is something I think is overlooked frequently in today's society. The best relationships are the ones that bolster you in your faith, your job, your duties - not help you shirk them. Prince Harry may have been born into a position that he did not want, but it is his duty to find purpose in his role. Meghan, on the other hand, married into this world voluntarily. Her responsibility is to help her husband when he is struggling to find meaning. She should be by his side, helping him when times are hard instead of encouraging him to recuse himself from his birthright. It's not easy - but finding purpose in duty is a worthy cause.

3. Meghan signed up for this life. Some women have responded by saying, "It's her life." That's true. I don't deny that. But she chose to marry a prince. That's the first and most essential point. By marrying a prince, she accepted upon herself a life of royalty. In trying to upend the entire royal structure, she and Harry are acting rashly and irresponsibly, throwing out tradition in favor of the here and now.

4. Being a royal is an essentially selfless act. As a part of the royal family, you are there to serve your country and your people. It's a selfless life, in a way, although you are definitely rewarded in beautiful clothing, delicious food, and plentiful help. But much of your life is spent doing charity work, attending official engagements, and supporting your country. Harry and Meghan have essentially said that they are choosing not to engage in the selfless act of being royal. They would rather pursue their own interests (including charity work, although perhaps it's political and not in line with the royal dictate) - which for the average person, might make sense. But for someone whose duty is to serve his nation, even if his capacity is not as king, Prince Harry has shirked his duty with the encouragement of his wife.

​5. Tradition isn't bad. Last but not least, I'd like to address tradition. We live in a world that eschews tradition, says that the time has come for things to change. Even the terrible Netflix trilogy beginning with "The Christmas Prince" is obsessed with the idea that the king and queen need to throw out the old and bring in the new. But there's a reason that traditions last. There's a reason that entire cultures are built on tradition. It's a beautiful thing to look at a monarchy, a family, that has lasted generations, and is still serving its people. It's nice to see traditional families and women dressing like ladies and men dressing like gentlemen. Yes, sometimes things need to change. But Harry and Meghan seem to snarkily shake a finger at royal tradition. The Queen says to wear tights? Meghan goes bare-legged in her engagement photo shoot. The royal family discusses announcements before they're made? Harry and Meghan announce they are stepping back from their royal duties without consulting Kensington Palace.

This is not a respectful choice made after careful studying of the rules and clear thought regarding changes that could be instituted. This is the action of a couple who is going to do what they want, regardless of the outcome. 

And that is the problem. 

Do you agree? What do you think? Let me know in the comments down below! 

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Do you normally make New Year's resolutions? 

I don't really like to call my New Year's plans resolutions - instead, I call them goals. They are things that I am working toward in the new year, things I am hoping to implement, change, or continue. And this year I have a few goals! 2019 was such an incredible year for me and, with God's help, 2020 will be another great one. 

What are your New Year's goals? Let me know in the comments down below, and don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel to stay up-to-date on all of my new content! 

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