A year of "firsts" if you will...
1st (and 2nd) Solo Apartment
My first adventure as a renter has been a little like a really rickety roller coaster. The kind that you aren't sure if you'll survive. My first apartment was festering with black mold and had shower issues that can't really even be covered in one blog. Let's just say it was awful. Instead of fixing things though, my landlord had me move all my belongings down the hallway...which put me in both a bad mood and a completely panic truthfully. But thankfully God had plans to make my life easier....and this apartment has been a huge blessing. The shower even works. What more can I ask for?!
1st Trip to Europe
I literally never in my wildest dreams believed that I would go to Europe. I grew up in a family that rarely even took vacations to Seattle....we just couldn't afford it. Europe was that place that the rich kids got to go to on the summer vacations....and it was a far off pipe dream. Circumstances really lined up this year though, and I was incredibly blessed to have enough money for a ticket and strangely enough money to actually enjoy myself once I got there too! We spent 9 days exploring Ireland (we did the full loop...what incredible scenary), and I finally got to see a piece of my past. Even more unbelievable to me was the opportunity to spend a night exploring Paris during a long layover. Seeing the Eiffel Tower was the singular most incredible thing I've ever experienced. The whole thing still feels like I dream, but I have pictures....and I've never had a dream that could produce proof! :)
I marked off so many bucket list items in 10 days....
1st Pet of my own (that isn't a fish)
Call me a cat lady....everyone else does. But I love this little guy. His name is Scooter, and he is badly behaved and pees when he gets scared, but I couldn't ask for a better roommate. I would love to get him a dog to hang out with, but only cats are allowed in this apartment, so I suppose that will have to wait. Regardless, he is a great first pet...he will go down in the record books as one of my all-time favorites. He follows me around like my own little shadow, would rather sit on my lap than anywhere else, and is always waiting at the door when I come home. Perfect little companion!
1st Time seeing any ocean (I actually saw both this year...win!)
PACIFIC ATLANTIC
I know...I turned 25 this year and I had never seen the ocean. So, I decided to go out with a bang and see both...in a span of two months. I saw the Atlantic Ocean for the first time in Ireland. This picture was taken at a lookout on our tour of the Ring of Kerry in Killarney. This was literally the first time I had seen the ocean...and this doesn't even accurately capture how excited I was. The other picture is taken at Cannon Beach on a lazy Sunday with the Boboths on the Coast. They really blessed me with the most perfect day I've had in a long time.
1st Experience being "the Maid of Honor"
My beautiful best friend got married to her long-time boyfriend this summer...and it was the most perfect and beautiful wedding I've ever experienced. The most striking thing was how much love was in the room...between friends and family and Matt and Tracey. Being the maid of honor was such a huge responsibility that I had built up in my mind, but despite a few mistakes on my part, Tracey was the exact opposite of a bridezilla and the whole day was perfect and relaxing and wonderful. And they are about to experience their first Christmas as husband and wife....so cheers to that! :)
1st Trip to the East Coast
Oh Boston. My heart has been totally captured by this place. I had never been to the East Coast before, so this was a really huge trip for me as well. There is so much history here and so much that I had always heard about, but never imagined I'd see for myself. Any opportunity to travel and see the world is so unexpected in my mind, and coming to Boston was truly a unique experience of a lifetime. It is fantastic to see something outside of my norm....because the Pacific Northwest is SO different from the rest of the country. More Boston to come...hopefully!
This year certainly has been fulfilling and surprisingly wonderful in so many ways. I'm unsure of what next year will bring. Change...lots of change. That I can be sure of. I'm coming up on 7 months left in my current job position. Ending at this job will provide a huge sigh of relief, but also a really strange transition as I have truly grown to love my co-workers and will feel a little lost without them for a while. I'm currently holding my breath for grad school acceptance and financing to come through for next year, and praying that I don't have to explore other options if that doesn't pan out. Nothing comes super easily though....so, I guess I better be ready for anything!
I'm also anticipating training for my first half marathon at the end of May. I've got my eyes set on the Coeur D'Alene half, with training starting in the end of February. I have on-going issues with an old knee injury, so the key is going to be avoiding blowing it out completely.
As for New Years resolutions....I don't have any. I won't keep them anyways...let's be serious. :)
Christmas parties are starting up this next week and things are going to get absolutely crazy, so in case I don't check back in until after the New Year....
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! Enjoy this joyous season with your family and friends!
Dani
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