I know this post is a little late but… it’s my blog and I’ll do what I want to! I have already posted my 2013 reading stats, as well as my goals for 2014. Anyway, I like to reflect every year and I have to say: 2013 was the best. At the end of 2012, I reflected and stated that it had been the best year of my life so far, and it had been… but 2013 blew even that one out of the water. I don’t know how anything can top the year I had, but I will hope for the best and that 2014 brings more amazing things! I think I will just bullet point my 2013:
- On October 5th, Jerry and I got married. It was the best, most beautiful day of our lives. I would relive it again and again if I could.
- We had an incredible honeymoon. We flew to Florida the day after the wedding with my grandparents and got on a cruise the next day. It was our first cruise and it was incredible. We went to the Bahamas, CoCo Cay Island, and Key West. We saw amazing things, ate all the food (so. much. FOOD!), and just had a ball. The highlight of our trip was doing a sea lion encounter in the Bahamas where we got in a pool with a sea lion who hugged us, kissed us, gave us handshakes, let us rub her belly, etc. It was off the hook. After the cruise, we spent a couple of days unwinding at my grandparent’s house in Florida. It was perfect and we already cannot wait to cruise again.
- I had so many amazing pre-wedding events like my bridal showers, rehearsal dinner, bachelorette party, time with out of town family, and a night at a hotel with my best friends on my last night as a single woman!
- My first nephew was born on July 1st. I knew I would love him before he was born, but I didn’t know just how much until the moment I met him. Then I knew. Being an aunt rocks and I could give him a million kisses a day – he is just that cute.
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| With my nephew at my wedding |
- I finished my Master’s in Library Science… with a 4.0. Booyah! I also got a promotion and transferred to the other library branch in my town. Loving both of these things!
- I trained for and ran my first half-marathon. This is probably my biggest and proudest accomplishment to date. Seriously. I sometimes still cannot believe I did it. I used to be morbidly obese. I used to get out of breath just walking… and now? Now I’m a half-marathoner and no one can ever take that away from me.
- I continued with my weight loss journey. It will be two years at the end of January. I have now lost a total of 118 pounds NATURALLY. Jerry and I even had an article in the local paper about our weight loss and meeting!
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| This was on the front page of the paper |
- Jerry and I got invited to a special episode of the Rachael Ray show. We were part of the guest audience full of people who had lost extreme amounts of weight. I hoped for the chance to talk and share our story, and although we didn’t get to talk on TV, it was still amazing. We drove to NYC with my dad for the taping and stayed overnight in NJ. We met some amazing fellow weight losers who understood all we had been through. It was so nice to be surrounded by people who understood. We also scored some cool prizes like Target gift cards and a gym membership!
- We moved out! We are buying the home that my great-grandparents built. My grandpa owns it now so it has always been in the family. We are in the process of getting the mortgage now, so we don’t own it yet, but luckily he let us move in early. It’s been an adjustment but it’s so fun making it our own and decorating! I am all about the county / primitive style. Pictures soon!
- I started my own chapter of the Forever YA book club in September. It’s always been my dream to be in a book club and my book club pretty much rocks. Most of the girls were acquaintances who are now becoming good friends, and a couple of the girls I met through the book club and I’m excited to have them as new friends too. I’m branching out, making new friends, being less of a homebody… life is good.
- I became a dog foster… more on that later!
So these were just some of the bigger moments of the year. 2012 was a year of drastic change and 2013 even more so. I can hardly recognize the girl that I was two years ago. So much has changed about me, for the better. I am proud of all that I have done and accomplished. I am proud of the changes I have made and the life I have made for myself. I think after so many huge life changes over the past two years though, 2014 will be focused on settling into my new roles and life while still learning. I can finally rest a little easier this year, though I still have much to improve on and accomplish… but I can do it at my own pace. I still have some weight to lose, more races to run… I’m learning to be a wife, an aunt, a homeowner. Still learning, as always, and looking forward to another year!
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