2011 in review - part one

Clearly, school took over my life and I was unable to continue my journal entries. So much has happened in the last 5 month that I want to talk about, but I'll leave it until next week. For now, I'm going to start with my review of 2011. The first, being part of the yearly journal I do. I'm not posting it all, but this is what I was able to pull from it that I wanted to post.

Marriage

The wedding finally happened this year, after many years of planning. It was successful, and unforgettable. Although the concept of marriage can be defined easily by most, it’s quite nice to make our own set of rules in our relationship. According to most, we should have been settling down and popping out a baby by now. I’m glad that we laid out a strong foundation for our marriage over the last few years, and have no plans to let anyone else influence it, and cause us to deviate from what we truly want. We’re both happy, and things couldn’t be better. This year has strengthened my love for him even  more. I am so lucky to have him in my life.

Friendship

I learned many lessons this year, and had a lot of unique experiences. The most important one was learning how valuable friendship is. People take it for granted, and I sure did. It’s easy to do. I’ve learned that you need to work at friendships, just like relationships. People who are there for you no matter what, through the bad times and the good are the ones to hold onto. They call you when they know you’re upset, to make sure you’re okay and make you laugh. My friends, the ones who did this and helped me this year will have my never ending gratitude. You know who you are, and you should know what you mean to me.  If you don’t – I love you. I’ll never be able to tell you how much you mean to me, and how grateful I am for having you in my life.

On the same note of friendship, this year became a huge milestone in my friendship with someone who I’ve known for over ten years. This was the year I got to meet Bram for the first time.

It was an experience that neither of us will ever forget. It was, in the words of Bram “surreal”. I’ll never forget that awkward few moments at the airport when I hid behind a tall pillar waiting for him to emerge. It was a crazy, awesome moment that makes me laugh every time I remember it. The photo above was taken less than 5 minutes after meeting.  Many believed it was crazy we had never met before June, but we just never had the chance to.  Our friendship is quite unexplainable, and we’re both quite content with that.  I really got to understand the value of my friendship with him this year, and appreciate it more than I’ll ever be able to explain to him.  I was ecstatic that he attended, and was involved in one of the most important events I’ll ever have. The week he was in Toronto was one of the best of my life, and I don’t think either of us will forget it or the memories we made during it.  

So thank you Bram, for everything you’ve done for me, and for putting up with my overdramatic, ridiculous, never ending talking butt all these years! Thank you being one of my greatest friends.

New Experiences

2011 brought a long awaited adventure – I finally visited Bram in Europe. It was a spur of the moment decision that came in June, and within days I was booked on a trip for two weeks with the fabulous Jane.  We anticipated it all summer, and when we finally got there we weren’t let down. The two weeks flew by, but we had the time of our lives. We met great new people, ate tons of delicious food and had tons of new experiences. I learned more on that trip, that I had in the last year and I couldn’t believe how opened my eyes became to things. I think I also became closer with Jane, and I love her to pieces for not only coming with me, but for being someone who listens to my garbage and puts up with it more than anyone else. I love you darling.

The Future

I’m hoping in 2012 to mostly have new experiences, and to continue to grow into a future educator. The knowledge gained this year about being one, has helped me see things in a new light, and I can’t wait to put a lot of them into practice during my teaching experiences this year. I also  cannot wait to visit Ireland in May with Deric, and hopefully visit Belgium again as well.  I'll also be spending the holidays with my family and friends, and as always look forward to that. I hope 2012 will be a great year.

Coming up tomorrow: 2011 review with photos

I'm a fish, I'm a fish.

Yesterday D and I went to his annual work party at the local water park. Him and I usually go tons throughout the summer as it's only a few moments away from the house, and is a great night after he works all day.

It was fairly chilly, but it didn't stop me from running into the wave pool after lunch and after getting use to the temperature, we ventured out to the six foot depth and waited for the waves to be turned on. I often go out this deep but most of the younger kids at the park won't head out that fair, and no one will be thrown into you as you ride the waves around.

When the waves started, I found myself so relaxed as I have much experience in the water. I love it. I would live in it if I could. Deric can swim, although not as well I can. And once the waves got going he had to retreat to the 5'5 depth because wave after wave kept going over his head. Even before the waves started, we were floating in the water, he had to tread water to keep himself up. It was so effortless for me. I never really noticed myself having to do much to keep myself above the water. Even going under the water, he has to plug his nose. I can easily go under without having to do that, and I can open my eyes easily too.

So after, we discussed swimming lessons an how I attended them for over ten years. He had not. In fact, except for football he had never taken any sort of lessons or gone to any type of summer camp. It surprised me, because that's all I did when I was young.

I started to think last night about all the different things when I was young, and I was spoiled! I never thought about it before, because everyone around me did the same thing. I thought it was normal for most young kids to take lessons or attend camp in the summer.

Here is the complete list of things I did as a child

- Swimming Lessons (10+ years)

- Skating Lessons ( 4 + years)

- Summer Camp ( I did this multiple years, different kinds)

- Brownies & Girl Guides

- Dance Lessons

- Reading Club

- Ballet

- Tennis

- Karate

- Craft Classes

- Gymnastics

- Babysitting courses

- cpr/first aid classes

I'm 100% sure that I am forgetting some, but those were the main ones. I taught lessons too.

So it was interesting to see that not everyone does (or has the same chances) to experience these types of things when growing up. Although D and I currently do not plan on ever having children (right now away), I would want any we did have to experience the same things I did. I'm so happy I can swim well (I use to swim across the lake when we went camping, it was awesome!).

D calls me a fish all the time, so I can help but hear "I'm a fish, I'm a fish" everytime I swim now.

It would change your life

I had a dream last night that I won the lottery. Of course, I've had this dream many times before but never in this detail. It went from before I won, to months after. It was kinda cool to see what my subconscious would come up with for what I would do if I DID win.

So it got me thinking this morning over breakfast - what WOULD I do if I won?

1) Go into hiding

No really, I would pack up things that I needed to keep (photos + other items) and ship them to my parents house. I would then, go to a hotel in an unnamed city until my father could set up a corporation to claim the money. I would try and avoid my name getting out there as someone who has won. Obviously, the changes in my lifestyle would key people who are in my life into what was going on, but random strangers - hopefully not.

2) Discussion

Deric and I would spend a lot of time discussing what type of life we'd want to live. Do we want to open our own business? It wouldn't be something we could come to easily, and most likey would sit on it for a year. But the small things we could think about. Where would our home base now be? Would we buy a house? Build one. So many choices and options.

3) V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N

Italy? Spain? Somewhere hot like that! I'd rent a boat. A beach house. Fly first class. I would bring important people with me so that they could share the amazing experiences that money could buy. I would hire a chef to cook for us. Drive around nice cars. Be driven around. Visit some of the most beautiful places in the world. I'd hire a photographer to follow us around so that I could remember every single moment of it. I'd buy myself gear too. So many places that I would want to visit that it would be hard to decide where to go first. No matter what though, I would do it with D, and some close friends :)

4) Giving Back

So many amazing organizations that I'd love to give money to - and I would! I'd give back to my family. Finally allow my father to retire and live his dream - retire at a nice cottage in northern Ontario with my mother and dog. I'd leave my brothers money, but make sure they finish college first before they could touch it. I'd give money to some people who I know deserve it. Friends who have been there for me. Friends who I'd love to see live their dreams.

5) Remaining the same

Obviously winning something like the lottery is a life changer. No matter what, everyone would change slightly but you don't need to change the person you are. I wouldn't be "too good" to visit and talk with all friends. To attend important events in their lives. Or not call them when they needed to talk. I think it's a lot harder, but you shouldn't let something like money affect the person you are. Money can't hug you back. (unless of course, you buy one.)

It would be a great experience to win the lottery, but the chance of it happening is zero. Although D and I play it sometimes, I don't even believe that I would win. I guess neither do people who actually do win, so who knows what could happen.

One thing is for sure - I have better chance then those who don't! :)