2011 Highlights Part 2

A continuation of yesterday's post... the highlights from 2011.

July:

• Greg goes to London ten days before me, and I am left a single woman in Provo. Somehow, I survive. Journal entry from July 24, 2011: "Well, I am a lone woman in the garden of Eden and have been for the last week. Mandy came down on Monday and stayed until Thursday morning. It was like we were roommates again! We had so much fun and spent the days sleeping in, swimming, playing volleyball, playing Settlers of Cataan, and watching late night TV."

• I spend some quality time with Mary before she leaves on her mishky. July 27, 2011: "One night this week I spent up at my mom's and I slept out on the trampoline with Mary. It was so fun, just like we were little kids again! I do adore Mary. She has one of the best hearts of anyone I know. It is pure all the way through. With Mary, no matter what stage of life we are in, we've always been able to talk and laugh for hours. We get a kick out of the same things. I'm sure going to miss her when she leaves on that mission of hers. I'm stoked for her, though. I know how much my mission meant to me and I want Mary to be able to have that same kind of experience."

August:

• London, Paris, Edinburgh! Journal entry from August 1, 2011: "Paris is beautiful. There really is some ineffable quality about the city that somehow makes it magical. We wandered around the streets, eventually making our way to the eiffel tower. It was astounding. It is one thing that I feel like totally lives up to its hype and even beyond. There is nothing that could prepare me for the beauty, majest, and grandeur of that structure. It really is breathtaking! I think the thing I was most surprised by was the size of it. It is so much bigger than I could have ever imagined, and its massive size simply blew me away.

• We miss our flight to Scotland- the second flight I have missed in my life. Journal entry from August 7, 2011: "I'm in a realy pissy mood. Today has been the worst day ever. We had to get up at 4:30 am, leave at 5:15 am to get our flight. We all missed the plane. Everyone was looking for someone to blame, but the the truth is, we just didn't allow for enough time to get to the airport. So Chris had to find flights for all 15 of us leaving from a different airport. We have spent all day long in the airport. We left the apartment 13 hours ago. It wouldn't be so bad if I had Greg with me, instead we got put on separate flights. The other super sucky thing is (I feel like I might as well get it all out now as long as I'm ranting and raving) that in Scotland all the girls share a room together and all the boys share a room together. Meaning I'm staying apart from Greg. BOO HOO! I am so sad. I'm seriously in the worst mood right now. Very pouty and whiny and self-pity. I realize it's annoying to read, but I don't care, all I want to do is POUT!"

• I see a show at the Globe Theatre, a lifelong dream of mine: Journal entry from August 12, 2011: "My favorite thing that I did in London was go to a show at the Globe! Seeing Shakespeare at the Globe was seriously like a dream come true for me. The play was awesome. Oh my gosh, it was so amazing to lean up against that stage and see the best Shakespeare in the world being performed and to share it with my hubby and to laugh and just be completely immersed in that play. It was a magical night with perfect weather and one of the best dates of my life!"

• Our bed and breakfast in Stratford is plagued by a ghost and keeps Hubs and I up half the night. Details too scary to post.

• Mary leaves on her mission. Journal entry from August 30, 2011: "Saying goodbye to Mary was hard. She's my best friend besides Greg and the family feels so different without her around. I know it's been especially hard for mom. Ever since dad left, Mary's kind of been mom's right hand man. Mary does everything for my mom and has been there in a way that I never could be."

September

• School starts back up and I resign myself to another year of a 50 minute commute. I tell myself I am strong and that it ain't no thing. I'm lying to myself, of course.  Journal entry from September 11, 2011: "School started back up.  I really do love my job and I am so blessed to have steady work that I genuinely enjoy doing.  It is like night at day the difference between last year and this year.  I am so much more comfortable teaching.  I know exactly what I am doing and it require so much less time and preparation.  I have a lot of juniors this year that I had as sophomores last year and it's so fun to have them again, to be able to joke with them and feel comfortanble with them.  It's fun to come back to a place where I know all the teachers, the principal, etc.  I don't have a doubt in my mind that I chose the right profession, nor do I have a doubt in my mind that I chose the right school to work with.
• I start blogging pretty consistently, and thus, almost stop completely writing in my journal. Oops.
• Hubs and I enjoy a long weekend in St. George that involves hours of Mafia, Settlers of Cataan, and volleyball.  In a moment of passion I call him a son of a b**** and at that point I realize I am too competitive and vow to take it down a notch.

October

• After several plans for fall break fall though, Hubs and I decide to vacation by staying home.  Journal entry from October 23, 2011:  "After four successful attempts, we finally just decided to stay home for the break.  And it was awesome.  We pulled the mattress out into the front room and had a movie sleepover, woke up and went to McDonald's for Lunch/breakfast, organized some volleyball in the church with friends, donated plasma, stayed up late, slept in, went out to dinner, etc.  It was a great weekend.  So maybe I don't need to go on a big trip to enjoy my time off of work."
• Hubs and I dress up like zombies for Halloween and I have nightmares of Hubs as a zombie for weeks after.  True story:  I had a dream featuring Zombie Hubs just last night.

November

• I release my anger and frustration over the NBA Lockout via a blog post.  After some encouragement from my aunt, I send the article in to the newspaper, and to my delight, it is published a few days later.  It is the widest audience I have ever had for something I have written and I am beside myself with glee.
• After seeing a strange dance at our Thanksgiving celebration, Hubs tells me that had he experienced that before our wedding, we wouldn't have gotten married.  That's why you gotta lock em down quick, people.

December

• I experience a surge of wifely desire and decide to decorate the house for Christmas.  Journal entry December 11, 2011: "Winter has definitely arrived and Christmas is right around the corner.  I decorated our little apartment with stockings and lights and even a little miniature christmas tree.  It's so cute and makes the apartment so festive.  It is mine and Greg's first Christmas together so that makes it extra special.  It'll be so nice to have the break, too, and to be able to spend tons of time together.  Lately he's been so busy with rehearsels that I've hardly seen him so Christmas will be bomb."

• The NBA Lockout ends and the Jazz's season starts up.  I promise myself not to get too emotionally involved, and after the two opening blow out games, I don't think it should be too difficult.
• I spend my first Christmas with Hubs' family, and manage to not miss my own family too much.  I have a sudden epiphany that millions have likely had before me:  No matter the difficulties, struggles, or sorrows, there is much more good in life than bad, more happiness than sadness, and more joy than pain. 

And that, my friends, is a wrap.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!