2012

Hey ever looked at my Bucket List page? If not, this is what it says:

I like the idea of a Bucket List. I like setting goals, making lists and then crossing things off. And when it comes to a Bucket List, you can really dream a bit and confess some true desires of the heart. I'm gonna bet they all won't get crossed off, but at least the dream is documented and listed, for me to look back on occasionally and remember all that I have yet to do in this life. A lot of these are desired to be done with my husband Matt, so when I say "we" or "together", I'm referring to my best friend.

• Travel to Europe
• Own a pair of red high heels
• Run a 5k (I'm not a runner)
• Have children
• Join a Bible study
• Write a book
• Purchase a NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D lens (Woohoo!)
• Watch Matt graduate with a master's degree- in the process :)
• Go on a mission trip together
• Make cloth diapers (with my mom's help)
• Garden and can my own foods
• Share in-detail my struggle with an anxiety disorder -(started to)
• Make a quilt- in the process :)
• Get a wild hair cut (short and fun)
• Go to Alaska (and visit the "In to The Wild" bus)
• Get Lasik eye surgery
• Buy a home
• Have another Honeymoon 
• Travel to Africa
• Work out together regularly
• Drive out West
• Take Matt to Acadia, Maine (where I spent a summer working)
• Visit as many National Parks as possible (So far: Zion, Grand Canyon, Acadia, Smoky Mts, Cuyahoga Valley...)
• Find a church family
• Get my master's degree- in the process :)

Guess what? I only crossed off one thing from my Bucket List this past 2012. ONE thing. :/ That's kinda of sad, no?

I think I'm getting restless and I want to take on more of the world with my hubby. I'm ready for more, I'm ready to cross these important things off my list...

Patience, Katie, patience.

I sit here and write this on New Years' Eve. We had plans to go to a party, but Matt woke up feeling lousy so we ended up staying home. So I sit here thinking. And also getting antsy as I reflect on this past year. 2012 was a good year:

We continued to live 4.5 hours away from home to attend graduate school. I spent the first part of 2012 getting back on my feet after another episode of anxiety along with a biopsy and ultrasound... only to get good results concerning my health. :) I applied and interviewed for graduate school, and received the fantastic news that I had been accepted!

I got bangs: (not the best decision)

We finished our spring 2012 on a high note by celebrating Matt's best friends' wedding: 

We moved back to Port Clinton for the summer so we could make money at our summer jobs. Me with Ali and Matt back at the yacht club.

We headed north to Wisconsin so we could celebrate Aunt Honey's life and eat cheese curds.

We celebrated our second anniversary:

Then vacationed on Isle of Palms, S.C. with our great friends and a dear family.

 

We finished up vacation, headed back to Athens where Matt returned to his second year of school and I started my first year of graduate school!

This past fall proved to me that I love school and I love having "worth" and "purpose". My birthday came along and I had a mini set back related to my anxiety, when I finally got enough guts to share a good chunk of my anxiety disorder here on this blog (there is still more to be shared, so I have not crossed it off my bucket list just yet, I'm still getting there.) But it felt good to just be honest and because of that honesty I received a lot of support, thoughts and prayers from lovely people out there in blog world. Thanks guys!

In October we Dj'ed a wedding where we managed to break our back window of our car- that was exciting....

And on a long weekend home for Halloween I started making my own quilt (another item on my bucket list, but I'm not done yet, so I can't cross it off just yet!)

I dared to get a teeny bit political in November, as well as Thankful... and then we froze our booties off tailgating in Columbus for the OSU/Michigan game. We won, OSU that is, in case you needed a reminder. ;)

And then December was upon us. I interviewed and was offered a new assistantship for next school year :). We mourned Sandy Hook, and I was reminded just how important this one life we have is.

I got straight A's. :)

I was gifted my own business cards! Which I love! So I can take more pictures like these and these!

And we've had a wonderful Christmas break with my family as well as Matt's. But I haven't blogged about Christmas just yet... so you will just have to trust me. :)

After all that... all those "bullet points" from this past year, I have to say it's been a good great one. Maybe I have not crossed off a ton of things on that bucket list, but other amazing things have happened and continue to happen in this wonderful life I was given. Thanks for recapping with me...I have to say it was a nice way to reflect on just how lucky I truly am.

Happy New Year dear friends! Let's make it a great one!