New Year. New Name. New Life.

Having a birthday in January gives me two milestones for a fresh start - with a few weeks of reflection in between to really settle on my goals and plans for the year and review the past year's accomplishments. There is no way I could have predicted a year ago where I find myself now. In fact, marriage was the farthest possibility from my mind! However, I did feel pretty good about 2017. I just knew it was my year! A year of travel, achieving big goals, professional growth, and amazing possibilities. But I had no idea just how wonderful it would be!

In the past year I:
Celebrated my 35th birthday with multiple events in Hawaii
Visited New York and New Jersey

Returned to Paris for the temple open house


Ran my first half-marathon at Disneyland (after running a 10k the day before)
Edited online curriculum like crazy
Took over managing audio recordings and become Editing team lead

Explored the Big Island of Hawaii
Hosted my bff in Hawaii

Visited Florida to welcome a new baby
Re-connected with an old friend (thank you Facebook birthdays!!)
Went home to Alberta for a family reunion
Road-tripped to Jasper National park with that old friend
Fell in love with the old friend

Was followed to Hawaii by my old friend
Got engaged to that old friend
Taught 2.5 semesters of English as an International Language
Planned our wedding

Attended my cousin's long-anticipated wedding in Manitoba
Hosted my fiance in Hawaii

Celebrated our engagement with my Hawaiian Ohana

Dragged my fiance to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Ran another half-marathon (and 10k) at Walt Disney World

Was spoiled with bridal showers in Hawaii and Utah, and a bachelorette party in Florida
Transferred to online teaching and working remotely
Packed up, bid "Aloha Oe" to Hawaii, and moved across the country (and half an ocean)
Applied for a mortgage
Took a couple dozen flights, half of them red-eye
Survived 5 months of a long-distance relationship without giving up or killing each other
Bought a house
Celebrated Christmas with our combined families
Got married to the best possible match I could never have imagined finding yet was right there in front of me for nearly a decade - with so many of our dearest friends and family there to celebrate with us

Began our honeymoon in St. Augustine
Froze our booties off waiting for New Year's Eve fireworks on the beach, watched 5-minutes-worth, then went home and to bed early
Started living our "happily ever after" ❤

2017 was soooooo good to me! 2018 has a lot to live up to, but I know it will be even better because I get to share it with him. I get to keep living and learning and growing and adventuring, but now I have a permanent partner in crime to accompany me - and calm me down when all that life gets to be too much.

On a final random note: I have heard several stories over the years about awesome Mormon women getting married a little "later" in life. They all had different stories, but there seemed to be one common thread: many got married at 35. I thought of that a year ago and said, "Yeah, that won't be me!" And yet, I just celebrated my 36th birthday - as a very happily married Mormon woman. I'm telling you, 35 is magic! Or maybe it was just 2017... either way, I'm not complaining! ;) Here's to another year of awesomeness!!
#yearinreview2017 #timingiseverything #blessedblessedblessed #friendstofiancés #dreamsdocometrue #justcallmesadie #marriedlady #runDisney #anythingispossible