Looking back on 2009

2008 was a hard year. It was a huge year of growth for me, but I wouldn’t want to go through it all again. I got through it and am better for it, but I was glad to start over in 2009.
And oh what a year ’09 was. One of the best years I’ve ever had. After being depressed for a handful of years, it was amazing to be happy again.

January
– I started the new year in Philadelphia, at a party with my then boyfriend. I hung out with some friends from college while I was there and contemplated ending the relationship while I was in town. Needless to say, a rather bittersweet start to the year.
– Not long after I got home a customer from my coffee shop had a party at his house. The Explorer was living with him at the time, so we hung out and talked for a couple hours.
– D took me flying for the first time. It was amazing. I’ve always wanted to go up in a little plane, but never had the opportunity. We’ve gone a bunch of times since then and I adore it.
– At the beginning of the year, my plan was to go to University of Colorado Boulder. One night, after sending in my application, I realized I had no back-up plan. What if I didn’t get in? I had nothing to fall back on. And so, plans to move to Seattle began.

February
– D took off one weekend to go skiing at Mt. St. Helens – or so he thought. His car died and I had to go save him. About a week later we left town to go get his car. It was late and cold, we hit black ice and ended up backwards in a ditch – narrowly missing the on-coming car, the trees, a hill, and a massive sign. It was terrifying.
– After trying to hold on until after his senior recital, I ended things with my ex. It was beyond time, but I felt terrible all the same.
– My Mama and I spent a weekend in Seattle, visiting close friends and doing some shopping. It was wonderful. I love my Mama dearly and enjoy having just her and me time. While driving home, our 13 year old Subaru rolled over 200,000 miles – most of which were driving by Mama.
– My Boulder vs. Seattle debate was pretty much settled for me when Boulder told me they wouldn’t accept my high school transcript. Ah, the joys of going to a private high school that closed two weeks after graduating. I wanted to forego Boulder and move to Seattle anyway, I just didn’t want to make the decision myself.

March
– I got my tax return and used it to buy boots made of sexy. They’re the first pair of shoes I’ve ever spent triple digits on – totally worth it.
– My parents and I made a trip to Eastern Washington to visit family near the end of the month. The day we left it was raining here in town, we drove through snow going over the pass, and it was sunny and beautiful in the desert. It was good to see family again, but even better to get home to the coast.

April
– Through many ups and downs, cast changes, and thoughts of not doing it at all, a piece of mine was in the studios Young Choreographers Show. It wasn’t the best choreography I’ve ever done, and it definitely could’ve used a lot more cleaning, but it is what it is.
– My mister and I drove down to Eugene to see Yonder Mountain String Band in concert. It was awesome – I fell in love with bluegrass again.
– D told me he loves me. ❤

May
– I received an email from the guy I graduated high school with. It was nice to catch up with him again, as he and I were once good friends. I’m terrible at keeping in contact with anyone, so it was nice that he thought to see what I was up to.
– I told my Explorer that I love him as well. ❤
– For the first time I celebrated one year at a job. I love it just as much now, if not more, than I did when I got it.
– Had I not strayed from the path of “normal”, I would’ve graduated college in May. I thought I was going to have a really hard time that day, but surprisingly I felt great. It was a beautiful spring day, I woke up to kisses, and I was happy, which is more than I could say for a lot of people.

June
– And then I got injured. Two weeks before recital, I landed on the outside of my ankle and couldn’t dance. It was lame and I shouldn’t’ve danced in recital, but I had a solo and therefore kind of had to. It eventually got better.
– I realized just how happy I had become. The happiest in months, if not longer.
– For my birthday, my baby and I went to Crater Lake. He hadn’t ever been and I was seven the last time I saw it. It is absolutely breathtaking. Spectacular beauty. We are so lucky to live here.

July
– Because we love Fort George, we of course volunteered to work their 4th of July/Liberate the Ales bbq. We poured beer and served food for a couple hours, but were then left to our own devices. I finally figured out how to hula-hoop around my knees, which resulted in massive bruising on my pale Irish skin.
– I got new frames for the first time since my senior year of high school. It was weird getting used to my reflection after so many years of seeing the old ones, but I lovelovelove my new ones. Good choice on my part. =D
– Since I was so taken by Yonder and the other bluegrass he’s given me, my mister and I went down to Horning’s Hideout for the Northwest String Summit. A weekend camping in the woods with hundreds of other people, listening to fantastic music? I’m there! The weather was gorgeous the entire weekend. I can’t wait to go back next summer!
– July ended on a sad note, as my Explorer left to go caving in Montana for a month.

August
– Since my mister was underground all month, I spent a lot of time with friends, which was wonderful. I need to do that more often.
– I started this blog.
– One day my Mom came into the coffee shop and handed me an envelope. I was confused, as I’m not one to get mail. Then I saw the return address: somewhere in the Montana wilderness! I was so ecstatically happy, I wanted to just sit down in the middle of work and pour over it. I missed my Explorer so badly, it was amazing to get a letter from him.
– My coffee shop participated in a fundraiser for a local theatre company. We sold buttons with our pictures on them and auctioned off a basket of goodies. At the Shanghaied Ball, the winners were announced. Not only did my co-worker and I win Best Couple Costume (the mad-hatter and white rabbit), we also won Miss Virginia (the button contest).
– One night when I was missing D particularly bad, I wandered into my room and picked up my phone. I think I was checking for a text from him, even though I knew he was in the middle of the wilderness. And what did I find, but a voicemail from him! He and the other guy still out in the woods ran out of coffee and so came into town and decided to stay. My Explorer came out of the cave early and I couldn’t be happier! We made plans for me to fly to Missoula for Labor Day weekend and I started counting down the hours.

September
– September started with an approximately 25 minute flight from the coast to Portland, lunch with some friends, then flights onto Missoula. I hugged and kissed my mister for the first time all month. The next morning we woke up and rented a plane for the day. We flew over Glacier National Park (and possibly part of Canada), then drove through it and took impossibly adorable photos. We flew back to Missoula around 3am the next morning and hung out with D’s friends the next day.
– I climbed my first mountain! D has climbed most of the state high points, so we figured the county’s high point would be a good first for me. We made it to the top for sunset and it was amazing. Once the days get longer again, we’re going to make a habit of climbing it more often. Gotta prep me for Mt. Adams or Mt. Hood this year!

October
– We made a trip into Portland to see Old Crowe Medicine Show. They were fantastic. A week or so later I saw Blind Pilot in concert here in town.
– Warren Miller’s newest ski movie played in Portland, so of course we went. D couldn’t wait to get out on the slopes again and it got me totally jazzed to learn how to ski.
– My mister did a slideshow about his caving trip at Fort George. He’s so cute when he talks about things he loves.
– Halloween this year was great. I made some awesome Halloween-y lattes at work, then partied the night away at Fort George’s Zombie Jamboree.

November
– Mt. Hood Meadow’s opened early this year, so I learned how to ski before Thanksgiving!

December
– We went skiing a couple more times in December. I can’t wait until we go again in a couple weeks. I’ve always wanted to ski and I’m having a blast.
– I made these Joy The Baker cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning. Oh my goodness, I have never made something that delicious before. I told my Mom I wanted to be wrapped in it’s cream cheese-y deliciousness when I die.
– After seeing this mac&cheese on The Pioneer Woman, my Mama and I decided it was necessary to make it ourselves. I could’ve om-nomed the entire pan if I didn’t need to share it.

Today is the last day of the year, of the century(!), and I almost can’t believe it. So many wonderful things have happened this year. I’ve grown so much as a person. It’s been amazing.
Here’s hoping 2010 is half as amazing as 2009 was.