Here are a few (well, maybe a lot) of my favorite moments:
2009 began in new orleans celebrating with aubs and carl
just a month later, tom and kels made a trip down to get a taste of the big easy
then it was goodbye 23 and hello to 24
march brought mardi gras 2009
and parades for days
a few extra days off sent me flying to seattle to see the nunley's
to play in the snow
and to have a SPUG reunion
back in NOLA, KJ made a stop on her way down to Florida
and we realized how scary it is to row by an 8 foot alligator in an unsteady little canoe
my students continued to challenge me, but i tried to focus on the positive
and visitors always made everything a little brighter
and in the middle of it all, I was accepted to graduate school
so, in the spring, we took every chance we got to enjoy the sunshine and culture that is new orleans:
at the pool
and sailing over lake ponchartrain
and by joining a 2nd line with the mardi gras indians
enjoying our sunday night family dinners at nirvana
and at the st patty's day parade
and even in the blazing heat of jazz fest
and then before I knew it, it was time to say goodbye:
to teach for america
to my favorite neighbors
and to the ladies of burdette
so I packed up and dad and I adventured across the country visiting friends and national parks along the way
and then I was home in the northwest, with family
and old friends all around
i was lucky enough to find out that it really takes a special guy to buy a plane ticket that leaves 12 hours later, just for a visit
grad school kept me on my toes with a summer filled with intense course work
followed by a celebration with the ladies, vegas style
then T & K took us back to the ranch in wisdom, montana
and to my first rodeo
and on plenty of horse-riding adventures
then I found myself back at SPU as an assistant coach of the SPU Gymnastics team
halloween was spent as a jazzercise instructor with mario and luigi
after a long three month countdown, I had a special date during jack's thanksgiving trip to the NW
then a trip back to New Orleans was necessary, to see my old students
and friends
and most importantly, to be with this guy - in new orleans, then adventuring up north to meet his family in Indiana
a trip down to oregon was filled with ugly christmas sweaters
and a cross-country skiing adventure with michelle and flynne
and finally, the year ended, just as it begun - celebrating with wonderful friends, Aubrie and Carl - this time in New Mexico at their wedding!
