Reminiscing

I feel like it's taken a while for December to get here and yet the rest of the year has seemed to fly by! As we approach the new year I can't help, but think back on all that happened in 2009. First there was the trip to the Bahamas with Brian, which was amazing (still need to add photos to that blog, but it'll be up soon). Over the summer we both made the leap to move in together, spending the first month in my old place with Brian's stuff still in boxes as we waited to move into the other townhome. Thankfully, we could entertain ourselves by watching movies on my computer and episodes of The Bachelorette and The Newly Wed Show on the internet.

By August, however, we were in our new place and what seemed like the endless unpacking begun. My birthday was soon around the corner and another life changing event, which at the time I only dreamed about. That, of course was Brian's very sweet proposal to me on my birthday, making it an impossible one to ever forget. It's going to be hard for him to get me something next year that tops it I think, haha.

All the while during the summer we continued to motivate each other to get out and run in the nice weather. Our mutual friend convinced us to sign up for the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in September as well. That's right . . . 13.1 miles of running. I must have been crazy! I'm not a runner, I never was part of track. Sure I work out, but I am far from athletic and if you asked me a year ago if I would be running any sort of marathon, I would have probably laughed in your face. Some how though, I pulled through and Brian and I both ran the entire thing without stopping. It was definitely an amazing accomplishment and unexpected goal to achieve.

We were also able to make it up to NYC for two of Brian's family events. It was great to go up and have Brian show me around Stanton Island, where he grew up and explore New York city together. I was also able to meet most of Brian's family when we went up there, which was fun. The other big city we were able to visit this year was Chicago in the beginning of Nov. I still have yet to write a blog about this trip, something I intend to do. Brian and I had a great time though. Since Brian went to school at Notre Dame, not to far from Chicago he showed me around. We did the river boat architecture tour, which was awesome and did some shopping along Michigan Avenue as well. We even went to the observation floor of the former Sears Tower and stood out on the sky deck, which are these little plexiglas boxes built out from the building. It was crazy! It wasn't so much the height that freaked me out but the feeling of being claustrophobic. I could only stand in there when there was no one else around. We also were able to go to a Notre Dame football game against Navy while we were there and it was great to get the tour of the school from Brian and go to the game. All in all Chicago is definitely a place I would go back to.

Brian and I were also able to go to quite a few concerts this year. I felt like just about every month we went to one. We were able to see the Gypsy Kings, Kings of Leon (twice), Ghostland Observatory, The Walkmen, Regina Spektor, Guster, and The Roots. All of them were great live too, although some had better stage presence and attitudes than others.

The plans for the wedding have been moving right along and as this year closes and the next one begins I get more excited about the upcoming date. I'm sure that the time will fly by, but we are both trying are best to enjoy all the planning while we can.

And to top it all off this year, Brian and I had an amazing Christmas with family and friends. We definitely got way more than we could have ever asked for and the time with the family was wonderful. I'm hoping that when I raise my glass this new year's eve it will be to yet another wonderful year to come this time starting my life united with the man I want to spend the rest of my years with.