Stepping into Year 30

After a long hiatus and some major life changes (and challenges), it's back to blogging in 2018 with a fresh perspective as I wrap up my third decade of life. The last few months of 2017 were some of the most difficult and bittersweetly joyful months of my life thus far, with so many emotions mixed together, and often on a daily basis. 

My sweet dad passed away very suddenly in October. The reality of my dad being gone from this realm, and all too early, will weigh on me and my family for the rest of our lives. It's nearly impossible to even write any of this without crying, and I'm not in a place where I'm ready to write in detail about the experience in this format. Suffice it to say that we all miss him at every moment and would trade the world in an instant for another day together. I'm thankful to have always had a very close-knit family, and one where our love and support for each other is abundantly evident and constantly demonstrated in ways big and small. My family is staying closely connected, communicating a lot, and learning to recognize all of the amazing ways in which my dad is near us still; listening, loving, and supporting us from the other side. There is incredible beauty and grace in all of this, even amidst the gaping loss, and we each continue to learn from my dad about life and the love and energy that connects us across time and space. I'll be forever grateful to have traveled the world with my dad, to have been able to accomplish so much in my life so far with his (and my mom's) unending support, and for the fact that I know without a doubt how much he loves me, and that he always knew how much I love him, too. 

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On the completely opposite side of life experiences and emotions, Owen and I got engaged on Thanksgiving (which was also my 29th birthday). We, and our families, are thrilled, and we're all grateful for the joy and excitement that this year will bring, leading up to our wedding in Washington in early September. O and I are looking forward to continuing to strengthen and craft our life together, integrating our families, and even starting a family of our own in a few years! There is no one in the world with whom I would rather do life. Owen is the most wonderful man, and the best teammate, best friend, and best life companion for me; beyond what I imagined in so many ways. We're lucky to have each other and we're excited for everything to come! 

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2018 is shaping up to be a big year, and a great one. Getting married, turning 30, traveling with O to Italy in May, working to revamp and pivot my career, adventuring more throughout Colorado, running my fourth half-marathon, refocusing on the blog (and reorienting/redesigning it), continuing to develop my photography skills, and overall, doing everything I can to live life up to its full, happy, beautiful potential. I hope some of you will be interested in journeying along with me.

So, here's to life, and here's to my dad: to continuing to love, laugh, and live in ways that honor him, and to finding new ways to adventure with him in my heart. See you again when we all get "back to Gimmelwald", Papa. I love you. 

Hiking Dog Mountain, Columbia River Gorge, Washington; April 2016.

Day trip to Bacharach, Germany; September 2012.

Climbing Mt. St. Helens, Washington; August 2008.