2009 - Year in Review

2009 was a crazy year for me and my family...i can't believe it's almost over. time seems to just fly by the older that you get.

**EDIT: i knew i forgot something before - but props to Jamie Ann who inspired this with her 2009 breakdown. i meant to do something slightly different, annnnd it ended up being exactly the same. HA! thanks, Jamie ;)***

here's some of my memories of 2009...
some very sad events...and others very exciting...

JANUARY:
new workstation at work! this was very exciting for me. visited my sister at her first BRIDAL EXPO - she gained enough clients for the year to quit her part-time job and go full-time with photography!! i am so proud of her. she just keeps getting better.

FEBRUARY:
realized my love for avocados and (mostly) guacamole. celebrated Valentine's Day and Josh & I's 1-year anniversary only to hit a wall a day later. our relationship took a turn for the awful (because of me), then days later took a turn for the amazing, the hopeful, the future. together we found hope in Jesus, and though those days were incredibly hard for both of us, it was necessary to be where we are today. i fell more in love with him than i could have imagined in the days and months that followed. mum encouraged me with a song.

MARCH:
fell down a huge flight of steps and let everyone know about it. turned quarter of a century. dang. posted five things i was thankful for on day 5 of my "5 things" posts.

APRIL:
visited my best friend in Florida and took my first trips to Disneyland. finally finished decorating our apartment with roomie KC. Gramma Mason passed away and dad flew to England for the funeral. days later we found that Gramma Koos's cancer was getting worse and she had less than 6 months.

MAY:
did some "trash the dress" bridal shoots. in the absolute freezing weather. was a lot of fun. started a 30-day diet in which i DID in fact lose about 10lbs. i've gained at least 5 of it back. discovered the best dieting salad ever - California Chicken Salad with Avocado and Mango. picnic lunch and first beach visit with Josh.

JUNE:
did my FIRST GIVEAWAY! got the most comments on any post ever, and my roomie won!! had my first photography gig - photographing a baby shower. spent time with Gramma during her last days, she passed away June 13th. I miss her everyday.

JULY:
helped with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Katie's wedding! found out exciting news that my sister and brian were pregnant!

AUGUST:
lots of birthdays and weddings. that's what happened that month.

SEPTEMBER:
nicole's wedding! visiting katie & mike in pittsburgh and went to the melting pot. AMAZING.
experienced the most amazing night of my life with the love of my life - September 30, 2009 i became the "future" mrs. joshua monacella :)

OCTOBER:
posted the best thing ever: ENGAGEMENT! starting slacking on the posting. mostly thinking wedding stuff. find out that i'm going to be an auntie to a baby GIRL :)

NOVEMBER:
find out bad news about Papa Koos's cancer, much more serious than we thought. celebrated our first holiday without our grammas.

DECEMBER:
looking for shoes. searching for bridesmaid dresses. struggling. planning sissy's baby shower. awesome holiday with family and future in-laws/family.



what a crazy, emotional, roller coaster year. i'm very excited for 2010 - gonna be an AUNT and gonna get MARRIED!! i know this year is going to be another hard one, as Papa Koos is struggling with cancer and has been in and out of the hospital repeatedly the last few months due to surgeries and complications. i'm going into 2010 hopeful and excited. praying for protection for my neice, for improvement in business and the economy, for strength in all the craziness that will happen...

hope you all had a good year, here's to 2010 being even better!