As My Year Comes To An End

My birthday is about 3 weeks away and as my year comes to an end and I get ready to be 28 and put together new resolutions for the year I'm starting to reflect on my year as a 27 year old.

I had a great 27th birthday - and as most of you know, I love the excuse of a birthday to throw lots of great parties, and get people together. My 27th was no exception. I had a great dinner with friends at JMK Nippon in Rockford, drinks with Madison friends at The Old Fashioned, my mom's meatloaf for dinner with my family on my actual birthday, followed by a fun party at their house to end my celebrations.

It was a great way to ring in being 27.

(P.S. I so totally miss that brown jacket)

My biggest goal for my 27th year was to run the 5K Fall Classic Road Race at the Y...something I always said I would do but never worked toward getting there. This year however, I ran it...well most of it, there was a small chunk of time I needed to walk. But the thought of finishing 3.1 miles and not coming in last was something that I never thought would happen...but it did. On October 20, 2007 I finished in 33:16 only a little bit under an 11 min. mile. And, not only did I finish, I got 2nd place in my age group (and I do believe there were more than 3 of us in that group!).

Fall was filled with lots of fun trips to the Apple Hut, the Pumpkin Patch, and trailer with Jane, Jack, and Jamie. Lots of fun outside as the leaves turned.

Fall is my favorite season. I love the transition from tanks to sweatshirts, the crisp air, kids starting school, the changing of leaves...everything about it is great to me!

Thanksgiving time brought Chris home from Vietnam to visit! I always love his whirlwind trips back to Beloit - it's always an adventure!

Thanksgiving weekend also took me to Fort Wayne, IN to visit Stanton, it was fun to spend time with him in his hometown, meet some childhood friends, go for my first run ever with him, watch some hockey and spend time with his dad!

I got to take a quick trip to California at the beginning of December to hang out with Stanton, Mike, Betty, and AJ - As always I had a blast with them and miss them dearly throughout the year!

I also ran the Jingle Bell for Arthritis 5K on December 1st and ran the whole thing in 27:56 vastly imroving my October time!

Christmas was a blast this year, and the tree was packed with presents. Although this was Chesney's second Christmas it was more fun with her as she could rip open her presents and play with her toys!

Capitol Dems Christmas bowling was again a great time and while I never do well it's always fun to play hooky for a 1/2 day to hang out with friends, bowl, drink some beer, and celebrate the holiday season!

New Years Eve 2007 was spent with Rachel in Milwaukee! We went to a fabulous party at the Intercontinental Hotel and followed it up with MOCT. We had a cab blessing at the beginning of the night but waited around for hours to get home...next year we'll plan better! Overall though it was awesome! And, I rocked the silver sequenced dress!

I was lucky enough to spend 2 1/2 weeks in Vietnam and Thailand with Chris at the end of January and begining of Feburary. It was one of the most amazing trips, filled with cool sightseeing, new friends, lots of relaxing and beach time, unbelievable food, and some great quality time with Chris.

St. Patrick's Day in March took me to Fabulous Las Vegas with my parents, sister, Aunt Jane and Uncle Jack to celebrate my sisters 21st birthday over a year late! We had an awesome time as always and got to catch STOMP! which was an unbelievable show!

In April I ran the Crazy Legs 8K race in Madison. It was such a fun event - TONS of people and we finnished on the 50 yard line of Camp Randall - I did well considering it was SO windy and finnished in just over 45 min. - That was my first 5 mile race I ever did so I was very happy with the outcome!

The first weekend of May I ran off to New York City for the weekend to catch a game at Yankee Stadium (before the historic one is torn down!) with Stanton! We had a great time at the game, despite being FREEZING and had a nice weekend bumming around the city! Chris came home again in May and we celebrated his birthday, had a fantastic "Hot Punch Party" and got lots of catching up done! It was also at the end of May that I decided I would train for a Marathon!

The first week in June I chopped my hair, caught up again with Chris for his sister's wedding before he left to spend a year in Iraq.
I've spent the summer running - constantly running, which I am LOVING! I have also gotten some fun times in Milwaukee in, hanging out with Rachel and partying at Soho 7. I've had some fantastic "dates" with my awesome niece and I just love spending time with her! I've gotten to catch up with Heather - not as much as I would like, but a few times over the last year - and I've watched my niece become an awesome swimmer which I'm so excited about! I've had great dinners and wine nights with Katie and fun monthly dates with my mom and with Jamie, Kendra and Katie.

I'm figuring out who I am again and remembering that little set backs will make me stronger in the long run. I really believe in the mantra on my road id "tough times don't last but tough people do" - oh how true! I'm trying every day to be a brave, tough woman.

I'm remembering to be thankful for my amazing family and the most wonderful friends a girl could ask for; for my job and my boss and that I'm able to not only afford to travel but to take the time off to do so; for my health care and my new found health; for my body no matter what it looks like, it is mine and I'm thankfull it allows me to do things I want to do and that I find fun; for having the ability and luxury to decide where I want to go and what I want to do with my life next. I could go on and on but I fear I'm going to sound like I entered a Miss America pagent...

It has been an amazing year so far, one that I'm sure I will be reflecting on a little more in the coming weeks - and as my being 27 comes to an end I will get to jaunt off to LA once again for Labor Day weekend getting to hang out with my LA peeps and Rachel is coming with me!