2011

Last New Year's Day I reflected on where 2010 had taken us.
That year was full of surprises, risks, and new adventures.
2011 turned out to be just as amazing.

Recently someone asked us if we could have ever predicted ten years ago that we'd be where we are today.
The simple answer: No Way.

In January we watched our college football team play in the national championship game. 
We celebrated Ryan turning 27.

In February we embraced Korean culture in a new way.  

We made plans for the trip of a lifetime.

March meant saying goodbye to our students, friends, and the place we called home for a year.

We spent the rest of the month traveling through Southeast Asia with stops in Vietnam, Cambodia, and our favorite place in the world thus far, Laos.

 

 

 

 

April brought the busy streets of Bangkok and the relaxing island of Koh Thao in Thailand.

 

 We finally returned home after 14 months outside the US,  just in time to celebrate my dad's birthday with him back in Portland. 

Later we were able to watch one of Ryan's best friends marry the love of his life.
And I finally met Baby B. 

We spent lots of time catching up with family in May.
Ryan took an amazing bike trip at the end of that month.
He also did lots of fishing.

 

In June I became an aunt once again, and Ryan an uncle.  

I also spent a fabulous weekend in Las Vegas catching up with all of my best college friends.  

Ryan spent the same weekend with his own best friends in Central Oregon.

I got to visit my sister and her family in July.
On a Saturday later that month, Ryan stood next to his best friend from college on his wedding day.  

The following weekend I did the same for mine.

Ryan and I celebrated two blissful years of marriage in August.

 

Ryan's mom came out for a visit.
Then we said goodbye to our family and friends and packed up our lives again for another year abroad.  

I turned 27 somewhere over the ocean.

In September we took a quick but incredible trip to Japan.

In October we visited a Korean city we'd never been before.  

And then later that month, another.

Ryan's Ultimate Frisbee team won the league championship in November.
Later we worked together to make an entire Thanksgiving Day meal from scratch, using just a two-burner stove and our tiny toaster oven.

In December we recognized eight years together.  

We celebrated both Hannukah and Christmas in new ways abroad.

We reflected on the past year...
and determined that it was a great one.

I can't wait to see what the new year holds for us.
We already have something wonderful to look forward to:
my parents are coming to visit Asia at the end of this month.
We could not be more excited to spend time with them and show them our home away from home.

{Have a Happy New Year!}