Year in Review

TJ have had quite a year and we feel so lucky to have experienced everything we have since living abroad. 2009 left us feeling exceptionally lucky as we explored new countries including Ireland, Spain, The Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, The Czech Republic, and Poland. We also had a great time visiting repeat countries and further exploring Germany, thus adding 23 new cities to our list. TJ and I have both discussed our favorite trips of the year with his being Barcelona, Spain and mine being Berlin, Germany...although Stockholm, Sweden is right up there for me too. Stockholm was particularily special because that was where we celebrated our first wedding anniversary in addition to being a very cool place! Our first year of marriage has seemed to flash right by us!
In addition to our travels and our wedding anniversary, we have celebrated other important events. Last March marked the end of my Master's studies leaving me with a very well deserved MBA to hopefully be put to use upon our return to the states (of course we never know when that may be). In May, I ran my very first half marathon making that the first race TJ and I have done together. It was really fun and we look forward to improving our times again this spring. We also had the interesting opportunity to celebrate the German wedding of one of TJ's co-workers in a small wining town. It was a great party and I really like many of the traditions...most of all the breaking of porcelain! The fall brought our annual trip back to the states to visit our friends and family. For TJ that meant working in Augusta for many weeks, and for me it meant hanging with my best girls on our annual girls trip! Seriously nothing can compare to hanging out with my four best friends whether its for five minutes or for five days. Like I said, we have had an exceptional year, but one of our most favorite celebrations was only weeks ago when we made the long voyage to Hawaii to witness two of our closest friends marry! It was not only a great trip, but its always fun to hang out with these two as we don't get to see them very often.
2009 was also the year of visitors, which as a kept woman, was very fun for me! I'd like to thank all that took the time and made the investment to come over to see us and Europe, especially my Mom as she came over to keep me company when TJ was in the US!!! We had a couple come over in the spring and then had 10 more from mid-August through November. We look forward to more guests this Spring as well!
2010 will, of course, allow for more European travels. So far we have snowboarding trips this winter and a Paris-Normandy trip this spring already planned. We also hope to get to Copenhagen, Denmark and take another cruise from Italy to Croatia and through Greece. As for the rest of the year...who knows! I guess we will see where 2010 takes us! We hope you all had a wonderful 2009 and wish you the best in 2010.
Auf Wiedersehen!