"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." ~ Mark Twain

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Counting down my top 10 of 2010...

As the end of the year is fast approaching (and by fast I mean its already here), and as I'm getting ready to once again make a huge move that will determine the rest of my life, I took a few minutes to reminisce through the past year: the good, the bad, and the terribly ugly. Surprisingly, I came through a winner. I'm ridiculously happy and for once I'm seeing the glass half full, even as I'm only 15 hours away from walking out of love, life, and everything I've known for the past two years. Generally I would say the year was plagued by bad luck, and it seemed that 2010 would be no different when I was stopped by the highway patrol on the 1st of January on my way back from spending New Years in Vegas with my little sister, only to be given a $300 fine for speeding... but the rest of 2010 turned out quite differently. Below are my top 10 moments of 2010:

10: I took a stab at learning French. Ok, so in the end it turned out that I despise French, learned nothing, and have zero desire to ever try it again, it was still exciting in the beginning feeling the rush again of learning a new language.

9: I improved my tennis game. I have always loved watching and playing tennis. I have memories of my brother and I playing (badly) in the courts across the street from my first house in South Africa, or against the garage wall in my third house, when I pretended I was Steffi Graf. I remember after moving to the US on Fridays Mom would take us to a court to hit around for a while. I never took lessons though, and I got into the habit of hitting awkwardly and not following through. This year, thanks to someone very special, I improved leaps and bounds and even began competing towards the end of the year.

8. I turned 25. I had an absolute blast dancing at my birthday party and this age just seems perfect to me. I have finished so many of the things I wanted to accomplish in my life, and having finally finished studying 25 seems like the perfect age to start thinking about settling down. Not too young, and definitely not old. Unfortunately I have to turn 26 in only 3 months lol.

7. I strenghened my relationship with God. I have a bad habit when I live in Costa Rica of not going to church, or going just to go but not really fitting in or enjoying it. This year though, God brought me back to him and I can't be happier or feel better about where I am spiritually.

6. Mommy came to visit me. Costa Rica holds a major piece of my heart, it always will. But I'm a mommy's girl and always will be, and having my two loves in the same place for the first time in three years made me the happiest person alive. Of course after Mommy left, I missed her so much more than I did before she came...

5. I graduated with a Master's Degree in Translation. Ok, TECHNICALLY I haven't graduated YET, if you consider graduating walking across a stage and received a physical copy of the diploma, but I finished the course, paid the fees, took the oath and have nothing left to be but await the day they print the piece of paper and deliver it. Ergo, I am graduated. And just like graduating from Mars Hill, it was bittersweet.

4. I visited Nicaragua. I am a born traveler. Since I have memories, I remember traveling to Europe, South America, Australia, Asia, America, and having the opportunity this year of visiting a place I hadn't been to before, learning the culture and meeting the people is an experience I wouldn't trade for anything.

3. I fell in love. Who would have thought? Somehow one got through, and not only do I love him, but I'm crazy in love. The good thing is, in my 25 years I never knew what I was missing out on. Love changes a person for the better, and I still thank the Lord every night for the amazing person he brought to me this year.

2. I presented my thesis. This is number two above graduation because for three semesters I worked my butt off on my thesis. I experienced a stress I wouldn't wish on anyone, and at one point even considered giving up and moving back to the US without finishing. The time a thesis takes is equivalent to a full time job, added on top of three other Master degree level courses, no wonder I was exhausted at the end of each day. The presentation itself was a rush. I got to show off what I had spent a year and a half writing. It has to be similar to the rush one gets bungee jumping. And when it was over... I wanted to cry. A weight lifted off my shoulders and I could breath and stand up straight. Sadly though, it was also anti-climatic. I had spent so much time on it, that when I no longer had to work on it, I had no idea what to do with my time. It is still one of the best experiences I have had though, and thus my number two for this year.

1. I met Rolando Rojas. The Lord blessed me incredibly the day I met my Rolito and despite the fact that a few times I almost messed up the relationship we have come to have with my stupidity, selfishness, ungratefulness, etc., I can really only thank God for giving him patience and a desire to fight for me. Because of him I was able to do almost everything else on the list I have just posted and I honestly can't imagine my life without him. Just meeting him was the best thing that happened to be in 2010 and I hope with all my heart, that I never ever forget the impact he has had on my life, and that that impact never has to end.


Happy New Year everyone! I hope that 2011 is filled with even more good luck than that which I experienced in 2010.

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