Goodbye 2013

Goodbye to a year spent not blogging on a regular basis. Other than this minor un-success, it was a very, very good year (when I was 29, it was a very good year). Major ups led the way all year, starting with my first official "real" job as a reading support teacher. It was really the luck/blessing that led to many other great things this year. I learned so much about teaching reading through those small group encounters that I felt very ready for the next real gig that started this school year. Same school, actual classroom with students that are my charge, all day, all year. So far it has been a whirlwind. Not easy in the slightest and there were days at first where overwhelmed was just part of the norm. I am not yet to out of the overwhelmed zone, but that may always be the case; I don't love stress, but I am driven by feeling stressed. I find higher pressure makes me feel like a high performer. And I can always manufacture stress where there is none; that's just how I roll.  So we shall see what the second half of this first, first grade adventure holds for me. 

Along with professional success, there were a few personal triumphs. Most importantly, my beautiful sister made me an aunt by having the sweetest, cutest baby imaginable. No seriously, sometimes babies go through weird potato baby phase, and Sebastian was never there. He has just resided in the land of adorableness his entire infancy. He will soon be one (Jan. 20) and I can't wait to see what crazy baby shenanigans he has in store for his family. 

2013 was a banner year for my running activities. I racked up about 1000 miles in training, in no small part because of the marathon I completed in Pittsburgh this year. My time was pretty boss for my first one out. I do not foresee a full 26.2 for 2014; I am already signed up for Pitts half and the Paul Ritchey half. I am committed to making my first year of full time teaching a success, which has eaten up more of my time and energy (physical and emotional) than I could have predicted. Along with the big race, there were many other smaller races I took part in this year. My 5k time dropped considerably from 2012, and I look forward to figuring out a training plan that will continue that pattern. My sister brought the baby for Applefest and in hindsight I would have made him a "baby's first Applefest 5k" onside or something to commemorate the occasion. I won two small local races, providing me with the strange but fun feeling of running through the winners' tape (swimmers don't do that and they don't know they've own until they are done and have recovered awareness enough to check out times). No tris this year but perhaps we shall see them return with 2014. 

The husband and I reached 2 years of marital bliss and we celebrated with a grand tour of southern CA and the island of Oahu. Our catalyst for the big trip was to take part in the uber fancy wedding of my sister and her hubby. We maximized seeing people potential by hitting up L.A. to see Pete's son and then after a lovely drive up through Big Sur (scenic splendor galore!) we spent some time with Pete's daughter and her husband in there home near Palo Alto. I ran in L.A., Honolulu, Maine, and in PA; I think running in four states in a year for this home-body is quite a feat. On the HI leg of our journey, we successfully circumnavigated all of Oahu that we could without violating our rental car agreement! What a place to see. 

So here we are at the end of another year. I did not go to my 10 year high school reunion. I retired (maybe finally) from the chaotic restaurant gig. Things were good. Very good. I am very excited that more good things are ahead in 2014.