Auld Lang Syne

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!"

With a new year on the horizon, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on the past 365 days. I must say, 2011 was very good to me! Here are a few of the highlights:


Bellarmine's National Championship: As a Bellarmine student from 1999-2003 I attended many a basketball game in Knights Hall; never could I have then imagined that 8 years later I would be watching my alma mater win the Division II National Championship. It was even sweeter to watch it alongside my siblings, each of whom graduated from Bellarmine as well. Go Knights!

Teacher of the Year: It was a pleasant surprise to even be nominated, but then to be voted Teacher of the Year by my colleagues was a true honor! My sweet partner teacher, Ashley held a party at her house before the award ceremony. The entire experience was amazing, and it was even more special to be honored alongside my friend Danielle (Volunteer of the Year)!

Angie & Ruthie Became Mamas: It was wonderful to see my best friend, Ruthie and my cousin, Angie become mothers this year-something they had both been yearning to do for years. The journey was not easy, but the reward was well worth it-for the new mommies and for "Aunt Jackie"!

Charleston: I had been on vacation with Erin, and I had been on vacation with Jenny. But in all our years of friendship, the three of us had never been on a trip together. So in July we decided to remedy that and headed to Charleston, South Carolina. In one word: beautiful! I can't wait to go back one day!

Train & Maroon 5: Matt Nathanson, Train, and Maroon 5 came to the KY State Fair and I made sure I was there to see and hear all of the deliciousness!

My Parents' 35th Anniversary: On August 7th Mom and Dad celebrated 35 years of marriage! I made them a little video to commemorate the occasion:  http://vimeo.com/34309029. 

My Surprise 30th "Wig Out" Birthday Party: My family completely surprised me for the big 3-0 and it was amazing: http://vimeo.com/34312434.  It's the best birthday I've had yet, in fact! Such a lucky girl to be blessed with this group of family and friends!

Straight No Chaser: As I previously blogged, it was such a treat to see these gents for the first time! 

The World Series: In the final days of the regular season it seemed highly unlikely that St. Louis would even make it to the playoffs. But the stars aligned and I was fortunate to see my Cardinals not only win their Division but amazingly win the World Series! I literally cried tears of joy as they received the trophy...

Hannah's First Communion: I swear it was just yesterday that my goddaughter was getting baptized and yet here we are celebrating her First Communion. So special!

Lady Gaga: I put on my poker face and joined a group of girls from work to see Gaga in action. It was quite an experience, to say the least!

Cincinnati Trip: Several firsts on this trip: Mom's first visit to Cincy, our first visit to IKEA, and our first time seeing the St. Louis Cardinals play in Cincy. Why it all took so long to happen, I have no idea! But 'twas a good time indeed.

Jill's Graduation: Talk about feeling old-I could have sworn I was just in my little sister's shoes, walking to get my Bellarmine diploma. But in fact 8 years had passed, and it was with longing for the good ol' days and great pride for Jill that I watched her graduate.

NBCTs in Frankfort: It was a fabulous experience to be honored alongside my fellow Kentucky National Board Certified Teachers in our state capital! 

Four Years Cancer-Free: And perhaps the greatest highlight of the entire year came in June when my family celebrated Mom's 4th year being cancer-free! So thankful for the health of my whole family this year!

"You can't start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one."
Thank you for the great times, 2011....and here's to you, 2012-I can't wait to see what the next chapter brings!


Happy New Year, y'all!