The Year of Change

by Maria Linz Photography

First, a big thank you to all who stuck around for my “return to blogging.” I lucked out with some truly wonderful readers, and you guys are what keep me coming back here.

I have some new ideas in the works for this space, and I’m excited to start rolling them out this week. In the meantime, let me catch you up on life outside of the blog since I’ve been gone.

2012 was quite a year. It started off in a very sad place, but was followed by something great.

A few weeks after we got engaged, we took a 10-day trip to California. Mike’s dad had requested that we spread his ashes off the beach in Santa Monica, so that’s what we did. A trip to celebrate his life. It was truly special for us. And cathartic for Mike.

Big Sur

April brought a visit to see my sister in NYC, which meant lots of food, wine, and sister time. It was the perfect getaway before my next trip – a hospital stay. My lung function wasn’t stabilizing like my doctors hoped, meaning two nights in the hospital to get a picc line, followed by two weeks of home IVs. I could write a whole post about that, but I’ll save the details for another time. I will say this: It was a humbling experience. I spent quite a few years rebelling against my diagnosis, and it caught up with me. But it also made me realize how blessed I am. Plenty of CF patients are all too familiar with hospital stays. For me, this was only my second. I left there determined to make that experience a rare one.

Just days before I was admitted to the hospital, I learned I’d been named one of the top 10 to watch under 30 in Baltimore. It was one of the biggest honors I’ve received. And I was excited that it gave me another opportunity to spread awareness.

In May, my lung function reached 73% – the highest it had been in over three years. Mike and I were thrilled. And I was crossing my fingers and toes it would stay there.

We put an offer in on a house the first weekend in June. It was soon accepted, marking another milestone for the year. Later that month I took a trip with my sister and dad to the Pacific Northwest, which was filled with lots of food, pictures, and memories made with two of my favorite people. It’d been a long time since we’d taken a family vacation, but this one more than made up for it.

Canon Beach, Oregon

August brought more fun. We closed on our house (taking plenty of “Look! We bought a house!” pics) and my bridesmaids threw me a fabulous bachelorette weekend. I’m lucky enough to have the BEST group of girlfriends. And seeing these girls from different stages of my life come together for the first time and not just get along, but really enjoy each other, was indescribable. These girls make my life better. Period.

Me and Katie

On September 26, just one month and one day from our wedding, I turned 28. Drinks with friends, dinner at Woodberry with Mike, and reflecting on what I accomplished (and all that’s to come), made it one of the best birthdays yet.

September also meant moving into our new house! With a kitchen still under renovation just a few weeks before the wedding, things were a bit chaotic. And while I wasn’t the most pleasant person during that time, we got through. (Largely due to Mike’s patience and positivity. Just two of the reasons why I married him.)

Two days before hurricane Sandy hit, on October 27, I married Mike. And as the cliché goes, it was one of the best days of my life. To share a moment like that with everyone you love is truly special. Like everyone says, it was over too soon, but I’ve looked at photos and videos enough times to help make that day feel not so far away.

The weather was perfect. Sandy delayed our honeymoon for a few days, but we ended up getting extra time in Hawaii. Then it was back to Baltimore and time to start our married life.

Lavender Farm in Hawaii

In November I decided to leave my job, for a variety of reasons. It was a very difficult decision, but the right one. And I’ve been taking some time to figure out what’s next. For now it means more time on this blog. Building my freelance portfolio. And seeing what jobs are out there. I’m looking very forward to whatever comes my way.

We topped the year off with a very cold but very fun trip to Wisconsin with some of our dearest friends. Footie pajamas, champagne, sledding, puppies, and Pitch Perfect were just a few highlights.

Other notable events of 2012: two good friends welcomed baby girls; found out a another good friend is pregnant; Liz and Cam’s wedding; a work trip to Park City, Utah; another successful Great Strides walk; my bridal shower hosted by my godmother; my first Ravens game; a Bon Iver concert; friends’ baby showers; a pre-wedding beach trip with my mom; celebrating the nuptials of Krista and Spencer; Thanksgiving in Richmond; a second trip to NYC; spoke at CF’s 35 Finest of Baltimore; and my favorite holiday – Christmas!

Phew! See? It. Was. A. Year. And I loved it.

If you made it to the end of this, I applaud you. I think I needed to write all of this out just to see it. To remind myself of what an exhausting but delicious year 2012 was. I find that during stressful times, I just barrel through, not always savoring. Looking back allows me to do that. This year held deep heartache, but deep joy, too. Both of which have changed me as a person, and made me more grateful than ever.

2013 has been much quieter, and I’m ready for that. Writing, my husband, my loved ones, and my health are my focuses this year. And I can’t wait to share it with you.