Life Was Swell in 2012

What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?
1. Moved to Oklahoma
2. Got a full-time job
3. Went to the Oklahoma City Zoo
4. Bought a boat

Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Last year I wanted to continue to read, to maybe graduate from grad school and to be brave and adventurous. I read 49 books this year, so I definitely kept reading! I did not graduate from grad school, but I did get a job, so I'll forgive myself on that one. As far as being brave...I think I did pretty well. We moved so many times and within a month of moving to OK I was applying for jobs. I took everything in stride and made the best of whatever situation I was thrown into. I made it. In 2013 I would love to make a true friend in OK. I also want to keep reading. I also hope to pay off all of our debt. I would also love to lose a few pounds and exercise more (cliche?).

What countries did you visit?
Just the US of A.


What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
A salary at work. This getting paid by the day thing is for the birds!


What date(s) from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
February 27th -- the day we said goodbye to Fort Polk
March 10th -- the day Brian had to sign in at Fort Sill
March 27th -- the day we signed the lease for our house on post
June 6th -- the day Brian and I flew to Burlington, Vermont to start our vacation
August 3rd -- the day we got the keys for our second house on post
August 13th -- my brother birthday and my first day of work
October 16th -- the day I finished my clinical hours and applied for my OK SLPA license
October 26th -- the day I made the announcement on FB that Brian was deploying again
December 16th -- the day I said goodbye to Brian


What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting a job and everything that has entailed.


What was your biggest failure?
I've been bad about working out and eating right. I'm hoping to fix that in 2013.


Did you suffer illness or injury?
I missed one day of work with a low-grade fever and I've had my fair share of allergies and sniffles, but nothing major, thankfully.


What was the best thing you bought?
Our new couch and the shelves in our living room.


Where did most of your money go?
Technically, to rent. Other than that, to the damn boat.


What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Vacation.


What song(s) will always remind you of 2012?
"Home" by Phillip Phillips
"We Are Young" and "Some Nights" by fun.
"Springsteen" by Eric Church
"(Kissed You) Good Night" by Gloriana
"Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen
"What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction


Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
Both. Happy personally because I love my job and feel productive. Sad because Brian is gone again.
ii. thinner or fatter?
Thinner for a bit and fatter again. It's an endless cycle.
iii. richer or poorer?
Richer, both personally and financially.


What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercise.


What do you wish you'd done less of?
Eat (especially sweets and carbs).


Did you fall in love in 2012?
More, if that's possible.


What was your favorite TV program?
This is always a long list: Sons of Anarchy, Grey's Anatomy, Scandal (just found this one - fantastic!), Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, Homeland, Arrow, Vampire Diaries, Jersey Shore, Underemployed, New Girl, Parenthood, Hard of Dixie, Revenge, Once Upon a Time, Being Human, Bones, Revolution, Last Resort, Dallas, Nashville, Chicago Fire, Glee, Teen Wolf, Awkward., The Walking Dead. I obviously still watch way too much TV.


Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Don't get me started.


What was the best book(s) you read?
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo

What were your greatest musical discoveries?
One Direction (don't judge) and Phillip Phillips (surprising good album!)


What did you want and get?
A job.


What was your favorite film of this year?
I have more than one: Ted, Pitch Perfect, Breaking Dawn Pt. 2, and Les Miserable


What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 27 this year. I went to the gym then met my parents in Wichita Falls for lunch at On The Border followed by TCBY frozen yogurt.


What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
My sports teams doing better all around. Disappointed in the Yankees and my high school football team. My NFL teams aren't doing so hot either. I did enjoy watching the Giants win the Super Bowl, though!


What kept you sane?
My cat. And Brian.


Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Kit Harington (Jon Snow on Game of Thrones), Stephen Amell (Arrow), and Josh Henderson (John Ross on Dallas).


Who did you miss?
Keith.


Who was the best new person you met?
People at work. Too many to name.


Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012:
Friends come and go.


Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Hold on to me as we go / As we roll down this unfamiliar road / And although this wave is stringing us along / Just know you're not alone / Cause I'm gonna make this place your home
"Home" by Phillip Phillips

Looking Back: 2012

All photos courtesy of my iPhone. I was terrible about taking pictures with my point-and-shoot camera. It's always in my purse, but I never use it.

JANUARY

Hiking in LA.

A chilly day at Hodges Gardens State Park.

Hodges Garden State Park: gorgeous!

Spent a weekend in Matagorda, TX on the beach (and Brian completed a Tough Mudder).

FEBRUARY

Brian made me go golfing. I was terrible.

Valentine's chocolates.

A high school friend was killed in Afghanistan in January. It appeared in the Army Times in Feb.

We left our mark on a local steakhouse.

We said goodbye to our tiny apartment (top right window).

And bid farewell to Fort Polk.

And said hello to Lawton/Fort Sill two days later.

MARCH

We settled into our temporary furnished apartment for a few weeks.

And celebrated Brian's 25th birthday. This was my gift to him.

My parents came to help us move into our house on post and we toured the artillery pieces on display.

Our first home on Fort Sill. It no longer exists.

APRIL

I went on a job interview.

And we survived a hail storm.

I watched baseball and paused it when DJ was on TV just so I could take pictures like this.

I took advantage of the clothesline out back.

And visited Geronimo's grave.

MAY

We bought a boat.

Which convinced Brian's best friend from home to visit for a weekend.

Before long the boat became the biggest headache. This is how Brian spent many weekends.

JUNE

We flew DFW to Newark to Burlington to meet up with my parents for vacation. (I especially like the guy in the background!)

The flight from Newark to Burlington was on a prop plane. It was loud and horrible.

This is a Michigan. It was delicious.

My dad and Brian tested our a new-to-us canoe.

We enjoyed ice cream with a heavy dose of sprinkles.

And hiked through Ausable Chasm.

We documented a double rainbow over the lake.

Mom and I walked along the boardwalk in Staten Island, NY.

We took the Staten Island Ferry to Manhattan and walked around Battery Park (and I took pictures for a man as he proposed to his girlfriend).

Lady Liberty from the ferry.

JULY

We came home to an extremely hot summer.

AUGUST

And moved to our brand new home on post since they were demolishing the one we originally moved into.

We had more trouble with the boat (it is broken down here).

SEPTEMBER

I got a job with the local school district. I spend quite a bit of time at this table.

My first high school football game of the season.

I never missed an episode of Sons of Anarchy.

Brian and I celebrated five years of marriage. This was my gift to him.

This was his gift to me.

OCTOBER

I got curtains hung in the living/dining rooms.

And I got Brian to put shelves up around the TV.

One of my brother's photographs is proudly displayed near the front door.

I spent many hours playing Mr. Potato Head with my kids at work. Love their creations!

My parents and I went to a really rainy football game.

I hung these pictures all by myself!

NOVEMBER

I got my Christmas decorations up early. This was my parents' first nativity set.

I love Christmas trees all decorated and lit up!

Brian and I drove up to the top of Mount Scott and hiked around a bit.

We attended a deployment-centric FRG meeting. This is when I realized that we were in fact doing this whole deployment thing again.

After Thanksgiving my parents and I watched my high school lost in the second round of the playoffs. Maybe next year!

DECEMBER

Brian and I visited the OKC zoo and saw this adorable baby giraffe.

What a comfortable way to sleep! Ha.

Zoo self portrait.

Baby elephant!

These statues were all over the zoo. Be glad I didn't post all of the ones I made Brian take of me.

I took a morning off work to attend Brian's extremely brief deployment ceremony.

And then I said goodbye to him on a Sunday afternoon.

After Christmas this note tumbled out of Scarlett's cat food. Brian won't tell me how many there are. Love that guy!

My brother and I both got Lego sets for Christmas. We are overgrown children.

My creepy cat peering over my computer.

This took me forever to put together, but I am always so glad I did. It's so neat to look back and see a quick photographic recap of my year.

Here's to hoping I have a lot of fun experiences to photograph in 2013!