all things beautiful: A Year in Review

2011 was an interesting year. It was a jam packed year full of trials that shaped the woman that I am today. Each day taught me something new. Each day brought up various emotions. Each day lead me one step closer to 2012, the year that I graduate from Pepperdine and feel will be the best yet. 2011 was one of the most testing years I have had thus far but I would not take it back for a minute. I have grown immensely and am closer to fulfilling my dreams now more than ever before. Despite the hardships, I cannot complain because I am still so fortunate and so blessed. 2011 showed me that it is okay to face your emotions and that it is okay to be yourself. 2011 was the year that I started All Things Beautiful, turned 21, traveled to San Francisco and Santa Barbara for sister weekends, saw some of the most beautiful sunset's, sunrise's and rainbow's I have ever seen, worked harder than I have ever worked before, discovered my passion for event planning, fell in love with Seattle (again), spent fourth of July in Newport with some of my best friends, began my internship at Christian Dior, traveled to Grace's mountain cabin (one of my favorite places), planned two Kappa formals at the Thompson Beverly Hills Hotel and the Marina Del Ray Yacht Club, celebrated my niece Savannah's fifth birthday, celebrated my nephew Justice's second birthday, celebrated my Mom's 61st birthday, my Dad's 60th birthday, Heather's 33rd birthday, and Sarah's 36th birthday, found an incredible church in Los Angeles--RealityLA, felt closer to God than ever before, renewed my sense of self, fell in love with Pinterest, kayaked on Lake Washington for the first time, said my Kappa is at my last sorority recruitment, picked up Savannah from her first day of Kindergarten, celebrated the 9/11 memorial with over 3,000 flags at Pepperdine University, ventured to Catalina for Claire's birthday weekend, won Derby Days for the 9th year in a row, built a 5-tier styrofoam cake, took incredible walks on the beach, and developed great friendships that I know will be life long. Looking back, the good outweigh the bad and maybe my year wasn't so bad after all. I am feeling blessed today and am looking forward to what 2012 will bring. To prep for the upcoming year I am planning to live by faith and am going to trust every single day.