Ringing in the New Year with five favorite memories from 2015!
1. Living downtown Sydney. No amount of words or pictures can describe this beautiful city, and we are so thankful that we had this unforgettable opportunity. I’ll admit… at first I struggled. Living downtown was outside of my comfort zone, but once we started exploring, working, and traveling, we fell in love. We celebrated our first anniversary with dinner across from the Opera House, soaked up the sun at the crystal clear beaches, and met the most incredible people. Would I ever go back? In a heartbeat.
2. Holding a koala. One of my lifetime dreams! I may or may not have cried before little Rocko was placed in my arms. Holding a koala is not allowed in Sydney (only petting), so when we took a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, I had the opportunity to cuddle with one. We were also able to take other trips around Australia, including the Outback, Melbourne and The Great Ocean Road, and the Blue Mountains, and a road trip around the south island of New Zealand. We were also so fortunate that my sister and one of my best friends were able to visit us, and experience the beauty and charm of Australia!
3. Coming home. After a year of being away from Chicago, we came home to an enthusiastic welcome from family and friends. The day we landed back in Chicago began a new chapter of adjusting back to a familiar city and people, but new beginnings as well. A new apartment and new jobs made for a challenging transition, but one that Mo and I were able to go through together. As time passed, our jobs felt familiar, the apartment felt like home, and routines were established.
4. Getting a puppy. Little Sid. Sydney Fluff. Let me give you some background on her. Mo and I both like very different types of dogs. I like basset hounds and bulldogs, Mo likes labs and German Shepherds. While we were living in Australia, we had a revelation that we both like Australian Shepherds! But of course, Mo liked the black tri color and I liked the blue merle. Before we knew it, we found a little puppy looking for a home- an Aussie tri color and blue merle mix (compromise in marriage is key!). As soon as I saw her picture, tears filled my eyes. I showed Mo and he said, “she’s the one.” Her name was easy. Sydney, the Australian Shepherd.
5. Watching the entire Lost TV show. This may seem random, but watching all 6 seasons of Lost in Sydney represents more than just a phenomenal TV show. Mo and I didn’t know anyone in Australia when we moved so naturally, we spent a lot of time together. And nope, we never got sick of each other! In fact, it was quite the opposite. Those 6 months with an abnormal amount of free time is time that I will always cherish. It is so easy to make plans on top of plans, but spending time relaxing after work was truly a treat. When we started the show we actually had no idea that it was about a plane crash fromSydney to L.A. (“THAT COULD BE US!”), which made it all the better!
What are you favorite memories from 2015? Cheers to the New Year!
Eat, Lift & Be Married 