I often underestimate how much pictures mean to me. I think about the last year and a few major things come to mind. Obviously, losing our baby is the thing on my mind that most represents 2011 for me. But when I reminisce through the pictures, I discover that we have had some incredible moments throughout the year. And sadly many of those moments were being overshadowed by our heartbreak until I sat down and went through all the pictures that captured truly the majority of our year. And as the sun sets on the first day of the new year, I can't help but feel that all that 2011 brought is setting with it.
We had some incredible moments. Taking in the gorgeous sunsets on the lake at our cabin trips, watching the Florida sun rise on the beach, the ups and downs of my first year working at St. Olaf, lots of great Vikings events (training camp and the lockout being lifted, Chris Doleman's Ring of Honor Dinner, the annual Christmas party at MOA), special birthday milestones and celebrations, three half-marathons and one full marathon. And despite only three wins, the Vikings had a few great moments, too, with Jared Allen setting the new franchise single-season sack record with 22, Adrian Peterson setting the franchise record for career rushing TDs with 64 (surpassing the previous record of 52), Chad Greenway being honored for Community Man of the Year, Percy Harvin returning the opening kick-off of the entire season and Jim Kleinsasser hanging up his jersey after 13 seasons with the Vikings. It's important to think about those good moments in a season like this one. Because of course when you lose 13 times, there are many really hard moments, especially watching his two closest friends on the team get hurt - Adrian tearing up his knee and Cullen breaking his tailbone - but even though it was a rough year at work for Mike, his work ethic never changed and his stories and interviews reflected that.
Mikey and I were on the move this year. Holy moly rocky. Between the two of us we traveled
38,255 miles! In one year! Mike slept in 21 cities away from home: Las Vegas, Brainerd, San Diego, Chicago, Charlotte, Green Bay, Atlanta, Detroit, Washington D.C., Seattle, Mankato, West Palm Beach, Hayward, New York City, Waseca, Kansas City, Windham, Milford, Wisconsin Dells, Medina, Indianapolis. I went to Florida three different times, Kansas twice, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin on four different occasions. Together we got to go to Florida to visit my grandma, NY/MA/CT/NH to visit our good friend Emily, San Diego for our friend's wedding, the Wisconsin Dells with my family and Hayward three different times to visit the Riegelman cabin. 38,255 miles - that's a lot of traveling. No wonder we just hit 66,000 miles on our 2 1/2 yr. old car!
These are many of my favorite moments from 2011...enjoy!
 |
| Our winter cabin trip to Hayward with our "second family" |
 |
| My wonderful RA staff who made my first year at St. Olaf worth remembering |
 |
| Haddie's first visit to Gustavus to celebrate our brother's birthday - look at all those good lookin' Gustie alums! |
 |
| My baking adventures that my RA staff put up with so generously :) (and my new love for pinterest.com) |
 |
| COUSINS!! Not even all of them from the Rohde side... |
 |
| Haddie's first Easter |
 |
| My gorgeous, special friend Ally |
 |
| Jumping for joy on the beach - my home away from home in FL |
 |
| My darling friend Carlye and I after we finished the Stillwater 1/2 marathon - her first!! |
 |
Ty's first official Mother's Day
One of my best friends, Kerin at her MA graduation party! |
 |
| At the 26 mile marker - .2 to go! |
 |
| On the steps at the Library at Harvard University...getting smarter just standing there! |
 |
| Times Square |
 |
A beautiful summer weekend at the cabin with Clint (our husband)
Chorley family trip to the Dells - we had a blast! |
 |
| Showing Hadley the hype around auntie and uncle's obsession with Caribou |
 |
| She understood |
 |
| Visiting my friend Cullen at Training Camp in Mankato |
 |
| The St. Olaf Res Life staff |
 |
The popsicle QUEEN
Summer family BBQ |
 |
| Mike's surprise birthday party with three of his best friends - the wifey, husband Clint and college roommate of 4 years Jon |
 |
| Gustie besties reunited at Kristin's wedding - Dana, Kristin & me |
 |
| The awesome acapella group from St. Olaf that sang with me at Kristin's wedding |
 |
| Best friends and their THREE Mikes - Dana and Mike Darling, Kristin and Mike Bergdale & me and Mike Wobschall |
 |
| The first time I EVER saw Hadley walk on her own and I got it on film. Best ever. |
 |
| Hadley's first birthday party - a perfect party by Ty & Jeff |
 |
| Face first right into the action, duh. |
 |
| Picking apples with Mikey - a must-do in Northfield |
 |
| Vikings game with my really good friend and co-worker, Glen |
 |
| Mikey, me and Ty at Jack Stack's BBQ in Kansas City |
 |
| Girls trip with my mom and sister to Kansas City to see the Vikings play |
 |
| Watching the boys warm up from the sideline in KC |
 |
| Hanson's Musical Ride Tour in Kansas City - it was FATE that we just happened to be in town that weekend for the Vikings game :) |
 |
| Me and Ty at our 4th (or 5th?) Hanson concert together - awesome |
 |
| Dolphins swimming right off the shore of Coronado Beach in San Diego |
 |
| Hanging out at the beach before the wedding in San Diego - a fantastic weekend with Mike's wonderful parents |
 |
| At the Conway wedding in San Diego |
 |
| The Waseca boys and their wives - Colby & Shannon Swanson, Sue Ellen & Sam Conway and the Wobschalls. They've been best friends since Kindergarten and were all in each others' weddings. Very special. |
 |
| I love my in-laws. Words just don't do it. |
 |
| RA staff retreat to Pump it Up (an indoor inflatable park) and PF Changs - a great group of kids |
 |
| In Topeka for work with Glen, visited KU of course (I can't miss out on ANY school) - also the alma matter of our other co-worker Ross! |
 |
| Getting ready for the Turkey Trot - Mike's first 5k! |
Family photo shoot with Callie V - a high school classmate of mine who is a fantastic photographer
No comments:
Post a Comment