Looking back...

1 Year.  

I can't believe I'm even typing that.  It's feels like everything in my life has changed over the past year, and I couldn't have asked for anything to play out differently.  On July 27th of 2009 my wife and I were waking up in a posh hotel downtown, having just celebrated the marriage of two of our favourite people.  But why was this day so great, let me explain...

June 22nd, 2009.  The day everything changed.  My beautiful bride to be finally had the operation that would change her life.  Rushed into emergency surgery thanks to a group of wonderful doctors, who were working over time, and the support of our families - my wife was finally on the path to a healthy lifestyle.  No more cancelling nights out...no more "i can't eat that, i can't drink that, i have no energy...", no more "NO!"  It was the beginning of saying "YES!"  

The importance of July 27th is two-fold.  The night before, as mentioned, we were at a wedding.  Looking stunning as always, my post-op love danced up a storm, back to form like the day I first met her.  A light in her eye, a skip in her step, and no one could keep up.  She was up and partying all night long, something I haven't seen in years.  She also ate everything on her plate, and probably a few bites off of mine.  A full night out!  Prior to the operation, that meant a week of rest to recuperate...which leads us to the importance of the 27th.

After a night of drinking, dancing, and celebrating, we were getting ready for a day trip to Buffalo.  Cheesecake factory, shopping, and a mini-vacation with my soon to be wife.  That's right, we were able to do something together, two days in a row!  It seems silly to most people, probably almost everyone, but this was life-changing.  I knew so many great things were about to happen.  I had a smile on my face that day that stretched almost as wide as when she said "I do".  

As is usually the case, I was reflecting on my drive to work this morning.  Today's topic was "I can't believe how much we've done in the past year".  We've accomplished so many goals, and have set up quite a few new ones as well.  Here's a quick recap of the great year we've had:

- August 15th: Wedding Day

- We honeymooned in California, including 4 days of long driving in a car

- Road trip to New York

- Decorated our house

- We've become an Uncle and Zia to Ivan Alexander

- Went to Jamaica

- Jackie got her first full year teaching contract

- I bought my fancy camera

- I switched companies for the first time in my career, an exciting change

- We were able to buy a car, completely on our own

- We bought a puppy! 

- Jackie's got a clean bill of health

- I've lost 20lbs

As we gear up for our 1 year anniversary, a new set of goals arises for me (for most, I'd like to accomplish before the year is over):

- Lose another 20lbs

- Learn to use my camera properly

- Save up for a down payment on a new home

- Become a master bread baker (more on this in a future post)

- Find a second hockey team, in Newmarket preferably, to play for in the winter

- Run 5km in 45min (this may sound easy..but you've never seen me run) 

- Learn organization skills from my wife as I teach her how we can better budget our funds

I couldn't have asked for a more exciting, full, and emotional roller coaster in the past year.  And now, we get to spend our first anniversary together, alone (with our pup) in Florida.  Can't wait for what the future holds.

For those who have read this far -- I know I started this blog as a photo blog.  I realized there are many times I want to just write, add a picture here and there, and felt it was against the nature of what I built this for.  However, silly as it seems, I realized, "Hey, this is my blog, I can do whatever I want with it!"  Still Prints as a title still works, as every moment in time is a still print, and these are my thoughts, each at a particular moment in time.