had a lot of moments that didn't last forever

Boy oh boy, if I could go back to December 31, 2010 and see the roller coaster ride I would go on, I would tell you I was looking at someone else's life. But nope, opportunities, obstacles, lessons and all, it was all mine. But lets be truthfully honest here, 2011 I hate your stinking guts and I can not wait to bid you farewell on Saturday, with a glass of champagne in my hand and a smile on my face auf wiedersehen!

Where to start...where to start....

New Years Eve in Haro, it was unlike any other New Years Eve I've ever had, eat and drink til midnight, go home, then go out, hu??? Nevertheless, Cava was flowing and the food was delish

I became slightly obsessed with this little Swiss delight

I volleyed and we beat the best team in Spain

in February (as in every year) I added another year of life to my accomplishments. I made yummy lemon coconut cupcakes that everyone devoured. Cheers to Jogee for sining the best version of happy bday and Lauren for making me the best "26 memories I'll have to look back on when my memory fails" good stuff.

I got awoken on Valentine's Day morning by a ring at the door bell and a gorgeous bouquet from my not so secret admirer

told you I was obsessed

I celebrated my first carnival

and then in March, I let one of the best friends i ever had go. I still miss him and what we had every single day

and at the most critical time, just as I was crumbling, my mommy came to Spain

I found out I had an allergic reaction to life and started breaking out all over my face (I'll spare you the photos)

My mom arrived on Thursday and we played our last match before playoffs on Saturday. Three points into the match, I jumped to block and tore my hamstring muscle, cool. These two pictures were taken about 8 minutes apart; in the second I cannot bend my entire left leg

I said goodbye to Haro (aka wine heaven) and spent my last three days in Spain in gorgeous Barcelona having a blast with my roomey Erika

Then there were 12 days Swiss, with my best girl Aida and a pretty good balance of night clubs dancing and beer (which I needed after a L O N G season)

Then in May, I finally made it back to America, just in time for Anthony's bday

Then there was an attempt to stop feeling sorry for myself, walk normally again, and come back to sanity, or yoga..yoga..and more yoga..

Then I secured my volleyball future by signing a contract in Germany (best decision of the year)

In July work took me to Michigan for three weeks, where I got to see this girl's home town and enjoy some friend time out on a boat

then...New York City baby!!!! With the Bonglo's and Chrissy came to meet me and celebrate his birthday

then it was take off time, to Germany I went, but not without a few tears for this guy

and I volleyed

I met this girl and she took me to my first Oktoberfest, amazing!

I showed up at my sister's door one day in October and she had no idea. The reaction was priceless

volleyed some more

I decorated this beauty with Mona at her place in Munich and spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day with the El-Wassimy's

So onward friends into the new year we go. The best is yet to come, I know it...Happy New Year!!!

in the past few...

Time is flying by incredibly fast, I cannot believe that Christmas is only 3 days away and 2012 is only 9 days away. But I can't say the last months have been anything but incredible.

As much as I think about the future, I'm not letting the amazing moments I'm living be lost. We returned home yesterday for our first match in house after a four game road trip. We won four away games in a row on the road and it didn't actually dawn on me until we got home at 4am last Sunday morning, how crazy is that?

We traveld to Yuzhny Ukraine for a European Cup match and it was quite an experience. The furthest east I've traveled, was to Serbia, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but it was everything I'd imagined in my head of old Russia. My favorite part was the hour drive through the city after landing in Odessa airport to get to our hotel in Yuzhny. I love the times when I can put my head phones on, stare out the window and be in my own little world, and this was the perfect chance for that. The buildings were very old and I'm sure each had a humongous history, the streets were full of people walking in the cold, covered in fur (of all colors and lengths), dogs ran freely through the streets, and packed vintage buses full of people drove past us in a hurry. This was my image of the Ukraine.

view of the apartment buildings from our hotel

one of those buses

I'm a sucker for romance, and this was romantic! After

weddings couples come here and put pad locks on a

bridge to represent their love and throw the key into the Black Sea.

So sweet right?

there was a milage (I guess kilometer)

sign to cities around the world

and even one to Baltimore, Maryland!

We won our match in four sets (and the opportunity to move on to the next round and travel to Russia) and then had some free time before our flight home to sight see in Odessa. This part of the trip affected me a little bit emotionally. Up to this point the image of the Ukraine we were shown, was a very poor, very old and very worn, but Odessa being a big port city, draws tourist, and with the tourist come the money and with the money comes a very different life. Looking out the window of our hotel the rundown buildings and streets painted a certain picture of the quality of life, but as we drove into Odessa, no more than mile apart you could see the vast difference in lifestyle. It shocked me to see the extreme gap between rich and poor in literally such a short distance. To an extent you can find this anywhere, but to see people living in such extreme poverty and drive less than a minute further south and see luxury cars cruising the streets, was really sad.

Next stop on the CEV, Krasnodar Russia...

Like I said, the year is coming to an end and Christmas is only 3 days away. We celebrated with a big party for the club and then a small dinner party at my place with the fantastic four. It was nice to finally have a Christmas in my own place, after being away from home for the past 5 years. I was great to have the girls here and share our thanks for each other on this journey and to celebrate Christmas with our own little family in Vilsbiburg.

Christmas with the Fantastic Four

Merry Christmas everybody, enjoy the time with your family and friends!!!

in the future hopefully...

Sometimes don't you just wish you could go back? I think about where I am and where I was one year ago and how happy I was. Then I look at the way things are now, and realize how happy I am...and all for completely different reasons. And then I wonder what if things were different... And where will I be a year from now? Mona said to me yesterday as I was venting my feelings to her, "when I think about YOUR future, I'M SO EXCITED" and I thought, why don't I feel that way? Why do I feel so unsure? I've never felt that way about the future, it was always "whatever happens happens."

Strange this life...

inspiring words