So Many Things Have Happened In Just One Year....

Just like it sounds. So many things have happened in the last year. Almost all of them good, but life has moved so fast over the last 2 years that I almost don't believe it.

At this time last year, I'd just returned from Los Angeles with Frank and a fresh tattoo. I'd endured 48 days of drinking nothing but water and tea. I'd just spent my first holiday away from my family with Frank's, and enjoyed a coca-cola classic for the first time in 48 days. Frank took me to San Jose Cafe for a birthday breakfast, where I enjoyed a full cup of Hot Chocolate topped with whipped cream. I worked that day and picked up the girls from school, where they were so excited to wish me a Happy Birthday. Later Frank and I celebrated with a birthday dinner at PF Chang's with my family and best friend.

And now, it's been a year.

It's been over a year since I got my tattoo and went to Disneyland. I did the same Lenten sacrifice, only this year I gave up the eff word too, and I'm still with Frank. But so much has changed! and it's, quite frankly, awesome!

I finished school, and had a fabulous graduation party filled with family, friends, food, and Bocce! I finished my work as a nanny, and went back to work teaching swimming lessons, which wasn't an ideal job for me, but it did yield a pretty awesome tan and some much needed time in the sun. I dove head first into helping out with the Aiuto Foundation's annual Sicilian Golf Festival and even landed myself a spot on the Women's Auxiliary Club board of directors as the Communications Director.

But August 13th, (which was a Friday, I might add), was probably one of the most life-changing days of the year. I got the call from Empire Broadcasting that they wanted to offer me a job as the new Creative Services director. I was so thrilled I could barely hold it together to call my mom to tell her. It was one of the most exciting days of my life so far.

2 months later Frank and I would travel to Reno for the Great Italian Festival and celebrate his birthday with a surprise trip to see his uncle conduct the nova vista symphony and attend a 49er's game in the rain with my dad the next day.

Thanksgiving we traveled to Paso Robles to enjoy an amazing weekend of food and wine with his family and even took a day trip to Moro Bay. Christmas Eve was spent with his family and Christmas day was simply spent with my little family at my sister's house in Clayton since she'd sustained a pretty gnarly car accident just 5 days before.

New Year's Eve was one of the best celebrations I've been to in a while, and I was sure to drink my weight in vodka and rum with some of my best friends and well, Frank. Haha.

At the start of the year we were itching to move out of the Box, so as you all know, on February 13th we moved out of the box and into The Mansion.

So now, an entire year has past, I'm 26, employed in my field doing a job a love, and earning a great salary.

We see my parents almost weekly, and have Sunday Dinner almost every weekend at his mom's house. Talk about some traditional Italians! We enjoy spending time with our families, and that's probably the one thing I missed the most while I was living in Los Angeles. Even though my friends were my family, there's nothing like joking around with your parents.

Frank and I are happy, and he's planned a weekend trip out of town for my birthday. I only know we're going to Napa, what we'll do there is still a total mystery to me. But since he paid for my tattoo for last years birthday, I guess he figured a trip would suffice. Haha!

Here's to another amazing year. We'll see what I have to say when April 6, 2012 rolls around and I'm 27!

Absolutely,
The Lady