The Travel Bug

Soooooo it's been a slow year.

Not in terms of life! Nate and I got engaged in March and it's been a whirlwind year planning plus staying busy working (and I have mastered a 3 hour daily commute). On top of that, our sweet puppy Siena keep us on our toes! No, it's been a slow year in terms of travel. For me, it is the slowest year since freshman year of college. That's really saying something! Part if my struggle is that I've been blessed to be able to travel so much and on some level until now I've taken it for granted.

I traveled to the Dominican Republic in January, and Nate and I returned together in May. We also went to a wedding in Charlotte, North Carolina in March. I returned home twice (coming up on three times): my 10 year reunion in June, a long weekend in August, and we are heading home for Christmas in just a few weeks. So I haven't been stuck per se, but compared to years past, which took us to Italy, Canada, England, and Costa Rica, it has felt like a quieter year - particularly this fall.

We have been gearing up for 2014 which is going to be a huge year for us. We start the year with our engagement party in Gainesville in January, a dear friend's wedding in Sarasota in February, and I will go to a bachelorette party for one of my engaged bridesmaids in April! After that it's rapid fire: My bachelorette in Orlando in May, our wedding in June, followed by our two week honeymoon to Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. We don't stop there - we have another wedding to attend in July in Charlotte! And that's just through summer - I'm sure our fall will fill up quickly!

It's been a learning experience for me. I've chosen to focus on my health, my perpetual struggle with my anxiety, focusing on channeling it into positive activities like working out, cooking, going for walks, and of course wedding planning! I feel like I've been playing the waiting game and it's been harder than I anticipated. I've always had an upcoming "adventure" - be that a weekend away, a vacation with Nate or my family, or a work trip. Travel has always enriched my life, and it's a shared interest between Nate and I now. I'm reminding myself that it's worth the wait - I have never been to the Southeast Asia region, and I know it is going to be filled with amazing experiences and memories.

Until then... I'm looking forward to a quiet Thanksgiving, just me and Nate and Siena, followed by the most magical time of year in NYC when the city comes alive with white lights and Christmas decorations. We end the year with a long, much-needed week at home with family and then ringing in the new year with our best friends in the city. (I'll be ringing it in dressed in something shiny and new! ;)

Looking forward to all the things to come! Stay tuned...