Today is my one year anniversary of adulthood.

With this finite demarcation of 365 days done and gone, I can't believe that I've:
-lived in New Orleans
-worked in the real world
-paid for everything with money made only by me
-spent a week in Houston because of the worst hurricane in LA history
-traveled all over: various places in the Netherlands (7 weeks), Germany, Rome, Belgium, London, New York, Boston, Las Vegas, Miami, Destin, Atlanta
-went cabining in the wilds of Louisiana
-spent 6 weeks in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico
-visited my parents, grandma, and uncle
-became comfortable with who I am
-feel closer to who I want to be than I ever have before in my life
-been infatuated twice
-bought a condo
-painted two rooms in my condo
-bought two expensive, famous-designer brand purses
-bought a Trek 1000 bike
-learned what it's like to feel completely alone while surrounded by people and the mirage of a what a "perfect" 20-something life is supposed to be
-learned what it's like to finally be capable of relying on mtself for happiness and confidence, and to feel proud of myself not just because someone else told me I should be

One year ago today I embarked on the journey of my lifetime, and one year in I'm satisfied with where I've been, where I've come, and where I'm set to go. Sure, there are still plenty of things I'd like to change about myself and my life's setting, things I'd like to be better about, people I'd like closer, but I'm finally able to accept that THAT is life - always looking to modify, evolve, change, grow, adapt, challenge, learn, but to enjoy each experience and pain that contributes to all of those developments.

I can only hope that the next year will bring me the same opportnities for personal definition and growth, while challenging and exciting me the way this year has. Dubai/Nigeria is official (tickets bought!) for Nov 17 - Dec 4, New Year's will be spent in similar crazy fashion as last year (though most likely somewhere states side, tossing around the idea of Miami Beach right now), and this time next year I'll be figuring out where I want to post for my next job - Europe, Nigeria, Malaysia? Offshore again or on? Or maybe I'll find someone who makes me want to stay put for once :)

I appreciate my friendships more now than I ever have before, and feel amazingly blessed to be living this life. For today, for this year's marker, I am happy and thankful. I'm also realistic to see that the rosy tint everything has in retrospect right now, wasn't great until I had learned from it and moved forward, and similarly the next year will hurt and suck and make me cry sometimes, but at the end I'll how those things shaped me and made me better, and I'll be greatful again.