2014. Three weddings. Three visits to other countries. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. 40 books read. Here are a few glimpses into celebratory moments in 2014.
The first of three weddings! Our friends Amanda and Jason got married at the end of May. It was a beautiful backyard wedding with sunshine, pennants, and (so much) gluten-free food. Our gift was setting up a fun photo booth because you can never go wrong with a few silly hats and props.
In June, I treated myself to a Firefly Writing Retreat. It was good for me to take some time (and physical space) out for myself and self-expression. It’s been an important part of my mental health routine to continually nurture and make conscious space in my life for creative endeavours and quiet time.
In August, we managed to sneak in a visit to the Ex. My favourite time is at dusk as the sky gets darker, the lights come on and accent the rides and buildings. It makes it a spectacle to walk around. The food smells are deliciously absurd and the people watching can be phenomenal.
The second wedding of 2014! Pictured above are my brother Travis and my new sister-in-law Carole following their ceremony. It took place at a small church near the sea in northwestern France. It was delightful to be able to fly there and celebrate with them.
On our way back from the French wedding, we visited Iceland (Reykjavik pictured above). We mostly saw Reykjavik, the Golden Circle, and southern Iceland. Both the urban and rural settings were quite striking and I can see how people visit multiple times to continue exploring.
The final wedding was Liam and Christie’s. Taking place at Wychwood Barns, it was beautifully intimate and full of small details that demonstrated both their unique individual and coupled qualities.
At the end of September, something happened that I’ve been waiting on for quite some time: Canadian citizenship. I first came to Canada in 2002, became a permanent resident in 2008, and applied for my citizenship in 2010. What a wait! But it all finally came together and I attended my ceremony on September 27th to make it official.
In October, my Granny turned one hundred years old and my globally scattered family did their best to make their way (from France, New Zealand, Canada, Washington and Colorado) to California to celebrate it with her. She’s a pretty stellar lady filled with gumption. I can only hope some of her energy and tenacious nature is genetic.
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2014 had its ups and downs. Nonetheless, going through all my photos was a nice way to revisit some moments with fondness. It could be easy to go “Ug, what a year!” but seeing the smiles in captured moments, the copious photos I take of my feet, the new places I traveled to give me a bit of perspective and balance in the remembering. 2014. A roller-coaster.
Here’s to 2015 being a little less of a vertical drop and more of a lackadaisical ‘whee’ sort of coaster!
What a year!
What beautiful and meaningful pictures in this post especially. That one of you with your citizenship certificate is a treasure. I think you like being a Canadian!