It has been a big year for me and one of my best so far! I have so much to be grateful for this year, I truly am living my dreams, and not just half-asked, I know what I want (most of the time) and I make it happen! 2012 has really flown by, I have been in Thailand all year (I haven't left the country once!) but I feel like I had a full year of traveling and exploring. I have gotten to travel pretty extensivly in this beautiful land, have met some amazing people and had some unforgettable experiences. From the dirty streets of Bangkok, to the green jungles of Chiang Mai in the north, to some of the most beautiful beaches in the south, this diverse country always surprises me! 

We started out the year moving into a new apartment when the flood waters finally receded in Nonthaburi, a suburb just outside Bangkok. It was time to work hard after 6 months of traveling and living the nomadic life and I got busy working full time with my amazing class of 5 year olds. A few long weekends with trips down to Lae Mae Phim, Kanchantaburi and other spots around Bangkok helped keep my wanderlust at ease. In April we celebrated Songrkan festival in the northern city of Chiang Mai, where we had the time of our lives in one of the world's biggest water fights! In May, the day after Eric's birthday, we got legally married at our local government office, with everything completely in Thai, we were just in love.  After a long debate of 'to wedding or not to wedding', we quickly planned a private ceremony on the beach on August 10th to celebrate our union (and so I could wear a pretty white dress.) We spent 3 glorious weeks basking in the sun and other general honeymoon things on Haad Yuan in beautiful Koh Phangan.  After returning to work to finish my last term at my school in Bangkok, I tried to enjoy my time in Bangkok as much as possible before we left and save as much as possible while planning a surprise trip back to the States! 

I have spent the last couple weeks on a strict routine of teaching, yoga and writing in the am, pool in the afternoon, yummy Thai food for dinner and drinking with friends all night in the small town we will live in, upon our return from the US, which I am now even more excited for. Life has been good to me this year and I hope I never forget all the perfect moments that outweigh some of the negativity I felt at times. Last night I literally fell asleep with a smile on my face. I am happy to be alive and looking forward to another year of love, travel and exploration, of this beautiful planet and of myself. Happy New Year to all my loved ones around the world, embrace your fresh start and love your life!

Some of my favorite photo memories from this year, in no particular order...