Carry on smiling and the world will smile with you

I've been doing some reading today and it inspired me to write something here. To write something more than I've wrote in many months. I will be 23 a week from tomorrow. I feel like it's caused me to look at my life or at least "remember" the past year. Reflect if you will. What a year it's been!

I successfully got through my first year at my job, even with a promotion. It's been a hard road not only getting used to working everyday now but getting used to the thought of working everyday for the rest of my life. I suppose it will be broken up when I have children someday but that's beside the point. I'm enjoying the decisions I've made about my beginning of my career. I feel like I have opportunity at my fingertips and all I need to do it figure out how to use it.

This past year I also have dated a few, a brief relationship (Thank God it was brief) and a couple first dates here and there. Not much to say on the relationship front this past year except that I'm glad things happened the way they did. I couldn't be happier now and I'm so glad I haven't settled for less than what life is about. Going into my 23rd year in this life, I'm much more hopeful about relationships, maybe cause I have developed a recent innocent crush, who knows with me.

This past year I've connected with many old friends due to the genius of myspace. Don't get my wrong, I hate myspace but I love the fact I've found so many old friends I thought I would never talk to again. And despite everything we've all been through as teenagers I can honestly say I could care less, it's just great to hear from old friends (and old boyfriends for that matter). It's very interesting to see what everyone is up to in their lives, married, married with children, living it other parts of the country, college, jobs, and what have you. I'm excited to see people finding me. It's cool to think others are thinking "what the hell is Kristin doing in her life?"

What else this year? My puppy I grew up with passed on. Mom, this is where you go to the next paragraph. She was the best dog in the whole world. And that is so hard because someday I'd like to have another dog but I know that dog would be lucky to be half the dog Nessa was. What can I say, she was a great dog!!

This year I really feel like my brothers came to where they really wanted to be in their lives, with jobs and with their girls. My oldest brother met the love of his life and finally got what he's been working so hard for: an airline job. He couldn't be happier and that's a really wonderful for such a protective sister to see. I love her too, she is fantastic and she loves my brother. What more could I ask for? And my other brother, my fellow blogger. I really feel like this year he's grow into someone I consider to be one of my best friends (despite how often we talk). We had a hard childhood together but now as adults, this year more than ever, we get along great, we understand each other and we laugh together at the weirdest things. Aside from our friendship as bro and sis, he's also got an amazing girl. She had the "opportunity" to spend the holidays with the Kinnairds and she's still here! She's absolutely perfect for my brother and they seem happier than ever together. It would be an understatement to say I'm very protective of my brothers. The truth is I couldn't be happier (I know I keep saying that) with their girls and their lives. And just to mention my parents, they have always been wonderful and always will be. I'm just so lucky to have the kind of family I have.

Well about 3 months into my 22nd year in life, I proceeded to get sick for a period of about 3-4 months. Unfortunately, it took up a lot of my time but ended with a Tonsillectomy and 2 weeks off work (Thanks Mom for being there!). Thankfully, minus a couple days last week, I haven't been sick since January. That's pretty great if you know me, cause when I get sick, I GET SICK. And let me tell you it's hard to be sick when you live alone and are without a boyfriend. WHO is supposed to take care of poor Kristin? There is only so much Momma can do over the phone. Well, I will survive one way or another I suppose.

On a lighter side of things, I went to Vegas for the first time with an awesome group of people and had an absolutely great time. Can't wait to go back. This year I've attended four excellent concerts with my favorite concert goer. I've been able to do some of exciting things also: camping and water world and soon to be Six Flags (however, I will be 23 at that point). I've also had some great visits from a distant best friend, Jill, recently engaged! Can't wait to attend her wedding. Other fun... More CSU games attended (always a good time) and celebrated my best friend and many other friends graduations from college.

It's been quite a year, I remember it better now than I had thought it was. Unfortunately it's always easier to remember the crappy stuff than the best stuff. That's a habit that needs to end. Now that I've "remembered" my 22nd year in this great life, let me give some hopes I have for my next FANTASTIC 23rd year. Here's what I'm hoping for: great family, friends, health, men and career choices. Whatever is in between will fall in place like it always has, let's just hope it falls in the RIGHT place! Sayonara 22! What a hopeful beginning for my next year in this life.


"I love this crazy, tragic, sometimes almost magic, awful beautiful life."

"We live in a free world... I whistle down the wind, carry on smiling and the world will smile with you. Life is a flower, so precious in your hand, carry on smiling and the world will smile with you."