...2012

Last year at midnight I wished that 2012 would be a good year.  For me 2012 included:

• Four months in Mexico
• Four months in Blackfoot
• Four months in Warsaw

Taking in another gorgeous sunset in
Puerto Escondido 

During my four months in Mexico, I: 

• traveled to an ancient pyramid and saw altars where actual sacrifices were carried out
• swam in the Pacific Ocean just offshore the closest thing to Paradise that I may ever encounter
• instilled in my seventh graders an absolute love of Puddles the Duck
• ate salsas that truly tried to sear holes in my tongue and loved it
• laughed harder and drank more cerveza than ever before
• and lived like the Mayan prophesy was really going to come true

During my four months at home, I:

• reconnected with old friends from my past
• bonded with my amazing nieces and did my best to teach them a few bad habits
• and FINALLY conquered the Teton Pass and, to be blunt, made it my bitch during my last few weeks of work at Bindweed Farm

Me with Thing One

And with Thing Two

During my four months in Warsaw, I: 

Looking out at the Vistula River,
with the Old Town behind me

• walked through the most beautiful park I've ever encountered
• learned how to say "please" and "thank you" in my sixth (yes, sixth!) language (English, Irish, French, Italian, Spanish, and Polish.  I rock.)
• successfully spent four months with small children without serious injury to them or to myself
• and managed to add TWO more stamps to my passport with a trip to Worcester, England, and two looooooong layovers in Germany.

2012 was by far the most amazing year I've had thus far; so here's my New Year's Wish for 2013....