Year in Review:

Since I’m not very good at blogging I figured this year in review thing that has been going around was my kind of blog post.

2009

January

I spent the first week or so in the best place ever, New Zealand. It was an awesome trip & I hope to go back asap. Started my last semester of classes at BYU, bittersweet. I finished my graduate school applications and the waiting game began.

February

Started really prepping for OIMB and staying busy with school. I spent some time in California looking at schools and visiting friends.

March

BIRTHDAY MONTH!! I participated in my last BYU Luau and received some acceptance letters to graduate schools J

April

I finished classes at BYU and decided I was going to Western Washington University to pursue my Masters degree in Marine & Estuarine Science.

May

I had the opportunity to be a teaching assistant for BYUs marine biology spring term in Coos Bay, OR. This was my 2^nd time as a TA, 3^rd time out to OIMB & I loved it. We had a great group of students/TAs and it was a blast.

June

I spent all of June in Oregon as well. I miss those 5 mile round trip runs to Bastendorff Beach every morning and waking up before dawn to hit the low tide. “When it’s low, we go!”

July

After talking about it multiple times, Carly & I decided to give ourselves a graduation present and go to Hawaii. It was SO much fun & a much needed vacation! We stayed at Auntie Olly & Uncle Phil’s house in Kona and spent a few days in Laie with Uncle Eldon & Auntie Hi’i. My mom came along too & we had heaps of fun!

August

The day finally came, I graduated from BYU. I was asked to speak at convocation. Later that day we had a graduation luau at the house, full of family, friends, food, & fun!

September

Moving day!! Dad & I drove from Utah to Washington and I moved into a cute little house in Bellingham. School started & it’s been awesome!

October

I submitted my first research grant proposal. I was lucky enough to escape for a weekend and fly back to Utah for Carly’s wedding.

November

School, school, and more school. My parents were nice enough to fly my home for Thanksgiving and it was nice to spend time with them. I was accepted into the MS PHDS program which is funded by NSF and NASA. Oh and I got through all of my undergrad without it but I guess I couldn’t escape it in graduate school…I got mono

December

I made it through my first quarter of graduate school. I spent a week in San Francisco at the AGU conference, (this was part of the MS PHD program) I met so many great people. Christmas was spent at home and it was awesome!

2009 had it’s ups and downs, I am grateful for all of them and I feel so blessed to be where I am today, doing what I love. 2010 has started off well & it looks to be another crazy year! Cheers!