Hipbones and Heartbreak: NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS

The last day of 2016 is here and now is the time to do inevitable reflection of the year that was. If social media is anything to go by it seems that I am one of the few people that isn't desperately wanting 2016 to end. There have been a lot of deaths of a lot of really inspirational. cool people this year which really sucks. What it does show is what can be achieved in a life time and how privileged we all are to be blessed with the bodies of work that have been left behind for us all to enjoy.

For me personally, this year has been one of love, growth and achievement. It has had it's moments, times where I have wanted to rip my hair our with frustration but overall it's been a wonderful year. I have gone through a few of the big things that have happened for me this year:

Finishing Open Foundation and getting into a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)

Quitting Smoking - 5 months and going strong

I have to say the most wonderful thing that has happened this year is my best friend asking me to marry him. I knew in the first week of talking to him on the phone that he was the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. In the first week we spoke for forty hours on the phone and two and a bit years, my heart still skips a beat whenever he calls me. He's currently in Boston so you will have to excuse me if I am getting a bit sentimental. At the end of April/beginning of May my partner took me for a surprise trip away. I didn't find out where we were going until I got to the airport, so impressed he managed to keep it a secret. He'd organised an amazing trip to Tasmania, it was my first time there and it was absolutely beautiful. We visited the Salamanca Markets and Mona Gallery, which has been on my must visit list for a really long time. On the first of May we drove the hire car from Hobart to Launceston, a delightfully scenic trip filled with snacks and awful singing (by me). Half way to Launceston there was a sign that said the highest point and we drove up the off road track next to the sign. It was the most breathtaking countryside and we stopped the car to take in the view. My partner got out his ipad and showed me this video he had made:

Of course I said yes. Everything about the moment was perfect and it was so us. Straight after he also showed me a Good Riddance (my favourite band) drum medley he had also made but I was to overwhelmed to take it in. I couldn't believe how much he had done for me and in that moment and in every moment with him I feel like the luckiest person in the world.

Since then of course the question that everyone asks is, "How is the wedding planning going?". I feel like I have kicked them in the face when I tell them "Uh.. it's not." The truth is life has been busy, I've been focused on study and my partner has been focused on his visa and getting to the states and all other time has been taken up supporting each other in achieving our goals. There hasn't been the time, no that is a lie, at this point in time we don't really want to make the time for it. I use to want the big wedding, especially the big dress (think Gwen Stefani's pink dip dyed wedding dress) but things have changed. I've seen people planned weddings and they seem really stressed and it seems really expensive and I'd rather spend that money going to Japan or buying Lazy Oaf haha. We will get married one day but it'll be when we think of something that feels like us and I am not sure what that looks like just yet.

Which leads me to my big life lesson this year and that is to enjoy the moment. As Garth from Wayne's world would say

It's really lovely to be engaged and just enjoy that and live in that moment, not always on to the next thing, like they are a series of boxes to tick - marriage, babies, morgage.. death... . And furthermore, next year to enjoy studying rather than purely focusing on what the end goal is because it's kind of a long time to commit to focusing purely on the future. I am not saying that having goals is bad but that sometimes it's good to do things and just enjoy them for what they are in that moment and maybe not put all the focus on their end goal.

Wishing you all a happy and safe New Year, see you in 2017 xx