2009: A look back...

Here are some of the incredible things that 2009 has brought...

January: Nominated for 'Future Leaders of Manitoba' Award, and training for the half marathon starts! After about a week of frustration and "suffering", my endurance came quickly! By the end of the month I could already run for 90 minutes (with two 0ne-minute walking breaks!)

February: Off to Vancouver for spring break to visit 'Lil'Sis'! -- I had some of the best time's of my life in that beautiful city (Got my second tattoo on a whim!) Although, my marathon training went down the tubes for that week, and suffered in the months to come...

March: Kennedy turns 1! -- She may not be my kid, but I love her like she's my own! This was a milestone month! My marathon training is staggered...

April: Second year of university ends, and it's also the Big 3-0 for me! -- I came home to a rainbow coloured in chalk on the sidewalk leading up to my apartment with the words: "Happy 30th Birthday Shelley", followed by a delicious dinner of Thai food with close friends in the village. I couldn't think of a better way to spend my day!) Marathon training still suffering!

May: My Grandma turns 90, 'Lil'Sis' graduates from UBC Law School, Heather, KJ and I go to Vancouver (for a week) to watch 'Lil'Sis' receive her degree, and marathon training heats up! (Only a month till the big day!)

June: Completed my first half Marathon (13.1 miles) with two good friends and a bummed knee! (Scratch that off the 'ol bucket list!)

July: OVERTIME at work! (Gotta work as much as I can to make sure that I have enough money socked away for school...) -- I think I had three days off this month...

August: MORE OVERTIME at work! -- I think I took about five days off from work. We (My awesome work crew and I) also planned a charity bake sale (which raised $500 for the Rainbow Society) and a car rally! CreComm starts on the 31st! (A dream come true, just to be in this program!) By the end of the 2 months I accumulated 261 hours of banked overtime!

September: CreComm! -- I didn't know what to expect; this program is intense, but I have gained so much from it!! My first time being published in a printed publication! (The Projector) Also, completed my first 10k run in Treherne Manitoba! (Bummed knee again...Turns out I have tendonitis...)

October: Mom Graduated from UofM with her PhD!!! Also, I received the first ever John W. Dafoe Scholarship from the Free Press! ($600 and an internship during Christmas break!) I'm working hard to achieve my dream, and it feels GREAT!

November: Volunteer opportunity at Manito Ahbee! (I got to hobnob with incredible Aboriginal artists, and get a taste of the PR lifestyle!)

December: INTERNSHIP AT THE FREE PRESS! -- It's been incredible! They have been awesome to me, and I have had such a great time! -- The experiences that I have had in the little time that I have been there have been truly amazing!

Bring on 2010...