Fin, Twenty-Fifteen

Happy New Year! I'm a few weeks late with this post, but we've been just a little busy... 2015 was a year of highs and lows + ebbs and flows. Introspection and personal growth aren't glorious matters, but they can be rewarding. I was very ready to kiss this year goodbye, but looking back I realize how many great moments it held. Here's a recap: 

one: lots of concerts in music city! | The Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN

two: ice storm = 10 snow days 

three: much needed spring break | Gulf Coast, FL

four: pet therapy! | Cora Howe School, East Nashville

five: 15-mile hiking/camping trip | South Cumberland State Park, TN

six: earthquake relief | Nepal

seven: Mr. & Mrs. Donohew! | Rochester, NY
eight: my sendoff from one school to another

nine: one of many amazing sunsets from the year
ten: my first ever Bills game! Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN

eleven: celebrated our 10th anniversary (a little early) | Smoky Mountains, NC
twelve: European refugee relief | Athens, Greece

Best Album: Needtobreate's Rivers in the Wasteland was on repeat for maybe 3 months straight. We also saw a ton of good concerts this year (another outstanding Live on the Green lineup, a backyard supper + song with The Lone Bellow, our first concert at the Ryman for the Ten out of Tenn 10th anniversary, Nashville's NYE headliner Kings of Leon), + I am currently obsessed with the Leon Bridges Pandora station.

Best Read: I hardly read anything this year (besides text books) but our small group went through The Good and Beautiful God and it was a worthy read.

Best Movie: Besides the blockbusters (Jurassic World, Star Wars, etc.), we discovered True Detective, and I'm pretty sure I watched The Battered Bastards of Baseball (Nexflix documentary) at least one more time.

Best Buy: we treated ourselves to a little getaway to the mountains to celebrate our 10th anniversary + Jud will soon have a seat with his name on it (literally) at the brand new, and long time coming, ACU football stadium!

Highlights & Notable Discoveries:

#papapaintmethesky

My pinboard of quotes

The worst physics class ever

Lasagna pizza  

Summer membership to the Y (and all the poolside days summer dreams are made of)

Surgery #5 

Practicing being a good listener 

A steady supply of Mas Tacos' chicken tortilla soup and fish tacos

Women's World Cup (USA!) + Abby Wambach's final season

Kayla Itsines' killer workouts

Sisters and cousins

All the homemade apple pie

Cora Howe, my most favorite place I've ever worked

The roller coaster that was my first semester of grad school

Goodwill gems, always and forever 

Many epic games of Catan

Nepal, Greece, and hours on hours of FaceTime

Getting my ears pierced!

Snuggleland
Lessons in decision making, self-confidence, goal-setting, compromise, and forgiveness

Twenty-sixteen, I'm coming for you!

XO from Howland

Καλά Χριστούγεννα!

Merry Christmas friends! Hope your day is filled with the love and peace and joy of the holiday. We're back with big news...

We're moving to Greece! In a few weeks, we'll be stashing our stuff for a year and relocating to Athens to aid with Samaritan's Purse efforts in the refugee crisis in Europe. This hasn't been the easiest decision, but one I just couldn't pass up. ("The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized within the lifetime of the opportunity" kind of thing.) This next year will have a lot of unknowns, but life is a grand adventure or nothing at all, right?

Until then, καλές διακοπές! (Happy holidays!)

XO from Howland

#DonohewPartyof2 {Part Four: Ceremony & Reception}

This wedding was so much fun! It began with all the guests being pinned with a ribbon and flower (a Bosnian tradition), then a walk down the aisle (the weather was perfect!), and lots of family photos afterwards. The reception was a blast. Papa Rizonavic roasted a lamb, the cake was delicious, and open bar helped to get the party started! Corey's best man, Svet, a hip-hop violinist put on a great performance, followed by lots of dancing with glowsticks. It was such a memorable day spent together celebrating. Congratulations Corey and Nini!

XO from Howland

#DonohewPartyof2 {Part Three: Wedding Portraits}

How can you not love them? Such a photogenic bunch! We went via limo to Cobbs Hill to take some wedding party photos, and then onto the wedding venue. The day was so well planned, thanks to the most organized bride ever!

XO from Howland

#DonohewPartyof2 {Part Two: Getting Ready}

Hanging with these girls last weekend was so much fun! All the bridesmaids were family (either sisters or cousins) so it was that much more of a party when we all got together. Nini made the most stunning bride, and we were so happy to share in her special day!

XO from Howland