100

I can hardly believe it, but this is my one hundredth blog post. 

I'd been dreaming of a blog for a while; an outlet for my thoughts, dreams and dreaming (yes dreams and dreamings are different). But I didn't want to be a "blog person"; who thought my thoughts were worthwhile, and needing to be read. 

Orange HOPE was my kicker though, my "ope" in Rope, which gave me the reason to write. To be a connection, and knot the threads of my crazy, complicated life together, as I travelled and studied, worked and stressed, took photos, learnt and fell in love.

It's been fun, most of the time, and good for me. I'm shy, and closed and independent. This is an outlet, and a positive one, where I can be real and honest.

I've met some cool people throughout the process, and been amazed at my readership. People in all sorts of countries somehow catch a hold of me. Hello those in Turkey, the Ukraine and Ghana.. and thank you.

My "about me" is hardly releveant any more, and it's fun looking back. My first dreamings of what 2012 was to be and now how we are, we made it. My year of adventure, it's been amazing and wonderful and life changing and I'm ready for "the year of change". 

And so, here are 100 photos for 100 posts, all from 2012. 

A little snap of what it's been for me as I prepare my Resolutions and look ahead, to the year ahead.

So hello! And wow, and thank you. 

1. Spent another year serving alongside the most encouraging
youth team of all time. We plan everything around costumes, we
have Vicar of Dibley marathons, and we love Jesus.
(and this is me as a strawberry for our fruit ninja night. clearly) 

2. Studied in the hogwarts library at the University of Washington.
Sheltering from the rain, and the vampires.

3. Played, frolicked and climbed in the snow for the first time.
Slid down the snow on my butt for the first time.
Ruined my jeans in the snow for the first time.
Nearly died in the snow, for the first time.

4. Saw a double rainbow for the first time!
Watched the double rainbow youtube clip for the first time..

5. Touched and shot a gun for the first time.

6. Had my first international Easter.

7. Lived through a tornado warning 

8. Made pizza dough from scratch.

9. Met some wonderful people.
Made some amazing friends.

10. Searched for, longed for, saw and stalked a racoon for the firs time.

11. A first for salmon and spatezle.
(and cooked on beach fires)

12. First time I went to the gym on a day to day basis.

13. Travelled back to where my US adventure
began in 2007.
PA.

14. Rekindled my love for Dunkin D.

15. Caught up with my beloved primary school best friend!

16. Hiked to New York.

17. Fulfilled a lifelong dream: went to Africa.

18. Road-tripped to Oregon.

19. Went labour day camping.

20. I met HIV face to face.

21. Sat on a roof all night, freezing,
waiting for a meteor shower.

22. Captured love for others.

23. Had thanksgiving, and made a pumpkin pie.

24. Decided that I have a passionate love for bagels.
With cream cheese.
(alone in my dorm room while watching 16 and pregnant)

25. Went on safari. Died of happiness.

26. Visited the Nebraskan zoo.

27. Caught up with a child-hood exchange student, on top
of a mountain.
In a duck suit.

28. Organised my first bridal shower.

29. Fell in love.
{I like 29}

30. Got, used, abused and loved my duck onesie.

31. Went on the best hikes of my life.

32. Grew a deep love for sororities. 

33. Had my life's scariest moment.
On top of a mountain.
Never, ever been so sure I was going to die.

34. Danced, sung to, and held hands with some of the
worlds most poor. We practiced our writing in the dirt,
and our alphabet in high pitched song.
I learnt wonders.

35. Hugged the Berlin Wall.

36. Discovered new places in my own city.
Fell in love with Sydney all over again.

37. I developed a heart for adoption. Softened my heart to
marriage, and stubbornly struggled through the idea of
Biblical submission.

38. I felt the greatest joy in writing Bible stories for orphans.

39. Baked, and baked and baked.
Did the food shopping and cooked for 3 months. 

40. Re-caught the travel bug. 

41. I was a brides-maid for a dear friend. For the first time.

42. Being cultural, baked my first pavlova.

43. Cuddled new and beautiful little lives.

44. Flew back to Townsville, fell off a skateboard.

45. Learnt all sorts of things about all sorts of diseases.

46. Changed a nappy.

47. Mum and Dad went to Namibia for 3 months.

48. Watched sunsets in several states.

49. Got my photography published, and sold. 

50. I wrote an African inspired story for my writing major work.

51. My 2012 US visa photo.
Struggled with visas..

52. Grew a deep passion for pain eradication.

53. I sat on many dirt floors amidst many faces,
talking to the sick.

54. They thought my camera was the greatest. I got giggles.

55. I watched the sunset with exchange students.

 56. A HUGE one.
Began to drink coffee!

57. I nearly (but didn't) threw out my trusty, brown bag.

58. I learnt a thing or two about the loaves, and the fishes.

59. I learnt that my love language is physical touch.

60. Drove on the right.

61. Life lesson # 87: "Spring" is not the same the world over.

62. Celebrated Valenites day with style!
(as per usual. best day ever)

63. Lied about my previous study, enrolled in two
epidimeology subjects, before I knew what they were.
Loved them.

64. Studied abroad.

65. Had perhaps, my last Aussie Christmas for a while.

66. Made friends with a chipmunk.

67. Took a shot of an African sunset, while not being
able to handle the beauty of it all.

68. Fish hearts beat, after death.

69. Destination Colorado.

70. Completed my Development Degree.

71. This happened. And I am so glad it did.

72. Made foot cookies and spoke Bible with the most
amazing girl.

73. became a model.

74. Improved exponentially in my public speaking.
Public spoke - a lot.

75. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of Vancouver.

76. I read "Not A Fan" by Kyle Idleman.

77. In borrowed hoodies, I took selfies.

78. I quit my job.

79. Was on the radio.

80. Tried and loved cheese curd.

81. Said goodbye to my laptop.

82. I met Jess in East Timor. Then in Seattle. We went to Canada.
And she is wonderful.

83. Got in trouble for vandelising Macquarie Uni with
Orange HOPE.

84. Dyed my hair.

85. Discovered that NBA socks are the best bar none.

86. Completed my Writing Degree.

87. Found this magical place by accident.
In Canada.

88. Learnt to throw.

89. Had articles published in Imagine magazine!

90. Cleaned up Australia.

91. First pedicure.

92. Ate dorm food.

93. Caught a lot of aeroplanes.
Some (like this one) at 4am.

94. Became a nanny.

95. Developed a regular starbucks order.

96. Packed, un-packed, and re-packed plenty.

97. Got up to watch the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

98. Read and read and read for school.
Fell for medical anthropology.

99. Started and kept a blog.

100. Juggled working 4-12 jobs, full time study, home duties and
my Ambassadorship.