So, I normally write this post around my birthday in November, but life was way too crazy between then and now. So here it is, a little recap of this year, challenges and highs and some resolutions for 2018.
I kicked off last New Year’s Eve on the rooftop of the condo, watching fireworks, surrounded by all my favourite people, friends & family. It was pure happiness, laughter and so much fun. It was a great night to set the tone for the year, and it did. This year was spent very close by to my closest friends and family.
I really focused more and more on my work this year and what I wanted it to be, truly. I knew I wanted to fill my days making art, drinking coffee and marketing the shit out of myself and my business. I did just that. I buckled down and wrote down all of the things that I really loved and wanted to be doing, strategized them into income and ran with it. I gained new partnerships with companies like LG, Delta & Fairmont Hotels, Lexus, HBO & Dyson, to name a few. I got to travel for work and for pleasure to Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Boston and Los Angeles. It’s kind of crazy to think all of that can be packed into 365 days. I turned something like my love for watching the Bachelor with the girls, into a social media partnership with Bachelor Canada & Two Oceans Wine. Hahahah there is truly opportunity everywhere.
My love for Justin grew and grew. We spent cozy snow days all winter, drinking so much coffee, rose & cooking everything we could think of. We renovated every room in the condo and had the best time doing it. I think normal couples would probably kill each other in the process, but we weirdly love it. Haha. We travelled all over and thankfully got him used to, A. being behind the camera and B. being in front of it hahaha. We had some tough times to work through, and he stayed so strong when I couldn’t handle any more. He learned to love my cat, and together we added a dog <3. I’m really thankful that we love a lot of the same things, and it makes integrating work and real life, really easy and so much fun. We reflect a lot and I’m so thankful for him and so excited about the life we are creating.
I had no idea that this would be my last year with my grandmother, Sito. I wish I could put into words what this woman was to me. To be put simply, she was like my mother. Since the day I was born, we had the most special bond I have ever experienced with a person. She was my person. She was the funniest person I know and so sassy and spiteful. Just hilarious. Over my lifetime we would have so many life chats about my life and hers, growing up, and lots of talk about love. My favorite thing was to chat with her about her and my grandfather, their life, their love. She would tell me about their conversations, their road trips to Boston, how much he cared about her, and how much she missed him. Almost every time we both ended up in tears. This was so special to me, and I miss her so much. She used to sing me to sleep as a child and wake me up to go to church. She was that person that would brag about me openly and so embarrassingly in front of her friends, or even better, complete strangers. When I lived in Montreal, she disapproved of it SO much, she couldn’t believe that the idea of an internship was “to work for free” and could NOT get over it. Hahah but, despite her disagreeing with my decision to go anyway, she called me every single day that I was there. She is the best, and cared about me like no one I have ever known. I am SO so so so thankful that I was living in Saint John this year and able to hang out with her so much and see her as often as I did and have our hangouts and chats. I always felt sick about living away, and if anything were to happen, and all of that, so I was so happy to be home all year and really enjoy all of the time to the fullest. (She was my most liked photo of all time on Instagram recently, and if you knew her you know she would LOVE that, and would have told everyone she knew) Haha so thanks to you guys xx
Reflecting on this year was hard to do and I teared up a lot writing all of this. I think it was a more important year than I really realized. I’m slowly figuring out more than ever the things that are really important to me, and the things that are so irrelevant in the big picture. I want to thank you guys, my readers, for the endless support this year. It was truly mind blowing, especially during the tough times, how much you cared, and how much your hearts ached for me and my family. Thank you for being there when times are sky high, but also then they are so so low. It is amazing. Thank you.
Good bye 2017, hello 2018 <3
xx
Allie