I'm Back, and Better

What’s up, world? I’ve been M.I.A. since last year, but I’m back and ready to pick-up this blog again. I’m not sure if it’s even possible to re-cap my 2018 and 2019 thus far, but whatevs let’s give it a go with these highlights…

March-April 2018: Made it to the Coupe de Luxembourg and Championship finals, lost both

April 2018: Took a 1-week vacation to Gran Canaria with Tim :)

July 2018: 2-week vacation in the US making stops in my hometown, Monterey Bay, Santa Barbara, Disneyland, San Diego, and Boulder Colorado with Tim :)

November 2018: Got to travel to Greece to play in the CEV Challenge Cup for Women’s Volleyball

December 2018: Worked for the first time on Christmas Eve. Attended a training camp for the Luxembourg national volleyball team and injured my calf. Had a very mellow New Year’s Eve watching American football and drinking champagne with Tim #werenotboring

January 2019: My club teammate suffered a season-ending injury – she was a starting six player :( ; and another teammate announced her pregnancy – also a starting six player :( #badtiming

February 2019: Escaped to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with my family and Tim for 1-week… just the break I needed. #familyfirst

March 2019: Got really sick with the flu. Made it to the Coupe de Luxembourg finals again, lost it again. #fail

April 2019: Made it to the Championship finals again, lost it again. Took a 4-day weekend trip to the Belgium coast with Tim for Easter :) #bounceback

May 2019: Got terrible (what I think was) food poisoning during a tryout with another club…yes, literally in the middle of the training. Decided to say goodbye after many frustrations, and switch club volleyball teams (different than the tryout). #newchapter

Missed the JPEE in Montenegro, because the Federation told me 1-month before that I wasn’t eligible to play… well-done #superorganization

June 2019: Went to Amsterdam for a bachelorette party. Attended my coach’s wedding. Visited the Luxembourg-American Cemetery for the first time. #humbled

July 2019: Went to the Maldives with Tim for 2 weeks, and WE GOT ENGAGED THERE!!! <3 The same day we got back to Luxembourg, we played in the LBO beach tournament. #ambitious

August 2019: Played in an outdoor sand-dodgeball tournament, and my Bay Watch team won the costume/dance performance contest. AND, I sprained my thumb :( ugh…get it together. #bravo

But, Tim’s sister got married! :) #love

September 2019: Won the Super Cup with my new team :) Things are looking up #hardworkpaysoff

Looking forward to...

October 2019: I'm spending this weekend in Venice (hopefully) to visit my mom and stepdad - flight currently delayed due to airport staff strikes - stay tuned #pizzapastagelato

November 2019: Visiting my grandma in Cologne for a weekend #internationalgrams

December 2019-January 2020: Playing in the CEV Challenge Cup 2020 for women's volleyball against a top French league team! Taking a 3-week vacation to California for the holidays to spend time with family and friends, and Tim will join after 1 week. The first few nights will be a Cabo mother-daughter trip… lol let’s get wild #hatsoff

Of course, every year is full of highs and lows (some lows too private to mention of course). But when you really sit down and look back at everything that can happen in a year…Wow. A lot can change.

Sometimes you can only see the current door closing in front of you…unaware of the other doors that will open ahead ;) I suppose the whole “Keep on keeping on” motto really pays off, if you’re patient and focused. Somehow, I trust that everything WILL be okay.

~Cheers to staying Grateful and Humbled by the triumphs and lessons that each day brings~

xo

Katrina