My 2024 in Pictures
As I prepare to create this new post and change the title from 2023 to 2024, I can't help but reflect on how quickly this year has flown by. It feels like we were celebrating New Year's Eve just yesterday, and now we're ready to welcome a new year once again.
In 2024, I faced a year that was uniquely different from any other. It challenged me from multiple perspectives, with its fair share of ups and downs. This year was probably the most important year for my personal growth. I took the time to rediscover who I am and reinvent key aspects of myself. I stood before the mirror countless times, reflecting on and articulating my values and beliefs and re-establishing my boundaries.
In 2024, I decided to slow down and prioritize myself and my family above everything else, starting to live as I had always dreamed. I cannot put into words how this feels. 2024 taught me that after each challenging period, the sun shines even brighter than before.
So, here are some sneak peeks from my 2024.
January
In January, we mostly spent time at home, following our daily routines with our daughter. We were delighted to see some snow, even though it took a few hours to melt. I took the opportunity to visit the city center’s Central Park with my daughter. This was especially exciting because the lake in the park had frozen for the first time in years due to the low temperatures, allowing us to walk on the frozen water.
Additionally, in January, a good friend of mine, who is a big supporter of the local basketball team, invited me to see a live match. To my surprise, I found that I knew the lyrics to their anthem! :D
I also attended a pleasant event organized by a friend who is a therapist, centered around the theme "It's not my business at the workplace," exploring the notion of "je m'en fiche" or not caring too much about the others or what's happening around us, often seen in our workplaces today.
February
In February, my husband and I were pretty busy renovating, but have you ever seen renovations done without kids around? 🤦♀️
February is usually the month when the Transylvania Open, a WTA 250 tournament, takes place in our town. I am thrilled to see famous women’s tennis players compete live every year. Besides sports and renovations, my daughter and I spent evenings at the National Theater after kindergarten, enjoying its splendid architecture and captivating performances.
March
March was one of the most anticipated months of 2024 because it was when we planned our escape to Tenerife. I can tell you this: you must visit Tenerife at least once in your lifetime! I wrote an article about our experience traveling to Tenerife with a toddler, and you can find it here.
In March, I attended an event focused exclusively on Agile methodology. At the event, I listened to several insightful talks about estimation in software development projects. While this wasn't my first experience at such an event, it was definitely the one that provided me with the most valuable information.
In March, my daughter and I discovered a fun new activity: painting on ceramics. There is a café in our hometown where you can purchase a ceramic mug, paint it, and decorate it however you like. Afterward, they apply a shiny glaze and bake it to set the colors. We now have that mug displayed at home; my daughter uses it to drink milk.
April
April felt like the moment when nature awakened, with the scent of blooming flowers filling the air. I remember that the weather turned warm and pleasant, even in the evenings and I could finally enjoy some cosy evenings outside reading. We began spending a lot of time outside, enjoying our morning coffees and late breakfasts. Not every breakfast is as fancy as it appears in the image below, but a nice presentation and serving often warm my heart.
In April, I began to see the results of consistently working out for over six months. My body and mind felt better than ever before. Now, as I write this in December, I am still maintaining the same habit.🙏
May
At the beginning of May, I visited my parents and met two of my best friends from high school. Since we no longer live in the same town and have families, kids, and full-time jobs, coordinating our schedules can be challenging. It felt wonderful to spend time together and talk. It's always refreshing to feel such a strong connection with people you don't see every day.
In May, we took our daughter to her first live basketball game. It was clear she was more interested in the popcorn than the game! :D We also visited the National Theater to see "The Sound of Music." Additionally, our daughter, who was four and a half years old, attended her first four-day camp without us and only with her kindergarten classmates and adults from there. Those days were quite emotionally challenging for my husband and me.🙈
May was a very busy month for me. I attended a two-day training focused on Agile leadership, and afterward, I took a certification exam. My husband flew to Barcelona for a tech conference and invited me to join him. I decided to take a few days off and explored the sunny streets of Catalonia on my own. I considered this getaway to be one of my best moments of "me time" while my husband was at the conference during the day.
June
June was absolutely heart-melting! We took some of our closest friends and drove to Bucharest to attend Coldplay's concert. I sang, cried, laughed, danced, kissed my husband, hugged my friends, and felt a rush of excitement. This is the best way I can describe what the Coldplay concert meant to me.
Returning from Bucharest, our hometown received the visit of Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, two tennis legends! I could not miss this event. I also bought a ticket for my father to come with us, knowing he's a big fan, and we were so thrilled and emotional seeing these legends play.
In June, we spent time with our closest friends, enjoying long conversations, having our kids playing together and roasting marshmallows.
July
July is the month when I celebrate my birthday. When my loved ones asked me what I wanted as a present, I told them that all I needed was time spent with them. This year, since my birthday fell on a Saturday, we drove to my parents' home, where they prepared a wonderful surprise. They took my family and me to dinner at one of the most picturesque places, and we spent hours talking, enjoying the nature, and breathing in the fresh air.
At the end of the month, we drove into the Făgăraș mountains to attend a festival celebrating nature. This event highlighted green heritage, biodiversity, wildlife, and the authenticity of local culture, combining them with live concerts, good food and nice activities for the little ones. It was a wonderful opportunity for us to relax, escape the hustle of our daily lives and teach our kids about our environment. I have to say, being in the middle of the wilderness was absolutely breathtaking.
August
Having our friends come over fills me with good energy and love. I cherish cooking for them, talking, laughing, and having our kids bonding. It’s one of the things I value the most. So, in August, we found ourselves on the terrace with our kids running barefoot in the grass.
For this year's summer vacation, we chose Turkey. We took some time to relax while our daughter played, ran, and fought with one of her best friends. :D
September
In September, the weather remained pleasant, so on some days, after picking up my daughter from kindergarten, we would drive to a new pool that had opened this summer. I can't express how much my daughter loves playing in the water.
In September, we celebrated her birthday, and just like in previous years, we had several parties for her. You might think I’m a bit of a crazy mom, but you know what? I enjoy it this way! :D Unfortunately, I ended up with no pictures from her birthday this year because I was so busy making sure the kids had everything they needed that I forgot where I left my phone. Luckily, one of the girls' moms took a photo of the kids while they were carefully listening the rules of a very creative treasure hunt.
October
October seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye. It’s hard to remember specific moments from that month, even though it was just a couple of months ago. However, October brought some emotional challenges, which might explain why it felt like it went by so quickly.
We had the chance to spend a lot of time outdoors and trying out new activities like hiking in an adventure park in the mountains and attending a real Halloween party.
November
November brought me a sense of peace and helped heal the thoughts and emotions that overwhelmed me in October. One day in November, I told my husband that I couldn't recall another year when autumn was as beautiful as it was this year.🍂
Let's shift away from the emotional stuff and talk about something I really enjoy. As a fan of Asian cuisine, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to attend a kimchi workshop where we learned to make authentic Korean kimchi. It was delicious! I took the recipe home and plan to make it again soon. Speaking of food, we also had our best friends coming over for dinner to celebrate my husband for Saint Andrew's Day.
In November, I also attended a tech conference focused on AI. I enjoyed it, although I sometimes feel there is a lot of hype surrounding AI, and I rarely hear anything truly groundbreaking. I suppose it's my high expectations.
December
A December to remember. Personally, I prefer to avoid discussions about politics and religion. However, this month has brought significant anxiety for Romanian citizens, with many uncertainties ahead, and situations we never thought they might exist for us. I can only hope that God blesses our hearts and minds, helping us to stay true to our chosen paths and be able to still love or at least respect each other.
The jolly season is just around the corner and all I can dream of is a snowy Christmas. And peace. Our only plans for the holidays are to spend as much time as possible with our loved ones, relax, and unwind after a year full of everything.
Have a joyful winter and Happy Holidays 🎄
Love, M.