I stand at the edge of this year, toes dangling into a sunny and expansive 2015, and a wave of content washes over me. 2014 was a wild year, one of the hardest and best I’ve ever had, and along with that wave, I get that feeling that some runners feel at the end of a marathon:

“I’m NEVER doing that again.

Well…

Okay, maybe it wasn’t THAT bad.”

It was that bad. And that good. And that scary, and amazing, and fulfilling, and occasionally wretched. But oh, such a year. It's a short film reel full of beautiful dresses, mountain views, laughter, dancing, turquoise lakes, roaring waterfalls, airports, dinner parties, house projects, self-doubt, learning to fall and climb again, long drives, meeting friends I now don't want to live without, becoming much closer with old friends, singing in the car, crying about death and life and questions I don't have the answers to. (And listening to Serial, of course.)

Some of the things I learned this year:

Photographing a live birth is a life-changing, humbling and empowering experience
Sometimes those who leave us teach us the most. The baby I photographed coming into the world lived one month, and changed me forever. My friend, Heidi, passed away suddenly due to a blood clot. These two left me with stronger friendships, an appreciation for all the love in my life, and the drive to make it all count
It is so important to take a lot of risks and show up for things that excite you. These have been some of the best moments of the year, and are leading me into 2015 with the promise of adventure (like a workshop co-hosted with my new and darling friend, Anne Almasy)
I need good sleep in order to be happy, hopefully followed by brunch at least once a week
Drones are rad. Our Phantom 2 has been huge weekend adventure stimulator for Nathan and me, and I love, love, love the videos he's shot and I've edited. I can't wait to take it new places
Rock climbing is so good for me. The mental focus, having to effectively play chess against myself on a wall, and the resulting friendships have made my life so much better. I climbed above ocean cliffs in Maine this spring, and will never forget the exhilaration of climbing to the sound of water crashing
I LOVE our house. Nathan and I spent a lot of time this year making magic happen to our beautiful 1927 farmhouse
Balance will probably elude me for a long time, but I'm becoming so much better about those important things. "Everything changed the day she figured out there was exactly enough time for the important things in her life." - Brian Andreas

I felt like I lived this year for all it was worth, bruises, scrapes, tears, laughter and all. I hope you did too, and continue to. I love being surrounded by brilliant, hardworking, beautiful people (inside and out). I'm so incredibly grateful for each of you. Thank you for sharing this wild life with me.

2015, let's get this party started.

xoxo

Ara