2013 is almost over.

Standing outside Obama's viewing box for the inaugural parade in DC

Despite my best efforts, I turned 25

Crafting Easter eggs

Enjoying good music, food, and company at Googa Mooga with free VIP tickets.  Later in the trip, I met Matthew Broderick. 

Reliving Rocky's glory days in Philly.

Me and my wedding date, using as many photo props as possible.

I found myself back in DC, riding bikes in front of the White House with these two patriotic beauts. 

Grandma and Papa celebrated 65 years of being married

One of my first days of teaching, taking selfies in the staff bathroom

Celebrating Melissa's engagement to Vance

Oliver and I dressed up as Charlie Brown and Snoopy for a Halloween party

I attended my very first country concert...and enjoyed it. 

In November, my oldest sister had her first baby the day before Thanksgiving.

In December, I played bingo and had lunch with my grandma's church group consisting of many older women who are avid supporters of both bingo and a modest lunchtime

Long Thanksgiving Weekend

Thanksgiving crept right up on me. It felt like one day I was watching fireworks in July and then the next I was being questioned about the lack of turkey on my plate during Thanksgiving dinner. Like most weekends, this one came and went entirely too fast. Though it was filled with all kinds of goodness: shopping all night on Thursday straight on until breakfast time on Friday, hanging out with beautiful friends who I rarely see now that they're off being brilliant in other states, watching Grand Ole Opry with my grandparents, and seeing Sufjan Stevens at the Haw River Ballroom.

This is the first holiday season where I've felt old. I knew the day would come when I didn't have a month-long holiday break but after being in school for so long and then switching sides to play the part of a teacher, I've had long Christmas breaks for the entire time I've had a working memory. 

Less than a month until Christmas. Good thing I got my shopping (mostly) done on Black Friday. It was worth staying up all night and was much more fun than those pesky exams that force college kids into caffeinated disasters around this time.

Over the (past 2) months...

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Near the end of September, I was given the incredible opportunity to work on President Obama's reelection campaign here in North Carolina.* It was a whirlwind and there were a few times where a breaking point loomed awfully close.  

But there's no way I would trade the experience for anything. I got the chance to work with a pretty stellar group of people, do some event planning, make a lot of spreadsheets, and go canvassing, to name a few. No two days were the same but they were all pretty epic. 

Although Obama didn't win the state of North Carolina, we couldn't have hoped for a better overall outcome. I was stoked when Obama won in 2008 but working on his campaign made it that much more exciting on November 6th. 

*To those of you who think a little differently about politics than me, please don't take offense to this post. It's not meant to brainwash or persuade anybody, just a little update on what I've been doing.