2014: Our Year

The number 14 was always my "lucky" number. It was the number I wore on my singlet throughout high school cross-country and track. It became part of my life. My AOL screen name (remember those?) was Preach14--Preach being my high school nickname because of my last name and 14 because it was MY number. I still use that number here and there for certain things that need remembering. It's been a random yet calculated part of my life for a long time.

It was New Year's Eve, 2013. The clock was about to strike midnight when I looked at my then girlfriend and said, "2014 is going to be our year."

She asked me what made me think that it would be our year and I'm sure whatever my response was couldn't possibly have prepared either of us for all the incredible things that have happened this year.

After all, of all the years, why was 2014 going to be OUR year?

Well, 2014 didn't exactly start great. I had plans to propose to Tessa starting in November 2013. If all had gone to plan and the ring had come in on time, we would have been engaged in Mexico in December 2013. But the ring arrived late, and I was forced to wait until 2014. After trying to coordinate when and where I would propose for what seemed like a thousand times between January and March only to be foiled by one thing or another, I finally dropped to one knee on April 6th, 2014 and she said that magical three-letter word.

In May 2014, I ran a 5k PR of 16:55. My goal for the year was 16:45, a time I would never reach due to lingering, nagging IT and hip problems, but it was a PR nonetheless.

In early June 2014, I coached a kid to a high jump state championship. Working with him throughout the season and experiencing the ups and downs of the season with him, only to watch him win the title was better than if I had won it myself.


On June 16th, 2014 Tessa and I closed on our first house. To say we were happy and nervous about this at the time would be a huge understatement. After working tirelessly on our house during the summer to make it our own, we couldn't be happier with our decision to buy that house.

In early July, Tessa and I traveled to San Marcos, California with Unum's corporate track team to compete in the corporate national championship meet. As a small, underdog team of 17 who lost athletes at an alarming rate due to injury, we were the real life "little engine that could" story. This was truly the most fun I've had as an adult--memories that I will never forget.

In mid-July, 2014, I was promoted to Wellness Director at the Northern York County Y in Biddeford, Maine. While it was hard to say goodbye to all the friends I had made in Portland, it was the right decision career-wise.

In late July 2014, Unum Track won another state championship. Our team was absolutely loaded this
year and it'll be exciting to see what we can do in 2015!

In August 2014, I finally met Tessa's mother's side of the family that I had heard so much about. We took a week-long trip to Old Forge, New York. Old Forge is a little town tucked into the Adirondacks. Her uncle has a beautiful house overlooking one of the lakes there--it was a fun week that unfortunately came with a terrible stomach virus. Ailments aside, I was glad to meet her family before our wedding.

In September 2014, we went to Yankee Stadium to watch Derek Jeter play in one of his final home games against my AL East Champion Orioles, nonetheless. Tessa has been a Jeter fan forever, so we spent some time to make sure she could give her final farewells.

In October 2014, the varsity boy's cross-country team I help coach qualified for the State meet for the second year in a row. This was the first time that Gray-New Gloucester boy's cross-country had qualified for States two years in a row since the late '80's. Tessa enjoys hearing about the kid's successes--or at least I think she does. Those successes put me in a good mood, which is obviously beneficial to her!

In December 2014, we went to the Bethel Inn, the site where we are getting married, and spent a night tasting wedding food. This was a big step in the wedding planning process and left us feeling assured that our guests were going to be eating some good food!

With one week to go in 2014, who knows how it will end. One thing I do know is that 2014 has been our year.

Can 2015 top it? There are lots of good things planned in 2015, like, ya know, a wedding. I have some individual goals that I'd like to accomplish too.

I'm a firm believer in if you keep a positive mindset and surround yourself with successful, like-minded people then you will have an enjoyable life. Sure life has its ups and downs, but looking for the silver lining and keeping a smile on your face will often times help you down the road to happiness.

2014 sure has had plenty of happiness.