2009…year in review

There were some rough years (2006-2008)

2009 had some sadness, too

the harassment continues…can you believe it? (for those who’ve lost count: 2005 was the beginning)

Daddy’s golf tournament was diluted to the point that his name was removed. “Larry Salter & Harold Morrison Prairiland Academic Trust Foundation Memorial Golf Tournament” is just too much to fit onto a t-shirt.

We said goodbye to Sosta in December. Her suffering was one of the hardest things either of us has ever endured.

…and we finally saw some light and goodness

We went camping on what started out to be a gorgeous weekend and turned out to be one of the coldest of the season…and LOVED every minute of it

Lori worked for our wedding florist (Nan’s Blossom Shop) and learned so much about the floral industry on their biggest holiday

We held/hosted/sponsored the last BV QueSt GAYla….and went out with a bang and then some

Lori attended SxSWi and met a great group of non-profit professionals who work to better technology for those with physical impairments…and then came home to find a new/surprise 24″ iMac that Emil secretly ordered

Lori was honored to photograph the wedding of the younger brother-in-law of a dear friend

Lori served as a Wrangler for Texas Photography School, another honor to respect and treasure

We enjoyed the annual Luza Family Camping Trip for Easter weekend

Lori was selected to be the lead photographer for the wedding of another photographer’s daughter (…there seems to be a pattern here!)

We planned, hosted, & executed the 2nd annual (or at least let’s hope it is) “Neighborwoods Garage Sale” in the Westwood, Shirewood, Rosewood, & Rockwood neighborhoods in Bryan

Emil got a new job with the Travis County Clerk

We moved to Austin

We live at Riata “resort”

Lori was privileged, One. More. Time., to photograph the wedding of the daughter of a campus “celebrity”

We found the Austin Child Free organization

We joined Dream Dinners

We sold our house in Bryan, with the help of a great Realtor®, to a great guy…making the whole process easier

Emil made some fabulous friends at work, including a Longhorn with whom he can trade light/fun/gentle/silly practical jokes

Lori found the local alumni group for the University of Miami, a Crochet/Knitting group that is “off the hook” (pun intended), and her local Zeta sisters

We found a couple of board game groups and now play Settlers of Catan every month or so

Lori had the great privilege and honor to host a portrait session for two former students (yep, they met in the same organization) and their 2 children

Lori was selected to be a Wrangler for the Texas School of Professional Photography for 2010

Lori found time to resurrect her listening of KeithAndTheGirl.com (NSFW: not safe for work!)

Lori’s allergies (though worse in the summer) were greatly improved in the fall and controllable with a tincture and some light meds (so far) in the winter

Lori found—after months of looking for the right fit—some amazing business (and friend!) contacts through Weenie’s Warriors (#AWTWX on Twitter), Nuptial Essentials Association of Wedding Professionals, Austin IBA (@ibuyaustin on Twitter), Austin NBX, #roundrockjelly, & NW Austin Brainstormers

Emil (& Lori) ran into a student worker-turned-friend (from his job at the Memorial Student Center at Texas A&M) at an Aggie football watch party

Emil joined an online Dungeons & Dragons group (because his original live group got kicked out of their play place for a brief while and sought online options) and still gets to play with his good friends in “Bryan Station”

Emil planned an amazing mini-vacay for us to Fredericksburg; we stayed at an isolated cabin, rode our bikes, had massages, and even hiked to the summit of Enchanted Rock

Lori photographed her first true newborn: 7 days old!

Lori found out her Wrangler assignment for Texas School and is honored to be working with Robert Lloyd

Lori donated some portrait sessions to charity and photographed some kids for their Christmas cards and another family for Christmas gifts for grandma and had the “good problem” of being very busy near the holidays

Emil took Lori on a movie date (a first in a very long time) and, since we were in an adult theater, armed with break times from runpee.com, able to order food/drink, and close to restrooms, she stopped hating theater movies

We had the most relaxing Christmas we’ve had in several years, in spite of the additional travel to make all the rounds

The last night of 2009 brought a Blue Moon (once every 2.5 years), on New Year’s Eve (once every 19 years), that was also a Lunar Eclipse for Europe, Asia, and Africa

Our New Year’s Eve was legendary thanks to Emil finding a wonderful Italian restaurant and a fabulous fundraiser party to benefit The Blue Theater and Shrewd Productions

2010 has rolled in with a new spirit and energy that is indescribable

Happy New Year, everyone

This entry was posted on Thursday, 2009-December-31 at 11:59 am and is filed under Blue Lime, Emil, Lori. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.