2013: The Year in Review.

In hindsight, 2013 has perhaps been the busiest and best year of my life. Here's a look at the highlights (and low lights) that made this year so special:

January. I rang in the New Year with some of my best friends at Eric and CJ's surprise engagement party in Toledo. I spent some quality time with my brother while he was home for the holidays. The NHL lockout was lifted. Mom and I went to the first Blue Jackets game of the shortened season. Emma and I went to the Reds Caravan in Indianapolis to see Homer Bailey.

February. I started interning at USA Football and attended the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.

March. A group of my best friends came to Indy to celebrate Jenn's birthday...and the night didn't end well. Erica, Lauren, and I got to cover the NCAA Men's Basketball Midwest Regional for the program. We attended the game where Louisville's Kevin Ware shattered his leg. I wrote stories about Oregon and Louisville, the team that eventually won the tournament.

April. Lauren and I drove to St. Louis to watch the Reds play the Cardinals. Wheat and I went on our first date - dinner, movie (42), and the arcade. I fell in love with sunsets from my balcony.

May. I walked in our program graduation ceremony. LP came home for a bit to visit. I covered the Indy 500 for the program with Matt and Joey. I chose to write about Tony Kanaan and he ended up winning! I met Papa John at a Pacers' party on the plaza during the playoffs. Brian Urlacher retired. I attended the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Quarterfinals. Wheat met my parents.

June. My mom and sister visited me in Indianapolis. Wheat and I went to the Indianapolis Zoo and pet sharks. I went to the Rockies vs. Reds game with a group of friends from the program. Wheat correctly predicted a Xavier Paul home run and I bought him his shirt jersey. I watched Darren Criss and Theo Katzman perform at the Murat. I went to several Indy Indians games. I finished my last class of graduate school. Jenn, CJ, Eric, TJ, and Tasha visited me in Indianapolis. Wheat and I went to the Marion County Fair and tried our first deep-fried Oreos. I met Nathan Adrian at the Phillips 66 National Swimming Championship. We welcomed Keith to the family when Tabitha married him in Baltimore. I took Wheat to Camden Yards to watch the Orioles beat the Yankees. We explored the Inner Harbor and I tried crab cake for the first time. Yuck.

July. Wheat and I spent the Fourth of July in Memphis with his family. We went to Graceland and I saw Wheat's special place, Memorial Park. We ate at the Rendezvous with his parents, walked down Beale Street, and visited the Lorraine Motel. I ate delicious Southern food at Newman's Civil War-themed party. Jenn and I saw Dave Matthews Band and OAR at Riverbend. I showed Wheat downtown Lebanon. Jenn and Paul moved into their new apartment. I had a job interview with the Chicago Wolves. I didn't get the job, but it ended up being for the best. Jenn and I drove to Toledo for CJ's bridal shower. We watched as Matt Sayre married Julie in a beautiful ceremony. Mom, Jamie, Wheat, Denny, and I went canoeing down the Little Miami River.

August. Wheat, Erica, Dave, and I went to the Food Truck Festival in Indianapolis and I had some delicious buffalo chicken mac 'n cheese from Mac Genie. We celebrated at CJ's bachelorette party in Oxford. Wheat and I went to the Eiteljorg Museum, played rustic mini-golf, and explored the 100 Acre Art Park. I finally watched Hoosiers outside at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, then shot around and explored the locker room at the Hoosier Gym in Knightstown. Wheat, Morgan, Donavan, and I saw the Package Tour - New Kids on the Block, 98º, and Boyz II Men - from the comforts of a suite. Wheat and I went to the Indiana State Fair and ate more deep-fried Oreos. My family and Elizabeth traveled to California to say goodbye to LP before he was deployed on the USS Boxer. I spent an afternoon with Julie, where we ate at Umami Burger and looked at the gorgeous houses on Balboa Island. We spent a night in Las Vegas, ran into Travis Barker, and rode the roller coaster at New York, New York. I went to a Colts pre-season game with USA Football, my first ever UFC fight, and my first MLS game in Columbus.

September. Wheat and I ate a turkey leg at the Renaissance Festival. We also explored all that Fountain Square has to offer - good food and duckpin bowling. Someone rear-ended me. We went to the top of the Soldiers and Sailors' Monument. I decided to bring my blog back after a one-year absence. I was chosen to be a contributing writer for Brandon Philips' website. I accepted a beat writing internship with the Cincinnati Cyclones. Wheat took me, my mom, and my dad to see Naturally 7 and Michael Buble. Dad and I went on a trip to Toronto, where we explored the city, watched the Blue Jays play the Yankees, went to the top of the CN Tower, and took a boat ride out to Toronto Island. We went to the Hockey Hall of Fame and I met the Stanley Cup. I stood beside CJ and Eric as they got married. I moved in with Wheat.

October. Wheat and I went to the President Benjamin Harrison Home for a tour. Emma and Alex came to visit. We went to Russell Farms to pick out pumpkins and do a corn maze. We carved our pumpkins. Jenn came to visit for a nice afternoon in Broad Ripple. I held Wheat's hand as we made our way through several haunted trails at Indy Scream Park. My dad was diagnosed with diabetes. Wheat and I took an amazing trip to Nashville, where we watched the Predators take on the Blues, I met his childhood best friend, we saw the historic Ryman Auditorium and the Parthenon, and ate gourmet popsicles and the best breakfast I've ever had at the Pancake Pantry. Jenn and Kelly visited for a Halloween bar crawl downtown.

November. I attended several Pacers games with friends (thanks Wheat!). Jamie and Denny came to visit for the weekend. I took a trip to Gatlinburg with 14 of my favorite people, where we talked, tasted moonshine, sat in the hot tub, and hiked through the beautiful mountains. I watched as Sarah and Brian got married in a wonderful afternoon ceremony. I showed Wheat around my beloved alma mater and ate mac 'n cheese bites. Wheat and I watched the Bengals crush the Browns, 41-20, at Paul Brown Stadium. I had one of my Cyclones stories run on the Cincinnati Enquirer website. Wheat surprised me with an incredible birthday dinner at St. Elmo Steakhouse, tickets to Wicked, and a dozen roses. My mom went to one of the Cyclones games and watched me work. Wheat came home with me for Thanksgiving.

December. I celebrated my birthday with my family, Wheat, and Jenn. Todd and a couple of his college friends came to town for the Big Ten Championship Game. We made snow cream and I sent out my first ever Christmas card. Wheat and I met Santa Claus and built a gingerbread house. Wheat and I saw the Stanley Cup at a Cyclones game and I met Phil Pritchard. I hosted a gift exchange with my four best friends from high school and we enjoyed the hot chocolate bar. I decorated Christmas cookies with my sister and mom. My grandparents came to town for a few days. We watched an awesome DVD from LP on Christmas. Jenn took me to watch the Penguins beat the Blue Jackets in Columbus and James Neal had a hat trick. I had a gift exchange with my awesome college roommates.

As I reminisce on the awesome year I've had, I can't believe how much I've grown. Living on my own in Indianapolis and finishing graduate school has made me feel more independent and empowered than I ever have. I've pushed myself as a writer and I've learned so much - about writing, about the field I want to enter, and about myself. I've watched my friends and family grow, fall in love, get married, and have children. I've learned to cope with life without my brother, been impressed by the strength of my mom, and found forever love in someone who not only makes me happy, but truly makes me better.

So, it's bittersweet for me to say goodbye to 2013. It's hard to imagine that next year will top this one. But since I'm ringing in the New Year with some of my very favorite people at TJ and Tasha's engagement party, I think I'm off to a great start.

I hope 2013 brought you and yours happiness, but here's to an even better 2014!

I'm linking up with a couple of my favorite bloggers for these year-end recaps: