Hello world!
It has been a hot minute since I have written, so I figured I’d share an annual life update. As you all know, 2020 has been an insane/unpredictable/endless year… But amid all the bad, there was plenty of good. We have both been extremely lucky in that we were deemed essential personnel, continuing to work throughout the pandemic and maintaining some sort of normalcy. We have our health, our sweet fur children, and endless love, which have all made this year more enjoyable.
A few highlights from the past year:
My parents came to visit in February before the madness started, and we spent some time in Clearwater, Florida. Nathaniel, my dad, and I went jet-skiing and I saw my first dolphins in the wild!
We bought kayaks in May and have been exploring Florida via water. We’ve seen a wide array of wildlife, including gators (duh), tons of different birds, and even manatees. Maya has enjoyed the kayaks as much as we have!
We bought a house! Granted it is still in the process of being built, but it’s exciting nonetheless. It’s been awesome to see the process of a plot of land becoming our dream home one step at a time. COVID has continually delayed the process, but we are still moving forward and we cannot wait to move in (estimated closing is February/March 2021)!
We took a quick trip to Colorado in July to be a part of my brother-in-law’s proposal in Grand Junction. It was so beautiful and absolutely wonderful to see both of our families amid the craziness.
I got a beautiful new tattoo (worth noting because I absolutely love it)! Keith is an extremely talented artist, and this incredible piece of art brings me so much joy every time I look down.
We went scuba diving in the Florida Keys for Nathaniel’s birthday in August, and it was magical. The water temperature was perfect, and we saw a huge variety of fish, sting rays, eels, and even sharks! Aside from a bit of sea sickness, it was a perfect mini-vacation.
Both Nathaniel and I started our MBA programs while working full time, him at UF and me at UCF. I’m excited to say that we both finished our first semesters with a 4.0!
Unfortunately we had to cancel our cruise to the Bahamas in May and our trip to Dubai/Thailand/Bali in November, but those places will be there next year (or whenever it’s safe to travel again). We are anxiously awaiting the return of international travel, but in the meantime we will continue to explore close to home. There has been a lot of adaptation this year, which has been stressful and exhausting, but I can’t help but be thankful for all the memories we’ve created in spite of this pandemic. As with everyone else, we are definitely looking forward to the new year!
Hope you all stay safe and well this holiday season.
Cheers,
Cristina
Cristina M. Tillberry, MBA, PMP 