2014

   Though this year, like every year before it, had rough patches and bouts with depression, it was definitely one of the best I've ever had. I thought I would make a list with all of the accomplishments and awesome things I've had happen over the course of 2014. I want to do this every year, maybe making a blog for the year and adding as awesome things happen.

• Though Johnny and I had our first date on December 15th of last year, most of our relationship happened this year. He has changed my life for the better, and I couldn't be happier. Also, we did the adult thing on January 1st so...um...yeah. Hi. *Tries not to say we brought the New Year in with a bang. Or 5.*
  
• I met Johnny's daughter, Ariel, in February, I think. She was two years old at the time and is now three and a half. I love her to death.
  
• Johnny got me a gym membership again and it's a lot of fun to go workout with my love.
  
• Johnny took his first ever dance class! Actually, he took modern and ballroom in the Spring. He wanted to get into some of the things I'm into and he had never been onstage before. At the end of Spring, my hopeless dance partner for the chacha just couldn't get it and kept dropping me so I taught Johnny the dance and, though he was nervous as hell, he did it! I'm so proud of him. He ended up taking Dance Production and Tap 1 in the fall and did marvelously.
  
• February 15th, I auditioned for and was hired as a ballet instructor at a local dance studio. I teach Intermediate Ballet there.
  
• In October, I think, a friend of mine that was working at the dance studio quit and gave me her class. She wanted someone who had good technique to take over (awesome compliment) so she gave me her Littles (5 to 8 year olds). I am so glad it happened, though I feel bad that she quit. I do love those kids.
  
• I choreographed my first numbers! I hadn't choreographed a whole song before and now I have, and I have found that I really love it. I started a number (Step In Time) in the summer but had to switch gears to prepare for the Christmas show, so never finished it. Now I have choreographed a Littles dance to Christmas, Don't Be Late, and choreographed to Hello for my older class. I got to come up with costumes, which was difficult at first, but once I narrowed the Hello costume down, it all fell into place. The other costume was harder, because since they were dancing to the Chipmunks, something classical looking wouldn't fit. But as it was a Christmas show, neon colors didn't work. I ended up making them costumes that made them look like candy canes. Too cute.
  
• Backing up a little, I got to do my first partner dance in the Spring. The Chacha. Because I'm not thin, I usually get looked over when it comes to partner dances, since the girls usually have to be lifted. There was only one lift in this one, at the end, and Johnny did a great job with it. It's not all about weight. If you use your core, weight can be overlooked. If you don't hold your core, then even if you're thin, the guy has to work a lot harder and it can look sloppy.
  
• Back to fall. I got into my first small number dance in the hard Dance Production class. We did a beautiful lyrical dance to The Only Exception. Only nine women made it into the number. It was originally six. Three of the girls partner for the second half, but the instructor let three more girls in so that more got the chance to do it. It's one of the most beautiful dances I've ever done, and also one of the most technical and difficult, which was the reason for auditions.
  
• I got another lead in a number! I've had one other lead before, as the devil in the Danse Macabre number in 2012. This time, I was Elsa in the Frozen number! It was a lot of fun, though frustrating at times. The instructor kept changing the choreography as we learned it. She would teach us (Anna and Elsa) a section one Friday, only to change the whole thing the next Friday. It made it difficult to remember, and I usually remember choreography easily. In all, I'm really glad it happened. That, and Ariel's reaction to it was so adorable. From what I was told, when I come out onstage (to Let It Go), she gasped and said "Reeka is Frozen??" She has been calling me Reeka since she couldn't pronounce Erika when we met. IF she tries now, it's Eggika. So cute.
  
• I live with Johnny and while it's not always perfect, I still love it. He puts me in check and lets me know when I'm being ridiculous. lol. Sometimes I really need that.
  
• I have had my first dance concert as a teacher. I have gone over parts already and still need to write a blog just on the show, but it's something I will never forget.
  
• I have babysat my nephew quite a few times and I love that. I love him so much. He's already got so much personality and I love seeing how much he's changed just over a couple of weeks. The other day, on Christmas, he grabbed a phone and put it the wrong way to his ear and if someone said "Ring ring, ring ring!" He'd say "Ho?" ahahaha. Can't quite say "Hello?" but it's cuter this way anyways.
  
  I'll add more things as I think of them but just typing these up has made me smile. It really has been a great year.