A Salute to M on Her 25th Birthday

January 18, 2010 marks M's 25th birthday, and the start of her 26th year. Those of you who don't know M will probably be surprised to learn how much she has managed to cram into those 25 years.

So... Where to start?

M grew up in South America. When she was 16 she came to Canada to polish her English. She got an undergraduate degree from a well known University in Ontario, and followed that up with a Masters degree from a second well known University in the east. While completing her Masters, she spent multiple months out in the bush doing field work-- quite a triumph if you're aware of M's aversion to camping. She also took on a full-time job, and made the move away from her family, to Alberta. While in Alberta, she started a cooking blog, ran multiple 5km road races in well under 27 minutes and charmed everyone she met with her sunny personality and delightful accent. She travelled to multiple countries in Europe, including Spain and Italy, and saw Japan with her dad. She is trilingual, speaking fluently in Spanish, English and Italian. She is bright, thoughtful and can bake up a storm.

M and I "crossing" the USA/Canada border.

Sadly (well, for me!), M recently moved back to Ontario and has started down a new career path. Luckily, she's back with her family and loving the travel opportunities her new job is offering her.

What will the next year hold for M? What new challenges will she conquer? What countries will she see? Will she start her MBA? Will she choose to do her schooling abroad? Will she buy herself a house? Only time will tell! But one thing is for sure-- anything she tries in her 26th year will be done with poise, grace, and determination!

Happy Birthday, M! I miss you!

M and I with a Christmas Party centerpiece.