2019 In Review and Highlights

The only quantity that matters is time – time spent those you love, time spent making memories, time spent creating experiences, time spent building relationships. As I look back on my vision board I can see how the intentions I set forth have manifested themselves.

Photo collage of 2019 highlights.
Highlights of 2019 Clockwise: Jan – Visiting family in Kenya, Dec – Brother’s traditional Kenyan wedding, March – Stacy Abrams at SXSW in Austin, TX, Aug- Visiting Dallas with nieces, Jan – Vision Board, Sept-Orcas Island, WA, June- Watching Liverpool win Champions League in Orlando, FL, Nov – Soulsistas in St. Louis, MO, July – Celebrating 18th Anniversary in Paris, Aug- Nephew visiting from England, March – seeing Michelle Obama, Vancouver, BC.
  • A simple breath is the distance between life and death. While the year has been pretty amazing, there have been some painful losses and humbling moments that happened – they remind me of the fragility of life and keep me grounded. To all the family and friends who gained their angel wings this year, the depth of how much you are missed is matched by the love I have for you.
  • This was the year of the Black Woman taking up space!! Hello, Woman of the Year Michelle Obama, Sportsperson of the Decade Serena Williams, Entertainer of the Year – Lizzo, voting rights defender Stacy Abrams and many more. I read, participated, attended, workshopped or conferenced all things black women this year. Black woman, you need and should take up space. You’ll save us all.
  • Squad goals – My “Soulsistas” show me love in so many ways and I love showing them that they are worthy of being celebrated. Love showed up in the form of an epic surprise birthday party for one of them.  
  • 2019 was a year of rubbing shoulders with celebrities: Michelle Obama, Stacy Abrams, Micheal Eric Dyson, Peabo Bryson, and Akothee to name a few.
  • I’m so grateful for all the friends and family to visited and we welcomed into our home. Including Paul’s nephew Harry from the UK. And for everyone who hosted me in theirs, thank you!! Sadly, two of these hosts didn’t get to see the end of this year. If I only knew… 😢
  • I put in some travel miles this year – Kenya, Paris, FR Nice, FR, Monaco, Las Vegas, NV, Vancouver BC, Orcas Island, WA, Austin (checked off a bucket list item by attending SXSW and it was during my birthday week 🎉 ), San Antonio, and Dallas, TX, St. Louis, MO, Denver/Estes Park, CO, Orlando, FL (watched Liverpool win Champions league here with my brother. What an amazing year that the team’s been having!! #YNWA)
  • It’s a wrap for USA Rugby 7s in Las Vegas and for me too. I missed 2 of the last 10 years since the City of Lost Wages began hosting this event. It’s been great working the Kenyans Connect Meet & Greet, Kenyans Connect Golf at USA 7s, and WaTu & Co food booth. I can look back and proudly say I’m happy with it all – the challenges, the creativity, the crazy running around but in the end, connecting with the Kenyan diaspora community made it worthwhile.
  • My life is greatly enriched by all the amazing things that have happened to my family and friends – expanding their families with new partners and children, earning degrees, starting and thriving in their businesses, overcoming challenges, setting off into new adventures. I’m in awe and you inspire me.

2019 was jam-packed with lots of events, travel, and activities – some say that I may have FOMO (fear of missing out), but I would like to leave you with this thought – When you get up in the morning, think of what a priceless privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to learn, to love – and then make the day count!

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