Happy birthday, blog!

Cupcake via Hummingbird Bakery

One year ago today, I bit the bullet and published my first blog post on Blogger. Back then, the blog name was "Work in Progress," and my url was missing my middle initial. I had a brown background with little birdies flying across the top of the page, and I really didn't think the blog would last further than my summer travels. It's now a year later, and look how far we've come!

~ June ~

Last June, I spent the month interning at Alpha Delta Pi Executive Office in Atlanta, Georgia, and dreaming about my upcoming trip to Africa! I also shared with you some of my personal obsessions, including milk and sweet tea.

Total post count: 9

~ July ~

I had a lot more to share with you in July, when I spent 24 days in Africa! The majority of this trip was for a study abroad program in Rwanda, and the rest of the time I was on safari in Kenya with my mom. I also lamented the end of my childhood, signified by the release of the final Harry Potter film. This month also holds the most difficult post I have written to date, about the role of faith during the genocide and how I felt about it all.

Total post count: 22

~ August ~

I returned to Columbia, Missouri, in early August for formal recruitment. With all my school and sorority business at the beginning of a new academic year, I put the blog on the back burner. I did manage to write two more posts about my time in Kenya, however.

Total post count: 2

~ September ~

Finally, several months after leaving Africa, I finished my recap of my safari experience in September. After that was done, I was able to start blogging more about my day-to-day life. As my college graduation approached, I began to get nostalgic about all the good times I had at Mizzou and the short time I had left there. I shared a few more of my favorite things with you, including my Starbucks card, autumn and Law & Order: SVU, and I wrote my first book post.

Total post count: 12

~ October ~

October continued to be quite the nostalgic month for me. I shared my most memorable moments at Mizzou, celebrated an ADPi victory at the centennial Homecoming and applied for jobs. I also looked forward to life after college, even making a list of things I was excited to have in my own apartment after graduation.

Total post count: 19

~ November ~

November was quite an exciting month. The University of Missouri announced its move to the SEC, which prompted a post on what qualifies as "Southern," and I attended my first SEC football game at the University of Georgia over Thanksgiving break. I also figured out my post-grad plan, which happened very quickly and was very exciting.

Total post count: 11

~ December ~

The dreaded day arrived in December: graduation. I also shared my high school commencement speech, just for fun. I discovered Goodreads, which I'm still addicted to five months later, and continued to dream about the possibilities for my new apartment. I also compiled an end-of-year list of my favorite blogs at the time.

Total post count: 9

~ January ~

My posts exploded in January when I decided to participate in a 30-Day Book Challenge. (I apologize for clogging your Google Reader or inbox or whatever you use to follow this blog.) I also moved to Santa Fe and started living on my own, so I suddenly had a lot more free time to write. I didn't make any New Year's Resolutions, but I did break down the year 2011 by the numbers. I also introduced my love for Les Miserables and attempted my first cooking post.

Total post count: 39

~ February ~

February also saw a lot of posts as the 30-Day Book Challenge wound down and I joined a few other bloggers' link-ups, including Friday's Fancies (so I actually started that one on Jan. 27, but close enough!) and Oh So Pinteresting Wednesdays. I also started my own themed days: Travel Tuesdays and Things that Make Me Go "Hmm." I updated my readers on the casting for Les Mis, shared my love for my Kindle, joined a bunch of book challenges, won a blog contest and wrote several gift guides for Valentine's Day.

Total post count: 45

~ March ~

I really tried to stop posting multiple times in one day this month, so March saw a slight decrease in posts. Even so, March was the bearer of many good tidings for me! I celebrated a birthday, found out I had been selected as a 2012-2013 Alpha Delta Pi Leadership Consultant and saw my name on Outside's masthead for the first time. I also added What I'm Loving Wednesdays and The Book Chat link-ups to the weekly schedule, and I wrote my first monthly recap post. (These posts will really come in handy for my second blogiversary post—if I make it!)

Total post count: 32

~ April ~

In April, I completely redesigned my blog. I also introduced my Semi-Charmed Summer Book Challenge (which I definitely think has been a success so far!); traveled back to Columbia, Missouri, to visit my college friends; and participated in the Photo A Day Challenge for the first time after Instagram finally released an Android version.

Total post count: 21

~ May ~

Finally, we arrive at May. So far this month the vast majority of my page views have been from my book challenge check-ins (check back at noon MST today for the newest one!). I also shared my personal advice for how to efficiently go through airport security and safely co-exist with cyclists on the street. You got to meet some of my family members on Mother's Day and my sister's birthday, and I showed you the contents of my purse. One of my favorite posts I wrote this month was about the various life lessons Les Mis has taught me. Finally, I changed my image policy for this blog, which has already been very hard to maintain, but I am determined to sally forth!

This is my 24th post of the month.

Whether you've been a reader since the beginning or just recently discovered my corner of the Internet, thanks for following along! I'm excited to see what the next year has in store for me, especially as I begin to document my travels as a Greek Life consultant. I hope your weekend is going wonderfully, and Happy Memorial Day!

Edited to add: I've added this post to The Foley Fam's Sunday Funday link-up! Check out other bloggers' favorite posts of the week here: