There is only one word that can truly summarize this year: adventure. There has been more change in the last 365 days than any other point in my life and with change comes spectacular opportunities. The year was filled with family, culture, food, photography, travel, celebrations, and huge life changes. It has been a beautiful journey and I have loved sharing it with you. Here are 14 AMAZING things that made 2014 an epic year.

Not too far from my new home is a park where you can visit a variety of different animals. Halwga National Park is most well known for it monkey filled area where you can drive through and meet creatures along the way. We spent an afternoon feeding monkeys out the car window and getting to know the elephants that we were lucky enough to get a chance to ride on. 

I participated in two photography events this year. The first was FotoMarathon Yangon where we were challenged to go out in groups and take photos around town based on specific themes that were sent to us every two hours. You can read all about it here. Shortly after that I helped lead a group of students in creating a Help-Portrait event. This is a worldwide initiative that I also participated in when I was in Maine. The event involves taking photos for families who would not normally be able to afford professional photography, we invited the local staff and trishaw drivers from the school, dressed them up, did their makeup and hair, took their portraits, and printed out photographs for them to go home with that day. It was a beautiful experience that was not about taking photographs but about giving them. (Post coming soon)

As many of the best things do, my trip up to Tanuggi for the famous Fire Balloon Festival came very spontaneously as a weekend getaway with my friend Ashley. Thousands of people flock to the otherwise quiet town of Tanuggi each year to witness and participate in the traditional act of launching fire balloons. It was an experience like no other. Read about the whole festival here (videos included).

The hardest day of homesickness I have had was the day of Amanda and Josh's wedding. Luckily we have amazing technology now that allowed me to watch the entire event. I stayed up all night since there is a 12 hour time difference and was able to skype/facetime in for everything from getting ready, formal pictures, ceremony, reception, cake, toasts, dance party and everything in between. Although I wish I could have been by my little sister's side and joined in with my family I was certainly celebrating from afar. Photo credit to Pipyr Photo.

Myanmar was certainly not love at first taste, it has taken quite a while to find the true gems of the cuisine but now that we have there is no going back! Tofu Noway, Kay-O, Tomato Salad, Steamed Dumplings, Fried Tofu, Mohinga, and so much more. This year has truly been an adventure for my tastebuds alone now if only I could adjust to the spices.

No trip to Africa is complete without a Safari and I completely understand why. There is no experience like that of watching a baby zebra nuzzle it's mother or a herd of elephants protecting their young. Sure I've seen most of these animals in zoos before but being able to watch them in their environment, in their world can't compare. My favorite were the giraffes with their long legs and their even longer necks, seeing them galloping around on their stilt-like legs was quite the site.

Although we were crunched for time after our wedding with only two months before the big move we wanted to take a breather and enjoy married life. With our big adventure right around the corner we decided the perfect honeymoon would be relaxing on the beach with drinks in our hands so we headed to the best place for it, an all-inclusive resort in Cancun, Mexico. We spent five beautiful days with our feet in the sand, swimming in the spectacular pools, drinking all sorts of tasty beverages, indulging in choice restaurants, and enjoying our new time together as a married couple. Although it was hard to pull off (scheduling and other wise) this was the absolute best wedding choice we made and I will always look back on this time fondly. See the rest of the photos here.

Unforgettable experiences are around every corner of my new life in Myanmar, but certainly one of the most spectacular has been the trip we took in October to Inle Lake. We were very fortunate to visit at the time of the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival which is a celebration that involves ferrying around five giant golden buddha statues to each town in the lake. The lake is so big that it takes almost a month to complete the whole route. Not only did we get to watch the parade but we also got to experience the rest of the stunning Inle Lake including traditional leg-rowing fishermen, long-neck women weaving, traditional silversmiths, hand paper weavers, the floating gardens, and my favorite, the crumbling pagodas of Indein. (PS Blog post coming soon with sooooo many more photos)

Zane Andrew Simmons joined the world on March 8th. I can't believe this little peanut is over 9 months old now! He is such a sweet little boy who has brightened every life around him since he arrived most certainly the lives of his parents, my sister, Andrea, and my brother-in-law, Steve. I have missed him dearly since I have been away, luckily Andrea has been great at sharing about all the milestones - big and small - with pictures, stories, and videos. Can't wait until I get to snuggle this little guy again!

Capturing the moments of one of the most special days in a persons life is an honor and privilege, I know that sounds cheesy but it honestly is. The joy, celebration, and love that fills a wedding is unparalleled. Leaving behind Adorn photography was very difficult for me because I truly loved every minute of photographing wedding and portraits. Within the first few months of the year I was invited by five spectacular couples to photograph their wedding days and each one was so very special. I am certain about few things in my future but one of them is that I know I will return to photographing weddings at some point in my life. For now I will enjoy using my passion to capture the world around me through my travel photography.

Ask either of us just a few years ago if we thought we would be spending the holidays together on safari in Africa or on the beaches of Zanzibar and both Renee, my sister, and I would have simply laughed. Such an unlikely story for two small-town New Englanders. Yet, this is exactly where we found ourselves this holiday season, see just two weeks before my winter break from school Kim flew back to Maine to be with her ill father which left the perfect opportunity for me to hop the Indian Ocean to visit Renee. Renee has been living in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for almost two years now where she freelances web design when she is not busy working on her passion of free diving and the resulting website www.seaunseen.com. We spent three amazing weeks celebrating the holidays, on safari, hanging out on the beach, diving, and having some much needed sister time.

It was actually December of 2012 that I started my health and fitness journey, dedicating most of 2013 to challenging myself physically and educating myself on proper health and nutrition. In January of this year I made the ultimate commitment to a 30 day juice fast and my life has not been the same since. Juicing allowed me to realign my expectations of food and reset my appetite. It not only gave me results in appearance but in self-confidence and strength of mind. With my juicing I finally felt in control of my body. I took the beginning of this year to fully commit to myself, focusing on goals like working out everyday and setting up a regular meditation schedule. It was an amazing time that I hope to revisit now that my life has settled down. 

Without a doubt, the craziest thing that happened this year was packing up our belongings and moving to -literally- the other side of the world. Following my dream to teach abroad, Kim and I picked up and left everything behind (that couldn't fit in our 6 suitcases) to explore the world. Three days and 8151 miles later we found ourselves in a land like nothing we ever knew before. Myanmar has been everything we never expected, our time filled with awe, frustrations, curiosity, and a whole lot of laughter. 

Without a doubt the most important day of 2014 was May 10th, the day that I married my love, Kimberly. As with any journey, who you travel with can be more important than any destination and nothing could have been half as wonderful this year without this amazing person by my side. Having someone to share in all of the adventures I have had this year and will continue to have into 2015 and beyond it the best thing I could ask for. 

(Read all about our full wedding day here. Photo credit to Justine Johnson Photography.)

Photographing my last wedding seemed strangely not strange. Andrea, my sister, joined me as my second photographer which was just perfect because we have been shooting together for the past few years and we always have a great time working with each other. Also, Nico & Teresa were married right in my home town (well, just next door). The day was beautiful and the wedding full of celebration. I couldn't have asked for a nicer wedding to be the temporary end to my official wedding photography adventures.  

Sunday we moved more furniture and items to the storage unit with the help of Brian and Kirsten. Then it was off to my Mom's house to say goodbye and get my cat, Macy, settled in - Mom will be taking care of her while we are away. It makes me happy knowing she will be well loved. Afterwards we joined my family at my Dad's house for a big ol' family cookout. It was so bitter sweet knowing that this would be my last family gathering for almost a year but it was so fantastic to have such a warm and loving last weekend. Boy do I love all of these people!!! Tears were most certainly shed as hugs were squeezed a little tighter and held a little longer. 

Monday was spent fervently packing our suitcases and clearing out the rest of the apartment. We made a trip or two to the storage unit and a run to grab another suitcase. In the end we each took two large suitcases and one carry on. Crazy to think that we managed to pack our whole lives away and pair down so much! It was a mad dash to get everything in it's place and be sure we had all of our important documents ready for departure. We stayed up into the wee hours of the morning making sure we had everything in order, including downloading ebooks and cramming the car/truck with suitcases. 

Before we knew it Tuesday had arrived. Takeoff day. The day we leave the world as we knew it behind and set of on the adventure of a lifetime. It was a long and emotional day, one that we truly were not prepared for - emotionally at least. 

It started off by clearing out the last few things from our apartment and making one final trip to the storage unit. Our next stop of the day was to Sue's house (a dear family friend) to show Frank and Beans, our other two cats, their new home. We are so glad that they will have lots of room to run and play in the woods and get into lots of trouble I am sure. Then off to Kim's parents house we went. We wanted to be able to say goodbye to them and also drop off our vehicles that they would be storing for us. After an early lunch and a tender farewell to Sonny and Ellie May, Kim and I loaded up the car and headed to Augusta with Robin and Sue (a dear family friend). When we got into town we made a couple stops to get the toiletries we were taking with us along with a few other important items we needed to purchase like a portable speaker. Also, we had to stop off to get some passport photos for our visa application. Time flew by and way too soon we were saying goodbye to Robin, Sue, Andrea and Zane (who had come to give one last hug). Amanda and Josh brought us down to Portland to meet up with my Dad, Pam, and Brian for a quick dinner, it was nice to have a hearty meal in our stomachs to help settle them down a bit. Then it was off to the airport where we checked in and got ready for boarding. Our last goodbyes were to my Dad, Pam, Brian, Amanda, Josh, and Natilee (who had met us down there). With a few more squeezes we turned to find our gate. And there we were ready for boarding to a place unknown. 

It was beyond hard to part with everyone, words can't even say. It was most certainly the most difficult day of our entire travel. 

There we were, sitting at our gate boarding pass in hand, about to embark on a expedition that was so grand, so unthinkable, it seemed to be just a dream up until now - sure to dissolve before it was grasped. Yet, it was here now. All of the planning and prepping seemed to be all a blur. Boarding pass in hand it all sunk in on how real this was. Kim and I kept looking at each other with knowing eyes that asked "Are we really doing this?" Even without asking the question we both knew the answer as we handed over our tickets and stepped into the plane that would be the beginning of a journey that is sure to change our lives in every way. Stay tuned, Myanmar here we come!

Waiting for us when we returned from the honeymoon was our marriage license!! We were very excited to have the completed certificate in our hands to start off our first week back.

Returning on Friday there was no rest for us as Kim went directly up to pick up our much missed Ellie May from Kim's parents house. I packed up my gear early Saturday morning and took off for Portland to photograph a wedding. Jess and Josh live in California but flew in to have their wedding with friends and family at Grace Restaurant (a refurbished chapel). It was a great day doing something I truly love to do! Here is one of the many wonderful moments I captured.

On Sunday we joined some of my family at Samantha's Initiation Ceremony into the National Honor Society. They held it at Monmouth Academy and it was fun to walk the familiar halls where I went to High School. Samantha is a sophomore this year and it was not surprising that she was nominated for NHS. She is a generous soul who has a passion for helping others and seeing the good in people. She runs in cross country and is fantastic at tennis (so I hear)! Already looking at going abroad during High School (if not college) I know that she has the adventure bug in her and it is going to take her far! Maybe even all the way over to Burma with us.

Soon enough it was Monday morning and we were both back to work. Lot's of congratulations were given and plenty of stories were shared. We were both very missed. It was strange being back after being gone for so long and there were a slew of tasks that needed to be completed. The most profound part was the fact that really hit us Monday morning, the wedding is complete, the honeymoon is finished, and now it's time to for Burma! All of the tasks, major and minor, that we said we would put off until after the wedding cannot wait any longer! It is time! Time for Burma! In order to get our heads to stop swimming we sat down and made a big list of tasks that need to be done and boy is it long. I put the list on another page so we could continue to go back and edit it and hopefully cross some things off! Check it out here:

On Monday Kim took Ellie to the vet for an urgent appointment to attend to a large hot spot on the side of her face and her neck.Whenever Ellie has medical issues it is never an easy fix and to fit with that tradition this was not a simple hot spot. For those who are not familiar, hot spots are areas of skin on a dog that can become inflamed and infected due to moisture held in the fur. These can become very itchy and painful. Usually we can clean the hot spot by cutting the hair around it and keeping it washed, allowing it to heal. However this hot spot was so infected that we knew she needed medical attention. A couple hundred dollars and five prescriptions better she walked out with half of her head shaved off. She is now feeling much better thankfully. 

This spring I was only one of three women to get married at my school. To celebrate, my coworkers threw us all a Bridal Breakfast on Wednesday. Everyone brought in delicious brunch type food and we enjoyed eating and chatting before the students arrived. I will be sad to leave my generous, caring, and funny Rowe family.

Wednesday was also Kim's Mother, Robin's Birthday. Kim was able to make it up in the evening to celebrate with her and close family and friends. It was a whole day of celebration!

I also got the chance to Skype with my oldest sister. Renee is an expat in Dar, Tanzania. She has lived there for about a year and a half now and she just raves about it! A creative mind, she is a very talented designer and an avid diver - take a look at her website: SeaUnseen (get ready to be amazed)! I took the chance to ask her for advice about being an expat in a third world country. A few tidbits I picked up from our conversation:
1. Look at photos from Myanmar to figure out what others where in that climate 
2. For Malaria get Artequin, a rapid active succession of pills for the possibility that you get malaria. Also, wait until you are in another country to get this, it will be significantly less expensive.
3. Be sure to bring plug adapters, check which ones are needed
4. Along with that be sure to check the voltage in Myanmar, it is most likely different than the US and will probably blow some electronic devices with small motors that you bring.
5. Bring any and all over-the-counter medicine with you that you use at all.
6. Don't drink any water that is not bottled.
7. Be careful with raw vegetables and fruits without peals.
8. Bring seeds for specific produce and/or herbs that you would want to grow.
9. Be aware and distant from people who are coughing or looking ill.
We left our conversation with the grand promises of seeing each other in the near future, be it Tanzania, Burma, or somewhere in between.

Kim surprised me on Thursday by taking us out on our first date as a married couple. We enjoyed dinner at Mac's Grill - one of the only restaurants in the area that we had yet to eat at. The night finished by grabbing Ellie and going for ice creams at Giffords. 

We will see you next week and hopefully we will have a few things checked off that list by then!

It was a week of Palm trees and tropical breezes, of toes in the sand and drinks in our hands, of naps on the beach and swims in the ocean. It was a week free of to-do lists and errands to run. It was easy and simple and beautiful. It was everything we hoped it would be and everything we needed.

Adventurers at heart it was very difficult for us to decide on a "cookie cutter" honeymoon. It is unlike us to fly all the way to an intriguing new country to stay locked in a very touristy resort the whole time. But that is exactly what we did and ever minute of it was unbelievably fantastic!

My yoga instructor, Heidi, often tells us to "be kind to yourself," which is exactly what we chose to do. After the rush of wedding planning and with the weight of an international move on the horizon we knew we needed a break in between. We found that break in Cancun where we spent four glorious days without a care in the world. There was no where we needed to be and nothing we needed to do. Our biggest concerns were making sure we reapplied our sunscreen often enough (no sunburnt skin here!! Woot woot!!) and choosing which of the five restaurants we should eat at. There were also the hard decisiouns of what we should drink and if we should swim in the pool or ocean : )

In the end it was the echo of our wedding: simply perfect.

We are hoping to add a significant amount of video to the blog so we thought that this would be the ideal time to start, enjoy our honeymoon video below followed by a gallery of photographs!! (PS Being our first official video it took us a while to get it sorted out which is why this post is so late)

Our wedding week finally came and it was everything we hoped it would be. We held the wedding weekend at an off-the-beaten-path location in Jefferson, Maine. The town itself is secluded as is, and as you continue to swerve through it's streets lines with cow specked farms and tangled trees, you will eventually arrive at Broken Acres Farm & Family Resort which is only sighted with the help of a rusted red sign next to a big white barn. Turning on to a dirt drive you are sure that this place is going to be a run-down nothing in the middle of nowhere but shortly you will see a splot of trees towering over the expanse of grass. As you pull around what can only be considered an island in the sea of fields the pavilion begins to form. 

A simple structure, it blends in with its simple surroundings. The pavilion was draped in white fabric which gently wafted in the breeze under the open-air beams. Upcycled clear bottles bundled together, spotted by white candles, topped white linen lined picnic tables. Said tables were spaciously placed on the gravel and cornered by festive spreads. Drinks of home-made sangria, soda pop bottles, and craft beers chilled in tin containers. A guestbook made up of wooden hearts asks to be decorated and then dropped in a shadow-box frame. Connoli are perched precariously on a hand built birch tree stand with the traditional, chocolate ricotta, and limoncello flavors out shadowed by two large Connoli at the peak. The cannoli, which were specially delivered from Mike's Pastry in Boston, were accompanied by toppings in porcelain white dipping dishes; mini M&Ms, coconut, crushed nuts, gram cracker crumbs, mini chocolate chips, rainbow and chocolate sprinkles were eyed by hungry passing guests.

Follow a dirt pathway that weaves around tree trunks in the direction of the hand-painted wooden ceremony sign until you see a clearing with pine benches crafted by Kim and her father, Sonny. A long white stretch of fabric droops easily across an open space between two trees, singling the ceremony area. The strums of Katie's guitar stings fill the air as the painter's strokes fill the canvas with the wedding scene. 

The skies cleared just in time for the ceremony. After walking down the isles with our fathers, Kim's Uncle Johnny began officiating with a warm welcome. Starting with a twist on the traditional hand fasting ceremony as well as a hand blessing, we asked each member of our family to place a ribbon over our united hands as a reminder of the love from each member that has nurtured them through their individual lives, as well as a sign of support in their future marriage together. Nataliee, Kim's good friend, read the following during the hand fasting:

These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on you wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow and forever.
These are the hands that will work along side yours as together you build your future.
These are the hands that will passionately love you, cherish you through the years, and will comfort you like no other.
These are the hands that will push you towards your dreams and will embrace you with joy to celebrate your victories.
These are the hands that will support you and hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe tears from your eyes, tears of sorrow and tears of joy.
These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it the most.
These are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours as you walk through life hand in hand. 
May these hands always reach out with love, tenderness and respect.
May these hands continue to build a loving relationship that lasts a lifetime.  

After we tied the ribbons into a knot, Johnny read Union by Robert Fulghum:

            “You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way. All those conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or during long walks – all those sentences that began with “When we’re married” and continued with “I will and you will and we will” – those late night talks that included “someday and somehow and maybe” – and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding. The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, “You know all those things we’ve promised and hoped and dreamed – well, I meant it all, every word.” Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another – acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last few years. Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. For after these vows, you shall say to the world, this is my wife.”


We wrote our vows together as a conversation between the two of us and the equal promises we made to one another:


A: I take you to be my best friend, my faithful partner, and my one true love

K: I promise to give you the best of myself and not to take you for granted

A: I promise to be authentic with you, to be honest even when it is not easy

K: I promise to love all of you while we grow individually and together in mind and spirit

A: I promise to help you be your best self, encourage you, and laugh with you

K: I promise to challenge you, inspire you, and support you in your dreams

A: I promise to cherish our experiences, to be grateful for all that we have, and what is yet to come

K: I promise to love you through sadness and joy, through all the triumphs of life

A: I promise to love you unconditionally through all of our adventures in life together

K: And I take you to be my best friend, my faithful partner, and my one true love

Johnny followed our vows with another reading, Blessing for a Marriage by James Dillet Freeman

“May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring, and may life grant you also patience, tolerance, and understanding. May you always need one another – not so much to fill your emptiness as to help you to know your fullness. A mountain needs a valley to be complete. The valley does not make the mountain less, but more. And the valley is more a valley because it has a mountain towering over it. So let it be with you and you. May you need one another, but not out of weakness. May you want one another, but not out of lack. May you entice one another, but not compel one another. May you embrace one another, but not out encircle one another. May you succeed in all-important ways with one another, and not fail in the little graces. May you look for things to praise, often say, “I love you!” and take no notice of small faults. If you have quarrels that push you apart, may both of you hope to have good sense enough to take the first step back. May you enter into the mystery that is the awareness of one another’s presence – no more physical than spiritual, warm and near when you are side by side, and warm and near when you are in separate rooms or even distant cities. May you have happiness, and may you find it making one another happy. May you have love, and may you find it loving one another.”


We then exchanged rings while reciting:

With this ring, I give you my heart. I promise from this day forward, you will never walk alone; my heart would be your shelter, and my arms will be your home.


Lastly, Johnny left us with a native American wedding blessing

“Now you feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold for each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there will be no loneliness for you.
Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you.
Go now into the world to enter into the days of your togetherness.
And may your days be good and long together.”

After our first kiss and being announced we practically bounced down the isle hand-in-hand. We led our guests to a grassy area where we held a picnic hour (in light of a cocktail hour). Each couple snagged their basket and joined the group at a picnic table to meet with friends, new and old. Inside the baskets was a slew of our favorite things accompanied by this note explaining them all:

After the picnic hour we opened the pavilion for our first dance as a married couple. We swayed to Train's Marry Me, a song that we knew we would dance to on our wedding day from the first time we heard it. Then, in one of our favorite traditions, we had dessert before the meal, feeding each other Cannoli - Kim's traditional (plain ricotta) and mine Oreo dipped in Oreo. Shortly after it was time for the main meal. Kim being a chef food is obviously a big part of our lives so we knew when it came to our big day we needed not only something fantastic but also special. Our perfect solution was found in Chef Joseph of El Corazon, a Mexican Food Truck based out of Portland. We knew from the first bite that we didn't want to share any other meal with our friends and family on our wedding day. Of course it was a big hit; with tacos, burritos, taquitos, and Kim's tamale (cilantro & lime mesa filled with green spice pulled chicken). 

As the sun lowered onto the horizon the candles began to glow, the conversations continued and fog rolled in. Dances were had, tacos were eaten, drinks were sipped faster, and the laughter grew louder. The late night crew drew to the bonfire to roast s'mores and the night ended sweetly. Those who stayed at the Farm over night joined us in the morning for a brunch and warm conversation.

Our day was truly made by the family and friends that surrounded us the whole weekend. Having all of our favorite people in the same place made us happier than words can say and being able to share our wedding day with those closest to us is something we will treasure forever. The memories of this day are bright in our mind and the emotions that flowed through us will stay with us into our future life together. 

Our fantastic photographer Justine from Justine Johnson Photography captured the beauty of the day and shared all of these teasers with us, more loveliness to come. Alisa's hair and makeup was completed by Sara of Sara Jean's Salon in Auburn. Alisa's astilbe bouquet was put together by Roak the Florist out of Auburn. Alisa's hairpiece, dress, the guestbook as well as both of our rings were found on Etsy. The invitations and other stationary was designed, printed, and painted by Alisa.