1981
My father ran away from the communism in Romania to Chicago to prepare for a life for unborn me and my mom.
1982
I was born in Arad, Romania.
1984
I met my dad for the very first time in O’Hare airport.
1987
I pushed a boy off a tricycle at recess.
1989
I had a crush on a boy named Milan. He was in Karate.
Was a flower girl in a wedding and got my first kiss from a ring bearer named Danny.
1990
I was sent to the principal’s office for something I didn’t do. I still stand by it.
1991
Our family moved to Deerfield, IL.
I broke my right arm trying to do a rollerblading trick I had no business doing.
I accepted Jesus into my life after watching a play called “Heaven’s Gates & Hell’s Flames”
1992
I karate-kicked a boy at recess because he was trying to fight me.
I watched The Karate Kid way too many times.
Out of all my classmates, I was the only one who fake-voted for George Bush.
I rebelled against my mother’s choice of wearing a garden hat and floral dress for my fourth grade picture day and instead wore a neon red windbreaker.
1993
I tried out for the Sound of Music school play singing “Do-Re-Mi”. I didn’t make it.
1994
Our family moved into a house in an alley, behind the Ski Chalet and an auto shop, in Winnetka, IL.
1995
I was bullied at school. Probably payback for the bullying that never happened in 1990.
Our family moved back to Deerfield.
1997
Went on a family road trip to Jimmy Swaggart’s Camp Meeting in Baton Rouge, Lousiana.
1998
Got my driver’s license.
Wrote my first song and sang it at my church at youth night.
Got my first real retail job at Aldo Shoes.
1999
Gave up my dream of being a meteorologist once I found out how much my salary would have been.
2000
Played my first game of “Lapte Gros”, where humans run and stack themselves on top of a pile of more humans.
Learned how to use a straightener on my hair. Where had this been all my life?
Graduated high school.
Our family moved to Phoenix, AZ and I met my husband the first day I arrived.
Alin asked me to be his girlfriend even after I just sang him a song I wrote about us.
2001
Alin asked me to be his wife. I said yes.
2002
We got married. Spent 3 weeks in France for our honeymoon.
Bought our first house.
Took our first Christmas card photo with our dog Max.
2004
Shot my very first wedding as a second-shooter.
Became pregnant for the first time ever. I was not a happy pregnant lady. Most miserable months of my life.
2005
Gave birth to Charlie.
Learned to make Sarmale (stuffed cabbage) for the first time.
2006
Gave birth to Tristan.
2007
Did my first bridal show and shot 25 weddings this year for the first time as the main photographer.
Snowboarded for the first time. Took me 45 minutes to go down 100 feet. Complete and utter fail.
2008
Gave birth to Oliver.
Moved to Charlotte, NC.
2009
Gave birth to Genevieve.
2010
Gave birth to- I’m kidding. I’m SO done.
Watched tearfully as my 5 year old went off to his 1st day of school.
2011
Had a goal to be published in 3 magazines. Currently published in 8 for the year and am still in shock about it.