Looking Back Before Looking Foward

I remember the turn of the century, the Y2K scare, the big parties. The BIG 2-0-0-0. I know exactly what I was doing - laying on the couch suffering with depression and a nasty cold. It seemed fitting to be sick on the couch during such a grand event I didn't care to be a part of anyway. Now that this decade is ending, I want to take a quick look back before focusing on the future. Walk with me, if you wish.

(2001) A year later, I had managed to "break the chains" of depression and started living again. After just over 2 years of sleeping, feeling numb and being completely disengaged, I suddenly felt...like I could breathe. (It was weird how it had happened too, like the light switch just flipped on one day.) This year is the year I met Matt. This is the year we moved in together. The year he graduated from college.

(2002) I went back to college. At 30. Enough said.

(2003-2005) My life was completely taken over with studying, tests, books, notes, classes. I was a robot going through the motions of life as a college student. I seem to vaguely recall a few much needed drunken nights after final exams. Matt and I also took our very first big vacation together. We took 8 days in between semesters and visited New Orleans, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. It was what I needed before beginning my final year of school.

(2006) We rang in this New Year with a bunch of friends on a Carnival Cruise to Cozumel, Mexico. I don't remember much of this cruise which tells me I had one fantastic time! In May, much to my surprise and relief, I graduated with my Chemical Engineering degree. After graduating, I fell into a funk again. Not as bad as before, but definitely a funk. I had spent the last 4 years running at such a high level of stress, I didn't know what to do with myself. It took me awhile to learn to relax. Matt and I were also unsure of our relationship at this point. School had taken so much of my time over the past few years we weren't sure if we knew each other any longer.

(2007) Matt and I became engaged. Obviously, we worked on our relationship and decided this was the right decision for us.

(2008) Wow! This was an exciting year FULL of changes and new adventures. In February, I interviewed for a new job in Northern Virginia and was told the same day that I got the job. A week later, I was told I had four weeks to get my stuff together and move up to Virginia. In March, I moved 1000 miles away from my fiance one month before our wedding. (Yeh, just a bit frantic) After several flights home for weekend visits, Matt and I married in April. I came back to Virginia to work one last week before we took off for our 3 1/2 week European Honeymoon where we visited parts of Italy, Greece, Monaco and Turkey. I then left my new husband in Florida, moved in with my friend Sarah, worked and waited until July when Matt moved up so we could finally start our married life together. Whew!

(2009) Another exciting year for me. In early January, we bought our first home. A three story town home just minutes from my job. It needed a bit of elbow grease, but once we were done (in October) it was exactly what we wanted. We renovated the kitchen, laid new carpet, painted every square inch and stained/sealed the deck. Also in January, we found ourselves pregnant with our first child. In May we learned the sex of the baby and in early October, we were proud parents of a 9 pound baby girl. We were also lucky enough to spend one month back home in Florida visiting with family and friends and showing off our daughter before I returned to work.

As this decade draws to a close, and I look back over the past 10 years, there isn't one thing I regret. I have a wonderful husband, a healthy and beautiful baby girl, a nice home, a good job, fantastic friends (both far and near) and a loving family. This decade started off gloomy but I wouldn't change a thing. It has made me stronger and grateful for what I have. I can honestly say I'm beginning a new decade happier than I have ever been. I'm looking forward to the changes and challenges 2010 will bring.

Happy New Year!
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* If you're lucky and I feel ambitious tomorrow, I'll see what pictures from the past 10 years I can dig up to share with you.

Wheels

So, a while back, I mentioned that I was getting a new car in November. I asked for advice and got some very good feedback. Want to know what I got?

I knew the Chrysler could work for us and you all know how I loved my 300. It was safe and sturdy and we could all fit. (We packed it up to the gills and drove it to Florida so I know it could hold some serious stuff!). However, I knew we needed to keep our options open and consider all possibilities. So when my Dad asked me to check out the Dodge Journey, I did. I liked it. It rode nice, was comfortable, had all sorts of neat options and hidden compartments and Matt could actually sit comfortably in it. I knew it would also be good fit for us.

Now I was torn between what I wanted and what I needed. Ultimately, I left the decision up to my Father. He knows what I like (I bought the Chrysler w/o ever laying eyes on it!) and what I'll need, plus the way deals/offers change, I knew he would get me the best deal.

So, what did he get me? One of these. A 2010 Dodge Journey.

This color too, which is a change for me as I realized that all the cars I've ever owned have either been silver or some shade of blue. I've had it for a month now and I'm really pleased with it. Because my Dad was able to get a great deal on this one for me, I was able to get some bonus options that I normally would not be willing to pay for. For instance, remote start is something I'm really enjoying especially
being quite adverse to these cold weather days. It also has dual climate control (there's now a neat little storm front between Matt and I because he likes the cold and I like it toasty), heated front seats, a 30gig harddrive, satellite radio, a USB port to load up music and pictures, and an actual electrical outlet.

We decided to lease this vehicle as it worked in our favor to buy the car at the end of the lease than to buy the car initially. All the options that are on it will make it a nice long term vehicle that I can see myself enjoying for quite a while. And although I miss my 300* , I'm having fun in my bright red crossover Mommy mobile.

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* in case you're wondering why I have a strong and weird attachment to the 300-it not only was a really nice and neat car to have, it was also my Dads gift to me for graduating college with my Chemical Engineering degree.

For Your Viewing Pleasure

The cuteness in chronological order.



Minutes old

Still in the hospital

Gummy grin, finally home

Bee suit cuteyHanging with Mama in Savannah, Ga.

Watching TV with Dad

Singing with Mama

Chillin...

Talkin' to Grandma

Red Ring of Death

We have an Xbox 360, or I should say we had an Xbox 360. Matt played the thing constantly and we watched the occasional movie on it. Recently, its begun to give us trouble - locking up, screeching noises when the tray opened, it wouldn't read the disks, etc. Last night, it gave us the red ring of death. The end had come.

I was hoping it would give us a few more months before giving up the ghost but it just couldn't hold out with the constant use. I can't complain. We've more than gotten our moneys worth out of that box. It had been lovingly abused for 4 years. I was just hoping we could recoup from having a child and me taking 2 months off before we dished out any money on anything other than necessities. And no, I don't think we need a gaming system. We could surely live with out it however, Matt is home all day with Stella*, keeps the house clean, makes dinner and keeps me straight. That system was his hobby. His break. His "get away from it all" distractor. I couldn't say no.

So now we are the proud owners of a PlayStation 3. And I am enjoying watching my man and our little girl play video games together.

*By the way, he's doing a fan-tab-ulous job as a stay at home Dad - just like I knew he would.