A look back on 10!

January 1st, 2010!  A new decade!  So hard to believe!  

Ten years ago, I was still a teenager--19 & celebrating the New Year here in Phoenix without my boyfriend of almost a year & a half.  Instead, I was with friends from the Cornhusker Marching band because we were in town for the Fiesta Bowl.  There was so much hype with the end of the 1900s, the start of a new millennium, and the feared "Y2K".  

While some things are very much the same as they were for me when we rang in the 2000s (I'm still with that boyfriend :) and just spent the end of a year in a city for a Nebraska bowl game), so much has happened & changed in the last 10 years!  Looking back, it really is rather amazing!

 The first two of those years were spent enjoying the last half of college--traveling to Ireland with the Marching Band, studying abroad at Oxford & backpacking around Europe with my dearest college friend, TAing zoology labs, hanging out in dorms, having late night Papa John's Pizza & Amigo's, watching lots of Husker football & going to the Rose Bowl.  Wow--those were some fun times!  Then, in 2002, we graduated & headed out for the "real world".

Since Brian's best grad school offer was from the University of Arizona (although at the time we were REALLY hoping for Baylor), we headed out for the state I grew up in.  This marked the beginning of the "Tucson" period--grad school, engagement, apartments, first teaching job, and of course, getting married in 2004.

From those "newlywed" years we have fond memories of our first beloved pet, lots of teaching & grad school stuff, late night Texas Hold 'Em Poker parties, and a few really great trips--our honeymoon to Hawaii, visiting friends in Maryland (including sight-seeing in DC, NYC, and Virginia), and a visit to friends in Alaska. 

Then, 2007 came and marked the biggest & most exciting changes of the decade, the most important & special of which is Andrew Neil.  Our lives forever changed on April 3, 2007--becoming "Mom" & "Dad" and adding a whole new meaning & new aspect to our identities.

In 2007 we not only experienced the birth of our beautiful baby boy, but watched Brian become "Dr.", moved to Phoenix, both got new jobs, and bought our first house!  Whew!  

This past 2 & 1/2 years then has been spent as Mommy & Daddy, enjoying watching our little baby grow, develop, and change into the little person we love beyond measure.  In that time we've added some new pets to our family, experienced buying our first car together, managed to get away on yet another amazing trip abroad, and have experienced all the joys, trials & tribulations that home ownership brings.  

It is so hard to believe that 10 years ago today we were not quite 20 yet & still in college. Now in 2010, here we sit (almost 30!) in the living room of our house, watching our 2 year old son play with his train table, while I "blog"--using technology that didn't even exist 10 years ago.   And, as I type, that son's little brother is doing some karate inside me, reminding me of all that is in store during this next decade--New babies, new house(s), new jobs, new friends, new experiences.  I have so, so many memories from the last ten years that I will treasure for the rest of my life; but am very excited for the next ten!  What is really hard to believe is that in ten more, this little adorable person playing by me will almost be a teenager and we will almost be 40!  That thought is a little too much for me to stomach ;), so for now, I will just think about 2010.  We have A LOT of big changes on the immediate horizon which are all very exciting, but a bit scary & stressful at the same time.  Whatever is on your horizon for the new year,  I hope it brings good times & good memories to you!  Happy 2010!