A whole decade? Really?

I’ve seen this done on several blogs in my blogroll today and, being the lemming that I am, decided to follow suit.  (Although, I read somewhere that lemmings don’t really march off the cliff after one another…hmmmm…must google that…)

First of all, it’s weird for me to think of today as the start of a new decade because I was taught to start counting at 1.  Not 0.  So I feel like the new decade shouldn’t start until next year.  This should be the close to the previous decade.  But I’m assured that’s not how it works.  And when I asked Dan about this, he told me I should ask Jesus since He’s responsible for “year zero.”  That’ll certainly go on my list of things to ask when I meet my maker, along with “why does my dog eat plastic?” and “why do grown women like the Jonas Brothers?”

Anyway, ten years ago, I was a senior in high school.  And on New Years Day in 2000, I was working at Sears.  Yep.  I rang in the new millenium by ringing up ugly women’s dresses.  I remember being an hour late to work because I overslept (no, I was not drunk or hungover or under the influence of any illegal substance.  I was a good egg!).

That year, I started dating the person I thought I’d marry and spend the rest of my life with (and he turned out to be a cheater-cheater-pumpkin eater so I’m glad that fell through!) and I graduated high school. I got accepted to UGA and postponed my enrollment because of the cheater (a decision which I both regret and for which I am glad). I also started working at the bank.  2000 was quite a tumultuous year for me.

In 2001, I moved to Athens to live with my bestie Gina.  I had nothing there other than her and my job.  I was miserable.  She was my only friend.  And making friends is HARD when you get older.  HARD, I tell you.  Because I couldn’t transfer to UGA because I’d started taking classes at a local community college, I enrolled at Athens Tech.  (College #2)

In 2002, I don’t really remember much of this year aside from the fact that I was still miserable in Athens and driving home almost every weekend.  I got two speeding tickets that year, the first of which I plead No Lo Contendre to and the second of which I got out of by writing an essay on why I shouldn’t speed.  Yes, I’m serious.  I also started Truett-McConnell College that summer (College #3, for those of you keeping track!)

In 2003, I finally made some friends in Athens!  WOOT!!  And I bought a townhouse.  All on my own, at 21 years old. I also finally made it back into UGA after continually getting screwed by the admissions office.  (College #4!)  Double WOOT!  That’s really all that happened in 2003.  Oh, and I pledged a local sorority.  (This is important only because of what happened in 2004.)

In 2004, I MET DAN!  YES!!  THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!!  And I met him in a bar!  Seriously.  And we gave him and his friend a ride home and he hit on my roommate the entire way back to that apartment.  And when he asked for our number, she gave him mine and I said “But you won’t call…guys never do” and he stole a kiss through the window (he’d had a few vodka tonics.  This is WAY out of character for him, and anyone who knows him will attest to that fact!) and then, y’all, he CALLED.  At 4:00 a.m.  Two weeks later, we went on our first date and second dates (only about 6 hours apart!) and we’ve been together ever since.  I was also accepted into UGA’s College of Education.  I’d say that was pretty monumental.

In 2005, I quit my job at the bank, we got engaged, and I lost 30 pounds from the stress of planning a wedding while student teaching and NOT WORKING.  (I’d had a job since I was 16!  That was QUITE a new experience for me!)

In 2006, I found a job at a school that I love, graduated college and two weeks later, we got married.  And then I had the longest, most boring summer of my life.  I had nothing to do.  I was living in a new place.  I had no friends.  It felt like 2001 all over again except I was married and sort of responsible for cooking and cleaning and laundry.  And then fall rolled around and I started teaching.  And I realized that I am truly doing what I’m called to do.

In 2007, I finished my first year of teaching and started my Master’s degree.  That’s pretty much all that I can remember happening in 2007.  I don’t know if I’m happy or sad about that.

In 2008, we decided to start a family, I started blogging, and then I got my diagnosis with PCOS.  I was really broken hearted, and then I got this and wrote this and spent the rest of the year in a panic attack that I was going to becomea mom.  The neurosis set in early with me. I also graduated from my Master’s program.

In 2009, well, I think we all know my major accomplishment for 2009, right?  Let me just remind you, then.