A decade of reflections...

Happy New Year's Eve to you all! Wow, it really has hit me that we're about to enter into the year 2010! That just seems so incredible. It's amazing how quickly this decade has gone by. I guess that's what happens when you become an adult. When I think back on the 90s, those 10 years were S-L-O-W. Not in a bad way, just in that growing up and changing kind of way. So, in honor of the beginning of a new year, I decided to take a walk down Memory Lane and remember a little something from each of the past 10 years...

2oo0 -- Remember the crazy Y2K scares?? Of course, this was in the day that yes, most of us had computers, but the cell phone was ONLY FOR EMERGENCY use and no one had dreamed of texting, blogging, Facebook-ing, etc. For me, the highlight of 2000 was becoming a Mrs.!! We were married in July of that year - still fresh-faced young 22-year-olds. It was a great year!

2001 - We were living in California and enjoying a new "grown-up" life, away from home. Both of us working and just living life as a married couple.

2002 - Back in Florida, living in what I like to consider the "armpit" of the state. I don't know why anyone would WANT to vacation in or near Daytona Beach because I surely know it's not the greatest place to live. We survived though!

2003 - Another move for us! We moved west of Orlando in what we considered a cute, small town. And it was back then! In January of this year, we became the proud parents of Zoe Belle! She was the highlight of that year, for sure! AND...that was the year I decided to go back to school for my Master's in Elementary Education. Hubbie was working a crazy night schedule then, I was going to school during the day, and Zoe was just a little thang that loved to nibble on toes! :)

2004 - We moved into a brand new house! We labored over the design choices and proudly watched our first home grow. It was a fun process! This was my first year of teaching second grade and boy, I learned A LOT that year!

2005 - Ahhhh....the start of the baby worries. The "Let's have a baby!" excitement quickly turned to, "Will we be able to have a baby??" worry. I did indeed get pregnant on my own in the Spring of this year, but sadly lost the baby early on. This was the year of pricks and pokes and many disappointing trips to the specialist. Again, it was a learning and growing experience. Not a fun one by any means, but still, an experience that shaped who were are today. A positive for the year...I earned my Master's Degree!

2006 - October of this year is when we officially made the decision to start the adoption process from Russia. We were tired of the emotional, physical and mental stress of fertility treatments and were just ready to become parents! Adoption paperwork in full swing, both of us working, and MOST importantly, a tiny baby boy was born in a land far away. At 23 days old, he was taken into the baby hospital where he would wait for his Mommy & Daddy to come. July 9, 2006...the best day of my life, although I didn't know it at the time! Our son was born!

2007 - Adoption paperwork complete and in Russia. On Good Friday of this year, we received Bear Cub's referral and the rest is history! 2007...the year we OFFICIALLY became parents! :)

2008 - This is a year that just sort of blurs away for me. We were happily learning how to be parents, facing the challenges that millions before us have faced. We were watching our son grow, learn new things daily, and just LIVING. It was a good year...sometimes we need a non-memorable year to just enjoy and live!

2009 - And here we are... another move, a new home, the start of preschool for Bear Cub, oh, and yes, our new niece (born Dec. 28!)! This was a stressful year. The first 6 months were filled with uncertainty as to where we would be moving and then with the selling of our house and the move, it was quite a lot! These past 6 months have flown by with the start of school for Bear Cub.

2010 - ??? I guess that's the excitement of a new year. You never know what dreams will come! My hope is for a happy and healthy year for all of us! My New Year's Resolutions are under construction in my mind and Bear Cub's dreams of being FOUR will come true in 6 short months. Time marches on, doesn't it? I'm going to be sure to sit back and enjoy these moments and remember the important things in life. :) You should do the same.

Happy New Year!! May it be a great one for you all! :)