::1999--10 years ago today::
- We were celebrating with friends, except for a few who were worried about Y2K. We weren't worried, but we weren't worried about much those days.
- We both had secured teaching jobs with relative ease, I was teaching some rather charming students, some of whom I was taking to London and Paris in the spring.
- We had just written our final check to pay for our nearly $40,000 in student loans...
- ...thanks mostly in part to a generous man who allowed us to live rent free in his basement
::2000--9 years ago today::
- We had just bought a house! We were anxiously waiting to move in to our new place, a place we would end up living for 7 1/2 years.
::2001--8 years ago today::
- Living a relatively ordinary life, although not quite sure what the future held since I had decided not to return to my current teaching job after the end of the school year.
::2002--7 years ago today::
- I had just resigned from a temporary teaching position, and was looking forward to never teaching again (which became partly true: I never did go back to teaching high school).
::2003--6 years ago today::
- We found out on December 31st, 2003, at 10 am in the morning that we were having a baby girl. Within minutes we had given her the name Sydney Kay.
- I wrote myself a letter thinking I would be pregnant with Baby #2 the following year.
::2004--5 years ago today::
- I wasn't pregnant, much to my relief.
- We were thankful beyond relief that Jason had gotten an amazing teaching job in the local public school system.
- Living a charmed, albeit sleep-deprived, life.
::2005--4 years ago today::
- Had just learned that Sydney would need to wear glasses.
- I had just accepted an adjunct position to teach speech, starting in January.
- I was pregnant...but not for long.
::2006--3 years ago today::
- Was holding a newborn Jules in my arms and thankful for God's mercy throughout that year.
- Looking forward to Jason using his paid family-leave days to stay home the month of January, so that I could go back to teaching a mere four weeks post-partum (don't worry...Jules came to school with me when Jason went back to work)
- Relieved to be taking my final graduate course.
::2007--2 years ago today::
- Returned on this day from the most amazing, most romantic surprise vacation to Camden, Maine. (We were going to go back this year, but it's hard to justify vacations when you're unemployed.)
- Jason loves his job teaching; I love mine.
- Jason is studying for his graduate exams (which he passes, of course).
- We get to go to work knowing that the world's best nanny is taking care of our girls.
::2008--1 year ago today::
- We were ringing in the New Year at Magic Kingdom!
- We were also living in an apartment because we had sold our house (yay!)...
- because we were moving closer to our family in Washington (yay!)...
- ...where Jason would get a new teaching job (he didn't)...
- ...and we'd be able to build our dream house (we didn't)...
- ...that we had spent more than two years planning for...
- ...as well as a whole lot of money.
::2009--Today::
Today is the last day of a year that broke our hearts more times than I thought possible. Tomorrow begins another year that is full of possibilities, and also some serious unknowns (oh how we want Jason to get hired somewhere!). We have been humbled by our circumstances, saddened at losing so much family, and bewildered at some of life's events.
Nevertheless, we also had a wonderful year: lots of time with family, two fun trips to Disney World, very cool design changes to our new home, the girls loving every minute of school. I know God will be faithful. No matter what happens this year, it will be full of love. Lots and lots of love. And with four silly people under our roof, I suspect there will be plenty of laughter too.
In the spirit of the tradition I started for myself last year, I bring you 2009 in pictures. (Music by Ingrid Michaelson and Snow Patrol.)
Happy New Year, friends. May love abound in your life.
