How many people remember where they were ten years ago today? It really shouldn't be that hard - ten years ago, people were in the throes of Y2K hysteria. Andrew and I were still living in Boulder, CO then - he was in law school and I was working at a private school. I woke up the morning of December 31, 1999 knowing for absolute certainty that nothing was going to happen. Andrew was in the kitchen washing dishes, and when I came in the new year's fireworks were going off in Tokyo on the morning news. Ho-hum. It was a snowy day, and Andrew and I walked to Connor O'Neils, a brew-pub off Pearl Street, had dinner and walked back in absolute silence in the snow. Apparently some people hadn't seen the news that morning! (Although, in full disclosure, we had so much toilet paper that I don't think we had to buy any for another 6 months!) Unfortunately, I didn't have a digital camera in 2000 and my scanner doesn't want to scan, so no pictures.
2000 also started with some sadness as my Grandma had cancer and it was very apparent she was not going to be with us much longer. I flew up to Vancouver in March to see her and she passed away a few weeks later.
2001
Andrew graduated from the University of Colorado School of Law in May 2001, and we drove cross-country via I-70 back to his parents' house in Delaware.
We weren't sure where we would end up - the plan was to stay at Andrew's parents' house while Andrew studied for the bar exam, and then in the fall move to wherever Andrew was hired. Well. 9/11 happened. Andrew found out that he passed the bar exam a week later, and absolutely no one was hiring. We ended up staying with Andrew's parents for the next three years, and we will always be grateful to Andrew's parents for sheltering us all that time. I started to work for a pharmaceutical company and Andrew did legal contracting work.
I started taking knitting lessons at my local Michaels in October 2001, wanting to find a way to help calm myself...
Late in 2001 we found out that someone else would be joining us in the new year.
2002
I spent the first half of 2002 pregnant with Willow, and the last six weeks were horrible! We had something like 30 straight days of temperatures over 90'F and it made for an uncomfortable pregnancy. My Mom flew out to be with us when Willow was born, and I was so happy to have her with me.
This little one came to us one stormy night in July and she has kept us on our toes ever since!
(Doesn't she look like a little monkey?)
2003
Auntie Daryth came out to visit us, and Willow was baptized in early 2003 in a gown sewn by my Gram.
She and I took our first (of many) solo trip out to Canada in the fall of 2003. My parents had moved to Vancouver Island, so our trip was a bit longer now. People gave me the weirdest looks for having her in a harness, but I wouldn't have it any other way!
She already had Andrew under her thumb (or her bottom, in this case) - even at this age.
2004
We flew out to Vancouver Island in the summer of 2002 and Willow celebrated an early birthday there:
We were there for Canada Day and my Mom had made Willow this sweet maple leaf dress. She wore it to the festival and a newspaper photographer took her picture and immortalized her on the cover of their newspaper.
Me and Willow - Fall 2004. I loved that haircut!
I was hired full-time at my job and was promoted. In 2004 we finally moved out of Andrew's parents' house and into an apartment of our own.
2005
My sister Teri came to visit!
Look at those cheesy grins - there is no question these two are related!
2006
Unfortunately, my photos from 2005 - 2007 are rather sparse because our computer imploded on us and I lost countless photos. For this reason, everything gets uploaded to Flickr now... although I really need to get in habit of getting prints of the ones I really like.
2007
In 2007 we bought a house! We had been searching for over a year and I am sure we frustrated our realtor with the sheer volume of houses we saw. Once again - computer failure - the only photo I could find from then is a picture of Willow in our backyard!
I went to my first MDSW in 2007 with my friends Kathy, Michelle, and Denise (and I am a little embarrassed as I looked through the old photos that I still haven't used up some of the yarn I bought on that excursion!). I also met Cristi and Pam on a hill outside of the main barn. That fall we branched out to Stitches East as well in Baltimore and spent the weekend in a hotel room with a fabulous view:
Willow started kindergarten!
2008
In January 2008 we adopted this handsome fellow:
I can't imagine our lives without Lucky now - he has made our house a home.
In March 2008, I went on a business trip to Las Vegas - and what did I do? Yes, take pictures of the carpets in the hotel. What?!?! They were pretty.
In May 2008, my friends and I went to MDSW again - this has become a yearly trip for us now - I am always amazed at the sheer variety of fiber stuff - and plus, I met Bezzie on this trip!
In July 2008 we flew out to Vancouver Island again so Willow could meet her new cousins. Willow is in an interesting position - on Andrew's side she is the absolute baby of all the cousins, but on my side she is the eldest by a few years.
My parents came out to spend Christmas with us in 2008, and it was wonderful to have them here - especially since Mom taught me how to make perogies and apple pies!
2009
In April 2009, we spent a searing hot weekend (really - who expects 90'F+ in April?) at Rehoboth Beach, courtesy of Andrew's parents. Willow loved being on the beach when it was sunny, and I can't wait to do this again.
Willow went to her first baseball game, and I think I have made a convert of her - although I don't think she is convinced yet that playing ball is just as fun as watching it.
I made jam! (Yes, freezer jam - but I made jam!)
Willow lost her first tooth:
My parents came out to visit us again, this time for Canadian Thanksgiving. My Mom taught me how to cook a turkey... and I forgot to take a picture! I was so intent on getting everything on the table...
I celebrated my 37th birthday:
And this cutie pie made her way into our hearts after we lost Caddie in the fall:
Looking through all these photos, I simply cannot believe that ten years have gone by. How on earth did I get from 27 to 37? And has anyone come to a decision yet what the this decade was to be called - we don't have much time left!
8 comments:
What a decade!! Happy happy new year!
Wow, when you say 27-37. Yikes. Happy New Year! Loved seeing the recap
Yes, what a decade. You've had kids and critters come into your lives, moved around the country, met people... in my book, that's a decade well spent.
Isn't it weird that we must have lived so close together in Colorado--you guys in Boulder, us in Greeley/Ft. Collins at the same time, and here we are pretty much in the same situation--except maybe an hour or so farther away--but half way across the country?
Love that baby monkey picture of Willow! She's gotten too big too fast!
A decade does change a lot of things!Willow was such a cutie pie! and now, of course, a beautiful young girl!Jaime
the security decade????
PS it forgot thr 're' on the word verification...... (mine was "jects")
Love & Hugs
Happy New Year! Thanks for sharing!
LOVE the retrospective. In her new baby photo she doens't look like a monkey, but has the "What am I doing here?" look. SO CUTE.
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