I was just discussing how amazing and a bit unbelievable it is that I've ended what just may be the most relevant decade of my life. Granted I have only been alive for 3 decades, but this decade has been an amazing adventure.
In the year 2000 I was a freshman at Umass Amherst living in a giant tower of a dorms, partying nonstop and overwhelmed with my new found freedom. I can remember looking in the mirror in my early Umass days. I can still see that girl: Long highlighted hair, tight black pants, ready for anything, young and stupid, sweet and funny. That girl had no idea what she wanted and she knew so much less about the world than she thought. She beat herself up about every bad decision and she had no idea that each one of those decisions were helping her become something.
At Umass I had the time of my life. I met some of my best friends and made memories of momentous proportion. I graduated with a bachelors in English and a secondary teaching certificate and the ability to take care of myself.
I was hired as a 8th grade teacher in Barnstable in 2003. I dated a loser, I made good and bad choices, I coached field hockey and left the Cape vowing I would NEVER go back.
I didn't look back when I took a teaching job in North Andover in 2004 and moved into a crappy apartment in the middle of Boston with my best friends. We laughed a lot, we watched a lot of sports and had WAY too much to drink. I dated boys, danced and once again, thought I knew all about life.
At a beer festival in South Boston in 2005 I literally bumped into a muscular, tattooed man who charmed me with his confidence and his perfect smile, and then quickly and casually changed my life.
In 2006 I followed Mr. Beerfestivle back to Cape Cod (even after I vowed to never go back).
I finished up my masters degree in Literacy Education from Lesley University in 2007.
I started teaching in Falmouth and a year later, I married the beer festival guy on a sunny Saturday in July. We had a fabulous wedding and 9 months later, in March 2008 we had our "honeymoon" baby; a perfectly pudgy 8lb 4ounce baby boy on March 30 at 3:44pm. Greatest day of my life.
We had our ups and downs, but there certainly have been many more ups than downs. In 2008 we moved into an amazing house that my handy, dandy husband built from the ground up (I still remember watching him take down the very first tree when he started clearing the land).
We found out that baby number two was on her way in October of 2009 and then were blessed with a beautiful baby girl, born with a head of hair and two dimples in her cheeks on June 23 at 3:35pm.
Now here I am, a new decade to face. I can't imagine anything could hold up to this past decade. In 10 years I have realized what life has to offer. I have learned that I can love other human beings with every inch of my body, that I would give my own life for the life of my children, and that nothing could ever compare to sitting next to a man who loves your children as much as you do. I have learned that I am important and capable and independent. I have learned that my education and my health is a priority and that I want to live a long, good life.
In the next decade I hope to put what I have learned into practice. I want to be a better me. I want to raise a family that values each others physical and mental health. I want to be there to help my inlaws in their old age and my children in their young age. I plan to be the best possible me I can be. This starts with my physical health. I am going to remind myself of this every day for the next ten years.
Cheers to the next 10!!!
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