At The Close Of A Decade

I thought it would be fun to look back at each year of the 0's decade. To reflect a little. This last decade was my first step into adult life. Before that, I was a kid I guess. So much has happened and I have been very, very blessed. Alright, here it goes!

2000: My senior year of high school.

my senior picture

my best friend from high school, Christina, and I going to our senior luau.

my senior prom with Antonio Stephens.

This is me with two friends of mine: Jerome, a friend from childhood is on the left and Howard who is a pilot now is on the right.

I graduated in June, had a weekend to celebrate and play, and then I started Cal Poly the next week. My sister got married in the summer to Kevin. I had the biggest freak-out at the temple while she was getting married. I thought our family would never be the same and that I was losing my big sister. I was right about the first part: it did permanently change our family. But in a very good way. Kevin is a sweetheart, and they have such a happy life together. And three cute kids.

I started going to the single's group for my church at Cal Poly. The San Luis Obispo Third Ward, gotta love it. I met a guy in the fall. He came every night when I got off work-- watched me close up the restaurant (Klondike's pizza, ever been there?), and then took me out.

2001: I got engaged to said guy. He asked me to marry him on top of a sand dune at Montana De Oro. As many of you know, I am not an outdoorsy girl really at all. I would like to think I am sporty and cute and could run up a mountain with no effort, but I really am not and could not. So as romantic as he planned it to be, I was dying from climbing up and down like a million sand dunes and the wind was blowing my perfect hair all over the place and whenever I do any form of physical exertion, my nose always starts to run. I'm sure I looked really great, especially when he let me wear his over-sized flannel. We broke the engagement a few months later. My wedding dress just hung in my grandmother's house covered in a white sheet like an entombed ghost. Creepy.

I met a really nice guy, James, while working at Office Max. He was so sweet and kind and lived in the most beautiful house in all the town which I've admired ever since I was a little girl, and he gave me a red scarf that I still to this day love.
Oh and I went from Klondike's, had a short stint as a hostess/pie person at Marie Calendar's, to working in the copy center at Office Max. Which I loved! I loved the single's ward too! I have such great memories of all the friends I made and the fun we had. These are just some random pictures of activities. Halloween parties, Camp Yeager, Temple trips, and missionary farewells. Good times.

2002: My family and I went to the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake. It was such a great experience! My brother-in-law was an Italian interpreter, and the streets were full of interesting people. It was fun!
In March, Adam conveniently broke up with his girlfriend of like 100 years, and promptly asked me out. Hoorah!!! Again and again. Our first date was at Baja Fresh. I had just had my wisdom pulled a couple days before, and my mouth was super swollen and sore. I ordered fish tacos thinking those would be the least painful. I remember being so ginger with those fish tacos in my mouth and wondering what he thought of me. I guess it was all good, because he asked me to marry him in June.
I am so glad I went to Cal Poly right by my home, because I was able to be close to my family. I was always there when my sister came home from college or visited with her husband and babies, and I saw my brother James grow up. He is much younger than my sister and I, and if I had left after high school, we would not have known each other very well. As it was, I went to his games in high school and helped him get ready for dates and dances. It was fun for me to re-live my school days through him. This is my brother and I at Disneyland and the other picture is of my mom, my sister, and I on my parent's back deck on 4th of July, 2002.

2003: Adam and I were married in March. My grades became significantly better. No more diversions, just a hubby to take care of. Oh, and still working at Office Max. We lived in a little apartment in Arroyo Grande that had a funny smell, but was alright because it had access to a swimming pool which really makes everything better. It was so fun to be married! Like a sleep over with a best friend, except it never ended.

2004: School. Work. Marriage. I found out on Mother's Day that we were going to have our first baby. I promptly became very sick. I felt like dying at Adam's graduation from Cal Poly in June. It was really awesome. But, it only lasted a few months and then I was healthy as could be. I gained close to 1,000 pounds. Which was double awesome. In December, I graduated from Cal Poly on the hottest day in history and 8 months pregnant. It was triple awesome. I cried in the bathroom all during my graduation dinner. How's that for being completely and utterly hormonal?

I remember Adam and I going shopping at Carter's for the very first time for our little baby. We bought like three cute little outfits and when we came home, I immediately hung them up in our spare room closet. I thought it was the funnest, happiest thing to do. We moved from our little one bedroom apartment to a two bedroom condo so that there would room for the baby. We were so excited!

2005: In January, we had a lovely little baby boy named James. Oh my gosh! The best thing ever is a baby! He was so sweet and good and never complained about a thing.

2006: I was shocked to see what happens to that sweet angel baby when he turns 18 months. He starts throwing fits and having tantrums and embarrassing you in front of other mother's who seem to always have it completely together :). Jamie sure did have a strong will about things, but he was so cute and bright. I found out in June that we were going to have our second baby. Sick again. All summer long. But happy and healthy in the fall.

2007: Sweet Annabelle was born in February. I learned that two children is much harder than just one. My life officially changed, because with Jamie, we would take him out with us everywhere; late nights, my brother James' games at the high school, traveling. For some reason, when Anna came along that all seemed a little less possible. Like I said, it is a bit harder with two. But she is worth it.

2008: My brother James left for a two year mission in Brazil.

2009: You've seen it!

That's all folks!

Now, on to the next decade. We are very excited about Uncle James coming home next August and about Jamie starting Kindergarten in the fall. This next decade holds so much for us. My children will become teenagers. I will enter my 30's. And hopefully it will be just as happy and fulfilling as the last.