Sunday, December 26, 2010

Recap 2010- January

As I look back over the past year, my breath is taken away by how much has changed. I've changed, my "home," has changed (four times in 2010!) and my outlook on many things has changed. I've made new friends, been new places, and done new things.

I've seen several of you do a sort of recap of your year, month by month, and I thought I would do my take on what 2010 looked like to me.

It was filled with laughter and smiles, tear and bittersweet goodbyes, and more love than you can shake a sock at.
Because I really wouldn't shake a stick at anything.
But a sock, maybe.
January found Ian and I living back with his parents outside of Orlando, Florida, where we grew up and where most of our closest friends still reside. After 8 months of unemployment, with 4 months living with my parents up in Nashville, where we had nothing to do and no friends to be with, it was so refreshing to be back "home!"

We had a New Year's party (pictures are no where to be found. Weird.) and went to a comedy club with some of my best girl friends.

Ian said goodbye to his BFF, Sam.
We spent copious amount of time with Ian's parents in the theme parks in Orlando, one last "hurrah," I suppose.
My friends threw me a surprise birthday party, one month early. I was so touched and will always remember that!
I spent some time with my favorite kids and also realized how much weight I had put on (Seriously, this picture shows me at my largest, and I had been doing the 30 day shred for almost a month at this point and had changed my eating habits! I just showed Ian this picture and said "what did I look like one month earlier when I wasn't doing any of that?" Well, that's what 8 months of unemployment and 4 months of living in a place where you have no friends and nothing to do will do to you! Plus a ton of bad food decisions!)
On 0ur roadtrip up to our job training, we stopped in for a couple of days with my dear friend Courtney! We spent time in a park, sipped hot cocoa, and enjoyed each others' company for a day or two.

Finally, 6 months after receiving the horrible news that our company did not have the funds to move us overseas and we were essentially wait listed, we arrived in Virginia for two months of training. We settled into our lovely little "quad," where Ian and I finally had a place of our own, eight months after moving in with our parents.

In January, I also experienced my first snow, first time sledding, and first time snow tubing. It was SO beautiful and I will always remember that hushed morning when I woke up and watched almost a foot of snow fall within one hour!

January wrapped up with us being happily settled into our new {temporary} home, with us meeting new friends, and learning more about our job to come.

1 comment:

Jessica said...

Wow, what an exciting month! I can't imagine what it must have been like to experience your first snow in your 20s! It was probably incredible for you :-) What a special time