Wow. We’ve just hit the year 2020. Have you reflected back on the last decade? Any special revelations or surprises?
As I reflect back on 2010-2019, I am grateful. So many great things happened – and a few tragic and sad things as well.
Let’s start with 2010 and go forward. I was 39 and had just walked away from a non-relationship relationship (eh…if you have to ask, it’s not worth it) and was looking forward to regaining my life and figuring out who the heck I was. It was FANTASTIC!!
2011 I bought a brand new car for my 40th birthday and took my first trip to Mexico (as you’ve probably guessed from other posts, I’m hooked on travel and LOVE Mexico).
2012 – WOW. January started off with chatting on Facebook to Chris – (many of you know the story of how I grew up with his sister but didn’t know he existed). Chatting turned into our first date on April 28, 2012 and our first weekend away to Ocean Shores that August. December saw our first big trip to Kauai. And – we’ve been going strong ever since.
2013 – my cousin Morgan got married, Chris and I got engaged!
2014 – Changed jobs and got married three weeks later on April 26th (almost exactly two years from our first date). We moved from Shoreline to Seattle and honeymooned in Puerto Rico that December.
2015 – a year of gains and losses. My cousin had her first baby, a beautiful girl, Huxley (GAIN)! Then, my maternal grandmother passed (LOSS); my son and his wife had a baby, my first grandson, Louis (GAIN)! Then…my paternal grandfather passed (LOSS). Oh and during all this, we were in the middle of buying our first home. We finally closed and were all moved in by end of August (GAIN). In December we added to our family a puppy! Not sure Indy was so thrilled but…Rico is now family.
2016 – Hard year. Most of the beginning of the year is a blur. Then, June 14th two of my dearest friends, Thomas and Rick died in a car accident. My heart still hurts over this one and probably always will. August I had to have major surgery and was out of commission for 6 weeks. Oh – we bought a new truck! I’m sure there were some other great things that year as well – if you can remember them, please share!
2017 was much better. In May Chris and I took our first trip to Europe to Greece! Bucket list item for sure! November that year (Thanksgiving weekend of all times) we had the opportunity to go to Cancun for several days.
2018 was a wild but fun ride. July was our Alaskan cruise and two days after our return I broke my left leg and sprained my right ankle – out of commission for 8 weeks (including vacation). November was our first Steampunk trip to Twisp. Ridiculous amount of fun!! December we traveled to Puerto Vallarta for the first time – LOVED it.
2019 was a bit calmer…I guess. March we took off for Costa Rica! Four days after our return, I was back on a plane to DC for my annual work trip. That summer we did a river float out of Winthrop/Twisp. September was Cabo (flew in on the tail end of a hurricane), November was Steampunk weekend in Twisp and then the holidays hit! This year Chris and I both took time off from work from December 23 to January 2nd. It was a wonderful stay-cation (except we started calling it our trial run on retirement) and a great way to end the year and decade.
All in all minus a couple tragic moments and bumps in the road, the last decade was pretty damn good to me. I really don’t have any complaints. The only real surprises for me was the loss of Thomas & Rick and the incredible opportunities for travel I’ve been blessed with. I know many other folks had a horrible time especially (for some reason) 2019.
My hope and wish for you all is that 2020 treats you well and you can look back in 10 years fondly on the ’20s.