I’m not sure why it’s hitting me so hard this year that a decade has passed. Although each decade before brought on tons of changes, I don’t think I have ever sat back and really thought about it. So today, as I was was reading over my post about New Year’s past, I allowed myself to think and remember how much I’ve grown, and how many things have changed.

2000- 1/2 2002: These were college years. I loved every single second of college. I was at Hofstra University. I loved being in a sorority…as a matter of fact I think I was president during some of this time. My parents joked that I majored in Mchebes (the local bar) and it was somewhat true. My biggest responsibility was making sure that I made it to class. I was surrounded by friends constantly, and this is the time that I began my relationship with The Captain. I was having the time of my life.

Summer of 2002 started some major transition years. I graduated college, got an apartment, and couldn’t find a job. I decided to stay in Long Island to reach my dream of becoming a big PR rep, and to continue my relationship with The Captain. In order to pay the rent I got a job as a waitress and it was the worst! Soon I found a “real” job, but quickly found it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.  I was sad, and lost and miserable. The Captain, being a year younger, still was in college. We were both at different places. Looking back I have to credit him for making our relationship survive. I was miserable and I took it out on him.

In the summer of 2003 a light bulb went off in my head, and I made one of the best decisions I have ever made (The best was marrying The Captain of course). I decided to work for my dad, and start his business in Long Island. I started to find happiness in my career. I moved out of an apartment that I shared with others, and moved into one of my own. My finances were extremely tight, but it was the right move. The Captain began law school that Fall….and life went on.

Fall 2003- 2006 I sort of was going through the motions. I hated Long Island, but I loved The Captain. I hated being alone so much while he studied so much, but I knew that it was a necessary evil for our future. People questioned his commitment to me, but I knew his intentions. I worked hard to build my business, and I succeeded. January 17th  2005  I got my angel, my Tinkerbell. In the winter of 2006 life as I knew it shattered for a bit. My mom suffered a brain aneurysm. I don’t think I have ever been so scared. Not having my mom in my life was not an option. (although I knew it was a possibility) I could only think of the things I wanted to share with her…and how much more she had to live for. So I spent 3 weeks with her at the hospital hoping against hope that she would be ok. She came through with flying colors. I was truly blessed.  To my surprise she was well enough in October of that year to travel to Italy with my sister and I to visit my brother who was traveling abroad! It was one of the best vacations of my life!

2007 through 2008 was probably the best time of my life (I know I said that about college but this was different). I got engaged in February 2007, The Captain and I bought our Townhouse in June and the rest was just wonderful. Being engaged is a magical time. Even random people at the store see your engagement ring and congratulate you! Who wouldn’t love that?? The year brought engagement parties and showers. There was just so much to celebrate! On June 14, 2008 I married the man of my dreams…my best friend. We had the most beautiful honeymoon in Greece. I don’t think there will ever be a vacation like that ever again. Can you ever out do the honeymoon? I truly doubt it.

I already did my 2009 year in review, so we can skip that one at this time.

So I credit this decade as the decade I became an adult. I think that would be the main theme..I went from being supported by my parents, to supporting myself, to learning to be supported by my husband.  Although at the core I am the same person I was at 20…I know that I have changed so much. I guess we all have to grow up sometime right?

Now please don’t judge the way we look in these photos. I will have to remind you that Captain Awesome and I probably indulged in a few cocktails during picture taking time…so please disregard some of the droopy eyes!

Our first New Years together was 2000-2001. We had just gotten together (not officially) and were invited into Manhattan to celebrate the New Year in style! A fraternity brother of The Captain reserved a suite at the Michelangelo Hotel in the city (go ahead, check out the hotel’s website), and boy was it an amazing experience! There were about 10 of us, and it was spectacular! The hotel reserved a spot on the street so that a few minutes before the ball dropped in Time’s Square, we were able to leave the warmthof the hotel to see it all happen! All this with out having to wait outside in the cold like every one else! So that year I got to see the ball drop AND be comfortable! Looking back I am in awe to think that I got to kiss my future husband at the stroke of midnight in the year 2001. We’ve marked the new year with a kiss every since!

Amazingly enough I don’t have a picture of the two of us together for the year 2001-2002. It’s kind of sad!

For the year 2002-2003 a friend of ours worked out a deal with a local restaurant/bar so that we could all celebrate New Years Eve together. This was my first year out of college, and as it turns out I remember my first apartment being walking distance from the restaurant. It was rather convinient! (The Captain is throwing a “Blue Steel” type look!)

To celebrate the end of 2003 and the beginning of 2004 we traveled into Manhattan. This time not as fancy as our night at the Michelangelo, but I guess they all can’t be that fancy right?

In 2004 Captain Awesome decided to go with the goatee. Personally I HATE facial hair, and I do everything in my power to keep him from growing it. This particular year we were at yet another bar in Manhattan. I like this year because it was the year that The Captain and I introduced my best friend, to one of his good friends. It was a match made in heaven and today the two are married!

To ring in 2006 our group of friends decided to go all out and celebrate at a local catering hall. I’m not sure if they do this type of thing in your area, but here in Long Island they charge an arm and a leg so that you can eat a nice dinner and dance the night away. I loved that we got to get all dressed up, so I found it to be a fun time.

In 2006-2007 I really thought that by New Years Eve I would’ve been engaged. It just wasn’t in the cards, so this year marked our last year as an unbetrothed couple. We loved the catering hall so much the year before that we tried to repeat it at a different location, but the party fell a little short. Of course we still had a good time! I mean come on they give you hats!!!

Being the responsible adults that we are, our group of friends decided not to go broke ringing in 2008. Our friends (the couple we introduced a few years before) graciously opened their home for a party. We still got hats and noisemakers so I was extremely happy! 2007 was a year of engagment celebration and as sad as I was to see it go…I knew that 2008 brought on new beginnings! We certainly had a lot to celebrate!

I got a little surprise the night before this particular New Years Eve. I woke up in the middle of the night to a wonderful stomach bug! I was so sad because I knew 2008-2009 was our first New Years as a married couple. How could I not celebrate the passing of the most wonderful year of my life? It deserved to be recognized! So I manned up, got dressed that night and accompanied The Captain to our friends house. I was glad I did!

So there you have it folks! The run down of our New Year’s Eve celebrations. I am looking forward to celebrating our 10th New Year’s Eve together…and to be honest I am welcoming 2010. So this year I plan on partying like a rock star, because who knows if I will be able to next year! I’m going to get dressed up, get all pretty and hopefully celebrate our last New Years Eve with out a baby in tow!

I would say that 2009 wasn’t the best year…but as I think more about it, I realize that it had some of the best of times, and some of the worst of times. It’s funny that so many things could fit into one year. How could a year that started out so amazing…plummet in the middle and disappoint at the end? Here is my look back at 2009…

We rang in the 2009 New Year at a friends house. The night before I found myself extremely sick and throwing up, but gathered myself together to show up at the party. I knew it was important to The Captain to be out with his friends, and since I was feeling better I was happy that I got to ring in the New Year with my new husband and friends.

I started this blog on February 26th of last year with a post about planning a dinner party. I think the blog has come a long way since then, and I am so happy that I stuck with it.  

I LOVE being married. I honestly think it really suits me..so the beginning of the year was just perfect. Life moved forward, and I was so excited for what was to come in 2009. I knew that The Captain and I discussed trying to conceive at around our 1 year anniversary, and since I was truly ready for that, I was excited. It is my life’s goal to be a mother, so I could not WAIT for the time when we were both ready to start that journey.

I found out I was pregnant on June 5, 2009. It was the day before my friend’s bachelorette party, and at the off chance I was pregnant I wanted to test so that I didn’t get bombed and risk a miscarriage. I never imagined that I would see the words YES on the test…honestly I didn’t. I was told how hard it was to get pregnant and I expected at least 3 months of trying. But that day The Captain left for work, and I tested. I tested with out him so that he didn’t think I was crazy…but I looked and saw the words YES on the test. I sat and stared. I was shocked! Before this day I had so many ideas of how I would break the news to my husband that we were expecting, but at THAT moment all I could do was think “oh my god it worked!”. Those first few weeks were amazing. The Captain and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary in Newport Rhode Island. We enjoyed this time sharing “our little secret”. We were just so happy. The happiness continued when we told both of our families together. The future seemed so bright at that time. We shared in our joy with many at around what I thought was the 6 week mark…would I change it if I could? Probably not..I loved all the well wishes and happiness.

July…around half way through 2009 brought the sadness…the dark days of 2009. This is when I started to share things with you my readers. I regret the fact that you didn’t get to share in my happiness. I regret that you only got to hear about the sad. But sad I was. As much as my first year of marriage was so amazing…the beginning of my 2nd year was just so sad.

I am convinced that 2010 is the year that my dreams will come true. My dream of being a wife has been more fulfilled than I could ever imagine…and next I need my dream of becoming a mother to come true…hopefully sooner than later. So 2009 has had it’s share of ups and downs, and highs and lows. It’s sad that all the highs are overshadowed by the lows…but I guess it’s the nature of the beast. As 2009 comes to a close, I can only reflect and remember all that it was, and all that it wasn’t…and know that 2010 only brings nothing but hope and good thoughts of all that is to come.