why not write 2 posts in one day...there are no rules here in blogland

I just recently discovered that a good friend of mine from college, Katie, has a blog (sorry I didn't know this sooner, Katie). I have spent some time today just browsing her old posts and catching up on her life now. It really is interesting to hear stories from friends about where they are now, what their thoughts are about certain things now, and just to see how they have grown/changed/even returned to old ways. Thanks for all your insight Katie...I miss you dearly.

Now, I didn't receive her permission, but since I have lived a lot of life beside her and cried in her arms, I know that I don't need to ask to steal this idea from her (if you are offended...my bad). I really liked reading one of her posts where she just documented her past years. I thought it would be interesting to do the same here, on my blog. So here we go:

twenty years ago:
I was merely two years old and was able to roam about my house all day under the supervision of my wonderful mother, who I know that I exasperated much during this time in my life.

ten years ago:

I was twelve and was living the life of my students' right now. I decided to grow out my bangs, get serious about basketball, and flirt with boys. Mom and dad kept a close watch on who my friends were (thank ya), and I believe (I may have been thirteen) this was the age at which I first held hands with a boy at Lacy's superbowl party (yes, the boy was Jesse who I would also attend many a junior high dance with). I would also meet Brent this summer, and decide Jesse was no longer cool enough for me :)

five years ago:

I was 17 years old and beginning my senior year of high school. My bangs now fit snuggly in my ponytail and the basketball that I had begun to love in junior high was now almost a dot in my past as my last season was starting. My softball team at won conference for a third year in a row (and lost districts by one run for a fourth year in a row...to a Greenwood...ugh). I was prayer journaling incessently about a boy I had met a few years ealier, and asked God to give me this guy as a husband, "or at least give me someone just like him when I go to college." However, at this point in my senior year I was sure that he had no interest in me past friendship, and I was determined to "stay cool" around Brent.

three years ago:

I was nineteen years old, beginning my sophomore year of college. I had survived that challenging freshman year through tears, having a sister just downstairs in my dorm, and finding a consistent friend in the short haired, funny talking girl from Wisconsin down the hall. This is the year I would "survive" a near death experience with Mono :), interview and be accepted for an RA position in my same dorm for the next year, and continue to invest time into Brent, who I was still prayer journalling about like crazy.

one year ago:

I was twenty-one years old, beginning my senior year of college as an RA in the apartments on campus, and had a ring on my finger from that boy I had met about 9 years before. I was student teaching, planning a wedding, and soaking in everything that was Orange City and Northwestern as I saw this part of my life slowly slipping away. That crazy, shorthaired girl from Wisconsin was now my roommate, along with two all-stars on our college's basketball team who would win Nationals this year and receive all-american recognition. I spent a ton of time with my friend Becker, who I had been placed on the same floor with as an RA the previous year and we realized we were insperably bound by those expereiences together. I continued to do loads of laundry at Aunt Linda and Uncle Al's, and shower only when I decided I had enough energy to do so.

six months ago:

I married my best friend in my grandparent's garden shortly after graduating from college and going to Wisconsin to stand up with my bosom buddy, Renae. In the setting sun we vowed our lives to each other and then whisked away to Colorado for the week. We returned, packed everything we owned, and moved to Louisville. Brent started his job at the church and I unpacked, and unpacked, and unpacked. And never felt so lonely as I did during this time during the days.

3 months ago:

I started my job at school teaching 8th graders Language Arts. We began making some really great friends, and I began missing home and NWC and Orange City and past friends.

five days ago:

I was beginning school after a week's hiatus and teaching 8th graders how to write Haiku poetry.

four days ago:

I did my first sub plans every as I was going to be gone for a conference and realized it is much easier to just be at school then to make sub plans...sheesh!

three days ago:

I went to Lexington for a workshop on On Demand Writing, and spent the previous night away from Brent...only the second time in our marriage. I also settled a weekend with Renae for her and her husband to come visit. Awesome.

two days ago:

I returned to school to find a list of students who had misbehaved while I was away, a fresh stack of paper's to grade, and a classroom full of students who said they missed me. Wonderful. I also played basketball (from which I am still sore), and watched The Office and ate homemade Lasagna at our wonderful friend, Julie's, house with our office-watching buddies.

yesterday:

I dressed as a Starbuck's Barista (see post below) and endured my first Halloween at school...on a Friday..yikes! Then spent the evening hanging out with friends (see post below).

today:

I slept in, finished a book (What is the What by Dave Eggars), caught up on blogs, am doing laundry, and dishes, and then lit my Macintosh Yankee Candle (which I am becoming much more frugal about lighting as it is dwindling quickly), put on a pot of coffee and then sat down to write this blog. Brent will be getting off work in about 5 minutes, and then we are determined to hang up curtains (I knew I would be hanging up curtains with him someday...:)