Cat's Litterbox: Day 275

Sunday, October 02, 2011

Day 275

October 2nd, 2010

October 2nd, 2011

Yep... it's my birthday today!! So do I feel any older? Not really. As I was telling my dad this morning, I don't feel 35. In my head, I'm about 10-15 years younger, which doesn't make a lot of sense, because 10-15 years ago I was in such a different place in my life.

While talking to my dad this morning (he was the first to verbally wish me a Happy Birthday), we talked about how much has changed in just ten years. It's really incredible when I was thinking about it. Here's a glance of what the years have held for me:

October 2nd, 2000

I was engaged to Voldemort (my ex-husband) and had been student teaching for a month. I was excited to graduate from college and my plan was to substitute teach from January through June, get married June 2nd, and then hopefully have a job for the 2000-2001 school-year. (I ended up graduating December 17th and started teaching 3rd grade on December 18th!)
I was living in Ypsilanti in a single-wide trailer with my ex
My pets were two cats, Bob and Haid, and a dog named Copper (Cu)
I had just turned 24

October 2nd, 2002

I vividly remember this birthday... some things just sear a memory into your brain I suppose. I returned to my apartment from school and found a stuffed giraffe and a card on my door. When I went inside and opened it, it was from Voldemort. It ripped me apart because the card said he missed me and that October 2nd was always a day that he'd think about me (we started dating on October 2nd, 1991).
My ex came over for dinner (brought me my favorite Chinese) and I had hoped we'd work it all out... instead he told me about his Halloween plans with the girl that he was screwing while we were married (he ended up marrying her). I got pissed and he left out of anger. It was the last time I ever saw him.
I had been living on my own for the first time EVER in my life for a month and a half.
I was not yet divorced, but he had filed and it was a month away from being final. I was miserable and had wedding pictures and pictures of us all over my apartment-- I had hoped being separated would help bring us back together-- it did just the opposite.
My pets: Bob and Haid (Cu didn't come with me when I moved)
I had just turned 26
I was teaching 3rd grade at Redner Elementary and was in grad school for my MAEd in Curriculum and Instruction.

October 2nd, 2004

I was living in Canton, MI with Steve!
Steve and I had just moved in together in May and we were enjoying living together
I was back in grad school for my Master's +30. I decided to major in Administration and Supervision. I was almost done with my program!
My pets: Bob, Mindy Jo, Tommy, Eddie, and Hurmin
I had just turned 28
Steve's mom had declared war on me two months prior, and as a result, he wasn't talking to her.
My mom had found out that she had skin cancer and they had just removed it. They said they found it all (and to this day I assume that's still the case-- unless there's something she's not telling me)
I was teaching 5th grade at Childs Elementary and it was the worst beginning of the year that I'd had. Parents were up in arms about me being their child's teacher, and one mom had a meeting with me and her husband with the principal because she felt I was immoral for having a picture of my house on my website. She felt I was damned to hell because I was divorced and living in sin with my boyfriend. It was beyond stressful.
Both of my grandmas were still alive. My Grandma Burney passed away November 1st, 2004... less than a month from my birthday, and my Grandma Ghrist passed three months after that (February 21st, 2005)

October 2nd, 2006

Living in Canton, MI with Steve
Our pets: Bob, Tommy, Mindy, Eddie, Hurmin, and Ned (he was a year old)
We were newlyweds, married July 8th and loving being married!
Steve's mom had passed away in January of 2006
I celebrated my 30th birthday by going to dinner at J. Alexander's in Livonia with my mom and dad, Fr. Terry and his two sisters, Scott, and Aimee Kuhn. It was a good birthday!
I was teaching 5th grade at Childs Elementary and had a student teacher named Diane Sabol- She was awesome!
I had two MAEd degrees and was being paid at the top of the pay scale.

October 2nd, 2007

I got to experience a birthday party thrown by my fourth graders.
We were living in Holly Springs, NC and we knew no one. I had made friends with Lisa and Katie at work and the three of us were the best of buds.
I had come to the conclusion that my principal at the time, HATED ME. She went off on me for how I was teaching reading, and she just scared the crap out of me. (Thankfully, she ended up leaving before the year was over and I had a great relationship with the new principal.)
We had had one pregnancy "moment" and thought were were pregnant... but weren't. We were excited to be in a place where we were both ready for kids. It was fun to be able to tell friends and family that we were "trying."
I had just turned 31

October 2nd, 2008

Still living in Holly Springs, NC
Teaching 4th grade and had a HUGE birthday party with a frog cupcake cake thrown by my students and their parents. They gave me presents too!
I had just turned 32
I was getting ready for track out and our trip to MI and then our trip in November to DC to meet Scott and his new girlfriend Christie and her son Alex :)
We were still trying to get pregnant. We had had several moments of thinking we were pregnant, taking pregnancy tests and finding out that they were negative. The hopes of becoming pregnant led me to the doctor where I had internal ultrasounds and all kinds of blood work-- only to show that nothing's wrong and to keep trying.
Pets: Mindy, Eddie, Tommy, Toebe, Hurmin, and Ned

October 2nd, 2009

Living in Holly Springs, NC
Teaching 4th grade at Oak Grove and had just found out that I was named Teacher of the Year for my school!
I had also found out that I was selected as one of 15 in the country to be a Scholastic Teacher Advisor! I won an all-expenses paid trip to NYC for a weekend to discuss teaching and got to stay in the SOHO Grand Hotel! Scholastic had just come to my school to take pictures, meet my fellow teachers, and they provided a nice lunch for everyone!
I was grade-chair for 4th grade and sat on the Leadership Team at work. I also was running the Ecology Club, OGTv (school news) and was the Writing chair for the School Improvement Team. I felt like a valued and respected member of the school.
We were about to track out and head to MI where we were going to meet Lily (my twin brother's new baby- born August 20th) and be there for her baptism (we're her God Parents).
I was ready to start looking into adoption, but at the time Steve was not ready.
Pets: Tommy, Mindy, Eddie, Hurmin (she was about to go to MI to live with my parents) and Ned
I had just turned 33 and spent my last birthday teaching in North Carolina.

October 2nd, 2010

I was a mom!! YAY!! It was my first birthday as a mother and Gus was the greatest gift I received.
I was just getting used to being a SAHM and was starting to spend more time with my neighbor Wendy and her two girls.
My SIL Christie was pregnant with my niece Charlie (born May 13, 2011)
Steve was working at Burt's Bees still
Our pets included Eddie and Toebe, and then our dogs Elphie and Ned

October 2nd, 2011

This morning I got up and talked to my dad on the phone and then headed downstairs for breakfast. Steve and Gus gave me my birthday cards and my gifts. A new camera lens!! I also got a filter and a lens hood! I was super excited and had to try it out!! Here are some pictures using my new lens!

We had a lazy day of watching football. I did go and get my nails done and the guy that did them today was AWESOME! They look incredible! I ran over to Harris Teeter for some things for the week... and got a rotisserie chicken for crack casserole. Steve mowed the yard while I was gone.

I talked to everyone in my family and had a wonderful day. Steve made dinner and scooped ice cream for dessert and it was a great day. Here are some fun pictures of bedtime:

Yep. Batman is living with us.

I feel like my 35th year is going to be the best one yet. We're about to embark on a move, I've got all that I've ever wanted... a husband that loves me unconditionally and sees me for who I really am, and I'm a mom to the most amazing little person. My days are stress-free and I get the luxury of staying home to raise Gus. I am blessed beyond measure and I'm so thankful to be alive.