If you've been reading my posts, you can tell I am pretty cynical about 2011. True, it wasn't our favorite year. But, I have this overwhelming desire to "fix" everything. While I can't fix 2011, I can choose to dwell on all of the positive events and blessings from the year:
1. I began working on my PhD. This was a big step for me. You've read it all before - I loved my previous job, but knew I had this desire to go back to school. I took that leap. It was a pretty hard landing. However, I've met many people along the way who have helped me up, and made sure I was on the right path. I've enjoyed these new friendships.
2. I taught my last semester at the community college. Previously, I always taught one night a week in three hour stretches and that was fine with me. It was all I ever knew. Not working gave me the flexibility to instead pick up a day class twice a week in 1.5 hour stretches. What a difference! Not only did I get to know my students better, but I felt like I did a much better job teaching. It gave me just enough assurance to know that teaching 85 students at the university this spring would be a piece of cake.
3. I received a graduate assistantship beginning Fall 2011. This welcome news came in the Spring. My GA award not only pays for tuition, but also provides a monthly stipend in exchange for 20 hours of research/teaching each week. Not a bad deal at all.
4. JD and I began the INSANE process of gutting our kitchen and bathrooms in our house. We thought we'd do this in 2007 when we moved in, but it kept being delayed. It was expensive, we never could agree on what to renovate. Then I met someone through Leadership Germantown who was a general contractor, and we became fast friends. Finding someone you trust is key when embarking on a huge project like that. It took six weeks or so to complete, three of which we lived off and on with my mother, with the rest spent on vacation. I will do a renovation posting later once JD sends me the "before" postings. Here is a teaser photo of a demolition of one of the bathrooms:
5. We spent two beautiful weeks in the Outer Banks. When I was in high school, my best friend invited me to vacation there with her family. I was enamored with the clean beaches, family friendly atmosphere and lack of chintzy commercial establishments. JD and I drove (with Buddy) the 16 hours there and totally relaxed for two weeks. The first day of driving on Buddy's longest car ride of his life:
We spent the first night in Raleigh before driving the remaining 6 hours to our beach house, complete with screened porch. We spent every night on that porch playing Mexican train dominoes and drinking wine, listening to the ocean waves:
My family came up for a few days, and we all enjoyed spending a few days on the beach together. Emma (my niece) enjoyed hanging out with her favorite aunt, and assisting with the cooking:
I'm fairly certain Megan will make me take that picture down, but she's so stinking cute. JD and I also enjoyed a day trip to Ocracoke Island, and all the lighthouses along the East coast. One of the many lighthouses:
A visit to Teach's hole, one the many pirate legends from the island.
6. I started mentoring at Girls Inc. of Memphis. The program matches you with a girl who is typically underprivileged that would benefit from a role model in her life that encourages her to strive for a better lifestyle. It doesn't mean that these girls don't have role models at home, but showing them how you graduated and moved on to better things by your own accord motivates them. The girl I mentor is an incredibly talented and creative young woman. While I know better than to bring my own issues to our mentoring sessions, I wonder sometimes who benefits more from our Wednesday meetings. Listening to her problems and offering advice when asked really has put everything in perspective for me. It is an ever constant reminder to be thankful for the people I have in my life.
7. I joined the Junior League of Memphis. I have always volunteered through various organizations, but I felt like these efforts were disjointed. There was no umbrella guiding my activities, I just did them on a whim. The women I have met through this group are strong leaders with a desire to make a difference in their communities. I count myself lucky to have so many new friends in this capacity.
8. I threw a surprise party for my husband. This was a big deal - I'm not a birthday person. Just give me a slice of cake and a stack of presents, I'm good to go. I don't need a lot of fanfare. But, considering what a wonderful husband JD had been to me this year, and what an incredible source of support he has been, this seemed fitting for his 30th birthday. You can read more about it
here.
9. JD and I attended his first SEC football game. The icing on the cake? It was an LSU game. Considering their winning season, the game against Ole Miss was more like a slaughter on the Rebels, but he enjoyed the game. Good friends of ours invited us to tailgate with them, so he also had his first tailgate experience. When my schedule is more flexible, we will have to go down to Baton Rouge to have the true experience.
10. We spent Thanksgiving with the Graffams. JD's parents typically work on holidays, so we usually do holidays with my family or on our own. However, we made a point to spend this holiday with his family, and we had a good time. David (JD's dad) and I have a mutual dislike of traditional Thanksgiving food (stuffing, cranberry sauce, etc.), so we had a good time making up our own non-traditional menu. Sarah (JD's sister) and Mary (his mother) helped out with the cooking. It was totally relaxing.
11. Christmas 2011 - it was crazy, busy, fun and exhausting all at the same time. JD wants everyone to know that he kicked Christmas's butt this year. What does he mean by that? He single-handedly decorated our entire house - from the lights he strung on the roof, to the ornament centerpieces and garland and ribbons tied on light fixtures throughout the house - he did it all. I was too busy with school to get everything done, and he took control. After Christmas, I was so sick that I couldn't help him break it all down. He boxed everything up, including my Christmas china and 5,000 Christmas serving platters. I don't know why I have so many. I need an intervention. The holidays were filled with some 15 parties, six house guests and days of celebration. Our families had such a wonderful time!
So this was my Top 11 of '11. Yes, I stole that idea from my friend
Jennifer's blog. So what is your Top 11? Seeing this list makes me look back on 2011 as the year we overcame personal struggles. I now realize as long as we have wonderful partners and families in our lives, there is nothing we can't overcome, no goal we can't reach. Bring it 2012!
