2008 - The Year of the Wedding

Can you believe it is 2008 already? I think back to 10 years ago, when I was 6 months away from being finished with high school f-o-r-e-v-e-r and I remember how far away I thought this year was. The last 10 years have blown by, and I have experienced things I never even dreamed of as an 18 year old eager to get out of my parents house, out of high school, and on with my life.

Perhaps because I am getting married this year (me - married - who knew!), but I am really reflecting on the last 10 years this year, and I am also trying to imagine what the next 10 years will bring. Here is a small list of the things I have done in the last ten years, in a sort of order, because I LOVE LISTS:

• Graduated high school with honors
• Learnt that my dad isn't my biological father
  
• Moved out of my parents house, never to return! We hardly spoke for the next few years.
  
• Bought my first condo in Port Moody, BC
  
• Graduated from university with a Bachelor's degree
• Discovered my biological father committed suicide, and subsequently got in touch with his family, including my sisters, nieces, nephew, aunt and uncle, and cousins
  
• Bought my first house in Edmonton, Alberta
• Moved inter-provincially and lived in Edmonton for 2 years
• Travelled all over Canada on a quarterly basis for work, including going to Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, the diamond mines 350km north of Yellowknife, to Thunder Bay, Ontario, and all over BC and Alberta
  
• Ended an unhappy 5 year relationship and promised myself I would never live that way again, I probably learnt the most about myself and what I want and don't want during this breakup
• Built an amazing career with good experience and solid education
  
• Bought my first apartment completely on my own, and without even seeing it
  
• Moved interprovincially again, to beautiful Penticton, BC completely cold turkey, without knowing a soul
• Took a job that is 8 - 4 and allows me to concentrate more on my life outside of work
  
• Joined a baseball team and fulfilled a lifelong 'dream' of playing slo-pitch socially
• Got set up on a blind date, went, and am now marrying this same man
• Made some of the best friends I have ever had here in Penticton by making an effort to be more social, and valuing those friendships
  
• Learnt that having kids is worth it by having the most beautiful and amazing stepdaughter in the world

When I read back over that, and contemplate some of the things that I am not going to post here, I have had a pretty successful 10 years since high school. They were not at all like I imagined my life "before 30" was going to be, but for the most part, I also wouldn't change a thing. All of these experiences, they have made me who and what I am today, for better or worse!

The next ten years will be interesting ones. Now that I have a solid career in my field, the big changes are going to be on the personal front. Getting married this year will definitely be one of the highlights of my life, and I am terrified, but so excited at the same time. Eventually I imagine we will have children of our own - even though right now this still scares me. My biggest goal for 2008 is probably to spend more time with my family, visiting my parents and my brother more regularly. Other than that, just continuing to live my life and try to make the best of it.

Happy New Year everyone.