A Decade

I realize it's a bit late for a New Year's reflection post (aren't those supposed to be what we're toiling away doing on New Year's Eve?), but as I was reading other peoples' "reflecting on the past decade" posts, I realized just how much of an adult I've become. (Laugh all you want to, those who know me, but keep your snide remarks to yourself. tee-hee!) What I mean by that is this: (Andi, I can hear you clear as day in my head mocking that sentence saying, "I need a noun somewhere in there, Leslie." ha!) In my head, it seems that when I say, "Ten years ago, I was..." it should include the words, "Elementary School" or "playground". Heck, at the VERY LEAST, it should involve high school, but alas, it involves NONE of those things anymore. Ten years ago, I was living on my own (with much blessed help from mumsie and popsie, of course), more than halfway done with college, being a refuge for all my poor friends with horrid roommate situations. (I got TWO roommies by offering a safe-haven from ridicuous roomies.)

I realize to some of you, this is probably laughable as you say, "Ten years ago my kids were older than you are now!" and I'm sure that's very accurate and one day I'll say the same thing, but for ME, this is a major milestone. I have just finished what is probably the most eventful decade of my life. I'm sure all decades in one's life (before this one and after this one) are filled with many things, but I'd say the decade I've just completed must have the largest number of MAJOR events one can live through.

In the past ten years I graduated college, got my first job, moved to two different states (and back again), got my first paycheck, paid my first rent check (and many subsequent ones), got MARRIED, had my first (and PLEASE tell me NOT my last) career change, lost my sweet Anna, bought my first condo AND house (at separate times, of course), turned 30, and had my first child. That's ALOT (or "a parcel of land" for my father's sake) of important moments in a life for one ten year span, and that doesn't include all the tiny mundane things that seem so momentous at the time.

And I must say, even with all the disappointments and heartaches, it has been an AMAZING decade. God has brought so many wonderful things into my life. I have learned so much about myself, this world, and God. I have changed so much about myself, how I view this world, and how I connect with God. My life is NOTHING like what I imagined 10 years ago, and yet I can honestly say (cheesy though it may sound) that it is beyond my wildest dreams. God has blessed me over and over and over and continues to do so.

I hope that all of you can look at the last decade and see how FANTASTIC it has been (despite any suffering that is there) and I also wish you all a new decade beyond YOUR wildest dreams.

L&S,
Leslie