Top Nine of '09

I am nerdy nostalgic. Big time. I might be the biggest Glory Dayser you know. I can't help myself. Since I can remember, at the end of every year, I journal about the past 12 months. It's always so fun (and a tad embarassing) to reread old journals from years ago that hold the thoughts about things I did, felt, hoped.

As with all years 2009 brought its sad moments, but as a whole, I rate the last 365 days as some of my best. Tomorrow I'll be sharing my resoultions for the New Year (here's a hint: Thin in 2010) but on this final day of 2009...here, in no particular order (save Number 1!) are my Top 9 things about this year!  

1. Being Married

It feels so good to be married to Mr. W. I won't get sappy with all the reasosn why, but it does. I would not trade the comfort, the companionship, the security for all the pomp and cirusmstance that came with the engagement and the wedding...or the vanities of freedom I got from years (many very fabulous) of being single. Being married is definetly WAY better than getting married! 

2. Getting Married
But who am I kidding? For a girl who loves to plan a party of any size, planning a wedding was the center of my world in 2009 - and I loved it. I knew I'd enjoy fretting about all the details (and thanks to Number 4, I had plenty of time to indulge myself!) What I didn't expect is to feel SO loved. There were showers and parties and gifts galore, people traveling for miles to be part of our celebrations. There are a handful of moments that are frozen in my memory. It was the greatest day.


3. Getting a job...and amusing new co-workers!
I complain often about my commute, but the truth is, I get to do and see a lot of unique things in my job. And when things get dull, I have the most entertaining colleagues with whom I pass my days!

4. Being Funemployed 
It was scary, after a while, wondering if I'd EVER go back to work, but the free time...I won't lie....it was pretty fabulous. I made the most yummy dinners every night for Mr. Dubs, took countless walks with Chloe and watched (at least once) every episode of One Tree Hill. Ahh...Living the dream.


5. Being with Carrie just hours after her baby Carragan was born
There were tons of babies born to friends in 2009, and each were certainly exciting. I must admit, though, that I am especially partial to Miss Carragan, whose heartbeat I heard for the first time alongside her mom when she was still in the womb, and whom I held when she was just hours old.

Funny story: I am not a Baby Person. As you likely gather from my shameless blogging about Chloe, I am a Dog Person. Dogs love me. Babies cry when I hold them (see above).  Despite genuine excitement for people who have a new baby, I rarley know what to talk about in the context of infant/motherhood, so I have some canned questions I always ask new parents, one of which is, "Is she one a good schedule yet?". I don't think I've ever seen a infant on its first day of life, so...when after hanging out in the hospital a bit with Carrie the day she delivered Carragan, I dropped my obligatory question: Is she sticking to an easy schedule? Carrie answered bluntly: "She's seven hours old. Not yet."   We both laughed hysterically. I will never forget that, and I will probably never ask my Schedule Question again. Ever.

6. Traveling to Spain and Morocco w/ Mr. W.
Everything in Marbella, Spain, smelled better, tasted better and was more lush than any place I've ever seen. I will eventually forget the auromas and the meals, and I'm bound to see other breathtaking sights. What I'll remember most about Marbella happened unexpedtedly- as all good things do - one night at dinner.  Days before during the After Party of our wedding Mr. W and I had danced in a circle with our family and friends to the song Piano Man. Everyone sang word-for-word right along with Billy Joel. It was one of the sweetest moments of the night seeing everyonen we loved most in the world all there, swaying together. Like the sapster that I am, I started crying happy tears.

Mr. W and I had talked about it all week. As we dined at this amazing garden restaurant, the piano player starting playing and singing Piano Man.....the chorus was in English, but the rest was in Espanol. So we got up and danced....all by oursevles on the terrace of this restaurant with people starring (and likely laughing - we're not too light on our feet). It's my favorite moment of the trip!

Rocking the Kasbash in Morroco

7. The Huck Finn-ish Road Trip with Jenni to Virginia's Wedding Weekend
Late this summer I travled through Tennessee and Missouri with one my funniest friends. We met up with the rest of our DC crew to celebrate our friend Virginia's wedding (with 600+ guests - think Shelby's wedding from Steel Magnolias, it was incredible!). I love where I live and can make a long list about its fabulous perks...but my heart just opens up to small Southern towns and small-town Southern people. That weekend underscored how much I sometimes miss both.

8. My Friends

I could do a Top 9 on this alone! There was the call telling me of Cassie's pregnancy, the text declaring Stella's long awaited birth, Ben's tourney, being Mary's nurse, dining E Street Style, countless g-chats, the annual Kenny Chesney concert and tailgate, singing Air Supply with Sarah, Elizabeth and Jenny for the first time in 10 years, standing by Virginia and Anne as they said I Do, the tabs that were picked up for me when I was unemployed; the tabs I was allowed to pick up once I got a job, working on our wedding video with Annie Laurie, countless meals, conversations, bottles of wine...I could go on and on! If I make just half the memories in 2010 with all my fabulous friends, I'll still have a terrific year.

9. Having another year to make memories with my parents

Mr. W lost his mother when he was just 20. He misses her so much, so often. I am lucky to know few people my age who have lost their parents, but seeing it so closely with him has made me so really aware of how lucky I am to have both (or I should say all four) of my parents still. With every year, every birthday, every milestone...I count my blessings.