My Year In Review

This year has been one I never ever in my life expected. I never thought I would get married. Not because of any problem with ME, but how can one possibly like someone well enough that you want to be around them every day for a long time? I usually got bored in about 6 weeks (or stuck it out WAY longer than I should have). Yet...

Last year at this time I was engaged. So much for boredom or

disbelief in marriage, eh? But seriously, Aaron is just so friggin' good looking. And smart. And funny. I'll spare you the gushy crap.

Here's a quick review of the year...

January - no idea what happened...

February - Aaron turned 40! We had and a great time in Jackpot. For Valentine's Day Aaron and I made braised pork shoulder with chimichuri sauce. Made us both sick again. Like it did last year. But it's so GOOD! Maybe we've learned, or maybe this is part of our tradition.

March - I met Ericka for the first time when she came for spring break. And she got to meet her brother, Justin, for the first time. AMAZING.

April - I turned 36. I think I told someone yesterday I'm 35. Hmmm...

May - Bridal shower! My 2 best friends, Chelsea and Jen came up to celebrate. Grandma gave me slutty unders. Good times.

June - Big one, I'd say. Wedding, elephant ride, becoming a step-mom. Seriously...I won't take up a ton of room. Too much to say. I can show you the photos. Come by for coffee and I'll gloat about it all. I hyphenated my name. Stupid decision. Dropping "Thomas" next summer.

July - Honeymoon! Glacier National Park, Spokane historic hotel, Olympic peninsula. Managed to see a former student in the rainforest in WA on the last day, shocking Aaron and reiterating for him that no matter where we go, there will be someone I know.

August - Back to school.

September - no idea.

October - Quick trip to Washington D.C. for Jen's baby shower. Then late that month, Kate Sampson came into the world! YAY! Had an incredible time with incredible women and

my best friend. Susan and I rocked it with our Dr. Seuss and Cat in the Hat costumes. Friends over for Halloween meant 3 of us dressed as yard gnomes - which terrify Aaron.

November - Aaron and I went to Michigan and I got to meet my in-laws and new family. A blast was had by all! I WILL learn to make cannoles!!

December - My first Christmas tree, and my best Christmas ever.

It will be an adventure to see what next year brings. Happy new year, all!

A First...

The way I figure it, I do things I find interesting, and have a terrible memory for anything valuable. I can remember pointless stuff, but perhaps not the things that would be all amazing and create moments of wonder and cohesion and effervescent bubbles and stars popping over my head when I have an epiphany. I have remembered, for decades now, how to tell the difference between the two types of camels and what they are called. This information has come in handy on occasion, but that occasion usually involves me explaining that I remember inane trivia. So maybe this will help? Maybe I'll manage to document epiphanous whatnots? Or maybe someone will find out about camels and think it's cool.

If anything, the last year has taught me that I have no idea what is going to happen in my life, so I'd like to have a chance to look back, smile, learn, or be aghast.

So i'm going to give this a shot. I hope to find myself fascinating, scintillating, occasionally funny, or...um...that's about it, really. We'll see what happens.

The title? I have spent most of my life completely lacking confidence. Only since I have gotten in my 30s have I started to get over that. I still have lapses, (often) and so have decided that nobody else will be my fan i I aint my own. So I'm becoming my own paparazzi. I had to look up how to spell that. Two zees...fyi...