A decade in review...

Happy New Year's Eve! Today is the very last day of 2009 and of the 00's. This decade has been about 1/3 of my entire life thus far and it has also been the most transforming for me. Yes, during my first decade of life I was born, learned to eat, crawl,walk, toilet train, read, write, etc. However, these past 10 years have probably had the most impact on me and my future.

The decade started out with a bang for sure. Amidst all the Y2K frenzy, I graduated from college in the Spring of 2000 and moved out of my childhood home for the first time in August 2000, when I joined the US Capitol Police. All of a sudden I found myself in rural Georgia at the academy very far from my home, my family, and my friends. I learned things about myself both professionally and personally that I carry with me today. This was the first decade in which I really grew up. I bought my first car, my first home, and had my very first set of bills! Hello real world!

Just one year later, life as we all know it and certainly my job as a police officer were to be changed forever on September 11, 2001. I began to look at the world and my job differently. Professionally speaking, the next few years were a whirlwind of opportunities and advancement. I traveled the country protecting members of Congress, became a criminal investigator, and received training opportunties I had only dreamed about. Personally, I spent my hard earned overtime traveling the Caribbean and purchased my first condo.

About halfway through the decaded, I fell in love with my now husband--fittingly in Boston during the Democratic National Conventions. So much good has come from my life and time in Boston! In 2006 we got married and purchased our first real house together and where we live today.

Sadly, this decade did bring us some deep sadness when Andy's mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died almost a year and half later. But we know she is watching over us from above and is likely laughing and smiling as she always did in her eartlhy life!

Fastforward almost three years, and we have two beautiful children together and two beautiful nieces and one adorable nephew. All of the Hamilton cousins were born this decade. This decade has brought us many blessings and I hope the next 10 years will continue to find us all in excellent health and spirit.

One last, but very important note for this decade in review concerning family and friends. I truly came to cherish, respect, love, and appreciate my family over the past 10 years. Moving away and growing up will do that to you. I've also come to appreciate and love all the friends I've had and lost over the past 10 years. Some were around as the saying goes "for a season" and some "for a reason". Others are my forever friends--both old and new. But one thing is for sure--I have loved you and cherished you all--whether you were my friend for a season, a reason, old, new, and forever. You've all added something to my life and I know that we have many more life adventures to explore in this new decade. So, Happy New Year and decade. May we all be blessed!

Happy Christmas!

I love Christmas! Who doesn't?? But I was especially excited for this Christmas. First, this was the first Christmas in two years that we have actually been at our own house for Christmas! Ever since Luke was born, we've spent the holiday in Boston with my family--who I very much missed this year. However, it was nice not to have to travel and to decorate knowing we'd see gifts under our very own tree!. Additionally, this is the first year that Luke had an idea as to what Christmas is all about--from presents to Santa to the birth of Jesus--the real reason for the season. At first he didn't believe that there actually was a Santa Claus, but by Christmas Eve, he was very excited about Santa coming down our "hot"--which is what he calls our fireplace. On Christmas morning he even told me that he heard Santa come down "the hot"!!

It was also the first Christmas we celebrated with TWO children. How blessed we are!! Jacob really completes our family and we had double the fun that morning. Even my little 9 month old got excited about the toys and the wrapping paper. It was so much fun to watch them both. Jacob loved eating everything that wasn't actual food and Luke's face when he saw his most favorite gift (a kitchen) was priceless and just what I dreamed it would be.

Since Jake just went with the flow and Luke was totally into his kitchen, the rest of us (me, Andy, and Grandpa Gene) got to eat breakfast and get some much needed coffee. Four hours later, we finally got through opening all the gifts. I was so anxious to see Luke's face open each gift, but had to remind myself to appreciate this slow and relaxed approach, as I'm sure it won't be long until both boys are tearing through gifts in a frenzy!

I remember anticipating Christmas as a child so much that I would get nervous butterflies in my stomach and had a hard time staying asleep! As I got older, although I loved the gifts every bit as much, I was "too cool" to race to the tree and see what "Santa" brought us. Finally, this year once again, I had that butterflies in my tummy feeling and was waking up every hour anxiously waiting for my children to wake up. And wouldn't you know that both kids slept a little bit late that day? Ah, the ironies of life!

The rest of Christmas day was spent lounging in our pajamas, eating cookies and candy, and playing with the toys scattered everywhere. I really couldn't think of a better way to spend Christmas...unless of course the rest of my family was with us. But, there's always next year...;-)