Thursday, January 12, 2012
Today is the Last Day of 28
My twenties are zooming around the bend and coming to a close. Today's the last day I can say, "I'm 28" and not be lying. I have one more year before I park the next decade in my 30s, and see what life has to offer me then. I feel like I've learned so much in the (almost) 29 years I've been walking around in this skin, with these feet. So much I still have to learn, see, experience and discover. You know how they teach you in middle school science, that the human body completely regenerates its cells in 7 years time? That because of all the constant shedding of old cells, and growth of new ones, after 7 years your body does not have a single cell left over from 7 years prior? I feel like on another level, there is a spiritual connection there. The lifetimes I've had in my 29 years, 7 year old me, 14 year old me, 21 year old me, 28 year old me... all different lifetimes. So much changing, evolving, growth, I feel so lucky to be here. Which makes me think about the friends, classmates, acquaintances, rockstars, artists, icons, who weren't this lucky- to live those 4 lifetimes that I have under my belt. And on this last day, before I enter the last year of my twenties, I am thinking about my dad, and my mom who carried me for 9 months, breathed for me, ate for me, held me like only a mom can. I love you. Thanks for this amazing life, I am so happy to be here and see what's next.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
End of 2011 Recap
2012 is nipping at our heels and we will finally get to welcome her into our lives in 15 hours. This last year has been incredible, wonderful, emotional, stressful and most of all totally awesome. A lot of changes brought Jason and I personal growth, prosperity, and more paws to track mud through the house. A lot of changes tested our strength as young home owners, young professionals, and as a couple living their lives far removed from the support network of family. But all these struggles have only helped us grow stronger, and for the most part 2011 has brought us nothing but good fortune, and we'll thankful for our health, our home, and our animal family out here in Texas.
Jason and I bought our first home end of 2010 and spent a lot of this year working hard, saving, and spending as much extra time that we could find on replacing appliances, painting, tearing out carpets, and repairing electrical to make this home ours. There is still a lot of work to be done, but it keeps getting closer and closer to feeling like our home that we always dreamed of. We recently got a scare with our foundation situation, but yesterday an inspector came out and gave us the great news that though it has shifted after the drought, its not in need of any repair at this time! (The 20 thousand dollar sentence!) So here's to the projects that we will continue to do to make this house more beautiful, more Fosse-Meeler, and more welcoming for our guests. Over the long weekend Jason is putting in bamboo floors in our bedroom, and I'll be painting the downstairs trim, kitchen cabinets, and putting in new hardware all in the kitchen.
At the start of the new year, I started a new tradition that I hope to continue for the rest of my life. After growing my hair out long for a couple years, I cut it all off and donated it to lock's of love. The vegan diet seems to keep my hair growing fast and healthy, I think that I'll have enough to give every other year. Since Jason's hair grows just as fast, he's thinking about doing something similar.
With the new year also brought a new addition to our family, and though he started out smaller than Zombie, he quickly grew to tower over her is and they are best of friends and playmates. We have to pinch ourselves to believe that Zombie can have a BFF- who is a dog! Its amazing to see her with a canine friend after all her years of training. Holden also completed two classes, Basic and Intermediate Obedience, and now knows 45+ commands, and is as great as Zombie on loose leash. He still is quite the ball of energy, so I have been running with him in our neighborhood, playing a lot of fetch in the backyard (he now knows how to drop the ball at our feet on command) and still working with getting him on our treadmill.
Jason completed three more computer certifications this year as well. He is now certified in VMWare (virtualization software), CommVault (backup software), and another one through Dell (I forget which one). He's still working at the same company he started with when we moved to Austin, and we are both so happy and grateful to have found work out here that we both enjoy, and have stability with. So very very grateful.
We had a lot of visitors this past year, and it is always so great to see our loved ones here in our new home. My cousin Mei Lin spent her Alternative Ed week (the week before Spring break at our high school) with me! It was so great to spend that week with her, even though I still had to work, we took the time to volunteer at Austin Pets Alive!, go get our nails done together, walk around south congress on first thursday, shop at buffalo exchange, and went to Mayfield Park to see the peacocks. It was so great to have her out here, right before her year abroad in Argentina.
For SXSW this year, we had a good houseful of guests. Sara from SF stayed with us while she was working the MOG mobile, and it was so great to hang out with her! I love Sara. She has the best attitude, energy and is one of the smartest friends I have, books smart, life smart, and world smart. I love her. Mark also stayed with us and two of his work friends. It was really great to have him out here, and I know Jason really enjoyed having a groomsman here to hang with one of his boys around the house.
My mom and Dirk came out and stayed with us a week, and even though it was in September it will still in the triple digits which can be pretty hard on Nor Cal'ers. We swam in our pool, Dirk and Jason built a dog window in our privacy fencing so the pups can look out to the street from our backyard, my mom and I got to spend a lot of quality time together, we went to the Alamo, and they visited me in my office to see where I work. It was a great week, and I look forward to the next time they can make it out here (I think they will be surprised at how much Holden has grown up in the past months, especially after intermediate obedience).
The best part about Austin, really is the music. My lovely musician friends just about all come touring through Austin at some point, and I love that I get to have so many people I miss and love swing through if only for a day or even a few hours. Gwyneth and Monko came through again this year, and we went to the movies and swam in our pool. I love those two, and am always so happy to hear them play their beautiful, sometimes haunting old-timey songs. Jen Marie came through recently with her new band the Wax Idols. It was a quick visit, and I ended up not even getting to hear them play, but it was great to see Jen and have a drink with her.
Its amazing how much difference one year can make. One year ago today I was in such a different place, mindset, job, and now I feel like I've grown so much, learned so much and am grateful for everything that has lead me up to this point, right here right now.
Today and tonight Jason and I are taking advantage of our days off and going to try to finish some projects around the house. Last night we picked up some orange juice and prosecco to toast each other at midnight. I think I will save having a night on the town for my birthday, which is now only two weeks away! Last year of my 20s are right around the corner. Here's to making the best of the best. Happy New Year everyone, be safe and have the time of your life!
Jason and I bought our first home end of 2010 and spent a lot of this year working hard, saving, and spending as much extra time that we could find on replacing appliances, painting, tearing out carpets, and repairing electrical to make this home ours. There is still a lot of work to be done, but it keeps getting closer and closer to feeling like our home that we always dreamed of. We recently got a scare with our foundation situation, but yesterday an inspector came out and gave us the great news that though it has shifted after the drought, its not in need of any repair at this time! (The 20 thousand dollar sentence!) So here's to the projects that we will continue to do to make this house more beautiful, more Fosse-Meeler, and more welcoming for our guests. Over the long weekend Jason is putting in bamboo floors in our bedroom, and I'll be painting the downstairs trim, kitchen cabinets, and putting in new hardware all in the kitchen.
At the start of the new year, I started a new tradition that I hope to continue for the rest of my life. After growing my hair out long for a couple years, I cut it all off and donated it to lock's of love. The vegan diet seems to keep my hair growing fast and healthy, I think that I'll have enough to give every other year. Since Jason's hair grows just as fast, he's thinking about doing something similar.
With the new year also brought a new addition to our family, and though he started out smaller than Zombie, he quickly grew to tower over her is and they are best of friends and playmates. We have to pinch ourselves to believe that Zombie can have a BFF- who is a dog! Its amazing to see her with a canine friend after all her years of training. Holden also completed two classes, Basic and Intermediate Obedience, and now knows 45+ commands, and is as great as Zombie on loose leash. He still is quite the ball of energy, so I have been running with him in our neighborhood, playing a lot of fetch in the backyard (he now knows how to drop the ball at our feet on command) and still working with getting him on our treadmill.
Jason completed three more computer certifications this year as well. He is now certified in VMWare (virtualization software), CommVault (backup software), and another one through Dell (I forget which one). He's still working at the same company he started with when we moved to Austin, and we are both so happy and grateful to have found work out here that we both enjoy, and have stability with. So very very grateful.
We had a lot of visitors this past year, and it is always so great to see our loved ones here in our new home. My cousin Mei Lin spent her Alternative Ed week (the week before Spring break at our high school) with me! It was so great to spend that week with her, even though I still had to work, we took the time to volunteer at Austin Pets Alive!, go get our nails done together, walk around south congress on first thursday, shop at buffalo exchange, and went to Mayfield Park to see the peacocks. It was so great to have her out here, right before her year abroad in Argentina.
For SXSW this year, we had a good houseful of guests. Sara from SF stayed with us while she was working the MOG mobile, and it was so great to hang out with her! I love Sara. She has the best attitude, energy and is one of the smartest friends I have, books smart, life smart, and world smart. I love her. Mark also stayed with us and two of his work friends. It was really great to have him out here, and I know Jason really enjoyed having a groomsman here to hang with one of his boys around the house.
My mom and Dirk came out and stayed with us a week, and even though it was in September it will still in the triple digits which can be pretty hard on Nor Cal'ers. We swam in our pool, Dirk and Jason built a dog window in our privacy fencing so the pups can look out to the street from our backyard, my mom and I got to spend a lot of quality time together, we went to the Alamo, and they visited me in my office to see where I work. It was a great week, and I look forward to the next time they can make it out here (I think they will be surprised at how much Holden has grown up in the past months, especially after intermediate obedience).
The best part about Austin, really is the music. My lovely musician friends just about all come touring through Austin at some point, and I love that I get to have so many people I miss and love swing through if only for a day or even a few hours. Gwyneth and Monko came through again this year, and we went to the movies and swam in our pool. I love those two, and am always so happy to hear them play their beautiful, sometimes haunting old-timey songs. Jen Marie came through recently with her new band the Wax Idols. It was a quick visit, and I ended up not even getting to hear them play, but it was great to see Jen and have a drink with her.
Its amazing how much difference one year can make. One year ago today I was in such a different place, mindset, job, and now I feel like I've grown so much, learned so much and am grateful for everything that has lead me up to this point, right here right now.
Today and tonight Jason and I are taking advantage of our days off and going to try to finish some projects around the house. Last night we picked up some orange juice and prosecco to toast each other at midnight. I think I will save having a night on the town for my birthday, which is now only two weeks away! Last year of my 20s are right around the corner. Here's to making the best of the best. Happy New Year everyone, be safe and have the time of your life!
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Champagne Sleigh Bells
Instead of being here this year, with my huge, crazy, wonderful family (love and miss you all):
I enjoyed the company of old and new friends with delicious drinks and farm to table veggies at 24 Diner. It was a pretty grand Christmas Eve, and as much as I miss home, I am feeling more and more like I actually am home. Austin is where I need to be. Its where my dreams are, my love, my home, my friends, and future are. And I am happy exactly where I am, right here right now. In this moment.
I enjoyed the company of old and new friends with delicious drinks and farm to table veggies at 24 Diner. It was a pretty grand Christmas Eve, and as much as I miss home, I am feeling more and more like I actually am home. Austin is where I need to be. Its where my dreams are, my love, my home, my friends, and future are. And I am happy exactly where I am, right here right now. In this moment.
Merry Xmas Y'all
Friday, December 23, 2011
Merry Residual Christmas
I get really homesick this time of year. I also keep thinking that Christmas is over, since we celebrated it so early, on the 7th - just because we could. It feels like Christmas will never end this year, and is still two days away. I will be happy once we are done with this time of the year.
I love you Mendocino! Until we meet again... Sending lots of love from Texas xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
