2013 in review

 

There has been a slightly dark, grey maybe, cloud over this year with regard to trying to get and stay pregnant. But overall this year has been great. Here’s a brief chronological summary:
 
Jan-I went to Colorado by myself to visit my mom for her birthday. My parents, my brother, and I drove up to Blackhawk and had a great night. My mom and I enjoyed the spa and we had a nice dinner and gambled. The next day I went out with my friends in Denver and stayed the night in Kerry’s guest room. I woke up the next morning and my temperature didn’t drop as it was expected to if I was to get my period.
 
I came home and P and I found out we were pregnant. We were thrilled.
 
Feb-Anna’s family stayed with us the first weekend in February. It was really our first time hanging out since our big fight. It went well and I enjoyed the kids.
 
Henry stayed with us for two weeks while attended brewing classes in Chicago. It was really fun having him with us. We had a really great meal at Michael Jordan’s steak house of all places.
 
On February 18th I had a mole on my back removed and then joined P at our first prenatal appointment. We found out the pregnancy wasn’t viable and were devastated but hopeful that we would get pregnant again soon.
 
March-P’s birthday and trip to Scottsdale
 
April-I went to Colorado and spent a night in Denver with Anna and Linds and their families. My mom and I put all the non-photo wedding items into a scrapbook during that trip.
 
May-My anxiety about my health was at an all-time high. I had an internal ultrasound and a colonoscopy, both of which found nothing. I found a great physical therapist and she helped with the pelvic pain. I got my office!
 
June-Another girl and I threw a big block party that was a huge success. I threw Kathryn a bridal shower at my house and went to Miami for four days for her bachelorette party.
 
July-We rented a cabin in Wisconsin for Fourth of July weekend and both sides of the family joined us.
 
Aug-Our first anniversary. Two big work trips to Vegas and Newport Beach with just me and each of my bosses. They were both very productive relationship-wise. We went to Colorado at the end of the month for Kath’s wedding I was in.
 
Sept-I took the Megabus to Indy to see Anna and Kerry and was there for Anna’s daughter Lucy’s first birthday. We saw Bill Burr at the Chicago Theater, it was so boring I sort of fell asleep.
 
Oct-My birthday and Book of Mormon. We participated and hosted one of the stops for a progressive dinner with our neighbors. We went to Nashville. It was my first time. We went to an amazing backyard private concert while there. We also went Honky Tonkin’ and touring a bit. Carlos and Becky’s Halloween party.
 
Nov-I joined P for a work trip in Vegas. I relaxed and shopped while he attended a seminar during the day. At night we saw Cirque du Soleil and had some great dinners. I hosted Thanksgiving at our house for P’s mom and niece.
 
Dec-How weird that I remembered just about every other month but can’t remember what we did this month besides Christmas in Colorado.
 
 
And on to the annual year end survey…
 
What things did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?
Went to Miami and Nashville, got pregnant, had a miscarriage

Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Didn’t make any last year and didn’tmake any this year.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Becky

Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, no.

What countries did you visit?
None this year

What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
A pregnancy that results in a healthy baby

What date(s) from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
February 18, 2013: Found out the pregnancy wasn’t viable

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Nothing groundbreaking, but that’s not my goal. At this point I’m just all about balance in my life and happiness and that is something that I definitely achieved.

What was your biggest failure?
Nothing really, which is good. Sometimes I’m not proud of the things I think or say, but not often. Maybe letting annoyances really get to me and treating people rudely. Now that I write that out that’s definitely a failure.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, thankfully. I had bad anxiety before I got medical help for it.

What was the best thing you bought?
plane tickets to Colorado and stuff to decorate our house

Whose behavior merited celebration?
P’s. My brother’s.

Whose behavior appalled you?
A lot of people I work with. There’s quite a bit of negativity and selfishness going on.

Where did most of your money go?
Just general aggressive spending

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Being pregnant, going to Wisconsin with our family, going to Nashville for the first time

What song will always remind you of 2013?
Darius Rucker Wagon Wheel

Compared to this time last year, are you:

– Happier or sadder?
About the same which is generally very happy.

– Thinner or fatter?
Fatter, but not by a whole lot, maybe a couple pounds.

– Richer or poorer?
Richer. But we spend the hell out of our money. We are both making more than last year.

What do you wish you’d done more of?
You know, I think my time was spent very wisely. Exactly as I would have liked it.

What do you wish you’d done less of?
Been consumed by anxiety about everything, but primarily my health.

How did you spend Christmas, and what did you get this year?
P, his mom, our niece, and I went to Colorado. It was nice but there were a lot of people to please. My mom seemed upset at the end of our trip and still does, but she won’t tell me what the problem is. It makes me feel really bad.
 
I got a lot of cool stuff. Most notably I got a new carryon suitcase from my parents and a helicopter tour of Chicago at night from P. I told him a couple weeks ago that a helicopter tour was on my bucket list and he made it happen. I have such a great husband.

What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in 2013?
I don’t know, just little tiny things here and there. Thankfully nothing big!

Did you fall in love in 2013?
I fell deeper again:)

How many one-night stands?
None.

What was your favorite TV show?
Breaking Bad!

What kept you sane?
Most notably probably Zoloft, that’s how bad the anxiety got. Also the usual stuff: P, OD, Xanax

What vacations did you take?
Aside from the usual Colorado visits, Miami, lake cabin in Wisconsin, Nashville, and Vegas

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Certainly not, I don’t hate anyone.

What was the best book you read in 2013?
Probably Gone Girl

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Kaskade?

What did you want and get?
I got pregnant, so at least we know we can

What did you want and not get?
A baby

What was your favorite film of the year?
Can’t think of anything. We see very few films. I’m pretty sure the only film we saw in the theatre was Catching Fire and that was good.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 32. It was on a Sunday. We went to a great French restaurant by our house and saw Book of Mormon, which neither of us liked

What three things would have made your year more satisfying?
A baby or at least a pregnancy that’s well on its way, and that’s really it, I have everything else I want

Which celebrity/public figure did you like the most?
I think very highly of Obama. I also find Kate Middleton just lovely. (same answer as last year-can’t think of anyone else)

What political issue stirred you the most?
The political stuff that “stirs” me the most is people acting really irrational and idiotic on both sides of the aisle. I’m definitely a liberal, but I respect everyone’s views when they aren’t really disrespecting other people. In fact there are a couple of issues where I agree with conservatives. But I have a lot of uneducated family from rural Wyoming and you should see some of the stuff on my facebook feed – people acting like Obama is genuinely trying to disarm the nation and like the closing of national monuments during the government shutdown was the absolute worst thing that could ever happen. Just this weekend P and I were at dinner and there was a table by us with a fat older guy talking really loudly about “TYPICAL LIBERALS trying to do away with the first amendment!” Like, are these people for real?

Who did you miss?
My family, always

Which ODers did you meet for the first time?
None, never met an ODer 🙁

What is a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013?
I guess to just enjoy life and focus on the good and what you have instead of what you don’t

What quote can be used to sum up your year?
Something about enjoying the present and things happening when they are supposed to

What are your greatest hopes for 2014?
For my brother to find a great girlfriend, everyone I love to remain safe, happy and healthy, to get pregnant, for that pregnancy to go to full term, and have a healthy baby.