October

11 years ago this month, I met my husband.  (On that day, my friend’s first and only nephew was born – happy birthday Kevin!)  We were at his parents’ home in South Carolina.  I was there with the two women who would be my only non-sister bridesmaids – two of my theater besties, two women I long very much to visit and catch up with.  My future in-laws had just built a new deck, married off their only daughter to, basically, Andy Bernard.  I’ve loved getting to know the ‘Nard Dog in dozens of visits to that same house since then. . . and his lovely ray-of-sunshine wife . . . and, of course, the Professor himself, who has blessed me with many things over this almost-dozen years.  Including his gorgeous family.

9 years ago this month, I started a blog.  I started out at MSN Spaces, and eventually migrated here to my own spot, for which I pay pennies per day to not have a “wordpress.com” url.  One of these days I’d like to have a professional designer make a nice fancy header-type deal.  Nine years – although I am and always will be an amateur, I’d say nearly a decade of posting makes me legit.  Maybe on my ten year anniversary I’ll splurge for a new fancy header.

8 years ago this month, I got married in a lovely coastal South Carolina town.  We had a mini honeymoon in Charleston.  We traveled there by car in the driving rain, spent a quiet evening in a gorgeous hotel, lingered over dinner at Fulton Five for hours.  In a few weeks we will be in Charleston once more, celebrating the wedding of two good friends.  Happy anniversary, darlin’.  Hope they have a Viognier ready for us at Fulton Five!  (Hope it’s still open!)

7 years ago this month, I announced my first pregnancy to the world at large.  I wrote a letter to my future daughter, Kathleen.  Haha – I got news for you, 29 year old RG . . . you won’t be using that name, now or ever!  Jack’s impending arrival was capital T terrifying – unplanned for, unpaid for, yet somehow six years later we’re all still standing.  What a blessing that little boy has been and continues to be.

5 years ago this month, I discovered my second child was on the way.  My easiest pregnancy by far yielded my most difficult baby, but when his motor skills grew to match his intelligence, he became my greatest treasure.

4 years ago this month, on my anniversary, my sister was engaged.   Since then, I’ve added three new brothers to the family – they love my sisters, and I love them all, and pray for the day (I know it will never come) that we all live on the same street.

2 years ago this month, we had just moved to this town.  The Professor basically didn’t live with us at all for the first two months – so I took the boys to a corn maze alone, and then we all caught terrible colds and lay, listless and coughing, all over our couches.

A year ago this month, we were in Disney World.  Son #3 was making me truly miserable, though sons 1 & 2 were more than delightful enough in their enthusiasm to make up for it.  Loved loved loved that trip, cannot wait to repeat it – which we plan to do when the Professor turns (GASP) forty.

Today, I made the week’s meals of vegetarian chili, potato soup, chicken pot pie, and now I’m roasting a chicken for our dinner.  The Littlest is snoozing in his crib (such a miserable pregnancy, such a perfectly happy, smiley, easy child).  The Middlest is snoozing in his twin bed.  The Biggest is at Cub Scouts with his dad.  Parks and Rec is on tv.  I’m enjoying five minutes of quiet.  Happy October, everyone.