It took me back...

Yesterday I was walking through the Student Center after getting lunch there and suddenly I was back in 1995...14 years ago. It was 1pm and the light was coming through the big window at a late fall angle. It is getting darker earlier and the sun is a welcome change. There are students bustling between classes and country music is playing on the radio. It is Friday and I am done with classes. I LOVE that feeling. There was serious de ja vu yesterday.

A thought about those days, 14 years ago. In River Falls it meant that I would drive in to Hudson. I stocked up on junk food and rented at least four movies. I would spend all night on Friday and most of Saturday morning eating junk food and watching movies in the late fall and early winter. I was a senior and my classes weren't hard. I was already accepted to vet school so my future seemed secure. I was never a party person, preferring much more to stay in my room and get work done and veg by myself. Life is much different now. It got me thinking about how things have changed since then.

Ten years ago I was in Maryland. Just four years before I didn't know I would be there. I was going to be going to vet school and nothing else had ever entered my mind. In 1999, I was spending my Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in the lab and in my office. I was really busy with classes, research, administrative duties, and getting into the graduate school experience. I was a long way from home but I was becoming good friends with my advisor and his family so I knew I would be heading to his house for Thanksgiving.

Nine years ago (2000) I was in Illinois. Gosh, nine years ago already. In fall of 1999, I didn't know we would be moving to Illinois. So suddenly here we were. The family situation had changed because Cheri and Matt had Katy and that was an adjustment. I was starting my Ph.D. and I was closer to home.

Six years ago I was done with my Ph.D. I had defended in October of 2003 and was wondering what I was going to do with my life. I wasn't any closer to finding Mr. Right and I was getting tired of school. But I worked hard at getting my dissertation turned in on time and was enjoying a little freedom.

Five years ago (2004). I had met Loran a few months before and was planning on meeting his family at Thanksgiving. The family was busy with wedding plans for Dennis and Jodi's wedding. Little did I know that a month after her wedding I would be moving to Georgia and planning my wedding.

Four years ago (2005). By November we were moved into a rental house, I was firmly ensconced as a Basic Skills instructor and getting more involved with work outside of classes and I was pregnant with Ankica.

Three years ago (2006). Ankica was almost six months old and we were adjusting to life with a little one. I wasn't working much and we were planning a trip to Virginia for Christmas and we would soon find out we were expecting Lillian.

Two years ago (2007). Lillian was a few months old and we were planning for a trip to Wisconsin for Heidi and Adam's wedding right before Christmas.

One year ago (2008). We were homeowners and I had just started recovering from a long overdue follow-up procedure to my surgery in 2007. We were planning for our first Thanksgiving in our house and I was going to make a turkey in my roaster. I still remember Kacie and I sitting at the table making plans for the appetizers, food and dessert. I was between Thanksgiving dinner and dessert that we drove up to see the house Mike and Kacie now own. A year ago I didn't even know that this position at UWP existed. I was content with how things were going and we were just enjoying life. We planned for Loran's parents and Julia to visit for Christmas and we were looking forward to the new year.

I can't believe how much has changed in just the last year. I am excited to see what things will look like next year but I can't even begin to imagine what life might look like!