Some noteworthy days/landmarks in the 2010 chapter of my life:
January - Tim and I made the decision that I would shoot for leaving my job in June to become a full-time Bikram yoga teacher. The idea had been floating out there and lingering with me for a while, but after the new year, we talked about it more seriously and decided that financially, emotionally, and personally, it was the next step that I had to take in my life.
February 19 - 26 - Vacation to Cabo with 10 friends. This was our "Let's have one last hoorah vacation before we settle down and start a family" vacation. And indeed it was! We spent 7 sun-filled days with wonderful friends, relaxing, partying, dancing, eating, shopping, exploring, bonding, and laughing our asses off.
April 9 - Gave my 2 month notice to Blue Hive. It was incredibly emotional for me. I was leaving something I helped to build from the ground up. I knew it was the right thing, but at the same time, it was incredibly scary and unknown. This day began with a heavy heart, but ended with an enormous weight lifted off my and a lightness and anticipation about what was to come.
May 29 - 31 - Belanger Cup weekend - This is always a weekend of family fun, but this year just felt so much more special. I get to spend 3 days with my dad and my cousins and the whole family. This year, we hosted the Saturday night dinner, which not the typical Italian feast. Instead we decided to make a feast filled with my future brother-in-law's Iran/Syrian culture. My sister and my 2 cousins spent about 4 hours laughing over chopping parsley and juicing lemons for the most delicious taboule you could imagine. Although I may have complained (jokingly) the whole time, it was a wonderful afternoon that I will always look back on with a happy heart.
June 1 - Began my career as a full time Bikram Yoga Instructor! This week was just out of this world. Since I graduated college in 2000, my life consisted of a 9-5 job, and suddenly I was teaching yoga for a job, with all of these strange hours and extra time to spare. I almost didn't know what to do with myself. I would get home some days at noon and squeal with happiness at all of the things I could now find the time to do. I watched my progress as a teacher grow exponentially in that one week... and knew that there was so much more to come as I continued upon this path.
August 14 - Pink Line = Pregnant! For the sake of having this recorded outside of my memory, I will recap how it all went down. It actually started the night before.
We went out to dinner with my in-laws to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. It was one of those really rare occasions where it was just the adults: me and Tim, Tim's mom and dad, and sister and brother-in-law. We had a long, delicious dinner, some fabulous cocktails... the conversation was full and lively. No one wanted the night to end quite yet, so we went on to have a nightcap at another bar down the street. We shared a heart-felt toast with Tim's dad, proclaiming his love and pride for his children and the lives that we have all made for ourselves. Once again, it was just one of those really special nights that I will always hold on to.
The next morning, we had plans to go to the beach with our 2 best friends, Rich and Meg, and from there, head to another friends' house for the night. Ever since I had been off the pill, I had been on a really sporadic cycle, where I would get my period every 7 weeks or so. I realized it was close to about 7 weeks since my last period, so I decided, while Tim was in the shower, to drag my hungover ass over to the bathroom to pee on a stick. Bleary-eyed and foggy-brained, I rub my eyes and see this ever-so faint pink line make it way into my sight. I go back to the directions, which clearly state "line may be very light, but result is positive" (or something to that degree). My heart starts hammering even harder than it already was (as a result of too much wine the night before). I take some deep breaths, take the test to our bedroom, and wait for Tim to get out of the shower to tell him.
Me: "T!! Come here!!!"
Tim: "What?"
Me: "COME. HERE."
Tim: What?"
Me: "Uhhh.. I think I'm pregnant..." (begin to tear up)
Tim: "What??? Are you serious? Let me see that..." (Big hugs happening at this time.) "You mean this really light pink line???"
Me: "Yes!!"
Tim: "How do you feel?"
Me: "I'm hung OVER!!!"
It was a brilliant moment, so perfectly capturing the essence of me and Tim and the way so many momentous occasions in our lives go down.
August, September, and October - So many great days during these months, as we began to share our wonderful news with our parents, families and friends. I loved all the happy reactions and hugs and excitement. I loved the day that I was finally done with my first trimester and shared the news with my Monday morning yoga class. (And the choked up feeling I had when I began trying to start off class after that!)
The last few months of the year I can only summarize with one word: COMPLETE. I feel as if every day is a blessing. I feel super-human. I feel my world starting to change. I feel a strength and bond with my husband that is untouchable. I have such a sense of excitement for my parents becoming grandparents. I have a new understanding of my Self, my body, my ability to bring life into this world. I feel empowered by my intentions for a 100% natural birth. Although I cannot necessarily pinpoint any particular days in this last half of the year, I am overwhelmed with all the little things that have made it a wonderful year. Between the new, unexpected friendships I have formed and the old friendships that remain just as solid and important as they always have been, my increased confidence as a teacher and new awareness of my body as a student, and the anticipation of seeing my husband become a dad, I am overcome with joy and simply complete.
Farewell 2010. Thank you...
