Really long time!

Okay, it's been almost 6 years since I've written anything! I had forgotten about this blog until I was on ravelry looking for patterns and checked out my profile.  It was connected to this blog and I was reminded about how regularly I used to write.

I feel like I have to add some closure on this site, since I left the reader wondering what happened.  So here's the highlights:

- Johnny and I did take that cruise... one of many vacations together. He proposed January 2, 2011, and we got married May 5, 2012! WOOO HOOO We are still in so much love! January of 2012 our house was finished, we were fortunate enough to go with a builder and have a custom house.  So, next week we will be in our house for 4 years.  It's big and party worthy - I love hosting the big family parties.

- I'm still with the new job, well, it's been 5.5 years, so I wouldn't call it new.  I love it!  Over the last six years I've had 2 changes in leadership, had a team of 6, to a team of 2, to just me.  That's right, I'm now an only in my company.  I'm the only one who does what I do, and that gives me an interesting perspective in many different ways.

- We just adopted a dog in September - a 2.5 year old collie/shepherd/beagle mix.  We really aren't sure what he is, but google shepherd/beagle mix and you get a general idea! He was a rescue, and we are learning all of his quirks.  His name is Rusty and in our eyes he's the best dog ever! He's incredibly sweet, completely home trained, and loves to snuggle... we are still working on walking on a leash when other dogs are on leash.  He just wants to play and finds it hard to focus!

- Johnny and I are trying to have children... it's a work in progress - as my doctor told me that to be most successful I have to lose more weight.  My health is something I talked about a lot and I've been yo-yoing up and down over the last 6 years.  At one point I was down, then I gained it all back, and went down again.  The never ending story! And during that time Johnny and I discovered juicing.  I lost about 40lbs doing that, but once I stopped it came back.  I'm on the downward cycle again, especially now since we have the dog.  I've been tracking my mileage and I do approximately 3 miles a day just walking the dog.  I love it!

- My mental health is awesome! I stopped taking the anxiety meds a couple of months after my wedding - and I haven't needed them since.  It seemed that as soon as I moved out of my mother's house, my life changed - for the better.  The women in my family hold a lot of anxiety within them, and I think it was having a subconscious effect on me.  Yes I went through a lot of self discovery to get to this place - but knock on wood - I haven't had an incident.  Wooo hooo!  I see the patterns in other people now, and I'm working on a book that may help others get to this place.

- I did graduate from my master's program.  Long story short I wrote my practicum at the last minute; and that last minute writing was so excellent (grin) that I got an award of distinction for my work! Yes! What can I say, focused energy with a limited amount of time works for me.  It's a quirk!  I still see my girlfriends from there, actually Stephie and April were in my wedding, and other's were able to attend.  But like life, sometimes we grow apart.  I still talk to Stephanie regularly, and she's on a spiritual journey of her own!  Amazing learning! April moved to California, and she seems to be doing really well for herself! :)

- I've managed to reconnect closer with my family - for awhile the younger cousins and I created the "younger cousins club" and we tried to have dinner together almost once a month.  That idea was conceived during one of the many parties at our house.  However, life has changed - both of my younger cousins are married now, 1 with a 2 year old, and another with a baby due in May!  The babies call my mom "Gigi" because she's their Great-Great-Aunt - 2 Gs. Crazy to think about all of the generations.  My baby cousin Cody, unfortunately, decided to take an "out" on this lifetime about 3 years ago, and that has created a flux in our family dynamic that I don't think we will recover from.  A lot of healing is needed!

- I've reconnected with an old childhood friend, rekindling our best friendship.  Johnny and I are actually going to be godparents to her adorable son, B, and he is truly a blessing of the heart.  What a sweet baby! And I've grown apart from some other friends.... people I talked about regularly on here aren't necessarily close to me any more.  And such is life!  You live and grow! :) I think because Johnny and I moved about 45 minutes north of where I used to live, so lives just naturally move with the distance. 

- If you haven't checked out Sleep No More in NYC - do it!  Johnny and I have been 4 times, and still haven't seen the entire show... worth the money!

Anyway... I hope all of you are well out there in the blog world!  I know I had some faithful readers, so it would be interesting to hear from you - if I don't already follow your life on facebook.  Hopefully it won't be another 6 years before I write again! :)