Caught by Surprise

2010 was a fantastic year.

I had no idea that I was going to write that. As many of you know, I haven’t really enjoyed our big move to Delaware. I was happy that Matt landed a good job in his field and I wanted to support that in anyway I could, but the move was hard on all of us. Alyce was eight months, and I was home with her while teaching an online course and trying to restart my dissertation after a year off. We were living in a house we hated, isolated from any sort of community, all while missing my Toronto home and friends. I was still going back and forth between the U.S. and Canada, but I was mostly in Delaware. And I was sad. Matt had a new job to figure out all by himself and a sad wife to contend with.

That was 2008. 2009 wasn’t much better. You may have heard, but I wasn’t enjoying my dissertation.

But this year, out of nowhere, things have turned around. I gave birth to Shira Clementine and became a mother of two. After much lollygagging, I left graduate school. We moved to house that isn’t evil. I found a great group of mums affiliated with our Birth Center. I met a couple of really incredible people who have since become my good friends, and who, most importantly, didn’t run the other way when they saw my eager face approaching. I tried to play it cool, but it was pretty obvious that I missed having in-person friends.

I also became a happier wife. Since Matt and I spend A LOT of time together, this has been an important development. I think Matt liked 2010, too.

Initially I thought I would look back on this year with a bit of apprehension. While I have made the decision not to finish my PhD, and though I have an idea of what I’d like to do next, everything is still up in the air. I’m right smack in the middle of starting something new, but I’m not entirely sure what this new thing will entail.

I guess this is what makes 2010 so wonderful (that, and those two kids). Because of my 2010 decisions, 2011 has so much potential. It’s like one giant Monday! So instead of feeling a bit paralyzed by the unknown, I’m running with, like a new best friend! See, I’m eager!

I wish the best 2011 to everyone, and I hope you are all celebrating the way you like best (say, in bed, fast asleep, by nine). Happy New Year!