2000: A Decade in Review

After reading Brooke's post about a decade in review, I want to review my decade too. So here goes...

2000: I was working at McDonald's during this time. Quit in March. Went to a Certified Nursing Assistant Class and so my nursing career began. My first job as a CNA was in a nursing home, which quickly was replaced by Kennewick General. In Fall, I took a class to become an EMT.

2001: Left KGH, moved to Spokane. This only lasted 3 months and I was back home. I worked for my Dad as an electrician until late June when I got mono. I am still not sure how I got it, but I did. I spent the next 7 weeks in bed, literally. Then in Sept, started back at KGH as a CNA. I had been there for one week and I remember hearing the news of 9/11 on the patients tv's. I was working nights. I called my mom at 7am and told her, she thought I was kidding. I wasn't.

Also finished my AA degree this year.

2002: I was still going to school, taking pre-requisite classes for nursing. I also joined the fire department and became a volunteer fire-fighter. I loved it. This is the year I started running. I ran my first 26.2 mile marathon in October. It was in Victoria Canada. Very pretty.

2003: Accepted into the nursing program and started in the Fall. Still working at KGH as a CNA, but once nursing school started, switched to working as secretary for better hours. Also started picking up hours in the ER.

2004: 2nd 26.2 mile marathon in the spring. Whidbey Island. Very hilly, but beautiful. Nursing school very demanding and time consuming. Not much time for anything else. Still volunteering at the fire dept when I can!
I moved out of my parents house in March and moved in with a friend from work. Also got my doggie Charlie. He was a mini-dachshund. So adorable!

2005: What a great year. Graduated nursing school. Moved to Portland, Oregon. Welcomed my first nephew Grason into this world. What a cutie patootie!! I started work as an RN in a community hospital in Hillsboro, OR in the Critical care unit. Tried to continue on for my Bachelor's, taking online classes, but that proved to be too difficult. Trying to learn an advanced skill in a new field and try taking online classes didn't mix. I figure I will try again later.
Meanwhile, Shaun joins US ARMY after being a high school science teacher for last few years.

2006: I start learning photography. Continued nursing in Portland. Ran my 3rd 26.2 mile marathon, this time in Portland, OR. Best route out of the 3, in my opinion. I guess not a lot happened this year. Welcomed 1st niece, Kaitlyn.
Shaun was in Washington DC at Walter Reed for most of this year, and transferred to Fort Detrick in Frederick, MD in December.

2007: This year my (our) life changed forever. I will have to break this year down by the month.
January: Decide to break my lease, quit my job, and try my hand at travel nursing. I wanted to go so many places I didn't care where I started. My first job ended up being Hagerstown, MD.
February: Arrive 6th. Join match.com 8th. Get first email from husband 14th.
March: Meet in person 3rd. Spend 14 hours together for our first date exploring Baltimore/Hagerstown area and all it has to offer. Fly to NYC for the very first time ever. Explore NYC by myself for 3 days (LOVED IT). Go to NC with Shaun and meet his friends. Shaun moves in by St. Patrick's Day
April: Work, dates with Shaun
May: Fly to WA with Shaun to meet the family. Drive my car back across the country.
June: work, dates with Shaun
July: Engaged to Shaun, 2nd Nephew Beckett joined us.
Aug: Fly home, pick out dress. Move from Hagerstown to Columbia, MD. Take new nursing assignment.
Sept-Nov: work
Dec: Buy a condo. Get a puppy. Get new job in ER at Howard Cty Hosp.

2008: Got married in May, Honeymooned in the Poconos. The puppy we got in December turned out to not be a good fit for our family and she went on to live in a new home. Loving my job in the ER, except working nights at this time. Found out in Nov, we were expecting our first child! Switched from nights to days in December. Shaun turned 30. 3rd Nephew Kyler was born just 6 days after our wedding.

2009: I turned 30 in January. Shaun and my family threw a big surprise party. I loved it. Flew home again in April for Baby Shower. Oliver is born in July after weeks of mall walking trying to get him to come earlier. He is growing so big and learning so much! He loved Christmas and I am sure will love it more next year.

2010: I hope this year brings some great things. We hope to expand our family at some point this year. When we do, that will bring more things to look forward to, including selling the condo and moving to Fort Detrick. Don't wanna buy in MD again, since in 2012, we look forward to moving back the Tri-Cities to be closer to my family.

Hope you all Have a Happy New year. A few resolutions for me: continue on my weight-loss journey. I have lost all baby weight and even down a few more lbs. I hope to be down another 40-50 before Oliver's first birthday. I also want to start exercising more regularly. We have a gym membership, so I really just need to go. Last, I want to try harder keeping up on my blog. I am not sure if I have any readers left, but I will keep writing and maybe someone will peek in and take a look!