Ten Terrific Years

I read an article in Time magazine that declared the last decade as the Decade from Hell. I thought that was a bit extreme. They proceeded to list every bad thing that had happened in the last 10 years, and stated that the next 10 years will be better. At the very end of the article there was a list of 10 (yes, 10) good things that have happened in the last decade. I think whoever wrote that article has to be one of the biggest pessimists of all time (who will find the next 10 years to be as awful as the last 10 years). Of course bad things have happened over the past 10 years, but that is part of life! And far more than 10 good things have happened. Here is my personal list of 10 great things that have happened in my life in the last decade.

10. Had ten part-time jobs as I worked my way through school (not all at once, of course). I was a soccer referee, an ice cream scooper, an after school program mentor, a cheese factory worker, a nanny, a baker, a photographer, a telephone operator, cat sitter, and spent a summer working with kids with disabilities. I am grateful for each of these jobs, as I learned many great things, and became a more well rounded individual.

9. Became friends with some of the greatest people in the world. (there are way to many to try and put up pictures!)

8. Some major growing up milestones: 16 (got my drivers license) 18 (Voting! And I moved to college) 21 (since I don't drink, didn't turn out to be anything big)

7. Discovered the Harry Potter series and devoured each and every book. (The first book was actually published in the US in 1998, but since I didn't find the series until 2001, I will count it as happening in the last decade)

6. Traveled! From Hawaii to Washington DC, China to Spain, I got to see things I had only dreamed of.

5. Graduated THREE times!

4. Got my first teaching job, complete with a classroom, and 24 students. Love it.

3. Served a mission for the LDS church. My testimony grew while I watched peoples lives change as they embraced the gospel. I learned Portuguese, and how to make beans & rice. I fell in love with the Brazilian people.

2. Gained a brother-in-law, then a sister-in-law. Miraculously, both of them fit into the family PERFECTLY!

1. Became an Auntie, and got three beautiful nieces!

So many other wonderful things have happened over the past 10 years, there is no way to list them all. Have they been perfect? No. There have been trials, difficulties, tears, frustration and embarrassments. However, lots of times these were the moments when I grew and learned things about myself. These were the times that helped me to appreciate all the good in life. Without them I wouldn't be who I am now.

Here's to the next ten years - I hope they will be as terrific as the last ten have been!

Happy New Year!