i came to the realization today that we are entering a new decade and that made me think about this past decade… of course initially i heard “ten years ago…on a cold dark night…” but those lyrics are really not where i am heading so i am doing my best to force them out of my head, at least for now…
2000-mags and i had a new years party and i remember running out to my 1990 pontiac grand prix (red of course) to see if the computer still worked-we had spent a lot of time hearing about how planes would fall out of the sky and credit debt would be erased because the computers could not handle the extra zeros…alas the car worked fine, the planes did not fall out of the sky and i still had to pay off the credit cards. then i Graduated from Siena Heights University with a bachelors in History…Had NO idea what that meant.
2001-languished in Adrian Michigan for a bit too long, spent time during holidays in not so happy places. i had a hard time thinking of anything positive. moved home and into my grandmother’s house, which became my own, played slow pitch softball with mags and was on a bowling team, had bear-the crazy dog who eventually ran away from home, was hit by a car, came home and proceeded to lunge at me every time i went to fill the water bowl…not a pretty sight, needless to say bear is no longer with us, it was a very difficult time but everything worked out in the end. had my first pulmonary embolism right before my parents 25th wedding anniversary, NICE timing! thank you aunt ann for staying with me, not being intimidated by bear and calling 911.
2002-kept working with special people, bowled, got sick again, still had no idea what i was doing, a dog found me-hobbes, we just went to look but he sat on my feet and i was DONE. i brought that little puppy home that night, didn’t have the heart to put him in the crate so i put puppy pads on my bed and he slept next to my head…never once making a mess which meant it was a match made in heaven!
2003–worked at my girl scout camp, the one i grew up at and rode horses at, and fell in love with all things horse realated…then moved to ct. i don’t remember the whole move, i remember driving out with the dogs in the rented trailblazer and i remember needing to vacuum my couch off before moving it inside, but that would be about it.
2004-after moving with the family out to ct, had the most amazing ‘fat talk’ ever,then had the third pulmonary embolism. not too much fun but they had me on so much morphine that i REALLY don’t remember it. mary graduated from dayton. I started working at the seaport, worked at the arc with more special people and briefly at the village. had the surgery-thought i would die, became grateful that my sister has a lead foot, spent time with my grandmother when she taught me how to cross stitch and took me to a movie on the hottest day of the year when i had my entire stomach area stitched and patched and tubed and thought that my skin was melting off of my body because we had no air conditioning. grandma fritzen is one amazing person!
2005-traveled A LOT went back to Michigan, went to Disney world. worked in three different departments. met someone who i thought was the one, who swept me off my feet…briefly…
2006-thought i was in bliss, found out it was a lie, realized the importance of good friends and how fast one can move out of an apartment.they helped me move back in with the folks and showed me that i do matter and deserve a place to pick up the pieces. after a bit of time re-thinking who i was, i took a chance and ended up meeting kevin…
2007-found out more about myself as a person, and found someone who appreciated me, worked and changed jobs,started a blog,
and dated and enjoyed our time, vacation in rhode island with the family, moved in towards the end of the year and became the insta-family, from girlfriend to some type of mom figure in the blink of an eye, learned the ropes, baseball games, basketball games, student teacher conferences, homework, personal hygiene and loads o laundry…
2008-put up glow in the dark stars, adjusted to life with a life-size Alex Rodriguez fat head, walked a lot with hobbes, more baseball, was accepted to Trinity for grad school. we went on a vacation in washington where kevin asked me to become his wife…became a fiance, then came home to conferences and my first semester in grad school…
2009-second semester of grad school and met some amazing people, people i now count as friends. kevin moved on from one job to a better opportunity, vacation on the beach, dave concerts with my bestest friend, good grades and bad grades and all the ups and downs of living with a teenager, third semester of grad school and i think i have this bit down, over half way done. missing my old life but loving my new one. MARRIED! the one thing that i never thought possible, but now i am a firm believer in anything is possible!
anything is possible and for the first time ever i am looking forward to the next decade…Happy New Year!! ( and no i will not wear a long black veil…)
Jens World 
