It didn’t dawn on me until just a couple weeks ago that ringing in 2020 will not only start a new year but a whole new decade. What?! For some reason, that struck me hard. Woah, a new decade! It sounds so… big.
So then I started reflecting, something I rarely have time to do. The 2010s were pretty significant for me:
- I started them at 30 years old; I’m ending them at 40.
- I started them pregnant with our first child; I’m ending them with my pregnancies behind me.
- We started them with 0 kids; we’re ending them with 5.
- I started them having no clue what it meant to be a parent; I’m ending them as a pretty confident one.
- I started them thinking having kids meant simply adding a baby to your family; I’m ending them knowing exactly how life changing having kids is. You’d better be prepared.
- I started them working full time in the world of Wall St.; I’m ending them not working full time again for quite awhile, possibly ever. And definitely not in that arena; once I have the need/desire/time to go back to more time-consuming work, I will be looking for more freelance opportunities in my current editing field.
- I started them putting myself first in pretty much all of my endeavors; I’m ending them knowing how to put others’ needs first constantly, namely those of 5 very small humans who live in my house. This past decade was definitely a lesson in selflessness and humility. Having kids can do that to a body.
- This blog didn’t even exist in 2010; now it’s 9 years in.
#30 
#30 
#40 
#40 
#40
Almost done as just a couple 
Della 
Last time as a family of 3 
Lana 
Last time as a family of 4 
Morrison 
Last time as a family of 5 
Nat 
Avit
So. Our family is complete. Our house is nearing completion (that’s been over a decade-long project!). We are all healthy. And I’m happy. Simple joys, but ones that are important to me.
2010 
2011 (in Hawaii!) 
2012 
2013 
2014 (pregnant with Morrison) 
2015 
2016 
2017 (pregnant with the twins) 
2018 – complete! 
2019 – welcoming a new decade!
Looking into the 2020s, I do have some feelings. And I say feelings, not goals, because that’s not how I roll. I don’t set tangible, hard goals or deadlines. I live by how things feel. It’s much easier.
- I feel like getting to do some traveling with our brood. Doesn’t need to be elaborate or far, just exploring and seeing new places with the kids is fun.
- I feel like getting to know our kids as growing individuals will be great. I spent the last decade, the whole of my 30s, having babies; now I’ll spend this one raising them. Hopefully I’ll do it right and they’ll be good people, assets to humanity, not a bunch of little turds.
- I feel like these will be years of doing – finishing our house, enjoying where we live, watching the kids grow and thrive, living life as a big family.
- I feel like getting to do some things my way, not just doing everything as governed by a baby. Or two.
2020. It sounds so futuristic, yet it’s here. The 1920s are the one era I always say I’d love to go back to if I ever got to time travel. Will the 2020s be my roaring ’20s?! Thank you, 2010s, for all you gave us. Now cheers to 2020 and the next new decade!
