I didn’t do one of these at the beginning of the year. But I decided I would regret not having it, so I’ve got back and added post new-year. So, while this was written in March, I’m back dating it to January.
January 2009
Wedding planning got kicked into high gear in January. We originally planned on getting married in Washington. Just before the end of the year, we decided a Texas wedding would suit our plans better. I made a trip to Texas and researched many venues finally finding the one and finalizing plans.
Several amazing women threw me a beautiful wedding shower while I was home. It was a lot of fun and really helped me get into the spirit as the wedding approached. I only had time to read one book in January, Little Heathens by Mildred Armstrong Kalish.
February 2009
My step-father was diagnosed with cancer. Though they never found the source of the cancer cells, they began treating it. It was a stressful process for both he and my mother. Now, a year later we can look back and say we are blessed because he came through all of his treatment and the cancer is gone.
We got our rings and our passports on the same day. Again, I was very busy and only had time to read one boo, Off-beat Bride by Ariel Meadow Stallings, who has an awesome Website by the same title that really helped me with planning and staying sane.
March 2009
Chris and I drove to Texas, where I was to stay while he returned to Washington. We were apart for three weeks before the wedding. It was really hard but I was so busy getting everything ready that the time flew by. In fact, I didn’t read a single book all month. It was a little bit crazy, but it all came together. I was really happy when Chris returned at the end of the month, just days away from our wedding day.
I got to keep both of our pets with me in Texas. Here is our cat, Gueny keeping an eye on the dogs in the back yard.
April 2009
Chris and I got married on April 4, 2009. I can’t believe I never wrote a single post about it all. It was a really beautiful day. We had over a hundred people who came, including friends from across the country. Of course, it all went so quickly. My only wish is that I could have slowed the day down to enjoy each and every moment. This makes me realize I should sit down and try to write it all out at some point, just to have those memories in writing.
Photo by Christine Tremoulet.
Our wedding was followed by and amazing honeymoon. We took a cruise, stopping in Honduras, Costa Playa and Cozumel. It was a first for both of us and we are still talking about how much we enjoyed it and wish we were back on the boat. I did manage to finish two books this month: The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory and Hayduke Lives! By Catus Ed Abbey.
May 2009
I think I spent the month of May recovering from all the wedding activity. I didn’t blog. Not even once. It was a month of honeymoon. Chris and I spent a lot of time together discovering wedded bliss.
This is from a hike Chris and I took in May. I think a secret creature must live in the hollow of that tree. I read one book this month, A Fool’s Progress by Cactus Ed Edward.
June 2009
Not unlike May, June found us spending a lot of time together. We spent some time exploring the island and working out what it means to be married. I convinced Chris to shave his face and I got to see my husbands face without a beard for the first time. It was our own kind of unveiling.
I read two books in June: Moose by Stephanie Klein, Stephanie and Hood by Stephen Lawhead.
July 2009
In July, Chris and I made a trip back to Montana for a sad occation. Chris Grandma Irwin passed away. I got to finally meet aunts, uncles and cousins I’d only heard about before. My mother-in-law was so happy we could all be there, including my brother-in-law, his wife and our crazy, smart and funny nephews. In the evening, after the funeral, Chris’ aunt and his cousin’s stopped by to visit. By the end of the evening, Chris’ cousin Darby pulled out his guitar and we all gathered around and sang every song we knew. It was a perfect, spontaneous and memorable night. We laughed and sang late into the evening. It was a good day for a funeral, decidedly Irish–only without the whiskey. While we were in Montana, we drove down to Bozeman the day after the funeral and did a bit of house hunting. We got a better grasp on what it would cost to live there and ultimately decided to post-pone our plans to move until we’d saved up a bit more money.
July also marked my birthday, 33 years and all the things I learned. And the Mediterranean Fantasy Festival where I got to see many talented dancers and catch up with friends.
My reading habits really picked up this month with five completed books: Free-Range Chickens by Simon Rich, Simon, Mountain Man Dance Moves: The McSweeney’s Book of Lists, Willful Creatures by Amee Bender, Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill, Joe and Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead.
August 2009
The end of summer heralds the yearly belly dance retreat in Eastern Washington. This year was great. It was all about the walnut.
I discovered True Blood this month and decided to read the series. Trashy though they may be, I found them un-put-downable and fun. I read 4 books this month: Living Dead in Dallas and Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris, The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly and Persuasion by Jane Austen.
September 2009
In September, Chris and I both decided to take a class from the local college. I signed up for anatomy and physiology because I’ve often thought about getting a degree in nursing. While, I still think it would be a good idea if anything ever happened to my writing career, I am not pursing another degree at this time. I did enjoy the class quite a bit and it was fun to be back in school for a while.
We had a lovely fall season. I read two book this month Her Husband: Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath by Diane Wood Middlebrook and Troll: A Love Story by Johanna Sinisalo. Chris turned 33, and though we didn’t realize at the time, celebrating his birthday resulted in some very big news in our lives.
October 2009
We found out we were going to have a baby on October 7. When my period was late, a few days before, I took a pregnancy test. When it read “Not pregnant” I was disappointed, but chalked it up to stress and my new exercise program. Several days went by including extreme mood swings, light cramping and sore breasts, but no menstruation. Then my sister-in-law announced on Facebook that she was pregnant and I decided to take another test.
I was getting dressed while the test processed, and when I went back to check on it, Chris jumped in the bathroom and locked me out–teasing me. He opened the door after I pleaded and giggled, and said, “What do you want? Oh, it is negative.” “Drat,” I said, “Where is my period?” He smiled really big at me and handed me the test.
It read “Pregnant”.
He opened the door all the way and we hugged and moved out into the living room. I think I said something like, “We did it, Oh boy!” Then I started to weep small tears of joy. Chris and I talked about the good timing and how all the signs were pointing to this event. A few weeks ago before, probably 3 days after conception I talked to my Aunt Georgene who dreamt I was pregnant. We wanted to wait until I was fully twelve weeks to tell people but it was really hard not to shout it from the roof tops.
Also, in October, after finishing Her Husband the month before, I read The Creative Habit: by Twyla Tharp, Twyla and I started feeling a tug on my creative nature. I also read some Mary Oliver poetry. These were superb and I recommend them, especially if you are looking for a creative boost that sounds mostly like “Turn off the distractions and get to work!” Perhaps having the little seed of life in me is part of this new jolt of creativity starting to work its way through my psyche.
November 2009
I was supposed to take a trip to Twisp to visit friends in Washington, but morning sickness kept me close at home. I actually spent a lot of time on my back this month. I started walking a lot when I found out I was pregnant, but the general funk really got to me in November. So, what did I do? I read, a lot! I finished Your Best Birth by Ricki Lake, The Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy, It Sucked and Then I Cried by Heather Armstrong, Magical Beginnings, Enchanted Lives by Deepak Chopra, Club Dead, Dead to the World, Dead as a Doornail, Definitely Dead and All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris.
I did reveal the news to my mother and my father and my best friends, but otherwise kept the growing fetus a secret until Thanksgiving. I made this card and sent it out to announce to extended family and friends.
December 2009
We had our first ultrasound early in December. When the Sprout first showed up on the monitor I began to giggle. It was simply unbelievable to me that there is an actual baby in there. But there it is in fuzzy black and white, our little baby.
We also took a trip to Texas between Thanksgiving and Christmas. We got to spend a week with family and friends. And I finished several books this month including Pregnancy, Childbirth And The Newborn by Penny Simkin, Penny, Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, The Folk of the Air by Peter S Beagle, The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova and Darwinia by Robert Charles Wilson.
In many ways it was a quiet year, but an eventful one as well. I feel my creativity jumpstarted by being pregnant and in January alone I wrote twice as many posts than I did all fall. We are really looking forward to all the new things coming in 2010.
