Guess Who's Having a Baby...

Not me.

Made you look.

But Beau and I do have exciting baby news.

We're going to be an aunt and uncle!!!!!!

Beau's brother and SIL are expecting a wee one!!!!!!!

They told us before Christmas, along with all the other siblings and their parents. They didn't publicly announce it until last Friday, after her latest doctor's appointment.

Everyone is very excited. This will be the first grandchild for Beau's parents.

Also there's less pressure on Beau and me to have kids, although it honestly hasn't been too obnoxious since we could always say, "Well, Beau's brother and SIL have been married longer, so they should have kids first."

Yay for a new baby in the family!!!!!

To Make God Laugh, Tell Her Your Plans

Yesterday Bonnie wrote about how much has changed in her life since she graduated high school almost ten years ago. Her writing prompt made me think about just how much I've changed. Not only have I had some amazing experiences, but what I want out of life has changed too. Ten years ago, I was a junior in high school who had never kissed a guy. Now I'm a young woman almost five years out of college with a loving boyfriend of two and a half years. 

ONE YEAR:
What I thought: I assumed spring semester of my senior year of high school would be the best ever. I would be running most of the clubs in high school. A cute boy would ask me to prom. I would be on my way to the College of William and Mary, or Harvard University.

Where I was: Spring semester of my senior year of high school was extremely stressful. I did have leadership positions in most of the clubs, but I hadn't anticipated the stress involved. After three amazing years on dance team, I wanted to quit my senior year because being co-captain was so stressful. I didn't get into Harvard, and William and Mary wait-listed me. Luckily I was accepted into a private liberal arts university in my home state, one that I loved almost as much as my Ivy League ambitions. Oh, and I was the only one of my friends to go stag to prom.

FIVE YEARS:
What I thought: I was all about the "ring by spring." I definitely thought I would be engaged by my senior year of college. I also assumed I would be prepping for law school.

Where I was: Single. Totally single. Not only did I not have a boyfriend at the time, but I'd never had a boyfriend at that point. I'd also realized that studying law for three years would be incredibly boring. Instead, I was determined to move to France for a year to work as an au pair. At least I'd figured out by this point that being single was pretty cool, and moving to France would be easier without a boyfriend back home.

My roommates and I threw an Oscar's party my senior year. It was a blast!

I saw the Jonas Brothers 3D movie at midnight with a close friend. The person who took our tickets told us how cool it was that our parents let us go out on a school night. My friend and I were 21. This is me with my driver's license.

TEN YEARS:
What I thought: Oh, I definitely thought I'd be married with a baby by now! I assumed I'd be doing international law, but still living somewhere in the South.

Where I am: Still a virgin. Definitely not married. Definitely without a baby. Working a job that is interesting and challenging, but has nothing to do with my degree. Living in the Midwest, which might as well be a million miles away from my family.

I'm a virgin in real life and on TV!

I also feel like I should point out that I started my livejournal, which I still technically have, almost ten years ago exactly. And I first signed up for tumblr and twitter about five years ago. I've always been expressing myself online. I've just found a new medium to do so!

What about you? Ten years ago, did you think you'd be where you are today?

Books Are My Best Friends

Has anyone else noticed how some of the prompts are really similar and result in similar blog posts? 

Get real. Share something you're struggling with right now.

Last week, I wrote an apology to my twin brother, because I'm not speaking to him right now.

Last week, I wrote about "my lot in life," aka having Crohn's Disease.

I even wrote about juggling two jobs.

Honestly, those are the three realest things I'm struggling with the most right now.

A less personal, but still, a very real struggle of mine, is not having the time to read. This is killing me. I read 51 books last year, just one book shy of my goal of reading one new book a week.

I have read a mere nine books this year.

Nine.

In almost five months.

I did start a new one this weekend, for my book club. And The Poisonwood Bible was pretty long, which makes me feel slightly better. (But Flat-Out Matt was technically a novella, which makes me feel slightly worse). I also bought five books at the used bookstore last week, including the one for my book club, and the next Philippa Gregory novel I wanted to read. 

Of course, the most important book I'll read this year is actually a reread of my favorite book as a little girl.