2011 Has Arrived

Crazy.  2011.

So much has changed for me in this past year.  I cannot believe how much is different from my last NYE celebrations.

I no longer:
- Live in Baltimore
- Work at TBC
- Live within 1.5 hrs. of my family

The reasons for all of these being that I made the decision last year to follow my heart (my love) to Connecticut.  The transition has been incredibly tough for me.  I really made a name for myself and a home for myself in Baltimore.  I lived there for about 10 years - on my own - as an adult.  I made my way and was (and am) very proud of all that I accomplished in Baltimore.

When the time came for Dan to decide where he was going to apply for his residency, I could tell he had his heart set on Connecticut.  His whole family is here and the program is great for him.  Each interview he went on couldn't compare to his experience with Middlesex, so I knew that he was headed to CT.  I told him to choose what he thought would be best for him and his career, and I meant it.  I had 5 years out of school to be working and gaining experience in my field, and now it was his turn.

Even though we haven't been dating for the whole 8 years we've known each other, I feel like he knows me in and out and compliments me like I have only dreamt about in the past.  He truly is my best friend (other than Whit & Ems, of course) and I can't imagine being back in Baltimore without him, so when the time came to decide if I was going with him, even though CT has never been appealing to me, I knew there was no other choice.

Every day, I'm reminded of why I made the decision to come to Connecticut.  Literally - every single day there is at least one tiny detail (some bigger than others) as a reminder of why I am here.  Whether it be us laughing and giggling for hours over our personal TV commentary, him kissing me goodbye every morning before he leaves for work, or simply noticing I was almost out of my favorite snacks and having them on hand when I get disgruntled over finding an empty carton of whatever...

My favorite recent reminder of why I moved was that I was having a rough morning the other day.  I went to the gym after a whirlwind of stress and anxiety and bad mood was vomited out by me (towards Dan), came home and got straight in the shower.  Our kitchen and bathroom floor are the only two non-carpeted (also see: FREEZING) floors in the apartment.  Unfortunately, you have to go through the kitchen to get to any other part of the apartment and the bathroom is connected.  Since I went straight into the shower, I didn't have my trusty slippers.  I knew getting out of the shower, standing on the bath mat that I was in for a rough trek to the bedroom.  I braced myself and opened the door only to find my slippers sitting right there.  Dan put them there.  How thoughtful is that?

Maybe that's not a big deal to any of you, but it's those things that fill me with insane happiness.  The little details that show someone is paying attention and someone gives a shit...  It's a big deal to me.  I almost cried.

I'm so very lucky that I get to curl up and go to sleep with this amazing man who clearly cares about me (for some odd reason) each and every night, and if it means I have to be in CT to do that, then that's where you'll find me.

We spent our New Year's Eve ringing in the new year with some friends for dinner, then settled in at home for some Rock Band, champagne and smooches.  I couldn't have planned it any better myself.

If there was one word for how I'm feeling at this moment in the very young new year, it would be "lucky".

Hope you all are feeling the same.

Here's to striving to keep that glass half full all year long.

"Picture Pose Kiss" vs.

"How Real People Actually Kiss" 01/01/2011

xoxo,
Rachael