Top Ten of 2010

7: Marrying the man of my dreams! Planning a wedding in 3 days- a huge accomplishment if you ask me!

Glad to hear you were able to go back to the US...did you manage to get your visas sorted out as well while you were there?

Ok, ready for the list now.  I've actually had a really good year!  In no particular order...

1.  We got our own place!  After over a year living with the in-laws, we finally moved into our own flat in February.  It is so nice to have our own space! 

2.  I love my job and it seems to love me back.  I was given more responsibility this year (though sadly not more pay) and feel both challenged and fulfilled.  Plus my work colleagues have become friends, and they are fantastic!

3.  I applied for ILR with my own money.  Still awaiting the outcome, but I am absurdly proud that I managed to save the fee by myself.  I have always been very bad with money, to the point of irresponsible, and I hope this means that I've learned to act like an adult, at least a bit . 

4. I feel settled in the UK.  For the first time ever, I am content to stay where I am, and am not constantly thinking about the future.  The present is enough. 

5.  My nephew was born.  This actually happened in 2009, but at the end of the year, and his presence was the biggest thing in our family this year.  Unfortunately, he has had no effect on DH and me; we are still on the fence about having children of our own. 

6.  My brother got engaged!

7.  I had a falling out with my mom, and haven't spoken to her since the summer.  I'd like to bridge that gap but am not sure how.  She's difficult. 

8.  DH and I have gotten very into gardening, particularly growing our own vegetables.  We are definitely still novices, but learning quickly. 

9.  I have gotten really, really fat and must make an effort to lose weight and be healthier generally, but I have zero motivation.  Actually, I think I might have negative motivation.  Must work on this for next year. 

10.  My dad, aunt and uncle are here for a visit!  And next year, we are hoping to make a big trip to the US, with me, DH, MIL and FIL all heading for Wisconsin.  I really hope we can make that happen!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Honestly, I am struggling to think of ten big things - lol!  Guess how boring my life must be. 

Haha, me too!

Glad to hear you were able to go back to the US...did you manage to get your visas sorted out as well while you were there?

 Well- the DH wants to settle in the US, so while we apply for the visa's we are back in the UK so he can work while we wait.  IMO I think we should try to stay here in the UK since he already has a house and job- but he has been dreaming of the glorious US for song long I think he just needs to go there for a while and get it out of his system.  Whatever happens will happen, as long as we are together I don't really mind.

Well- the DH wants to settle in the US, so while we apply for the visa's we are back in the UK so he can work while we wait.  IMO I think we should try to stay here in the UK since he already has a house and job- but he has been dreaming of the glorious US for song long I think he just needs to go there for a while and get it out of his system.  Whatever happens will happen, as long as we are together I don't really mind.

Wow...then I'd say you were very lucky to get back through UK Immigration. Just be aware that you won't be able to file through the Embassy in London because you're not a legal resident of the UK and therefore not eligible for the Direct Consular Filing which is a much faster process than filing through your US State of Residence. So you're looking at quite a lenghty process to get your husbands US Visa...we did DCF and we're on Month 7 of waiting. Also the same UK Visitor restrictions apply to you & your older child as before (no NHS, he cannot attend state school, no benefits) and you'll have to leave the UK again before 6 months is up.

Overall, this has been a pretty crappy year for me and I’m really hoping that 2011 is better.  Here is my list in no particular order:

1.Finding out that my best friend was pregnant after 2 years of struggling to conceive.  Even better, she’s due within days of my birthday and has promised to do her best to have him on Monday!

2.As I traveled for so long in 2008 – 2009 I hadn’t seen much of my extended family for years.  I got to see everyone at my sister’s wedding.  The down side was that we are not close and I was forced to buy a dress and be in her wedding.  I have also been told off several times and am sure that I am the child they wish they had never had because of it. 

3.I got to go to London twice to see my sweetie.

4.I came literally within days of being homeless. 

5.I found a job just days before I would have had nowhere to go.

6.I got my first me only apartment, no roommates except for when the Brit visits!

7.My family dislikes me even more now that I’ve spent more time with them than I had in years.

8.I’m so excited that my sweet pea made it to the US in time for Christmas and that we have an entire month together!

9.I’m also trying to learn to cook, its slow going though.

10.I’ve lost about 25 pounds this year.  Hoping for more in the future. 
Wow, this was a pretty crap year.  I don’t think that it would be possible for 2011 to be even worse!

In no particular order:

1. I graduated University in May.  It was nice to have my friends and family around to celebrate the milestone.  
2. I got accepted to a Masters Degree programme at Leeds Uni.
3. And... I got the funding and a visa and all that and moved to England.  I thought everything was perfect with the English boyfriend I moved in with when I got here...
4. But, he left me on a whim in November and now I've finally accepted that it is truly over.  It was really, terribly difficult and sad.   But, I made it through somehow.  
5. The experience made me recognize what fantastic friends I've made in three months.  ChillyWilly has been on the other end of the phone for too many ranting/tearful/crazy Sarah conversations to count and she and her DH had me over for Turkey Day.  Mrs. R and Andee were so supportive too, bringing me little gifts and medicine when I was sick.  My classmates rallied around me and everyone has been amazing.  It makes me tear up thinking how lucky I am!
6. I lived at home with my mom first the time in 10 years and it was an experience.  
7. I learned that I can work really hard and support myself.  I'm way stronger than I think.  
8. My sister got engaged!!    And, I'm Maid of Honor in the wedding.  
9. My mom was really sick in November and I had to make an Emergency trip home.  She needs a new kidney, but in some ways she seems to have a new lease on life.
10. I performed in my first premiere musical at my Uni.  The script was a piece of sh*t, but I feel like I did my best with what I was given.  

It may be the caffeine buzz (too much coffee!!), but I feel really positive about the New Year.  Roll on 2011!  

This is a really fun thread-
(((Hugs))) and commiserations to all who's had their downs, and how lovely and interesting to read all the ups!

Let's see 2010! Hmmm, been an interesting, roller coaster of a year for me too!

1.) J and I went to London for a really nice break in February- we went to a Cirque du Soilel show,the Tate Modern, a London Symphony Orchestra Concert, and a Gordon Ramsay restaurant for a meal. Everything was just was awesome and it was a great weekend break!  

2.) Came to the US for my good friend's wedding for what was supposed to be for 5 days ended up here for over 3 weeks, thanks to the volcanic ash.  However, I became an extreme expert at working *very* remotely without any of my work tools, and I am grateful for my boss for being so understanding and caring about it all.  Plus, it meant I got to spend so much time with my family, which was wonderful.

3.) I moved out of the crappiest flat, that had no heating and mould everywhere and a letting agent from HELL- to a cheaper, fantastically warm, very spacious flat, with an absolutely wonderful landlord.  YAY!!!!!

4.) Came to the US again in July for my mom's 60th Birthday bash, which I bought tickets all on airmiles.  The party was amazing- about 7 bands played, we had a chicken BBQ, and the party went on for about 15 hours.  It was a party of all parties.  But the best thing was, my three sisters and I pulled together a rock band in about an hour's worth of practice, and performed 4 songs for my Mom (and Dad) -and we had the tears flowing out of their eyes!!!  

5.) I was finally, in August, after 2 years of being in and out of hospital and jerked around by various doctors, diagnosed with a pretty serious autoimmune condition, by a Rheumatologist who actually took me seriously.  I was actually relieved, instead of so much of being in shock about the diagnosis.  And I've been on medication for about 4 months now and I am feeling absolutely so much better in the last few months than I have in 2 years.  I could really kiss my Rhuemy!!

6.) My bike was stolen from outside my flat. People suck. Luckily my house insurance covered it and I got a new bike almost straight away!

7.) I held Thanksgiving in my flat for about 15 people and we had just an amazing and wonderful time. I am blessed by great friends!!!!

8.) I crashed my car in early December. My poor wee Nonda is totaled, the insurance company is giving me peanuts for it, and I need to buy a new car. My finances are down the drain as well, due to various reasons, and I'm really feeling stressed about everything.  

9.) The same day I crashed my car, I flooded my flat and the one below mine, due a catastrophic failure of the Y pipe I installed for my dishwasher. (I installed it all correctly, it was just a material failure!) So at least my landlord put it through his insurance, even though it was my fault, since I installed the Y pipe, without his permission.  I just have to pay, the (money I definitely don't have) excess, which is £400.  Could have been so much worse.

10.) Despite the recent stress and financial woes, I am blessed to have an amazing/warm/loving family and wonderful friends around the world.  I play in 3 bands and sing in a choral society and it's just amazing to be part of the music scene and play my heart out and meet interesting people and develop new friendships and just have so much fun.  And the volunteer work I do for Diabetes and that work makes a difference and I'm happy to be part of something big.  And to be invited to 6 different Christmas 'dos in the UK and a few more on a visit to the US and just to feel so loved.  Aww, life is just good!!!  

I just wanted to pop on and thank everyone for their responses. I've been in and out on here for a few months, so it's great to catch up with all of you and see how your year was. Looks like we all had a bit of a rollercoaster ride this year, so let's hope that 2011 will be a more positive year (and hopefully slightly boring by comparison, as far as I'm concerned! )

Now, I just need to start an "11 things I hope will happen in 2011" thread. 

My top ten:

1. A year ago I had joined a gym and lost 1 stone.
2. Then I woke up one day and thought I had swine flu.
3. I gave birth to my little "swine flu" on July 15.
4. One month before the birth was spent at the hospital.
5. My husband started a new job in august.
6. So grateful for good friends and their help.
7. Had a wonderful Christmas
8. Husband had three weeks paid holiday and we've both really rested.
9. We both turn 40 this year.
10. Husband wants to race on the nurburgring in Germany while I want to spend next Christmas in a tropical locale.

1. Getting married in March. 

2. Honeymoon in NYC. 

3. Found out the weekend of the May floods that we were moving to Nashville.  And that we had two weeks to get there.

4. Spending time a week after the weekend after the floods apartment hunting in Nashville. Seeing all the damage was heartbreaking. Seeing how the community was coming together to help each other was amazing.

5. DH loves his new job. And doesn't travel all the time like he did with his old job.

6. I landed a new job, and while it isn't perfect, I am so much happier than I was with my old job. My old job was really clique. But here, I've made friends and I'm included in on stuff. It's so awesome to feel accepted. And I like what I'm doing.

7. Getting out of Memphis. It was just getting more and more violent/gang infested. Or maybe I was just noticing it more. Either way, I am so happy that we don't live there anymore.

8. Going to be with my grandparents for her 80th birthday/their  55th wedding anniversary. 

9. This is going to sound cheesy - but  facebook. My best friends and family live all over the world. I'm not even in the same time zone as most of them. FB gives me a really easy way to stay connected with them. 

10. We are about 1/3 of the way out of debt! And we had some major medical bills this year that are now paid off.

I'm only going to post good things, so here are my Top 10:

1.  I finally met Bmore_2_UK in person in London - and we went to see David Sedaris!

2.  I finally met Mrs Robinson when she and her DH came to Cornwall on holiday - and we had lunch at Rick Stein's restaurant!

3.  I finally started making friends here in Cornwall and now have a few wonderful circles of really great friends.

4.  I started a local book club with only two other members, and now we're at capacity with 11 of us!

5.  I went to Lille to the braderie with a couple of friends and had a lovely time buying tat and practicing my French.

6.  We went to the Minack Theatre for the first time!

7.  I went to a whole host of literary festivals - Hay (as usual), Penzance, Bath, Thame, Trereife and our own St. Ives Festival.

8.  I started knitting classes and absolutely love it!

9.  I joined the W.I.! Hah! I never thought I'd say that!

10.  DH and I are healthy and happy and looking forward to a healthy and happy 2011!

1. Birthday trip to visit friends in Barcelona = awesome!

2. Met Chary and her DH in London when we went to see David Sedaris.

3. A couple of trips to England to visit with good friends in Bath and Oundle.

4. ANOTHER trip to Barcelona, this time for my friend's wedding. We were stuck for a couple extra days by the ash cloud, but it all turned out for the better.

5. DH ran the Boston Marathon, so I got to visit Boston for the first time. My parents came up for the week too, so it was a nice visit.

6. Made the decision to move to the US and feel really good about it.

7. Headed to Leeds to meet up with Mrs Robinson for the day. She gave me a walking tour and we had some pints!

8. Lots of friends had babies/got pregnant and I couldn't be more thrilled for all of them!

9. Traveled to Koln in October for another marathon and had the chance to meet up with a friend who has moved there.

10. First Thanksgiving in the US in 4 years! Spent 4 weeks total there and it was GREAT!

Happy New Year everyone!

In no particular order:

1. Have really made a commitment to running and am really loving the challenge.

2. Following on the running theme, ran my first 10k and didn't come last 

3. My mom finally got a flat, after living in a bread delivery van (by choice) for more than a decade. I love knowing that my mom has solid walls and a roof!!

4. First trip to California in December for non-work purposes. Went by myself and loved it.

5. Met my sister (dad's first family) and have learned a lot about my dad's side of the family from her. I had no idea that there was this enormous web of relatives actively missing me and my brothers!!

6. Got a promotion at work, hooray! Too bad I couldn't keep my old boss...

7. Got a kindle for my birthday - it has revolutionised my reading, although it cannot replace paper books completely.

8. My baby has turned into a manling. He absolutely WILL NOT openly show affection.  I have to look deep.

9. DH got a job with his old company and is quite happy with it, aside from the usual complaints!

10. DS bought our Christmas presents from his own money, and he was really proud of that!