Ready, Set, 2013!

Since my first year of college, I've always found time to sit down and reflect on the year that is ending.  It started on xanga, moved to myspace, landed on facebook for a while, and now I guess I'll use blogger.  Our year, like so many years past, was crazy, hectic, and anything but predictable.  

2012 was the first year Mike wasn't in school -- not part-time, not full-time, not online, not one class at a time, not at all.  He finished his associates in December and is done (but just for now, if I have my way).  I graduated with my MPA in May and started back on my MAcc in August.  I should be done in May 2013.  

The spring was full of a lot of big moments.  

In March, I started exploring the idea of returning to tax.  I interviewed at Koch with some of the managers who used to be clients.  I really considered returning to the rat race and climbing the corporate ladder--but during the process I realized that I don't want to be in the corporate world.  I don't want to be in government.  I'm good at both and I know how to play the game in both environments, but I want to teach.  I want to research.  I want to contribute to something bigger than myself.  I want to be a professor.  

In April, we found out that our 14 months of stress, charting, and monthly testing were futile. For our family to grow, we need to either pray for medical miracle or start the process of adopting one.  Either option is fine with me, but we've decided to put it off for a while since we really will be planning the timing (and I'm going to be in a phd program until 2018, so that's enough stress without adding another person).  

I started my weight loss journey in April.  At the end of the year, I had lost 60 pounds.  Mike hasn't really been on the diet, but he's also lost 20 pounds (there isn't any junk in the house to eat, so I guess he's been on the diet by default).  

Over the summer, I took calculus class again (refresher to get ready for phd programs), took the GMAT, and started building applications.  It's quite a  process and I'm really excited to get to the end of it.

We're looking forward to another big year.  This time next year, we'll be in some yet-to-be-determined city chugging our way through a phd program.  I'm so thankful to have such great support.  My husband doesn't usually embrace change, but he's my biggest cheerleader.  Getting a doctorate won't be easy, but it will sure be worth it when we're done.

2012 was a big year.  We started out thinking it would be our year to "settle down."  We were both in steady jobs, trying for kids, and living it up in the suburbs.  Now we're shaking it up again -- you're only young once, right?