Closing out the decade....

Tuesday December 31^st 2019.

Tonight, we close out the year. Tonight we close out a decade! So many people are posting photos reflecting on the last decade and it got me thinking back on mine… and, WOAH, what a journey!!!

At the start of the decade, I was relatively new to living Stateside. I’d been here 8 months. I was married. I was full of excitement and promise of my new life in America with my ex. I’ve never really been one to plan far ahead so at that point, I didn’t know what I wanted my future to look like… but I’m pretty certain I wouldn’t have asked for what the next few years brought. It was a rollercoaster.

About a year after I moved out here, my ex decided that this life with me wasn’t for him and asked me to move out. It was like having the rug pulled out from under my whole world and I found myself back at the very start – at square 1 in life. After a couple of days of thrashing out all my feelings, thoughts and logical plans for the situation, I made the decision that I would stay Stateside and make my life work here. That was almost 9 and a half years ago. Life worked, y’all!

It certainly hasn’t been an easy ride – but is it ever an easy ride to get to a really good place?! I think not. I think to have something great and to really appreciate what you’ve got, you’ve got to work for it. That goes for relationships, jobs/careers, life in general.

There were moments along the way, over the years where I set myself deadlines – if I haven’t met someone by the end of the year, I’m going to move away from Denver. Ha! I’m still not against moving, but here is home. Here is the one place that I’ve lived for the longest period in my life.

At the start of 2015 I was in a lonely place again. Another failed round of dating and not a lot of love for my work life balance but I decided to hop back on to the world of online dating.

I went on a couple of dates and chatted with a few guys, but I really wasn’t in to it. I had just decided to disable my accounts when I got a message from this younger guy that intrigued me. I messaged him and told him that I was literally signing out of my account for a while and if he wanted to chat, to text me.

Meet Tony.

Coming up on 5 years later and here we are, heading in to 2020 in the last few months of life as we know it. In around 14 weeks, we will have a son. A little guy that, I’ve no doubt, will turn our worlds upside down!  The last 2 years to get to this point have been full of ups and downs, emotions, heartache and stress, but the reality is that we’re about to have a baby. Finally. I still can’t fully get my head around it if I’m honest. I’m so grateful to be in a relationship and to be pregnant. It’s all hard work. But it’s worth it.

Over the last 7/8 years I also really worked hard on my work life. I didn’t sit around and just work a 9-5 because that was sucking the life out of me, so I decided I needed to do something for myself and I started a Bookkeeping business. I had a few side hustles and did all that I could to support myself financially and build this life from the bottom up. Over the last 4 years I really ramped up my business enough to make it my full-time job. I’m proud of what I accomplished! I have some great clients who I have an awesome relationship with and who are very supportive of this next chapter in my life.

I have to admit, though, that while I’m super excited for this next chapter, it also means bidding farewell to the business that I’ve built (to a certain extent) as I will be cutting down my client commitments enough to get by and be a stay at home Mum. But there’s an element of excitement, too as this could be a time for change. I’m not sure what that is, or what it looks like, but I know I’ll figure it out and make it work for me and my little family.

It’s a new chapter all around!

So while the last decade has been absolutely crazy, on all levels, this next one can only be better.

Who knows if this 26 week pregnant body will stay awake to see it in, but I’m sooooo excited for what the New Year will bring!

Best wishes to all for 2020!

~Kate