At this time last year...

Today is the Friday before Halloween so, of course, my work sent out an e-mail 2 days ago telling everyone to dress up for a Halloween party today.  Really?  You're giving everyone 2 days to come up with a "work appropriate" costume.  Welp, this girl isn't wearing a costume today.  I thought about getting out of bed, putting a robe on, and going as an over-worked and under-paid 20 something year old but then I realized that's not a costume.  I realized that I wear a costume to work everyday - the 20 something year old who loves her job of being bitched at by customers all day and has it all together.  Haha, good one!  Anyways, looking around the office I see about 3 people dressed in Halloween costumes so I don't feel bad for not wearing one.  Even the girl in HR who told us all to dress up today before we left work last night is dressed in her usual attire that probably took her 2 hours to put together (she's not fooling me)!  Plus I actually really like my outfit today, complete with matching accessories!

I started thinking recently about how much has changed in the past year for me.  At this time last year EVERYTHING was different than it is now.

 

At this time last year I...

Had just left my life back in Bloomington and moved into an apartment I could not afford in the suburbs of Chicago.

Camden.  Apartments I moved to in the Suburbs.

 Was jobless and starting to literally run out of money (but would soon have 2 jobs that were possibly the worst jobs I've ever had).

Had just met the love of my life, but didn't know it yet. 

This picture was taken just a few months after I met Vinnie.

Had just met my future room mate who would allow me to move in with her when things started falling apart.

Finally realized I needed to step up and take control of my life.

Was crying...a lot.  And being comforted by Marley a lot (that dog has no idea how much of  support he has actually been for me, he's the most loving creature I have ever met in my life)

My little love bug.

Was really missing my parents and wishing that I lived closer to them.

Was very sad but still smiled a lot because of Vinnie.  He will never know how much I needed him at this point in my life, and I had just met him.  He was probably my only source of happiness at the time.

Had no life.

This time last year was the start of a very hard period of my life.  I struggled a lot but in the end came out happier than ever.  Now I am in an amazing relationship with an amazing man.  I have 2 wonderful jobs and even though I complain about them all the time I am so thankful to have them.  I am not struggling like I was last year.

Even though I don't like to think back to some parts of my life last year, I would never change the choices or decisions that I made.  I don't regret anything and I don't wish I hadn't gone through all of those hard times.  They made me stronger and made me appreciate everything I had in my life.  Those times really did make me the person I am today.  Everything from my past has led me to where I am right now.  If I had done one thing differently I might never have been right here, right now.  I might never have met Vinnie.  I thank God for everything he put me through, for leading me to this life, and for bring Vinnie to me.  I am so blessed.

Happy Friday!  Sorry for getting so deep at such an early hour!

And if you're celebrating Halloween this weekend...Happy Halloweening!

XO. Tarah