previouslies

So here we are at the beginning of NaBloPoMo for, what is it, the sixth year (?!?) of posting every day during the month of November. This year, I've promised to talk about the wedding. Now is a good a time as any to give y'all somewhat of a recap, LOST-style.

• In March 2005, I was working crazy hours in Chicago and missed my friends. I started this blog.
• So did a bunch of other people; we started commenting on each others' blogs and got to be pals.
• A lot of us did "100 things about me" posts. It was a thing.
• Back then it was still a little creepy to be "meeting people off the Internet."
• As skeptical as I was, I took the risk. And one of those people turned out to be my husband, Jon. Here are the details about how we met.
• We dated long-distance for nearly three years. It was tough.
• My industry took a nosedive. I was laid off, then got a great job only for it to be dissolved. A couple of times. In fact, once I got laid off on my birthday and Jon was laid off the very next day. Sad.
• We took it as a sign. He moved to Chicago. 
• Both of us started at the bottom in new careers.
• He proposed to me on September 20, 2009, in my condo downtown.
• It took us two years and four months to sell that condo--we told people we couldn't get married until 2013.
• We entered a contest. And we actually came fairly close to having a shot at the dream wedding.
• We moved to suburbia and weren't hemorrhaging money anymore, so we saved ruthlessly and moved up the date to September 17, 2011. 
• There was a LOT of do-it-yourself stuff to this wedding. And perhaps some very optimistic deadline-setting. But everything got done.
• Jon's sister Madelyn moved here in May, 2011. She lives with us.
• We had an amazing wedding. It's one of the best days of my life, and a celebration of all that we've been through since I started this blog. Madelyn and my brother were the best man and maid of honor, respectively. Yes, you read that correctly.
• My brother got a job in Chicago and moved back home on October 31, 2011. He lives with my parents.

This is a great time of year. The commitment to posting brings out what I love most about having a blog, especially when people make comments. If you have time, check out some of the other people who have promised to post every day this month.

You never know just who you'll end up meeting.