The second line being the one on the pregnancy test!
My whole life was turned upside down with that one test. I had no idea what I was doing or where I would go from there. I had no direction at that time, I was stuck in a job I hated, not using the degree I spent 4 years working hard for...and was generally upset and depressed with how things were going. I really feel that Meghan not only turned my life around, but brought me direction and purpose with my life. I just took it one day at a time. Here's what I did before then. (or, a history of Allison)
I grew up in a small village in Central New York, with about 350 people to be exact. The neighboring towns were all part of the school district, so it wasn't like I graduated in a class of 10 people.
My mother and father were married 12.1.84 and I was born in September of 1985! My older sister was born 3 years before and my younger sister 2 years after me. We moved into our house when I was 3. I can remember snippets of moving. I remember my Grandpa Dick's old blue truck (like 1960s or earlier, it only had am radio :) I remember it being loaded up with the mattresses from our small apartment waiting to be driven to the new house. The only other thing I remember from moving was the hole in the bathroom floor where the toilet had been taken out to be replaced and all I could think of was "how are we going to pee in this hole?"
That all got straightened out, but my parents marriage didn't. They separated in 1991 and were officially divorced 2.14 the following year. How sad is that, to be divorced on Valentine's Day? My sisters and I lived with my mother during the week and we spent every other weekend with my Dad. It eventually became every weekend as we got older and my parents became friends again.
Yes, you read that right. My parents are friends. Good friends, in fact. It's like they were always friends and never married each other! I like to think our family slogan is "The Most Functional Dysfunctional Family Ever". We all manage to get on in our own way. In fact, my Dad's parents are divorced, both remarried and the 4 of them are good friends! My mother's 2nd husband is my Dad's stepbrother! (I know, now it's getting weird) No blood relation, but I always loved to see people's reactions when I divulged that info.
Speaking of 2nd marriages, my mother's on her 3rd. :D When she told me that she and her 2nd husband were splitting up, I just laughed and asked when she was going for #3! Clearly I was foretelling her future!
So, I grew up in a small farming community. I went to public school, I had a regular summer job on the weekends during high school at a Renaissance Festival a few towns over. Drew and I met while in high school and began dating on 6.6.01.
After high school, I attended Wells College in the equally rustic village of Aurora, NY. I studied Art History abroad in Florence, Italy during the spring semester of my junior year. I graduated in May of 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts, concentration in Art History.
During college, and for a year afterwards, I worked at a home goods store called Bed, Bath and Beyond. I also worked at Burger King for about 6 weeks while at Bed, Bath and Beyond and at a craft store called AC Moore for about 6 months from August 2007 to February 2008. In May of 2008, I got my first 40 hour-a-week "big girl" job at United Radio, an electronics repair center. I worked in Customer Service, answering the phone...and I hated it. I've always had this irrational anxiety about phones, so having a job that literally has me on the phone 8+ hours a day was awful! After 2 years, in July of 2010, I went on permanent maternity leave (as I like to call it) and became a stay at home momma!
I love it. I love every day, waking up to snuggle with Meghan. Getting to stay home with her and watch her learn and grow is truly amazing and I am so thankful that our situation permits us to do it this way! During the week, I watch my nephew Dylan for 3-4 days while my older sister, Lacie, works at a doctor's office about 5 minutes away. He always makes things exciting!
...more to come!
