2009 Year in Review

This was quite an eventful year for us. It started out... actually I don't really remember how it started. I know there were many discussions with the architect and potential contractors. Eventually it turned into contract negotiations (I think it was a good thing the contractor asked if we were both lawyers) and frantic packing. Then, in the end of April the fun began. Below are a few shots of what the house looked like before.

The house was a pretty blah grey color with an obnoxiously red door. The other major outside difference in the front is the massive tree.

All I can say about the back is thank God the slope is gone. The slope was the little half bath/laundry room/storage area/utility room that, in addition to be extremely cramped, had one end of the floor about three - four inches lower than it should be.

Umm... blame the clutter on the fact we were in the middle of packing frantically.

Once the construction started it didn't take long for drastic changes to occur.

Remember the slope? This is what it looked like after one day of work.

For the next few months things are a bit hazy. All we really remember is eating pizza, pet hair, construction dust, and more pet hair. Eventually though, we were able to emerge from our one room apartment to this:

Having our kitchen back in working order was a huge relief. I would say it was the happiest part of the year, and it was for awhile, but then we found out Katie is pregnant. For those who don't know already (not really sure where you've been) she's due in late April/early May. Since finding out the good news the fall was a whirl-wind of researching baby stuff, trying to get the house and animals ready for the new addition, and generally freaking out. I mean preparing ourselves mentally.

The end of the year saw the largest snow storm in Alexandria since the 1930s. In all, about 20 inches of snow fell. The streets were pretty well deserted except for people pulling sleds or walking their dogs.

Looking back on it, it was quite a hectic year. Over the past two years we've attempted just about every thing that could test a relationship (planning a wedding, buying a house, remodeling a house, international travel) and come through relatively unscathed. I'm sure 2010 will bring its own set of tests (like parenting) and honestly, I couldn't be happier.