Year In Review

During my adolescent years, my friend, Megan and I would compile a massive list of the Year's Best, Worst, and Most. We gave our opinion on everything from TV moments to fashion mishaps to hot boys. Then one year, we stopped...not really sure why, but we did. I guess we felt as though we'd grown beyond it.

But I've learned that a little bit of reflecting on the past may help to guide you in the future. I believe that it is important, even necessary to look back at the previous twelve months. It gives you a chance to examine the decisions you made, re-evaluate the direction your life is going, and appreciate your blessings.

This blog, the last one I will prepare for this year will not be about fashion. This will be a public, yet personal review of 2010.

Every year for me begins with optimism. My husband calls me a unicorn, because I believe in fairy tales. But my life is real and many times, not pretty, so I sometimes wish for leprechauns and valiant knights to share pots of gold and slay dragons. And I think that is perfectly ok.

Tuesday, January 12, my heart and mind were taken back to August 25, 2005 and September 11, 2001 when a catastrophic earthquake ripped apart the poor nation of Haiti, killing as estimated 230,000 people. It is difficult to mentally grasp that sort of devastation, but the images were real and vivid. Two things happen when people are faced with these sorts of situations; we either see the best or the worst of people. My students shined. They donated money and organized a shoe drive where we sent close to 500 pairs of shoes to the island with the help of the SGA of Texas Southern University.

This year, I have experienced some of the highest highs and lowest lows of my adult life. In July, I turned 30, and my wonderful husband helped me celebrate in grand fashion, by throwing me a fabulous birthday party.

In October, my husband and I celebrated our first year of marriage. While we weren't able to go on a honeymoon right after our wedding; we got away to New Orleans for his birthday in August. It was a wonderful trip and we experienced New Orleans like we never have before. I truly think that it brought the two of us closer together.

Well, it must have because just a few weeks later we found out that we were expecting. It was a Friday morning and I was on my way to work. I took a test and I couldn't believe my eyes so I took another one. And they both read positive. So before I left I went to his side of the bed to kiss him and say goodbye. But I showed him the test and said "Surprise!" He was. We held off on sharing the news until my already scheduled doctor's appointment the following week, which confirmed things. We were on cloud nine. We had planned that we would start trying once school started, but we had no idea it would occur so quickly. By week six, I'd started a video journal chronicling the experience and introducing ourselves to "Baby Williams."

That week, I started spotting and cramping and ultimately our worst fears had come true. And on September 25, my pregnancy had officially come to an end. It was an incredibly dark time. I felt so alone and lost. I was angry at my husband because he couldn't feel what I felt and I at the world because I felt like they believed that I was wrong for grieving. I thought people were saying that I wasn't far enough along to have created a bond with our baby. But I had.

Because of how "new" my pregnancy was, I hadn't really told anyone. And afterward, it was too painful to talk about. So, I'm just recently starting to talk about it openly. I am grateful for people like Bill and Giuliana Rancic and Mariah Carey along with husband Nick Cannon, who have come out about their own miscarriages. One in four women will have a miscarriage, but when you are going through your own statistics are of little comfort.

I've recovered physically. I'm recovering emotionally. And we are moving on, looking forward to conceiving again and bringing a little Baby Diva or GQ Baby Boy into the world real soon.

Thank you for supporting my efforts this year! Let's see what's in store for 2011!

Happy New Year!!

Stay Stylish!
Tipper D.

(Check out my final fashion blog of the year, too!)