I had a completely normal, typical upbringing in White Plains, NY, about half an hour north of NYC.
The nuclear, four-person family that laughed together constantly. A cat. An elder sister I revered. I made friends easily, did well in school, loved reading, went to sleepaway camp every summer from the age of 8, and had a close-knit extended family pretty nearby. All the boxes were checked.
I am acutely aware of how thankful I should be for all of this - I didn't have any major life challenges, didn't lose anyone close to me until I was in college and led a pretty blissfully ignorant life. I just sort of... coasted.
Through high school, where I was the president of the student body (I won the election reportedly because people wanted to hear my maiden name - Weiner - over the loudspeaker. I'll take it!) and involved in our local synagogue's youth group. Through college at Syracuse University where I was the president of my sorority and found my best and dearest friends right on my floor freshman year. Through my mid-twenties in New York City, working my dream job at a PR firm and having the time of my life. I just... coasted, always. Even with the name Weiner.
I am now a Neadel. I met my husband through one of my college best friends whose husband went to law school with him. As she got to know him she knew we had to meet, so we did - that was it. We both knew right after our first - and were sure after our second - date. No drama, we just... yup... coasted into our relationship, moving in together, getting engaged and then married. Life was incredible - we bought an apartment we love in Hoboken, NJ, just across the river (yes, the biggest drama in my life up until the age of 31 was moving from NY to NJ) and decided to start a family...
Which rocked me to the core.
After having my daughter in 2011, I had severe postpartum depression and anxiety. I have never been the same. I realize that compared to what some have gone through, this isn't a drop in the bucket - but for a girl who had everything come to her easily up until that point, I was completely shaken.
I began going to therapy (and realizing that anxiety had maybe always been just beneath my surface, but this just brought it out) and taking medication and rebuilding myself - and it worked. I emerged grateful, stronger, better, happier and proud of what I had been through. I came through a Warrior Mom.
I went on to have another baby, to come through that rattled but unscathed - and that brings us to now.
Now? I just turned 35, and I have my own nuclear, four-person family. Daughters who (so far) revere each other. No pet (cat or dog - that's our biggest drama so far, which to eventually have) yet, but I'm sure there's one in our future. And now, having gone through the past four and a half years of my life, I am extremely grateful - for my life, my family, my friends, my community, my health, my loves Evan, Rebecca and Lila, and for whatever comes in the next 35+ years.
My love, my rock, my entirely better half. |
On New Year's Eve I found one of those inspirational quote things on Instagram, and regrammed it. It said:
So here I am...
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