What a difference a year makes

One year ago today all my belongings were packed in a truck and I left Knoxville to start a new chapter of my life in DC. I remember feeling cautiously optimistic about the changes that might lie ahead and amazingly thankful that I had finally finished my Ph.D and had a life without graduate school ahead of me. I actually went back to Knoxville last weekend. It had been 10 months and there were some people I just needed to see. While I was there I had a few snippets of time to myself between meeting friends and I went back to some old haunts and was surprised at how foreign things seemed. I have changed a lot over the last year and Knoxville the place really hit this home. Surely it had been more than a year, I thought, or how can things feel this out of place, how can this part of my life seem so distant?? Thank goodness for my friends in Knoxville, they reminded me where my home in Knoxville was. I had forgotten how much I missed some of them, although I am not sure how. I really did not want to drive back when I did as there were more people to see, more news to catch up on (not to mention chicken pot pie to eat - Rene!!!!).

So what has happened over the last year? I have gained some more confidence in my abilities, more independence, more wrinkles. I have worked in a job in a field I love with amazing people. I am now engaged to a man I did not know this time last year and I could not be happier. I was unaware that relationships could even be like this. I have made a whole new group of friends in DC - people who I will be friends with for many many years to come. I have met several new additions to the world (Babies Evie and Maggie) and missed those people who are no longer here, I have missed them terribly.

The next logical question to ask is what will the next year bring? If possible, it seems I may see more change than in the last year. It brings me a new job. This time next year I will be finishing my first year as an Assistant Professor. I will be in the job I dreamed of having at 16, the job the careers' advisor told me I would never be able to get. I will be in Texas, with my wonderul fiance. I will have seen several friends get married and be close to getting married myself.

I have so many reasons to be thankful and just wanted to take the time to thank my friends, family, and fiance because you are what make my life so incredible.

Chocolate cake in 5 minutes

A dear friend sent me a recipe a while back that I forgot about and after tonight I may wish it had stayed that way. It is for a chocolate cake that you can make in five minutes total.

What you need:
1 large coffee mug
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
splash of vanilla extract

Combine all dry ingredients in coffee mug, add egg, milk, vanilla extract, and oil - mix well.
Add chocolate chips if you are using them
Microwave for three minutes (my microwave is 1000 watt and this seemed to work well)

Cake will rise in mug. I have huuuuuge mugs due to my love of vast amounts of coffee but if you use a normal size mug I imagine this would rise over the top.

Let cool

EAT