30 Years in Houston

Today's post is to commemorate the 30th anniversary of my move to Houston.  Yes - that's right - THIRTY years ago!  I really can't believe it.  I have lived in the Houston area for the majority of my life now so I guess it is home!  There is kind of a joke/observation about Houston that no one really moves here because they want to live in Houston.  It is because of the opportunities here.  And then once you are here, you just stay!  Let's take a walk down memory lane to 1992.

In 1992,  I was 23 years old.  I had just finished college at the University of Texas.  I actually graduated in 1991, but had a last minute change in career plans and stayed one more year to get my teaching certificate.  I interviewed for teaching positions in the Dallas and Houston areas.  I ended up picking Houston since my college boyfriend had moved there.  Well, that fizzled out pretty quickly but I stayed in Houston.

I taught high school science at Cypress Falls High School.  My first year I taught 9th grade Physical Science all day.  I remember being really nervous when I started, and I practically wrote a script for myself for each lesson.  It got easier after a few weeks!  I absolutely loved my job and was very dedicated to it.  (On a side note, we had to wear panty hose every day.  If we wore pants, we had to wear knee highs.  The male teachers had to wear a tie or a jacket.  Such a different dress code than today's standards!)  

This picture was from a directory from the church I joined.  

Does anyone remember Olan Mills taking directory photos and then selling you a package?

Here I am throwing some kind of birthday party in my apartment.

Maybe I had a few friends over for my birthday.  I can't remember!

And here is my apartment where I lived for 5 years until I bought a house in 1997.  

My unit was the one on the upper left.

It was funny trying to find pictures for this post.  I probably only have a handful of photos from 1992, and maybe only about 50-100 for the entire decade!  My how times have changed!  Now I could take 50 pictures in a few hours.  

1992 seems like yesterday, but it really was a different era - no cell phones, no internet, and very slow computers.  I didn't have cable tv until 1998, so only a few channels with the antenna.  Listening to cd's, cassettes, or the radio.  Landline phones and letters.  Expensive long distance calls.  Teaching with an overhead projector and scantron bubble attendance sheets.  Driving across Houston in 15 minutes.  

And here I am in 2022.  I taught science for 10 years, and now I have been a stay-at-home wife and mom for 20 years.  In the past 30 years, I have lived 8 different place - 7 in Houston and 1 in England.  The house where we are now is officially the longest I have lived anywhere in my life!   I wonder what changes are in store for us now?