Year In Review...(Part 2)

I guess before I get too depressed about being in the same place as I was last year at this time, I should probably really think about it. Has anything really changed from last year? I would love to list all sorts of ways I have improved my own life, or shoot...even others. Wouldn't that be an encouragement? It would be great if I had a bunch of positive things I had done to look back on. But I don't think I will ever be able to look back on a year and NOT wish I had been a better Mom, wife, friend. I always know that I can do better.

So...nope. I can't really say I did anything too outstanding over the last year that would be worthy of bragging about in my little, rarely read blog!

Now. If you want to talk about events. Milestones. Defining moments. 2009 was full of them! We'll talk about the hardest stuff first.

2009 was a year of losing loved ones for us. Not only did we lose a special Aunt that I dearly loved and my sweet Grandpa, we also lost a great friend to cancer. It was Funerals in the Fall for me. Again. I don't know why I always lose people I love in the Fall. We lost BOTH of our babies in the Fall. My nephew, Russ, was killed in a car accident in the Fall. And then this last Fall. My Aunt, Grandpa, and our good friend, Scott. When I think of the season of Fall, I immediately think of Ecclesiastes 3. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven; a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot..." Fall '09 was a difficult SEASON for us.

It's honestly hard to even think about anything else that happened in '09. I guess I should mention that right, smack, dab in the middle of ALL of that (all three loved ones passed away within a few weeks of each other) I went back to work. Full time. I had not worked full time in 8 years. And of course this opportunity came up RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of all of it. The timing couldn't have been worse.

We also purchased a rental house this year. It was in desperate need of repairs before renting it out, so our Spring last year was spent working on that. I think I could blog for days on that experience. Stressful. Rewarding. Exhausting.

Drew started Kindergarten. Got glasses. Indira grew taller. And sweeter. And moodier. And prettier. And mouthier. Drew learned to lie to make a story sound a little more interesting. (Nipped that in the bud.) Indira learned about fractions. Drew learned to read. And they both still argue to ride the bus to school when I am going to the exact same place to work as the Secretary! The more things change, the more they stay the same, I guess.

It was a year. Full of ups and downs. Went by WAY to quickly. I guess I should start thinking of my goals for '10. Lose weight? Always. Be more organized? Wonder how many times that has made it to the list of resolutions. Let's not forget...be a better Mom, wife, friend....I could go on and on!