Good-bye 2009

Time to reflect on the year and all that happened...hmmmm....

The first thing that comes to mind is that I spent the first half of the year exhausted and miserable at work. My kids were afraid to call me and ask how I was doing because the answer was always the same. It was no fun for Ron either because he hates not being able to fix difficult situations for me - not that he didn't try! He's pretty great about pitching in and doing all he can - it just wasn't fixable. On a positive note, the second half of the year was spent learning a new job and getting very comfortable there. So happy!

Although my Girlies all live away from home, I got to see them all several times - even Jenn who lives in DC was able to combine a couple business trips with side trips to see the 'rents. It was fun to get out to the east coast to see her in her new environment as well. We took a couple trips to Santa Barbara, too, to help Beckie and Mandi set up their new apartments. It's been quite a ride watching my 3 daughters develop as adults. The amazing thing is how much I like them. They are all so different from each other but are such interesting individuals and almost always a lot of fun to be around.

Ron and I spent the majority of our time together and have done a fairly good job of adjusting to being parents of adult children. We don't mind our empty nest too much because it doesn't stay empty for too long. Our Baby Hurricane (to be renamed "Wild Thing" in 2010 because he's getting to be a big boy now and not so much a baby anymore) was a big part of our lives. He is definitely keeping us young and enabling us to do things that we wouldn't do otherwise - why else would we go to Fairyland or the park or baseball games or the pumpkin patch or to animated Disney movies?

So now that the year is coming to a close, I have to also think about my regrets...here are some in no particular order...
1. I did not lose any weight or get into shape - I didn't really try though. My stationery bike is serving as a clothes hanger right now.
2. I did not get to see or spend much time with family that is scattered over Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, New York and Germany. (you know who you are!).
3. Wish that there had been something I could have done to keep the ADHC from having to close. The sadness over that whole situation still overwhelming.
4. Wish I had been more organized at work and at home.
5. Wish I had started blogging sooner. No matter - I'm here now.

There are more, but I don't want to dwell on the negative. Onward and upward, right? Hmmm... that looks like the beginning of a list of New Year's resolutions! So, good-bye 2009 and bring it on 2010. Let's see whatcha got!