The end of 2009. The end of a decade.

It seems like many people are happy to say good-bye to 2009. I am sure there are a few years that I myself was happy to say good-bye to. Why are we happy to say good-bye to a year? We can’t take that year back we can’t recreate the memories. We always look back and wonder where the time goes but are happy when a year is over. I wouldn’t mind holding onto 2009 a little longer. I only have about 8 hours and 20 minutes left and I am going to cherish them. 2009 hasn’t been the best year nor has it been the worst year. I do have to say 2009 has been a growth year.

It started out as a rough year but this time it was different. I took what I had and I learned and grew from it. I have learned and figured out how to make it work when it seemed like nothing else will work. I can honestly say 2009 has not been a bad year. Don’t get me wrong it has had it’s moments but I think out of 10 years I have learned and done a lot of firsts this year.

I have had my ups and downs this year. I have had my laughs and cries this year. I have found friendships I thought were lost, I have gained new friends and I have lost friends. I have walked 13 + miles in less then 24 hours. I have slept on a gym floor for an hour in the middle of no where. I have sat in a mini van with 5 other girls for 32 + hours. I got to go to one of the places I have wanted to go in all of my 33 years with an amazing friend. I realized that if I am positive about a situation it will more than likely end better than if I am negative. I really have learned to live this year to make me happy and not anyone else. I don’t expect anything out of anyone and I get so much more in return. This year I realized that we can’t take any moment for granted. We could lose things or people we love in an instant and when you get a second chance take it, because there may not be a third. I have accomplished so many goals this year and I am so proud of those goals I have accomplished. I may have cried my way through but in the end I am so much happier about the decisions and places I am at in my life.

This year for me has been a good year.

In a decade I have had lived in 10 different houses, had 7 different roommates, 3 different cities, and 2 cars.

In the last 10 years I met, stalked and married my best friend. He alone brought so many amazing people into my life. 10 years ago today I didn’t know my amazing mother and father-in-law. I have found and gained some of the most amazing people in my life that weren’t there 10 years ago.

In 10 years I have discovered I love to read and quilt. In 10 years or even this year I realized how important family is and how much I love and cherish every moment with them, especially my wonderful Mother. These 10 years haven’t been easy and I can say some of the best things I learned she has taught me.

In 10 years I still can’t spell and my punctuations…Yeah it sucks worse than my spelling.

10 years ago I was 23 and doing anything and everything I wanted to do. Can I say that 10 years ago today I would have seen my life where it is today? Probably not. I think it is more than I could have imagined. I have a great life and I love it. I look forward to 2010 and the 9 years after that.

Just the right time...

This song always seems to come on at just the right time. It always seems to make me think and realize how lucky I actually am.

So damn easy to say that life's so hard
Everybody's got their share of battle scars
As for me I'd like to thank my lucky stars that
I'm alive and well

It'd be easy to add up all the pain
And all the dreams you've sat and watch go up in flames
Dwell on the wreckage as it smolders in the rain
But not me... I'm alive

And today you know that's good enough for me
Breathing in and out's a blessing can't you see
Today's the first day of the rest of my life
And I'm alive and well
I'm alive and well

Stars are dancin' on the water here tonight
It's good for the soul when there's not a soul in sight
This motor's caught its wind and brought me back to life
Now I'm alive and well

And today you know that's good enough for me
Breathing in and out's a blessing can't you see
Today's the first day of the rest of my life
Now I'm alive and well
Yeah I'm alive and well

-Kenny Chesney
Featuring Dave Matthews

Up..Up..and Away

It has happened to us all when we were kids and has happened to our kids or will. We go out side with out new balloon in hand and without think let go. There it goes up..up..and away into the air.

You stand and watch as long as you can till you can't see it any more. Some kids scream till they get a new one and some don't even get a new one and just scream. It is one of the worst things that could ever happen to you as a kid. Right?

Did you ever wonder where that balloon would actually end up? When you were a kid did you ever participate in a contest where you tied your name onto the balloon and if the place holding the contest got a call about your balloon you won? Did you ever just put your name and phone # on a balloon anyway just to see where it would end up or if someone would find it? We did this several times. I am sure Thomas has no recollection of this but we did the contest at grandma's one year or maybe 2 years. I think it was a 2 because I was so excited about it the next year. We never won, nobody ever found my balloon or at least that I know of. I am sure we couldn't do that today with all the crazy people out there but it still would be fun to do.

Fast forward 20 + years.

Now that Chris is working most nights I am home alone the majority of the evenings. This used to bother me but it doesn't as much any more plus Kona is there too. 2 Sunday nights ago I was sitting on the couch watching Amazing Race. I was completely into it and all of the sudden Kona is looking out the back window growling. Not just a little, "hello, hello" she was hair standing growling. Now I knew she wasn't growling at the cats they were in the garage and when she see's the neighborhood raccoons she just barks at them. I actually freaked out and froze on the couch for a full minute not wanting to move wondering what to do. I slowly peaking around the corner thinking maybe it was a raccoon and she didn't like them being in the back. I didn't see anything. Looking a little closer I saw something move on the patio but it was low to the ground. I kind of figured being that little and low to the ground it wasn't a person. Since it wasn't a person I decided to get up a look.

Yep it was some kids Happy Birthday Mylar balloon.

That is where they end up. In some random persons backyard dancing around, while their dog is ready to attack and they are scared out of their mind.

Funny part when I brought it in to pop it she wouldn't stop growling at it. After I put it in the garbage can she kept staring at the garbage can like it was going to pop back out of the garbage. I love her!

Traditions

For the last 2 weeks I have been thinking I should blog more since it is the end of the year. I keep making a list of ideas and I am sure I have at least 60 days worth of blogs I just get busy and think of other things to do when I get home. I am going to try and do as many as I can in a row before I run out of topics. Today's topic, traditions.

I was talking to Mom today about a conversation she had with a friend. They were talking about Christmas traditions they used to have with their families when their kids were little and now it is time for those kids to move on and have their own Christmas traditions with their families. One of our family traditions was getting a Christmas tree. We would get up on a Saturday or Sunday morning go to McDonald's for breakfast and go get our tree. The sad part, I actually forgot about this tradition until Mom mentioned it. I hate to say it but over the years I have become a holiday I don't look forward to. Today I think I finally pin pointed what it was. Traditions.

As Mom and her friend we discussing all their children have gown up and have their own traditions now. They go and get their trees as families with their kids. Some may go to breakfast, some may make a day of it, some may go to the woods to get their tree. Some families make gingerbread houses with their kids and some will make cookies. On Christmas day they wake up with their kids and open presents and go about their day. I tried to think what Christmas tradition do Chris and I have...........We don't. Some years we get a tree some years we don't. Some years we decorate some years we don't. The only real tradition we have had is where we spend Christmas day. One year we spend it with my family and the next year we will spend it with Chris' family.

I think I need to come up with a Christmas tradition. I guess I am going to have to come up with one in 10 days.