2009 Year in Review

One of the things I enjoy doing at year's end is the annual review of my very well-worn calendar with all its red ink and black x's, physical proof of time's passage. I like to go month-by-month jotting down the highlights. I keep it very simple, just a few words to stimulate the memory. The calendar tells only a portion of my life's story in a very event-oriented way. I find that some months are blank...even though I know the days were filled to the brim and overflowing with life's constant busy-ness.

Here's the message: Life is very ordinary...punctuated by events. I can't live from event to event. I must learn to find true life in the simple, the ordinary, the daily.

January - Dance Lessons (Monika from Austria with the Schwarzenegger accent)

February - Converge 09 (Our Student Ministry's Winter Retreat)
VintageNxt (Our Church) had 2 Baptisms...thankfully not killing them as they were
performed outside in 30 degree temps!

March - West Point Plebe Parent Weekend 2009
Stuart Turned 18

April - Blank...I know stuff happened, but, obviously, nothing calendar-significant

May - Jeff turned 50
Clayton turned 20, Finished his Plebe year & Headed to Airborne School
Stuart went on his Senior Trip & Graduated from High School

June - Stuart & Parents Attended U of A Freshman Orientation
The Whole Fam Attended Airborne Graduation & Vacationed with Clayton for 5
Days in South Carolina with Jeff's Family

July - Florida for 5 Days
Driving, Driving, Driving with Davis
Clayton had 28 Days Leave
4 More VintageNxt Baptisms

August - Davis Turned 16, Passed His Driving Test, Took Possession of the Jeep
Clayton Returned to West Point
Stuart Began College
I Turned 50
Pepper the Black Cocker Spaniel Died
All of the Above...in One Week's Time

Sept. - Football Season Began
Imagine Student Ministry Began Its 5th Year

October - More Football
West Point Weekend Visit
Hillcrest Cottage Art Show

Nov. - VintageNxt Celebrated 4 Years
Football Team Went to Second Round Play-Offs
Hillcrest Cottage Opened an Etsy Store
Stuart Came Home for Thanksgiving Break

December- Stuart Finished His First Semester with Stellar Grades
Clayton & Stuart were Both Home for Christmas!!!

And, now...onto 2010:

New Year's Resolutions ( I Love Them...Even If They Rarely Last!)
1. Learn a New Word a Day.
Yesterday my word was "Sycophant". Today it is "Meticulous" (Which I already know, so I'm ahead already and get an extra day to include "sycophant" in my vocabulary! So far, this resolution is going well!)
2. Organize My Attic and Closets.
(This is a carry-over from 2009, but I am still determined.)
3. Get a Dog-Sister for Mac the Labradoodle.
4. Grow My Etsy Store.
5. Walk 3 to 5 Times per Week (2 to 3 miles)...Notice I'm NOT Vowing to Lose Weight...
Exercising Regularly will Take Care of That Problem!
6. Read 10 Books (I'm up to 1 1/2 so Far)


I'm gonna call it "20-10" (Not Two Thousand & Ten)...so I'm just getting that out there in the beginning.

Happy New Year!