Saturday, December 31, 2005


Here we are! This will be the first time we will not be all together to ring in the New Year. It was inevitable just glad it lasted as long as it did. Happy New Year!

Thursday, December 29, 2005

Top 10 in 2005 (in no particular order)

  1. My job at the YMCA. I love what I do, motivating people, helping them reach goals, meeting new people, and keeping myself in shape.
  2. Our 20th Anniversary trip - I love the fact that we took time by ourselves and weren't on any particular schedule. Spending those 5 days with my husband was wonderful. Kayaking on the Potomac was the best! It was truly a highlight of the year.
  3. Our 2nd trip to Bethany Beach (we took 2 or 3). The perfect combination of water, sun, kids, patience, people made it awesome! We were in and out of the water day and night, walking to town, kayaking (met someone with kayaks and we borrowed them), Mango Mikes, Hagerstown people at the Conference center. Great week!
  4. The new me. With the loss of 20 lbs, down to a size 2 or 4, new "do", and fit, I feel better physically and mentally than I have in a while. As my kids would say, "Mom, you look hot!" How could I not feel great! Of course, what my husband says is just as ego lifting, just in a different manner. :-)
  5. Lucinda Williams concert @ Rams Head Live. OMG! When she opened up with "Ventura", I felt the chills run down my spine and the tears well in my eyes. Music has the effect on me. I've been listening to LW for 2 years now and find her incredible. We stayed for about 2 1/2 hours and I heard she played another 1 1/2 till both she and the crowd were exhausted! I'm still kicking myself for leaving!
  6. Knitting. I taught myself how to knit this year and it has brought me great joy (and creative confidence and yarn!). From scarves, to felted bags, to cell phone cozies, to hats, I've gone nuts! Youngest daughter asked one day "Don't you get tired of knitting?" Not yet.
  7. My husband and daughters. The constant they are in my life and the beautiful people they are.
  8. WWW. Okay, while not super computer literate, I can find quite a bit on the WWW. I researched our whole anniversary trip, learned to knit, researching colleges for oldest, find lists, groups, blogs, etc. I can waste quite a bit of time on the computer and love it!
  9. Christian Temple. My community of faith. They nurture me and my family, including my mother, sister and her children. A true family.
  10. Okay, I'm leaving this one open for that monumental thing I forgot that was incredible!

In truth, there was much more than top 10. I love the little things in life. My coffee in the morning, the private jokes in my family, the phone calls in the morning with my father, sister, mother and neighbor, breakfast with my kids, laughing with my husband, car talk on Saturday mornings, my glass of wine in the evening, my dogs, and more.

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Gratitudes for the day

  1. Stacked firewood before the rain hits
  2. A lovely walk with my puppies
  3. Chicken in the crock pot
  4. Girls happy to be shopping together - pray they stay safe
  5. A husband who thinks I'm beautiful
  6. All family events are over - I love them but 4 in a row is exhausting for all!.