A year in review (2009)

What a year it has been. Most of the memories in my head are things I would rather had not happened. Isn't it funny how your mind sometimes tends to remember the bad parts instead of the good. It is also funny how one bad even can overshadow and make the good memories not so good anymore. Here is highlights from my year...

February 1: My Grandma Semple suddenly passed away at the age of 83, one month and 14 days before her 84 birthday. It was also the Super Bowl...funny, I to this day I cannot remember who won it. My Grandma was one of my best friends. I could tell her anything and she did not judge. Writing that reminds me of the last time I saw her alive...the week before she passed. She seemed so good...I picked on her as usual and she picked back. Sitting here and writing this I can feel the hug I got from her that day.

March: Grandpa had a small stroke. It was so hard to deal with so close to losing Grandma. However, he is doing well, maybe taking things a little slower but he is 81 after all.

June: Shawn moved into a group home in Bath. It was hard for Mom and Dad to get him to the home that night but he quickly settled in. Now he doesn't like to be away for long periods. He is doing amazingly well...Praise the Lord!

June 26: I finished my I finished my 11th complete year of being a Special Education teacher. Where does time go? It seems I only graduated a few years ago but in reality it has been 11.

July 3: I started my 4th summer working in Day Treatment for summer school. It proved to be the best "year" in summer school yet. My best memory from summer school this year was going to Roseland Water Park with my students. They had so much fun and I did too.

June 28: Dustin turned 30. I had a surprise party for him...it was a success and a very nice day.

August 21: The day I found out my husband was having an affair. At first I thought it had only been going on for a few months. Later I was to find out that it had been taking place almost a year. Devastation set in and I didn't know what to do. Eventually he moved out. Towards the end of September we began talking again and got back together soon after. Our relationship has changed so much since August. We are whole again, not broken as we once were. That is not to say our marriage is perfect but it has come a long way. Amazing that I can sit here and say praise the Lord for letting this happen but had it not happened I don't know where we or our marriage would be right now.

October 8: We celebrated our 4th anniversary. For our anniversary we went to Ralph Wilson Stadium to watch the Bills play the Cleveland Browns. I was excited because the Browns had a worse record than the Bills so I thought they would win. Nope, that didn't happen. While it was a terrible game it was a fund day. We had a hotel room that night complete with a jacuzzi in our room. Dinner was Applebee's take out. The next day we stopped to get apples, pumpkins, gourds and did a little shopping at the outlet mall. It was a wonderful weekend, one I hated to see end but a good memory.

November 8: Dustin had a heart attack and a catheterization and stent put in the following day. Who would have thought at the young age of 30 my husband would have a heart attack? Not me or him that is for sure. We also both had the Swine Flu before his heart attack. Mine was accompanied with pneumonia. After his heart attack I had bronchitis and pink eye. The events of November resulted in my only working 6 complete days that month.

Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving was nice although we all missed my Grandma. Mom, Dad, Shawn, Uncle Jamie and Grandpa spent the day with us.

December 15: This day marked my one year anniversary of my breast reduction. I am still in awe at how much the surgery changed my life and so very happy I had it done!

Christmas: It was a beautiful Christmas this year. Dustin and I spent Christmas Eve at his parents' with Dawna, Alaina and Erik. Christmas morning we opened gifts and had breakfast at our house. We then traveled to Lindley then Bath to spend time with my parents, Shawn, Uncle Jamie and Grandpa. Our time was cut short because of the weather which I was very disappointed about but I am blessed I was able to spend, even a short time, with my family. I think my most memorable gift this year came from Dustin. It was a stocking, actually from Augge, Zoey, Gucci and Zeke. The tag said "Someone in heaven wanted us to get this for you from her". Obviously the someone was my Grandma. Oh how I missed her Christmas Day. Dustin and I visited her grave because I felt I needed to do that. Grandpa seemed to be doing as well as could be expected and loved the digital frame we got him with pictures and messages in it.

As I was typing this I realized there are more happy memories than I first thought. I am sure I forgot something but I guess I will save that for another time. All in all I am ready to leave 2009 behind and see what 2010 has in store for us. It may bring more sad memories but some of the best memories could be coming in 2010. Wishing you all a Happy 2010 with God, your family and friends at your side.