Looking Back at 2008

The end of the year always seems to be a time to reflect upon the year's events; to analyze the good and the bad and to make resolutions so that 2009 is better than 2008. I wish I could think of resolutions to make so that Sean doesn't get sick again or so that Jamie doesn't spend another 6 days in ICU and 6 weeks on IV antibiotics. But life comes with the bad as well as the good, and we've definitely had our share of good this year. Of course, Sean was born, and for those of you that have kids, you know that there's not much that can compare to the joy of watching your child develop and learn new things. We also bought our first house together (and a nice one, may I add!). While we hope that our second house will be closer to family, I think that our current house is definitely one to enjoy right now! We even got to visit Hawaii for the first time! Kauai is a beautiful island, and what better way to spend a week than with your husband, son, and great friends in tropical paradise.

I have to admit that 2008 was a learning year for me. Along with a lot of crazy events comes a lot of learning about yourself, your family, and your life. I learned that I actually CAN survive the pain of childbirth, and that it is definitely worth it. I learned that you always find the strength you need to handle any situation. I even learned that praying isn't necessarily a bad thing! I hate to use cliches, but I definitely learned that what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger!

My 2008 education wasn't all serious, though. I learned that having a tickle-fest with your family can actually count as therapy. I learned that Oreos and tea (weird combo, I know) after a hard day's work can make everything better. I even figured out that waking up at 6:30 AM actually counts as "sleeping in"!

Finally, I feel extremely thankful that we got to accomplish as many things as we did this year. Even though we now have a child, we still managed to do our fair share of traveling (Sean has now been to CA, VA, PA, and HI), which is something that Jamie and I both love to do. I truly believe that with 2009 will come fun, excitement, and more learning for all of us!