Best Parts of 2008
These are some of my fondest memories and things I am grateful for from the past year…..in no particular order…….minus the obvious things like “life” and “a great family” and “pedicures.”
1. Getting to experience BF’s first session as an elected official and all of the parties, dinners, newspaper articles, criticism, nasty emails, difference making along with him. It has been fun to watch him light up when he knows that he is doing something that will make a positive difference for people. Just this week (and he will not be happy with me for posting this) two families lost their homes in house fires and he just mailed them some money and a card. He doesn’t know these people at all. And he doesn’t care that they know him. He just wants to help. All of those delicious steak dinners were a plus, too.
2. Old friends- Getting to see all of my best and long-term friends IN ONE YEAR! This year I saw Wade and Sondra more than I have in our entire friendship, I think! I got to see Tracy, Karen, Amanda, and Bobs! All of my dearest friends!
3. New friends- I am grateful to have made some great new friends as well. Jessica and Ricky- my roomate in Hattiesburg and her sweet new husband; my cousing Ashley and Josh…..I have known them forever, but we bonded on our “Monday Night Dates” and I feel like they are among my closest friends now; Alice…I got to know Alice last year while campaigning for Michael, and she is one of my favorite new people; Betsy, I got to spend time with Betsy through Sondra and I am SO EXCITED that I did! We have so much in common (reading, blogging, etc) and it is nice to have a new someone with whom to obsess over things like Marilyn with! Angela is my new friend at school, and I hope 2009 brings us more laughs and chances to make fun of teenagers behind their backs!
4. I fell into a job that is perfect for me at a school that could not be more supportive of new teachers. My bosses are fantastic and my co-workers (most of them) are eager to help me navigate through my first year of teaching. The administration just trusted me with my own classroom and I never feel like anyone is breathing down my neck. I have so much freedom to teach “out of the box” and that is great for my personality!
5. Great times at the islands, on the boat, and on Island Time!
6. I feel very strong this year, and feel like I have learned to stand up for myself for the first time. If you have been at the receiving end of this new-found confidence, understand that this is a development in progress. I have found that I feel very settled within myself and with whatever happens with my future. I don’t feel that desperate sense of trying to make everyone happy and please everyone else before myself. I know exactly what I want and am not afraid to ask for it.
7. Sweet Bella Grace, my new niece.
8. The best. sushi. ever. at Chef Scot’s. The Green Dragon never disappoints.
9. This great new salad with avocados and walnuts that Alice taught me….I will post the recipe sometime.
10. The two-member book club! Its just me and Betsy!
11. www.thepioneerwoman.com, www.nonsociety.com, www.thedailybeast.com
12. Quoting lines from “Friends” with my sister. I so wish she would get into The Office, so we can quote that together in 2009.
13. Sunday afternoons curled up in BFs bed watching Lipstick Jungle, The Office, and occasionally Grey’s Anatomy on my laptop while he putters around the house and yard.
14. “Black Friday” shopping with Sondra during Midnight Madness at the outlet malls. It was madness indeed. Way way past midnight.
15. This year I stopped reading gossip blogs and I am better for it. It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be, I just got a real life….
That is all for now…..I am sure I will think of some more and add them later…..
3 years ago