Happy New Year!

What a year 2009 was!

I said to Billy the other day "I like my life."

And it's true.

I always journal a "Year in Review" on New Year's Eve (I'm a day late this year because Riley decided to have a few seizures the last couple of days - not bad ones and not many but you learn to sleep when he's sleeping so my schedule is all off) and really take some time to think about everything that happened. I get a chance to wipe the slate clean of any mistakes I made, see how to improve on things I did well, and plan for what I want to accomplish in the coming year.

I never make resolutions, only set goals. If I have a goal then I can always be working towards it. With resolutions it seems to be a Pass or Fail kind of thing. Why would anyone intentionally set themselves up for failure?

We have a simple life, but it is a good one. No cameras follow us down the street chronicling our every move, my husband didn't have any other women (much less 14) coming out of the woodwork with infidelity accusations, there was no secret life of drug use revealed, and so on and so on.

We have each other. We have our sisters and brother and their families and moms that we love and adore. I have beautiful memories of a dad that I miss each and every day and am fortunate for his family that helps me keep him alive inside.

I have a good job, though stressful, and a boss that is finally starting to see that I am capable of more than he thought. I think having a successful peer review was the real turning point. His attitude is changing little by little. I work with a great group of people and have a supportive husband that understands the long hours and weekends and does all that he can to help out at home so that I have one less thing to worry about. And when I say all that he can - I mean everything. He shops, cleans, does the laundry, everything. I have virtually no responsibilities on the weeks that he is home. The weeks he works in Arkansas he has no expectations that all this stuff gets done in his absence. I take care of the Magnificent 7 and that is all he asks of me.

Our families were blessed this year. We did lose one member on my dad's side but gained one on my mom's. The sadness of losing my cousin was tempered somewhat by getting to see my uncle, my aunt, and all the other cousins that I hadn't seen for years. Sitting outside Tom's house with Guy and Steven was a really cool night and one I won't forget. I was glad I could find a way to go.

What do I see for 2010? Our family will be expanding again when my cousin gets married in June. There is a baby due in July on my dad's side. I have some professional development goals that are in motion and at least one will be completed in the next few months. I have a very cool trip in the works with one of my dad's brothers to go see the area where they grew up before they all moved to Arkansas and try to get some of that family history documented. (I'm fascinated by where I came from and how I got here and what makes me the way I am.) I'm also excited about a trip with my mom and niece in July to Washington DC. I've never been and it should be tons of fun. Brett is an incredible young girl (she'll be 12 when we go) - funny, intelligent, articulate - and it should be an awesome trip and good opportunity to spend some quality time together. I'm working on some other plans with my nephews. Their schedules are tough and the distance from their house to Natchez is an obstacle, but obstacles are meant to be moved so I will work something out.

I hope and pray for continued good health. I keep trying to do my part wherever possible. I pray that for all my friends and family. We've all been very blessed in that department. If that changes then I'll pray for the strength to face it head on and plow through.

So yes, I like my life.

Love it, actually.

And I don't see that changing in 2010. My wish for you is the same. If you don't like your life then work towards changing it so you will. It won't happen overnight most likely but anything worth having is worth working for.

So Happy New Year! Have a wonderful day.