2008 in Review

I started typing my fist paper for my first master's class of 2009. It was weird putting "2009" on the cover page! I had to pause and double check to make sure that, yep, it really is 2009.

It made me wonder where 2008 went, so I thought that a "Year in Review" might be a good idea.

January: My husband was deployed for the second Christmas season in a row. I wasn't blogging regularly at this point so I don't have any blogs around this time but I do remember being a bit depressed. I also remember having like 20 people in my house for Christmas! I had my biological father, his wife, their son (my 1/2 brother), his wife, and their three children. I also had my biological mother, her husband, their 3 kids (my 1/2 brother and sister and my step-brother), my other brother, his wife, their son. Then there was my sister's best friend Paul, his parents and younger brother. Oh... and me, making 20. I had NEVER had that many people in my house - expecting me to feed them! Luckily, My biological mom and my Bio-dad's wife did chip in a make a few things to bring but I made the ham, and a few sides. Somehow, we made it though the day!

Another huge thing that happened in January was that my father got a life saving bone marrow transplant from a wonderful anonymous donor! 1 year later and Daddy is doing AWESOME!

February: Deployments SUCK! No other way to put it. Being alone often gets to you.

March: Deployments still suck, but you have to suck it up and think about all the wonderful things that you do have, even when you are missing the one you love.

April: Daddy is recovering well and is staying in an apartment near the hospital for regular checkups and blood work. Going to visit him and taking him back and forth to his appointments really makes you think.

May: My husband is finally home, and my little brother graduated from HS and prepared to follow my husband into the US Navy. Both Hubby and I gave him some advice that I hope he listens to. Months later and I can report, some he did listen to, and some...well... hopefully he'll learn from his mistakes :)

June: Summer Break is finally here! YAY More time to get bored, and think about who you really are.

July: Because my dad and my little brother both have Lymphoma, in 2005, I got involved with Team in Training, a group that trains for and run/completes marathons/triathlons/century bike rides while raising money for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I had previously felt that training and raising money would be too much for me this year because I'm also working on completing my Master's Degree but after receiving a very upsetting e-mail from a friend of mine telling me that her fiance had been diagnosed with Lymphoma as well, I couldn't keep it on the back burner and I was literally off and running again.

August: One of the hazards of living in Florida is the hurricanes...and this year, the tropical storms got us too!

September: September 11th was very emotional this year.

October: My brother got married! <--Pictures there, but there are even more HERE! I also started my serious attempt to learn how to cook and cooking more often this month.

November: I decided to participate in National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) in honor of my birthday on the last day of November and posted a blog every single day of November! One of the most memorable, and saddest, events was the passing of my Uncle David in early November.

December: December was busy! I decorated the house, Ran 20 Miles, went camping with the in-laws, Thought about my Christmas Wishes, remembered why I can't give up, and thought about the Angles Among Us.