Another New Year...

The New Year comes with mixed emotions for me. So here is my little attempt at a year-end-review so I can remind myself of everything that happened! 2008 held many events that brought joy to my life...

1) Kelly being "done" with cancer (at least the chemo/radiation/surgery parts).

2) My dad getting super healthy and running the Boston marathon.

3) My sis-in-law Jen Shomo (now Rothacker!) getting married, and being able to photograph her wedding.

4) My best friend Kerrie getting married and being privileged as her matron-of-honor.

5) My kittie!
6) Visiting my mom-mom and finding old pictures of my pappy during WWII. Also seeing some of my cousins for the first time in a very long time..


Other mention worthy moments are Jen & Beth coming to visit in February, and the whole Chewning fam coming up in August. Amy and Drew moving here in Feb (or March?). Re-siding our house (another blog, another time). 5 year college reunion. All my photography endeavors. 4th of July at the Richardson camp & Casey's wedding (seeing the whole fam together). North Conway with Paul for our 3 yr anniversary. Hanging out with Heather and PJ twice when they visited from TN.

And somehow, after all of this.. I still feel like 2008 was lacking on some level! You can see from above that I have many reasons to be joyful, and I certainly am. However "happy" isn't a word that I have found myself using on a regular basis. For the sake of my readers it's certainly best that I don't go into detail here but I will say this: I've found myself less understood than I want to be, less involved than I want to be, and less respected than I want to be. In a lifetime where I am using to being a person who is trusted, loved, and accepted for who I am, I feel like the winds have shifted. Then again, it's only at certain times and in certain places I feel that way, and the majority of people in my life have nothing to do with this!! So sorry for the downer moment - but It's on my mind as I look into a new year. This year holds many possibilities - many of which I am greatly anticipating. My personal resolution is to be less complacent, to take action, to not fear wearing my heart on my sleeve, and to trust God more and more to be the person He has created and called me to be. It is my duty to love and be loved, and in 2009 instead of surviving, I'm going to try thriving.