So long 2009...

A year of firsts and lasts...

365 days and that's what I can come up with???? I've been thinking about this post for weeks now. What will I write? How can I describe a year's worth of emotions and events in to one, succinct blog? I want it to be something monumental...something worthy of publishing on a blog...something that conveys feeling, emotion, and sincerity as I reflect on 2009. And all I could come up with was "A year of firsts and lasts"? Really?? But...that's truly what it is...in every sense of the quote.

It is 2009...the last year of the decade. This decade started with widespread panic about computer glitches and Y2K scams. And here we sit 10 years later thankful it didn't happen to the degree we were scared it could have. In 2009, our family witnessed a lot of firsts and lasts. We had our third baby, but he was our first son. And he has been such a special addition to our family. With a new baby, there seems to be loads of firsts...a first holiday, a first illness (RSV in April), a first trip to Disney World. And, as quickly as it hit me that we were bringing home our first son, it was also our last pregnancy. In Drew's blog I recall a post about knowing this was the last baby and how that feels. Even as I type those words again, the tears sting my eyes. But...the future holds so many fun and bright memories for this family that the stinging only lasts for a minute. We may have experienced our last ultrasound, our last baby kicks, and our last trip to the Women's Center at Northside Hospital, but there will be plenty of birthday parties, family trips and special occasions to be a part of. This was also Kelsey's first year of school. I recall being worried that she would find it hard and not want to go. We worried about separation and how she would do academically. All we had to compare her to was Ally and she's every teacher's dream. But, she has proved us wrong in every worry and has made a place for herself in her class and has succeeded in ways that make us so proud. Ally finished her first year of school in May. We were sad to say goodbye to Mrs. Lussier...Ally and us. But, we were very excited to get Mrs. Anderson for first grade in the fall. Ally has continued to grow in herself as well and she makes us smile with pride each day. Bo completed his first half-marathon on Thanksgiving Day and came in just over 2 hours. We were all so proud of his accomplishment...13.1 miles is quite a daunting task. And finally, for the first time since high school, we are surrounded by family who lives just minutes away and not hours or days away. The Blums were the first ones here, just over a year ago. And Bo's parents joined us earlier this year. We are so fortunate to have all of them with us. We enjoy having everyone together for all the day to day adventures that life sends us on.

As this post closes on the last day of 2009, I have a chance to reflect on the year. It was a good year. It is filled with memories we will all cherish for the rest of our lives. And though most of it is not earth shattering, it's our life; our family, and that's what makes this post monumental and worthy of posting. So long 2009...we're excited to see what firsts and lasts the new decade will bring to us.