2009? Where did the time go?

Things I am most thankful for....

1. I recall being a little girl and considering the year 2000 - wondering if I would be alive on such an auspicious date...and here I am 9 years later wondering what other milestones I will get to reach in my life. I went (kicking and screaming) to the Dr this week and she and I discussed what a great time it is to be alive. She said that she had to look twice at my file to see how old I was (yup, I am sticking with the hair dye until I have no hair) and she told me she thought our parents didn't look like us when they were our age. I am grateful to live in a time such as this when my age is not considered "over the hill" and that I can look forward to many more years on this earth.

2. We had such a great Christmas with Katrina and Joseph home, but we missed Natalie, Will, and Fallon sooo much and we thought about them everyday. (This year was a Howe family year - note to self, my other children should marry orphans.) Every year our family struggles to find times when we can all be together. This year, we WENT TO HAWAII - YO! Thanks to my sister and bro-in-law, we funned in the sun, and for a few days, we were all together. Rick has made sacrifices this year so that we can be together more often and our family is happier for that.

3. Fallon and great nieces/nephews. Okay, I'm not going to lie too much here, but becoming a grandma is just a little hard on my ego. Damn it all, I love being "experienced" but I hate looking like I am. Fallon, the OG (original grand baby) makes up for every wrinkle and gray hair. She is a joy; gorgeous, smart, funny, etc. This Christmas, I got a few glimpses of my FOUR great nieces/nephews and they are similarly endowed with good looks and brilliance. It must be the genes...

4. Okay, I probably make everyone sick with my constant talk of "my classroom" and my educational experiences, but I have to brag just a little bit about my Master's in Education. It took me a span of 14 years and three colleges to get my Bachelor's degree and a mere two years to get my masters. It was a challenge for me to work with younger brained classmates who had more classroom experience than I, but I pulled it off and in the end I made the Dean's List and I passed my Praxis reading test. Whoot!

5. Rick and I have been married 26 years. Back in the day, it was unusual for people to get divorced; now it is unusual for people to remain married. Anyone who knows us knows that it hasn't been the easiest passage for us, but we love and respect one another and we are committed to our life together.

6. Music, books, friends, food, entertainment.....
Katrina hyped up my iPod Touch, I read "The Road", my friend Judy cooks me bread, I took a cooking class and have renewed my love affair with the kitchen, and Joey keeps me locked in on the movie scene.

7. Kids. I get to work with kids every work day and the Primary Angels on Sunday. Kids are hopeful and energetic and wonderful.

8. The three people who read this always give me grief b/c I don't blog very often. I love to write and am a hopeful author. This is a great forum for me to express myself. Hoo Rah for blogspot.