a year in review

happy 2009.

i'm not sure if i'm just getting older, more lame or becoming an all around grouch, but this new years eve came & went for me with not much notice. we spent new years day afternoon with some friends eating chili watching the kids play(new friends -a gift from this year).

this year has been good. of course we started it out with our little stephen being born a couple of months earlier. so for me its been about adjusting to becoming a stay at home mom mother of two. i have to say that although it was a difficult transition, i truly enjoyed it. i remember masons first year was much more difficult, more shocking to me. i gues since i was already a mom, when stephen was born i just flowed into it and was able to ENJOY his infancy. this year i've again recommited myself to my recovery, going to meetings consistintly & becoming more of a part of other womens lives. i've met a handfull of ladies in my community with children and we started hanging out & sharing the mommy journey together. the "coffee moms" have been such an important part of this year and easing my transition. i've attempted to slide into a more healthy lifestyle the last several months. actually joining the gym (and going! what a concept!) and attempting to switch from fried to grilled, things of that nature! the LBs are dropping so i must be doing something right, & i really LIKE getting my body moving. i can't say i've ended the year with a bang. i've generally been restless, irritable & discontent. i am grateful to know that this too shall pass, that before great growth usually comes discomfort. so i will keep plugging away at being the best me i can be, apologizing when i fall short & most importantly keep trying to grow in my relationship with god so that those things are possible. more will be revealed!!

mike has had a busy year, as usual, with work and continuing to plug away at school. i think becoming a dad again has been a different experience with #2. afterall with mason he stayed at home for 6 months so he and masons relationship came sure & fast. it took a little longer with stephen. he has most definitley been a momma's boy! but daddys charms cannot be resisted by small children or animals and stephen has fast come under his spell. mike is a rock star with the boys! we followed his dream at the end of this year and started up our own sober living house for recovering alcoholic men. it has been amazing how things have come together for this. finding the PERFECT place, the funds working out, actually getting a few guys in within the first month. its definitley been and will continue to be a walk of faith, and we're walking. so mike has been busy with the guys over there. he's set to graduate in another year or so, i'm sooooo proud of him ofr staying the course even when he has wanted to quit. he works hard for our family and is such a loving husband & the best friend i could ever want. i love you hunny!

mason owen turned four this year, and i have to say that i'm glad year #3 is behind us. it was a tough one. he adjusted VERY well to becoming a big brother. he has always been extremely gentle & loving to him, especially when stephen was very little. it seems the big brother traits are ingrained, not necessarily learned, at least by mason. he immedietely became protective(then in the same breath bossy). he continued at montessori this year, having moved up into the big kid class. i dropped him down from 5 days a week to 3, so he would have more time home with me and brother. the end of last school year was rough, he regressed in many ways behaviorally. i kept him home for the summer. it was awesome & terrible. i so enjoyed just being with him day after day, something i have never done before. it was hard though (on me!) this year mason bagan to learn how to swim & started taking gymnastics. he's made some new great friends and recently has learned to ride a big boy bike. he continues to become his own person and has such a bright, fun personality.

this was stephens first year of life. i cannot believe how big he is already. he is a funny, impatient child. he goes with the flow mostly but when he's not happy he sure lets you know. his smile is electric and although its grown out i will always see him with his hair sticking straight up. it has been such a joy & priveledge to get to stay at home with him this year. to really connect with him, share a rhythm & daily life. he wants to do whatever his big brother is doing and is really a tough little kid. he has recently learned to come down the stairs & slide down a slide solo. we're still not walking but that doesn't deter him from getting to where he wants to go. i look forward to what this year will bring with both of my boys.

so as a family we are growing and learning how to live together & be most effective in one anothers lives. i am so grateful for what i have been blessed with. for my family, for all of you, for health, a roof over our heads, food in my kids bellies (and plenty more in the pantry), for a sane mind & a sense of humor! for awareness, sobriety, love. on and on really, it never ends....

i hoe this year brings harmony, prosperity & love to all!