2008 Year End Review

Yesterday I did something I've never done before: I went through my calendar and I went through my blog and looked at what the past year held

2008 was a year of good things. We celebrated its start together as a family in Richmond. I had the good sense to end a part-time transcription job. Joe had a grand opening of a new affordable housing project. Our church finally called a new pastor who will begin on February 1. Four of us had a private quilting getaway at White Oak. Anastasia performed an amazing solo in Harrisonburg. Caroline joined the family on March 1. My great nephew Scott married.

2008 was a year of difficult things. The economy. Joe's heart attack and the adjustments this brought. My cataract surgery, times two. Stress at church with a difficult interim pastor. The loss of our good friend Steve. The worry over our friend Caeli's liver failure.

2008 was a year of new things. I finally got a cell phone. We visited Niagara Falls. I joined a group at school that studies equality and diversity. We joined the YMCA. I finally made a jewel box quilt (two of them!). I became a political activist and worked on a campaign.

2008 was a year of intense sewing and quilting. I completely finished fifteen quilts. I brought fourteen more quilts to Flimsy stage. I abandoned one project that I wasn't enjoying. I traded away two projects that held no interest. Amazingly, I finished "What Was I Thinking?"

2008 was a year of deep thinking about priorities, about how to spend our time and our money. It was a year to focus on the family and to cut back on the overgiving at Christmas. It was a year of visiting with long-time friends and new friends.

2008 was, like every year, a mixed year. 2008 was, like every year, unique.

And it comes to an end.

For better or for worse.

Naively, I wish my readers only good things in 2009. Would that it could be so.