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Happy New Year!!! (almost)

It is nearing 8 p.m. here in the Midwest on the last day of 2-0-0-9! This is a year I am seriously glad to put behind me.

I can recall entering this year caretaking for my Aunt Maggie who had ostomy surgery in December of 2008. To her disappointment she came out of surgery with an ostomy bag. Who knew one little bag would require as much attention and care as a newborn baby? Thankfully it was only temporary and we looked forward to March when she would have her reversal surgery to remove it.

March arrived and the date for her surgery was set. We were excited. However, something else was about to take place this month that would over-shadow anything & everything in my life. On March 8th....a normal Sunday morning I received a frantic call from a friend informing me our Pastor had been shot in the middle of him giving his sermon. This is the second time in my life I have received utterly shocking news. The kind of news that literally sucks the breath out of your lungs. The kind of news you can NEVER prepare for....EVER.

The hours, days, weeks & months that followed "that" day have been like climbing Mt. Everest. Not that I know what climbing Mt. Everest is like other than what I have seen on TV. From what I understand just trying to do the simplest tasks require the utmost focus & energy. And, you are left exhausted. That is what life has felt like since March 8th.

However, life (as it always does) goes on. Surgeries, birthdays, earning a paycheck, housework, trips to the vet, stealing moments of joy with toddlers, scrapbooking, filling up the gas tank, grocery shopping.....life goes on.

And since life went on.....there is so much more to my 2009 than the 8th of March. May 19th I saw my great nephew (or is it grand nephew?) Caiden turn 1. Then, 7 weeks later on July 7th I watched as Trevor did the same. Oh how God knew I would need these bright, shining, silly boys this year. They have brought me endless smiles and scrapbooking moments.

I turned (gulp) 39 this year. Pardon me as I shed a few tears over seeing that in print. [sniff-sniff] okay, I am fine now. Oh no!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That means in 2010 I will turn.......no, I can't type it. I can't even thunk it!

New topic.....the year has ended with Mom getting her left knee replaced on December 7th. A blood clot in her lung set her back in the recovery process and after 25 days between the hospital and the rehab facility she came home on December 30th. She still has many weeks of recovery ahead and the blood clot medication/side effects will have to be monitored closely over the next 6 months. Despite it all, she talks of getting the other knee done once she is cleared of the blood clot. Prayers were answered far above & beyond what I asked for on her behalf. Thank you God.

Many, many, many other things made up this year. Too many to even list. But, important just the same. Even though I will turn ____ (still can't type it) in 2010 and knowing for certain there will be tears shed over hurts & disappointments (and the fact I will turn ___)....despite all this I am happy to turn the page from 2009 to 2010.

Maybe this will be the year I reach the top of my Mt. Everest. One. Day. At. A. Time.