Celebration of 2009

Wow, what a difference a year makes!

Looking back over the past year, I'm impressed by God's tenacity to keep me right where He wants me, despite my longing to be anywhere else but there in the center of His will. I've battled distrust of my Leader and wanting, at times, to sail out on my own. But I stuck with Him and He with me and here I am today on December 31 in a place I know He's called me and in a place where I am happy.

January came with a flurry with me nestled in my mountain home in Silver City, New Mexico as the bureau chief for the Silver City Sun-News, a job that I loved very much and that I miss, even to this day. It's also the month I received my dream dog of a German Shepherd (Skye) and the month I endured the flu by myself. I also spent a glorious weekend in Albuquerque with my three youngest siblings and we did many things, including a visit to the zoo.

I had major car issues in February and was without a vehicle for nearly three weeks while mine was being fixed. It was torture, I tell you! February was also the month that I chronicled the positive reasons why I loved living in New Mexico, despite the trouble I had some days on keeping that positive attitude.

March started the moments of financial difficulties that led to this post and my subsequent resignation from the Sun-News.

In April, I spent two weeks at Mom's house before I moved to Kentucky. It was there I learned to trust and trust again. It was a process that would inevitably last the entire summer.

May saw no posts from me. Not sure why.

In June I worked at a summer camp for kids and it really impacted me in many ways. The main impact - the desire to work in that capacity with my family, helping people, helping kids. I was in the middle of loving my summer with Josey and wrote this.

I visited the Grand Ole Opry in July and in doing so fulfilled a dream of mine. It was a night to remember for sure! I wrote a lot about "my" kids that month too.

In August I planned and executed Josey's birthday party and typed this in frustration one day when I didn't know what else to do. I was feeling trapped, worthless and desperately wanting to run.

I was on the beach in September for my birthday weekend and enjoyed my first official trip as a beach-er (if that's the word!)

In October, things started to change, for the good of course! I visited Austin the first weekend in October and wrote a blog about the many places I've lived and the way they've affected me.

November, I went on a final adventure with "my" kids and came home.

And here I am. Home on the ranch and loving it.

I'll be ringing in the New Year with some of my family tonight and thanking God for His faithfulness to me in the past 365 days.