As we shed 2008 like an old skin I want to take a moment to reflect on my personal progress and accomplishments of the year. First off, I must note that this blog, in it's current state, is exactly one year old today. I started this blog on December 31, 2007 with great intentions of writing every day in 2008. However, I have to applaud my effort anyway. I wrote often in 2008 and my goal will be to keep the blog a little more active in 2009 with at least weekly posts if not more often.
It has also been almost a year since Chris and I first started playing disc golf. We have both improved immensely but even with all that improvement I still sort of suck at it. The thing about disc golf, though, is that for me it's not really a sport or a competition - I like to play. It's fun. It gets me off my ass and outdoors walking along some really beautiful courses for a couple of hours with Chris or whomever we are playing with. For me it's like a thing to do to be social and have fun. That said, it does feel so nice when I hear those chains and my frisbee sinks into the basket. I'm really looking forward to playing this weekend sometime.
The long and glorious road to electing Barak Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America began early this year for Chris and I. We caucused for him in March and became elected Delegates for the Senate Convention which was held later that month. We posted signs and got involved this year with BAND - Bay Area New Democrats. We voted, Chelsea voted for the first time, and we elected Obama. He's my hero and because of Barak Obama the world is a different place, a changed place, a better place. I have such high hopes for his presidency and for my country, now that it is in his hands.
Chris and I moved into the rent house at the end of May and have been "officially" living together for 7 months now but we were pretty much all living in the apartment at the Waterfront for about 8 months prior to that so moving here was like spreading our arms wide. I still love the amount of space we have and still can't wait to move into a more permanent home - one we buy. Chris's house that he owns in Seabrook continues to sit un-lived-in and relatively un-cared-for. For a couple of years now I've attempted to encourage Chris and offer to help him to do something about this house that isn't doing anything for anyone but I feel like I just sounded like a nag so I've given up. It isn't appealing to know that there is this massive hole in the picture of responsibility and put-together-ness that comes with my boyfriend as a package deal but you can't make people do things they don't want to do.
A few new babies were born this year - Julie & Matt's baby Caleb, Penny & Steven's second son Neil, Dawn & Jim adopted again - James' little sister Bailey, Jay & Joanne had their second daughter Jill just this month.
Hurricane Ike, September 13th, 2008. There's been enough said about the damages inflicted to this area from Ike already. Suffice to say that the hurricane was the catalyst for a multitude of things including but not limited to: my change in jobs in late November to the University of Houston which I absolutely LOVE; me hiring Kimberly at UH; many businesses being closed for good now; the island not being a great vacation spot anymore; change of plans for the annual beach house crew in April since every beach house we've ever stayed in no longer exists and there aren't any for rent on Bolivar; my brother Brian and sister-in-law Sheryl seeing wild success in their restoration business such that they have now employed my other brother Kevin and his wife Sophia who, incidentally, also graduated this year with her Bachelors from Sam Houston State University.
My dad's knee surgeries have affected us all since the staph infection and the modification needed to his life. He's not working and he hates that a lot. Between my siblings and I, we don't feel that my dad will ever get back to work so we have been having a lot of discussions about what to do and how to proceed with taking care of my parents as they age and become more frail. It's more difficult than I thought it would be and I know I'll be dealing with this more in the new year. Please send positive thoughts my way and may God grant me the strength that I will need in the trials that lie ahead in having to take more care of my parents.
Chelsea turned 18 this year and is now a legal adult. She wants to get a tattoo tomorrow. I am against tattoos as a general rule but I'm not getting one myself so my opinion is rather moot. At least she has a great idea for a tattoo and it's small - a yin yang symbol on her shoulder blade. I like the yin yang and the idea of an interconnectedness between male and female, light and dark etc. On one hand I'm excited for her. On the other just nervous that she's doing something permanent that she might not like down the road.
So there you have it - we all turned another year older; Chris and I both changed jobs this year, we moved in together for the most part, I've paid off 4 credit cards this year and am now down to only 2 credit cards and less than $4,000 in credit card debt - which is absolutely awesome and amazing to me! Chris and I are very happy and I love him as much as ever. I feel like we're stronger now than we were last year - we've been through some ups and downs and stood together through them. We survived another NaNoWriMo as the MLs last month and wrote another novel each. I'd say we're doing okay.
Looking ahead into the new year I see a lot of promise. Having to take care of my parents more this year will bring about a level of chaos unprecedented in our family from which we will emerge bonded even closer; I want to enter 2010 debt free so I'll get rid of my remaining debt; Chris and I are looking to buy a house; I'm finally going to get rid of my PC and become a mac-head; I plan to write more and blog more; get more fit; and I think I will get involved with a cause. I really liked being actively involved in the campaign but I haven't done anything for my community or the world since the election so I'll be on the lookout for something philanthropic to do.
Until next year - all my LOVE.
Showing posts with label New Year's Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Year's Day. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Sunday, January 6, 2008
National Chelsea's Day a Little Different
When my daughter was very young, probably about 3 or 4 years old or so I went out for New Year's Eve and left her with a baby sitter for the first time. I know what you're thinking... Your daughter was 3 or 4 YEARS old before you left her with a baby sitter??!? Yeah. And the guilt haunted me the whole evening. Now, of course, I don't know why. I was young and a new mom, a single mom at that, so sinking myself into my daughter kept me busy. Actually, upon reflecting on it, I realize that I met a man who became my boyfriend when I was still pregnant with Chelsea and we were big homebodies. There was a baby in the house and we didn't go out much. We broke up (for the first time) the fall after Chelsea turned 3 so I believe that was the first time I went out on a New Year's Eve to a party since being a mom.
Anyway, the next day, New Year's Day, I took Chelsea out and we had a special little day just for us. I told her it was National Chelsea's day and she was SO excited! She had no idea there was a special day just for her. She loved it so much and I had such a great time too that I decided that we would always hold the first day of the year sacred as her special day. I told myself that this day would make up for the fact that I would be going out on New Year's Eve and leaving her with a sitter so I would have to make it up to her.
The years have gone by and this tradition has held fast. Every New Year's Day is Chelsea's special day and she can do whatever she wants on National Chelsea Day. Every year, however, I have not had a party to go to. Every year I have not left her with a sitter. In fact, I believe that even to this day I could count the times I've left Chelsea with an actual baby sitter on one hand. National Chelsea's Day has also changed over the years. When Chelsea was a kid "anything you want to do" included things like going to see TWO movies and getting gummy worms to eat in the theater and then getting ice cream at marble slab and then playing in the ball pit at FunPlex all afternoon and going out for pizza at night.
This year she wanted to get a tattoo and thought that she would get a yes just because it was National Chelsea's Day and she gets whatever she wants on National Chelsea Day. It's not that long to wait for her 18th birthday when she can make decisions about permanently altering her body all by herself and I won't be responsible.
This year, also, was the second year in her life when I didn't have a lot of money on the first of the month. I've always worked for UH since I was 21 years old and had my first job. And I've always been paid on the first of the month. Well as most of you know I changed jobs last February and have had to get used to getting paid every 2 weeks. As it happens, I got paid on 1/4/08 and that was as close as I could get after all the Christmas spending. So we had NCD today. But! Another but... This year, as many of you know, I started seeing Chris seriously and we've been living together since July when I moved across the street from his house and he moved in with me. So we all took Chelsea out to breakfast this morning at IHOP and then went on a search for the DVD series of the Gilmore Girls. I purchased season 5 for her and she wanted to watch them all for the rest of the day. And that was it for her. She just wanted a day when she could watch tv all day.
If there were a National Melissa Day I would want foot rubs all day long and maybe a massage and a nap with some lovely incense burning. And when I woke up there would be a wonderful cup of tea and a small chocolate treat and then a perfect comfy chair that I could curl up in and spend some time reading a book. What a treat that would be. To have time to read a book. Wow! Then I'd soak in a bubble bath with some wine and go snuggle up with Chris and have him read me to sleep. That makes me smile just thinking about it.
I do need to schedule more time with my daughter. I'll get better about that. I realize that I don't have much time left before she's off to college and then gone. I don't like to think about that day. Instead I'll think about my perfect day.
LOVE
Anyway, the next day, New Year's Day, I took Chelsea out and we had a special little day just for us. I told her it was National Chelsea's day and she was SO excited! She had no idea there was a special day just for her. She loved it so much and I had such a great time too that I decided that we would always hold the first day of the year sacred as her special day. I told myself that this day would make up for the fact that I would be going out on New Year's Eve and leaving her with a sitter so I would have to make it up to her.
The years have gone by and this tradition has held fast. Every New Year's Day is Chelsea's special day and she can do whatever she wants on National Chelsea Day. Every year, however, I have not had a party to go to. Every year I have not left her with a sitter. In fact, I believe that even to this day I could count the times I've left Chelsea with an actual baby sitter on one hand. National Chelsea's Day has also changed over the years. When Chelsea was a kid "anything you want to do" included things like going to see TWO movies and getting gummy worms to eat in the theater and then getting ice cream at marble slab and then playing in the ball pit at FunPlex all afternoon and going out for pizza at night.
This year she wanted to get a tattoo and thought that she would get a yes just because it was National Chelsea's Day and she gets whatever she wants on National Chelsea Day. It's not that long to wait for her 18th birthday when she can make decisions about permanently altering her body all by herself and I won't be responsible.
This year, also, was the second year in her life when I didn't have a lot of money on the first of the month. I've always worked for UH since I was 21 years old and had my first job. And I've always been paid on the first of the month. Well as most of you know I changed jobs last February and have had to get used to getting paid every 2 weeks. As it happens, I got paid on 1/4/08 and that was as close as I could get after all the Christmas spending. So we had NCD today. But! Another but... This year, as many of you know, I started seeing Chris seriously and we've been living together since July when I moved across the street from his house and he moved in with me. So we all took Chelsea out to breakfast this morning at IHOP and then went on a search for the DVD series of the Gilmore Girls. I purchased season 5 for her and she wanted to watch them all for the rest of the day. And that was it for her. She just wanted a day when she could watch tv all day.
If there were a National Melissa Day I would want foot rubs all day long and maybe a massage and a nap with some lovely incense burning. And when I woke up there would be a wonderful cup of tea and a small chocolate treat and then a perfect comfy chair that I could curl up in and spend some time reading a book. What a treat that would be. To have time to read a book. Wow! Then I'd soak in a bubble bath with some wine and go snuggle up with Chris and have him read me to sleep. That makes me smile just thinking about it.
I do need to schedule more time with my daughter. I'll get better about that. I realize that I don't have much time left before she's off to college and then gone. I don't like to think about that day. Instead I'll think about my perfect day.
LOVE
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