#604 wrap this year up!

Guess what? It's time for the Year in Review!

The single biggest thing that stood out in 2011 was my dad's health. Dad had a tough year, beginning in February and continuing through October pretty much. I'm happy to say that he's doing better. I hope that he will be stabilized and get back his strength in 2012. Love you Daddy.

I would like to give props to my mom. She retired this year after an amazing career as a kindergarten teacher and instead to kicking back and relaxing, she found herself as a caregiver to my dad when he really needed the help. My mom has been really great with my dad and I wanted to make sure she knows that. Love you Mama!

The other big thing about 2011 that wasn't great for me was my own health. I had problems with my knees all year, and I even met with a surgeon to discuss knee joint replacement. I decided to put off the surgery for now, but it's coming, and it's scary to think about it. Also, I've gained some weight this year and I feel really down about it. I got complacent about my success and thought I could, I don't know, "cheat" I guess. I can't. I'm not back to square one by any means, but I have some work to do in 2012. I WILL NOT GO BACK TO WHERE I WAS.

Of course, there were good things about 2011.

The best thing about 2011 for me was our trip to the Dominican Republic. We spent a couple of weeks there in June and for me, it was wonderful. I liked every day of the trip. T got a bored and missed his friends. MT kept busy with his SCUBA lessons but said that if he hadn't done the SCUBA thing, he would have been bored. Maybe I'm just simple. Relaxing by a pool or on the beach for 10 days was perfectly fine with me.

There were other good things in 2011:
** I visited California a few more times than I usually do. I went in February, April (Mia was there and we went whale watching!), August and October. I was also in California in November, but that was a work thing and I didn't get to see my family then.
** We got to see U2 in concert in May. It was epic. I love them.
** I attended a wedding in August. The only son of my BFF LA married his high school sweetheart.
** I've alternately enjoyed and cringed as T is growing up. He can be so, so cool when he's cool and so, so crappy when he's crappy. I'm hopeful he'll be more cool than crappy in 2012. (You hear me, boy?) :P
** MT and I were both employed the whole year.
** I entered the electronic age with a NookColor and my beloved iPhone.
** MT turned 50 this year. I turned 45. T turned 13. MT and I celebrated 18 years of marriage.
** I read 51 books. !!

I think that's all I've got to say about that.

I have a little personal tradition on New Year's Eve. I go into a quiet room - usually my bedroom, I turn on some music - tonight it was Josh Groban - and I look through my journal and review the year. When I'm done, I literally turn the page and start the new year.

I don't like to dwell on the past. What's done is done, good or bad, and all we can do is move on. I hope that all of you have a happy new year. Go forth and do good!