Peace Out, 2009

As I mentally prepared this post (please, you know you do it too), I kept thinking how I would start it off with something about 2009 being a crappy year and how I'm not at all sad to see it go....and other grumbling and whatnot.  On my list of Favorite Years Ever, this would be fairly low.  It had its bright points, sure, which I will share with you later.  It could be that my expectations have gotten so high in my 26 years of virtually problem-free living that it's hard to see how good I really have it.  It could also be that I was grumpy because I had to work today, and from my perspective no one else on the planet (okay, no one else I knew) had to work.  This may have fueled my fire and made me mentally type the groucho post opening. 

Then after work I hopped on the elliptical at Cardinal and purused a People magazine to make the 30 minutes I was chained to the machine seem less agonizing.  I flipped to an article about children who vanished during 2009 and of course was engrossed.  And luckily I did, because what smack upside the head!  You know who had a bad year, Lindsey?  The parents of these kids.  They can really say it was a bad 2009.  YOU did NOT have a bad year.  2009 was a year filled with travel, big accomplishments, and life lessons.  It was another year where I was allowed to say what I wanted (sometimes more than I should be allowed) and worship freely the God of my choice at the church of my choice.          

Here's a recap of our 2009.  The more I type the more I realize that I need to recognize that I'm one lucky lady.  Really and truly. 

January - Brent and I both started the mini-marathon training schedule and vowed to stick to it.  I did pretty well, making it to late March before I fell off the wagon.  Becca and I had fun planning the shower for Baby Bigelow and her beautiful momma.  The Blackberry entered our lives and we will probably never be able to go back to our pre-dataplan lives again. 

February - We welcomed the news of Miss Audrey Marie's birth on February 11th.  Ashley's mom called early, early in the morning (I insisted on getting a 4:00ish a.m. wake-up call because "I had to get up to work out anyway") and I was so thrilled to hear her say, "It's a girl!"  Brent and I celebrated Valentine's Day at Bella Vita.

March - Viva l'Italia!  We spent two glorious weeks traveling to most of the major cities in Italy.  The day after we got back, we celebrated Mom's birthday at the Cork 'n Cleaver.  The Boilermakers made it to the Sweet Sixteen.

April -  A calm month - after you've done Italy, you have to cool it with the fun for awhile.  We took Bonnie to the Mutt Strut with Charlie and the Sinders...she loved it, of course.  Designed the plan for our landscaping overhaul.

May - Had a successful running of the 500 Festival mini.  Celebrated Mother's Day with our families at Joseph Decuis in Roanoke.  Had a great time with the Sinders and Mitchells at our first ever Indy 500 - surely something that will now be tradition.  Spent a long weekend in Savannah and Charleston for my birthday -wallowed in gallons of sweet tea.  Just the way a Southern-at-heart gal should spend her birthday! 

June -   Brent and I did Outrun the Sun, the event to fight skin cancer.  We figured we'll need these services later in our pale lives.  I received my notice that I'd finally passed all sections of the CPA - OH HAPPY DAY!!  Took a girls' trip to southern Michigan and had an extended family outing to the Cardinals' game in STL.

July - Celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary and welcomed another cousin on the same day - Mr. Sullivan Robert.  Visited Emma and Greg's new house in Columbia City at another girls' day, and threw Ashley K. a shower for the Bouncing Baby Boy Beau.  Slaved away over the HVAF marketing plan and was pleased later in the year to see that they'd implemented some marketing suggestions.  Great organization - check them out!  Prayed for our Landon Kutscher.  The Pillers' clan was blessed with yet another boy - Louis Robert. 

August  - Switched positions within the organization and was promoted to Customer Service chief - a job that still has nothing at all to do with accounting.  I'll get back to accounting eventually...maybe.  Brent and Adam spent a few days in Denver and climbed Long's Peak.  We celebrated the life of Grandpa Pillers and mourned his passing.

September -  Spent several days in Washington and Oregon on another activity-packed vacation.

October - Mom and Dad came down for the CPA banquet.  We joined the Adams family on a road trip to Wisconsin.

November - Took in our first Colts' game in several years with Rachel and Justin.  Enjoyed a Veteran's Day lunch at Fogo de Chao.

December - Finished my MBA.  OH HAPPY DAY again!  Gained another family member - welcome, Baby Grant!          

I'm excited for a new year and to see what adventures it will bring us.  Regardless of what happens, I doubt it's boring.  Tonight we're ringing in the New Year at home with a quiet evening and preparing for what we hope will be a fruitful and abundant 2010.  Happy New Year to you and yours, and we'll see you for another Blog-a-licious year tomorrow.

Peace out, 2009!