The Annual Blog Roundup for 2009

The new year is here! So here is the best and worst of 2009-- the end of a decade!

Best Memory

I have begun (Finally) to settle into an understanding of what makes Fayetteville so special. It's not the place. It's the people. There are some incredible people here. Most of my best memories happened towards the end of the year, as we grew closer to our new Priest, as we celebrated life (feasts, birthdays, holidays etc) with those we have grown to know and love in our Church family. Some of these people have become like literal family to us-- just amazing to me how blessed we have been. There have been many holidays and weekends lately where we just look around and think : "THIS. This is perfect." My other best memory is of watching my husband come home from enrolling in his first college classes. This was a glorious moment-- a big, big moment. I am so proud of him. Add to that the moment he came home with his incredible grades from his first semester. Yeah!
Obviously we have had lots of fun with the kids... but that goes without saying. My memories of weekends and holidays and family/friend dinners this year and lazy days spent with loved ones have all melded into one giant feeling of down home, happy, beautiful living.

Worst Memory
Not being able to bring my new baby home. That was the worst. The poor reactions I had to my challenges towards the end of the year with regards to our big move and the change in lifestyle. And definitely the moment I realized that my daughter was just out of control.

Funniest Moment
Can't think of anything other than enjoying many a laugh with loved ones.

Biggest Surprise

Well, first that the baby wasn't healthy when she was born. That really threw me for a loop. But also, I think the biggest surprise was that it took me THREE children to even put a dent in my selfishness-- that it took me three kids to learn how to relax into parenting.

Song of the Year
No music has really moved me this year. It's been a year marked by silence, and that's on purpose.

Movie of the Year
Well, the only two movies I saw this year were Paranormal Activity and the Princess and the Frog. So by default, Paranormal Activity. :P

Website of the Year
I finally got mine fixed. So mine :P
I spent most of my time reading OCDS sites this year. They are all amazing and I couldnt pick just one.

Most awesome FOs
I'm sorry to say I can't remember a single one. That's what happens when you have three kids three and under.

Most ridiculous WIPs
Dominic's Kilt Hose. I've been working on them for months and then they keep getting wrecked by the kids.

Best Forum Debate

I tried to stay away from these this year, but had a few interesting ones on PRS, happy housewives, and as always-- Ravelry. Ravelry drives me insane... but darn it, I love those stinking patterns. :P

Most incredible Kingdom Advances
Ironically, I don't feel comfortable using this term anymore and think I will be changing it next year. For me, it was the realization of the powerful family life we have in the love of the Saints.


Biggest disappointment
I'm disappointed in my body. I'm frustrated about the difficult changes that have come both internally and externally from this latest pregnancy.

Best Adventure
Uh... what adventures. All our adventures this year were in the backyard. :(

Looking forward

this is last year's blog entry:

Last year I prophesied that 2008 would be a year of renewal... "We will have our vision restored, our hearts turned towards God afresh, and a new annointing to complete the tasks He puts before us." (you can read last year's roundup here: http://stitchlove.blogspot.com/2007/12/annual-roundup.html) When I reread that this year, I kinda wanted to jump up and say "BINGO!" That's exactly what 2008 was for us. We renewed our vows to make this family work, we renewed our commitment to Christ and gained fresh vision for our family that helped us to accomplish a lot of our goals as a family. As I pursue the Lord for a vision for next year, the word He keeps giving me is "wait and see." I think 2009 is going to be a year of building on that vision and especially of experiencing the "goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (Psalm 122)

I don't make new year's resolutions anymore because the secular new year doesn't speak to me as much as the liturgical seasons, but if I were going to make one, it would be this:

In 2009, I want to be Holy---
Contemplative, and conquered by Christ, just like Mary.

Amazing to me that I could have been so right on!!It feels amazing to me that it would be exactly that... I experienced the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. I couldn't believe what pure joy I have experienced in the last year, when the trials got so bad I thought I was going to lose it-- there was always some perfect- and I mean PERFECT -- moment right behind it to show me that the suffering produces fruit. These moments built faith, hope, and love in me and I can't express my amazement at God's presence.

Thank you, God, for clear vision! Next year, 2010, I feel like God is telling me that it will be a year of promise- one in which I will begin to see the fruit of the pursuit of His sacred heart, and one in which, although marked by periods of driness, we will drink of the stream of living water.

Happy 2010, y'all. Blessings on your house!