The Year in Review.

2008 in Review:

Woke up on January 1, 2008 somewhere in Ohio-- on our way to Maryland.

Lived in a Hotel for the month of January.

Lived on Aberdeen Proving Grounds in North East Maryland in a mold-infested apartment.

Baked my first baguette.

Hosted a SuperBowl party, enjoyed the game. Ate Chili.

Met really great people.

Visited relatives on both sides of our family in Virginia. Saw Battlefields. Saw kids we like.

Saw DC.

Saw Baltimore.

Saw Boston. Got to visit with Josh and Laura and get a glimpse into their pre-married life.

Moved from the mold infested apartment to a less-mold infested (but still condemned) building.

Made the best Guinness stew yet for St. Patty's day.

Celebrated Staci's 23rd with her and her friends in Baltimore.

Hosted Easter for three very sweet boys, and enjoyed a great egg hunt on the playground, too.

Watched my husband graduate from training as an Ordnance officer.

Drove back across the country and realized it was a lot easier in April than January.

Visited with good friends in Utah. Left Utah.

Drove back across the country, made it to Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Moved into our first house!

Bought our little kitteny cat Dutch.

Celebrated from afar for Josh and Laura who got married in June!

Visited by the Teter family and LOVED having them here!

Said goodbye to my husband who deployed to Iraq.

Experienced peace like I've never known it, which didn't mean it was all easy or happy, but there was definite God-given peace.

Painted my house (the insides).

Was visited by Josh and Laura, and My mommy! Got to see Mimi too, on a trip down south.

Celebrated Matthew's 26th from afar, and our second wedding anniversary.

Started the Master's of English program at Austin Peay State University.

Read. and Read. and Read. Wrote and wrote and wrote.

Turned 24.

Found out the tumor did not shrink, and must be removed.

Visited my brother and family in Colorado where we met for a mini-union at the end of October.

Was approved to write a thesis in my master's program.

REUNITED WITH HUSBAND 2 MONTHS EARLY! Happy to celebrate the holidays with him.

Cooked our first full Thanksgiving meal.

Completed finals.

Cooked, and cooked, and cooked.

Decorated our house for Christmas- the first time we have had a place to decorate!

Returned to Utah for the holidays.

Saw both of my godsons, lots of friends, and had good time with family. Enjoyed the snow!

Returned to Kentucky, glad to find we both missed it while away.

It has been an incredible year. There have been adventures, challenges, sadness, happiness, and lots of learning. WOW, I'm still reeling from all I've learned! Thank you to everyone we were able to see and visit, who visited us, and who kept in touch as we traveled about! I can definitely say we are happy to settled in one place for a while-- there was a continual sense of relief while in Utah knowing we were coming back here, the same place we were before, and not on to somewhere new.

And so now that I've reflected a bit on the last year, though not in much detail here, I can think about the year ahead. If it is anything like this last year, I better buckle up!