What I'm Proud & Thankful for in 2009

I got this idea from Killing a Fly with a Ukelele is Probably the Wrong Thing to Do and I thought it was a good way to provide a retrospective on the year. So without further ado...

1. 2009 was definitely a rollercoaster year for us financially (as I know it was for many people). Two different times we were on the brink of having to go out of business but then we managed to keep the cabinet company afloat. That's definitely something to be thankful for. I would dearly love to be more stable financially (we are still juggling bills) but for now we are making it and I am grateful.

2. Another major change in 2009: I went back to work as a substitute teacher. I looked for a full-time position but no one was hiring much, and honestly I am now glad that I got to ease into working again. If I need to take a day off for an appointment, or the kids are sick, or I just need a day off, I can do it. I have made a lot of good contacts and impressed some people, so I am trusting that the right job will come along at the right time. I'm proud of myself for putting myself out there and making sure I introduce myself and hand out cards at each school I go to, since in the past I wouldn't have wanted to promote myself.

3. I'm thankful my children are happy and healthy. (In fact I'm thankful that we are all so healthy!) I'm proud of them for doing so well in school. They both enjoy learning, get along with their peers, and are well-behaved at school (NOT that they are perfect, especially not at home, but neither one has ever gotten in trouble at school.) I couldn't ask for more as a mother!

4. I'm thankful for a wonderful husband who has stood by me through all my emotional storms, which in turn has motivated me to be able to control my emotions better for the good of the family. I can truly say that we are closer than ever at the end of 2009.

5. I'm thankful for my family and my church family. What a blessing to have such awesome people in my life!

6. I'm proud of myself for the way I balanced all of my responsibilities once I started working. We all stayed fed and clean and clothed, and I was actually surprised that the house wasn't noticeably messier than when I stayed home all day. This could have been because I used to procrastinate all day to do something that ended up taking 20 minutes. I know it will be more challenging once I am working full-time and the kids are in after-school activities, but I'm sure that it will all work out once we get there.

Happy New Year to all of you--may 2010 be the best year ever!