Today is the last day of what may go down as my worst year EVER. I feel terrible for saying that, as I sit here less than 3 weeks from having a baby…clearly I got pregnant this year and I know that is no small thing. It feels like something of a miracle considering our past struggles with fertility. And if we’d waited until the time we’d initially planned on, there would be no baby because we would have put off trying due to my husband’s job loss. So there is that one redeeming quality! And in an effort to think a bit more positively, I’m going to try to come up with 3 more things that made this year not as bad as I’d like to think it was.
1. We found a church where we “fit in.” No easy task! It’s been a long time since we felt this way about anything having to do with religion. Though as Bill mentioned Sunday, it’s not about “religion.” 
If you’re looking for a church home in Sanford, give BCC a try.
2. We are all (relatively) healthy. After both kids having pneumonia this spring, and repeated trips to the doctor to figure out why my oldest son’s cough just will not go away lately, I realize that things could be much worse. There’s also a million things that can go wrong during pregnancy and I’m thankful to have escaped any serious problems. And my husband is healthy, which means not only is he willing to work, but he is ABLE to work. And that is a major advantage in this job market. AND, I have not had to have any kidney stone surgeries this year! I had 3 (or maybe 4?) last year, so this is very good news.
3. My oldest son started kindergarten at a school we love and has proven to be a great student…smart, well-behaved, and a friend to all. I vent about his behavior at home a lot, but at school he is the kid every teacher wants. As a mom, this makes me so happy.
4. I thought of another one! We’ve been very blessed this year with people who have stepped in and helped out when things got really sticky. My mom played Santa for the boys so they would have more than the few small things we were able to afford. A group of friends gave us $100 when we were in danger of having our power cut off in the fall. I’ve been given maternity clothes, baby clothes, and other items that will save us money. We’ve been given cash for our birthdays and Christmas gifts by my in-laws. And though this isn’t really something that someone helped us with, we liquidated my husband’s 401(k) *before* the market tanked and it gave us several extra months of food and housing money. There has been much, much, more and I know I’m forgetting people and things that happened that were true blessings to us during this year. Each and every one has been much appreciated and we are surviving thanks to all of you.
I have high hopes for 2009. If nothing else, we’ll be welcoming a new baby into our home and that’s reason enough to celebrate. So raise your glass and say a toast…goodbye to 2008 and welcome 2009!
