Taking stock of a year of change.

Wanted to write this closer to New Year's Day, but there have been a lot of distractions, dealing with a cold winter and trying to get the house renovation finished. However, self-reflective thoughts are too valuable to be deleted, so here goes...

2008, what a year. My job was outsourced at the very beginning of the year, but having accepted an offer for another position within my company which didn't begin until mid-March, I got to unwind from a lot of stress at my company's expense for the first two months of the year, by riding my Yamaha all up and down the Western Washington seaboard. At the same time, our lifestyle had been upset by having to move out of our apartment, keeping our belongings in a 'move-preparation' state. Also, I was often separated from my wife & daughter for days at a time, while they stayed with her parents, 90 miles away, as I had to keep close to my workplace, to report in.

In early March, we packed up a 22-foot moving truck and traveled approximately 2300 miles to St Louis, MO, where I would begin my new position, and with my family, a new life. We found a new church family, and a nice apartment in a very short time upon arriving. As Spring came into bloom, I re-discovered my fondness and awe of thunderstorms and at the very end of the season, chased my first severe, tornadic storm.

Summer came, along with much expected family reunions in Arkansas & Kentucky. We each met family members we didn't know we had, and had a great time visiting country we had only known from our youth.

With the onset of Autumn and Harvest, a time for family, our thoughts inclined toward our place of dwelling, and the hunt for a house began. In a very short time, due to the urgency of taking advantage of the quickly-diminishing home-buying programs, we found a beautiful, old brick house, which only needed 15% renovation completions to make it livable. For two months we prayed, hoped, sought after it, waited, and finally, on the weekend before Christmas, we moved into first house, ever.

Now, the rest of the year was spent in household sickness, rendering us powerless to do much of anything until the very last 3 days of the year, which we used to urgently finish moving out of our apartment. It was grueling, and very exhausting, but as of Dec 31st, we completed the task and rested from our labors.

What a year, 2008. It was the end of an era. We had to sadly say goodbye to close friends, but also got to make new friends. We had many hardships, but also many adventures. As I look back, I do yearn for the good things I had to leave behind, but I remind myself that it is more important to look ahead, move forward, and grow.

Goodbye, 2008...Hello 2009. May this new year yield greater faith, love, and the strengthening of friendships, new and old.