Top 9 of '09

1. Our new baby. It's hard to believe our little Trevor is 3 months old. He is a good baby, and we have loved having him in our family so much.
2. Mallorie's wedding. I'm so happy that Mallo is so happy. The wedding was great and we're glad to have a great new brother in law and uncle.
3. Our house payment. So many people we know have been affected by the economy in so many ways. We are so grateful to be able to stay in our house and that our bank worked with us. I don't know why we're the lucky ones, but I recognize it as a blessing and I'm grateful for it.
4. James' work situation. James was able to have the whole month off after Trevor was born to take care of me and the family while I was recovering. That NEVER would have happened while he was with Pulte. He also started working full time in Yucaipa full time at the end of last year. Not only does he not have to commute, but we have more time with him in the evenings. I hope it lasts!
5. Our family vacation to Santa Barbara. We had such a good time with the kids. We have great memories of our time together on that trip.
6. Spending time with our families. Near the end of the year, we were able to spend time with all of our siblings and their families. It doesn't happen very often that we are ALL together. We are also fortunate to be pretty close to both our parents and most of our siblings. We've been able to celebrate lots of birthdays, holidays, and go on several trips to the lake.
7. Preschool. I was concerned about what to do after the baby was born for preschool, since I didn't want to teach, and none of the preschools in Beaumont are what I was looking for. Our preschool co-op has been working out so well! I feel so fortunate that we have such a good, dedicated group of teachers. It's been a great experience for Kyle.
8. Knowledge. I feel like I have learned so much this year about real food, health, and how to take care of my family and stay in the budget. I love learning and studying about so many things, but health in particular.
9. 9 years of being married to my best friend. We just celebrated our 9th anniversary on December 30th. I am so glad to have him to share my life with! He is everything a girl could want, and it is so much fun being married to him.