Where Did it Go?

Today I wrote a check and, for the first time, wrote the year 2009 as the date. I really think 2008 was such a blur that I can't quite grasp beginning a new year. It got me thinking--where did 2008 go? And then I remembered...

I began potty training my Ei.

We had a baby.

The baby had jaundice--bad jaundice. The kind that makes the doctors tell you to immediately go to the hospital and put an IV in your baby's foot. The baby was hospitalized for 3 days. He still had jaundice. They pricked his tiny foot every day for so long I lost track of it. Then finally they decided that it wasn't going away and that meant it was just breastmilk jaundice--no big deal after all. Go home and forget that your baby is yellow.

The baby cried--a lot.

Ei rejected the idea of potty training.

The economy went sour. This is bad news for a husband in sales. He managed to hold on but was stressed out quite a bit.

We went to Disney World--with a 3 year old, 2 year old, and a 4 month old.

The baby finally stopped crying and became the sweetest little guy.

I started homeschooling my children (although it's best if you just say we "play school" when my husband's around mmmkay).

My 3 year old turned 4 and my 2 year old turned 3. We had parties at Pump it Up and celebrated becoming big boys.

Jackson started taking cello lessons.

Ei continued to reject potty training.

I started teaching Sunday School. Jackson was promoted out of the preschool Sunday School class and into "big boy" Sunday School. He rotates to my class once a month, and it's such a joy watching him grow in his love and knowledge of God and the Bible.

Ei developed stranger anxiety. I discovered this when he asked to go to cello lessons and then refused to talk to the teacher.

I had a birthday--my last birthday, to be precise. I turned 29. I choose not to turn 30.

Ei got sick--really sick. We went to the ER in the middle of the night (our first ER trip, actually) and wound up being admitted to Children's Hospital. He spent 2 nights there. He cried for Jackson. It broke my heart.

Then the rest of us got sick. We managed not to get hospitalized, but it made for a bumpy last few months of 2008.

Mike was offered a new job which will require that he work out of town 4 months every year. We pondered it and weighed our options and decided to go for it. The stress of making this transition smooth for my family added 15 gray hairs to my head.

I dyed my hair--a lot.

I finished Pastoral Care and Polity, which leaves me with only one semester remaining in the Presbytery's lay pastor program.

I gave up on potty training and called the PottyMD in a desperate plea for help. He said he can help me and my insurance will even pay for it. I heard a chorus of angels in the background.

The baby started crawling and got two teeth. Then he started standing up. I think this may lead to walking soon. There goes another gray hair.

Jackson performed in 2 cello recitals (one for a nursing home and one more formal Christmas recital). He did great and made me so proud.

Christmas came on schedule even though I was behind. Some of our decorations didn't go up this year, and we didn't make it to Gatlinburg as we had planned. The boys had a wonderful Christmas anyway and gave me a wake-up call that Christmas is about a lot more than bows that never made it on packages.

My family grew, not only in number but also in love. Ei is amazing with the baby--so patient and loving--and he adores his big brother. Jackson is so considerate of both of his brothers. He saves Ei bits of his cookie, even when Ei isn't around, and brings Aaron's pacifier or blanket or special toy when he's upset. Aaron thinks the big boys are the greatest toys and loves to crawl all over them and smother them with "kisses."

So, goodbye, 2008. Hello, 2009. I hope that we can go slower this year--less hospitals and hurrying and more laying on the playroom floor and giggling. I hope I'll be able to savor 2009.

Oh, and I'd also like a new baby too.