Happy New Year - 2009

2009 already. Where does time go? It seems like only yesterday we were all worried about the millennium bug and the big change from 1999 to 2000. Here we are nine years past that, well into the moment. It does make one a little nervous to look at your life and see the majority of behind you and those years towards the end of it, just being fewer and fewer. It makes you panic and question the things you still need or want to do.

We spent the first days of 2009 in the mountains of Colorado. It was Patrick's birthday trip (a family tradition). Patrick always picks something that involves sport - this year Winter Park. I didn't ski this year. It really isn't that I am too old. I just hate all the equipment, getting it on, walking around like cement blocks are on your feet, standing in line, putting it on, taking it off. I don't like the cold. I am old enough now to know what I like and those things that I don't like.

The condo unit was expensive and cramped, I got altitude sickness, the food is town is just mounds of carbs and there wasn't that moment of sitting by the fire, drinking a hot toddie. It was pretty plain. Neither Chris nor I could sleep a wink in the condo and I had a headache the whole time. However, when you see Patrick's need to run to the mountain, his smile, his unwillingness to leave and the pride he had in his snowboarding improvement - every moment was worth it. That is what parenting is, living through someone's eyes and their joy.

Breana is a little bit more like me. She picks warm, sunny beaches for her trips and I can get into that a whole lot more. I am sure next January Patrick will pick another chilly mountain to swoosh down. I will be cold, I may have that same altitude sickness and we may stay in another shitty condo - but if Patrick loves it, we will love it too!

Well 2009 is here. Seven more days of Bush and even though the economy sucks, I have hope that this year holds promise. Things will get better, we have someone in office who cares. There is hope for this year. I don't know what it holds, but like most years a mixture of good and bad I am sure. Bring it on - make it a good one! Happy New Year!