A year in review...2009.

Aaaaaand wow. First of all, I have to thank my sister-in-law, Desiree, for the gentle nudge (read: cruel ridicule...okay, maybe that's a SLIGHT over-exaggeration...) to get me to blog again. I would like to point out that it has not been an entire year since I've blogged...only 359 or so days...yeah, okay, when you put it like that it is pretty stinky. So...here's to 2009 - the year in review in an effort to make up for all the blogs missed:

January - I started this blog. I actually blogged twice in January, so since I can't think of anything else exciting that happened so long ago, I'll say we're good on January.

February - Justen was coaching baseball, which he was a bit overwhelmed about, but in the end I think it all went fine. I was beginning to think about looking for a job at the U of Arkansas but wasn't sure if we were really ready to move yet. Valentine's Day happened and I'm sure we did something terribly romantic but cannot for the life of me remember what it was. (Okay, so maybe it wasn't somethign terribly romantic, but I'm just sure we must have done something.)

March - Came in like a lion and went out like a lamb? Why can't I remember my life!? THIS is why I need to keep up with blogging!

April - Now I do remember one significant event from April - I got a new vehicle! A 2009 Ford Escape - black - with a sun roof and satelite radio and I love it!

May - another memorable month here...because our house flooded. Bad day. It had rained for days and days and the county had come by to widen the shoulder and had taken away the drainage ditch in front of house...and all the water came inside. It suuuuucked. We woke up (after, ironically, a wonderful night's sleep of being lulled to deep and dream-filled sleep by the raging storm) and put our feet on drenched carpet. We had to immediately beging packing our things to get our stuff out in time for it to not be ruined and, thanks to family and friends, got moved out comletely in 2 days and moved in with my gracious in-laws.

June - we began applying for jobs in Northwest Arkansas since we had wanted to move for a long tiem anyway and now all our stuff was already packed. I had a hard time this month adjusting to not having my own space anymore. Not that I wasn't thankful for the room we had at Justen's parents house, because believe me I was, but just that the transition was difficult.

July - I completed my last actual classroom class for my masters degree - yay! We continued to apply for jobs in NW AR.

August - I got a job recruiting for the U of A and we decided I would move in to the house my parents had purchased but didn't live in in Bella Vista, AR (a town about 20 miles north of Fayetteville where the University is) and take the job, while Justen stayed in Arkadelphia and finished out the football season and the fall semester. After many years at Henderson State, I left and started my new job in the new city.

September - Travel.

October - Travel. And we bought a house!

November - More travel. My new recruitment territory for the U of A is the Southeast US, so I did a ton of traveling this fall. Justen and I knew it would be hard to be apart, but I think we really underestimated the emotional toll it would take. I might have cried a time or two...or seven. Also, Thanksgiving happened and that was a good time.

December - Finally - the end of the semester!! Since today is the 28th of December, I can tell you that December has been a great month. I finished all my fall travel, Justen and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary on the 16th, I graduated with my masters on the 18th, and best of all, Justen has now officially moved into our house! Yay!!!

Now that we (for the first time ever actually!) have internet in our home, I will try to do a better job of keeping up with the blog.

That will be a new year's resolution - how about that?

We are expecting new year's company - Mike and Des and their 3 kiddos - we are so excited to get to spend time with them and Eddie and Aria and their little man. I think it will be a fantastic way to begin 2010!