Reflections from 2008

2008 will be remembered as an eventful year. A lot has happened this year. Some good. Some bad. But all have been learning experiences and events that have shaped the person I am today.
I spent half the year pregnant with our second child. The second time around was MUCH easier! Easy pregnancy (minus a quick hospitalization for dehydration after the stomach virus kicked my butt). We did not find out the sex of the baby, a decision I was extremely happy with. Some of our friends (and all of our family) gave us a hard time about not finding out. But what a joy to have Chris walk out of the operating room, holding our precious baby to announce, "It's a boy!"

In May, this area had one of the biggest rain storms in decades. The floods ruined a lot of our "stuff" being stored in the garage of the rental we were living in for most of this year. The house was in Broadmoor, which is an area that does not handle massive rain very well. I made the discovery a few days after the rain storm ended. I went to the garage, which is detached from the house, to look for something. I burst into tears. At 8 months pregnant, I had no idea what to do. Chris was out of town, so I called my parents and Susie. The SneStinBaLa "task force" came to my rescue. Kandi and Brian Sneed, Amber, Susie and Ford, and my parents helped me clean out and move everything that was salvageable. I was an emotional wreck. Pictures and family mementos were ruined... things that cannot be replaced. The coffee maker and seasonal clothes could be easily replaced, but yearbooks, my childhood Bible and other family keepsakes did not fare so well. Nonetheless, I kept them with rain-soaked pages. It was an amazing testament of the lasting friendships Chris and I have here. Rarely would someone take a day off work and help clean out a nasty, rainy, stinky mess. But this group did. We jokingly said that when one of us is in crisis, we "mobilize the troops." That's exactly what happened. What a blessing.

June was a wonderful month as our son, Brady, was born. Weighing in at 8 lbs. 10 oz., he was quite a big boy! Chris and I have been tremendously blessed with a boy and a girl. Each has brought us such joy and happiness in their own unique way. Kennedy loves him so much and has been such a helpful big sister. You can tell that he loves her so much because when she gets in his face and talks to him, he smiles from ear-to-ear and kicks with excitement. At six months old, he is sitting up and eating baby food. He is ticklish on his chest and his inner thighs. He LOVES bath time and smiles at anyone who smiles at him. Being a mom has made me complete. I cherish each day with both my children.

About two months after B was born (we call Brady "B" for short), I started running again. I had been running frequently before I became pregnant, so I was disappointed to have to slow down. I ran my first 10K when I was about two-months pregnant... but at the suggestion of my doctor - I stopped. I couldn't keep my heart rate low enough to be safe for the baby. So I was quite anxious to hit the pavement again. I was pretty slow to start, as expected after a nine-month hiatus. I slowly started working up the distance and shortening my time. Last weekend, I ran nine miles in 1:43. I am headed to New Orleans on February 1 for my first half marathon.

Chris' travel slowed down and eventually wrapped up for the year in November. We have thoroughly enjoyed having him home over the holiday season. We've had family dinners at the dinner table, bike riding lessons on our street, bedtime stories, and craft projects. There's nothing like having all four of us together for the day-to-day routine. I'm hoping the travel is minimal next year.

In October, we moved into our new home in Bossier City. We started building right before Brady was born and moved in this fall. We have never been happier. This house is perfect for us AND it's right around the corner from my best friend. Our neighbors are friendly and it reminds me of my childhood days when the neighbors stood on the front lawn and discussed gas prices and the weather. I have the "June Cleaver" ideals for this chapter in my life. That's probably as far as they'll go... ideals. It's hard to be June with two kids and working full-time.

I was honored as one of the 40 Under 40 this fall. It was extremely flattering to be named as one of the top young professionals by the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce. I am honored to not only promote higher education in my profession, but also give back to the community with my volunteer work. I love this town and I want to give my time when I can.

Almost as life changing as the birth of Brady... was the loss of our friend, Amber Sabala. One Sunday afternoon, Ford called to let us know that Amber and Eric were in the hospital and it looked like Amber would be diagnosed with leukemia. We all went to the hospital to be with her. I did not know that it would be my last time to see her. The next day, she was transferred to LSU hospital and spent the next month fighting for her life. God had other plans for her. She passed away on November 16. I have visited her grave several times and while I still mourn the loss of my friend, this has made me appreciate each day as if it were my last. We all are keeping Eric extremely close by... making sure he is in good company and recovering as best he can.

So as I reflect on the events of this year, I am exhausted... emotionally, physically, mentally. But that is what life is all about... sometimes it's a celebration... sometimes it's not fair. But it has to be about living life to its fullest... Loving my friends and family with all my heart, even at the risk of losing someone close. It's about becoming closer to new friends. It's about new life in the form of a baby boy or the loss of someone at a very young age. It's the circle of life, a life I will cherish everyday in 2009.