<p>I found 2009 to be a pretty darned sucky year that I won’t be sorry to leave. But there were some good times. Please share your fondest memory of 2009.</p>
<p>I have to say my best memory of 2009 was watching my S march in his last band competitions. It was bittersweet. I was glad to be finished with the obligations of a band parent yet sad to see something he had been a part of for 4 years end!</p>
<p>Obama’s inauguration.
I was watching the audience carefully throughout the day as my youngest son was in the crowd, and the faces were so touching. Such a cold day, but you never would have known it. That day gave people something they needed more than warmth.</p>
<p>And for some it doesn’t end, lilmom!
One of our favorite memories from this year is attending son’s band and orchestra performances at his college. He is a graduate music performance major.
Seeing him totally immersed in his thing is just priceless.<br>
We feel so fortunate that we are geographically close enough to attend, although it is a trek, especially in snow.</p>
<p>We will be sad when these days are over. Of course, he believes he may perform professionally, so we’ll see!</p>
<p>Mine is odd, because it’s bittersweet. The weekend after Michael Jackson’s death, several radio stations played non-stop MJ. It was so fun to have the entire family playing in our backyard pool, to the soundtrack of all the great MJ tunes. I think it would have made Michael Jackson happy to see our family dancing around the pool to his tunes.</p>
<p>2009 was a rough year here too, but in the middle of it my youngest and I took an amazing trip to Maine, Quebec and Vermont. It was really special – both the locale and the time with my 15 year old. He suggested we exchange cards on the fourth of July. I wrote in his that he should keep the card so that someday, when he is an old man and I am gone, he can remember the summer we hiked the rocky coast of Maine, tackled a lobster for the first time (his) and visited lighthouses. I know it was a highlight of both my year and my life and I’m grateful for that time.</p>
<p>Our D’s HS graduation ceremony was just lovely. All the girls in their white formal gowns and long gloves carrying a dozen long stem red roses. (all girl school) The most touching part of the ceremony is where they come off the stage and present their parents with a rose from their bouquet. Having all of our family and friends present was very special.</p>
<p>Move-in day at college runs a close second.</p>
<p>I returned to competitive distance running in 2009 and I had so many wonderful moments!
In April I crossed the finish line of my first marathon since 2001 and it felt amazing- and then I found out I had won 2nd place in my age group in a national marathon! In June I crossed another marathon finish line at a race where weather conditions demolished much of the field, and I got a Boston Marathon qualifying time and another 2nd place finish. There were many, many moments and new friendships formed. This year was sort of about ME- after many years of special moments being about my kids (graduating, marrying, not getting arrested…whatever- all of which were wonderful, too) this year I got to focus on myself. It was nice.</p>
<p>Spending quality time with the family. Wife, Son 19, and Daughter 17 on Safari for two week in Tanzania. The best vacation we ever spent together and not likely to occur again. Experiencing the wilds of Africa and its cultures together was a lifetime hightlight. See the kids all grown up but still wanting to spend time with the folks was very heartfelt.</p>
<p>Missypie - my 2009 was pretty sucky too, too many unexpected losses, But my best moment was the extended family sitting around the fire at the same family campground we have gone to for years on a perfect summer night, knowing our kids will be able to do the same thing years from now (at the same site) with their kids.</p>
<p>A close second was my mom announcing on Christmas Day that she is taking the same extended family with her on a Christmas cruise next year (gotta start my diet NOW!!)</p>
<p>One of my high points was a trip to Africa too, to Amboseli and the lovely island town of Lamu. A low point was the dengue fever I got after the trip, but recovering and feeling <em>normal</em> again was another high.</p>
<p>Visiting our son in Morocco and seeing him confidently negotiating this new culture in three languages and sharing couscous with his lovely Moroccan host family were more recent high points.</p>
<p>Springsteen concert at the Giant Stadium.</p>
<p>D2’s best Nutcracker performance as the Dew Drop.</p>
<p>Doctor telling my father that he is still cancer free.</p>
<p>Nothing sticks out as the top memory. Some of my favorites are watching the kids play sports. Also, playing with my two new grandnieces and nephew at the various holidays was a joy. While ds1 was college shopping over spring break, the rest of us went with my BIL and SIL to the ranch house and had a marvelous week. Lots of fun, fishing, relaxation, good food.</p>
<p>Hearing the words, “We’d like to offer you the position!” after months of job searching and watching my unemployment benefits approach their end. D being invited to the engineering scholar program. A great trip with D and H to Ann Arbor.</p>
<p>And seeing Springsteen!</p>
<p>The last week has been good. OTT two weeks in Hawaii was about it. Also putting money into the down market and leaving the rest in worked well. People that got scared and pulled out at the bottom really got killed twice. Even our real estate has held up fine and is only down 5% from the peak and up 50% since purchase in 2003 and 2005. Rents have been steady up about 5% a year on average.</p>
<p>Watching my kid started in a play, she finally overcame her stage fright. Her graduation from middle school was also a proud moment. My baby is finally entering high school!</p>
<p>My fondest memory of 2009? I have to admit that the Obama inauguration is a possibility. But I’m going to go with this one, which hasn’t happened yet:</p>
<p>…going to bed tonight knowing this year is OVER.</p>
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<p>Yes, and definitely yes!</p>
<p>Tough year , the last few months in particular…the best part was my daughter’s finishing college ( graduated , but will walk with her incoming class in May ) and the addition to our family of our sweet, new dog who we adore !</p>
<p>I have a couple (but in previous years I had many more).</p>
<p>Watching D compete for her college.</p>
<p>Spending 9 days in England with D before she started her SA program. </p>
<p>S,D, H, I together for 3 weeks in August. S lives in Europe.</p>