Year in Review

I was planning on this being my last entry of 2009, but there were literally not enough hours in a day these last few days to write it, so here it is as my first entry of 2010. :)

Since there are “Highlights of 2009” lists everywhere (internet, TV, radio), I decided to do my own little highlight list. In part, I am hoping this will convince me that 2009 really did consist of all 365 24-hour-long days, because it feels like it flew by at the speed of light. I hesitate a little bit to do this because I don’t want to offend anyone if I leave something out… but just take into account that I am writing this on very little sleep after working long nights all week getting one of our fighter squadrons off on a deployment! So, here goes:

January: Trip to San Antonio with all the 26 OWS officers, great times with awesome people that I will never forget. Not too long after, was officially notified of my assignment to Lakenheath! I was at an off-site training exercise, and my squadron commander drove out to find me and let me read the notification on his Blackberry. He says my reaction was worth it. :)

February: Half Marathon #4 in Dallas, great course and ran faster than expected. AFWA commander visited for our Ops Super’s retirement, which resulted in a few days’ worth of fun events (big group dinner out, party at VFW, karaoke, etc).

March: Weekends were consumed with marathon training, and weekdays enjoying my job and co-workers. Not a very eventful month overall (or maybe I am just forgetting something).

April: Parents visited for a last hurrah in Shreveport. They got to attend a hail and farewell dinner with the squadron and meet a lot of people, plus Mom and I enjoyed gourmet milkshakes on at least 3 different occasions. After they left with my cat (to keep her until she can travel to England), I left for Monterey, CA, to run my first full marathon. Big Sur Marathon was a challenging (mountainous) yet unbelievably gorgeous course… totally worth it and I WILL do it again. Also explored the beautiful city of Monterey with Matt, went whale-watching, and hiked at Pinnacles National Park.

May: Moved out of my apt in Shreveport and down to Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS, for training before my next assignment. Enjoyed the perks of beaches, new running routes, and front row center at a Dierks Bentley concert.

June: Went skydiving for a second time! (And my mother forgave me.) Gorgeous sunset jump with OWS friends in Houston. Spent two weekends with Matt and his family in FL - lots of good times cooking, fishing, and a trip to Panama City Beach. College roommate Jamie got married in PA, and I was honored to be a bridesmaid. The wedding was like a huge reunion of all the families from college days, couldn’t have been better. :)

July: Enjoyed a long 4th of July weekend at home in VA with the parents. Got to see everyone at church, ride Dad’s new riding mower (fun!), and make a final trip to Cold Stone Creamery with Mom before leaving the country. Spent a weekend at the beach with Carrie and a few other PSUers at Eglin. Graduated training at Keesler, then stayed with friends in Shreveport while I outprocessed the base. My last 10 days at Barksdale consisted of a camping trip in Arkansas with the officers, squadron luau party, and catching up with friends. Then on July 29th… I boarded a flight out of Dallas for London!

August: Felt like I was living in a dream. Spent weekends discovering the incredible history and beauty of England. Cambridge, Framlingham Castle, Bury St Edmunds, and Castle Acre Priory were all explored and marveled at. Found a beautiful house, and began getting to know all the awesome people in my new weather flight.

September: USAFE Weather conference at Edelweiss, the US military resort in the German Alps. Unbelievable experience… the people, the scenery, the culture, everything. The week was capped by a visit to Neuschwanstein Castle, which had been a dream for years. I traveled back to the States for my cousin Amy’s wedding in OH, a beautiful and joyful occasion to spend time with and catch up with extended family. I also got to spend a night with sister Lisa at the University of Virginia, and enjoyed touring the campus, meeting her friends, and reminiscing about my college days.

October: Bought a bright yellow 1979 Austin Mini, a love-at-first-sight experience that required me to learn how to drive stick shift (on the right hand side of the car and left hand side of the road). Traveled to and explored Dover Castle and the White Cliffs, an area so beautiful I was inspired to sign up for a half marathon there in February.

November: Traveled to Istres, France, to do weather support at one of the US space shuttle divert locations. Cool mission to be involved with, plus enjoyed the chance to dust off my high school French and take sightseeing excursions into nearby Marseilles and Salon-de-Provence, taking in both the Mediterranean Sea and French Alps scenery. Celebrated Thanksgiving with my weather flight “family”, for whom I have been so thankful.

December: A flurry of holiday events involving fun times, amazing people, and lasting memories. Rejoiced to see my first snowfall in England, a 6-8” blanket that made my house and everywhere around look like a scene off a Christmas card. I built a snowman, made a snow angel, and walked through town taking pictures of the wintry beauty. On Christmas, I opened gifts with my family despite the distance and time difference, thanks to Skype. Had Christmas dinner and celebrated New Year’s Eve with my adopted “family” here.

2009 was not without its struggles, mistakes, hard times, and regrets. No year ever will be. But I choose to focus not on those things, but what I have learned from them. I feel like I have done a lot of growing up emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. This did not come without growing pains, and for the times this included pain for other people, I am truly sorry. But I believe in a God who can bring good out of every situation, in time, and I hold on to that for others as well as for myself. I will remember 2009 as a year of overwhelming blessings. I deserve none of the joys I have realized or the dreams that have come true, but the beauty of God’s grace is that He has given this abundant life so freely. I pray that I never let anything steal the joy in that truth, and that 2010 is a year in which I learn more and more every day how to love the people around me with this unconditional love that we have all been given.