2009 in review....

Well, this has been a roller coaster year. It's really easy to remember the stuff that just happened, but harder yet to forget the stuff that happened a while ago. So, here I go. This year, Katie turned 6 in February. She started first grade in September and is still going strong. We made it through another year without my grandfather only to relive the pain of death when my great Aunt Lottie died. Another blow to the family tree. We started the year off with Gillian having an Ostomy and ended it with her having a JPouch, not the mention the 2 surgeries that she went through to get there. She went to Youth Rally in Colorodo in July. The first time I have really been away from her that distance! It was a learning experience for both of us. While she was away, we took Katie to Lancaster PA and did some little kiddy things that Gillian wouldn't be interested in. It was a HUGE wakeup call for me that I have precious time left with my oldest daughter as an adolescent and not an adult. Gillian turned 17 in August and got her license this year. She is driving. In the fall, our good friend Pam died tragically, leaving a gaping hole in our lives. But we gained a great friend in return. Thank you Jackie for coming into our lives. Soon after Pam's death, Gillian and I went to Smith College in MA for an interview. While we were gone, Katie and Cheryl flew to NJ to see Miley Cirus in concert. Whew....is the year over yet? Nope, on Thanksgiving, right before dinner was served, I received a text message from my good friend Noa, who lives in Israel that our beloved friend Susan E, died that morning. She was at the top of the transplant list but just couldn't hold out. Shock waves ran through my Queer Mom's list as we realized that we've yet lost another sister. After the shock of losing someone so significant, I am happy to say that my friend (and ex) Val and her husband gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in December. Sophia enters a world full of wonder and grace. Welcome Sophia Lynn! I still love buying beautiful clothes for Katie (and would for Gillian too if she'd let me) and I am still quilting and creating. It's hard for me to stand and cut out squares and then sit and quilt them so it's very slow going. I am doing a project with Katie's class where they were learning geometry through quilt shapes. So, I cut out muslin squares, sent them to school and received them back, all colored and cute. I need to send in some fabric samples to school for them to vote on borders and backing and then I will put it together. My goal this year is to get that done, finish Katie's, Gillian's, and the Halloween/fall quilt that I made. I have some patterns to make Katie some dresses and skirts too, so we shall see what comes out of all that!

The year seperates out here for me in religion. I made peace at church with my minister over her inability to ordain me as an elder. I was ordained, but not by her. Our Minister of Music left her position, but has been back with her husband during certain times. Soon after that, the Director of Children's Ministry resigned and with that another decision fork. Do I leave and find another church or stay? One Sunday of looking around the Sanctuary left me without any doubt that it would be impossible to leave the many good friends that I have made. I joined a newly formed group this year, Sacred Circle, and it has been life transforming for me. My sisters in Christ have been pushing me (gently) to places that I have been really afraid to go. And it's so liberating. I am still planning to go to Seminary or at least take religion courses at SU, but I need to get Gillian settled first.

And my relationship Cheryl. There were many times that I thought I would be on here blogging that we were done, over, caput. But we've made it through another hard time and are in such a good place. My getting Social Security has taken so much pressure off our relationship that we have been able to get past some of our anger about money and really work on area's that strengthen our relationships. Does that mean that I think everything will be hunky dory, nope, but it feels better than it ever has.

So, 2009 didn't suck or stink for me this year. There were sucky times that stunk, but when you look at it more good than bad happened this year. Actually, life happened this year.

Here's to 2010!

Wendy