A Survey of 2009

2009 Survey for the New Year

1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Adopted a child. Traveled to Africa. Was away from my children for more than 2 1/2 weeks.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I kept some resolutions and not others. It is just not New Year's without a resolution or ten.


3. Did anyone close to you give birth or get pregnant?
Our adoption is in many ways like giving birth, so, yes.


4. Did anyone close to you get married?
no

5. Did anyone close to you die?
yes. A dear man from church whose presence is sorely missed.

6. Travel?
Ghana, West Africa!

7. Did you move anywhere?
No, but we hope to before 2009 is over.

8. What was the best month?
April - we were all home together for a whole month. I'd finally made it home from Ghana. Hubby was on paternity leave and the kids were done with school. It was AWESOME!


9. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Acreage. Humility. I wish humility was as easy to procure as acreage.


10. What date(s) from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January 21st - finding out we'd passed court the day before. January 24th - surprise baby shower. February 4th - we left for Ghana. February 5th - we met Baby L. March 21st - I was reunited with my kids after 6+ weeks and with hubby after 2. May 14th - Eldest son turning 13 and his Intro to Manhood weekend. Aug 26 - my 39th birthday

11. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Flying home solo with Baby L - who didn't sleep more than 20-30 minutes during our 20-some hours of travel. I get nervous traveling with hubby...this time I was entirely alone with baby and all that immigration to deal with. I was a little anxious about it, but it went fine. There were a number of God-sent helpers along the way.

12. What was your biggest failure?
Failing to be proactive to protect my middle daughter from the stress of having a new baby sister who gets LOTS of attention from strangers and friends. She seemed to be doing so well and then suddenly felt entirely overlooked. I'm trying to change that as best I can, or at least provide some sort of counterbalance.

13. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing major - just the run-of-the-mill cold, flu, etc.


14. What was the best thing you bought?
2 yards of batik cloth from Ghana - it was quite inexpensive and made the most perfect baby wrap.


15. Whose behavior merited celebration?
All my kids - great helps to us with the new baby!


16. Whose behavior made you appalled and/or depressed?
appalled - politicians. depressed - our church vestry


17. Where did most of your money go?
adoption (fees and travel)


18. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Baby L!

19. What song will always remind you of 2009?
"Some Kind of African Beauty"


20. Compared to this time last year, are you: i. happier or sadder? ii. richer or poorer?

i. happier in some ways; sadder in others. My parents divorce is final - that makes me sad. Baby L is doing so well and we love her so much - that makes me happy. My dear neighbor has moved - that makes me sad and happy (sad: we miss them, happy: they've got an awesome property).

ii. Easily poorer. However, we are making headway in paying off adoption debt and we are doing (rather I am doing) much better on our cash budget.


21. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Reading.

22. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Blog reading. (can you believe I'd say that? I do enjoy writing a blog and reading a few, but I get sucked into my GoogleReader far to easily)

23. How will you be spending New Year's Eve/Day?
No idea. Would love to have some friends over for family games and such - or go somewhere...but don't know it that will happen. If not, hubby and I will enjoy champagne and maybe some episodes of Bleak House. New Year's Day - I'm making Hoppin' John and doing some school planning.


24. What was an unexpected surprise?
Getting Baby L's Certificate of Citizenship weeks after we returned home (without the expected extra paperwork).

25. Did you fall in love in 2009?
with Baby L - totally.


26. What was the best concert you've been to this year?
I'm not really a concert-goer these days - but we did go to see The Messiah, and it was wonderful.


27. What was your favorite TV program?
House and M*A*S*H reruns.


28. Do you dislike anyone now that you didn't dislike this time last year?
Yes, unfortunately. That's all I'm saying.


29. What was the best book you read?
The Good Earth. I really loved this book.


30. What was your greatest musical discovery?
African "High Life" music


31. What did you want and get?
an iPod Nano.


32. What did you want and not get?
an iPod Nano with a radio (the new one with the radio came out about a month after I got mine for my birthday. Oh, well!)


33. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Visitor. There have been a few others, but this is the one that popped into my mind.


34. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 39 - my last year in my 30s! Hubby took me out for an early morning coffee date in our sporty '69 Datsun convertible. It was a Perfect Start to my 40th year.

35. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not losing large portions of data and pictures in a computer crash.

36. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Layered and slightly bohemian, I guess.

37. What kept you sane?
Being able to get mini-escapes to the coffee house with hubby or alone.

38. What political issue stirred you the most?
Health care bill. Obama's messiah-esque persona.


39. Who did you miss?
My Dear Neighbor!


40. Random Memories from 2009?
~ A frantic target trip to get baby supplies the day after our adoption was finalized.

~ Discovering coconut water as a rehydration drink.

~ The guy who carried my luggage off the airplane and all the way to baggage claim.

~ Middle daughter getting a shortish haircut and earrings. First rides around the neighborhood in the Datsun.

~ The hummingbird that got caught in our garage and our attempt to coax him out.

~ Middle daughter lining up 4 cheerios from largest to smallest each morning (representing our soon-to-be family of 4 kids).

~ Boys stacking dixie cups up into a "great wall".

I borrowed this survey from The Common Room.