Every year, Jo-Lynne hosts a carnival where we recap the year with the first line (or two…or three…) of the first post of each month. For a few months I didn’t use the very first post, so feel free to scroll and click back if you really must read the first of each month!
Also – don’t be alarmed by the lack of comments on some posts. When I moved to WordPress, I lost all my Disqus comments. It was a sad, sad day of 2010.
January: When I was in elementary school, listening to the Top 40 Countdown was extremely important to me. Unfortunately, it aired on Sunday mornings, and in my house, Sunday mornings were for church. So every week, as soon as the car pulled into the garage, I’d race into my room, turn on my radio and press my ear to the speaker.
I really do love lists and countdowns, and this was a collection of my favorite ones from 2009.
February: I have a confession. And you’re going to think I’m crazy. But I’ve got to get this off my chest tell you. I don’t want to potty train Annalyn.
Eventually, we did start potty training. But I was so scared!
March: Sometimes making up my own recipe is a great idea. And other times, not so much.
After seeing a recipe for a chicken and black bean quesadilla, I thought I’d make my own version. After eating quesadillas for a week straight, I finally followed the recipe. And it was delicious.
April: Have you ever realized that the thing you swear up and down you are NOT is exactly who you ARE? Have you ever been convinced that you are a certain way, that you have a certain personality, that you are skilled in a certain area – only to realize that the evidence proves you WRONG?
So…it turns out I’m not a great driver. I’m not even a very, very good driver. This post is about me coming to terms with this realization.
May: I have a cedar chest that my parents got me when I was 12. It’s filled with old medals and photos and art projects. It’s also filled with notebooks and journals and one small diary with a lousy lock I’m not sure ever worked. The diary was a gift in middle school, I think, and I scribbled my deepest thoughts all over it. (You know, because I assumed the lock worked.)
I love the idea behind Pete Wilson’s book, Plan B. This post was my review of it, even though I had only read half of it. Confession: I’ve still only read half of it, but it’s on the top of my list for January reading.
June: A couple weeks ago, I pulled into the parking lot at Annalyn’s daycare and turned off the ignition. I pulled out my checkbook and leaned over the steering wheel with pen in hand. As I finished writing, I glanced up and saw dozens – no, hundreds! – of buds or leaves whirling around my car. Then I took a second look. They weren’t leaves. They were bees.
Read this story and tell me a swarm of bees at your child’s daycare, no less, wouldn’t have freaked you out!
July: When my friend Triple’s husband was deployed to Iraq with the Army Reserves, I made the mistake of reading a Karen Kingsbury book about a soldier. I can still see myself, laying on the couch with that paperback and sobbing my eyes out.
I loved writing through some thoughts this summer with my More Than Defined series. This post was about patriotism and where mine comes from.
August: Well, this has certainly been an interesting process. On Friday – in the middle of a great conversation about feminism, of course – my move from Blogger to WordPress began.
If there’s one post that’s representative of my blog journey in 2010, I guess this would be it. Moving to WordPress was a big deal, not just in the effort and money and time it cost, but in what it meant about my commitment to blogging as more than a hobby.
September: Today I’m at the beach with my sisters from (in)courage. (More about that SOON!) But not everyone will be here. Lisa-Jo and Ann are in Guatemala, meeting hundreds of children who are served by Compassion.
From my favorite TV shows to childhood memories to spiritual insights, I write about a lot of different things on this blog. But the most meaningful to me are the times I get to share news about what great organizations – specifically Compassion – are doing to help others.
October: Do you remember that icebreaker where you have to come up with an adjective for yourself that begins with the same letter as your first initial? “Hi, my name is Mary, and I’m musical.”
I loved this post! It’s my mental mix tape for my last day of work. I hope you’ll check this one out.
November: Is this the cutest Minnie Mouse you’ve ever seen or what?! Okay, so some of you might have seen your own kiddos dress up as Minnie Mouse. But you’re biased, of course, while I am completely objective.
Shameless parental pride showing here! This post features my sweet kiddo in her Halloween costume.
December: Since Annalyn was born, October flies by. We start with a birthday party and speed headfirst into Halloween. I love planning parties and finding the cutest costume, but I don’t love the way my favorite month disappears faster than the leaves turn red and yellow.
Throughout the month of November, I kept a gratitude journal. I shared my list with you in this post.
To read more recaps – or to link up your own – visit Musings of a Housewife!
