2006 - a recap

It's nearly 2007. Hard to believe this year is almost over. Where did the time go? I wish I knew. This year has brought me and my family many woes.... both my grandma and my aunt Marge passing away this year, and now I find out that my cousin Justin recently committed suicide. I just found out yesterday from my folks, and it happened back in November. It is just crazy, I tell you. The world is a strange and ever-changing place. People come in and out of your lives every day. Some stay for a while, and others disappear just as fast as they came. But the ones who really mean something to you leave an everlasting mark on your soul that brings comfort to you even when things are bad. They are the people who bring light into your dark days and happiness to you when you feel like crying and bring hope to you when you just want to give up. I thank God for those people. I really do. I don't know who I would be without them. I just know that my life is all the better for having met them. And forever glad that they stuck by me even when I was at my worst. (and I can be a beeeeyach sometimes - I have a brother who will vouch for that - lol).

This year also brought new changes to me. I was diagnosed with lupus and fibromyalgia - the doctors finally gave me a confirmed diagnosis. After all these years living with pain and fatigue, I finally found out that there really IS something wrong with me and that I am not just crazy (although, there are people out there who probably think otherwise - hehe). As bad as lupus sounds, it is almost a comfort to know finally what has been plaguing me all this time. And I know that as long as I keep taking my meds and be good to myself that everything will be just fine. I have been living with pain for so long, I have almost forgot what it feels like to be well - lol. And they always say, "no pain, no gain!"

As much sadness as this year has brought me, it still had its moments of brightness. I got to see someone very near and dear to me who I hadn't seen in a long, long time. And even though I only got to see him for a few hourse, those few hours were very, very special to me. I got back in touch with some of my high school and grade school friends (John, Robin, Brenda, Lizzy, Jane, Alvis) all thru this thing called Myspace - hehe. I got to go camping and sightseeing in some wonderful places like Yosemite, Mt Whitney, Sequoia National Park, Big Sur, Death Valley National Park, Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire State Park, just to mention a few. Oh and an awesome road trip this summer where I got to visit Carlsbad Caverns, a place I had wanted to go to ever since I was just a kid and saw pictures of it in a book. It was simply amazing! I want to go again - lol.

Yes, a lot has happened this year, both good and bad. Christmas was hard on me because it was the first one without my grandma. Things just seemed so wrong without her. I really didn't feel much like celebrating, but I know she would have wanted us to be happy this Christmas. I am just glad we were all able to spend last Christmas with her. It was a good Christmas last year. But if only I had known it would be her last. There were many times where I just broke down into tears thinking about that last Christmas and wishing I would have spent more time with her. But I am grateful for the times I had with her, and feel blessed to have had such a great lady like her in my life. Of all the people in the world, she was in MY life. It's really amazing when you think about it. Had my folks not adpoted me, I would have never known her. I am a pretty lucky girl

I don't think of New Year's as a time to commit to resolutions to lose weight or to get a new job or to be a better person or any of that mumbo jumbo. I think of it as more of a time of reflection and to count my blessings and be happy for the things I have and not worry about the things I don't have. I have my family and my friends and I am still alive. I have a roof over my head and food to eat. And that is a whole lot more than a lot of people have. And I feel pretty darned lucky for that.

Yep. Pretty darned lucky.