Say Goodbye to 2006

I happily say goodbye to 2006. This has been a very tough year. I am ready to let go of all of the "bad" that came in 2006 and move on to all of the good that is yet to come with all of the wisdom and understanding we have gained from this year.

This time last year, we were eagerly awaiting 2006 and making New Year's resolutions of how we wanted to improve our lives. We had the usual resolutions of losing weight and exercising more (you know, the ones that are really never meant to be kept but it is tradition that they be made) and I am sure we had some lofty ones in there as well like not grumping at Randy so much for not putting his tools away and finally get around to training our dogs how not to lick people to death when they come in the door. But as 2006 came, not much changed. Randy and I continued in our busy lives of working full time and taking college classes and still trying to balance family time in all of that, which we were not very successful at. June 20th changed the course of our year and put our lives on a new journey. It has been a very tough one. There were quite a few times that we thought we were going to lose Randy.

Though we have had many ups and downs (as many relationships do), Randy has been my best friend since 1993. He is my partner in life and I cannot and do not want to imagine life without him.

Things that mattered in life went from what grade I got on my last exam to Randy opening his eyes for the first time after the accident. My definition of a good day changed from having everything to well at work to Randy being able to say my name.

I have always known Randy to be a strong headed (at times stubborn) person with a gentle spirit. This has taken him places within his career at Boeing. Well, those qualities mixed with his brilliant mind. I knew he loved his job, but I never knew how many people he had touched within the company until he was lying in the hospital bed. All of the words of concern and encouragement I received affirmation that I had married a good man.

Randy, of course, did pull through and those qualities that drew people to Randy are also the qualities that brought him to where he is at today at the close of 2006. Randy has surpassed where the medical profession thought he would be at this time. He has adopted the attitude of "I don't know what I can or cannot do until I try" and "Just because I can't do it now doesn't mean I won't be able to do it two weeks from now". He doesn't give up. Randy believes in himself. I believe it is because so many out there believe in him and hope for him.

Through the second half of this year, I have also gotten to see the strength within my little girl. This time has been very hard for her. Her dad promised that the playhouse he had started the year before would definitely be finished in summer of 2006. Not only did she not get the finished playhouse, but she lost her playmate for the summer as well. When her dad did come home he was different, not as much fun and tended to be a lot grumpier. When she asked about returning to go to karate or guitar lessons she got the answer "when dad gets back to work". She has turned what would be a sucky situation to most ten year olds into a positive experience. She focuses on the positives and reminds me to do the same. For Christmas, she cheerfully got busy in her bedroom and made very creative Christmas gifts for those in the family. She is an amazing person with an amazing spirit.

On June 20th, there was a lot that was lost.

Randy's mom gave up the comforts of her home to come live with us. Boeing lost the temporary use of a good employee.

So much more was gained. We have new friends, new focus, new purpose.

I am happy to see 2006 go and look forward to all that 2007 will bring. My New Year's resolution this year? To take things one day at a time because you never know what the end of the day brings. And of course, I will exercise and be healthier and all that too.