The first thing on the list of significance in my past year was surgery in early '08. I've written enough about that experience to kill a few trees if on paper, so I'll just say that the surgery and the three months of recovery marked the beginning of what would be a remarkable 2008 for me and Hubs.
In April, '08, we traveled to D.C. where Hubs was born and raised. I hadn't been back to visit 
Hubs' Homies. I got to see the house that holds so many memories for the Jakes'. I got to see where he went to school and the neighborhood that he terrorized. We got to see many of the good people we love; both family and friends. And I also got to visit the gravesite where Hubs' Papa is buried in Arlington. It's a beautiful regal place that has become a personal special place for me and my family.
Hubs' Homies. I got to see the house that holds so many memories for the Jakes'. I got to see where he went to school and the neighborhood that he terrorized. We got to see many of the good people we love; both family and friends. And I also got to visit the gravesite where Hubs' Papa is buried in Arlington. It's a beautiful regal place that has become a personal special place for me and my family. 
In May, '08, just after I was able to walk without crutches or a walking cast, Hubs and I took a trip to Spain/Morocco for our honeymoon (belated). It was an amazing trip full of rest, relaxation and cultural experiences that I'll never forget. Morocco, for all the new cultural experiences and diversity we felt, will hold a comfortable and warm place in our hearts indicative of the warm and welcoming people that became friends. It was A-MA-ZING.In June '08, Hubs left on the first year of a four year excursion into higher learning. He decided to get his PhD on a project involving pronghorn and left for eastern Montana to spend the summer. He was mostly in Malta, MT in the open fields in the midst of pronghorn he'd collared for tracking their migration and movement in the heat of the summer. He came to love the open fields and it's a good thing because he'll be spending significant time there - every summer for the next three summers...
September 1, '08, literally on the very same day, Hubs packed up his truck and headed to 
Calgary, AB for school and my littlest sister, CDoc packed up her car and moved in with me in our little house on Strawberry Drive. Hubs will spend the first two years doing coursework for his PhD at the University of Calgary renting an apartment just like good ol' college days ... except 
that he's way more busy and drinks a lot less. He spends some time in the field as well and loves every minute of it ... when I remind him that despite that he's too busy to breathe, it's better than sitting at his old desk in his old cubicle working for his old boss no matter how out of breath he might be. The pics here are Hubs in the field using telemetry to find collared pronghorn, one of which is named after me (written on the collar in the picture at the right).
Calgary, AB for school and my littlest sister, CDoc packed up her car and moved in with me in our little house on Strawberry Drive. Hubs will spend the first two years doing coursework for his PhD at the University of Calgary renting an apartment just like good ol' college days ... except 
that he's way more busy and drinks a lot less. He spends some time in the field as well and loves every minute of it ... when I remind him that despite that he's too busy to breathe, it's better than sitting at his old desk in his old cubicle working for his old boss no matter how out of breath he might be. The pics here are Hubs in the field using telemetry to find collared pronghorn, one of which is named after me (written on the collar in the picture at the right). CDoc moved in with me after she finally decided to fulfill her dream of moving to Montana. She lived with me for September, 
October, November and then moved out early in December into her very first apartment by herself. Isn't it cute? It was both a time that CDoc and I got closer as friends and also got on each others' nerves as sisters - to be expected. But alas, CDoc has become one of my closest friends since her move here and she distracted me from Hubs absence most of the time. Not to mention, she became the permanent sitter for my dogs when I visit Hubs. They are more excited for her to come around than anyone else, including their Papa who is gone most the time. Thanks CDoc!
October, November and then moved out early in December into her very first apartment by herself. Isn't it cute? It was both a time that CDoc and I got closer as friends and also got on each others' nerves as sisters - to be expected. But alas, CDoc has become one of my closest friends since her move here and she distracted me from Hubs absence most of the time. Not to mention, she became the permanent sitter for my dogs when I visit Hubs. They are more excited for her to come around than anyone else, including their Papa who is gone most the time. Thanks CDoc! Over Memorial Day, '08, I went backpacking for the first time since my surgery. And it was just the cathartic trip I needed. I went with a group of ladies who just wanted to hike into a beautiful place, hang out, drink wine, eat huckleberries and soak in Stanley Hot Springs. 
It was the perfect first backpacking trip because though my foot was easily tired, I was able to make it the whole way there and back and feel good that I would be able to do more of this in the future. The season was too short for me to do anymore backpacking that summer but the trip was enough to keep me excited for Summer '09.
It was the perfect first backpacking trip because though my foot was easily tired, I was able to make it the whole way there and back and feel good that I would be able to do more of this in the future. The season was too short for me to do anymore backpacking that summer but the trip was enough to keep me excited for Summer '09. December '09 Hubs was home for a month over his holiday break and we hosted BOTH sides of 
the family in little ol' Helena, MT for only the second time in our relationship and the first was at our wedding. Our little house couldn't accommodate them all so we found places for everyone to stay, spread out across Helena in 5 houses. We drank wine, ate great food, played games and laughed until our sides hurt. Poor JDoc got sick and her fiancee DocT couldn't be there, but we carried through regardless. We finished our holiday "vacation" utterly exhausted when they all went home. Our memories will sustain us for at least another 5 years before we'll do that again.
the family in little ol' Helena, MT for only the second time in our relationship and the first was at our wedding. Our little house couldn't accommodate them all so we found places for everyone to stay, spread out across Helena in 5 houses. We drank wine, ate great food, played games and laughed until our sides hurt. Poor JDoc got sick and her fiancee DocT couldn't be there, but we carried through regardless. We finished our holiday "vacation" utterly exhausted when they all went home. Our memories will sustain us for at least another 5 years before we'll do that again. January 17, '09, Travis Engstrom, a man who'd been in my life since I was 6 years old was killed in an avalanche near Cooke City. I've never experienced grief like I have with his passing. But it has taught me so many things already. Don't sweat the small stuff. Keep goodness in your heart for all people, no matter what they've done. Don't judge people for how they experience extreme emotion, like grief. And certainly, don't ever forget to tell the people you love how much they mean to you. Remember that the people we love may be gone, but they are with us in the beautiful cotton candy sky in the mornings, the sparkle of the ice crystals on the snow, the bright stars that are portholes for them to watch over us. And they are with us in all the things that make us marvel at how beautiful Life is. And the most important lesson: don't wait for tomorrow to start Living (with a capital L). Today might be your last - let it be beautiful.
And with that mantra to guide my days for the next year, things are looking up. I think it's going to be my Best Year Yet.
4 comments:
Great post. I've decided this is going to be my best year yet too, this month has started it off pretty well.
Exactly, we've decided it will be our best year. That's the only way it actually happens, right?
YES!!! Isn't there a Dar Williams song about this? I think I will make it my mantra for the year.
And I didn't even mention that my best friend had BABY ADRIENNE that has delighted my life in the past 7 months. Adrienne would NOT be happy that her birth wasn't mentioned on my Year In Review.
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