New Year Quiz

I saw this quiz on one of my favorite blogs, so I thought I’d give it a shot. After I answered all these and looked over it, I realized how big Skyler’s health issues were this year. I knew it was a big deal at the time and am so glad it’s behind us, but since so many questions are related to that, I just realized how much that experience has shaped our lives thus far. I am looking forward to a much healthier 2009 for her! So here goes…some of these are tough questions!

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? Too many things to list, all of them involving parenting an infant/toddler!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn’t make any last year, but I might try one or two this year: a) get back in shape and b) read more books

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? yes, many friends had babies this year, though not as many as 2007!

4. Did anyone close to you die? No.

5. What countries did you visit? Mexico

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? More motivation to work out

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? a) March 3 – the day Skyler went to the hospital and we were told she might have cancer but then found out it was “only” a heart condition. I never thought I would be so relieved for my daughter to have a heart problem. b) March 10 – the day Skyler had heart surgery. c) September 11 – Skyler’s first birthday because back on those days in March, as morbid as it sounds, I often wondered if we would be celebrating or mourning that day. Thank God for the celebration!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting a promotion at work

9. What was your biggest failure? Not yet losing the baby weight

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? If suffering through my daughter’s hospitalization doesn’t count, I’m sure the three-day stomach bug does!

11. What was the best thing you bought? This is tough, but I’d have to say it was the Harley. It has brought Ronnie so much joy, and no one deserves it more than him!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Between Ronnie working so hard and getting multiple promotions at his job, and Skyler’s recovery and just downright sweetness, I’d just have to say my family!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? I don’t write much about this on here, but I’d have to say my brother-in-law. He’s living with us till he completes highschool, and in a few words, having an unmotivated teenage boy around all the time has definitely taken it’s toll on my happiness level! But we’re 3/4 of the way through this process, and will hopefully be celebrating his graduation in May.

14. Where did most of your money go? We’ve been concentrating on paying off debt, but that also includes Skyler’s hospital bills. And our financial situation has been much more comfortable in the last half of this year, so I was able to spend much of my “play money” on new clothes.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Going to Mexico for vacation in October, even though it wasn’t all I had hoped it would be. Also seeing NKOTB in concert for the first time in my life, even if it was almost 20 years too late.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008? There are probably too many. Chris Brown’s “Forever” was one of my favorites and has become Skyler’s favorite song. We play it for her all the time so she can dance.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier
b) thinner or fatter? thinner
c) richer or poorer? richer
Dang I did good on this one!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? I think we’ve covered this already, but I wish I would have exercised more.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? I never regret many things I’ve actually done, but I guess to go with the previous question, I wish I would’ve eaten less foods that weren’t good for me.

20. How did you spend Christmas? With family.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008? Well this is kind of embarrassing but sure, I guess I recently fell in love with the fictional vampire Edward in the book Twilight. Oh, I meant that yes, I fall in love with my husband over and over again…

22. What was your favorite TV program? Another embarrassing one – The Hills.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No, I’m not very hateful.

24. What was the best book you read? See question # 21.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? That NKOTB can still put on an amazing show and woo me off my feet.

26. What did you want and get? Too many to list, again. Skyler’s health and recovery, a vacation, a digital SLR camera.

27. What did you want and not get? To fit into my old jeans.

28. What was your favorite film of this year? Tropic Thunder. This answer could change on a different day. P.S. I Love You was a good one too. That Gerard Butler…

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I had three birthdays this year! The prior Sunday spent with my family, the actual day my coworkers brought yummy food to work and then Ronnie gave me new perfume and some cool wine accessories, and then the Saturday afterward I went out to dinner with friends! I was 29.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? If our vacation had turned out better. But we have so much to be thankful for this last year it’s hard to ask for more.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Always casual but attempting to dress things up a bit more than normal. Also anti-leggings/tapered skinny jeans.

32. What kept you sane? Prayer.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Are make-believe vampire heroes celebrities? If so, then Edward. If not, I guess Gerard Butler. Are my answers getting redundant?

34. What political issue stirred you the most? The presidential election, for the first time ever.

35. Who did you miss? Cabo San Lucas vacation with friends.

36. Who was the best new person you met? My daughter, when she was “reborn” after surgery.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Another one that I could answer so many different ways, but I’ll go with this cliche: “God never gives you more than you can handle”

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. It’s hard to pick one lyric from this song, but here it is from “In My Daughter’s Eyes” by Martina McBride. In every literal and figurative sense of these words:

It’s hangin’ on when your heart
has had enough
It’s giving more when you feel like giving up
I’ve seen the light
It’s in my daughter’s eyes