Good-bye 2008!

2008 was for me and Doug a good year. So many good things happened! We got married, we went to Belgium on our honeymoon, we bought a house, Doug got a new job, we moved into our house, we took many, many day trips in the fall, we now have friends in Portland, ME, so we can go there whenever we want (but we don't abuse that privilege, of course!), friends Mike and Emily had a beautiful baby boy, friends Jesica and Chris had a beautiful baby boy, and we bought a new mattress. Yes, I list the mattress among the good things because this means there is more room on our bed for the three kitties who share it with us, and also because we now will have a guest bed! This is definitely one of the highlights of the year. However, we do know that 2008 was a difficult year for many people, including some of those who are close with us - between health concerns and the world's economy falling apart, much of 2008 wasn't really that great. Here's to hoping that 2009 will continue to be good for me and Doug, and get much better for those who wish 2008 might never have happened.

I haven't yet started reflecting on the year, believe it or not. I've got time - it's only 5pm on New Year's Eve, after all! What I am thinking about now, though, as the snow blows outside and I am visualizing the morning shoveling, is a vacation. Will there be one in our future in 2009? I certainly hope so! Here are three places to which I certainly wouldn't pass up the opportunity to travel. My camera's ready, so economy please help me out and stabilize!

Germany (this is Munich, but anywhere in Germany would do fine)

Chicago

Guatemala (yes, indeed!)

Now that I'm done dreaming, I can go get on my pajamas, sit on the sofa with my husband and cats, get under a blanket, and enjoy the first new year's that we've ever spent alone, just the two of us (plus the cats, of course). I'm looking forward to it. Happy 2009, everyone!