Share your: Moments of 2011

[snake_lady]

This was going to be my question of the day, but I think it warrants more exploration than just QOTD which can be overlooked by some.

Good morning everyone.  12 days to Christmas, wow. This year has sure flown by.

I know it's early but............... every year, at the end of the year, I take some time to reflect on the year, the good and the bad...... and use it to reflect, to be proud and share it, to learn, to set goals for the next year.

In this thread, please focus on the past, this year.....rather than goals for next year. I am going to post a secondary thread regarding goals and aspirations for next year.

So, in 2011:

1. what were some of your best moments?
2. how about your worst moments?
3. Memorable moments?
4. Goals met/Not met?
5. Lessons learned?

and anything else you want to share.

I find this type of exercise really puts things in perspective for me......maybe it will help you too

as always, please only share what you feel comfortable with, and for those reading, remember that some people are more comfortable sharing than others and topics may be of a sensitive nature, perhaps triggering different emotions, etc.

 

[3catsn1dog]

1. what were some of your best moments?
   Finding out first that we wanted to have a baby and then finding out we were expecting.
   
2. how about your worst moments?
   The miscarriage. Realizing that people are not good, that they are selfish and back stabbing.
3. Memorable moments?
   Waking df up at four am with a positive pregnancy test.
4. Goals met/Not met?
   My biggest goal met is that everyday df and I focus on our relationship putting us first and working on it every day. It has been hard but thru all the tough spots it has brought us closer together. A goal not met is that I have an inability to put things to rest. When I am hurt or upset it stays with me. I would like to be able to put the small things aside however it seems everytime I try that small thing becomes bigger and unable to be shelved
5. Lessons learned?
   To trust my first instincts. To know ultimately I can trust myself, df and my mom because other people i gave trust to were not worthy of it.

This year has been hard for me. With everything that has happened between personal things and family problems I learned that while other peoples failures can feel like my own I need to be proud of myself. Where I was to where I am is nothing to slight. I need to focus on me and not everyone else and realize that I can't fix people.

I fi

 

[-_aj_-]

1. what were some of your best moments?

My best moments for this year have been my two holidays with blaine, I love our mini breaks away, it means I get to go see some fantastic sites and help some homeless animals

how about your worst moments?

Not being able to move out just quite yet we are waiting for the right time and unfortunatly its just not right at the moment

Memorable moments?

One of my friends 21st birthday parties! I helped along with her and a friend to set the room up for her party and helped her make her 21st a night she will always remember

Goals met/Not met?

Goals met, nearly finished paying off my credit card, goals not met getting out of my mothers hous

Lessons learned?

To be very wary of who I trust

 

[catlover19]

1. what were some of your best moments? Applying to college, getting accepted, starting classes
2. how about your worst moments? My husband getting laid off, and then I got laid off less than a month later.
3. Memorable moments? Getting the phone call saying my second career was approved. The government paid my $10,301 tuition, my bus passes and starting in April when my unemployment runs out they are paying me weekly living expenses too. I never actually thought I would get approved.
4. Goals met/Not met? met- Going back to school, no goals not met
5. Lessons learned? Even though its way too late....I learned not to drop out of college. I dropped out when I was 18, and now I am 25 and just starting again. It is much harder to get back into studying and learning something new, but I am focused and so far I am doing really good.

 

[swampwitch]

So, in 2011:

1. what were some of your best moments?
2. how about your worst moments?
3. Memorable moments?
4. Goals met/Not met?
5. Lessons learned?

1. my sister's wedding in March and vacation this summer with my husband and daughter

2. when my sister Linda passed away

3. in June when Linda and I said our good-byes just in case & phone call for #2

4. can't seem to write any more

5. I can't eat when I'm severely stressed; some of my friends are awesome friends

 

[lokilove]

1. what were some of your best moments? I graduated from University, got a great job, a new car and my own new kitty cat. Also started a new relationship with a great guy.
2. how about your worst moments? Learning that I gained 20lbs in my last semester of school.
3. Memorable moments? Video Games Live with the bf. Vacation with my friends
4. Goals met/Not met? So many goals met this year (see above). Not met- weight loss
5. Lessons learned? Ex-boyfriends make bad friends. Keeping in touch is hard. Maintaining an apartment can be a lot of work.

Overall 2011 was my year. It has really been a good one especially compared to the gong-show that was 2010

 

[MoochNNoodles]

1. what were some of your best moments? - Finding out that baby #2 is on the way.  Watching my DD grow and go through so many more firsts has been awesome too.
2. how about your worst moments? - Loosing my Grandpa this summer.
3. Memorable moments? - We've had lots of great memories this year with DD.  Taking her to a farm to see animals, pick a pumpkin, and go on a hayride was so fun this year.  Watching her play with her cousins on vacation was great too. 
4. Goals met/Not met? - We are almost finished with installing chair rail around the kitchen/dining and living room areas of the house.  DH and I painted both of them (It's most of our house really!) and DH has already installed casing around 2 doorways that were without it.  (The house was built this way.)  It's been more work than we expected!  DH also installed a fence around our backyard earlier this year and we put in our first garden! 
5. Lessons learned? - I think we've learned plenty of lessons in parenting.  Still something new all the time though!
   

 

[ldg]

Wow... the older I get, the faster time seems to slip by. And I mean "slip" by. How did I used to do SO MUCH - so that every year felt like so much was accomplished? And how is it that now it seems the days all melt into each other, and without looking at a calendar, I'm not sure where I am?

Although... perhaps that's not a function of age so much as it's a function of our limitations in doing stuff because of Gary's health situation. :dk:

Given my life really pretty much revolves around Gary, friends, and cats these days....

what were some of your best moments?
- When we found out Lazlo's cancer was not an immediate death sentence. When we found out he did NOT have hemangiosarcoma, and we were probably not looking at the decision to put him to sleep inside of a day or two (at the end of July).
- When Nico Dauphine was found guilty of attempted animal cruelty (sentencing is tomorrow).
- Talking to my dad, even though his short term memory is gone and he's lost a lot of words, he's still a happy person.
- Telling a crappy business "partner" we were moving on.

how about your worst moments?
- Finding out Lazlo has cancer.
- Watching Gary suffer.
- Not being nearer to you Chris, when things were happening with the ex-to-be.

Memorable moments?
- My birthday, Chris, mostly because of you!
- Watching Lazlo play like a kitten and eat lots of food after three rounds (four months) of chemo treatments.
- When my family had to deal with my dad moving into long term care. :heart3:
- When my sister said "I love you." :lol3:
- Becoming such good friends with my soul sister :sun:
- When a wonderful person I "met" online provided assistance with our TNR. :heart3:
- Realizing I was depressed, and taking steps to turn around the funk.
- Meeting Carolina.

Goals met/Not met?
- No steady source of income yet.
- Gary's still in pain.
- Looks like we'll have health insurance in 2012!
- Not meeting some friends from TCS I would like to meet!

Lessons learned?
- Like Cat, I learned I have some awesome friends.
- We have to stick up for ourselves, even in the face of fear of the unknown (a lesson I apparently need to learn more than once LOL).

How about you, Chris?

 

[yosemite]

1.  Best moment - when my daughter said she was pregnant.

2.  Worst moment - when my daughter almost died in childbirth.

3.  Memorable moment - when I held my granddaughter for the first time.

4.  Goals met/not met - I didn't have any particular goals to meet except to be the best person I could be to people around me - done that.

5.  Lessons learned - friends are often better than family.

So, in 2011:

1. what were some of your best moments?
2. how about your worst moments?
3. Memorable moments?
4. Goals met/Not met?
5. Lessons learned?

 

[calico2222]

1. what were some of your best moments?  I didn't really have any "highlight" moments that I can think of. Just memories made with my husband working around the house and garden and just being crazy. Getting our tax refund in time to celebrate Valentine's Day with a nice dinner out and a night on the town was good. But, it's the day to day things that mean the most to me.

1. how about your worst moments? When we started the car to go to a picnic at my SIL's house and heard a "thunk". One of the kittens from the barn crawled up into the engine and when we backed up, it was on the ground missing one of his back legs. We tried to get in touch with the vet to try to make an emergency appointment but he died of shock and blood loss before we got a reply. 
2. Memorable moments? Probably the best day I had this year was one day in the middle of summer that DH and I both had the day off. We really didn't feel like doing anything, and it was hot and sunny so we decided to forget everything, grab some beers and go to MIL's pool. We spent the entire day playing in the water like kids, splashing and dunking, then climbed on rafts and fell asleep holding hands. I got a BAD burn and still have the marks but it was worth just relaxing and spending time with each other.
3. Goals met/Not met? I'm still a terrible house keeper. Every year I say I will get better, but it never happens. Also, we are terrible with money. Maybe if we could get better with money (or make more of it) I wouldn't have to worry about housekeeping and just hire a maid! 
   
4. Lessons learned? Concentrate more on my goal!

 

[momofmany]

What were some of your best moments?
Getting down to within 2 pounds of my weight on the day I got married 22 years ago and getting cat calls by men that noticed (DH included). I would have been offended when I was younger, but not now at my age! :lol3:


How about your worst moments?
Just about every week when my work schedule was posted while I worked at Home Depot. I've had retail jobs before, but I've never seen a company with such an utter lack of respect for the people that work for them.


Memorable moments?
Giving notice on the day when I was called in for my annual review, getting a stellar review, then interrupting them to tell them that I'm quitting.


Goals met/Not met?
Getting almost to my marriage day weight. 2 pounds was close enough.


Lessons learned?
Sometimes a job is just a job. Life is too short to be pushed around by anyone.

 

[mrblanche]

1. what were some of your best moments?  Being chosen as a finalist for a car giveaway.  Dottie getting her job back, then transferring to a better and better-paying job. Lots of other little things; I guess that's how life is.
2. how about your worst moments?  Not winning the car.  You have to admit, that's a pretty minor bad point, right?
3. Memorable moments?  Lots of little joys, nothing big.
4. Goals met/Not met? 
5. Lessons learned?  Keep trying to expand your horizons, skills, etc.

 

[rafm]

Best moment:  I don't know honestly. There really hasnt been many, if any, bright moments this year. 

Worst moment:  watching my DH grieve so much for the cat we lost. She was 'his' and the first cat he had lost that he was that close to. Seeing him leaning over her crying after they had put her to sleep was heart-wrenching and horrible.  I don't want to ever do that again, sadly, we will. 

Memorable moments:  Standing in the model home we were looking at and getting the call that my Dad had died. The entire weight of his struggles with alcoholism and addiction to pain killers settled on me in that exact moment. It was pure hell. 

Goals met/Not met:  I needed to drop weight this year but there was so much stress in my life, I just couldn't. Every time I would get started back at the gym, something horrible would happen in my life. But, we didn't add any animals to our already packed house so that was a HUGE accomplishment. 

Lessons learned:  People change, become unrecognizable when they suffer from addiction. The pain families feel is real, deep and unimaginable at times. But families can come out stronger on the other side. What is buried deep within may take a lifetime to appear but there is strength in every person to make the hard, difficult decisions. 

 

[margecat]

Worst moments: My Mom died. We also took in an abused, left-to-die cat, who I thought I could save, but couldn't.

Best moments: When Mom died, realizing who my friends were & how much I was loved (this includes TCS members!)

Goals: Did 'em, mostly.

Lessons learned: It doesn't matter if the shelves in the linen closet are labeled alphabetically.  Spending time with those love must always come first; it may be too late (Mom). I also learned how strong and resillient I am.

Memorable moments:  Seeing my first hummingbird the week after we lost Mom (you may remember my tale about that special moment). 

 

[Winchester]

1. what were some of your best moments?
2. how about your worst moments?
3. Memorable moments?
4. Goals met/Not met?
5. Lessons learned?

1.  Some of our best moments were little day-to-day things that we did together. We loved working in the veggie garden, even though we were weeding and digging and working on the fence. It was fun and I think I enjoyed it simply because we were together. Same with being outside and weeding the flower beds and such. And Tabby found us in July and became a cherished member of our family.

2.  At the end of last year,at the beginning of December, both Dad and my aunt (my dad's sister) passed away within a week of each other. It was a very stressful time for all of us. In September, I found Lily, a tiny little kitten, on our pool cover, and my sister and I tried so hard to catch her, only to lose her within 24 hours. It was heart-breaking; we were so happy when we finally got her and my sister was a mess after Lily went to the Bridge. To the point where my BIL and I were becoming very worried for her. Thankfully, she now has Liam and she's doing well since Liam joined their family.

3.  You're going to laugh at this, but it's probably that I started to can veggies this year. The first time I heard the "ping" of a pickle jar sealing, Rick said the look on my face was just priceless....and he said he was so proud of me. He and I had such a good time with that darn veggie garden.

4.  We really wanted to make that last house payment this month. But we'll be paying off our house in January 2012....seven years early! So, in a way, we didn't meet the goal, but yet will be able to pay it off early. Guess that one kind of evens out.

5.  I love my family. Yes, they make me crazy sometimes. But they're my family and they're allowed.

 

[krazy kat2]

Best days-I held my granddaughter for the first time, and she gave me her first smile. I actually got home to Augusta to stay. The day dh came back to get me after going to start his new job. I was packing up the house.

Worst days-The seemingly endless hospital visits and Dr appointments.

Memorable days-Driving Marines just back from the war, especially the one in particular whose wife was in labor. I drove like a madwoman, but got him to the hospital in time to see his child born. He called the cab company to make sure it would be me to pick them up when they took the baby home. A beautiful little boy. There were more, but that was the one I will never forget.

Goals met/not met-I got home.

Lessons learned-People grow. We have been staying with mil, and getting along famously. I never thought it would happen.

 

[miss mew]

Hugs to you Linda

It's amazing how our best and worst moments in life can be so closely intertwined.

So, in 2011:

1. what were some of your best moments?  Giving birth to my second child...a little boy
   
2. how about your worst moments?  Saying goodbye to my Uncle after a long courageous battle with cancer.
3. Memorable moments?  Watching my 2 kids grow together, moving into our new house.
4. Goals met/Not met?  I didn't set any, just trying to live each day better than the one before.
5. Lessons learned?  If God takes me to it, He'll bring me through it.

 

[aimerlee]

1. what were some of your best moments?  Celebrating my one year anniversary with my boyfriend, moving into a bigger apartment, finding out I have another nephew on the way.
2. how about your worst moments?  My anxiety disorders coming back, being sick for 7 months straight, getting my gallbladder removed, losing my kitty Abby.
3. Memorable moments?  Picnics on the beach with my boyfriend, and going on our first vacation together to DC.
4. Goals met/Not met?  I lost 25 pounds this year from being so sick, but I unfortunately gained it all back once I could start eating again. Guess I'm back to square one.
5. Lessons learned?  Trust your body. If something doesn't feel right, don't let others convince you it's in your head.