Happy 2009

Maybe we can do better this year? That's a lot of maybe isn't it. One can hope.

I'm such a doofus, on our way to the frozen tundra we flew through Detroit and not Chicago. We got lucky. LT Dan and I sat on the back porch the morning of the day we were supposed to leave and actually tried to figure out ways NOT to go. LOL We really did. It was a gorgeous Sunny Place winter day, 80 and blue skies. We looked at the approaching blizzard and it's ice storm partner and just withered. We went anyway, oh the power of our Mothers, if they only knew.

It's highly annoying, this new thing the airlines are doing. I knew we would pay for checking our bags, what I didn't know was the thing I by-passed while poking buttons on the check in kiosk was my opportunity to PAY for the privilege of actually sitting WITH my husband. WTF. Just put it all in the ticket price and be done with it...good grief! So we did not sit together on the way to Detroit, it could have been worse, at least I was sitting right behind him, both of us in the "coveted middle seat."

I tried to sleep, but there was this little group behind me, very chatty lady with a big voice chatting away non-stop to another lady, while her husband is simultaneously reading her the Bible as though she is actually listening. Very strange. When I finally did fall asleep the lady decided to show her friend something about her camera, so every change she made the camera beeped...alarm clock effect. Never mind sleeping. The flight ended with her reading the Sky Mall catalog complete with opinion of each item, while husband is still reading the Bible. *blink*

We ended up boarding our next flight almost two hours late, we got to sit by each other! Then sat on the runway waiting for deicing for yet another hour. UGH. We arrived in the frozen tundra four hours late and drove to our hotel (35 miles) in an ice/snow storm. LT Dan rocks at driving thank goodness. Two planes that landed after we did slid off the runway...ummm we got lucky.

Our time with my family was wonderful and all I hoped it would be. This was LT Dan's first opportunity to actually spend time with my brothers and sister under normal circumstances, and they him. They met first the day of Zach's funeral. It was unfair to him and to them.

We left my family on Saturday and drove through yet another ice storm to LT Dan's family. LT Dan rocked once again at driving and our decision to head out at 0 dark 100 to beat the majority of the ice storm paid off. We had an hour of crap driving and then it was all clear. LT Dan even had to deal with people spinning out and ending up coming the wrong direction toward us on the interstate. He really does have his awesome moments.

Now I can make a list...

Northwest Airlines needs to stop with the weird ticketing stuff and just put it all up front.

My Mom made us two beautiful pieces of needlework, they are shells and her work is just amazing and perfect and I swear I will never get to her level. I'll post pictures once I get them taken.

Dan got to laugh and joke and see what really good people my brothers and sister are, and how cute his new nieces and nephews are too. An aside- my brothers are Hawkeyes (University of Iowa) graduates and Dan is a Husker (University of Nebraska) graduate...there was much jabbing and stabbing :D

Dan's parents got into wine this year. YAY

I got an awesome big girl corkscrew thingy from Dan's parents and I love it.

We had a family picture taken with Dan's family and individual ones of us and then I helped frame and hang them all in his parents house with my sister in law and I doing the work and Mom supervising. It was FUN. Wine followed our accomplishment!

My sister in law who is the most artistic creative person ever (she's an art teacher) made me silver sea turtle earrings and they are just perfect. I am a sea turtle person. She always makes me the most wonderful things. The Christmas Zach was in Iraq she made me a stained glass blue star flag to hang in my window. I bawled like a baby when I opened that one.

We saw Dan's best friend from college and had a really great night talking and drinking, well, ok, they drank, I just sipped a Kahlua and milk. They asked me if I was punishing myself *eyeroll* no...you silly men are going to hurt in the morning and I'll be FINE. I left them to their own devices at 1am, I think LT Dan fell on the bed and bounced me in the air at around 03:30. LOL They were hurtin units the next morning. Still, it was good to see each other again.

New years day we took our long walk on the beach and this year it was sunny and perfect. We went to the Greek place and stuffed ourselves with giros and then walked a long way on the beach, had coffee and came home. 2009 began right...now lets just carry on with that trend, shall we?

Happy New Year my friends, thank you for your warm welcome back.