Jenn's Blog

1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before? I signed up for classes at the community college!

2. Did you keep your New Years resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I always resolve to try and eat healthier and exercise more. And I do a little bit better every year. (That's what I posted last year and it applies to this year as well!).

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Nope!! Justin and Julie are going to have another one this year though, so that's cool.

4. Did anyone close to you die? No, thankfully.

5. What countries did you visit? None!

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? My body back. It's taken too long and I'm ready to be done.

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? No significant dates this year, which is fine by me!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Signing up for classes.

9. What was your biggest failure? I didn't lose those last 10 pounds!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? My lovely pre-Christmas root canal!

11. What was the best thing you bought? Our new washing machine, I guess, I hate that we had to buy a new one so soon, but it's a good machine.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Ben. I flooded the house in Feb. and he was SO kind about the whole thing.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? My brother-in-law (sister's ex-husband) - this one still applies.

14. Where did most of your money go? Nothing awesome! 2009 was a money pit - we had to have our van fixed, multitudes of dental work, our house was flooded, our washer broke, and I needed a super expensive root canal. When I think of all the money we could have saved....I feel a bit sick.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? We started hosting a small group in our home and really clicked with the other couples! Woot, friends!

16. What song will always remind you of 2009? ABBA songs. Ever since we saw Mamma Mia, Ben and I have been hooked.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? About the same, I'd say. There have been ups for all the downs, I think.
ii. thinner or fatter? The same.
iii. richer or poorer? Poorer - it was a hard year financially!

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Spending time with God, blogging, and taking pictures.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Househunting! Seriously stressed us out and all for nothing, as far as I can tell.

20. How will you be spending the Winter? Lifting weights, doing schoolwork with the boys, reading, and blogging.

22. Did you fall in love in 2009? I continue to fall in love with Ben and the boys.

23. What was your favorite month of 2009? October. Ben and I celebrated our 11-year anniversary.

24. What was your favorite TV program? The Office is still our favorite, but we caught up on Heroes and that was fun, too. Also, we started watching 30 Rock and we really like it.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Nope. Not a hater, such a waste of time.

26. What was the best book you read? How We Decide, which I haven't finished yet, but am loving it! It's all about how we make decisions, which I think is fascinating!

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? There were a couple of worship songs that really stuck with me. I found out I like Chris Tomlin.

28. What did you want and get? Started lifting weights.

29. What was your favorite film of this year? Transformers 2.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Went out to dinner. I turned 29.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Getting down to my idea weight, and building a house.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? Just getting by. Because I'm so close to being where I want to I don't want to go shopping for clothes, but a lot of the stuff I had was too big or didn't match, etc. I finally picked up a few things at the thrift store so I'm feeling better about that. - This pretty much still applies. I did lose a few pounds, which helped me fit back into a few things.

33. What kept you sane? Life Group. It's a good feeling to get to know some like-minded couples.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? None!

35. What political issue stirred you the most? The whole health care debate. What a mess.

36. Who did you miss? Chelsea was gone for a couple months and I really missed her!

37. Who was the best new person you met? I've met a lot of people in church - all the people in my Life Group are cool, the ladies in my Ladybugs group are so sweet. Ben and I reconnected with a friend we knew growing up, Shelby, she's married and has two kids our boy's ages - and they get along really well!

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009: I'm still trying to figure this one out. We felt so sure we were supposed to move. Everything seemed to be moving in that direction and then we hit a brick wall. So weird.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: "Hopes arise, we will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord..."