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New Year’s Meme

New Year’s Meme

Stealing a blog meme from Arwen. Also probably some of her answers since our lives have some notable parallels—like we both gave birth to a son last year.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you�d never done before?


Like Arwen, I gave birth to a baby boy.

Also, I finally realized a life-long dream of being paid for something I wrote.

2. Did you keep your new year�s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?


Like Arwen I didn’t do any formal resolutions in 2009. Having a new baby is enough of an accomplishment for one year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?


Um… me. Also my dear blog friends Melissa Wiley and Margaret in Minnesota and Katherine and Katherine. (I’m sure I’m forgetting somebody or two or three but can’t think of who….)

4. Did anyone close to you die?


No. But I suffered with several friends who lost loved ones.

5. What countries did you visit?


None. I think it’s safe to say that we won’t be doing any international travel for a few years at least.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

Greater peace of mind and heart. More patience.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

July 9: the day Benedict was born. Definitely the year’s most life-changing day, and the one on which I was proudest of myself.

August 2: the day Ben was baptized and my birthday.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?


See # 1 and #7: Giving birth to Benedict.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Constant. Loss. Of. Patience.



10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Pregnancy isn’t really an illness or injury but it can sure feel unpleasant. Ditto a c-section.
We all got the flu in November, just in time to almost ruin Thanksgiving.



11. What was the best thing you bought?

The shelf for my relics and holy pictures.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Bella gets kudos for potty training and for being an awesome helper around the house.

My sister for being an awesome babysitter and baby holder.

My mom is my hero for putting up with me in all my postpartum crankiness.

Dom for always being my rock.


13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?


My own. (See #9.)

14. Where did most of your money go?

Diapers. Food. Hospital bills. Ok maybe it just feels that way. Probably the mortgage.


15. What did you get really excited about?

Ben’s birth. Our garden. Watching my girls grow and blossom. Birds in our backyard. My new MacBook. Our new couch. Our new television.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

Probably a toss up between Lisa Loeb’s version of Jenny Jenkins and Sufjan Steven’s Come Thou Font of Every Blessing. Thank you, You Tube and my daughters who can’t get enough.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:


� happier or sadder? About the same. My life is good, full of blessings. I don’t feel as sick and exhausted and defeated by housework, though, so perhaps a bit higher on the happiness scale.

� thinner or fatter? About the same. I hadn’t yet gained too much pregnancy weight at this time last year. I think I’m down to about where I was.

� richer or poorer? Richer. Much, much more aware of all my blessings. And I have one more child. How could I not feel richer. (I have no idea about monetary issues.)

18. What do you wish you�d done more of?


Getting out of doors. Exercising. Enjoying my kids. Living in the moment.

19. What do you wish you�d done less of?


Yelling, complaining, losing my patience, being a grouch.


20. How did you spend Christmas?


With my family. Watching the kids open presents, going to Mass, visiting the extended family

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?


Like Arwen, I found my little boy has won my heart. How can you not fall in love with a baby?

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Favorite long-time program: Lost. Favorite new program: Castle.


23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn�t hate this time last year?


No. I don’t hate anyone.

24. What was the best book you read?


So many good ones. Probably Sophia House by Michael O’Brien.
Favorite kid’s book: The Saving Name of God the Son.

Honorable mentions: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Dahlia, When You Reach Me.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?


dunno, maybe L’Angelus, perhaps Rolf Lislevand Ensemble

26. What did you want and get?


A safe delivery. (Also a new couch, a new tv, a new computer….)

27. What did you want and not get?


A patio for the back yard, a digital SLR camera. But with everything I have received I’m not complaining.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?


Up. (Keep in mind I watched two films in the theater and perhaps two or three more at home.)

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?


I turned 35 on August 2nd, which was a Sunday. We had Ben baptized and had a great party afterward. I didn’t mind a bit that I was not the star of the shore. A baby born into eternal life is the best present I’ll ever get for my birthday. (yes, even better than the macbook.)

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?


Not stressing about a messy house.



31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?


Jan-Jul: I’m pregnant
Jul-Dec: I’m now a mother of three!

32. What kept you sane?


My faith, my family, books, blogs, friends, prayer.



33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?


Pope Benedict. I love our Holy Father.


34. What political issue stirred you the most?


Life issues.


35. Who did you miss?


My parents and brothers who live too far away.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

I’ll just echo Arwen: “If you have a new baby in a year it makes the answers to some of these questions kind of obvious and lame, huh?” Ben is by far the best new person of the year.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.

I’m not in charge, God is. I’ll have to learn this one a few hundred more times before I die, I’m sure.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

“God we praise you, God we bless you, God we name you sovereign lord.”

I’ve been attempting to memorize this hymn this yer and I think it quite apropos to sum up the year.

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4 comments
  • I think it sounds like an answer to your cri de coeur on New Year’s smile Don’t you just LOVE how wise the Saints are, and how blessed we are to have them at our side? What is really amazing is that the Saints don’t get depressed and despondent and angry when they fail and fall: there is so much faith and joy in their confident “pick-yourself-up-dust-yourself-off-start-all-over-again”…
    Thank you for posting this, Melanie: when you post something from the Office of Readings you always make me “hungry” for a consistent praying of the Hours.

  • Guilietta,

    Yes. A timely answer indeed. God is so good, always.

    St Elizabeth Ann was a wife and mother and I especially love the down-to-earth approach here. The details about the oven being too hot or too cold… she understands! She knows we have a tendency to drift to those extreme, understands and sympathizes and encourages gently. I also love the bit about coming back nearly to the point from which we set out. So often I feel that way: what here again? She reminds me that yes, that’s the way it goes. Our ardor fades and we find ourselves running in circles. And she provides the apt remedy.

    I was praying the hours from the one volume Christian prayer and then I discovered the Office of Readings. Oh I fell in love and my dad got me the four volume set. I don’t read it every day but I should.

  • And the line about cutting out our own silly crosses, and the bit about keeping watch over nature, and about Jesus never being in extremes… everything smile
    What a wonderful gift from your father! I use Universalis, too, when I can/remember, and, like, you I feel it would be a good thing to do it every day. I ram reminded of a story I read about Fr. Neuhaus: he was once asked how he could find the time to read so much, and write so much, and do all he did. And he said that he prayed the Divine Office first thing in the morning, and having put God first, everything else would follow and find its own proper place.
    Hugs, G.

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