Happy Birthday to Moi

-
I can't believe another year has come and gone. This has been a pretty big year for me. (Speaking of big......) Here are some highlights in no particular order:

In this, my 45th year, I couch surfed for the very first time. In Munich, Germany. Creating a better world... one couch at a time. If you haven't done this, you must. We learned so much about language and culture from the dude whose couch we slept on, than we would ever learn from a random stay in a hotel/motel/holiday inn...... sing with me now....
-

-
-
-
And while I was couch surfing in a foreign country, said Dude helped me phone my long lost Cousin Barb, who happened to live in a town in which we were switching trains the very next day. So I gave her a ring, met her at the train station the next day, walked up to her flat and proceeded to practice my German over tea. And by golly, don't she look just like Aunt Bess!
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
So while I was in Europe in this my 45th year, I found my all time favorite bench on which to sit and read. Holy moly. It's got the perfect amount of wear and tear. A view to kill for. Just the right amount of silence..... perfect. This was in Berchtesgaden, Germany, the Bavarian Alps.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

In this my 45th year, I celebrated women's right to vote with two of my bestest friends and their families. Unfortunately, our candidate did not win and our country is in a downward spiral, but at least we had the right to vote. What a fun election, wasn't it?! Palin wasn't the best choice for McCain, but she sure spiced things up.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Right up there with the importance of an election.... was the introduction of the Wii. We got our wii and set up our Mii people and had a wii little parade. OK, so we haven't hardly touched the wii since, but it was really fun for that whole week. Can you identify who is who in our Mii people?
So--
- -
--

-

-
-
-

-
-
-
-

-

-

My youngest child graduated high school, got accepted into the college of her preference and received tons of scholarships and awards. It has been a whirlwind year.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

I got to go with my granddaughter to her very first Barnum and Bailey circus. She was a little apprehensive at times, but overall it was GREAT FUN!
-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

I got to ride in a Pedicab in New York City. Yeowsa.
-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

I went to Amelia Island with my sister for a little R&R where I learned her favorite lollipops are lime and, as you can imagine, very difficult to find.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Tom took me for a ride along the Pacific Coast Highway as we renewed our marriage vows and celebrated our love. Long, enduring love.... Everlasting love.....

-
-
-

-
-
-
-
-

-
-
We watched our daughter go to and return from London for Maymester, working towards her law degree. Skype is probably the only way we survived the separation.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

- -
----
-

-

We said goodbye, again, to Robby as he left for another tour in Iraq. (17 more days til he comes back to the States!!)
-
-
--
-
-
-
-
-
-

-

-

-

-
-

... And I spent another year waiting for my son to propose to Eden and give me a daughter-in-law. Oh, hush. I'm not putting him on the spot. It's gonna happen someday. I just have to wait.

-

My 46th year of life would be a nice time for him to do it.

-

Happy Birthday to me! I gotta drag myself off the beach and come home. I've been celebrating at the beach with my family.
-

-

-

-

Oh yeah, one more thing. This was the year I first played Rock Band. Rock On!

(OK, so it's clearly evident that we are learning to play here, but hey, it's a start)