I played the mix disc yesterday...it was cool. Thanks again!

I went to the complex office and picked up my gift! I got Doctor Who magnets! They are made of win! One of them is the sign on the TARDIS, and the other is something in Gallifreyian (or whatever you'd call the writing system). I should check and see if it's the pocketwatch label. In any case, they are teh awesome!

Erika, I'm entering the wrapsack info and the bag needs a name. What should it's name be?

Well, my year was lame and uneventful.

But then, one of my sisters came down from Iowa to spend my birthday with me and we had a ball. Her spouse likes to shop and we like to browse for things to mock. We also sem to be psychicly linked because we kept doing things with no plan or spoken word in exactly the same way! It was hilarious.

I have 5 sisters and this is my favorite one, but we are nowhere close in age. I'm #3 of 7 and she is #6 but we get along so much better with each other than either of us do with any of the others.

And she bought me and iPod! So the year has ended nicely.

I don't know, Aurelia...Small Purple Justice?

Damn, I thought I could edit the name. Small Purple Justice would've been fantastic. I had put in Keith as a placeholder and now I can't change it.

Is it a bad thing that I read "Small Purple Justice" and think "That'd be a killer name for a drink!" Dunno what it'd have in it but it'd be small, purple and leave your head ringing in the morning. Mmm...

Well, 2007. You were an extraordinary year.

You gave land to me, who doesn't really believe in the concept of land ownership. You built me (mostly) a new house, when I thought I'd always be a vagabond. You gave me the legacy of my grandmother's hands, the generosity of my parents, the kindness of friends and strangers alike to make it happen. Thanks for that.

You also took my father's health. You took the life of a dear friend by means of rapid stomach cancer. You paved the road with struggle for my students, current and former. Probably future, too, now that I think about it. What's up with that?

You were capricious, but open-hearted. And in the end, if I spend 2008 in the house that 2007 built, I will not complain. My life is extraordinarily good right now, if mildly crazymaking. That's a trade-off I'll make any day of the week.

Oh, yeah, and you gave the Colts a Superbowl. Doubt if your counterpart's going to do that this year. And don't get me started about Cleveland.

2008, I hope you bring me many happy days in my new home with my SO. I hope you bring health to my family and joy to my friends. I hope you let me freaking breathe a little bit. I hope you allow me to survive a whole summer's worth of camp. I hope 2008 brings me harvest from my gardens, metaphorical and otherwise.

Oh 2007...how annoying were thee. So many up and downs I still don't know which way I'm standing. I could be in Duluth for all I know.

The year started out eh, what with still reeling from Joe's sudden employment loss in November, but the holidy season in and of itself was wonderful thanks to my beautiful online friends.

A wonderful trip to Michigan in January reconnected us with friends and I got to spend what would be my last day with my grandmother.

February lulled me into a false sense of security.

March was The Bad. Lost my beloved grandmother and my (not so) beloved job within 24 hours of each other. While the latter was a loss of livlihood, the former was the loss of a soulmate and friend and champion and I still ache for her every single day. I didn't and have't talked much about my relationship with ny gram since she died. And I wonder if I'll ever be able to.

...

Anyway.

So, with theings being of the Not Great, we up and left all that was familiar and warm and moved BACK to where it was uchartered and fucking cold - Michigan.

And here we've been for almost EIGHT MONTHS. Doesn't seem possible, and yet...

It hasn't all been horrible, but it hasn't been as good as we'd hoped, but it keeps getting better.

Of course, just to keep us humble, there was the Christmas Fire of 2007. Yay.

Maybe by 2011 we'll have it sorted.

Happy Riddance of 2007! May 2008 be a teeny bit better.

Was there a 2007? I was so busy I missed it.

Let's see...it more or less started with an RPG hitting about 10 meters from my husband's office. Any year that starts with us having to send emails that say "I'm okay, the RPG didn't kill anyone" is going to be interesting.

Mallory turned 2 and kind of started talking. In 4 languages (English, Greek, Tagalog, and Boolish), so we could never understand him. I got a very cool job with a nice salary and benefits. Then I got to fly for 17+ hours by myself with a 2yo, to end up alone in front of a Tysons apartment building at night with no phone.

Once back in the States I attempted to set a land speed record for Most Mexican Food Consumed, gained almost 2 dress sizes, and still haven't recovered.

But, in like a lion out like a lamb seems to pertain: We're now living comfortably and safely in a decent house, Mal is healthy and has friends, we are surrounded by friends and loved ones, and prospects are good.

And, let's not forget, 2008 is an election year.