Congratulations, Kate! What wonderful news!!

2009 - for jobwise, see S3 Mad Men. Thankfully I was able to finagle a position within my current company so I'll still have my benefits and health insurance when Scrapadoodle Oingy-Boingy Bracchiosaurus Ding Dong is born. I hope to not have to dodge any more bullets in 2010.

Unfortunately, DH was not so lucky. The magazine he'd been with for the past 2 years finally folded so he's job hunting again at the worst possible time to be job hunting in the publishing industry. Fingers are crossed tight.

And in the midst of all of this, we found out in September that we are expecting our second child in May 2010. We switched Dylan to a new daycare this year where he is thriving, and just this past month moved him out of the crib and into his very own twin bed. Thank god we're having another one soon - I'm not sure I could handle all this growing up otherwise!

For the most part 2009 has been pretty good. G and I are both healthy and fully employed in good jobs. (Also, still cute together) Our families are doing well.

On the other hand, too many of my friends are having health and/or job troubles, and people continue to die far too early.

Congratulations on the upcoming kiddo, Jessica!

I came home early from work today to find a wonderful surprise from DebetEsse. Within a box was another box that has traveled from Victor to JZ to Debet to me. It's covered in lovely wine-colored velvet, and only my respect for board etiquette will pry it from my hands at the next gift exchange. But I get to keep most of the goodies within it, such as a gorgeous pair of hand-knitted hand warmers in a deep, peacock blue. They're incredibly soft and have a lovely crisscross pattern on the back of the hand. The box also contained a pair of moonstone stud earrings which will match my moonstone and labradorite stacking rings perfectly. In fact, I've been toying with getting a pair just like these from Etsy, but I held off due to buying other people things this month. I'll be wearing them at my NYE party tonight. And Debet's cat Maggie sent my Leifur a bouncy mouse toy, which has been snatched up and dragged to Leifur's lair behind the recliner. Thank you, Secret Santa!

Edit? What edit?

Congratulations on the upcoming kiddo, Jesse!

Ahahaha. I can't wait until Jesse pokes her head in and catches THAT typo!

I was a little o.O, I'm not gonna lie.

Excellent, Calli! I was worried that you'd already gotten matching earrings, but not posted about it (not that I did any reconnaissance on lj. No, of course not).

So, there's something of a story with the wrist-warmers. Being a knitter and huge geek, I knit myself a set of "Rose's Wrist-warmers" that someone put together a pattern for (Not that I checked to make sure that that would be consistent with your fannish tendencies. Of course not). As I was finishing them up, one of the other witches (this was during MacBeth) commented on them and I ended up running her off a copy of the pattern. Not even a year later, at the Christmas show, at least 4 people at the theatre (including all three witches) have a pair of them, and I know one other was working on them, so it's probably 5. So, welcome to the sisterhood

I wanted to make you something (because that's how knitters show affection), and those seemed like they'd be useful, but not too warm for North Carolina. They're wool/alpaca (from Peru!), and should be hand-washed in cold water.

Maggie's glad that Leifur likes hunting dangley things as much as she does.

Hee! I remember that pretty box! Awesome that it is still circulating through the 'ffistas.

I knit myself a set of "Rose's Wrist-warmers" that someone put together a pattern for (Not that I checked to make sure that that would be consistent with your fannish tendencies. Of course not). As I was finishing them up, one of the other witches (this was during MacBeth) commented on them and I ended up running her off a copy of the pattern. Not even a year later, at the Christmas show, at least 4 people at the theatre (including all three witches) have a pair of them, and I know one other was working on them, so it's probably 5. So, welcome to the sisterhood

They're beautiful! And it's great that there's a story behind them. By "Rose's" do you mean Rose from Doctor Who? Anyway, it's been dipping below freezing here after sunset for most of the week, but gloves make using my iPhone a pain. These look like the perfect solution.

So, I am in a crappy mood, and realized I was in a crappy mood last year at New Year's. Maybe it's a thing.

It was a fine year. Not a lot of changes, which was fine after 2008, the Year of Changes. Kids healthy, husband likes his job, mine is okay, I finished my library degree.

I'm still in a crappy mood.

I'm still in a crappy mood.

Yeah. There's something about NYE. I always feel a bit rubbish and end up doing nothing. The quieter the new year's eve, the better!

2009 wasn't a bad year for me. I finished my MA course with some very good grades - discovering I could be really good at something, rather than academically mediocre as I had always been before, was *massively* exciting, especially given the events of the past five years and the loss of my teaching career through disability. I haven't had my final MA result yet, but I'm hoping for something good enough to get me accepted for a PhD. And I'm about to start other training that I hope will lead to some future career options. It was a less good year for my Girl and her family, with her father still dealing with cancer, and we're hoping 2010 will soon look a bit better for them. It was nonethless truly wonderful when her father agreed, just a couple of months ago, to come to our civil partnership ceremony. That's next year's big event!

I'm working on accepting my limitations, especially where pain and energy levels are concerned, which is exactly what led me to b.org. I'd been hanging out at internet forums that drained my energy, and had been unable to find a fandom messageboard that I could engage with. This place is so different - both infinitely diverting and full of real friendship. And getting to meet Shir and Nilly this week definitely made my year!