How have you changed since the beginning of 2004?

[PrincessFiona]

How did you change last year? I would have to say that I became much more comfortable with who I am and my feelings/opinions. For the first time ever I started really coming out and saying what I think/feel (much to the dismay of some of my family members and friends). I do probably go over the top sometimes now but it feels so good to just be able to say what I think instead of what I think someone wants to hear...and I think it is a positive change in the end.

How about y'all?

kris

[houseelf]

2004 brought a lot of changes in this household-

-I fell head over heals in love again when my daughter was born in August. The love between a parent and a child never ceases to amaze me.

-DH and I have found a really comfortable place in our marriage. Our 5 year anniversary marked a really comfortable and peaceful place for us.

-I realized how quickly time is fleeting. My little boy started preschool . This realization helped to make my decision to scale back on work much easier.

-Our family is not as financially solvent as it was in 2003. We are thrilled to be parents again, but going from one to two placed us on the financial edge.

Kelly

[bony00]

I am more fit than I was at the beginning of 2004. I am more focused on finishing up my dissertation. I am better at weeding negativity out of my life. I am more independent and self sufficient since my husband and I are living in separate states at the moment. I am more comfortable with taking time out for myself to relax and do things that I enjoy.

[SueC]

I have been racking my brains trying to think of how I have evolved over the last year, but I kind of feel like I've pretty much treaded water for the past year. I do have one more child to love (and I am so in love with my perfect baby boy), and I've tried to be a better, more patient mom, but I haven't come as far as I'd like. I've been very restless lately, with this being the final year of training, which has distracted me from focusing as much on areas I need to change.

[HeartRN]

This is actually the first year I remember really spending time thinking about this topic; probably because I'm now responsible for a small person!

1. I'm definitely more fit this year than I was at the same time last year

2. I'm much more conscious of how I talk to my husband. It is easy to unload everything on those you love. This is one I am ALWAYS going to have to work on.

3. I worry less about the things I can't control. Again....this is definitely an ongoing process!

2004

I'm married now (Feb. 04)


Yep, that's about it.

[DCJenn]

2004 has been a great year for us- we bought a house, sold my condo, I continue to love what I do (usually) for work, my husband finally got to stop doing adult neurology (a fellowship requirement) and #1 was that we went to Russia and fell madly in love with a beautiful little boy who is now just waiting for us to come and get him. (actually, he's comfy and warm with a bunch of little old Russian ladies and it's precisely the coming to America thing which will throw him for a loop- but all things in due time...)

My SIL and Best Buddy both had healthy babies and they and the babies continue to do well, my fantastic and fantastically funny room-mate from college (we were together from day one freshman year as next door neighbors to the day we graduated) got engaged to a guy I actually like. My family both immediate and extended are doing well, although I did get some tantalizing information about one cousin that I need to do some follow-up about....

So- hopefully 2005 will bring a court date for Nikolai and everyone else will continue to do well and stay healthy.

Jenn

[mommax3]

I have had to think about this.....

In 2004, DH and I learned where we will "land" after finishing the training/military portion of his medical career. It boiled down to two choices.....one was a fantastic job with unknown social opportunities in a rapidly growing area adjacent to a large city in our home state, and another was a better-than-average-but-not-outstanding job here in TX, with lots of known quantities in the social arena (good friends and relatives with kids our kids' ages already there). As you know, we are heading back to Indiana.....what you may not know is that it was not my first choice and I am still dealing with the ramifications of that. Despite all of the angst, however, it IS nice to finally know where we are going to end up.

I went back to work, part-time, this fall, in my career field, but definitely outside of my comfort zone. I have really enjoyed it and it has allowed me to learn more about the choices I want to make regarding working while I have school-aged kids.

We made the decision (reluctantly on my part) not to have any more children. I thought that once the decision was made, I would come to terms with it, but I still struggle with it some days. DH said the other day that he thinks he and I "want to be the kind of people who could handle a large family, but really, we aren't" and I think he is 100% right......we both love kids, but neither of us are relaxed enough to deal with the ramifications of more kids-more noise-more mess-more chaos. I will let all of you decide which of us (DH or me) is the more anal one but rest assured, there are control freaks galore at our house! If we ever manage to relax, adoption is a faint possibility for us.....we haven't ruled it out, but currently, there are no plans for it, and whenever I bring it up, DH starts talking about getting me a new cat. So I think I know the answer to that one, too.

All in all, it wasn't a great year for me personally, but I think (hope) this year will be better once we get through the stress of moving. And in light of the tragedies that are taking place all over the world, the fact that I have a home, food, healthy kids, and a husband who loves me makes me feel very fortunate and blessed.

Sally

How did you change last year?

I am more worn out- we got our youngest's seizures under control at the beginning of the year, only to have them resurface in the middle of the summer. Thankfully they are currently under control, but there were(and continue to be) many more sleepless nights involved. We are constantly waiting for the next round of seizures to begin.....

We moved to Florida from Kansas.
DW is "working" post-training....unfortunately, she is questioning the very reason she chose to work in the military....hopefully this will pass.
I got older, and I feel like it.
We paid off our vehicles and made great "plans" to start paying out student loans, only to buy another car......(it was needed though).
My attitude has pretty much stayed the same though....I am not sure if that is good or bad!?