Happy New Year

Here's 2007 in review. After this, I will just try to keep up. The "Year In Review" below is long, so don't feel obligated to ready my ramblings.

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After several years of difficult trials and challenges, 2007 was a very good year....

• New year opens with a blessing - celebrating with the Slattery's, the Heisler's and the Tobbe's.


• January held productive, pleasant days as a housewife


• A sunny respite in Orlando with Carol & Jimmy


• God provides - Vice President of Wells Fargo Insurance Services, and a downtown office with a million dollar view


• "Are you ready to be grandparents?" -- YOU BETCHA!!


• We feel drawn to go back to Highland Sixth


• An exciting long holiday weekend with Tim and Marisa in Chicago - Intercontinental Hotel, Wicked, the Signature room and Navy Pier


• Gardening - wish I had more time and energy for it


• What do you mean Charlene has a brain tumor?


• Congratulations to Rachel Elek, MSW upon her graduation from Pittsburgh State University in beautiful, historic downtown Pittsburgh


• Jim pursues his Masters degree at Virginia Commonwealth University


• Charlotte pursues her Masters degree at Duke University


• Gentle evenings relaxing by the pool with Kate & Steve in beautiful Charlotte, NC


• A joy to be with Jim & Char and to enjoy the history of Richmond and several ancient Plantations. Then on to colonial Williamsburg, Virginia


• Maybe VP with a million dollar view was meant as a stepping stone - It feels like God telling me to be open to change. After 12 years with one employer, it is a little unsettling to consider a third job within one year


• Dad finds he is less susceptible to the weather


• Jeremy's thoughtfulness is a constant blessing. In spite of his brutal schedule, he makes time


• Charlene reads an entire Bride's Magazine in the waiting room while James Church goes "looking up old friends" - the report is all clear


• We celebrate one year as non-smokers,and it feels wonderful


• The sonogram may look like Joshua's head, but the technician says, "Its a GIRL" !!!


• I had fun shopping with Charlene for her wedding dress


• It feels like God's Providence - Director of Benefit Advisors Network


• One aspect of integrity resides in keeping one's word. It is wrong to forget your promises. That is called lying. "You're so vain. I bet you think this blog is about you." Do you know others are aware that your motive for misleading people is your need to be liked? You lead others into thinking this or that will happen, but deep down you know it won't. You mislead people because you care more about YOU than you do about them. Your motive is popularity and prestige and position. I forgive you, but I have no respect for you.
  
• The Cleveland Browns baby shower helps prepare for welcoming Norah Mae Elek


• Tim2 leaves Chicago. God put His creative nature into Tim, and creating art is a part of his nature he cannot deny.


• It can be hard to switch gears unless you know God has a plan


• Norah Mae arrives!!!! Safe, sound, and a beauty like her mom


• Marisa finishes her clinicals at Cleveland Clinic and takes the test for CRNA


• Josh, Rachel and Norah come home for the holidays - HURRAY


• Jim and Charlotte come home for the holidays - HURRAY


• A beautiful Christmas season with the family - I enjoy all the excitement and activity and cooking and mayhem and laughter and love.


• I miss Katie a lot. Jeremy made a video for her of the family on Christmas Eve. We remembered the grandparents by lighting a candle. We exchanged gifts and played the gift game. Everyone got a gold ornament. We had dinner at Aunt Vee's on Christmas day. This was the first year we did not go to Lorain.


• Dad and I miss our parents, a lot.


• Our family is made up of dynamic, competitive, exciting and interesting Type A people. Each one is uniquely and powerfully gifted. Each of us loves deeply and feels intensely about important matters that affect humanity. Loyalty is a shared, intrinsic value. We want truth. We are not afraid to acknowledge the elephant in the room, and manipulative personalities flee from our direct honesty. Our opinions are not always in agreement, but we always agree that each person deserves to be speak and to be heard. We CHOOSE to acknowledge and talk out our differences. In spite of our faults and flaws, we receive strength from this family.


• I am overwhelmed with the joy of being a grandmother. Holding Norah feels like being in heaven


• Charlene bought her wedding dress!! Vavavavoooooom!! She is a radiant beauty in the "pineapple" dress
  


• Congratulations to Marisa Elek, MSN, CRNA on your graduation from Case Western Reserve Francis Payne Bolton School of Nursing. You won the Agatha Hodgins award because you are "the voice of reason... the calm in the storm.... dedicated to teaching.... a life long learner"


• We closed the year as we opened it - celebrating with the Slattery's, the Heisler's and the Tobbe's.