Closing Out the Year

About 2 weeks ago, in a building located in our nation's capital, I officially went into the record books as being scottish. The headquarters of the DAR (Daughter's of the American Revolution) approved my application to become a member, after several years of hunting down records connecting me with my Scottish immigrant ancestor, Daniel Bartholomew who arrived in America on the fateful day of July 4, 1776.

Becoming a member of this honored society has been a goal for many years and is just one of the many things I am able to celebrate this year. I've got quite a list, as you'll see below.  I don't know why I'm obsessed with my ancestry (Scottish, Italian, English, Germany, Irish & Welsh) but for me, it forms not only who I am but my link with history and all of its discoveries and stories. So each December 31st as people put together their list of resolutions, I prefer to look back at all the good things that have happened over the year. My stories. My history. The resolutions are something I think should be dealt with each day, not just at the dawn of a new year.

And so, if you feel so inclined, my list of celebrations. My little history of 2009 is below. Enjoy.

(In no particular order)

1. Getting a full-time teaching job at Urbana High School

2. Becoming a member of the DAR

3. Adding another year of swing dancing to my dance card

4. Reconnecting with old friends through facebook

5. The birth of another baby amongst my friends

6. Working at Wrigley Field for Rascal Flatts & Billy Joel/Elton John

7. Working for 2 days in the rain for O.A.R. who thanked me with gift cards

8. Moving to Urbana

9. Attending Summerfest in Milwaukee after a 2 year absence

10. Playing beach volleyball

11. Watching Wellspring, my small group, expand and grow

12. Watching my new favorite TV show, Psych

13. Reading Echo in the Bone which finally was released only to be left with more cliffhangers!

14. Participating in Lyrics for Life day in September

15. Participating in the Chicago Olympic Bid process

16. Seeing the Leon's back up from Peru for a few weeks

17. Discovering the music of Snow Patrol & Tyrone Wells

18. Singing in the staff performance at the Winter Assembly in Urbana

19. Many, many nights at Fizz & Summer Dance

20. Watching Park Community Church truly work hard to transform Chicago & its Family

21. Becoming a true WXRT fan

22. Learning the Shim Sham

23. Begin writing as a pen-pal with a distant family member in Italy

24. Watching the final season of BBC's Robin Hood

25. Plenty of time spent with girlfriends

26. Developing new friendships in Urbana

27. Seeing Public Enemies after having watched it being filmed in Chicago

28. Movie/Game nights on Chicago Ave at the crooked apartment

29. Discovering I can become an Italian citizen

30. Being invited to a private swing lesson with Tom, a fellow dancer

31. Finding the Champaign swing scene, despite it being nothing like Chicago's scene

32. A weekend in Michigan with friends before moving

33. Visits by Sarah, Amy & Kathryn to see me in Champaign!

There are plenty more I could add, but that's as long of a list as I'd like to make.

Tomorrow marks the new dawn of a new day. A new year. A new decade. Use it as motivation to do good, be good and share some good with everyone around you! Make your own history. 

KB