With less than two weeks in 2009, I am reflecting on the past 12 months and I know without a doubt that this year will always be a very special year for me because it was the year you were born, but there were other personal highlights for me too:

January – I got an SUV, my first step on the road to mommyville.
February – A glorious and life changing week at Canyon Ranch.
March – A dreaded, but necessary trip to my father’s hometown of Shamrock, TX, which reconnected me to family.
March – The difficult and heartbreaking task of emptying my parents house and having an estate sale.
April – A very fun long Easter weekend spent dog sitting Winston, who I completely fell in love with and still miss.
March – May – A slew of first time parenting classes, seminars and lectures that in no way prepared me for the “real” thing.
April – Two lovingly hosted baby showers.
June – Your birth.
June – December – Getting to know my mother-in-law better.
July – Seeing Coldplay in concert (this was also the night of your first babysitter).
July – Trapeze school for my friend, Wendi’s 40th birthday.
September – Seeing Dave Matthews Band in concert (no yearly list of highlights would be complete without this). 🙂
February and September – Having two good friends give birth to their own little bundles of joy.
October – A short but very sweet visit from my aunt and uncle.
October – Seeing “The Lion King” on stage.
November – Our first family trip to Florence, Italy.
December – A 24 hour overnight date at the Hard Rock Hotel with your dad.

On a global scale, from a boy not in a balloon, to the inauguration of the nation’s 44th president, 2009 saw big and not so big stories dominate airwaves and front pages.

Here are just a few that I will remember (with help from The Huffington Post):

Miracle on the Hudson – January 15
Pilot makes emergency “splashdown” landing in Hudson River after aircraft suffers a “double bird strike.” All passengers and crew members survive. Pilot C.B. “Sully” Sullenberger becomes a hero.

Obama Sworn In – January 20
Barack Obama becomes the nation’s 44th president.

Madoff’s Multi-Billion Dollar Ponzi Scheme – March
Disgraced financier Bernard Madoff is sentenced to 150 years in prison for defrauding private investors and charities of billions over the course of his career. Many lose their life savings.

Michael Jackson’s Death – June 25
The death of the self-proclaimed King of Pop stands out in a summer of notable deaths. Jackson’s passing at age 50 was is as dramatic and theatrical as the performer’s life and includes accusations of murder at the hands of a private physician. Los Angeles prosecutors say any charges relating to Jackson’s death will come in 2010.

Sotomayor Becomes Supreme Court Justice – August 6
Justice Sonia Sotomayor becomes the nation’s first Hispanic person to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. The former appeals court judge is Obama’s first nomination to the court and is confirmed despite efforts to block her nomination over comments she made about race in the courtroom. Sotomayor is the third woman to serve on the bench of the country’s highest court.

Sen. Ted Kennedy Dies – August 25
Longtime Senator from Massachusetts dies after battling brain cancer.

Jaycee Dugard Kidnapping – August 26
Jaycee Dugard is discovered alive after being kidnapped 18 years ago.

Balloon Boy – October 15
Falcon Heene makes headlines when his parents report that a helium-filled balloon floated away with the boy inside. The boy is later found safe in his family’s attic, but the ensuing media frenzy exposes cracks in the family’s story and Heene’s parents, reality TV wannabes, are charged with making false statements.

Fort Hood Shooting – November 5
13 die in an attack at Fort Hood in Texas, when Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan allegedly opens fire.

Health Care Reform – November 7
A plan to reform America’s health care system moves forward in congress.

Gay Marriage Gains And Losses
Same-sex marriage gains approval in Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Washington D.C. It is rejected by voters in Maine and by the New York legislature.

U.S. Economy
High unemployment, slow economic growth, and high foreclosure rates persist despite stimulus package and bank bailouts.

Detroit Bailout
US automakers GM and Chrysler are bailed out by federal government.

Swine Flu, Vaccination Shortages
Swine Flu outbreak in Mexico becomes global pandemic. H1N1 vaccination production, delivery in US falls short of expectations.

Afghan War & Afghan Elections
Hamid Karzai is sworn in for second term as president after election opponent withdraws from runoff. President Obama deliberates over troop levels in Afghanistan and decides to escalate war with surge of 30,000 more American troops.

Iraq Draw-Down
Conditions improve but bombings persist as US forces prepare to end combat operations by August of 2010 and withdraw completely by 2012.

The best is yet to be and here’s looking forward to all that lies ahead in 2010.

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