A Survey of 2009

1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?

We had a successful experience starting our own garden plants – flowers, veggies, & fruits.  

And we visited Stone Mountain, GA to play at their Snow Mountain instead of skiing last winter. 

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I kept a few for a while, and kept a few for the whole year.  

For this year’s Aspirations, I am doing pretty well so far.   

3. Did anyone close to you give birth or get pregnant?
Sunny Socks was born June 9th .  

J.B. was born 9 months ago. (Does that count ?)

Mrs. Birdie is due in March 2010. 

4. Did anyone close to you get married?

K&A got married in November.

5. Did anyone close to you die?

My dad passed away in November. 

And our beloved 17yo Golden Retriever, Daisy, passed away on the same day.

6. Travel? 

To Georgia and back, several times, several reasons, several occasions.

7. Did you move anywhere?
We moved, suddenly, from the big old farm house to a wonderful new home. 
 

8. What was the best month?
All of them are special – January is a new beginning, February and March are quiet and are also seed-starting time, March and April begins garden season, May and June and July and August are SUMMER FUN, September and October are full of autumnal beauty, November and December are holidays and togetherness.

9. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Aspirations:  a stronger body physically, and an even closer relationship with My Savior. 

10. What date(s) from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
June stands out because our first (and only) baby horse was born.

September stands out because we moved very quickly.

But really, no dates stand out, but then I am not sure what today’s date is either.  Ha !

11. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Starting our seeds last winter.  Starting school in August and going strong through Thanksgiving, despite moving in the middle (we only missed a few days for moving).  Making strides with our family horsemanship lessons.  A simpler holiday season.  Missing the swine flu so far.  Setting some new heartfelt Aspirations for 2010.

12. What was your biggest failure?
That I continue to fall short …. And yet He loves me and calls to me every day.

13. Did you suffer illness or injury?

 Cherub 2 had a scary issue with Poison Sumac ... and thanks to the Power of Prayer and His Healing, she is well.  But other than that, there was nothing notable. Actually, 2009 was a pretty healthy year for all residents of Beck’s Bounty.

14. What was the best thing you bought?
Estrella, our Momma horse.  

And Simon, our old "new" mower.  Seed starting supplies and garden tools.

15. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Cherub 1, Cherub 3, Cherub 4, and Cherub 6 for beginning Scouts and making great strides.  

Cherub 4 and Cherub 5 for making HUGE improvements concerning reading.  

Cherub 2 and Cherub 5 for beginning horse club and horseback riding lessons.  

And DadToCherubs for working hard, often forgoing sleep, for our family !! 

16. Whose behavior made you appalled and/or depressed?
Politicians …. Newspapers … World Leaders ... actors and actresses ... too many to name.

17. Where did most of your money go?
Groceries, books, groceries, books, our vet, the Feed Store (farm supplies), groceries, books.

18. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Having 2 dental insurance plans, and finding one dentist that participates in both.  Yahoooooo !!  

Cherub 1 got a clean bill of health from the ENT.  

Needing minimal medication for my back issues – the strengthening is working !  

SNOW -- several times last winter, and a few times so far this winter too.  

Our Lenten Garden .

2009 was our first summer with NO children wearing swimmies or life preservers.  

Having our own horse – and then that horse having a baby.  

Watching Bella, our Great Pyrenees, settle down and become a bit more social since we moved.

19. What song will always remind you of 2009?

It’s a Hymn …. I Surrender All ….

20. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
ii. richer or poorer?

 What’s not to be happy about ?  (My first "Multitude Monday:  One Thousand Things" post) 

Richer in the things that matter (Things of Him) … probably poorer in the financial sense (we do have 6 Cherubs, moved to a mini-hobby farm, and have many animals and hobbies afterall – ha !)

21. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Not sure – I try to do it all, today, because you never know …..

22. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Being impatient …. God is working in me.

Being late ... God is working in all of us on this.

23. How will you be spending New Year's Eve/Day?
We stayed home, made lots of delicious food, and invited some new friends (the G family) to ring in the New Year with us – board games, the Wii, good company. 

24. What was an unexpected surprise?

Becoming horse owners – it was spontaneous. 

DadToCherubs took all 6 Cherubs on a Back To School Camping Trip.  

Moving – if you had asked us the week before, we would have said you were crazy – but it happened and WOW what a blessing it was to move to this place !!  

25. Did you fall in love in 2009?

All over again … celebrating our anniversary … with my dear loving husband who loves me far more than I deserve ….. 

26. What was the best concert you've been to this year?

We did not attend a single concert in 2009 … but what about the Tax Day TeaParty Protest ?  There was music, and some fantastic speakers ....

27. What was your favorite TV program?

I dislike TV enormously other than an occasional news program or a DIY presentation.

28. Do you dislike anyone now that you didn't dislike this time last year?

I pray for them every day … and I forgive them.

29. What was the best book you read?

My Bible --- and I am loving it !!

I re-read Atlas Shrugged.

I pre-read Do Hard Things (for my teens).

I began Raising Maidens of Virtue with my girls.

I am reading Horsemanship By Feel, recommended by our Horse Trainer and friend, R.G.

I am reading The New Square Foot Gardening – it’s that time of year, and perhaps a new way to garden for us.

30. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Sitting on the stairs, listening to Cherub 1 play his guitar (he gets nervous if he knows you’re listening).

31. What did you want and get?

DIRT !! 

32. What did you want and not get?

I am incredibly blessed …. And do not ever focus on the DID NOT GETs.

33. What was your favorite film of this year?

I do not care for TV watching.  But I did enjoy the newest Chronicles of Narnia movie, a la dvd.

34. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 38 last January – and I believe I was working on starting my seeds at the time

This January I will turn 39 – and I believe I will be working on starting my seeds, followed by a promised dinner out with DadToCherubs – an official “date”.

35. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Better things happening between the walls and in the halls in Washington ….

36. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Shifted from “feminine” style to a bit less than “feminine” style without realizing … and now trying to shift back … (but it’s soooo cold working outside and in the barn.  What happened to all of my tights and longjohns ?)

37. What kept you sane?
Coffee …. Hot tea …. The garden and the dirt … the birds outside … the horses … DadToCherubs ….

38. What political issue stirred you the most?
The Election, The Health Care, Iraq, Afganistan, The Bail Out …. Oh the list could go on and on ….

39. Who did you miss?
Family far away.  Friends far away.  Mickey (my dad).  Daisy (our Golden Retriever). 

40. Random Memories from 2009?
The FLU !!  The seeds.  The garden.  The Horses.  Boy Scouts.   The move.  Sunrise & sunset over the mountains.  The Goat.  Autumn’s beauty outside my windows.   Beginning the journey into Horsemanship Through Feel with R.G., a very patient trainer and teacher.  New friends.  Old friends.  Lovely holidays. 

** These Survey questions were copied from Mama Squirrel's Dewey's Treehouse , who copied it from The Common Room .  The answers are my own.  Thank you ladies for a wonderful walk down memory lane ...