My 2009

I have not gotten much blogging in since August due to a busy schedule with school and learning. I decided to make a big blog dedicated to my 2009 year and things I had forgotten to blog about or just didn't have the time to blog about.

I felt like 2009 was going to be a great year with a toast at midnight as Auld Lang Syne played on the television after the ball dropped. The song for some reason reminded my of my grandpa who passed away July 4th, 2008... the year that we were leaving.

January was spent working for the grocery store so that I'd have enough money for school. Also, it was filled with me begging of my dad to sign up for the 2009 Livestrong ride that Charlie had me so excited about!!! This continued into April. I also remember this being the month that Jon told me Papa Welch was diagnosed with lung cancer. My heart sank that day. I had managed to attach myself to Papa Welch when my grandpa passed away 6 months earlier. My other grandpa had passed away when I was three so I was all out of grandpas. I think I prayed for Papa Welch every night that month.

With January nearing to an end the Spring semester began. I started a fresh batch of classes and was getting nervous about my Student Teaching Screening because of an arguement with the head of the geology department about my ability to understand the material and be a good teacher. (I passed it by the way!!) February was filled with homework assignments and tests and of course the gym. The gym is my stress relief. I was also very excited about my new field placement for teaching. I was placed in a classroom where most kids spoke Spanish as their first language. It was an interesting experience. School was going great and then I remember getting a call from Jon that Papa Welch had passed away. My heart hurt for Jon and the whole family because I know what it felt like to lose someone as I had just 7 months earlier. I must say that night out at the Distillery was a blast! It was good to see everyone's smiling faces and hear everyone laughing after a long, hard few days!

March, April, and May flew by fast! Teaching was great and my lessons were going well. I had also finally gotten my dad to sign us up for the Livestrong Challenge and began asking people to please donate to such a great cause. I remember the weather being beautiful towards the end of the school year because my housemates and I took some nice walks along the creek.

In May Dan, Jim, and Jenna all came to Fredonia for FREDFEST! That was a blast! We played games and got Dinosaur BBQ and went to a concert put on by OAR at the school. Then we went back to the house for a little party and some fun! It was a great night.

Two weeks after that it was time to pack up and head home for the summer. I couldn't believe Junior year was over and we were officially seniors. SCARY and EXCITING!! The biking became more intense when I got home in preparation for the 100 miles I was attempting to ride in August but every ride I went on this summer made me even more proud of myself and the cause I was riding for. I kept thinking, "So what if I don't make it all 100 miles in August, look at all the miles I'm putting in now. These miles are fighting for cancer too!" I also worked a lot over the summer as I needed more money to buy my FIRST CAR! It was a black 1999 Ford Taures and it was mine! And our first roadtrip was towards the end of June to... SPENCERPORT where I hopped in the Schreiner's jeep and we headed to OHIO for the Top Fuel Dragster Races!!

The races were a blast! Minus the horrible sunburn I got!! Barb, Dan, Jon, and I met Jim and Jenna at little Dan's apartment in Ohio. It was a fun packed weekend. We went to the races all three days and baked in the sun and got dumped on with rain. What else could you ask for?! Oh ya... the nice cool pool that we went swimming in when I was the color of a cherry! That was the best.

The end of June came with a little suprise. My brother and his fiance asked me to take them to Planned Parenthood because they thought they might be pregnant. We ended up at Wal-Mart buying a test which turned out to be negative. My parents were relieved. The end of June also brought about a hard time.

My grandma (Nanny - my mom's mother) was put into the hospital. She was not deathly ill but her body was not passing any waste. She was doing very well despite the waste issue. While she was there my mom, myself, and my mom's best friend went over to Nanny's apartment to clean it for her and suprise her when she got out of the hospital. Nanny was getting better so they sent her to St. Luke's nursing home. This was the nursing home my grandpa was in the last time I saw him before he died. (It was my dad's father.) I was a little iffy on going to visit Nanny but she was not even there 2 days before she was back in the hospital for low sugar and dizziness (she was diabetic). She bounced back and headed back to the nursing home. Before leaving for a fun filled 4th of July weekend with Jon my mom and I went up to St. Luke's with Nanny's cat Mr. Roberts and she was so excited to see him! I remember giving her a kiss and hug good bye and telling her I loved her.

4th of July weekend was a BLAST!! I was a bit sad due to it being the 1 year anniversary of Grandpa's death but I tried to put that aside and have fun. Jon and I joined his friends at Canisus lake at Al's cottage. We went out on the boat and watched all the fireworks and the ring of fire. We played games and ate great food!!! It was awesome. Then we got a phone call. Jim and Jenna found out they were going to be having a BABY!!! I was so excited and so was Jon!!!! It was by far the best news in July. The next day we moved down to Shane's cottage where we played more games and went swimming out to the big raft and went swimming off the boat! It was soooo much fun!! We had cookouts and bon fires. We even played catch phrase! After a fun filled weekend we headed back to Spencerport. I thought about staying the night because I was pretty tired but I decided I could make it home. I was not prepared for what I was coming home too.

My dad greated my at the door and asked if I needed any help. That triggered me right there because usually he doesn't ask me till I'm in the house. I replyed with a "Nope I've got it. Thanks though!" as I entered the house to see my uncle sitting on our couch and a purple suit case which was my aunts. This is my mom's sister and brother in law from Orlando, FL. I knew something was up. My dad said nothing was wrong but Nanny had to have emergency surgery to get her waste cleared and her blood pressure back up or something to that sort but that she made it through surgery and that was all they needed was for her to make it through surgery. I said okay. Then I went to the fireworks with my cousin and her friend. Around 10:30 after the fireworks I got a call that I needed to pick up my little sister because Nanny had taken a turn for the worst. I called Jon in tears as I explained the situation to him. Around 11:30 I was awoke by my phone, my mom crying that we needed to come to ICU as soon as possible because Nanny was dying. Of all weekends it had to be July 6th, 2 days after grandpa died last year.

July went by fast and I was excited for the big August camping trip ahead. 10 days at Wellesely Island State Park. I loaded up my new (Nanny's car) car with all my sister and my camping gear and headed to my cousins house where we drove up to camp. It was an amazing 10 days! I biked hard and jumped off clifs into the water. We played dodgeball and kick ball. We even had water balloon fights!! It was a blast. At the end of the camping trip I also found out that my brother's fiance was pregnant this time. I am due to be Aunt Kara in March.

The camping trip ended a week before the Livestrong Ride and I was getting nervous that I was not prepared enough. As we headed down to Philly I remember being excited and nervous all at the same time. It was a thrill. Even though we only made it 70 miles it was one of the greatest achievements of my life. I had never done anything so physically challenging ever. I still smile thinking about it.

After the ride senior year began! My last year of undergrad studies!! The semester flew by with the wink of an eye. September was slow and easy. The semester seemed like it wasn't going to be too bad until October hit. The work load got 2000 times heavier but I managed to plow through it.

In October I faced on of my biggest fears. Public Speaking! I gave my first Senior presentation that month to the head of the geology department and the class. It was on Erosion of Barrier Islands in West-Central Florida. It went fantastic!! I was so proud of myself. I took my first NYS teaching exam which I did not pass because I ordered the wrong review book. Second times the charm? My cousin also got married and Jon and I attended. It was the most fancy reception I've ever been too. A very expensive wedding.

It was then November. The month I had been waiting for!! My big 2-1 birthday! My cousin suprised me and came up for my birthday. We headed over to Jon's for a fun filled night. And Jon will even tell you... I had a BLAST! The next weekend my sister Courtney and her fiance Laura tied the knot in MA. It was a beautiful little wedding in the Justice of the Peace's home. We spent the weekend in MA and it was fantastic. A long drive from school.

Thanksgiving was right around the corner!! Food, family, and fun. My sister, cousin, and our friends all went out the night before Thanksgiving and had a blast. It was fun to be home and be able to celebrate with my sister. I helped my mom with Thanksgiving dinner because Nanny and her always cooked it together. It was a hard day for her. I spent the first part of Thanksgiving with my family then headed to Spencerport to spend Thanksgiving night with the Schreiners. It was definitally fun! Especially when Dan was reading the cards for Mad Gab!! I think we were all laughing so hard we were crying!! Then there was Jenna's baby shower! So much fun! We all helped decorate and I have to say the nipple cream from Dan was hilarious! I also got to meet Jess!!! She's awesome!! Thanksgiving weekend was followed up with Jon's 22nd birthday party! My parents even came to Spencerport and got to meet Molly and Bob.

Back to school it was till December 17th. It was tough. Presentations, projects, exams. I thought my stress level was going to hit the ceiling! I held in there though and officially took my last final exam as an undergrad!!

December 19th was Jon and my 3 year anniversary. I can't believe its already been 3 years! Time flies when your having fun right?! We also frosted cookies with the Welches that day! I even got to help Mema, Izzy, and Jessica make a gingerbread house. Then I headed home for the Christmas holiday.

Christmas was fun this year. Big family, lots of laughs and smiles. Santa was also very nice and got me a Garmin!! Spent Christmas Eve with my sisters and brother, parents, and the fiance and wife. Then Christmas Day we all had dinner at my house with my mom's brother and then headed to my dad's side of the family for the night. My cousin Chris was home and he hasn't been home in 5 years so we all caught up and had a blast!!

Jon came to Oswego for a lasagna dinner for my dad's birthday and for his Christmas gifts. I came down with a horrible cold but still traveled to Spencerport with Jon to ring in the New Year. I couldn't believe 2009 was coming to an end. Also, that my first New Years at 21 and at midnight I was toasting with Orange Juice and Nyquil!! It was such a fun night and I wouldn't have spent it any different!! Well, maybe minus the cold. haha

My cousin and his girlfriend also had the first baby of the New Year in Oswego. Josie - Born January 1st, 2010 at 4ish a.m.

So as 2009 has ended here is to all the family, friends, smiles, laughs, good times, bad times, fun, sunburns, games, kids, tears, hard work, dedication, love, friendship, new friends, old friends, those who have left us, those who have joined us, here is to everything that 2009 gave us and everything 2010 will give us!!!

Happy New Year!!