Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanzaa and all that jazz...

As New Year's fast approaches, it seems an opportune time to sit back and take stock of the past year. It's funny, how most of the big changes in my life always seem to happen at the same time. 2006 was no different.

The Challenges:

1. The end of a long relationship.
2. Losing a fantastic apartment. (and the divvying up of everthing in it.)
3. Living in a crack den until I found a new home.
4. Losing $700 to the person who rented the crack den to me.
5. Falling down the stairs, spraining my ankle and ending up in 4 months of Physical Therapy.
6. Bankruptcy.
7. Losing a beloved family member (Mary Ellen, you will be missed...)
8. Losing my side view mirror, AGAIN, while parked in a 'safe' neighborhood.
9. Watching my mother FINALLY hit rock bottom.
10. The total fracturing of my relationship with my mother.

But, there were definitely good things:

1. The end of a long, bad relationship.
2. Finding a fantastic new apartment that brought with it a new friend (and free massages!)
3. Realizing that I have developed a love for the legal system, while fighting the person who rented me the crack den.
4. Discovering that, YES, I can actually wake up and get to a 7:30am PT appointment three times a week.
5. New friends. Especially ones that take me in for the entirety of Christmas Day and make me feel like a TOTAL part of their family.
6. And, most importantly, the people in my life and what they represent: (the following are just a small selection)

The family I still have with me







Tyler, growing up to be as smart, and good looking, as his cool Aunt Jaime



New Beginnings







New Lives



Growing up, taking the plunge and giving me a sister



Audrey, Anytime



Friends coming home



Friends taking a very brave leap



Friends finding themselves again



And most importantly:



VEGAS.

Looking back, not too bad of a time after all. The challenges were pretty fierce. But things could always be worse. In the end, it just reinforces something I've learned a lot lately:

God never gives you more than you can handle. God also gives you the tools you need to handle them. In my case, just take a look at the pictures. My tools have been plentiful.

Have a very Happy New Year!