Christmastime is here; Happiness and cheer; Oh, that we could always see such spirit through the year.

Last year in December we were stuck in the Oregon floods on Per's birthday, and we had a rare Christmas alone in Seattle where it snowed. Now, Christmas 2008 has come and gone. The new year is just days away. As usual I spend this time reflecting on the year past trying to remember the pieces that made up the year before it is utterly out of my grasp.

It's been a year of endings, tying up loose ends, moving on.. all of this of course with the promise of new beginnings. It's been a year of visits, travels, and finding old friends. It's been a year of looking homeward and finally, of coming home.


Here are some pieces of the 2008 nutshell:
I finally watched the Sopranos-- all of it.
I worked at an integrative Pharmacy, sparked a deeper interest in natural medicine.
We endured the bulk of the long immigration process and learned a good lesson about legal advice and trusting our own instincts.
We frequented the Moon Temple- especially when Per's brother Kristian was visiting.
Had some very good times in the Wallingford park with my friends.
We went to the Sunshine Coast, BC.
My drink of choice was a vanilla americano from Fuel coffee or sometimes from Trophy Cupcakes.

January:
We rung in the new year with champagne in a park near my house in Seattle. We watched the fireworks on a blanket, talked to Per's parents, and walked home.
I worked the Seattle wedding show with Eiffel Printing & Design.

March: We came home to Austin for my birthday. I celebrated with my whole family (including my aunt and my grandmother).

April: Went to Prom party with Melissa, Aida and Basil.

June: I went to Seattle Bride magazine's awards party and made my brother's wedding invitations.

July: Fred visited for the 4th of July, which we spent having a barbecue, playing croquet, and watching the fireworks from Gasworks Park.

August: My little brother got married, and the wedding was a family reunion of epic proportions.

September: Per's family (Inger, Goran, and Kristian) came to visit us in Vancouver and Seattle. Pontus, our friend from Sweden, visited us in Seattle as we were packing up to move.

Also just before we moved, I got back in touch with my Australian family. The three kids who were like my own are teenagers now and I chat online with them. I got back in touch with my friend in Belgium.

October:
Had a great going away party and day-after brunch.
We left the Pacific Northwest behind us, packing our rental vehicle to the ceiling, and drove across country to move back to Austin.
I started knitting.
We celebrated Halloween at my sister's boyfriend's haunted house.

November: Barack Obama won the election for the Presidency of the United States.
Our family shared a first Thanksgiving with my sister's boyfriend's family.
My grandmother moved out of the only house I've ever known her in, and moved into an apartment in East Texas.
Per got his first real job, at a gaming company in Austin.

December: I started a crafting blog for the new and improved Treetrunkwise website.