50 Year End Questions:

What are your resolutions for the next year?
See below post.

What happened in your life that you never expected to happen?
Sarah turned out to look just like me! Crazy!

What is one thing you did that you have never done before?
Flown overseas. Wandered the streets of Paris. Explored the Louvre. Walked the edge of the Seine. Got stamps in my passport. Ordered food in French. Shall I go on??

What were your biggest achievements?
Finishing the remodel on our house. I love it!! It's totally us and that's great!

What were your biggest challenges?
Staying home with a two year old. :) Learning how to be a pastor's wife. Learning how to juggle a million and one responsibilities. Showing my husband support no matter what. Understanding that you can't always make everyone happy.

What is your biggest regret?
And incident that took place in France. I've done my best to make it right.

When were you happiest?
Wandering through Paris was definitely high on the list. Completing my house, that was thrilling. Working on my France book. Christmas with all our family. I honestly thing (other than a few specific instances) we've been happier and more fulfilled this year than ever before.

Who was your best friend?
Still Lori. I think we've both grown a lot this year. Rob is totally my other half though, and I couldn't make it through a day without him. I'm super blessed. Kimmie is one of my dearest girls too. I'm always thankful for my support network.

Who surprised you this year? In what way?
Well, people are surprising. We had a rough spot this year, but we survived. I was surprised at what happened and how people reacted. I was surprised that we had enough character to walk through it. I kind of surprised myself this year, I can see the spots that God has grown me, if you know what I mean...

Who did you admire most this year?
Definitely Rob. If I didn't love him before, I sure do now! :) No, he's grown by leaps and bounds and I am so thankful for him and all he does for us, for God, for ministry. He's my hero.

Who were you in love with?
More Rob. More than ever. We've seen several marriages fail this year, and I am altogether thankful for a spouse that gives 100%. We continually invest in each other and reassess and I think that's our secret to success. We met ten years ago this month and I am a blessed, blessed woman and have been every day since then.

What was the most important lesson you learned?
I have more faith than I give myself credit for. I need to lean on that in the dry times.

What was your favorite TV show?
Can't believe I'm going to say this, but LOST. Rent it, seriously. And a close second in Grey's Anatomy and ER. Heroes is pretty good too.

What was your favorite film?
The Lake House. Just one of those movies you left really thinking about. Oh, and Click was great too. Unexpectedly so.

What was your favorite book?
Elsie Flannigan's 52 Scrapbooking Challenges. Great book. Tons of inspiration. Oh, and anything by DeAnne Gist. Discovered her on the way to France and she's amazing.

What was your favorite food?
HAG potlucks. Mmm. This church can cook!! Otherwise the classics are good - I'm really missing Pretzelmaker and Taco Johns.

What was your favorite song?
Which to Bury, Us or the Hatchet by Relient K. This song is super symbolic of everything that took place this year. There's a Girl by the Ditty Bops. It's just a brainless song, but I like it nonetheless. And No One Like You by Barlow Girl. Those are my girls. Really, that whole cd rocks and I've listened to it all year long.

What were your favorite phrases?
You're Mom. For sure. Totally over-used.

What did you do for your Birthday?
Whined because we were at District Council and no one knew or cared that it was my b-day. Next year I'm taking myself shopping or something!!

Which was your favorite holiday?
Thanksgiving. We hosted 12 family members. It was awesome!!

What was the best gift you gave?
An art easel to the kids and stamped dish towels to the grammies.

What was the best gift you received?
My husband put so much effort into Christmas, I was very impressed. Oh, and I got an impressive giftcard from Grammy Ginny. Thank you!

What did someone say to you that surprised you?
"I'm sorry" after we said we lived in Illinois. What???

What was your hobby?
Scrapbooking, when I have time. Blogging. Surfing. Travel. Photography.

What new discoveries did you make?
Expotv.com Need I say more??

What was your guilty pleasure for the year?
Grey's Anatomy.

What did you do on an average day?
Sadly, enough, my answer from last year still applies...
dishes, vacuuming, laundry, scrapbooking, surfing, blogging. Lots of diaper changes.
Add in talking on the phone with Lori, youth stuff, and MOPs.

What was your fashion like?
I'm still wearing jeans and GAP t-shirt, but I've dressed it up a notch with a long tee underneath. Love the ballet flats this year. Still adore my grass green jacket.

What was your career/job like?
endless. That pretty much sums it up. Changing. Sarah is growing. Eli started school. I can slowly seeing this stage drawing to a close. Lots of busyness with church.

Did you make more/less/same amount than the previous year?
I finally make something, thanks to Expo. Definitely more than last year. :)

What new skills did you learn this year?
How to navigate my way through a foreign city in another language.

What do you think was your most valuable contribution?
Probably a tie between taking care of my children and all my work at church.

What lesson(s) did you learn about yourself?
You can't control what other people think. I know, it seems like a no-brainer, but believe it or not, it was a pretty painful lesson.

What were the most significant events of the past year?
Rob's graduation. Ginny re-marrying. Eli starting school. Rob receiving his credentials. Camp. ;) Eli learning to read. France.

What were you afraid of?
Failing at youth ministry in the first year.

What was your most memorable journey?
Definitely Paris.

Which did you do more of? Smile or cry?
Definitely smile.

Did you make any new friends?
A church full. :) And some at MOPs too.

Did you lose any old friends?
(last years answer still applies)
I'm afraid so. But I guess that's part of life. Sometimes other people make decisions to let friendships die, despite your best efforts.

Did you have any births/deaths in your family?
A new cousin, baby Erik. New step-father-in-law Charlie and two step-brothers-in-law, Josh and Zach.

Did you fall in love/out of love?
Still loving those Thoresons. Can't get enough of them.

What is your newest tech item?
My Canon PowerShot IS 3. Come to think of it, I did fall in love. :)

What was your most extravagant purchase?
Our living room furniture. So thankful we did. And next, the camera listed above. But Expo bought that!!

What should you have done more of?
Asking God for help. He's right there, waiting to fill the need.

What should you have done less of?
losing my temper.

What made the biggest difference in your life?
A happy husband, fulfilled with his job!! And having a studio - makes for a happy wife!

What gave you joy?
My children. And scrapbooking. My dear husband. Our youth group. This church. The list goes on and on.

What made you sad?
Petty people. A lack of unity. My own humanity.

What is your motto for the year?
I'm still sticking with last years motto, it was a great one.... Choose contentment.

I said this last year and no one did it, but I'd still love to hear your answers. Post a link here!!