Closing The Book On 2009...

I can't believe that we are hours away from ringing in a new year and a new decade. Surreal.

I'd be lying if I told you that I haven't been looking forward to politely ushering out '09. It was a hard year for us. However, as I've been reflecting on the year these last few days, I have realized that while our lows were very low and challenging.... many of our highs were just as extreme.

Here's a recap of the highs and lows:

We'll start with the lows and the many reasons I felt that my model of 2009 was a real lemon...


I collected a couple of these souveniors this year. stitches, surgeries, miscellaneous procedures and hospital visits and all I got was a stupid bracelet.

We learned on Valentine's Day that my Dad would need open heart surgery with a quintuple bypass. It was a very shocking, unexpected and scary time for our family. Luckily, he came through the ordeal like a champ!

Oops, I did it again. I tripped over my own feet and ended up with stitches in this same spot for the 3rd (yes, third) time in my life. But I did get an "awesome bracelet" and a fresh new scar out of it.


I turned 34 and although I did have an amazing birthday, I'm pretty sure that all of the Western Hemisphere can hear my biological clock ticking and chiming. It felt particularly magnified this year and I hated it.


Desperately trying to one-up me and make me feel better, my Dad also tripped and fell, shattering most of the bones on one side of his face and requiring yet another surgery in which he recieved a lot of cool harware (and his second awesome bracelet of the year). Another terrifying and sad time for our family. Luckily, he has recovered amazingly from both of his big surgeries.

Our family has also had to deal with the pain of addiction and recovery this year as well as loss and heartache. It is painful to see loved ones struggle and hurt and there has seemed to be a lot of that this year.

As hard as we've tried, CJ and I haven't had any success with this concept these last 3 years and it has led to an excruciating year of countless doctors, specialists, procedures, drugs, homeopathy, tears, anger, sadness, pee sticks, reasearch, bad news, sleepless nights, heartache, more tears and loads of emptiness.

After even all of that... there continues to be an amazing and charming bedroom in our home that is glaringly and unsettlingly (is that even a word?!) empty. We pray that 2010 will fill this room and the void that we feel. (Remember the difference a year makes? I sure hope so)

Okay enough of that....

How about some HIGHS?


We took an amazing cruise to kickoff the year and celebrate our anniversary with some of my family. Other than dropping and breaking our camera two days in... it was fantastic and a perfect January/February escape.


We caught several Jazz games this year. It's always a favorite date night....


... especially when your favorite apostle sits right in front of you.


I got to see Wicked again when it came to SLC, this time with some of my favorite girls. Definately a highlight.


CJ & I have been lucky enough to be able to spend lots of time doing amazing things with our youth this year. They do so much to strengthen our testimonies and they fill such a void in our lives. Our ward youth conference in Moab, was just one of the many highlights. We would look at each other at night and giggle that we were at youth conference...only we were the leaders and the ones supposedly in charge this time around. Amusing to say the least!

I've also been lucky enough to create some amazing and lifelong friendships along the way. I love the ladies that I get to serve with and my Wednesday nights this year have certainly been full of highlights. It kind of feels like Girls Night Out every week.

CJ got a chance to sit in another "Eagle's Nest" this year. Something he looked forward to for months! I love that guy. (and congratulations to my awesome nephew Cayden)

The annual trip to Swiss Days with my mom, sisters and nieces did not disappoint this year. Per usual, the scones might have been the best part.


Truly one of the highlights of my year was being vandalized like this. Some *anonymous* teenage girls sidewalk chalked our driveway, sidewalk and porch with all kinds of nice words and messages. It happened to be on a morning that I really needed it and they will probably never know how much it meant to me. An answer to a prayer I hadn't even uttered.



I also got to enjoy lots of time with my girlfriends... something that I'm so glad we've continued to do over the years, whether it's getting pedi's, having dinner...



...sneaking in a Saturday morning breakfast without husbands or kiddos



OR... of course the annual Christmas Party. I always feel loved and blessed when I am with these ladies. I love my girlfriends so much. BFFs for sure.

By far the greatest highlight of our year was our incredible 3 week vacation in September. It was a bit of a bandaid to give some heartaches time to heal, but it worked and it was amazing. We saw and experienced amazing things and places. A trip that as I look back, almost feels like a dream because it was so perfect. It was just what we needed...time away, with just the two of us to clear our heads and re-focus our lives and desires.

And we've done just that as this up and down year has come to an end...

2010 seems full of promise,

hope and lots of joy

for the C*K*J's

Happy New Year!