I am a wee bit late on the "it's a new year" post, but since it is still January, I feel that I am still within the time table for such reflection.

In my local paper, a syndicated columnist that I enjoy, Sharon Randall, published in the January 6th edition a column titled "Sometimes it helps to look back before you go forward". The question she posed was this: "What will you remember about 2007?" She wrote that some people keep journals, but she just makes notes on her yearly calendar to help jog her memory. She also has a list of 10 questions that she asks at the end of every year. I thought that these were great questions to help me to sum up my memories of 2007. Here are my answers:

1. What was the hardest thing you had to do last year? Watching my grandmother slowly deteriorate before my eyes, and her subsequent passing in January. It had been 22 years since I've had to deal with the death of a close relative. It was very strange to realize that someone who has always been there (whether I saw her or not) was now not there. My "grandparents'"house became my "grandfather's" house. Too weird for words. I miss her alot, and talk to her all the time.

2. What was the most fun? My vacation trip to Italy with Chris, Brett & Colleen. We had a blast learning a new language, navigating the European rail system, walking for miles and miles and eating tons of awesome food and wine. It was a trip of a lifetime!

3. What were the milestones? Turning 40 years old in September.

4. What was your biggest accomplishment? Reconnecting with my step-daughter, Crystal after 5 years of estrangement.

5. What's something you wanted to do, but didn't? Get to my goal weight by my 40th birthday. It was completely do-able, but I just didn't give it enough effort. So, I guess some would say that I didn't want it enough. They are probably right.

6. What was your biggest surprise? That we were able to even consider looking into buying vacation property at one of the beach resorts at the Jersey shore.

7. What was the meanest thing you did? I told my sister-in-law that I didn't like the Christmas present that she gave me - earrings for pierced ears. In my defense, I do not have pierced ears, nor do I wear jewelry of ANY kind other than a watch and my wedding rings. She's known me for over 10 years and she should know this by now. I've made polite comments about similar past gifts, and yet she does not listen. Maybe this time she will.

8. What was something you worried about that you don't worry about now? My parents' health issues. My mom's knee replacement surgery went extremely well, and now she's getting ready for foot surgery. My dad's prostate cancer treatments were successful, and the 2 tumors that they found are now gone. His PSA test is in April, but all signs are good that the numbers will be on target.

9. What made you proud? I overheard my step-daughter telling her grandmother that she considers her father and me as "her parents", and her biological mother as just that - her bio-mom.

10. Describe a moment you want to remember. Having dinner in a small, local restaurant in Florence, Italy where the waitress was apprehensive of us Americans at first, but by the end of the meal, considered us as friends complete with free shots of Limoncello. It was after that meal that I felt like I was at the best place on earth, and felt like I belonged.

So, that was my 2007.

Now, for my goals for 2008.