Hey, 2008, you still here?

Can you see Daddy behind the camera?
Originally uploaded by Nancy Allen

Man, I can't wait for 2009.

In 2008, I saw so many of my friends lose so much. Jobs. Family members. Pets. It seemed for awhile that every time I opened an email or logged into a message board the news would be grim.

2008 was an election year here in America...and I have not in my 37 years seen my country so polarized. You could feel the tension on the streets. People that I've known all my life have surprised me with their political leanings...on both sides of the aisle, to quote a cliche that I'm sick to death of by this point.

Dog food was contaminated. Baby formula was contaminated.

Our brave men and women that serve in the various branches of the military continue to be in harm's way due to the "war."

And yet, amid all that negativity, just when I start to mourn the loss of 365 days of my life that I'll never get back...there are bright spots.

January 1, 2008: Well, technically he asked when I got there on NYE but I'm going to count that it started the year...Simon asked me to marry him at Manchester airport...and all I could say was "What are you doing? What are you doing?"

February, 2008: My greyhound group was instrumental in recovering a greyhound that had been loose for several weeks and reunited her, unharmed, with her owner.

March 2008: Sandy Paws. Always a good time. Anything that brings me together with all those other people that are just as insane about greyhounds as I am is good. Plus, Simon was here for almost three full weeks, so that's good too.

April 2008: My Jeany Bean, the dog that I feared losing to my ex-husband, turned 11 years young and celebrated her 8th gotcha day. April was truly the Month of the Bean.

May 2008: Mills Mon Aristochat turned 10 and my former foster dog Simon (WV's Sweet Simon) found a new home with a young woman who has rightfully placed him at the center of her universe.

June 2008: Leah broke her ankle but came through the surgery to repair it with flying colors.

July 2008: After celebrating his birthday and then receiving some of the WORST care I have ever seen in my life from a "specialist" vet practice, my Hunky came through whatever was wrong and got back to his normal, silly, forgetful, now 12 year old self.

August 2008: The Olympics happened in Bejing, and for a few moments I remember why I'm so proud to be an American. But more importantly, the light of my life Daisy turned FOUR...and still hasn't grown into her brain. Ah well, there's always 5...

September 2008: A wonderful two weeks spent in Keighley and surrounds were followed by a fantastic trip to Myrtle Beach for Beach Bound Hounds.

October 2008: My time for one week this month was consumed by the Twilight series. I am so thankful for the reminder of how wonderful it is to be that lost in a book.

November 2008: The light at the end of the tunnel appeared on 4 November when We the People voted in Barack Obama as our next president.

December 2008: On the first of December my life changed forever when my niece Joy was born. I was not prepared for the feeling I would have for this tiny little person who was my niece...not just a niece by marriage but my sister's child. She restores my faith in the world, that one.

2009. Change is coming and it's all going to be all right. In three days I'll be married to the most wonderful, frustrating, hilarious, loving and caring person I've ever met in my life. In five days I'll have my wiggly and wonderful dogs back from the sitter. And in the next coming months I'll suprise everyone, especially myself, with the strength I'll possess in the face of the wonderful adventure awaiting me in the UK.

Happy New Year. Indeed.