Reflections of 2009

Original is posted on my Face Book page. Happy New Year, Y'all ;)

As I turn back the pages of what 2009 has meant to me, I stop to reflect on the passing of yet another decade in my life. 2009 represents the end of an era for me….the end of those years we call the 40’s. In just 6 short months & days, I will be a ½ century old. Is that right? ½ a Century! 50 years I have been on this Earth. As I stop to reflect on all that 2009 brought to us, it really wasn’t until almost the very last day of the year that it occurred to me; I am Who I was Born to Be.

I was listening to my new Susan Boyle CD: I Dreamed a Dream (for those that don’t know her, Wikipedia gives us this definition: Susan Magdalane Boyle (born April 1, 1961) is a Scottish singer who came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on reality TV program Britian’s Got Talent on April 11, 2009, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables. Her first album was released in November 2009 and debuted as the number one best-selling CD on charts around the globe). I had picked it up as a gift to myself just before Christmas. I didn’t have time to really listen to the words of each song until today.

The CD has many familiar songs such as Amazing Grace, Daydream Believer, How Great Thou Art, Cry Me A River; a few I’ve never heard before and one in particular, Who I Was Born to Be. In Susan’s words, the song is about ambition & fate. It was written for her CD by a woman named Audra Mae who is the great niece of Judy Garland…another of my favorite performers (the Wizard of Oz is my all time favorite movie).

Getting back to my reflection, 2009 brought change. Not at the government level, but to us, personally. Stef finally found someone to love and be loved by. I was beginning to wonder if God had forgotten to make her “a someone”, but then she found Adam D. (Maddog) Maddox. He’s a very nice young man; lives in Jacksonville, Alabama, works at the Army Depot in Anniston, AL, has not one car, but two….neither of which are on blocks…sorry Adam, but you know I had to get my fun in there somewhere. All kidding aside, we like him a lot…I would even venture as far as to say that “We love him like a son” ;) So happy for you Stefanie.

Though Bunni wasn’t new to us in 2009, we had many new adventures with her and she continues to bring much joy to all of our lives….even to the little grey haired lady a mile up the street that will tell you, “I don’t like dogs”. We have discovered that she is a very talented dog as well…cooking, fishing, boating, sunbathing on the beach…..who would have ever thought that such a small little creature would have changed our lives the way she has. My Mother says I’m obsessed..maybe I am, but after all, dog spelled backwards is God ;) Thank you Bunni for your unconditional love.

Then there’s Mama. I guess a lot of the family thinks she’s mean, old and cantankerous. On occasion, I would probably have to agree with them, but I see the side of her that no one else see’s. Underneath the mask that she wears most of the time is a beautifully aged woman who is still as beautiful today as she was when I was a young girl…she doesn’t think that she is, but I tell her she is just the same. Thank you Mama for the weekly dinners, the tootle’s around town and the memories. I love you Dahling.

My very bestest friend in the whole wide world, or www as I call it, has been by my side for over 28 years. I’ve said this many times over they years to him, but I love him farther than my arms can reach. I feel very blessed to call him my husband, my companion, my lover even my co-worker. There aren’t very many couples that can be around one another almost 24-7, but God makes each new day different for us so life is always an adventure. I hope God gives us many more years together and that we get to check off some of the things on “our list” that we want to do and see. Alan, thank you for loving me.

2009 brought to a close, the lives of many famous celebrities that we have grown up with over the years. Such names as Bea Arthur, Billy Mays, David Carradine, Dom Deluise, Ed McMahon, Farah Fawcett, Henry Gipson, Karl Malden, Michael Jackson, Patrick Swayze, Ricardo Montelban, Soupy Sales & Walter Cronkite, just to name a few. Some of the not so familiar names on the list: Alaina Reed Hall who played on Sesame Street, Danny Gans – an American Singer & Comedian and Mollie Sugden… the lady on the BBC show, “Are You Being Served” that always had a different color of hair, lavender, blue, green, yellow…it was something different every week.

And so it goes, I save my Face Book peeps for last who are the real celebrities in my life. I won’t make this long and drawn out, but I will start with family: Adam, Alisa, Amber, Amy, April, Austin, Becca, Becky, Beverly, Bob, Bonna, Cal, Candice, Chrysta, Darrell, David, Donna, Emily, Eric, Frank, Jason, Jean, Jeff, Jeremy John, Kaley, Karen, Kellie, Ken, Leah, Missy, Nikkie, Noland, Phillip, Rafe, Richard, Sarah, Seth, Stefanie, Tina & Wesley….I love you all even if I don’t get a chance to tell you so everyday.

And to the rest of my Peeps: Ada, Alan, Alice’s Amanda’s, Amy’s, Analee, Andi, Andrea’s, Angela’s, Angie, Ann, Anne’s, Art’s, Banita’s, Barbara’s, Becky’s, Belita, Beth’s, Betty, Beverly, Bill’s, Billy’s, Bo’s, Bob’s, Bobby’s, Bonnie, Brandi’s, Brandie, Brenda’s, Bryant, Carey, Carl, Carla, Carlos, Carol’s, Carolyn, Carrie, Cassia, Cassie, Cathy, Chad’s, Charles, Chase, Cheryl’s, Chris’s, Christina, Christy, Chuck, Cindi’s, Cindy’s, Cody, Courtney, Cyndi, Cynthia’s, Dale, Dallas, Dan, Dana, Daniel, Danny, Darcy, Darrell, Daryl, Dave, David’s, Dawn’s, Deanna, Deb, Debbi, Debbie’s, Debra, Deena, Del, Denel, Denise’s, Derek, Diane, Dick, Dodi, Dondra, Donnie, Dottie, Doyle, Edna, Edwina, Elaine’s, Elizabeth, Ellen, Eric, Eva, Frank’s, Freda, Garey, Gary, Gene’s, Gerri, Ginger, Glenda, Greg’s, Gwen.

Harold, Harry, Heath, Heather’s, Holly, Horace, Huie, Ilse, Jack, Jackie, Jan’s, Janet, Janette, Janice’s, Janis, Jarita, Jason, Jay, Jeannie, Jeff’s, Jeffrey, Jennifer’s, Jenny, Jeri, Jerie Ann, Jerry, Jesse, Jill, Jim’s, Jimmy’s, Joan, John, Johnny, Jon, Joseph, Josh, Judi’s, Judy’s, Karen’s, Karla, Karol, Kathi, Kathy’s, Kay, Keith, Kellie’s, Kelly’s, Ken’s, Kenneth, Kenny, Kent, Kerrie, Kevin’s, Kim’s, Kimberly, Kirk, Kristi, Kristy’s, LaQuetta, Larry’s, Laura’s, Laurel, Lauren, Laurie’s, Lee’s, Leslie, Lewis, Lexann, Linda’s, Lindsey, Lisa’s, Liz, Lora, Lucie, Lucretia.


Marie, Mark’s, Marshall, Martha’s, Marty, Mary Ann, Mary’s, Melanie, Melinda, Melisa’s, Melissa, Michael’s, Michelle’s, Mike’s, Nancy’s, Norma, Norman, Pam’s, Pamela’s, Patricia, Patsy, Patsy-Jo, Patti’s, Paul, Paula’s, Peggy’s, Penny’s, Perry, Phil’s, Phillip, Priscilla, Rachael, Randall, Randy’s, Rebecca, Regina’s, Renee, Rhonda’s, Rick, Ricky, Rita, Rob, Robert’s, Robin’s, Roy, Russ, Russell, Sajuan, Sally, Sam’s, Sandra, Sandy’s, Scarlette, Scott’s, Shari, Sharon’s, Sharron, Sheila’s, Shelly, Sheri, Sherri, Sherrie, Sherry, Sonja, Spencer, Starrlyn, Stephanie, Stephen’s, Steve’s, Steven, Sue, Susan’s, Sylvia’s.

Tammie, Tammy’s, Teresa’s, Terri’s, Terry’s, Theresa’s, Tiffani, Tim’s, Timothy, Tobi, Todd’s, Tom’s, Tommy, Toni’s, Tosha, Tracie, Tracy, Travis, Trina’s, Valerie’s, Vernal, Vicki’s, Vickie’s, Victoria, Vivian, Wanda’s, Wayne’s, Wes, Will, William & Winkie….thank you all for the love, support, shoulder, vent, laughter, tears, joy, Friendship. Each one of you have made contact with and crossed this path of mine called life somewhere, somehow.

It is my pleasure to call each of you family & friends and if God can use me to touch even one soul along this path, then I am who I was born to be….Thank you God for Face Book ;)