Looking Back on 2014 - Part One

So this year has had its ups and downs, but that pretty much sums up everyone's year. I have had a few life changes, and dealt with a few issues here and there, large and small. Here are a few things that happened to me in 2014. So here are a few random memories.

January

January 2014 was about a year ago, so it is a bit hard to remember what kinds of things happened that long ago. I should really start keeping a journal. Now that I think of it, I think I actually started one, but never kept up with it. Maybe that is something to try to work on this upcoming year. It was also at this time in my life that I was discontented with the church that I was going to and eventually went for the last time in December or January. There were many reasons for doing so, but I'll talk about that another time.

The state of Oklahoma had some really, really cold days, in fact they were some of the coldest days on record, including some days in the negatives.

Kaleb's 7th birthday was at the end of the month. We were going to have a small party at the house and I'd even invited a few kids over, but the dreaded flu knocked the whole family out and the party was cancelled. I was pretty sure that what we had was the dreaded H1N1 that was circling the nation and freaking out the media. High fevers, headaches and other pains, fatigue, and the worst congestion I've ever had. I was sicker than I'd ever felt. Greg had to take two entire weeks off from work. Even though I was just as sick as the rest of them, I ended up being the caretaker, feeding and medicating everyone. Go super mom aka me.

February

Not much happened in February. It was a pretty boring month. There was a big Valentine's Day party for a local homeschoolers group the Friday before V-Day, but Kaleb threw up in the back seat on the way there. So, we didn't even go. I don't remember going anywhere with Greg to celebrate Valentine's Day, and even if we did go, obviously it wasn't very memorable.

March

With the warming of the weather, I took the boys out to a beautiful state park about twenty minutes away for a decent day of hiking. I got some fantastic photos and we had a really great time just being outside after being cooped up all winter.

March was also the month that I began to go to the Unitarian Universalist Church. After floundering around spiritually for years, I had finally found a place that really clicked. I also began to participate in the bi-weekly African drum circle that is held at the church.

April

Another uneventful month. I guess I lead a pretty uneventful life.  We decided to take Kaleb out of his karate class because it was becoming a fight to bring him each time. He held absolutely no interest for it. I started work on our giant backyard garden as the weather continued to warm up.

May

Cameron's 4th birthday was at the end of the month on Memorial Day weekend. We made up for Kaleb's cancelled party earlier in the year and had a great time with a few of the boys' friends. I had originally made super hero capes and masks and still had them on hand, and the children loved the heck out of them.

By this time, I had gotten to know many of the interesting people that went to the UU church including someone who was the volunteer coordinator for the amazing OK Mozart festival held each year in Bartlesville.

June

June was the month of the OK Mozart festival. I had signed up to be a costume greeter. Along with about six other ladies and gents, I dressed up in 1700s period costume a la Marie Antoinette and Mozart, of course, with big hair and lots of lace. We greeted concert attendees on their way to the big symphony concerts in the community center. Being a volunteer I received a few perks, one of which was that I was able to sit in on three of the concerts. If I had paid for tickets, I would have had to drop quite a bit of money. After the final concert there was an after party for the musicians and OK Mozart employees and board members. Most of the volunteers weren't invited, but the costume greeters were. I got to mingle with New York Symphony Orchestra musicians, drink champagne, and eat fancy hors d'oeurves. It was a high society-type evening. Am I volunteering next year? Heck yes I am.

 

Stay tuned for Looking Back on 2014 - Part Two!