Further Up and Further In

Okay, I definitely thought I posted this on December 31st, but apparently not. So now I’m just way behind, but oh well…here it is!

I did this last year, having gotten the idea from Linda at sundrymourning, and thought it’d be fun to do again this year.

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?

I learned that I can, in fact, go running on a regular basis, and love it. I helped raise a puppy.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Here is my 2007 New Year’s Meme. My resolution from 2007 was:

“I think my main resolution for 2007 is to really get in shape. I’ve gotten a good start in the past few months, but I need to keep at it. Also, to find a place where I can ride regularly. Which is scary and intimidating, but I want it to happen badly enough that I can push through that. I hope.”

Well, I did both of those, at one point this year. Yay! I did start to get in shape, and sort of slacked off around the holidays, for a bunch of not-very-good reaseons, but the fact that I started doing it, and found a workout format that I loved (taking the dog running/fast-walking, with the iPod), encourages me that I can get right back into it now that our schedule has sort of calmed down.

I also did find a place to go riding - there’s a stable about an hour from here where the owner made a deal with me to do two hours of barn work in exchange for riding for an hour or two. I’m on a break from that right now, just because it ended up taking 6 hours out of my Saturday (my only full free day each week) - an hour driving, an hour back, two hours of barn work, and then an hour or two of riding - and I felt like I really needed that time to rest and keep the house in order. But I do plan to resume it sometime soon, because it is just so wonderful to be on a horse!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes! My dear friend Elisa, in California, gave birth to a wonderful baby boy named Caden. If y’all think about it, pray for Elisa and her husband, Lee, and for Caden - he (Caden) has had a lot of medical problems since he was born in mid-October, and he’s still in the hospital, which is especially hard this time of year. I think they’re holding up pretty well so far, though.

Edited to add: Caden is home now! As of a few days ago. YAY!!!

Also, Elisa’s sister, Laura, who is another good friend of mine, had Ethan this July. I got to meet him over Christmas, and he has the MOST adorable, expressive facial expressions ever! He also looks just like his daddy, James.

Also also, Shannon and Nat, good friends from our previous life group at church, had baby Graham; Tyler and Carrie had baby Maggie; and Jake and Melissa had baby Sam. (All of these friends are both through church AND through school - some graduated, some not yet.)

4. Did anyone close to you die?

I don’t think so. I mean, I guess I would know, right?

5. What countries did you visit?

None.

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?

A calm spirit, more self-discipline.

7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

I don’t have any in particular, I don’t think.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Two things that are kind of re-stating the first question: I ran two miles straight without stopping and walked VERY briskly another two miles straight without stopping - then did this again several more times over the ensuing weeks. (I also did shorter distances a whole bunch of times, but that two-mile run really felt great.) Also, I re-ordered my schedule around our puppy, Beren. I was afraid that I wouldn’t want to get up and let him out, wouldn’t want to take him on walks, wouldn’t want to deal with him…and while that is sometimes true here and there, overall, I honestly don’t mind giving up some things to take care of him. I never thought I would love him as much as I do. I still don’t do nearly enough for him, but I am very motivated to, which is kind of a victory for me.

9. What was your biggest failure?

This has always been true, but realizing just how big of a sinner I am. (I am trying not to do the beating-myself-up thing where I say my biggest failure was MY ENTIRE LIFE and EVERYTHING IS A FAILURE, because I know objectively it’s not true. It’s just easy to find lots of things that I feel like a failure at, without seeing the things that are victories as well.) I am trying to learn that it’s…well, I was going to say “it’s okay to be a failure” which is true in one sense and not in another, but in the sense that my ultimate destiny does not depend on my success but on the work Jesus has already done on my behalf, it’s okay. It’s not okay in the sense that I need to work a lot harder at things that I am admittedly lazy about…but right now the victory would be more in the direction of admitting that it’s okay not to be perfect, than in the direction of actually BEING more perfect.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I did faceplant on the sidewalk in October. That was unpleasant. I don’t think my nose fully healed, either - it still hurts to touch it. My palms finally did heal, though. I know this is sort of a cliche, but you really DON’T realize how much you need every part of your hadn to work right until it doesn’t. Who knew scraped skin could hurt so much? (Actually, I think I really bruised the heels of my hands pretty hard, which was why it was so bad, but the scrapes were pretty awful, too.)

Although, for once, this ‘injury’ resulted from an actual athletic activity. All but one of the bones I’ve broken have been from stupid stuff, like banging into a door or falling down the porch steps or something. So I’m glad that I got this ‘injury’ from going running.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

The puppy, definitely.

Also, maybe Bare Minerals makeup. (I bought Everyday Minerals last year, and that was great, but Bare Minerals is WAY better, and I LOVE it. I’ve only used it for a couple of weeks, but it’s totally worth getting the starter kit.)

For the record, the puppy is by far much more important than makeup.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Brandon, for taking care of me and putting up with all my issues.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Part of me wants to say Britney Spears, but I haven’t really wasted any actual emotion on that whole ridiculous saga, so maybe I’ll just say ‘nobody.’

14. Where did most of your money go?

AFTER bills and necessities, or before? If before, then rent, phones, GAS (good GRIEF), food…the boring stuff. After that, dog-related things, some physical therapy, clothes, books, cosmetics…

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

I am going to sound like a broken record here, but the puppy. We saved and waited for a long time, so it was really fun to meet him when he was so tiny, and to watch him grow up.

Oh, also, having the week between Christmas and New Year’s off was SUCH a thrill. I definitely got inordinately excited about that! (And it was SO worth the excitement. Everything I thought it would be.)

16. What song will always remind you of 2007?

Acres of Hope, Shane & Shane; probably also Labor of Love, by Jill Philliips (well, performed by Jill Phillips, written by Andrew Peterson), ’cause I sang it, and Poor Sinner Dejected With Fear, also ’cause I sang it (twice).

Some more:

The Valley Song, Jars of Clay
All The Miles, Sandra McCracken
Ten Thousand Angels, Caedmon’s Call
Livin’ On A Prayer, Jon Bon Jovi (okay, Rachel and I had a silly car-ride listening to this song and singing along at the top of our lungs, so it’s a fun memory)
Behind These Hazel Eyes, Kelly Clarkson (one of my favorite songs to run to, but it’s hard to keep up that pace!)
Wedding Dress, Matt Nathanson (thanks Michael for pointing him out to me!)
Jessie’s Girl, Rick Springfield (because this was the song playing on my iPod when I bit it on the sidewalk)
The Mixed Tape, Jack’s Mannequin (it was the soundtrack to a fun Office montage video and I’ve loved it ever since)
Blue Sky, Patty Griffin
Heavenly Day, Patty Griffin
Song No One Knows, Elizabeth Foster
San Francisco, Elizabeth Foster
When Your Mind’s Made Up, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Falling Slowly, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Chasing Cars, Snow Patrol
Nashville Blues, Cory Morrow
Some Hearts, Carrie Underwood
Starts With Goodbye, Carrie Underwood
Easy Silence, Dixie Chicks
Don’t Stop Believin’, Journey

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

a) Happier, I think. I think. Yeah, I am.
b) Let’s not talk about this one. (Okay, okay. I think I’m fatter. But for a while I was on the way to getting lean!)
c) Richer, I think.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Keep up with my faraway friends. Go running. Find good, new music. Sing and play guitar. Use my energy for thoughtfulness towards others, not just on myself.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Lie around on the couch! Be lazy about training the puppy. Stress out. Procrastinate.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

At home in Charlottesville! So fun. It was very low-key, too, just me and Brandon and my parents and the dog and the cat (who seems to have been okay with the fact that there was a DOG, DOWNSTAIRS!, and who has not, according to my parents, retreated to hide under the bed since her discovery). And we had a lovely dinner of turkey and beef and Yorkshire pudding (YUMMM) and apple pie (again, YUMMM - and even though I made it, I can say that, because the recipes aren’t my own) and other delightful stuff. It was very nice and restful.

21. Did you fall in love in 2007?

I definitely fell more in love with Brandon. Also [broken record alert!], I fell in love with Beren. He’s just so cute and fun!

22. What was your favorite TV program?

The Office, definitely. 24 wasn’t great this year, and American Idol wasn’t as good as last year, either. Top Chef was okay, but The Office was the only one of my shows that felt like it just kept getting better. (Boo Writers’ Strike! I mean, not boo to the strike, I think they have a good point, but boo to the silly networks and production companies who won’t pay their employees. BOO I SAY!)

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Nope.

24. What was the best book you read?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, for sure. Man, that was awesome.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Oh, goodness, I don’t know. Maybe Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova? (I can’t do all those funky little things over the letters.) That’s pretty recent, and not so much a discovery as listening to Michael and trying them out (via the movie Once). Also some Matt Nathanson stuff (again through Michael)…goodness, I am really blanking. I will have to check my iTunes to see.

Okay, I checked, and I’ll add Elizabeth Foster and Snow Patrol, maybe Carrie Underwood.

26. What did you want and get?

Lots of things! The Latter Annals of Lystra books (LOVE them so far), The Office Season Three, some clothes, some delightful shoes…

27. What did you want and not get?

I can’t really think of anything, honestly. I mean, there are plenty of things that I want sort of in general, but not that I specifically asked for for Christmas. Well, no wait, can we count birthdays too? The Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea DVDs - they had just been re-released (or maybe released for the first time?) on DVD, and so were ridiculously expensive, so we decided to wait on those. But yeah, that’s all I can think of in particular.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

I don’t know. I liked the Harry Potter movie, and I liked Once, and I liked the Pirates of the Caribbean movie, and…oh, I have a terrible memory for this type of thing unless I can look at a list of movies that came out this year. I Am Legend was pretty good, and I really enjoyed Juno and Waitress. Actually, Waitress is probably near the top of my list.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I was twenty-FIVE! I am finally a grown-up. Haha.

I went out with some girls from work and church the night before my birthday, went out to dinner with Brandon ON my birthday (which is also his birthday), and got taken out to lunch a couple of times over the next week, as well. It was fun to have it all spread out like that!

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Lack of stress.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?

I still think this question is hysterical. How about “Khakis And Gold Ballet Flats Go With Everything” for work, and “Wind Pants And An A&M T-Shirt Are Comfortable, Okay?” for…not at work.

(I think I dressed pretty well a lot this year, actually, but I definitely got in ruts. So, there were moments of fashion excellence, and long stretches of fashion doldrums.)

32. What kept you sane?

My husband and my dog. And my awesome friends - at work and far away and church.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I think it’s gonna be John Krasinski again, honestly.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Y’all, I am so bad. I really don’t follow politics enough, so I don’t think I can answer this question.

35. Who did you miss?

Elisa and Rachel and Alisa and Rachel (yes, different E(A)lisas and Rachels, amazingly enough) and Andrea and Elizabeth (’cause even though she lives here, we didn’t hang out nearly enough) - my ‘faraway friends.’ And my family, and Brandon’s family.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Lauren!

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.

The way you’ve always done things is not necessarily the only right way to do them. (I know, novel, right? But still.)

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

This is going to have to wait…I am having such a hard time with the music questions today!

Preliminarily…

He will allure her
He will pursue her
And call her out
To wilderness with flowers in His hand
She is responding
Beat up and hurting
Deserving death
But offerings of life are found instead

She will sing
She will sing
Oh, to You
She will sing as in the days of youth
As You lead her away
To valleys low
To acres of hope
Acres of hope

How the story ends is
Love and tenderness in Him
Not safe, but worth it
So the valleys up ahead
Or the ones we live
We’ll sing together
We’ll sing together

Coming back later to add - this is still the best song for the year, I think (though all the ones I mentioned above that will make me think of 2007 sum up the year all together as well).

This entry was posted on Friday, January 11th, 2008 at 11:44 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.