2009: The best & worst of

[Surayna]

Best -

Rachel and the beginning of our journey together.
New Relationship Energy!!
My best friend and our 23 + year friendship withstanding anything life has thrown at us.
My daughter getting a 30% scholarship for the next 5 years while she works on her college education.
My daughter getting her permit, drivers license and a car.
My boys and their continued growing and maturing. I am so proud of my children!
Getting out and socializing in person, not just online.
Finally meeting a bunch of the Portland crowd.
Getting my own place and learning that I actually enjoy being able to support myself emotionally, physically and financially if I need to.
Love, Respect, Communication, Trust, Honesty from the people who mean the most to me.
The end of a long term relationship - because it opened the doors to get me where I am now.
Learning some major life lessons about myself and others.
Learning to set boundaries.
Relearning to enjoy cooking.
Losing between 35 and 40 lbs.
Making a LOT of new friends this year.
Full body massages on a regular basis.

Worst -
The end of a long term relationship - because there was nothing more I could do.
Breast cancer and the BRCA 1 gene mutation running rampant through my family affecting several women in our family. I spent several weeks awaiting my own results, and while we now know my BRCA results are negative, there are still 4 lumps in my breasts being investigated.
A very dear friend finding out she has a brain tumor, and the consequences of that tumor.
Having our apartment flood twice, and major parts of the ceiling caving in, in our building right before Christmas.