Monday Listicles: Memories I Can Actually Remember

So this week we are sharing 10 Amazing Memories from a Not So Distant Past over at Stasha's, The Good Life. This topic was suggested by the one and only Ducky.

Did I happen to mention that my short-term memory is kind of iffy since my accident in June? I guess hitting your head does that.

So if we spoke, in person or on the phone, or wrote in July and I don’t have some sort of physical evidence documenting it happened...Then it didn’t because I don’t really remember a thing from most of that month.

But I do have so many amazing memories from this past year that I DO remember (because I have some pictures):

1.    My very favorite people in the whole wide world (expect my kids and my parents) came along on my birthday trip to the Amalfi Coast and Rome this past year. AND one of those friends, translated approximately 2,000 pictures of our 12 days together, into a two volume, fully captioned memory for all of us! So many inside jokes, too many antics, but never too much fun, captured for life.

2.    Same friends, same trip, I received a CD collection of songs they personally chose for every year of my life. That’s a heck of a lot of songs, by the way. It took us three nights to dance through them all! Can't find the picture of the custom made Rolling Stones Bikini that they had made for me (have to frame that or something!).

3.    My kids are getting along at school (they attend the same midwest university). This may not seem like a big deal but it really is. They are polar opposites and argue ad nauseum (I’ve mentioned this before!). They send me pictures when they see each other. Or call me and ask for reimbursement for the dinner date they had which I said I would if they shared a meal together (bonding maybe?) Didn't know they had slip-n-slides at college.

4.    Speaking of college, Matt was actually asked back for his sophomore year. Well, he wasn’t asked back. He just wasn’t asked NOT to come back (or put on academic probation or some silly thing like that). Considering his relationship with school, this was one of the best things to come out of the last 12 months!

5.    We celebrated the life of the best dog in the whole world. Even though we lost her on June 11^th, she will remain a part of our family and in our hearts forever! Tears!!!

6.    I discovered who's really there for me when I need them. I don’t often ask for help and when I couldn’t, I didn’t have to; they were there.

(A Koozie cup present for beverages)

("No more doing your own stunts")

These are my nurses (they're nurses, too, really). They made the “touchdown” signal with their arms when I vomited chocolate malt across the hospital room and hit a wall 12 feet away. We laughed. It was funny considering...

7.    Something good came out of this, believe it or not, and I’m actually smiling (because I'm really "high" on meds) even though I don’t remember this (June 28^th, day after the “you know what”) or the next month for that matter. I think I'm having fun?

8.    I did my first ever triathlon. And I finished. That’s all there is to say about that one! Note to self: Train next time. It’s easier that way!

9.    My kids both had fulltime jobs for the summer and while this doesn’t seem like a big thing, it was to me. It made me feel like a success as a parent; that they felt the need and desire to become participants in this world, begin taking care of some of their own wants and needs, and exerting their independence. They finally understood the concept of work ethic outside of the academic environment. And they stayed out of my pocket for the most part. Nothing says "growing up" or being responsible like getting your butt up for a job EVERY DAY.

10.                  I started my blog on December 15^th last year. Nothing has seemed the same since. I have met wonderful, talented, and exciting people. Wouldn’t change that for the world!

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     This is also Day 5 of NaBloPoMo and I'm participating through one of my very favorite sites Yeah Write. Come check out what every crazy (like me) yet intensely talented bloggers is writing each and every day of November!

     Note to rowmies and columnies: I'm also challenging myself to workout before I'm allowed to write anything. So new material will only come AFTER I've moved in some form or fashion which means late morning!