Year in Review

What a year. I am looking forward to the future.

January 2008 mom was diagnosed with cancer, my son turned 7 and I began trying to sell my business. I was involved in NOVA 2008, one of the most successful conferences I have seen. I began graduate school again.

February 2008 Valentine's Day, need I say more?

March 2008 I sold my business and began working for an agency again. I spent several days in DC at NAADAC getting trained in Co-occurring disorders.

April 2008 Easter was bittersweet. This was the first year in more than I could recall that it wasn't at mom's house. She was too tired to attend because she was in the middle of chemo. I saw strength in her that made me amazed.

May 2008 I attended a suicide training. Okay, it was a suicide prevention training, but it still makes me giggle when I see what I wrote on my calendar.

June 2008 My son finished first grade. I attended Motivational Interviewing training and became certified in Protocol based counseling. I finally found out that anemia was the reason I was always cold.

July 2008 I began several weeks of conversations with a new treatment center about a position with their company. I attended my first Street outreach conference and spoke at the state TAAP conference. My son spent a fun filled week in San Antonio. The entire family, mom included, went on our yearly camping trip.

August 2008 I celebrated 15 years sober. Wow. My son started second grade at a new catholic school. I started a new job as Executive Director of All American Research. Mom spent a week at my house...just like old times.

September 2008 I was buried in the new job and having a second grader. I spoke at the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association conference in Seattle, WA and hope to never see anyone who attended my workshop again. It went very badly. But I fell in love with Seattle.

October 2008 I had a birthday. I grieved. I helped with son's Halloween party at school and had great fun trick or treating with him.

November 2008 I attended a wedding, visited with mom at her house and had her visit my house again for Thanksgiving.

December 2008 TAAP Board luncheon, Dallas chapter holiday meeting, began services at the fourth of our five locations at AAR, holiday party at my house for friends, a Christmas party at my son's school, and five days off for Christmas. Saw the entire family despite feeling ill during Christmas. And just watched the ball drop in NYC (on tv) with my boy in my lap.....

I enjoy writing, no matter what I write about...but one of the best posts I made this year....for the simple fact of content.....had to be this news:

Bill Passes!

After a long, hard fight. The Mental Health Parity Bill passes.This is a photo of Patrick Kennedy, who put many hours into it. This is exciting!

Looking forward to many changes and many great days in 2009.

Happy New Year.