Here I am sanding a wall of the house that I helped to re-build after Katrina flooded it. Talk about a dusty job! 

All I want to say is Happy New Years! 2008 has been an interesting year for myself there have been some zealous and ever exciting moments.  One moment was June 15th, the day that I graduated from Oregon State. I always knew that I would graduate, just never imagined doing it in four years.  I still have trouble believing that I actually have a degree. 

Another radiant moment was having an old friend enter my life again.  Just being able to spend two months with him was absolutely perfect and wonderful. Sometimes we lose touch with people whom we really care about.  It is always nice to be able to have the opportunity for a second chance to see those whom either stole our hearts, made us laugh, cry or smile or those whom we always had a great time with.  Second chances are nice especially when a friend moved far away in the past and again in the present. Take advantage of every opportunity to spend time with people that you really care about. I did and so should you! 

What else, I ran my first half marathon in a pretty decent time. I held my goal pace for all thirteen miles! I went to Costa Rica with Kayleen, where we had a crazy, and very random time.  We met a crazy alcoholic ex-Vietnam Vet named Paul who hit on Kayleen.  We took the bus all over country and we took every kind of bus imaginable. I bought my first ever beautiful road bike at a great deal. I became an addicted cyclist with the help of a few of my friends. Moving to Utah killed my addiction because I went riding and I nearly got run off the side of the road by a Suburban. To this day, I still have scars from the fall. What else...Oh I completed my first triathlon in which I placed second in. 

I traveled to New Orleans where I helped to better the lives of one family that was impacted and affected by Hurricane Katrina. While in NOLA, I learned so many useful skills which I can take with me for life. I also traveled to San Francisco and Sacramento, two cities that I had never been to before prior to that trip. I reacquainted myself with an old friend again from my freshman year of college. 

The list could go on and on, but those memories will always stick. My trip to Costa Rica was absolutely crazy and it wouldn't have been crazy without KAYLEEN. How could I forget, I got my first real job ever and I moved to Salt Lake City Utah to live with my sister. Talk about crazy! It has been more fun than I thought it would be. I have taken up a liking to rock climbing and I have been snowboarding like a mad woman. 

All I want to say is Happy New Years. May 2009 be even brighter than 2008.  A cheerful message is on its way to you this year. Miss you all.  Love, peace and warmth.