Reflecting on 2008

Taking my own advice from an earlier post, I intend to do some reflecting over the next couple of days.  2008 was a year of up’s and down’s for me.  Our daughter was born in August, which was a big up.  Haley is such a sweet and smiley baby, we are blessed to have her.  She is by far the best and biggest memory of 2008 for me. 

The loss of our dog, Calvin, was a big downer for 2008.  He was a member of our family for 13 years.  It was very difficult losing him.  Even now, 6 months after he was laid to rest, I can hardly think of him without crying.  Dogs are such a presence in your daily life.  They are constantly there with you, and when they are gone it is very noticeable.

Financially, 2008 was a tough year, much like 2007.  The Real Estate industry has really plunged further than anyone predicted.  All things are cyclical, so I know it will come back in time.  It’s the short term that has to be dealt with.  “Too much month at the end of the money,” as Jim Rohn would say… if you’ve ever been in that position.

Family-wise, 2008 was a very good year.  I feel very fortunate to have such a loving and close family and group of friends.  My parents, my brothers family, my wifes family and our friends are very special.  We are close and enjoy each other’s company, which I think is probably not the norm anymore in our society.  Relationships are the most important things in life, as far as I’m concerned.  Money will come and go, but family and children are forever.  Take the time to cultivate strong relationships with the people who matter the most in your life.  THAT will return many times over in joy and memories.

I will spend some time over the next couple of days writing in my journal.  I will come up with some goals for 2009 and make a list of New Year’s Resolutions.  Income goals, health and eating habit goals, travel goals, fitness and physical activity goals, personal achievement goals, etc.  I like to do this every year and keep track of my progress.  It motivates me.

My immediate family had a fantastic 2008.  Our son, Alex, is a happy, healthy and inquisitive little boy.  He is a blast!  My wife and I are still adjusting to the 2 children lifestyle.  I will tell you, having 2 kids is MUCH more difficult than having just 1 as far as daily routines and scheduling go.  We wonder out loud to each other what the big deal was when it was just us and our son!  With 1 child, it’s so easy to have one parent keep track of them for awhile while you get some things done.  Work, house projects, taking a nap, watching a television show, playing a video game, studying, etc.  With 1 child all of that is no problem.  With 2 kids however, it’s a completely different story.  I am sure those parents who have 3 kids can also attest to the exponential increase in CHAOS.  Welcome to parenthood, right?  Even in the midst of the chaos, we realize that this is what we wanted so badly, and thought for so long that we might never have.  So we love it, even if our house is a mess most of the time, our van looks like something out of the movie Mr. Mom (crumbs, toys, jackets, shirts and general stuff everywhere) and our daily schedules are so jam packed that sleep sounds like an unattainable bliss. 

2008 was a tough year for our countries economy.  I only hope that better decisions are being made and that 2009 will see us bounce back strong. 

In January of 2008 we launched this website!  That was a great day.  Since that time, we have continued to grow and now have members in 12 countries.  I get almost daily emails from people who found the site and think we are doing a great job.  That is very rewarding.  We are promoting involved Dads, and that’s a necessary and important task.

I know I personally made a lot of mistakes in 2008, but when it comes to family, I did a lot of things right.  I look forward to many more opportunities in 2009, and wish you and your family the BEST.  Thanks for supporting www.dadsworld.com and helping us spread the word about our website.  Look for more exciting changes and additions to the site over the next few months.