Switching Years

2012 was a wild year. It was, hands down, Maggie's healthiest year on this planet and for that I am thankful. .Maggie turned 18 this year, signed up for social security, had a HUGE birthday bash, received a notice for jury duty and a call from a military recruiter. We entered a new level of bureaucratic hell, but continue to find the entertainment value in all of it.

It was a year of wheelchair woes and broken headrests. I have become master of duct tape and Steve is about ready to get his certificate in wheelchair technology.  We are still waiting for things to be right, but the year will end without it. The biggest wheelchair problem of all was in June when we had to call 911 and have the firemen free Maggie's foot that was wedged into the chair. Maggie managed to flirt with the paramedics, so disaster was averted.


We were so proud when Steve's lifelong friend Chris Stevens was named Ambassador to Libya in January, confirmed in March (or so). We were so happy to see him in January here for dinner and again in May when his mom had a party for him before he returned to Libya to assume his post. We were devastated in September when he was killed in the attack on the consulate in Benghazi and have yet to come to grips with that. Steve found himself being interviewed on numerous networks and news programs and delivered a wonderful eulogy at Chris' service in October. (which you can read in its entirety on the wonderful site www.rememberingchrissteven.com)

2012 saw Steve and I take out first real vacation in over 20 years. It was short, but great! Maggie did fine without us, thanks in part to Tim being here. Maggie was thrilled when Tim moved home in May and she will be bummed out when he leaves for Chicago next week. (Wait until we go visit him in April.) Maybe we can get Eddie and Grace to come up and keep her company while we go.

The boys are thriving. Eddie and Grace are happy and doing well in their respective jobs, Tim is heading of on a new adventure next Monday. Steve is busy at work and surrounded by nice people.

After years of volunteering, I started working at UCSF a couple of days a week, which is great. I'm not even making enough to buy groceries, but it feels good to dip my toe into the water after years of working on my own. More changes lie ahead in 2013 as long as Maggie's good health holds out.

2013 looms large - just 10 hours away as I finish this post. I wish for continued good health for Maggie and for everyone. I hope things get easier for so many people who have had a tough time this year. Though we are about to go over the fiscal cliff (which will be fixed retroactively if they ever get off their butts and DO something) I hope the economy continues to chug upward and people get back to work. I hope we adjust to this adult level of bureaucracy and don't have to sink down another layer, but Anthem Blue Cross is doing its damnedest  to send me over a different kind of cliff.

I'm packing my parachute for the ride.

Mostly I hope 2013 is good to everyone.

Happy New Year to Everyone out there in Maggie's world.