Wednesday, December 30, 2009

2009

A photo from each month
With the close of 2009 not only being the end of a year, but also a decade, best of, worst of, most popular, etc lists are in abundance, and cheesy as they can sometimes be I secretly love them. There can be something really lovely looking back over the year, seeing how things have changed and grown. 2009 has been a busy year for us, really, really busy in fact. But good. We started a business together, and I started practicing as a doula and established Hello Mama Doula Collective with a group of other doulas. Richard has been studying part time, while continuing to work his 'day' (really, crazy middle of the night) job and working on Bliss in a Teacup. We're really proud of how hard we've worked, and to realise tonight that while starting out with no savings and using entirely our own money, we're now able to buy supplies from the 'shop account' and are a decent amount in the black. I actually debated even writing about that, I'm always wary of sounding too much like I'm blowing my own trumpet and itch to include a caveat like 'but, we're still so very small' or 'we really should have saved more', 'we haven't even 100 sales yet', but I think it is good to be proud of your accomplishments and am learning to not be embarrassed by that. I'm also very aware that success is not created in vacuum and we have many amazing people to thank that have bought our products, promoted us on blogs, taken a chance of us in stores, given us tips on where to get supplies and generally encouraged us.

As I was browsing my folders of photos to choose the above images, I was definitely struck how fast this year seems to have gone. I wonder if it is something to do with how busy we've been, that feeling. Busy both practically and emotionally. It has been a crazy year in some ways. We've both seemed to have gotten sick a whole lot, we almost lost our dear old cat and money has been rather tight which is always stressful. We've met and made friends with some really awesome people, close friends have moved away and I've had a good friendship come abruptly and unexpectedly to an end. But mixed in with all the crazy, there has been a lot of growth, and so even when I so often lamented 2009 and wished for it to just be done with, I do look back fondly. I feel incredibly happy, content and blessed, and also excitedly look forward to a fresh, new year.
I hope you've all had lovely holidays, and I wish you all the best for 2010. Thank you all so much for reading and commenting, and I really hope to get to know you all that little bit better in the new year.
xo

6 comments:

The Little Mama said...

Happy last-day-of-2009 to you, my loveliest!

Here's to many more wonderful memories in 2010! (Edmonton in March? Jasper in May?... )

betsy said...

What a wonderful, wonderful post along with some equally wonderful photos! Congrats on all of your 2009 accomplishments!

Growing is a curious thing. When you just wish you were growing and are trying to find the best place to start, you get nowhere. But once you just jump in, you grow faster, get smarter, and become better than you ever thought possible!

x

miranda said...

love your year-in-review photos and post! congrats to all the successes of the year past, cheers to wonders for the next. happy 2010!

lyn tupaea said...

we too are very proud of your accomplishments and am constantly amazed by your wonderfully worded posts, not to mention your thoughtfullness towards others (: love you lots and really miss you at these times xxxxxx mum and milton

Charis said...

2009 was definitely a year of growing for me too... I had a pretty tough year where I had a major wobble (& one smaller one) & nearly lost my way & yet it ended so fantastically that I'm very positive about 2010 & what it will bring. Happy New Year!

becka said...

Thanks friends!

Julie, Jasper! I'm excited :)

Betsy, you are so right. It is all about taking the plunge and doing!

Mum & Miranda, Thanks so much :)

Charismagic, I'm so glad it ended well for you. Bring on 2010, I say!