Lessons from 2008

I learned...
in the area of the economy:
1. it takes a long time to save money for retirement and not so much time to lose it.
2. powdered milk does not taste as bad as I remember as a child.
3. raising four kids on one income may require choosing between paul mitchell hair product and meat.
4. given the choice of expensive hair product and meat I will often choose expensive hair product.
5. that I can live with six channels on a non-flat screen TV.
in the area of child rearing:
1. The Law of Multiple Children - which states that for the number of children you have (i.e. 4) the previous number (3) will seem like no children at all. This appears to be true ad infinitum.
2. how my parents managed to handle 10 kids.
3. the mother often ends up with the oldest children while the father is left with the baby.
4. how my dad got so good with babies.
in the area of technology:
1. that not owning a cell phone has allowed me to actually talk to my children at the grocery store, in the van, waiting in line, etc.
2. IPODS take away the anticipation of what song will be played next on my favorite radio station.
3. Facebook is great when the kitchen is filthy, the kids are dressing from the clothes dryer, and I have 50 prints due in one week.
4. laptops are like toothbrushes. Each member of the family really needs their own.
in the area of relationships:
1. moments in the 18th year of marriage can still be as breathtaking, precious, painful, and sweet as moments in the first year of marriage.
2. good friends become more and more important to me with each passing year.