2009

Wow… what a year it has been!

A year of heart aches, belly laughs, tears, joy and sorrow.

Some of the things that stick out in my mind from this year, bear with me… there might be quite a list:

Seattle (twice), a broken heart, engagements GA-LORE, falling in love with teaching, college graduation, my best friends wedding, my friends being scattered all over the USA, getting a job in Japan, Saige coming to visit, Hannah coming to visit, going to visit Saige, going to three new states (Washington, Wisconsin, and New Mexico), working at the bux, rebuilding friendships, and of course… MJ’s death and the never ending news coverage.

These things were some of the best memories of 2009 and some of the worst. I know that 2010 will be an excellent year and a year that I will never forget. I am excited for 2010 to arrive but I am also nervous at the same time. I know that God is going to be with me in this next year and I cannot wait to continue trusting Him in everything I do. I will be needing His trust and your prayers as I start preparing to move to Japan in just 37 short days.

What is your favorite memory of 2009?

Childhood

My childhood has officially come to an end. My cat died.

For the longest time, I said that I wish I could be a child again. Playing outside until the street lights come on. Playing in the street, no really. Adventuring out into the woods behind my house where we would pretend we were in a magical land, kind of like Narnia. Having family story nights where we would read Little House on the Prairie. When Santa Claus was real. When the Tooth Fairy was real, now I secretly wish I would have caught on sooner and pulled out more teeth. Getting dirty and not even caring. Catching fireflies and frogs.

I had a great childhood. But one of my most favorite memories of childhood is when my sister and I would dress up our cat in doll clothes. We would then have a photo shoot and he would just lay there. Or when my sister and cat got in a fight together. Yeah, he thought that she was another cat. Or when we would have races around the house with the cat and a piece of string. Now, THAT was a fun time.

So now that Rudy, my beloved cat, is gone. I feel like my childhood is gone. I feel like now, I have to be an adult. I have to remember those things, but not live them.

What is something that you will miss about your childhood?

14 years later…

14 years ago I lost one of the most amazing people that has ever entered my life, my first step-mom.

Lori Ann Flippin was only 27 years old when she lost her life trying to save someone’s else.

I was 8 years old. I remember this day so very clearly. My mom’s side of the family was at the lake and we were getting ready to go play on the shore when my mom got a call. I remember hearing my mom yell really loud, NO! I ran to the house to see what was going on. My mom looked at me like she has never looked at me before.

She sat me down at the table and she knelt to her knees. “I’m sorry Mallory but, Lori was killed this morning in a car accident.” I didn’t believe my mom. I asked what happened and she said that she was trying to help someone out and a car hit her. I bursted into tears, like I am now, and fell out of the chair crying. I told my mom that I wanted to leave right then and go back home.

That was the fastest that I have ever seen my family pack down our 1990 Aerostar van. That was also the first time in my life that I was allowed to ride in the front seat of the van.

It normally took us 3 hours to get home from the lake but this time it only took 2. We were FLYING!

We went to my dad’s house and there were cars all around. There were tons of people at the house. I ran inside to find my dad and when I found him we both just sat and cried for about an hour. People were bringing over lots of food and just telling us that they would be there for us.

My dad and I went outside and sat on the front porch that night and looked at the stars. We both talked about how Lori was in heaven now and how special she was to us.

Still to this day I think about all of the fun things that she taught me. Lori taught me how to tie my shoes, ride a bike and tease my hair!

I still miss her even thought it has been 14 years. I just hope that I am as good to my children as she was to me.