So here it is once again. - New Year's Eve. Another hours away from being over. It's amazing how time can go so quickly. I've been sitting here this morning thinking about the past year all the good, the bad and the ugly. It's certainly been an interesting year and very busy. Here are a few highlights and low lights.....

• It was a year of anniversaries for me: 30 years ago in September at the age of 8 I knelt and asked Jesus into my heart. Although I was 8 it was a true decision and the most important one that I have ever made. 30 years later I am still His child. Has been easy - no? Have I made slips - Yes!, but, am I still on the path yes!! 10 years ago on May 31st I got married to Jenn the second most important decision that I have made and am still extremely happy with it and could not imagine any other person to spend my life with. 20 years ago on September 30th I left home and went to Bradford University. Again, one of the best choices that I made, not because of the education that I received, but, for the people I met and the experiences and learnings that I received. A major step in growing up as a person but more importantly Spiritually and in understanding experiencing the Fullness of The Spirit. This is why the first anniversary is the most important because it is the foundation and guiding of all others that I make.
• It was a changing year in many years for our Church life. I did not go to Church as much as I would have liked and wanted to, due to other things in life that we have been called to. The Church got a new Pastor who so far has some good ideas. Our small group also took a change that was tough a first, but, I think through it all have grown. We have done some good studies together with a joint Leadership. Currently we are working on a series on Spiritual Warfare.
• Our work in Animal Rescue was tough this last year. We have made the decision that we need to cut back some in 2008. We basically got overwhelmed. There is such a need for foster homes and just people who care. We also, for the first time, for involved in some of the human politics of animal rescue. Unfortunately, as in everything, sometimes ego's get involved and people get hurt. Losing Fred, Cumulus and Cassie, as previously mentioned also shook us. However, despite it all we feel strongly that we are doing a work that we are called to and in an organization we believe in so are going to pull back slightly but still work actively in.
• Our families are doing well. Ourselves we added Pushkin as mentioned in my previous post. Jenn's family are in Huntsville, Texas. Are grandmother is not well, but, hanging in there. We are planning a visit in February and managed to spend some time with them in Houston in March. My family are doing well. My parents came over for there annual visit in October and we had a good time with them. I took a week away and we rented a cabin in Georgia (right) where we all had a really good time.
• Jenn and I also took a week's vacation this year. We also rented a cabin in Ellijay, Georgia. It was for 10th wedding anniversary. In fact it was the first full week of that I had taken from work since our 5th anniversary when we went to Tennessee. It was a really nice time spending time together, reading, writing and playing games. Nilla also went with us and really enjoyed herself.
• Work this year was interesting and very, very busy. At the beginning of the year I assumed new responsibility as "North American Training Supervisor". However, at the end of January the "US Laboratory Services" Manager quit. As I was based in the same office as he was I gained that job as an interim position. After doing the job for 5 months I got promoted to it permanently whilst keeping the other job. I did both jobs until November when the Training Job was divided up. I kept some of it, but, the major part was divested to other managers, so basically we all have a role to play in training. I also had to do some travel. I went to some new places: Detroit, Michigan; White Plains, NY; Madison, Wisconsin; and Toronto, Ontario.
  
• In sport it was an average year for teams that I support. England Rugby did really well in reaching the World Cup Final. Hartlepool United got promoted to League One and Durham County Cricket Club one their first professional competition. We had a new expansion USL-1 Soccer team in Cary which Jenn and I had Season tickets for and had a good time dragging other friends to as well. However, the big sports news of the Year is the return of the San Jose Earthquakes to MLS starting in April.
• I read 70 books, which is by far the most that I have read in one year. This is one of the benefits of traveling a chance to read on planes and in airports.

I think that's about the summary. Tomorrow I will work on my goals for 2008.

Happy New Year!!

-Richard

After a couple of sad posts it's time for a more "cheery" one. On Thanksgiving Day we added to our family!! We adopted Pushkin. We have always planned on adopting one kitten that we have fostered, and up to this point it had not happened. (The photo to the left is her before we adopted when we tried her our to see if she got on with our current family.)

Why Pushkin? (apart from the name of one of my favourite authors). She was a very shy scared kitten that would be difficult to adopt out, but, above all we introduced her to the rest of our family and they took to her straight away and she to them. She is a very sweet kitten and some how stole my heart, so we decided she was right for us and Jenn adopted her for me (photo above is just after the contract was signed and she officially one of our family). She is still shy with us and is certainly not a lap cat, but, she has a great time playing on her own and with the rest of the family (right she is laying next to Coal who has accepted his new baby sister), especially Rollo, our eldest, who has regressed to be a kitten to play with Pushkin. Our family is now nearly complete.

-Richard

In Memoriam:

As I mentioned briefly in my previous post we also lost another kitten: Cassiopeia. She was a scared little fluffy girl that we trapped from behind Red Lobster in Raleigh. This is the same place we've got them before, including Nimbus who is still with us and is now one of my office cats. With the current litter there were six. Cumulus came in first, but, unfortunately as mentioned earlier, she died whilst getting spayed. We also got Orion, Moonbeam, Cassiopeia, Luna and Starlight. Cassie was very shy, but, just starting to come around and was at the point where she could be adopted. We took her to the vet to be spayed, but, during surgery she died. It turned out that she had a bad heart condition. Although we did not have her long she is still important to us and, made an impact on us, as do all the kittens and cats that come through our home. The photo taken of her was taken the day that she came in.

-Richard

In Memoriam:

November 15th is a very sad day in our house. On November 15th last year, Barney, one of long term foster cats died. On November 15th this year his brother, Fred, died after suffering a stroke. Exactly one year to the day of his brother. They had both been fighting a rare immune disorder which eventually came to much for them. They were wonderful and two of the sweetest and happiest cats there were. They were my "home office" cats so it is definitely a much sadder place to be in right now. However, there are many. many, happy memories of the boys. They had so much fun and even Fred the year he was on his own made new friends and did remarkably well. He was happy, playing, eating right up to the last evening. What more could he or we want? Losing him has been really tough and made us question what if what we are doing with Snowflake is right, especially after we lost two kittens this year (Cumulus previously mentioned and Cassie who will be soon) and going through the "human" politics and infighting a bit. However, seeing how Snowflake put these boys into our lives and the joy they gave us despite health problems when other organisations would have given up has helped re-focus us on the mission that we feel we have been called to, as well as honouring the memory of those who've passed on who came through our house: Baby Boy, Barney and Fred. All are part of us and all very much missed to the point that even although this is over month since Fred's passing it was very, very difficult for me to write about this.

In the photos, the black and white one sums them up perfectly. Fred is the one in the back acting silly whilst Barney in the front is serious. That is how they were Fred was the more playful one whilst Barney was happy to sit on a lap and was more serious. The colour photo of both of them is one my favourites and is framed on my office wall. Fred is on the left and therefore Barney on the right. They were both taken just a couple of months before Barney died by a professional photographer, Katie Britt who volunteers with Snowflake by taking some beautiful photos. I am so grateful that we got the opportunity to get the boys together.

The brothers are now reunited and happy although we are hurting that is a major consolation. Thanks for the memories boys. We will always miss you and always love you.

-Richard

This year we did our "traditional" photographs with Santa. This year was different. Apart from Nilla (above) getting her picture taken we also took two of our cats, Rollo (left with Jenn) and Andie (right with me). They did pretty good although we had to hold them. I also did some time as Santa for the "Santapaws" event at Petsmart. It is my favourite fund raiser for Snowflake of the year. It can be very hot under the suite, but, it is fun meeting all the different people and dogs.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Warlock" written by Wilbur Smith.

-Richard

I listened to:

"Koyaanisqatsi" composed by Philip Glass. It is performed by Albert de Ruiter (bass), The Western Wind Vocal Ensemble and The Philip Glass Ensemble conducted by Michael Riesman.

-Richard

US Citizenship Update - Four months after applying for US Citizenship I received the acknowledgment in the main on Monday. I could get called from my interview any time in the next two years.

-Richard

I listened to:

"Coming up to Breathe" by Mercy Me. This includes one of my favourite new worship songs - "Bring the Rain".

-Richard

I've been really slacking over the last few months updating this. In fact, the last non-reading or listening post was the middle of October after we got back from our family vacation to Georgia with my parents. It's been a busy period. I will try and post the few key events over the next few days before the end of the year.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"The Earth Shook, The Sky Burned" written by William Bronson. It is the story of the 1906 San Fransisco Earthquake and Fire.

-Richard

I listened to:

"Oceana" composed by Osvaldo Golijou performed by The Gwinnett Young Singers, The Atlanta Symphony and Chorus conducted by Robert Spano.
"Tenebrae" composed by Osvaldo Golijou performed by the Kronos Quartet.
"Three Songs" composed by Osvaldo Golijou performed by Dawn Upshaw (soprano) and The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra conducted by Robert Spano.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Billy Budd, Sailor and Other Stories" written by Hermann Melville.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Chaos: Making a New Science" written by James Gleick.

-Richard

I listened to:

"And on Earth, Peace A Chanticleer Mass" performed by Chanticleer.

-Richard

I finished reading the Bible book of 1 Samuel.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"World War One - a Narrative" written by Philip Warner
"Up From Slavery" written by Booker T. Washington.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"The Secret War Report of the OSS" edited by Anthony Cove Brown
"Digital Fortress" written by Dan Brown
"The Campaigns of Alexander" written by Arrian
"Deception Point" written by Dan Brown.

-Richard