Wrapping up 2005, with a pretty bow and all . . .

My Dearest Friends and Family,

Hasn't this year just flown by? In my part of the world it definitely has--it seems like just yesterday I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of 2005, excited to see what great things the year would bring. Now here we are, just a few blinks away from 2006, and as I look back over the past 12 months I can see that my intention was clear: I created much this past year and made many wonderful changes in my life. I was going to send this letter out via regular mail (inside beautiful Christmas cards, of course), however since I'm obviously not going to make it before the holiday arrives (and I'm lacking a physical address for many of you anyway), I thought I'd send my update by email, thereby saving time . . . and a tree or two. : ) That being said, here's a recap of my incredible year. . .

January--The year started off well, as I was determined to make 2005 as wonderful as I know I can. I continued working hard as a Dossier Specialist with Chinese Children Adoption International (CCAI) in Centennial, CO and assist families as they complete the paperwork (their "dossier") needed to adopt from China. I also did my part to help my dad work on finishing the basement at home; after several meetings with all four Malsom expert architects, we set the studs, framed the rooms, and hung countless sheets of drywall. Dad was sure to point out that the hot tub and home theater would be added only AFTER I left the house, so despite great plans, construction slowed and is slated to be finished in 2006. : )

February--It was about this time that I started to get the itch to spread my wings and get a place of my own. My dear friend Anthony Monaco so graciously accepted my request to be my realtor and without a single hesitation (that he admitted to anyway) he jumped right in and got to work, beginning the search for the perfect place for me to call home. At about mid-month I headed up to sunny California to attend PSI Seminar's Life Success Course in Clearlake Oaks. I had a great time and learned tons. Not only that, however I made several new friends, most of which I have no doubt I'll have for the rest of my life.

March--So after what seemed to be several weeks of a pointless search, Anthony and I finally found the place that made me smile from ear to ear and that (as he said it would), just "felt right." It is a 1002 sq. ft. condo in Southeast Aurora that has all I was looking for--2 bedrooms, a garage, a beautiful view (I'm not a big fan of noisy alley ways or strip mall parking lots), and my favorite part--a short commute to work (I'm now in the car for only about 20 minutes every morning instead of 1 hour and 10 minutes or so). I closed on the property on March 31st and have been smiling ever since. (And yes, since I do have a spare bedroom, feel free to visit anytime. And if anyone needs an EXCELLENT realtor who'll do anything and everything in his power to get you in the place you want, contact Anthony--he's the BEST!)

April-May--So much happened in these two months it's tough to keep track of what happened when. Let's see . . . I fully engaged myself in a 90-day coaching program to support me in achieving many goals I had set for myself, boosting myself forward in my life much quicker than I previously thought possible. In a mere 90 days I learned to speak conversational Mandarin Chinese, increased my monthly income (I earned an unprecedented 3 raises during this time period), learned to be stronger than my fear of spiders (I held a tarantula for over 15 continuous seconds--twice!), started taking belly dancing lessons, and trained like a maniac for a triathlon in June. Also during this time we celebrated as a family as Bryan graduated from Parks College with his Associates Degree in Criminal Justice and Applied Science and shortly thereafter turned 20! (Yes, my baby brother is in his twenties now--I suddenly feel so old! : ) )

June--In June my coaching program officially came to an end and me and my teammates celebrated by toasting at midnight with champagne . . . it was such a momentous occasion in many ways it was even better than New Years! : ) Then, on June 12th I did what I've wanted to do for quite some time (and had been preparing for for months)--I participated in the My Way or the Tri Way Triathlon! I chose to swim-run-bike, and after 800 yards of swimming, 4 miles of running, and 15 miles of biking (up much more than just "moderate hills" I might say), I finished the race and placed 4th in my age group! Hooray for me! It was a feat I worked hard for and won't soon forget, let me tell you! I'm proud to say I've been staying active since then as well, and have enjoyed the extra energy and confidence my exercise routine has given me. (Anybody want to complete a duathlon, triathlon, or marathon with me next year?) : )

July--Over the first few weeks I traveled to Destin, Florida with several of my close friends to celebrate my buddy Debbie's 30th birthday. We enjoyed the summer sun as we laid on the white sand beaches, played in the ocean, and watched fireworks crackle overhead. It was awesome. July also held 2 other grand nights of celebration . . . one was my graduation from the coaching program (this is the grand party at which I got to don the beautiful chocolate-colored evening gown since nicknamed my "J-Lo" dress) and the other was my 23rd birthday (no worries, no evening gown here--just a simple sun dress, lots of friends, and a fun night out on the town!). As you can tell, July was one crazy month that was tons of fun!

August--The year took a turn in August as my dad's sister Ardell became very ill and eventually passed away. I was in California attending a leadership seminar at the time, which only made the news of my aunt's passing that much more difficult. Still, I found support with the sisters I was with and eagerly returned home to be with my family. I also took on some new job duties at CCAI during this time as well as a couple of the girls in my office decided to go back to school. I picked up the slack and continued doing the work that I love so much.

September--Dad gave us all a great scare at this time as he was suddenly hospitalized for a staph infection in his leg we didn't even know he had. He had emergency surgery to remove the infection and after a whole month of recovery at home (as much as he begged us, we wouldn't let him go back to work so soon), he healed well and is now 100 back to himself. : )

October--After hitting my last water-skiing run for the season (it was super-chilly yet the water was as smooth as glass!), I practiced my espanol and actually was a Spanish interpreter for the 4-day PSI Basic Seminar here in Denver. I doubted my abilities at first (it's been a couple years since I spoke Spanish on more than just a conversational basis) however at the end of the seminar the man I was translating for said that he had met his "beautiful sister" during the class, said that I was a "gift" to him, and brought tears to my eyes with his kind words and genuine hug of gratitude. It was another experience through which I was able to learn and grow and will hold close to my heart forever. Another grand occasion occurred in the middle of the month when I was accused of stealing a car! Although it was a mistake on the accuser's part, the police from 3 different cities became involved and I had to file a harassment report to document the threats I was receiving. It was much more drama than I ever prefer to handle, although in the end it all worked out and now, the story provides many giggles at the absurdity of it all. (Dad found it all so unbelievable at the time he said it'd make a good movie plot! If that's the case, I prefer not to star in the sequel!)

November--I finally got around to painting my living room the color I envisioned when I moved in . . . red! It's so beautiful! All I need are a couple accent pillows for the couch and then I'll be set! (I'd send you some pics however, what leverage would I then have to encourage you to come and visit me?!) : ) I also continue to volunteer with the Adoption Exchange and in November, I helped with their Annual Fantasy Ball. I got to get all dolled up again, meet John O'Hurley, and most importantly, help raise money for the kiddos in foster care the Adoption Exchange provides recruitment services for. As usual, I had a blast.

December--And now . . . well . . . work has intensified a bit as a few really difficult cases have come across my desk recently. One resulted in a closed file (trust me, that was by far the hardest phone call I have ever had to make) and the other is still pending, although it doesn't look good. These cases in particular were definitely challenging and really stretched me both professionally and personally as I was given the opportunity to maintain integrity and stand up for what I know to be right, even when caving in or looking the other way would be much easier. I've found that the largest challenges often lead to the biggest rewards and I believe in my heart that these cases are examples of that. One bright highlight so far was presenting twins to a family earlier in the month! Talk about a rush of emotion . . . it was twice what it normally is! : )

Okay, well I guess that about wraps 2005 up for me. 2006 looks to be a great year as well, and is sure to be a blast. I already have several items on my "will-do" list including jello wrestling, climbing a 14er, participating in the Muddy Buddy race (www.muddybuddy.com), and traveling to China with my aunt and uncle as they welcome a baby baby girl into our family. I look forward to seeing each of you very soon and if not, would LOVE to at least hear from you.

With love,
~Kim