If you’d like to remind yourself of what our family was up to in 2008, just click here.
January
We ended 2008 with my layoff from AutoTrader.com on December 3rd. Even with that hanging over our heads, we had a great January! Dave and I went to a Steelers playoff game in Pittsburgh. With the help of some great friends and neighbors, we were able to head out-of-state without worrying about Mitchell, who was well taken care of. Not long after returning from Pittsburgh, we headed to what should have been sunny Orlando. But they were experiencing some chilly temperatures! We still had a great time at Disney World, Epcot and Hollywood Studios. We enjoyed some fun character meals and we were all in amazement of Mitchell, who rode Space Mountain numerous times. He also did the more intense version of Mission: Space.
February
February was kind of a slow month after our busy January! Looking back at my calendar, I had a bunch of lunch dates with friends and I started going to the movies on Fridays. Those 2 things were among my favorite pastimes while I was laid off. (The other was getting to spend more time with Mitchell.) On Fridays, I would head to a chick flick all by myself with my Diet Coke and Junior Mints stuffed into my purse. I definitely missed my movie Fridays after I started back to work!
March
In March, Mitchell started swim lessons at Seaventures, which has a very nice (and heated) indoor pool. He learned a lot and was ready to tackle the neighborhood pool with his friends over the summer!
On March 1st, we got snow!
April
I hosted a surprise party for Dave’s 38th birthday at Twisted Taco. He was very surprised and everyone had fun helping Dave celebrate his birthday. Earlier in the day, I found out I was pregnant. So we had a lot to celebrate!
Since I was still unemployed, I got to spend Mitchell's spring break with him. We made lots of plans with friends and we had a blast. While we were eating at McAlister's on Tuesday with some friends, we started getting snow flurries! Of course it didn't stick, but it made for a pretty crazy spring break. By Thursday, it was sunny and beautiful and we spent some time at the park with our neighbor Tara and her kids.
We spent Easter Sunday at a Braves game with the Wilton family. It was a gorgeous spring day and we tailgated prior to the game.
Later in the month, I went to Flowery Branch with a friend of mine for a scrapbooking weekend. I got a lot done and had a great time meeting new people and just relaxing.
May
Unfortunately, I started spotting early in May and ended up having another miscarriage. Mitchell's last day of Pre-K was May 22nd. The very next day, we headed to the beach for a week with my family. As always, Mitchell had a blast with his cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncle.
June
Mitchell went to summer camp with his friends at East Roswell Park. We also spent a lot of time at the pool! We headed to Mooresville, NC, for the 1st Annual Rawls Family Reunion. Mitchell and his cousins had fun playing in the lake and riding Uncle Mark's jet ski.
I interviewed at Chick-fil-A in late June. Then Mitchell and I hit the road and headed to NC to visit family and friends. We went to the Angus Barn (where I used to work when I lived in Raleigh). Mitchell got a private tour and loved every minute of it. We had lunch with Grandmother at her new home. As we driving through the state, Mitchell commented that he could like to live in NC.
July
We spent a very nice and relaxing July 4th on Lake Hartwell with our friends the Kaminskis.
On July 6th, I started a contract position with Chick-fil-A. Although I was happy to be working again, it was really tough going back to work after my 7-month break!
August
Mitchell's first day of kindergarten was Monday, August 10th. As is tradition in our neighborhood, all of the kids got together for a group picture and then we all walked to school together.
We headed to Lake Hartwell the weekend after school started. We stayed at a KOA campground where my parents could bring their RV and we could stay in a cabin. Mitchell enjoyed swimming and playing putt putt. The rest of us enjoyed the quiet of being outdoors.
On August 24th, I found out that I was pregnant. Dave and I were cautiously optimistic given our past experiences with miscarriage. I found out later that same week that I have a blood clotting disorder (MTFHR), which may have contributed to the miscarriages I had. On the same day I found out I was pregnant, I was contacted by a recruiter about a position at AutoTrader.
September
My last day at Chick-fil-A was on Friday, September 11th. We saw our baby's heartbeat for the first time on September 15th. I started back at AutoTrader on September 21st. I was thrilled to come back as a QA Analyst working for the director whom I had worked for previously. It was nice to be back with old friends, familiar processes and have a shorter commute.
October
On Saturday, October 3rd, the Rawls family joined together for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Charlotte. In the end, our team raised a little over $3500. After the race, we had a surprise 40th birthday party for Kerri at Bonnie and Bob’s house. We had perfect weather and the day was filled with pink!
Mitchell was a Clone Trooper from Star Wars for Halloween. He had fun running around the neighborhood with his friends.
November
On November 7th, we had a birthday party for Mitchell at Roswell Area Park. The kids turned into little gymnasts as they jumped and played in the foam pit; walked the balance beam; and swung through the air.
On November 20th, Mitchell turned 6! Earlier in the week I took cupcakes to school for his class and also ate lunch with him and his friends in the cafeteria. We took him to Benihana for a birthday lunch on Saturday, November 21st. Ever since our trip to Disney in January, he's been wanting to eat with chopsticks!
December
On December 1st, we had an ultrasound where we found out that we are having a healthy baby girl! Everyone is adjusting to the idea of having another female in the house. Mitchell talks constantly about his "baby sister" and he seems very excited about having a baby in the house. We'll see how he does when reality hits.
We enjoyed celebrating Christmas in NC. We started in NC with the Rawls family and ended in Greenboro with the Preslan family. Mitchell and I stayed in NC while Dave headed back to GA. We spent some time in Raleigh visiting with friends and family there. I hadn't planned on going to the Angus Barn, but Mitchell insisted that we visit there again. We had a great time looking at all of the Christmas decorations. Mitchell really enjoyed the apples and free candy from the Country Store.
We headed back to Statesville on Tuesday and then left for the beach on Wednesday to celebrate New Year's. Dave joined us at the beach on Thursday. Mitchell loved playing on the beach....even in the wintertime. I read 2 books and Dave kept Mitchell entertained. Spending time at the beach was a great way to welcome 2010!
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