Year End Report Card

Ed reminded me that I made a 2009 wish list. I was curious to see how the year turned out....

1. To spend more time on things I love (working out, volunteering, reading...) and less on things I hate (housework, jumping through the never-ending hoops of our health insurance, dealing with whiny children).

I think I succeeded in this to some degree. However, I think it was more a result of having slightly older, more independent children than from deliberate prioritizing. Judging from the state of our home this instant (still getting unpacked from NYC and taking down Christmas) housework sure took a backseat!

2. To find some much-needed career clarity. Yes. I have a plan.

3. A new car (or more realistically, a slightly-used version). We didn't get a new car this year, but I am ok with keeping more money in our bank accounts for now.

4. The passage of House Bill 83 (which would require health insurance companies to pay for autism related therapies. This would also help tremendously with numbers 1-3 listed above).

House Bill 83 failed in committee. Now that VA has elected a Republican governor, I have little faith that a similar bill will pass anytime soon. Further, the few states that have passed autism insurance mandates continue to have trouble with insurance companies paying out. On a positive note, we found a new university-run ABA-VB provider for Noe. The quality of the program has been excellent and costs are lower than our previous private provider.

5. Language, language, language!!!! (for Noe) Yes. Thanks largely to above mentioned ABA-VB program and the work of his private speech therapist. Still have a long ways to go, but we are pleased with his progress the past few months.

6. A reliable babysitter = more time with Ed

Sort-of. It's called preschool. Ed's work schedule (nights and weekends) has made it difficult to find a sitter, but we have been going out occasionally in the afternoons while Asher is in preschool.

7. To start seeing the change I voted for, and to find ways to participate in that change as well.

Wow. Was that a year ago already? I am generally happy with the direction of our country and was never under the illusion that all of our problems would disappear immediately after Obama moved into the White House. Would I be less patient if we were unemployed or about to lose our house? Probably. As for participating in change, I do feel like I am more conscious of my actions and we are more community-involved than ever....but there is always more to do!