In the name of the holidays

It's been a tough year. It's been hard, humbling, financially difficult, too, and that's one reason I'm greeting the holidays and 2010 with such enthusiasm. I'm stoked for what's in store because I'm leaving behind some exhausting (although definitely memorable) experiences.

I recently went back and read this post, which I wrote on one of my darkest days in mid-March. I was feeling particularly awful that day, low and sad and lonely. Kyle screamed for most of his first two months, and that made for eight very long and emotionally draining weeks. It stuns me that we have the same kid as back then because if you've been lucky enough to meet Kyle, you know he's a happy boy.

What I think of most when I read that post, though, is your support. Dozens of people reached out to me and to say you each helped me through that time is such an understatement, it's ridiculous. The blogging community saved me and without you, I wouldn't have been able to make it through, I know that. You're a force, I tell you.

When this community bands together, cool things happen, I've seen it countless times, and I know my readers are especially incredible. I've felt it firsthand. So, I'm stealing this great idea from Kristin, one of my favorite bloggers.

For every comment I get on this post from now until December 31, 2009, I'll donate 50 cents to Jonathan's Place, a local charity that specializes in taking care of abused and neglected children in Dallas and the surrounding areas. They also provide a foster and adoptive family program, which interests me. Mike and I have talked often about adopting one day. Anyway, I plan to take the check to them personally, so I can see how else I can donate my time. Kyle and I fly solo on the weekends since Mike started working his new hours, and I think visiting this incredible center would be a great way for my son and I to spend time together.

So, just as Kristin encouraged, tell me who you are in your comment. Your age, job, home town, family, etc. Just a little bit about you. Also, for fun, who was your favorite artist or band of 2009? (I'm looking for new music.)

You helped me out a lot this year, and I'm always so touched when you comment and/or email. It's like I have dozens of friends all around the country cheering me on. And people wonder why I blog.

Comments

[Jen]

Great idea, Jennie!

Me, in a nutshell:

Jen
30
Seattle by way of San Luis Obispo, CA
Mother of a 1-year-old boy
Wife to an amazingly patient man
In the book publishing industry
A big fan of Iron & Wine, Sia, Rodridgo y Gabriela

Happy Holidays to you and yours! :)

[seeohel]

This is an awesome idea and (if you don't mind)I'm totally going to do this.

Colleen
21
Connecticut, by way of Texas and Virginia
Working for the man in pharmaceuticals and just returning to college for a professional writing degree after almost three years off.
And I'm currently jamming to Deep Banana Blackout (funk/jam band)

[notylia]

Fun idea!

Alison
31
Houston via NOLA & FL
Lawyer (a nice one I hope, but it's all relative. Don't hate me!)
Wife to an awesome guy who is much more sweet than I deserve.
Said awesome guy turned me on to Portugal the Man - not sure if they're my favorite, but I've been enjoying them in my car at high volumes lately.

Have a very wonderful holiday and new year!!

[Vanessa]

Hi Jen! My name is Vanessa. I'm 28, mom to an awesome 18 week old baby girl, a lawyer and amateur blogger. You're right; giving back with your son is an amazing way to spend time together. I hadn't thought of doing something like that before but I hope to now.

[Angella]

This is lovely, Jennie. I was inspired by Kristin as well and may do the same for the ALS society.

I'm loving Ingrid Michaelson right now.

[Kristin@blogher.org]

I have been obsessively reading comments all day - it is SO fun getting to know your readers, isn't it?

So - I'm Kristin, 34, Mom to a tow-headed minion with a heart as big as the ocean and a soaring, sparkly spirit to match.

I'm a digital ad exec, blogger, goal setter and soul partner to the most amazing man I have ever encountered. I'm gigantically tall and lucky as all hell.

Thanks for your writing and your comments over the years.

[Karen]

I'm Karen. I turn 40 (!) in 3 days. Yes, Christmas Day. Yes, it sucks. I live with my new husband near La Crosse, Wisconsin, right on the Mississippi river. (Well, I'm not, but the town is.) I have a 21-month old daughter, and want another. Better hurry. Since having my daughter, I've had no time for music or movies. I miss that.

[Rachel]

I'm Rachel. 26. Working in operations in Austin, Texas. Really addicted to Augustana and Mutemath. Hope you guys have a wonderful holiday :)

[Blythe]

I'm Blythe, I'm 38 and live in Portland, OR. I work in education (I try not to be more specific than that out here on the internet). My son will turn three next month ("MY BIRFDAY IS IN JANUARY. NEXT I WILL BE FREE."). I live with him and with my husband. I love lowbrow pop music, and lately I'm listening to a lot of P!nk and The Veronicas.

[nicolien]

Helping a good cause by commenting - is this a dream?

Anyway, I'm Nicolien, just turned thirty, just got married, just moved to another country (from Lebanon to the Netherlands). Currently working as a freelance writer/translator, but will be starting an MA in Education in January. Excited!

Wishing you and your readers the awesomest 2010 you can imagine.

[rebecca]

you are so sweet. I am so glad for the day i started reading your blog. (has it really been almost 3 years???)

so. Rebecca. 26. mother, private tutor, struggling writer, aspiring student. 2 amazing daughters, 3 1/2 and 10 months.

And have just been introduced to Chester French. And am going through both the Beatles and the Ryan Adams discographies.

[sensibly Sassy]

Wow that is awesome! I am 25,former ballerina, budding therapist, bulldog mama, shoe addict, and Jon's girlfriend of 10 years. I mean that is just the surface but you get the idea haha

[hillary]

I'm Hillary, 27 years old, from Vancouver (Canada.) Married to a rockstar who drives me crazy and makes me laugh on a daily basis. We don't know if we'll ever have human babies but we do have two fur-babies - Stella the pug x beagle and Wolfgang the schnauzer x yorkie.

I love music so I can't narrow down just one favourite of 2009. Fleet Foxes, Duffy, Kings of Leon , Hot Chip, Lykke Li, and Chester French all made my heart sing this year.

[Kerri Anne]

This is such a thoughtful idea!

Here's to friendship, to hope, and to giving back as often as we can.

Loving you.

[natalie]

I'm Natalie, 31, Austin, TX resident but New Orleanian by birth and at heart. 2 daughters, aged one and nearly four, and one great husband. I'm at home now after a five year stint in nonprofit, which I loved. Really liking Ryan Adams this year. And thank you so much for your writing and for sharing with us "internet people."

[Hillary]

Yes, the blogging community is WONDERFUL and this is a lovely idea.

I'm Hillary. Mother to The Boy, who's just a couple weeks shy of 2, and about to give birth to The Lad, who's due Jan. 1. Reporter in Florida, Ohioan by birth. Married to a Mike of my own, a fellow journalist whom I met in college.

Been listening to a lot of The Avett Brothers lately.

[Carrie]

What a great idea! I'm a relatively new reader, but I love your blog!

Anyway- here's me
Carrie
Live in Seattle, right near the Space Needle
32 years old
currently a stay-at-home mom, but I work a little bit here and there for my old job as a toxicologist
spend WAY too much time on the computer blogging and reading blogs
Mom to a 2-year-old and a 6-month-old.

[Alex]

Great idea!

I'm Alex and I'm 33. I live in Minneapolis with my hilarious and very patient husband, four year old girl and 9 month old boy. Lawyer turned stay at home mom and lovin' it most days.

Zee Avi was a favorite of mine this year.

[Moose]

Love this! What a nice idea. I'm looking into volunteering too - and not just because it's court mandated. (Boy, I've been looking forward to saying that.)

You know most of the pertinent details, I think, but my favorite new band of the year is Fanfarlo. www.fanfarlo.com (The advent calendar kills me. Cathy knits a scarf!)

[Christy]

Oh, fun. I love Kristin's blog--I'll have to go over there and comment, too.

I'm Christy. 32--but don't really feel it. I live in south Mississippi.
I have a sweet husband and an almost-nine month old girl.
I work full-time as an archivist and a librarian.

Its all NPR talk radio, all the time over here. I hate our local stations and I only occasionally remember to bring my ipod along.

[NTE]

Hi - What a great idea! I mostly lurk, but I can delurk for a good cause (and a good post). I'm 30, I'm from Massachusetts, and I live (as well as possible) with my parents, one of my 5 sisters, and multiple chronic illnesses.

Owl City has definitely been my favorite musical find this year.

Happy Holidays.

[Crystal]

Great idea, Jennie!!! XOXO Crys

[Laurie]

Hi! I'm Laurie, a 29-year-old, married, mother of an (almost) 11-month-old boy. I'm a nurse with a Master of Public health degree. I'm from Kansas City & have bounced around the country a few times but I always end up back here. It's been a busy year & I can't think of any new musicians I've discovered but I always love me some Jack Johnson.

[Anne]

Me, in brief:
Anne, 29 years old, real estate CPA, married in October of 2008, owned by three cats, originally from a small town in Wisconsin, then a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota, now in Chicago, near Wrigley Field. Football fan (go Packers!), avid reader (53 books so far in 2009), TV addict.

Music, hmm. I have a strange facination with Lady Gaga, and I like Jay-Z's last CD. I also listen to A TON of indie chick music: indigo girls, Jess Klein, etc.

[Candy]

Oh, I do remember that post. I remember commenting about my own son on that post... it just sent a flood of memories back to me about my Gav. He's soooo very different than he was back then. <3 I got all misty eyed thinking about how far he's come as a boy, and how far I've come as a mother.

Anywho.... Here's the requested info:

:. I'm Candy. Known to most as Candice.
:. 27 as of August
:. Wife to a computer programmer
:. Proud and protective "Mama" to an almost one year old little boy in December :gasp: :sob: :smile:
:. Runner with three half marathons under my belt, and more to come next year
:. Scrapbooker with no time to scrapbook
:. Reader with no time to read, and many opened and unfinished novels laying around.
:. Gun enthusiast
:. I listen mostly to running music these days (anything around 160 beats per minute), but have fallen in love with Weezer's song "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To". It's just so darned happy. Gav giggles and giggles when I dance to it.

<3 you... and the offer for the Florida partner run will always stand if you want. :hugs: Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[Katy]

Katy

31--ack! How did that happen?

Born in the New Orleans area--live a little north of there now. Lived in Texas and Arkasas for a bit in between.

Right now I've been re-falling in love with Cowboy Mouth which is a local group, but I think they've had one mainstream hit. Oh and I'm pretty sure you already know this since you're a fan, but there's a web site that lists all the songs that play on One Tree Hill and I find a lot of great music on there.

[Abby]

Abby
26, single, pseudo librarian (aka still in grad school while working full time as a library aide in a local high school)
I live in Evanston which is right outside of Chicago and love my family (both immediate and extended) more than most things.
As for music, I am currently in the midst of my Christmas bonanza and I can't recommend Songs for Christmas by Sufjan Stevens enough, it is great stuff.

[Melody]

Hi!

My name is Melody. I'm 26, but my birthday is in about a month, so I have already started feeling like I'm 27. I think I'm preparing myself for an age which I find to be intimidating--my mom was 27 when she had me, so I have always looked at 27 as the age when one is absolutely, irrefutably an adult. I don't feel like an adult.

I live in Louisville, Kentucky, my hometown. I am single, and very happily so, for the time being. I live with my sister and we have fun doing things like watching "Lost" and "So You Think You Can Dance" together.

Muse was my favorite artist of 2009. I was introduced to them because of the Twilight soundtrack, and then danced to one of their songs in my dance class. I am really late to the Muse party, but it's been a good party to get in on.

Merry Christmas to you! I hope you have a fantastic first Christmas with your son!

[Raven]

Jessica

Soon to be 35 (Capricorns unite)

Home-town Mesa, Az

Them Crooked Vultures. I think Dave Grohl is a genius and combine him with Josh from Queens of the Stone Age and John Paul Jones from Zeppelin? Hi magic!

[Jess]

OK, you know most of this stuff, but to recap:

I'm Jess. I'm 25. I live in Denver with my husband and our dog. I work from home as an editor for a DC-based public health nonprofit. And honestly, embarrassing as this is? I love Adam Lambert.

[Lindsey Lowe]

Hi! What an awesome, awesome thing!

I'm Lindsey, and I'm 18 (am I the youngest one?!)

I go to the University of Alabama, and I absolutely love it! I'm majoring in journalism.

My most favorite things include reading and writing (which has nothing to do with why I want to be a JOURNALIST...), and I found an awesome group of friends, and we like to sit around, watch movies, and act like we're adults or something (we're not quite adjusted to life on our own, it would seem).

These days, I'm absolutely loving Joshua Radin and Ingrid Michaelson.

[Steph!]

Steph
22
Jersey Girl
Soon to be unemployed
Contemplating Grad School
Feist

love this!!! :)

[Courtney and Dave]

Throw in 50cents for me. I am proud to say that I have known you many years: before, during and after multiple fiascos!! I love you and am honored to say you are my friend. I love this idea, not surprised you have adopted it! Miss you guys. Merry Christmas and happy NEW year!!

[slynnro]

Great idea! And you uh, know me. In that internet way.

[Kate]

Happy Holidays Jennie! And what a great cause you're supporting

About me:
I'm Kate, live in NW Washington, am Mom to 2 great kids (ages 7 & 4), two cats, and a dog. Hubby of 8.5 years and I are about to celebrate our 1st year living in our house that we built in 2008, alot of it ourselves. I am an aspiring country girl and am thrilled to have my own 5 acre chunk of dirt to play in. I work about 3/4 time as a Unit Coordinator in a hospital. I'm an avid reader, food & cooking fanatic, tennis fan who doesn't see the sunshine nearly enough and is perpetually cold (except July-October). I did my first two half-marathons this past year and am excited to do more. My goal is to run a whole half.

I'm not much of a music guru so I'll have to check out some others' suggestions too.

[Debbie in the UK]

I am Debbie, I am 50 years old and live in Cardiff, UK. I am an Exective PA and my favourite band are Take That.

[K]

My name is Kandi and I'm 28 and in Maryland.

[Kate]

Love your blog!

I am a 26 year old (Aggie graduate, whoop!) working in cancer research in Houston. I have two dogs, a hairless cat, and a very patient boyfriend. I spent a lot of this year listening to Airborne Toxic Event, and, more recently, the Glee soundtracks (so darn catchy!!)

[Jenn]

What a great way to celebrate the holidays! I'm Jenn, 38, and living in Kansas City. Mother of two fabulous daughters who are 12 and 9 1/2. I work for a program that helps disabled and delayed children who are age birth to three. I, too, am in the middle of Christmas music so Straight No Chaser is playing a whole lot. Otherwise, it's what my 12 year old subjects me to listen!

Merry Christmas

[Bethany]

Hi, I'm Bethany. I'm in my mid twenties, I live in Pennsylvania, and I work as a freelance writer and copy editor. My favorite band of all time is The National.

[Cassie]

This is such a great idea.

I'm Cassie, I'm 26, mother of a 19-month-old little guy and due with our second son in two weeks (GULP). I've lived in small-town Ohio all my life and married the man I've been with since I was 17, and I work in the mutual fund industry (to say it's been an interesting year in my career would be an understatement!). This year I jumped on the bandwagon and fell in love with Kings of Leon and Vampire Weekend, and more recently I discovered Temper Trap, who are awesome.

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

[Gaby]

Hi Jennie! This is a great thing you're doing.

My name is Gaby, and I'm 26 (27 in February). I live in central Illinois and work at the University of Illinois as a technical writer. I write the documentation for the school's IT department. It's about as thrilling as you can imagine.../snark.

I'm married to a great guy who works at the sanitary district (aka, the poop plant!)as an electrician. He's turning 29 in January and may require a paper bag to breath into in order to get through that.

We're expecting our first baby in July, and I can hardly believe I'm going to be someone's mom. I don't mean this as blowing smoke up your ass, but I really do plan on looking back at your entries with Kyle for inspiration.

As for music, I'm a fan of the first Vampire Weekend album (the only single I've heard from the second album hasn't done much for me) and the Black Keys.

I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!

[Deanna]

Hi, I'm Deanna and I'm 42 although I refuse to grow up. I have two boys ages 11 and 9. I work in the office at a Corrections Center and live in Missouri with my boyfriend of 6 years. I'm stuck on Nickelback. Love! Wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas!

[Kirsten]

Me, in a nutshell:
Delurking...

Kirsten
32, but I feel about 26!
I currently live in Nebraska.
I have a 2.75 year old girl, and a very awesome husband!
I work in health and wellness education at the local University.
I am no help when it comes to music...I listen to the radio (top 40 or NPR), or whatever CD is in the car.

Happy holidays!

Happy Holidays to you and yours! :)

[Amy]

Here is another comment for your donation! What a nice idea.

I'm Amy. Currently I am a stay at home to a 9 month old. I'm kind of loving this job even though it is a big change for me. My husband and I have been married for two years. The time has gone so quickly...you know time flies when you are having fun.

I like to cook and don't like to clean. If Santa was listening I asked to sleep through the night and for a maid.

Have a great Christmas!

[Erin]

I'm Erin, 26, in Winston-Salem NC. I have an almost-two-year-old boy named Ethan, my husband is a cop, and I'm a writer/editor.

Music...Ray Lamontagne.

[Mrs. D]

Such a generous thing you're doing!

I'm 28, a freelance writer from the west, newly-transplanted in the mid west. Married for just over a year to a first year medical resident. I bring the words to our relationship, he brings the music. And he introduced me to Phoenix (the band), which I love.

Happy holidays!

[Katie]

What an excellent idea!

I'm 30 years old with a darling almost 4 year old daughter and sweetie almost 1 year old son. What was I thinking having two babies the month after Christmas??! Lived my whole life in beautiful Colorado and work part-time in accounting.

Happy Holidays to you!

[Shelly]

Awesome! I'm Shelly, 24 years old living in a small city of 80,000 in southern Alberta with my wonderful 32 year old boyfriend Chris. We have an 8 month old cat named Oscar and love getting out and being social!

My favourite music? Metric, Death Cab, Postal Service....
Oh, and I heard Brothers was a WICKED movie. Hopefully checkin it out sooner than later!

Happy Holidays to you, Mike, Kyle and Molly!

[Sarah P]

Thanks for asking us to share!

Sarah, 28, riding high on the feeling of quitting my last 5-year web design office manager job and actually doing what I love - writing/editing for a health communications firm. Momma to two spoiled kitties, lucky partner to a dependable, ridiculous, handsome, amazing man who is going to finally get his BA after many years of diversion.

I love, love, love having dance parties to Girl Talk (remix/mashups for those of us with short attention span). I ran a 5K earlier this month to his album "Feed the Animals" and it was a great soundtrack to get my ass moving!

Happy Holidays to your wonderful family and looking forward to 2010!