Happy New Year.

Its amazing to think that its been a year since we moved back to America. On 1-1-08 we landed in DC, got a connecting flight to ATL and then got a ride to Ray's sisters by our good friend Kerrey. Starting a long and tiring 2 weeks of driving, packing and more driving (over 60 hours total) to arrive at our new home in Arizona.

WRAP UP

2008 was a good year. Any time you make a huge life change there are things that take time getting settled. From touring to having office hours is a major shift for a person like me. I also struggled living back in the States for a while. I LOVED living in a foreign country. For me it was always an adventure and I loved that there was always something crazy happening (go to Africa if you have a chance, you will just smile the whole time because there is always something funny or odd happening). Plus, all the traveling we had done before moving to SA was an adventure and I struggled with being in a 'normal' life.

For Rach, I know it was a great year. Not living out of a suitcase meant the world to her. Finally getting a job as a teller and then being offered a personal banker position at Chase was exciting. She is amazing and excels at everything she does. What a freaking awesome woman!

As a couple it was a really good year also, I honestly feel that we grow closer and closer as time goes on. Rach was really there for me in my transition from the road to the office and it would have been a lot harder without her there. Thanks Ray.

RESOLUTIONS

Resolutions can be so trivial, but I think its a good way of looking to the future and finding areas in your life where you can grow and develop.

For me I want to grow in my fiscal responsibility and learn more about money. I was never taught much about money growing up and want to really develop that area of my life this year. Rachel and I will probably never have huge salaries, however the more we learn how to let our money work for us the better we will be. Or worst case I'll just start producing and selling meth, its big business around here.

I also would like to learn more about different crafts or trades. In particular I really want to learn more about coffee. If you have spent more than 11 minutes with me you probably know that I love coffee. I want to learn how to roast coffee and more about that business, its interesting to me. I've already contacted a local roaster and will be helping out with him coming up in the next couple of weeks. I am also wanting to continue to grow as a musician/producer and also learn more about the mechanical side of cars and trucks. I think its interesting, but something that is not really taught when you are raised by women.

Lastly, no new years resolution can go without something about fitness. I am fit in spurts, but never stay on track. I hope to be more active this year and eat a more healthy diet, staying away from as much processed stuff as possible. A goal that Ray and I set for ourselves (which I might add makes me sad) is to not eat any fast food this year. I know its a goal that sounds impossible to do in America, but we can try and I will keep track on here if we are able to keep that up. (I will miss you Taco Bell, Chick-fil-a and In-n-Out like close friends). We both have put on quite a bit of weight since moving back and it makes me feel gross.

I hope you all have a great New Years and would love you to post your resolutions in the comment area. Cheers.

Chris