2012

As the new year approaches, it seems the world is looking back at the past year and seeing nothing but bad.  Yes, it was a difficult year in so many ways.  But because of that, I have decided to look back and find and remember the good.  Click on the links to read more.

In 2011:

• I forged and enforced my friendships in Ankara with Jules & Bulent, Leyla, Steve & Beyza, my friends at the Pastane, the ladies in the English conversation group, and with so many more in the community.
• I kept in touch with my U.S. friends too – especially via FACEBOOK!
• I learned to communicate better in Turkish, and became closer with my Turkish family, especially with my mother-in-law Emine and my brother-in-law Koray.  (Give me any sentence.  I will translate it into Turkish baby-talk for you!)
• My husband and I finally celebrated a wedding anniversary (our second) together.
• I found contract work pretty steadily all year.
• The Henson family welcomed a new great-grandbaby into to the world, Nathaniel.
• I had many visitors to Ankara: Mom, Amy, Eileen, Uncle Rudolf and cousin Christina who came from Germany, and my nephew Kevin who was studying in Spain.
• I saw a great movie, Almanya Wilkommen in Deutschland.
• I continued to develop closer relationships with some of my siblings nieces and nephews, and other relatives.
• I finally tried (and enjoyed) Kokoreç.
• I saw the Black, Aegean, and Mediterreanean Seas.
• I enjoyed a full two week vacation with my husband.
• Barış completed a 15k at the Eurasia Marathon.
• I visited my home in the States not once, not twice, but three times!
• I enjoyed one of the best dinners with my sister-in-law (and good friend) Allie.
• My health remained rather steady with no major problems.
• My mother-in-law gave me a tiny piece of an orchid, that came from a plant I bought 14 years before.
• Barış and I adopted little Lucky, the crazy but sweet cat.
• My sister lived.

That’s all I can think of this morning.  Let me know your good news from the past year, and I will add more as I remember mine.