"Shin" or "New"

Despite a financial scandal within the organizing body that coordinates the decision process, Japan has once again chosen The Kanji of the Year. "Shin" means "New" and symbolizes 2009 for various reasons. Most interesting, the new type of flu virus that has us parents checking our child's temperature daily, has caused school classes to close here and there, and has caused more people than usual to don a white surgical mask before stepping onto the public bus. What "new" things happened for us in 2009? Let's see...

• We started the year by vacationing in a state we hadn't been, Hawaii.


• Our country inaugurated a new President.


• Ryan got a hearing aid.


• I got an espresso machine.


• Roo can wash his own hair.


• My heels (sometimes) reach the floor in down dog.


• I had my eyelashes permed.


• Roo had his first sleepover at a friends.


• Ryan switched to a Mac .


• I learned to hula hoop.


• Ryan started Pilates.


• Roo had his first trip to the dentist and had a cavity filled.


• Roo lost two baby teeth and two new teeth came in their place.


• I finally made it to Kyoto.


• I have a new camera that I haven't managed to take out of the box yet.

And the most amazing "new" thing for our family .....

• Roo started kindergarten and is learning to read, do math, and ask amazing questions!