Top 10 highlights of 2011

This year as I have come home for Christmas, everyone has commented on how hard of a year I have had, and how glad they are to see me upright and healthy. I realized this might have something to do with the blog and Facebook whining I do a little too often. In the spirit of the holidays, and because I really think this year sucked, but could have always been worse, I wanted to make sure I remembered the great things that also happened this year. So, here is my top 10 list of 2011:

10. Being at NASA during the historic end of these shuttle launch, including being onsite at 3am when the last shuttle landed, and being in mission control during its last mission.
9. Trip back to Berkeley at the beginning of the year to visit all my Bay Area friends (and also so we could eat our way through the north half of the state).
8. Successfully pulled off NCAS at JPL and MSFC this year.
7. Three days of road trip fun with Caitlin, driving from Phoenix to Houston, and then having a super fun roomie for a few months while she worked with me at NASA.
6. Eve facing and beating the development and removal of a brain tumor.
5.Trip to Vancouver, my first time in Canada, all on the company dime.
4. Saw an amazing shuttle launch in May, and spent a couple of days resting and recovering in sunny Florida.
3. Had the "best night ever" in Gulfport with Kat and Jess and a lot of gambling/dancing/drinking (please note, the best night ever was followed closely by NOT the best morning/6 hour drive ever).
2. My mom overcoming skin cancer and my dad pushing back against prostate cancer.
1. Brooklyn, Brylee, Bear, Liam, Andrew, Naia, Molly, and Sofia. Need I really say more? I'm one lucky aunt.

See, 2011 wasn't all bad. I just hope in 2012 my top ten list is of bad things instead of good things =)