it’s amazing how quickly 2006 went by. it was a wonderful year, but seemed as though it just sped past me. now, with only two hours and 12 minutes left in the year, i’m reflecting back.

• we attended or were in four weddings — ours, ryan’s, rachel’s and our friend tim’s.
• i married the man of my dreams in the wedding of my dreams.
• joe got a much better job, moving out of journalism and up the chain of public relations.
• my best friend got engaged.
• i reconnected with friends from high school and elementary school, some of whom i never thought i’d talk to again.

i know many more things of significance occurred, but honestly, these are the ones that stick out the most. the major thing, as you all know, were all the weddings, especially my brother’s which happened two and a half weeks after ours. whew.

so far, we only know of two weddings in 2007 — my best friend’s, which i’m in, and a cousin of joe’s, which will be held on our anniversary weekend. for that reason, we are contemplating not going. we really want to, but we also want our first wedding anniversary to be special.

another big event in 2007 is our planned trip to cooperstown, n.y. for the baseball hall of fame induction. my favorite baseball player of all time, cal ripken jr., is on the list of potential inductees, but there’s not a doubt in my mind that he’ll make it. i think he’ll be unanimous, while joe thinks some jerky voters will hold out because he didn’t play as well the last few years of the streak. i can’t believe it’s already been five years since i met him after a press conference at turner field during his farewell tour and watched the game from the orioles’ dugout, sitting not even five feet from the man i grew up watching as a child in maryland. whether we were at memorial park and later camden yards with our season tickets or watching the game at home, i cheered him on. to be able to shake his hand and chit chat with him as i gave him a column i had written for the sports section of the newspaper i worked at was definitely one of my biggest dreams. to be there when he is inducted into the hall of fame will be another.

there are many big names on the ballot — cal, tony gwinn, mark mcguire, jose canseco, don mattingly — and i remember collecting their baseball cards when i was younger. how time flies.

yes, 2006 was a fantastic year, the best so far, but i know 2007 will be even better. in 2007, not only will i be settled into my life married to my husband, but we plan to start trying to have a baby . . . if everything works out the way they’re supposed to. even if we don’t, i know it still will be a great year. i can’t wait!