Katrina, that bitch.
Sleepless Mama: This year my husband, Bizarro Dad, finally got out of the military. After YEARS of being under threat of early administrative separation (i.e. getting kicked out for being overweight), he finally got out of the military because his five years were up. So we hired movers at the military's expense (heh!), cleaned out our house, which was scheduled for destruction and would have no other residents after us, and hit the road with our two kids in our tiny little Daewoo.
On the way to Houston,Texas, we spent two nights on the road. Our second night was spent in New Orleans. This was back in June. We stayed at a lovely little hotel in French Quarter, ordered in from an Italian place (yeah, weird), and spent the next morning doing a little touristy stuff. We had a lovely time. I wish I'd bought more souvenirs, to tell you the truth, but I did make a point of buying a cute illustrated, poster-sized street map of French Quarter. Once we got into our house, I framed it and hung it on the wall over our computer.
So then later this year, when Katrina hit and my husband was at the Astrodome volunteering, I looked up at that poster and hardly knew what to think. And when Rita was headed straight for us, at a Category 5, I looked at that same poster while the men were out boarding up the windows, and I tried not to be scared. We spent several days hidden in our house, coming out to see the wind blow or to puzzle out loud about why, when there was such a terrible hurricane (now downgraded to category 3), we weren't even getting any rain. I said prayers of thanks, but I wondered why our city had been spared.
Landismom: Watching the endless coverage of Hurricane Katrina, online and on tv, and being overwhelmed by helplessness. Overcoming that helpless feeling through activism that was sparked by online news sites and blogs (big props to Grace from I Am Dr. Laura's Worst Nightmare and Badger from Badgerbag).
Lisa Stone: Hurricane Katrina, the absolute inadequacy of official response and the amazing difference made by people I'm really proud to know.
Grace Davis: That I was able to break through the self absorption and incessant bitch storming of my mommyblog (I Am Dr. Laura's Worst Nightmare) and develop a surprisingly effective hurricane relief program in the form of two simple blogs (Hurricane Katrina Direct Relief and Family to Family). Who knew I could be such a nice girl? *editors' note: we did, Grace. You rock our worlds.

Child milestones
Desperate to be a Housewife: My daughter started high school this year....wait, maybe you didn't hear me right...I said HIGH SCHOOL. It has been a traumatic and stressful adjustment...for me mainly. I am trying to keep her under my wing and she is desperately trying to fly solo...squawk!
Erin-erin-bo-berin: Listening to my two-year old say her first word, "help". She had been using standard American Sign Language up to that point, and began speech therapy after her second birthday in August. No, she has no hearing impairment, and I have taught each of my children American Sign Language, starting at 6 months old. At 2, my baby, Stinker, was signing about 12 words, but not saying even one. When meeting with her therapist in August, she said 'help' without making the sign. I wanted to run around the room - I was so thrilled!
Magnolia Mom: My most significant memory of 2005 is my second son's 1st birthday. How bittersweet it is to see your little baby growing up so fast!
Laura: When the kidlet finally started to speak. Every word spoken for the first time is so very clap-worthy, even the word 'fart'.
Jamie: On August 6, our oldest son made his First Communion and our fourth son was baptized. That weekend was also the tenth anniversary of a devastating miscarriage, after which I couldn't imagine being happy again. Glorious day and cool timing too.
andrea in the fishbowl: - My baby went to kindergarten, and her big sister started grade one. It's so strange. When they were born people kept telling me to "enjoy this time" because "they're only young once." Har har. I think I spent most of that first year (with both girls) in my pajamas - zombie-like with bleary eyes - and I'm sure I couldn't string together a coherent sentence. Heck, I considered it a good day when I was able to take a shower! Fast-forward a few years, and here they are, firmly ensconced in our education system. Suddenly they're little people! With thoughts and ideas! I wonder... where did all that time go? And why didn't I stop to enjoy it a little more?
Pamalamadingdong: Taking my youngest for his first day of daycare.

Memorable travels
Hula Doula: Our most significant event from 2005 was our trip that our whole family took from Denver to Brussels. We then took a European tour and went to Finland, Paris, Germany and back to Brussel. We were fortunate enough to meet Amberbamberboo, Zeno and their three children. We learned about a lot of different cultures. Oh and of course the most headache was a two year old on a 12 hour flight!! Now that was fun!
Mamacita: Most significant event or memory from 2005: That would have to be getting on a plane and flying to Colorado to meet the fabulous Hula Doula! Tammy is the sweetest person, and one of the best mommies I've ever observed. And while I was there, she took me to dinner at the home of the incredibly wonderful Genuine and his beautiful wife Mrs. G, and it was an evening I will never forget. I am so proud to count them all as friends. Equally thrilling was the Mommybloggers interview; I've never been so humbled and so honored and so thrilled!!!!
EverydaySuperGoddess: Riding in an elevator in Seattle last August with My Ho and Juan Rincon (relief pitcher for the Minnesota Twins). Actually, that whole Seattle trip was pretty damn stellar. I still get all warm and tingly when I think about Pike Place Market and Safeco Field and fresh halibut.
Oh, and discovering the joys of blogging. That happened this year, too."

Making a new home
Cissa Fireheart: I would have to say moving from Florida to Connecticut. I haven't lived in New England for almost 7 years, and most of my family/friends live here. It was great to be back in familiar territory -- even if it is colder than Antartica on a Sunday!
Karen: Most definitely the biggest event of 2005 was moving back to my homeland of Trinidad & Tobago. I hadn't lived in Trinidad in over 20 years, and when my husband got a job opportunity here, we seized it. I happily quit my way-too-stresssful lawyer job and became a SAHM to our one-year-old -- best decision I ever made.
Buffi: I suppose the most significant event was the Big Move of 2005. We moved from Texas to Ohio, a move that was traumatic for the entire family. It tore us from God's country and the loving arms of my family and cast us up here into the godforsaken great white north. Goodness golly gracious it is cold up here. So, I guess I should consider it a blessing that we are only up here for a year. However, in the next few weeks, you will be sure to hear me complaining about having to move again. Mark my words.
Cooper from Been There: The most significant event off 2005 was moving my husband, four kids, dog and myself out of the home most of the kids were "born" in. It was a lot more emotional and difficult than I thought it would be (I blogged about it on DotMoms http://roughdraft.typepad.com/dotmoms/2005/12/blink_1.html) and although we are still waiting for the renovations on our new house to be finished (we are living with my parents! A whole other blog post to be sure) we have, for the most part, recovered and are eagerly awaiting our yet to be determined move-in date.
JUSTICE: - I have been hoping to go back to Asia since we moved out of the Philippines on 1998. But this year, that wish came true! My husband got an offer to work and relocate with the whole family in Singapore last October 03 and we're all off on February :-)

2005 is better left in the dust bin, mmkay?
Mindy: Ahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. You must be joking. I'm having 2005 surgically removed from my brain. Seriously, I have an appointment.
Amber…Bamberboo: This will sound really pathetic but, there were a lot of significant events and memories from 2005, none of which I will drag your spirits down with by retelling them here. 2005 was a pretty sh*t year for me. Still... I remain happy, healthy and incredibly lucky - on the grand scale of things.

Tough choices
allison: Jumping ship on my husband's extremely well paying job. Deciding money is not all it's cracked up to be. Choosing family over cash flow. And, turning 35 the day before our oldest turned 10.
Sleeping Mommy: I have to pick just one? I never have that boring of a year! I guess it would be missing my oldest's fourth birthday and his first day of Prekindergarten because I was away at a job training. That was the most significant event for me. I never thought I'd miss something that important in my child's life but I did and I'll always regret it. Turns out the job wasn't worth the heart-ache and I ended up quitting it before the project was over.
Marla: Well, I mostly spent the year being pregnant with Kevin Federline’s baby, and was ruthlessly smeared by the press because I wasn’t as cute-pregnant as Jennifer Garner or as freak-pregnant as Katie Holmes. Wait...that was Britney. I always get her and me confused. Okay, well, the day I received a four page single spaced ten point typed letter from an old friend spewing hate and vitriol and accusing my husband of being an under-employed alcoholic who abuses me was pretty special (and no, my husband wasn’t confused with Kevin Federline) - but that was my most significant event until yesterday. I was on day two of trying to wean my daughter from breastfeeding, and while visiting my aging grandmother, witnessed the day she graduated to full-time dementia, never to return. I’m feeding my daughter to sleep as I write this, because I feel empty and terrible and I’m not ready to change my relationship with either of them – but one I don’t have a choice about (Dec. 29, 2005)

I can't choose:
Ann Douglas: Winning the entrepreneurship award in the small business category in my hometown. Finishing the Sleep Solutions manuscript (a book that I honestly thought I would never finish writing: it required so much research and thinking). Seeing the euphoria on my teenage daughter’s face when she got her driver’s license. (Yes, I gave you three, but I gave you one entry in each of three categories: entrepreneurship, writing, and family.) :-)
Melanie Lynne Hauser: My most significant event from 2005 was the publication of my first novel - tied with my oldest son getting his Drivers' License!
Baseballmom: My most significant memory of 2005 was probably the loss of my grandpa on Easter day. He had been failing for awhile, but it was very unexpected. He was the "glue" that held our extended families together, and it was so hard for all of us. He was more of a father to me than my actual father, so it touched me deeply. Other memories for me are of course the horrors of Katrina, and my "baby" starting preschool, as well as going back to work part time, pursuing my dream of working at my older son's school as a para-educator. Big year!

It wasn't as fun as it sounds.
Margalit: That's not too difficult. My heart surgery I had on Wednesday was definitely my most significant event. It's been months in planning, cancellations, restarts, and finally it was done on Wed morning. I'm in a lot of pain and have no sense of humor right now. Sorry.
Busy Mom: This is 2005? Kidding. I think it'd have to be the large tree that fell on our car and house this summer. http://www.busymom.net/archives/002251.html
Jen from Not Calm: In the same day, my brother and his girlfriend moved to Portland, and my step dad had a heart attack. Things like that tend to stand out.
La Mala: I'll be honest it has to be getting dumped in the most passive aggressive way possible.
Mir: Just one? Gosh, do I go with losing my job, having my heart broken, being diagnosed with Lyme Disease, or totalling my car while the kids were with me? (Thanks for not dredging up any unhappy memories. You ladies are swell.) Oh, wait! I know! Being interviewed by the Mommybloggers. I remember now; that happened between most of the shitty stuff and STICKING MY HEAD IN THE OVEN. Definitely a highlight. Hey, do you have any Easy-Off?
Surcie: One of my biggest fears has always been getting a phone call that said my father (who had high cholesterol and was always under a lot of stress) had a heart attack. In March, I got that call. It's been a difficult year for him and the rest of my family. Dad is not as strong as he used to be, and he has aged so much in a short period of time. But he's still with us and his spirits are high and I'm so grateful for that. I no longer take his presence in my life for granted.

Academic Acheivement
Stephanie: My graduation ceremony from Foothill College and being accepted into the history program of my dreams at University of Illinois, Springfield.
Dawn: Most significant event? Finishing my Master's Degree in Child Development. I had been accepted to Columbia Teachers College to do my Master's degree in 1997- then got pregnant with my daughter. It was not a good time to move to NYC and do a full time graduate program, while being pregnant ~ with my husband in another state. Seven years later, I finished
my degree through Wheelock College in Boston. Now I am applying for Doctoral programs!"

BlogHer 2005
Sour Duck: Well, one of them happened while I was standing at a registration table the morning of the BlogHer conference. I glanced up and to my immediate left saw TishG hovering, in her distinctive black hat. I stammered, "You're... you're..." (There's no dignity in these events. Just no dignity.)
Elisa Camahort: BlogHer 05...everything about it, from my first meeting with Lisa, to bringing Jory on board, to working with them and the rest of our incredible team of volunteers and advisory board members...and then of course the actual conference itself...and lastly reading all the voluminous post-conference blogging about it.
Halley Suitt: Having so much fun at BlogHER Conference as a speaker, especially since I took my 10-year-old son with me and he said, "Mom you're cool!"

Adding to the family
Suz: On June 21st 2005, I married the man I love who I have been with for 4 years. It was a small ceremony with my 3 kids & his 3 kids.
Sarah: The birth of my little Pumpkin, now 5 months old (I love that I have two little girls - I would have no idea what to do with a son!). Oh, and the fact that my job was given away while I was on maternity leave... yeah, that was pretty memorable.
Supa: That's easy: giving birth to Owen. Pardon the cliche, but wow. My life will never be the same.
Emily G.: My husband and I got married on July 15th. That was definitely the biggest event and one of my biggest memories.
Elaine: Birthing my second daughter at home in a tub in my bedroom. Kicked serious ass.
Genuine: The birth of my fourth child, a son named Colton!
Carrie: The birth of my fourth child.
Lisa Hazen: Well, it's obvious, but I'm going to have to go with the birth of my firstborn son, Finn. Second place has to go to the arrival of the anesthesiologist bearing an epidural just a few hours before.
Kris: Definitely the birth of my daughter, Ava, in June.

Gained insight
Susan: In June, my oldest son turned five; on his birthday, he was diagnosed with ADHD and a nonverbal learning disability (which is similar to Asperger's Syndrome). The diagnosis changed our lives, for the better, I think, in ways I cannot even begin to write about here. But I will never forget that birthday. And we had a delicious SpiderMan cake, too!
Carmen: My daughter being diagnosed as having an autistic spectrum disorder. Knowing that there actually WAS something wrong with her, as opposed to either thinking I was a lousy parent or imagining her problems, was very helpful. Knowing that she has a real problem and needs therapy took a large burden off of me, guilt wise.
Jennifer: Well, there was that time my kid told me not to take a picture of him because he looked slutty. HA! The real answer makes me feel kind of pathetic and, well, it sort of makes me want to kick my own ass. Or maybe I'll just request that you kick it (KICK ME!) ... Because the most significant event from 2005? Is the realization that not everybody wants to hurt me, and maybe I can stop being so emotionally unavailable. (Heehee! I said "emotionally unavailable"! Does that make you want to laugh too?) (KICK ME!)

Deep thoughts from our gal mazeway
Deana (mazeway): When I realized that since I don't believe in an afterlife or reincarnation, I should eat as many cookies as I want because this is IT, man.

Shock and awe, baby.
DaniGirl: Most significant event for 2005? Starting blog!
MommaK: This year my husband turned 35 and and I went wee bit crazy. I planned a huge top secret surprise party for him at his favorite hotel but the biggest surprise came a few days earlier when I I showed him the new text (his name) proudly displayed (and still a bit sore) on my left shoulder. He could not believe his eyes! I love pulling off big surprises and those two are by far my best to date.
clickmom: My most significant event of 2005 is easy- I completed my first triathlon, at the age of 40 after being, ahem, sedentary for a few years.
holli: I've been raising my daughter by myself with no support system in a state all alone.. just the two of us (unless you include our crazy dog in the equation.) Without child support or family nearby - things get.. crazy sometimes? I had two days back-to-back that were like sunshine and rain. One one day I hit my lowest point. I thought "I've done this for almost two years - I can't make it on my own anymore." The very next day I thought - "I've almost done this for two years by myself. I'm the bomb, dammit. I can do anything - now prove me wrong."
ishouldbeworking: My most significant memory of 2005 is finally making the decision to quit putting up with my husband's bullshit and get out while I could. Then making the plans to do it, executing it, and the HELLACIOUS party afterward. I discovered that there is probably a reason "they" say not to drink copious amounts of alchohol when it's really hot. It was late July. In Nebraska. 105 degrees with 70% humidity. 'Nuff said!
noell: I began 2005 with an intent to try new things. I became a board member of my local chapter of the MOMS Club. I began my blog. I started a podcast with my husband. My most significant feat for the year, the one that almost fried my brains and drove my family and me down the road to that little institution we label "mental", was a luncheon. I was the chairperson for a fiesta-themed luncheon with 300 guests. It was an enormous amount of work. We had a mariachi band, an open bar, and we raised thousands of dollars. It was a blast. And I'll never do it again.