Crash!

For those who have been wondering where I have been (again...), I am still recovering from when our computer crashed a couple of weeks ago. Brett was able to do quite a bit of backing up while our computer was dying. He saved most of my photos. I thought that I had lost December 2008 and January 2009. I was devastated about losing Christmas! I was ecstatic when I found most of my December photos still on an extra SD camera card lying around. Christmas was saved!

Unfortunately, I did lose photos from our first family camping trip in January. Brett and I took the boys to a primitive site just a few miles up the road. It was freezing cold; we were the only crazies out there; but we had a great time. We hung out by the fire most of the time. Todd looked so cute sitting in his little red camp chair just chatting away (non-stop). I think Todd would have sat by the fire 'til midnight if we had let him. As it was, we called it a night closer to 9:00pm. Around 7:00pm, Ryan started acting tired and asked if he could go in the tent and sleep. I said okay, even though I was sure that he wouldn't settle down that easily when I left him to return to the warm fire. Imagine my surprise when I found him buried under the blankets, asleep, not ten minutes later. The next morning Todd and I explored a nearby trail while Brett and Ryan put out the morning fire. Todd was in his element there out on the trail. He loves examining the trail map, then going on in front to lead those following him in the right way. The boys can't wait to go camping again. I hope that we can find a good time us to go as a family again soon. I've also scheduled a camping outing with my friend Beth in March. We'll be camping by the beach then, and I'm really looking forward to it. Then, in April, our church is having a campout at a local state park. We went last year and the boys loved it. I know I can't pass it up this year.
[I just wish I had our family camping photos!]

I also lost the photos from teaching preschool last month. I think I'll still post about our activities in separate post, but oh! how I wish I had the photos!

Of course, if I had been more quick to back up all my photos and to upload them and put them in my blog I might not be crying now. Maybe I will learn my lesson. Maybe...

As it stands, Brett was able to get our computer to a functioning level, but we are still not very pleased with its performance. I am glad that I am able to get online and check my e-mail, etc. However, Brett has pretty much decided to buy a new computer when he sees a price that he likes. In the meantime, I am kind of in limbo as far as my photos are concerned. Brett told me not to put anything important on our hard drive. I haven't uploaded my photo editing software. And generally find that my photo-processing rhythm has been interrupted. It's kind of frustrating.

So, I'm a little frustrated now and a little sad about the photos I lost. But I have to keep telling myself how much worse it could have been. I lost a few weeks of photos, but I could have lost a year of photos (or more). Thank you, Brett, for saving Christmas 2008 (and 2007 and 2006...). Can I buy an external hard drive now?