Out with the old, in with the new
There’s something about an impending new year that causes me to reflect on the past year and ponder the next year. 2008 was an interesting year, and the last half of the year I feel like I lost a good piece of myself. It was the first time I felt old as I watched my independent Grandma need lots of help. And then I watched the numbers on the scale grow as I lost my own discipline and turned to unhealthy food to help keep my own sanity as I watched too many loved ones hurt. But it wasn’t a completely lost year. There were so many funny and memorable moments with my kids. And The Narrator and I finally made it to Sanibel Island for a mini-getaway which I had been dreaming of for years! I learned how to hand embroider this year which proved to be an enjoyable past time, and I purchased a serger which caused my sewing to go through the roof. We had nine weeks of visitors, never going longer than 3 months without company! And then in November I joined Bible Study Fellowship which I have enjoyed immensely and can’t wait to start up again in January. I never knew the life of Moses could be so interesting and applicable!
So what about 2009? Yes, what about it? On the way to our friends house for Christmas Eve, The Narrator and I started a string of, “2009 will be the year I….” Here’s what’s on my list!
- 2009 will be the year I learn how to knit. I’ve been sort of trying off and on since 6th grade. This is the year. I mean it! And since my mother-in-law will be here in a couple weeks to coach me, I can start right away!
- 2009 will be the year I finally read Jane Austen. Anyone have a favorite one I should start with?
- 2009 will be the year I quit blaming everything else and drop these extra 15 pounds. Maybe I’ll finally do that triathlon I owe The Narrator, or at least a 5k.
- 2009 will be the year I start to take my writing more seriously, even if that just means writing in a journal every day, or blogging more often!
- 2009 will be the year I learn how to fashion draw. Maybe I’ll even design something of my own and make it!
So what about you? What would you like to do or learn in 2009?
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Christmas Went
Is Christmas over already? Is it really almost 2009? What a year this has been! I’ve started this post a few times, but it’s been rather busy-fun around here! We’re in the midst of hosting family friends and are having a blast – Sea World Sunday, zoo today, and maybe Busch Gardens tomorrow if Little Miss Sunshine is feeling better. She started coughing yesterday and has a low grade temp. I’m praying our friends don’t catch it!!
Our Christmas was absolutely magical. There are days when you just can’t help but smile all day long, and this Christmas was one of them. Leading up to the holiday, I had been a bit blue because we were not going to see any of our parents, siblings, nieces or nephew for the holidays. But with each box that arrived from around the country I started to feel better. We’ll be together next year, and as I saw the excitement grow in my kids, I started to look forward to our first holiday as “just the 4 of us.”
After a beautiful, yet hilarious Christmas Eve service, we headed to some friends home for fellowship over tacos. As a clarification, the service was hilarious because Little Miss Sunshine and our friends 4-year-old boy sat next to each other during the service (childcare was only for under age 4). The two of them sat there scribbling, drawing, trying to sing along and sort-of figure out how to act like the adults. Then he started playing with Littls Miss’s hair and then it looked like he was trying to kiss her, but The Narrator said he was breathing really loud in her ear (which could be where the cough came from!). Boys. It was rather cute. The kids must have really worn themselves out playing after dinner because they gave us a very nice Christmas gift – they slept in until NINE!!!!
After opening our presents at home and having a leisurely breakfast we packed up lunch and all the new games and headed to my Grandma’s house. It was so nice to be greeted at the door and see her walking around with just a cane. Six months after her broken hip, and she’s finally down to just using a cane – no wheelchair, no walker. I popped our lunch in the oven (ham loaf, mashed potato casserole, corn casserole!!), and we played all the new games for an hour. We introduced Grandma to Cootie! Rather than being blue about not having a white Christmas, we decided to have our own Florida white Christmas. After taking a nice dip in the pool, we headed to a white sandy beach where we saw a snowman (made of white sand!) and watched a glorious sunset. The day ended with a round of applause for God. Seriously. Everyone on the beach clapped as the sun set into the Gulf. It was magical. And beautiful. And warm. And peaceful.
I hope you had a Merry and Peace-filled Christmas as well!!
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And more than the goose is getting fat!
Pardon my lack of posting. I’ve been behind my sewing machine every spare moment for the past month. I’ve made 90% of my gifts this year. 90% as in – I bought a couple books for the kids and t-shirts to go with the pajama pants I made. As if that wasn’t enough, I also had 5 birthdays to take care of AND I have to mail everything. Next year, I have decided that if I’m going to make my gifts (which I will, it’s who I am!) I need to be done by Thanksgiving so I can enjoy December. Since I had a million ideas this year that I didn’t have time for, I should be able to just keep on sewing in January!!
The exciting thing has been this stash of fabric I’m working from. Back in the summer, my friend took me to a moving sale where this lady had BOXES of really nice fabric. I offered her $35 for it, and in addition to having made several nice tops and bags for me, I made a lot of Christmas gifts from the fabric too. I will be sad when the stash is gone!
I’ll be sure to post pictures after Christmas since I have some reader-recipients 
Hope you’re all having a blessed December!
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