A new year begins

I haven't blogged in a few weeks and I think it's mostly just a Christmas blues kinda thing. I just wasn't ever really inspired by the whole holiday thing this year. We didn't even put up a tree or buy presents for each other this year. We decided a couple of months ago to pool our present money and buy ourselves a new mattress, which we really need. I also was kind of relieved since the stress I usually have around Christmas and the presents just wasn't there this year either. It made for the most stress-free holiday season I've ever had.

I did enjoy the Christmas parties this year and spending the time with friends. Michael and I both got lovely gifts from our family and friends. I decided to concentrate on the time I spend with the people I care about. I'm so thankful to have friends and family to share time and experiences with. To me that is a gift that has no measure and I'll have with me for a long time.

This past Friday I spent the day with Steve and Nancy. We met for lunch and even convinced Nancy that she really does like sushi! We had planned to go to a movie afterward, but didn't find anything we really wanted to see. We ended up going to Ikea and spending a couple of hours of leisurely shopping followed by sweet rolls. We then went to Knitch and joined our other friends for the Friday night knitting group. Even though Steve, Nancy and I spent about 8 hours together that day, it went by so quickly and I had such a great time. These are the kind of days I'm truly thankful for. When I can forget about some of the tough things in my life and lose myself in having good conversation, doing nothing but spending time with people whose company I enjoy and laugh. I'm so fortunate to have a partner who loves me, a loving and supportive family, and many friends around me with whom I can be myself.

During my Sunday school class this morning our pastor told us a story about going to see his 2 year old granddaughter in her first ballet recital. He told us how it was such a gray day and the traffic getting to Marietta was so awful that by the time they got to the recital hall he wasn't in the best of moods. The performance began with 6 little girls coming onstage and dancing as only children that age can. He said she did very well as long as she was watching the leader, but as soon as she made eye contact with her parents and grandparents she kind of wandered. He said his mood was instantly changed and the pure joy he could see in those 6 little girls dancing made the whole trip so worthwhile. (I can only imagine the pride and pure joy parents and grandparents feel at these recitals.) After getting home from the recital, during dinner his granddaughter would take a bite of her dinner then go dancing off around the room, returning only for another bite of food before dancing away again.

Children can express joy in such easy and apparent ways. It seems that the moments of pure joy like that present themselves in my life so seldom, but I plan to seek them out whenever possible and I wish these moments for you, my friends, too.

Happy New Year!