New Year's Eve

We are continuing to work down our list this morning, but are also looking forward to tonight. We will be having our traditional get-together with our very good friends. Although our guest list of friends we have "rung in the new year with" has somewhat fluctuated from year to year, we have always spent every new years' eve since 2000 with Carrie and Dave. That's 11 years! Man, we really are getting old. Can I say how grateful we are for them? And the fact that they continue to keep us as friends, even though they are "8.5s" and we are "5s" at best (ha).
Over the past few weeks, Bryant and I have commented a few times that we can't wait for this year to be over, the year that has seemed "chock-full" of issues. Then we would commence to rattle off the list...Pa has a stroke, pregnancy issues (polyhydramnios, sciatic pain from so much fluid, knowing something could be wrong), Clark's birth and diagnoses, Ma has Shingles, surgeries and hospitalizations for Clark, the pain of "Daddy REALLY isn't here", etc. But in the scheme of a year, there were so many other things that were good. Jayda continues to be well, is doing great in school and is just being 9. Brynn has had a year of being the wonderful age of 4. Oh, how I love 4! {Can I freeze her, PLEASE!} Bryant completed a master's degree and we both have great jobs. We have a home, we have food, we have clothing, and most importantly, we have LOVE! And not just within our house love, but LOVE coming from all around us. From family, from friends, from co-workers, from our church family, from COMPLETE STRANGERS! The love has been shared in may forms; in prayers, in kind words, in gifts, in food {my favorite kind of love ;)}in phone calls from doctors "just checking in", in hugs, in pats on the back, in "what can we do?"s, and in smiles. In other words, we know 2011 was exactly how it was supposed to be, according to the creators plan. Of course, we wish for blessings in the new year, especially in terms of the health of our family, but we know it is already written, and no matter what comes our way, we can do all things....
As 2012 begins, we will remember the lessons of 2011. Especially the biggest one for me: the only thing for certain is this very moment that we are in and we should cherish the gift of the moment, no matter the circumstances of it. My goal for 2012 is to savor the small things (rocking Clark to sleep, reading with Jayda, helping Brynn find her lip gloss, having 3 minutes of uninterrupted conversation with Bryant) and to use as many of my gifted minutes in ways that will benefit myself, my family and others.....for good...