Happy New Year!

It's a new year! The slate is officially wiped clean and we are given a fresh start. It's a time for new beginnings. I went to bed last night and slammed that door shut on 2009. If you had asked me a week ago how I felt about the new year approaching, I was in a state of mind where I didn't care. Things are bleak. We are still unemployed. It has been over six months now of that hell. And I am facing sending my daughter again in for more brain surgeries. The New Year didn't really look any brighter to me than the old one. In fact, I even told Rob that I was refusing to take down our Christmas tree in the house. All of the other decorations have been removed, but I refused to remove the tree. Don't worry, it's artificial so not a fire hazard. But each night I sit and look at the tree lit up and just delight in the beauty of it in the darkness of the house. And for some reason the tree represented some kind of hope for me. The Christmas season was so full of hope and joy and such a wonderful time. By taking the tree down, I felt like I was taking down the last ounce of hope that I had left.

Something happened, though, when I woke up this morning. I had a realization! It is no longer 2009! That horrible year is gone! It is over! It is time for a new beginning. And that starts with removing the tree. I know we are still facing challenges. Let's face it, we are still unemployed, and Emily still needs surgery. That isn't changing. But the whole year is ahead of us. Who knows what it will bring. I'm not starting it out by thinking it is going to be a bad one because I think it has to be an improvement to last year.

So, here's to 2010, whatever it may bring! Here's to making memories! Here's to living in the moment and to making each day count! Happy New Year!