Sears Kay Ruins, December 28, 2014

It’s 3 hours before midnight on New Year’s Eve. We just finished a late dinner of Mexican food, and as has been fitting for our culinary theme lately… the first restaurant we tried (and had had our heart set on) was closed, and then the second sent us home missing one of our entries. Thankfully it was only five minutes away, they fixed the mistake, and even threw in some taquitos for the trouble.

I’m drinking my [insert a number here that is more than one, but less than whatever number will make me sound like I have a drinking problem] margarita, watching a movie with Mike and the girl, and reflecting on the year that was at once painstakingly slow and way too fast.

It was an eventful year.  A stressful year.  There were growing pains.  A major car accident. Another surgery. Way too many house repairs.

But we also celebrated 6 more birthdays.  We organized a successful conference.  There were road trips.  There were new tattoos.

We grew, in so many ways.

There were tears.  But oh there was laughter too.

And as I sit here, ready and more than happy to say goodbye to 2014, it’s firmly ahead that I’m looking.  And while I understand intellectually that tomorrow is just another day, like any other, there’s still the part of me that gets undeniably giddy every year – every single year – at the newness of it all.  Blank slates and fresh starts and new possibilities, in all their Hallmark glory. New plans and new goals and new dreams.  More time to take care of my family, and more time to take care of me.  More chances to do things that scare the ever loving shit out of me. Figurative (and literal!) to-do lists smelling of fresh Sharpies and bright, crisp Post-It notes.  A veritable rainbow of opportunities… of growth, of healing, of discovery.  Another year, another day, another moment of becoming more authentically US.

Sigh.

I do so love New Years.

Have a happy and blessed 2015, friends.  Thanks for sticking with me another year.