A New Year. The same me.

While 2013 wasn't an easy year, it was good where it needed to be good.  Everyone is healthy, we are financially stable and Rich secured a job that was a big step up for him and one he really wanted.  This past year was probably one of the most difficult for me professionally speaking and unfortunately, difficulties and frustrations at work often times bleed into my home life.  There are times when it's impossible for me to separate my emotions, especially when I'm drained of energy and patience.  I need to keep on keeping on and hang tough for a bit longer though.  Change has already begun and I expect it to continue in the right direction.      

My beautiful girls continue to grow and learn and I'm so very blessed to have them here with me.  They drive me to edge of insanity at times but they're a constant reminder of how precious life can be.  I'm constantly amazed by their creativity, growing maturity and lingering innocence.  This week, they discovered High School Musical on the Disney channel.  Even Anna, who is usually anti-television, watched most of those movies.  (I was a little lenient during vacation week when it came to TV time.)

So what's in store for 2014?  The girls will turn 7 and start the 2nd grade.  We'll return to Disney for our 4th vacation there.  It looks like that will take place during low season, which also happens to be burning-hot-like-the-face-of-the-sun season.  Rich and I have plans for an adults-only tropical destination get-away as we celebrate 10 years of marriage this year.  (10 years! How did that happen?)  I would also like to go back to NH over the summer for what has become an annual vacation.

I normally don't make resolutions but sometimes I do have goals.  I actually always have goals (and big plans) floating around in my head, not just with the start of the new year.  I would like to run more and faster.  I would like to eat better and sleep more.  I would like to organize and clean my entire house and stay on top of it so it doesn't ever have to be done again. (Don't we all dream of this?)  I'm not sure if I'll be able to accomplish any of this in 2014.  There'll be a lot of status quo this coming year and that's okay.  That's life.  I just need the important parts of it to stay good.

Happy New Year! to all of you.  I want to send out a special message to my dear friend, Kelly.  Kelly and I have been friends since junior high and this past year was a really rough one for her.  Kelly, I hope all your dreams come true in 2014 and that this is your year.  Love you, sister.  (Love you too, Kristin.)