A New Day, A New Dawn, A New Year

 

Seems like just a few months ago that I was looking at 2009 with excitement and awe, wondering what was in store. I am amazed as I look back at just how grounded I have become. I have not been on airplane in over a year, I left the state one time in August to take long-awaited vacation to Yellowstone National Park. I seem to have gotten way behind in my photo archiving but I did learn to play a violin (sort of!) and have knitted a dishcloth and a scarf. Our huge garden is now packed into various jars that bring back the warmth of summer, if only in our stomache and hearts! I now have a beatiful workspace for writing, coaching and counseling. We got the flooring in upstairs and new colors on the walls. The basement is nearly done; the boys each have their own rooms and we have the beginning of a comfy, cozy family room. to appreciate all that has been accomplished so far. It is easy to look at see all that we have left to do though I am shifting my focus I think sometimes those small victories become overshadowed when staring down the bigger picture.


One of our New Year's traditions is to write a list of all the experiences that we are ready for in the coming year. These are not necessary resolutions or goals, its more of a "dream list", though there are practical intentions included as well. I review this list each month and note the small steps that have been and can be taken each day to help materialize these wishes into reality. Some are big wishes, like traveling to Ireland, some are on a smaller scale like having a chicken coop for laying hens that I still don’t have! Some are simply to take time each day to appreciate the view off my back deck, play with my kids, or just to relax more.

So while I have a lot of experinces that I am looking forward to, no resolutions are made in this house! I realize that at any given moment, on any given day, we can start over. I can turn things around in my life that are not working, I can choose to do anything different once I make the inner choice to do so. I am excited for a new day and a new dawn. The good news is we have 365 of them coming up!