Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

It's 9:15 on New Year's Eve, and it's just baby and me sitting at the computer. Our plans for the evening fell through when my sister's family all came down with a nasty GI virus. No fun. Lucy got invited to a friend's house, Eustace is working, and Victor's a little under the weather himself and did not resist a relatively early bedtime.

So here we sit, bambino and I, me typing and she pulling whatever she can reach out of the desk drawers. Seems like a perfect time to reflect on the highlights of 2008 - a year soon to be history.

Here are my top 10 of the year (in no particular order):

1. Job change. We agonized over this for, literally, years. It's been good on so many levels. Thanks be to God.

2. Felicity learns to crawl, walk, run... It's so much fun to witness a baby's 'firsts.' It never gets old.

3. Lucy makes her first confession. I used to take her with me into the confessional before she was old enough to understand everything. I can hardly believe she's old enough to experience God's healing grace in this special way all by herself. This milestone is all sweet, no bitter.

4. Victor conquers swimming lessons. When I signed him up for his weekly class, which lasts an hour, I was apprehensive. This involves strange people, water over his head, following rules and directions. He's done it, by golly, without any trouble. Oh me of little faith.

5. New 4-seasons room and patio. This home-improvement has been great for us. It's as if we can be in our backyard, but still indoors, all year long.

6. My brother's wedding reception. This was all about fun and happiness. Their wedding was in 2007, so technically, I can't talk about that.

7. Roasting marshmallows over the fire. We invested in one of those free-standing firepits. Many an evening was spent hanging around the fire with friends, neighbors, family, or just us.

8. Book-it Nights in Spring and Fall. This is a regular event for our homeschooling group, and I'm pretty sure Eustace and I enjoy it just as much, if not more than, our kids. Book-it Night rocks.

9. The Nutcracker. Participating in a professional production is a lot for a 7-year-old, even one with as much energy as ours. During performance week, she volunteered for her first nap in 5 years. Nevertheless, what a wonderful experience it was!

10. Cheering my husband on in his first running race in 10 years. He is a faithful runner, but often in the basement on the treadmill, which is not nearly as exhilarating as a race outdoors. He works so hard that he hardly ever has a chance to do something fun like this for himself. He did great. We didn't stick around for results, but I was counting, and he was one of the first 10 to finish. Good job, honey.

Well, goodbye 2008. You have certainly provided us with both blessings and challenges, hope and frustration. Tonight, I feel like focusing on the good, and I'm finding plenty of it. I could write about so many other things - new babies, fun with friends and family, vacations, successful potty training, on and on. God is good, and we'll keep praying through whatever happens in 2009.

Happy New Year.